SoftwareOne Holding AG, a leading global software and cloud solutions provider, has committed to setting science-based emission reduction targets in line with the Science-based Targets Initiative (SBTi), underscoring its commitment to helping prevent the most severe impacts of climate change.

Brian Duffy, CEO of SoftwareOne, said “We plan to reach net-zero by 2030 by further embedding sustainability in our own operations and value chain, and will continue helping our customers advance their sustainability goals. We are proud to join the ranks of other leading companies committed to reducing their carbon footprint and promoting sustainable practices.”

Science-based targets build on the latest climate science to determine what actions are needed to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement – to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. They are set by companies and validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a partnership between the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

SoftwareOne recently published its first ESG report, aligned with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) international reporting standard. Committing to the SBTi is an important next step for SoftwareOne to achieving its carbon reduction strategy.

SoftwareOne is a leading global software and cloud solutions provider that is redefining how organizations build, buy and manage everything in the cloud. By helping clients to migrate and modernize their workloads and applications – and in parallel, to navigate and optimize the resulting software and cloud changes – SoftwareOne unlocks the value of technology. The company’s 9,250 employees are driven to deliver a portfolio of 7,500 software brands with sales and delivery capabilities in 90 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, SoftwareOne is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol SWON. Visit us at www.softwareone.com

The SBTi is a partnership between the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the United National Global Compact (UNGC), the World Resources Institute (WRI), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). By signing a commitment letter to the SBTi, companies commit to submitting a near-term or net-zero science-based emissions reduction target in line with SBTi’s target-setting criteria within 24 months. Science-based targets build on the latest climate science to determine what actions are needed to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. These targets are set by companies and validated by the SBTi.

Retrofitting buildings using a digital-first approach is the best pathway to decarbonization, according to new research from Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation.

Buildings represent an estimated 37% of global carbon emissions[i], and as about half of today's buildings are still likely to be in use in 2050[ii], the sector must urgently reduce operational carbon emissions, by making buildings more energy efficient.

The research findings show that deploying Schneider Electric's digital building and power management solutions[iii] in existing office buildings could reduce their operational carbon emissions by up to 42% with a payback period of less than three years. If fossil fuel-powered heating technologies are replaced with electric-powered alternatives, and a microgrid with local renewable energy sources is installed, all-electric, all-digital buildings will see an additional 28% reduction in operational carbon emissions resulting in a total reduction of up to 70%.

Mike Kazmierczak, Vice President of the Digital Energy Decarbonization Office, the team leading the science-based research and product innovation to accelerate the energy transition within Schneider Electric's Digital Energy division, explained that, "Tackling operational emissions is the number-one lever to decarbonize existing buildings at scale and achieve net-zero emissions targets by 2050. This breakthrough research reveals that reducing carbon emissions by up to 70% is feasible if we transform our existing building stock into energy-efficient, fully-electrified and digitized assets."

The research, carried out with the global design firm WSP, is based on modeling the energy performance and carbon emissions of a large office building built in the early 2000s across various U.S. Climate Zones[iv]. This digital approach to building renovations is, however, applicable to all building types and climates, and is, therefore, the most effective building decarbonization strategy, yielding fast results with lower 'upfront carbon'[v].

Renovating through the deployment of digital technologies is not only less disruptive to daily operations, but also more effective from a lifecycle carbon perspective. Failing to rapidly decarbonize buildings could also result in stranded assets that lose value and are unattractive to both investors and tenants.

Furthermore, recent research from the Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability and the Schneider Electric Sustainability Research Institute estimates that there is a sizable potential to create new jobs through the transition to low-carbon buildings.

Schneider Electric is widely recognized as an impact company and a leader in decarbonization. Its connected products, software and sustainability services help drive operational efficiency, eliminate energy waste, and provide strategies for carbon reduction in buildings, factories, data centers, infrastructure, and homes. Schneider Electric's research and decarbonization scenarios offer immediate, practical solutions to help organizations navigate the complexities of the energy transition.

To learn more about the findings of Schneider's research and three step process (strategize, digitize, decarbonize) to accelerate the path to net-zero buildings, visit here.

Key from the article:

[i] Tracking Clean Energy Progress (International Energy Agency 2022).

[ii] Energy Technology Perspectives (International Energy Agency 2020).

[iii] Schneider Electric solutions include EcoStruxure Building Operation, EcoStruxure Building Advisor, Connected Room Solutions, Accusine power factor correction and harmonic filtering, PowerLogic submetering

[iv] Using the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) 90.1-2004 baseline for large offices (12-stories, 46728 m2).

[v] Upfront carbon refers to the emissions primarily related to the extraction and production of building products and materials

GenScript Biotech Corporation, the world's leading provider of life-science research tools and services, has ramped up production of complex and modified peptides at its state-of-the-art cGMP manufacturing facility in Zhenjiang, China. A new, one-stop service offers neoantigen and peptide active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) adapted for large-scale manufacturing. To help drug-development teams shorten their time to market, GenScript also offers expert consulting support for CMC filing documents and the development of global regulatory strategies for new peptide drugs.

"As a leader in peptide synthesis, we recognize the growing market need for fast-track production of cGMP-grade peptides," said Raymond Miller, associate marketing director at GenScript. "With an increasing number of peptide drugs moving from drug discovery to clinical trials and commercialization, it is critical that we meet the urgent demands of our customers. With over 20 years of experience in peptide synthesis, it is a natural progression for us to enter the cGMP peptide market and support these increasing market demands."

GenScript's cGMP peptide service provides a comprehensive set of services to support GenScript's global biotech customers in their quest to deliver new drugs to market, from preclinical development through clinical trials. It leverages GenScript's extensive manufacturing expertise in the synthesis of complex and modified peptides, including cyclic peptides, peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs), and more.

GenScript's new cGMP facility can deliver up to 48 personalized neoantigen sequences per patient per batch (and up to 500 items per month of sterile product), and supports rapid manufacturing, QC, and release. For peptide APIs, orders of up to 800 g per month (over 20 kg per year) can be delivered. GenScript's in-house scientists provide technical support throughout the drug development process, from drug discovery to CMC.

The new cGMP facility can deliver up to 48 personalized neoantigen sequences per patient per batch, enabling rapid manufacturing, QC, and release. For peptide APIs, orders of up to 800 g per month (over 20 kg per year) can be delivered. GenScript's in-house scientists provide technical support throughout the drug development process, from drug discovery to CMC.

The new Zhenjiang state-of-art cGMP facility has been designed and qualified to meet the GMP requirements of major regulatory authorities such as FDA, EMA, PMDA, and NMPA. GenScript has established a phase-appropriate cGMP system including material system, facilities & equipment system, laboratory control system, production system, packaging and labeling system, all of which are integrated into the quality system. GenScript has also established a sterility assurance program with systematic controls in place to ensure product sterility.

"GenScript's capabilities go way beyond peptide manufacturing — our professional regulatory affairs team provides extensive support in CMC filing documents and the development of global regulatory strategies for peptide new drugs, including drug substances, and drug products. Our team of scientists and technicians is dedicated to helping you succeed," said Hui Feng, director of regulatory affairs at GenScript. "We take on your challenges as if they were our own, and we're committed to delivering high-quality peptides on time, every time."

Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503) (President and CEO: Naoki Okamura, "Astellas") and 4D Molecular Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: FDMT) (CEO: David Kirn, MD, "4DMT") today announced a license agreement under which Astellas gains rights to utilize the intravitreal retinotropic R100* vector invented by 4DMT for one genetic target implicated in rare monogenic ophthalmic disease(s), with options to add up to two additional targets implicated in rare monogenic ophthalmic diseases after paying additional option exercise fees.

R100 is an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector invented by 4DMT for intravitreal delivery. It has the ability to penetrate the internal limiting membrane barrier and to efficiently transduce the entire retina, resulting in robust transgene expression within retinal cells. All three 4DMT clinical-stage ophthalmic product candidates utilize the R100 vector, including 4D-150 for wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema.

Under the terms of the agreement, 4DMT will provide its proprietary R100 vector technology to Astellas to deliver Astellas' unique genetic payloads for the treatment of rare monogenic diseases. Astellas will conduct all subsequent research, development, manufacturing, and commercialization activities. 4DMT will receive US$20 million upfront, and potential future option fees and milestones of up to US$942.5 million including potential near-term development milestones of US$15 million for the initial target. In addition, 4DMT is entitled to receive mid-single digit to double-digit, sub-teen royalties on net sales of all licensed products.

"This collaboration with Astellas, a leader in AAV gene therapy, continues to validate R100 for routine intravitreal low dose delivery of genetic payloads for the treatment of retinal diseases," said David Kirn, M.D., Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of 4DMT. "With over 70 patients dosed to-date with R100-based product candidates in wet age-related macular degeneration and rare ophthalmic diseases, this collaboration also demonstrates the modularity of the Therapeutic Vector Evolution platform resulting in efficient design and development of new intravitreal products. 4DMT retains rights to large market non-hereditary ophthalmic diseases."

Adam Pearson, Chief Strategy Officer (CStO) at Astellas said, "At Astellas, we have a strong commitment to developing novel treatments for ophthalmic diseases, and have positioned Blindness & Regeneration as one of the Primary Focuses of our R&D strategy. Staying at the forefront of gene therapy technology is a key part of our strategy. We believe that this collaboration will bring synergies between the two companies' cutting-edge research, and will ultimately lead to the development of new therapeutics for patients with ophthalmic diseases at high risk of blindness."

About Astellas

Astellas Pharma Inc. is a pharmaceutical company conducting business in more than 70 countries around the world. We are promoting the Focus Area Approach that is designed to identify opportunities for the continuous creation of new drugs to address diseases with high unmet medical needs by focusing on Biology and Modality. Furthermore, we are also looking beyond our foundational Rx focus to create Rx+® healthcare solutions that combine our expertise and knowledge with cutting-edge technology in different fields of external partners. Through these efforts, Astellas stands on the forefront of healthcare change to turn innovative science into VALUE for patients.