Johnson Controls electrifies energy-intensive industries with new heat pumps that can triple energy efficiency and lower operating costs

- Can deliver up to three times the energy efficiency of electric boilers and significantly improve efficiency compared with natural gas boilers, helping customers electrify high-temperature heat without compromising performance

- Delivers output temperatures up to 122°C for demanding industrial processes using natural refrigerants to help customers meet evolving EU regulations

- Engineered with industry-leading compressor technology, the system delivers exceptional part-load performance at loads as low as 18% of capacity, extending service intervals by nearly 50%.

- In a customer application based on site-specific operating conditions and assumptions, demonstrated potential to reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 82%, energy costs by more than 91% and water costs by up to 30%

CORK, Ireland, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), a global leader in thermal management, mission-critical building systems, energy efficiency, and decarbonization, today announced the launch of its Sabroe HitemHP line of industrial high-temperature heat pumps designed to help industries requiring high-temperature process heat in Europe to electrify and decarbonize, without compromising performance. In one specific customer application1, the system delivered up to three times the energy efficiency of electric boilers while reducing energy costs by more than 91%, annual water costs by up to 30%, and on-site CO₂ emissions by up to 82% when paired with waste heat from a refrigeration plant.

A wave of growth across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, and food and beverage processing is driving demand for tighter, more energy-intensive operating conditions. At the same time, industrial heating remains a major challenge, particularly for processes requiring temperatures above 100°C, where businesses have traditionally relied on fossil fuel-based systems that are costly to operate, difficult to decarbonize, and increasingly exposed to energy price volatility. The HitemHP range is built for this new reality. Engineered and manufactured in Europe, it enables customers to be resilient in the face of energy-related challenges by reducing energy costs and emissions, improving efficiency, and accelerating decarbonization while ensuring reliable operations and outcomes.

"European industries face unprecedented pressure to stay competitive while energy security and affordability have become key concerns," said Steve Bell, vice president and general manager, Industrial Refrigeration, Johnson Controls. "Until now, electrifying high-temperature heat has been one of the hardest problems to solve. With our new Sabroe high-temperature heat pumps, Johnson Controls is delivering a breakthrough solution that can help critical industries and institutions secure their energy future, significantly cut operational costs and align with the ambitions of Europe's Clean Industrial Deal, driving the competitive advantage of our customers in cutting-edge industries."

Engineered and manufactured in Europe at the company's advanced heat pump and chiller facility in Holme, Denmark, the HitemHP range uses only natural refrigerants, aligning with upcoming EU regulatory compliance. At the heart of the system is the proven Sabroe SMC single-stage reciprocating compressor, an aerodynamic innovation engineered for exceptional reliability, even under part-load conditions. This extends service intervals by nearly 50% while also improving energy performance.

Under part-load operation, the system can achieve up to 20% higher coefficient of performance (COP) than when operating at full capacity, helping reduce electricity consumption and operating costs.

Additional key features include:

- Operational flexibility: Works across a wide range of heat sources, with capacity that can scale from 100% down to 18%, matching its output to the building's needs to save energy and reduce wear.

- Future-proof refrigerants: Uses ultra-low GWP butane and iso-butane, aligning with upcoming EU regulations.

- Standardized, modular design: A configure-to-order approach reduces lead times, costs and installation complexity. Compact, factory‑assembled units enable fast commissioning.

The HitemHP market-leading features and exceptional range reflect input directly from customers who partnered with Jonhson Controls experts at the company's state-of-the-art testing facility in Holme, Denmark.

Johnson Controls has been a heat pump pioneer for decades and today offers one of the industry's most comprehensive portfolios of low- and ultra-low GWP solutions. In 2025, the company's heat pump portfolio helped customers reduce heating costs by an estimated 32% and cut emissions by 55%.

For more information visit Industrial Heat Pumps.

About Johnson Controls

Johnson Controls, a global leader in thermal management, mission-critical building systems, energy efficiency, and decarbonization, helps customers use energy more productively, reduce carbon emissions, and operate with the precision and resilience required in rapidly expanding industries such as data centers, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing, and higher education.

For more than 140 years, Johnson Controls has delivered performance where it really matters. Backed by advanced technology, lifecycle services and an industry-leading field organization, we elevate customer performance, turn goals into real-world results and help move society forward.

Visit johnsoncontrols.com for more information and follow @JohnsonControls on social platforms.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Danielle Canzanella

Direct: 414.524.8687

Email: [email protected]

1 Based on a customer application, using site-specific conditions including energy prices, and assumptions around water volumes and water quality requirements.

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Undiluted launches to track the global venture debt and growth credit market

New specialist media & intelligence platform covers the lenders, deals and trends shaping growth debt globally

LONDON, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Undiluted, a new specialist media and intelligence platform focused on venture debt and growth credit, has officially launched.

The platform has been created to give investors, lenders, founders and advisers a clearer view of a market that has grown rapidly but remains fragmented and difficult to track.

Undiluted covers debt financing for technology and growth companies globally, including venture debt, growth credit and other forms of structured lending. Over time, the platform plans to expand beyond news and research into deeper data, benchmarking and market intelligence covering lenders, deals, pricing and activity.

Undiluted was founded by entrepreneur Alex Price, who previously founded and sold digital agency 93digital. His interest in the credit market developed partly through selling the business to a debt-financed group, giving him first-hand exposure to the role lenders and credit structures can play in the growth economy.

"The innovation economy has spent decades building better data, media and infrastructure around equity. Debt, particularly venture and growth debt, remains comparatively underserved despite becoming an increasingly important source of capital for ambitious companies," said Price.

"There are hundreds of lenders operating across the market with very different structures, terms and appetites. Deals are often inconsistently labelled, and founders can struggle to understand the options available to them."

Undiluted has launched with global news and deal coverage alongside resources for founders and finance leaders. Its planned offering includes structured deal data, benchmarking, proprietary research, a podcast and industry events.

The platform is also designed to reflect a growth lending market that increasingly extends beyond traditional venture debt.

"A growing number of companies are raising substantial debt facilities without having recently raised venture capital at all," Price added. "We want Undiluted to reflect how the market actually operates rather than forcing every transaction into traditional asset class categories."

Undiluted is headquartered in London and covers the growth debt market globally.

For more information, visit undiluted.com.

About Undiluted

Undiluted is a specialist media and intelligence platform tracking the global venture debt and growth credit market. It provides news, research and insights on the companies, transactions, lenders and trends shaping growth lending globally, with deeper data and intelligence products in development.

SOURCE Undiluted

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PENETRON ADMIX Protects New Residential Development in Slovakia from the Foundation Up

The recently completed Pod Zeleným Dvorom (At The Green Yard) residential development in Budimír, near Košice, Slovakia is a wholly new neighborhood of modern family houses and apartments. PENETRON ADMIX, a crystalline waterproofing admixture, was specified for the concrete foundations to ensure permanent protection against groundwater and moisture penetration.

ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Combining modern living with easy access to the nearby city of Košice, the Pod Zeleným Dvorom development features quality construction, energy efficiency, and long-term durability of the below-grade structures.

PENETRON ADMIX was added directly to the concrete mix during batching. Once incorporated into the concrete, its active ingredients react with water and concrete minerals to form an insoluble crystalline network throughout the pores, capillaries, and microcracks. This network reduces concrete permeability and helps prevent groundwater and moisture from passing through the foundation structures.

"Because this crystalline waterproofing protection is an integral part of the concrete matrix, the below-grade foundations did not require a separately applied membrane waterproofing system," adds Evgeniy Artukh, Director of Penetron Slovakia. "This simplified process reduced the need for additional materials and labor, and completely eliminated time-consuming membrane installation procedures on the jobsite."

Unlike surface-applied systems, PENETRON ADMIX remains active within the concrete and can reactivate in the presence of moisture to help self-seal hairline cracks that may develop over time. Crystalline technology becomes a permanent and integral part of the concrete, providing protection throughout the service life of the structure.

The use of PENETRON ADMIX at Pod Zeleným Dvorom delivered several important project benefits:

- reduced concrete permeability and increased resistance to groundwater penetration

- permanent waterproofing protection from within the concrete

- faster construction and reduced onsite labor requirements

- self-sealing capability for hairline cracks

- improved durability and an extended service life for the concrete foundations

"By providing protection from the foundations up, Penetron crystalline technology provides the new homes at Pod Zeleným Dvorom with a durable defense against moisture-related deterioration, helping create comfortable living spaces for generations to come,"-concludes Evgeniy Artukh.

The Penetron Group is a leading manufacturer of specialty construction products for concrete waterproofing, concrete repairs, and floor preparation systems. The Group operates through a global network, offering support to the design and construction community through its regional offices, representatives, and distribution channels.

For more information on Penetron waterproofing solutions, please visit penetron(dot)com or Facebook(dot)com/ThePenetronGroup, email CRDept(at)penetron(dot)com or contact the Corporate Relations Department at 631-941-9700.

SOURCE The Penetron Group

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EXPO 2027 Belgrade Brings "Visit Serbia" Campaign to Bratislava

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- EXPO 2027 Belgrade will present Serbia's tourism offering and business opportunities to Slovakia's travel industry at the "Visit Serbia B2B Networking" event on 17 September 2026 at Incheba in Bratislava.

As part of its international roadshow, Serbia is presenting EXPO 2027 Belgrade – the first Specialised Expo to be hosted in Belgrade – across key European markets, showcasing the country as a travel and investment destination ahead of the Expo's opening on 15 May 2027. The event will create opportunities for cross-border partnerships and cooperation.

Igor Kovačević, Executive Director of EXPO 2027 Belgrade, and Lukáš Parízek, Slovakia's Commissioner General for EXPO 2027 Belgrade, will address representatives of the Slovak tourism industry and business community. The programme will highlight business opportunities through delegation visits and targeted B2B meetings, supported by a digital platform connecting companies.

Serbia and Slovakia: growing economic ties

Bilateral trade reached approximately EUR 1.3 billion in 2025, up 15 percent year-on-year, making Serbia Slovakia's most important Western Balkan trading partner, according to the Slovak Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. Slovakia was also the first country to sign a Participation Contract for EXPO 2027 Belgrade.

Event details

- Event: Visit Serbia B2B Networking

- Date: Thursday, 17 September 2026, from 10:30 a.m.

- Venue: Incheba, a.s., Viedenská cesta 3–7, 851 01 Bratislava, Slovakia

The event is co-organized by Slovakia Travel, #GoBelgrade, and ATIS.

About EXPO 2027 Belgrade

EXPO 2027 Belgrade is a Specialised Exhibition under the theme "Play for Humanity: Sport and Music for All", taking place from 15 May to 15 August 2027, with more than 135 countries confirmed.

Press contact: [email protected]

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Building the Connected Store: Allied Telesis Showcases Secure Connectivity at NRF Europe 2026

PARIS, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Telesis, a global leader in secure, high-performance networking for enterprise and industrial applications, will showcase its award-winning Unified Management Platform for the retail technology community at NRF Europe 2026. The company will reveal how reliable network infrastructure can help retailers build smarter, more connected and future-ready stores.

NRF Europe brings together retailers and technology leaders at a time when the role of the store network is changing rapidly. Connected devices, cloud applications, artificial intelligence, digital services, AI-powered "smart mirrors" in dressing rooms, and increasingly data-driven operations are creating new demands on the infrastructure that supports the modern retail environment.

As retailers continue to embrace AI and connected technologies, network infrastructure is becoming an increasingly strategic part of the retail environment. It's estimated that network infrastructure failures are the root cause for 53 percent of all point-of-sale system downtime, which costs the average retailer around $4,700 per minute (on Black Friday that leaps to $9,000 per minute).

Allied Telesis is helping retailers prepare for this evolution with secure, scalable and manageable networking solutions designed around the demands of modern stores.

At Booth G-067, Allied Telesis will demonstrate how its Unified Management Platform delivers the visibility, automation, and AI-driven insights needed to operate secure and resilient digital environments, seamlessly integrating wired and wireless infrastructure.

"Retailers are under increasing pressure to deliver seamless digital experiences while keeping their operations efficient, secure and resilient," said Antonella Santoro, VP of Marketing at Allied Telesis. "The network is fundamental to achieving this. At NRF Europe, we look forward to showing how the right networking infrastructure can give retailers the reliability and flexibility they need today, while enabling a foundation for the technologies of tomorrow."

Visitors to NRF Europe 2026 can meet Allied Telesis at Booth G-067 to explore how intelligent networking can support connected retail environments, simplify operations and provide a reliable foundation for future innovation. To schedule a time to meet with Allied Telesis executives onsite, please email [email protected].

For more information, visit AlliedTelesis.com.

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One of the Nordic region's largest building materials suppliers establishes a common, governed product master data foundation to support documentation, sustainability requirements, operational efficiency, and future use of AI

AARHUS, Denmark, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Stibo Systems, the largest independent provider of master data management (MDM) and the company behind the trusted intelligence platform, today announced that Bygma, one of the largest suppliers of building materials in the Nordic region, has selected Stibo Systems to establish trusted product and master data as the foundation of its business.

Headquartered in Denmark, Bygma sells and distributes construction products to professional contractors and private customers through an extensive network of branches across Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Poland. Operating at that scale means managing large volumes of product documentation, certifications, and sustainability data across multiple countries, regulatory regimes, and sales channels — and being able to stand behind every figure.

As Bygma has grown across markets and product categories, the requirements for consistent product data, documentation and governance have increased significantly. By establishing a common, governed source of truth, Bygma aims to standardize and scale product data processes across the Group and ensure that people and systems can act on reliable information with confidence.

Bygma's investment in Stibo Systems product information management (PIM) and MDM addresses three priorities:

- Data that stands up to scrutiny: Meeting requirements for sustainability reporting, product documentation, certifications, and traceability with information that is complete, current, and auditable.

- Reduced operational risk and greater efficiency: Standardizing product data processes and reducing manual workflows and dependencies across the organization.

- A trusted source of truth: Eliminating fragmented product data and manual workflows by consolidating product master data onto one governed platform.

With this foundation in place, Bygma expects to automate PIM processes and integrations with external systems, support ESG compliance requirements, increase the efficiency of product data work, and scale the platform as the business grows. Governed and verified data will also provide the foundation for future use of AI where it can create value for the business.

"Governed master data is not merely a record of what exists. It is the context that allows people and AI to act with confidence, at scale, and within the rules a business is held to," said Adrian Carr, CEO of Stibo Systems. "That is the difference between holding a lot of data and having trustworthy intelligence. It is not complicated, but it does take discipline. What we recognized in Bygma is a business that already understood that. They are not treating master data as a back-office tidy-up. They are treating it as a strategic foundation for their continued growth and digital development, and we are excited to be helping them build it."

"Reliable product data is becoming increasingly important to our customers and to our own operations. As documentation and sustainability requirements increase, we need a strong, common foundation across the Group," said Preben Nielsen, Group CPO at Bygma. "We chose Stibo Systems because they demonstrated a deep understanding of our situation, our business, and the environment we operate in. We have full confidence in their ability to deliver on this commitment, and we look forward to beginning the implementation process."

Bygma's business priorities reflect a pattern Stibo Systems sees across the distribution and building materials sector: tightening documentation and sustainability requirements are turning product data quality from an efficiency question into a question of trust — with regulators, with customers, and across the digital systems businesses increasingly rely on.

About Stibo Systems

Stibo Systems is the largest independent provider of master data management and the company behind the trusted intelligence platform, helping enterprises transform data into trustworthy intelligence. Organizations around the world rely on Stibo Systems to create context and governance across critical domains: customer, product, supplier, location, and more. The platform helps businesses operationalize AI with greater confidence, improve decision-making, drive operational efficiency, and deliver better business outcomes at scale.

Headquartered in Aarhus, Denmark, Stibo Systems is a subsidiary of Stibo Software Group. Independence and foundation ownership provide a long-term perspective that supports innovation-forward customer success and sustainable growth. More at stibosystems.com.

For more information, please contact:

Katherine Hahn

Senior Public Relations Manager

[email protected]

SOURCE Stibo Systems

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Oral Presentation: Ivonescimab Versus Pembrolizumab in First-Line PD-L1-Positive NSCLC: Positive Overall Survival Results from HARMONi-2 at WCLC 2026

HONG KONG, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Akeso, Inc. (9926.HK) today announced the presentation of positive overall survival (OS) results from the randomized, double-blind, multicenter, registrational Phase III HARMONi-2 study (AK112-303) at the 2026 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC), organized by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). The study evaluated the company's first-in-class next-generation immuno-oncology therapy, ivonescimab, versus pembrolizumab as first-line treatment for patients with PD-L1-positive (PD-L1 TPS ≥1%) locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Professor Caicun Zhou, Principal Investigator of HARMONi-2, IASLC President, and Director of the Department of Oncology at Shanghai East Hospital, delivered an oral presentation in the session titled "The Breakthrough Immunotherapy for Advanced NSCLC," where he shared the complete results of the study.

As of the data cutoff on August 20, 2026, the median follow-up was 36 months, and a total of 234 overall survival (OS) events had occurred. For this OS analysis, a prespecified O'Brien-Fleming spending function was used, with a one-sided alpha of 0.0141.

Results showed that, compared with pembrolizumab, first-line treatment with ivonescimab significantly prolonged OS in patients with PD-L1-positive advanced NSCLC. This finding met the prespecified statistical significance threshold and demonstrated clear clinical benefit. The overall survival benefit was generally consistent across prespecified subgroups, with particularly pronounced benefit observed in the PD-L1-high population.

1. Intention-to-Treat (ITT) Population: Median OS of 30.8 Months with Ivonescimab, 27% Reduction in Risk of Death, with a Significant and Widening Long-Term Survival Advantage

- In the ITT population, ivonescimab monotherapy significantly prolonged OS versus pembrolizumab, with median OS of 30.8 months versus 22.6 months (HR=0.73; 95% CI: 0.57–0.95; P=0.009), corresponding to a 27% reduction in the risk of death.

- Ivonescimab demonstrated a clear long-term survival advantage over pembrolizumab, which further widened with longer follow-up: 2-year OS rates were 57.9% versus 48.0%, and 3-year OS rates were 45.0% versus 33.1%.

- After treatment discontinuation, 46.0% of patients in the pembrolizumab arm received subsequent systemic therapy, compared with 36.4% in the ivonescimab arm.

2. Overcoming Traditional Anti-VEGF Treatment Restrictions: No Significant Increase in Bleeding Risk Observed in High-Risk Squamous Patients

Squamous NSCLC patients accounted for 45.5% of the HARMONi-2 population, and non-squamous patients for 54.5%. Among squamous patients treated with ivonescimab, 72.2% had central tumors, 10.0% had tumor cavitation or necrosis, and 6.7% had tumors encasing major vessels.

These populations are traditionally considered contraindicated or high-risk for anti-VEGF therapies and have long lacked effective treatment options. However, no apparent increase in bleeding risk was observed with ivonescimab, and these patients showed favorable benefit.

3. Significant OS Benefit Across PD-L1 Expression Levels, with Outstanding Benefit in the TPS ≥50% Subgroup

- In the PD-L1 TPS ≥50% subgroup, median OS was not reached (NR) with ivonescimab versus 23.2 months with pembrolizumab (HR=0.58; 95% CI: 0.38–0.89).

- In the PD-L1 TPS 1–49% subgroup, median OS was 28.5 months with ivonescimab versus 22.1 months with pembrolizumab (HR=0.85; 95% CI: 0.61–1.18).

4. Consistent OS Benefit by Histology, with Greater Advantage in Squamous Cell Carcinoma

- In the squamous cell carcinoma subgroup, median OS was 30.5 months with ivonescimab versus 19.3 months with pembrolizumab (HR=0.65; 95% CI: 0.45–0.95).

- In the non-squamous subgroup, median OS was 33.6 months with ivonescimab versus 25.6 months with pembrolizumab (HR=0.79; 95% CI: 0.55–1.14).

5. Favorable Overall Safety Profile with No New Safety Signals; Safety Characteristics Generally Consistent Between Arms

In May 2024, a prespecified interim analysis of progression-free survival (PFS) assessed by the Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) confirmed that HARMONi-2 met its primary PFS endpoint with statistically significant and clinically meaningful results. Median PFS was 11.14 months with ivonescimab versus 5.82 months with pembrolizumab (HR=0.51, P0.0001). This indication was approved in China in 2025.

HARMONi-2 is the first randomized, double-blind, controlled Phase III clinical study globally to demonstrate statistically significant positive OS and PFS results versus pembrolizumab.

An international multicenter Phase III clinical study evaluating ivonescimab monotherapy versus pembrolizumab as first-line treatment for PD-L1-high NSCLC (HARMONi-7/AK112-3007) is currently progressing efficiently.

To date, ivonescimab has consistently achieved dual-positive OS and PFS results across multiple Phase III head-to-head trials against PD-1/L1 therapies and continues to expand into major solid tumors beyond lung cancer. The synergistic antitumor effects of ivonescimab's dual "immuno-oncology + anti-angiogenesis" mechanism continue to be validated in both clinical research and real-world settings. Ivonescimab has the potential to provide a more effective treatment option with a manageable safety profile for cancer patients worldwide and to drive continued progress in oncology care.

About Akeso

Akeso (HKEX: 9926.HK) is a leading biopharmaceutical company committed to the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of the world's first or best-in-class innovative biological medicines. Founded in 2012, Akeso has built a comprehensive R&D innovation ecosystem anchored by its proprietary Tetrabody antibody technology platform, AI-powered drug R&D platform, Dual-Shield ADC technology platform, Dual-Lock T-cell engager (TCE) technology platform, Tissue-Smart siRNA/mRNA technology platform, and cell therapy technology platforms.

Backed by world-class GMP manufacturing facilities and a highly efficient, integrated commercialization system, Akeso has developed into a globally competitive biopharmaceutical enterprise. Leveraging its fully integrated, multi-functional platform, the company maintains a robust pipeline of more than 50 innovative assets targeting cancer, autoimmune diseases, inflammation, metabolic disorders, and other major therapeutic areas. Of these, nearly 30 candidates have advanced into clinical trials, including 15 bispecific or multispecific antibodies and bispecific ADCs. Eight innovative drugs are commercially available, and two additional drugs with three indications are currently under regulatory review for marketing approval.

Akeso is committed to becoming a global leader in biopharmaceuticals through efficient and breakthrough innovation in R&D, developing novel therapies that are first-in-class or best-in-class, and providing better disease solutions for patients around the world.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement by Akeso, Inc. (9926.HK, "Akeso") contains "forward-looking statements". These statements reflect the current beliefs and expectations of Akeso's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These statements are not intended to form the basis of any investment decision or any decision to purchase securities of Akeso. There can be no assurance that the drug candidate(s) indicated in this announcement or Akeso's other pipeline candidates will obtain the required regulatory approvals or achieve commercial success. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the P.R. China, the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; Akeso's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the Akeso's patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

Akeso does not undertake any obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, except as required by law.

SOURCE Akeso, Inc.

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In a breathtaking display, Red Bull athlete Marco Waltenspiel and his distinctive moustache achieved a world's first in wingsuit hot-air balloon slalom, soaring between seven hot-air balloons at 200 km/h, to celebrate the freedom to be yourself and follow your passions.

AMSTERDAM, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG) (AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, has teamed up with Red Bull and athlete Marco Waltenspiel to complete an extraordinary wingsuit slalom against Cappadocia's famous balloon-filled skyline. It marks a new Philips OneBlade and Red Bull project, celebrating individuality, self-acceptance and doing things your own way.

Marco Waltenspiel is known for pushing the limits of wingsuit flying and doing so with his distinctive moustache and unmistakable look. Bringing his unique style to the aerial obstacle course, he jumped from 2,800 meters and turned the sky into a slalom trail through balloons at different heights, shaving seconds off each split-second decision as wind conditions changed around him. Reaching speeds of up to 200 km/h, his fellow Red Bull athlete Marco Fürst flew alongside him to capture the spectacle from the sky. (Watch here)

"At Philips OneBlade, we believe there is no 'right' way to show up. We want to give people the freedom to shape their look on their own terms and express every side of who they are. Marco's breathtaking feat in Cappadocia brings that spirit to life: bold, individual and unmistakably him. Through our partnership with Red Bull, we celebrate people who challenge convention, pursue what feels true to them and inspire others to do the same, "comments Shumit Mongha, OneBlade Business Leader.

Marco Waltenspiel, Red Bull athlete said on the Cappadocia jump: "For me, the small rituals really matter. They help me to feel grounded and prepare myself for each challenging jump. But beyond personal preparation, this jump was also about teamwork and trust. It was a challenge to bring everything together, and every detail had to align perfectly. I felt great on the day, & when the right moment finally came, we trusted each other, relied on our instincts, and soared through the sky. It was an incredible feeling."

Philips OneBlade is made for people who want the freedom to create their own style. Whether trimming, edging or shaving, it offers a versatile way to shape and maintain facial hair, from a clean look to a statement moustache, and everything in between.

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG) (AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and well-being through meaningful innovation. Philips' patient- and people-centric innovation leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver personal health solutions for consumers and professional health solutions for healthcare providers and their patients in the hospital and the home.

Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in image-guided therapy, diagnostic imaging, ultrasound, monitoring, enterprise informatics and personal health. Philips generated 2025 sales of approximately EUR 18 billion and employs approximately 63,700 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

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International collaboration will accelerate XNO®'s pathway into the advanced battery market to support high-intensity industrial customers.

LONDON, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Echion Technologies (Echion) and Energy Tech Solution (ETS) announced today a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the development of battery technology based on Echion's industry-leading XNO® niobium-based anode material. Developed for mass industrial applications like mining, rail, maritime and datacenters, XNO® outperforms mainstream lithium-ion batteries on both performance and durability. ETS joins the Echion partner network as the first total battery solution provider, covering production line design, cell assembly equipment and Korea-based cell design R&D for XNO®.

ETS, headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, with additional locations in Chungju and Detroit, builds battery manufacturing equipment for startups and gigafactories worldwide, providing personnel support and product strategy alongside hardware sales. ETS also serves as a contract cell manufacturer for next-generation battery startups from Asia, Europe, and North America. Together, Echion and ETS offer a complete solution for cell OEMs looking to diversify into XNO®.

"Echion has demonstrated incredible performance capabilities in our custom-designed cells," commented ETS CEO Y.H. Kim. "As battery technology saturates every aspect of the global energy system, this long-lasting and high-performance chemistry will find its place serving the most demanding users."

As part of this memorandum, Echion will utilise ETS as a vetted contract manufacturing partner for demonstration cell provision and product design iteration. For customers interested in XNO® cells, ETS will allocate a portion of its capacity in noted battery hub Chungju to customize cells to cylindrical, pouch and prismatic cell form factors. Interested parties can rely on ETS for full turnkey cell design and manufacturing.

"Energy Tech Solution offer a comprehensive range of battery solution services and manufacturing expertise, and have shown themselves to be adept at bridging process engineering and scientific R&D," commented Echion CEO Jean de La Verpilliere. "We're confident that XNO® batteries manufactured by the experts at ETS, on their well-trusted equipment, will give those customers seeking to produce their own XNO® batteries the charging speed and cycle life they need to run their businesses."

Niobium-based batteries, including those powered by XNO®, are often considered a higher-performing alternative to titanium-oxide, or LTO, batteries, in the premium category of fast-charging batteries with long cycle lives. ETS aims to demonstrate XNO®-based batteries with excellent cycle stability and high-rate charging capability, targeting up to 50,000 cycles and charge rates as high as 10C.

SOURCE Energy Tech Solution

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New chemistry-specific AI vision technology turns chemistry trapped in images into searchable evidence at scale in Reaxys, helping researchers make confident decisions faster

SEOUL, South Korea and LONDON, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Elsevier and LG AI Research today announced that researchers can now identify chemistry that has often sat beyond the reach of search: the substances that appear only as images, drawings and reaction schemes in patents and scientific literature.

Visual chemistry of this kind has long been difficult for both humans and machines to index at scale. Now, chemistry-specific AI vision technology developed by LG AI Research is being used within Elsevier's content extraction and curation processes for Reaxys, Elsevier's discovery chemistry solution. Substance information from images in patent and journal content is captured far more quickly, accurately, and at far greater scale than was previously possible. This work enhances Elsevier's leading content extraction and scientific curation of substances, reactions, bioactivities, biological targets and substance properties for Reaxys.

Why it matters

Much of the substance and reaction information chemists rely on is communicated through figures, drawings and reaction schemes rather than searchable text. When that chemistry isn't searchable, researchers can be left checking documents by hand to confirm whether a compound or reaction has already been described. Making that chemistry discoverable at scale is a specialist AI challenge. Chemical drawings encode meaning through bonds, atoms, stereochemistry and spatial relationships. A model that misreads a bond may identify the wrong compound; one that misses a structure gives chemists an incomplete picture. This matters most in areas such as novelty searching, competitive intelligence and synthesis planning, and in inorganic and organometallic chemistry, where complex structures are harder to extract and index.

Built for chemical drawings

The novel chemistry-specific AI vision technology from LG AI Research combines molecule detection, reaction-diagram parsing and optical chemical structure recognition (OCSR) in a single model. In the company's published benchmarking, it outperforms alternatives at extracting chemistry from a full document page, placing the technology at the forefront of innovation for reading chemistry across formats. Each extraction pipeline is validated against existing Reaxys benchmarks before it goes live, so accuracy is not traded for scale. The full pipeline has undergone a rigorous period of testing across Elsevier's data and workflow tools to ensure accuracy and quality before wider use.

Mirit Eldor, Managing Director, Life Sciences, Elsevier, said: "Every hour a chemist spends deciphering figures or images to see what has already been made is an hour that could instead be spent on chemistry discovery. Our partnership with LG AI Research gives that time back, lifting more chemistry out of the image and into Reaxys - curated, searchable and ready to act on. A structure buried in a figure should be evidence rather than a dead end."

Hwayoung Edward Lee, lead of the AI Biz Transformation Unit at LG AI Research, said: "Understanding scientific images requires AI engineered specifically for chemistry — where every bond and spatial layout holds critical meaning. We designed our AI vision model to decode these complex visual representations with human-expert precision. Through our integration with Elsevier, we are proving that advanced chemistry-specific AI can seamlessly convert raw visual data into structured knowledge for global researchers."

Extending the partnership

Reaction extraction is the next stage of the collaboration, extending image-based extraction beyond individual substances to broaden the reaction evidence available through Reaxys. Elsevier and LG AI Research are also exploring further customer challenges to tackle together, bringing together LG AI Research's specialist AI capabilities with Elsevier's chemistry content, scientific expertise and curation.

This work follows Elsevier's Responsible AI Principles and Privacy Principles.

To learn more, visit www.elsevier.com/products/reaxys

About LG AI Research

Established in December 2020, LG AI Research serves as the AI think tank for the LG Group. Its mission is to enhance AI capabilities by addressing business challenges, conducting cutting-edge AI research, and establishing and implementing ethical principles for AI technology. Leveraging EXAONE (Expert AI for Everyone), a proprietary large-scale AI model developed since 2021, the center has been driving innovation across various industries.

Furthermore, by successfully passing the technological evaluation in the 'National AI Foundation Model Project' — an initiative launched to resolve dependency on global models — LG AI Research has firmly solidified its position as Korea's flagship AI company.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a global leader in advanced information and decision support. For over a century, we have been helping advance science and healthcare to advance human progress. We support academic and corporate research communities, doctors, nurses, future healthcare professionals, and educators across 170 countries in their vital work. We help impact makers achieve better outcomes with research and clinical-grade solutions built on the world's leading evidence-based scientific and medical content, precision AI, and expert human assessment. We champion inclusion and sustainability, working with the communities that we serve. The Elsevier Foundation supports research and health partnerships around the world.

Elsevier is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. For more information, visit www.elsevier.com and follow us on social media @elsevierconnect.

SOURCE Elsevier Limited

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