SANTA FE, NM, Dec 8, 2023 – Cadence Molecular Sciences (OpenEye), a business unit of Cadence Design Systems, will provide OpenEye’s molecular design software to power the open-science AI-driven Structure-enabled Antiviral Platform (ASAP) Discovery Consortium in support of an innovative effort to rapidly develop antivirals to prevent future pandemics.

John D. Chodera, PhD, a lab head at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), directs the researchers and software scientists building the computational chemistry infrastructure to support ASAP.

“Dr. Chodera and the ASAP scientists working with him will have access to OpenEye tools to help support the ASAP Discovery Consortium and antiviral drug research,” said Anthony Nicholls, PhD, corporate vice president, OpenEye, Cadence Molecular Sciences. “OpenEye’s software will aid in advancing therapeutics for under-researched diseases and to prepare for pandemics.”

OpenEye’s Applications, Toolkits and Orion platform—which include ROCS, FastROCS, BROOD, OMEGA, OEChemTK, Grapheme, Nonequilibrium Switching (NES) Free Energy Calculations and other tools—enable computational chemists working with the ASAP Discovery Consortium to build a robust antiviral drug discovery pipeline using technology, structural biology, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and computational chemistry.

“Open-science drug discovery against future pandemics is an essential public service,” said Chodera. “We are thrilled to have access to OpenEye’s industry-leading software in this effort. The OpenEye Toolkits have long been the backbone of our computer-aided drug discovery infrastructure, and access to the Orion NES Free Energy workflows allows us to run free energy calculations in mere hours.”

The ASAP Discovery Consortium is an Antiviral Drug Discovery (AViDD) U19 Center for Pathogens of Pandemic Concern funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), via a $68 million grant as part of the Antiviral Program for Pandemics (APP).

The NIH grant is for the initial three-year phase of the ASAP Discovery Consortium, which aims to deliver multiple drug candidates ready for evaluation in humans in the event of an ongoing or emerging pandemic threat. The project will maximize the use of an open science model that prioritizes global, equitable and affordable access to antiviral medicine, generating a wealth of antiviral data shared rapidly and openly.

ASAP builds on the successes of the COVID Moonshot, a global, open-science collaboration that began in March 2020 and rapidly identified potent antivirals targeting the main protease of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In July 2021, Moonshot received $11M in funding from the Wellcome Trust to pursue an accelerated preclinical program via the World Health Organization Access to COVID Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) and is working with the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) to pursue clinical trials with a straight-to-generics model.

The ASAP Discovery Consortium is led by PIs John Chodera (MSKCC), Alpha Lee (PostEra) and Peter Sjö (DNDi). ASAP partners include the Diamond Light Source (UK), the Weizmann Institute of Science (Israel), Medchemica (UK), Mount Sinai (USA), the Stanford University School of Medicine (USA) and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (USA), as well as a vast global network of scientists and industry collaborators.

About ASAP

The AI-driven Structure-enabled Antiviral Platform (ASAP) Discovery Consortium uses artificial intelligence and computational chemistry to accelerate structure-based open-science antiviral drug discovery and deliver oral antivirals for pandemics with the goal of global, equitable and affordable access.

For more information about ASAP, including a complete list of diseases and drug targets and all open data that it has generated, visit https://asapdiscovery.org/.

About Cadence

Cadence is a pivotal leader in electronic systems design, building upon more than 30 years of computational software expertise. The company applies its underlying Intelligent System Design strategy to deliver software, hardware and IP that turn design concepts into reality. Cadence customers are the world’s most innovative companies, delivering extraordinary electronic products from chips to boards to complete systems for the most dynamic market applications, including hyperscale computing, 5G communications, automotive, mobile, aerospace, consumer, industrial and healthcare. For eight years in a row, Fortune magazine has named Cadence one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For.

Learn more at cadence.com.

BOSTON, MA, Dec 7, 2023 – XRHealth, a leading healthcare platform in spatial computing, announces that they are releasing a full PTSD package for XR therapy. The offering will include practices in mindfulness, art therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, and EMDR. Due to the current need, XRHealth also opened a PTSD center in Tel Aviv, Israel, where clinical therapy and training in spatial computing treatment for trauma is done which will become a world hub for the use of XR to treat trauma.

The release of the PTSD package comes after the release of hostages and terrorist attacks in Israel. The PTSD package aims to assist in the recovery of those affected by the attacks in Israel by increasing daily functioning and reducing the burden from mental health clinicians. XRHealth has actively deployed VR therapy headsets throughout hospitals in Israel to aid in the recovery of the crisis. Within a few months, the PTSD package will be rolled out in the United States and Europe.

Once a patient is identified as a candidate for the PTSD package, they will receive a headset at home that is preloaded with a VR mindfulness self-guided intervention that will address symptoms of emotional dysregulation, insomnia, and stress while the patient is on the waiting list for a provider to assist with treatment. When the patient is assigned a therapist, they will begin to treat the trauma with virtual reality that will immerse the user in environments that elicit the underlying feelings of the trauma, which helps them process the trauma more quickly. They will also be treated under EMDR protocols powered by the VR headsets. Clinicians will also assign VR homework for the patient to complete between sessions and will be able to monitor progress remotely.

“We believe our technology can make a big impact on the Israeli market and help a lot of people suffering from trauma that resulted from the war. The PTSD package and our services are designed to create a virtual environment where patients could recover more quickly from trauma on site or from the comfort of their own home,” says Eran Orr, CEO of XRHealth. “We incorporated many treatment modalities that are used by therapists globally to treat trauma and the added value of virtual reality creates an immersive environment so that patients can be engaged with treatment actively while the clinician can receive data insights to monitor the users’ progress.”

About XRHealth

XRHealth is revolutionizing healthcare utilizing spatial computing. The company operates state-of-the-art therapeutic care Virtual Rooms, utilizing proprietary FDA and CE registered medical Extended Reality (XR) technology (virtual and augmented reality). XRHealth integrates immersive XR technology, licensed clinicians, and advanced data analytics on one platform, providing a comprehensive therapeutic care solution for patients to receive treatment from the comfort of their home. The company offers a variety of patent-pending solutions from rehabilitation services to cognitive assessment and training to pain management. XRHealth works with several world-renowned US healthcare providers, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers. Founded in 2016, XRHealth is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and its R&D center is located in Tel-Aviv, Israel.

For more information, visit www.xr.health.

HAMBURG, Germany, Oct 9, 2023 – 3B Scientific, a manufacturer and marketer of medical simulation products and anatomical models for healthcare education, announces its acquisition of Wallcur LLC, a prominent provider of healthcare simulation products. This acquisition broadens 3B Scientific’s product offering and further demonstrates our ongoing commitment to advancing medical training.

Wallcur, a respected name in healthcare simulation for over 40 years, has earned a reputation for its innovative and high-quality simulated medicine products that enhance medical education across the globe. Wallcur’s mission is to provide ideas and products that both stimulate and simulate clinical learning in a safe non-clinical environment to help graduate the most competent, confident, and ready practitioner for today’s healthcare system. By joining forces with Wallcur, 3B Scientific aims to further empower healthcare professionals and educators with cutting-edge training solutions.

The synergies between 3B Scientific and Wallcur are evident in their shared dedication to improving patient outcomes through effective training. This strategic alliance will combine the strengths of both companies, enabling them to provide an even broader range of simulation solutions that cater to the evolving needs of medical educators and practitioners.

“This acquisition is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to enhancing healthcare education worldwide,” said Todd A. Murray, CEO of 3B Scientific. “Wallcur’s expertise and track record in healthcare simulation perfectly align with our mission. Together, we will continue to deliver world-class training solutions that have a lasting impact on medical education.”

Wallcur’s managing member, Brett Lanuti, expressed enthusiasm about the merger, sharing, “Joining forces with 3B Scientific is an exciting opportunity to take our simulation offerings to new heights. We are confident that this partnership will benefit the healthcare community by raising the bar for medical education.” Concurrent with the transaction Mr. Lanuti will transition out of the business and Wendy LaGrange currently Vice President of Sales and Business Development will assume a leadership role for Wallcur as Vice President and Managing Director for the Wallcur business.

As part of the acquisition, Wallcur will continue to operate under its brand name, and its headquarters will remain in San Diego, CA. Customers can expect the same level of excellence and commitment to quality that Wallcur has consistently delivered over the years.

About the 3B Scientific Group

3B Scientific, established in 1948 in Hamburg, Germany, is a global provider of state-of-the-art medical simulators, catering to medical education training across all levels. Building on an extensive range of top-quality educational and simulation products, the 3B Scientific Group of Companies has established a strong presence in over 120 countries worldwide. Using this wide-reaching platform, 3B Scientific continues to drive its mission forward: advancing the delivery of medical and healthcare education worldwide.

For further insights into 3B Scientific, visit www.3bscientific.com.

About Wallcur LLC

Wallcur is a trusted name in healthcare simulation, specializing in products that enhance medical education and training. With a history of excellence dating back to 40 years, Wallcur has been at the forefront of developing realistic and effective simulation solutions that benefit medical professionals and students worldwide.

Wallcur was born out of a desire to teach future nurses using an innovative approach to learning. Wallcur started with the world-renowned MATH FOR MEDS book, which became the highly successful standard for learning dosages and solutions throughout the US and Canada. Today, with continued educator feedback, collaborative research, and design, Wallcur has upheld its mission to provide the most up-to-date, realistic, and cost-effective simulated clinical practice available.

To learn more about Wallcur, visit www.3bscientific.com/wallcur.