The Health October 2022 | Page 6

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THE HEALTH | OCTOBER , 2022

| Local News |

Intervenn Biosciences makes Malaysia regional hub

INTERVENN Biosciences , a US-based clinical technology company , has established Malaysia as the regional hub for delivery of its medical healthcare services and products in the ASEAN and Asia-Pacific regions .
The top-prized winner of the prestigious CIO Review APAC Top Artificial Intelligence Company Award 2022 , InterVenn Biosciences ’ key services and products are involved in research and development and revolutionising the fight against cancers and diseases through the
Aldo Carrascoso
spectrum with an unprecedented and exclusive focus on “ glyco ” while incorporating the latest technological advancements and fully supporting our Malaysian office with those tools ,” shared Carrascoso .
Meanwhile , Fadzhairi Jabar , InterVenn Malaysia ’ s General Manager , said a part of this growth was a result of the support of regional collaborators and partners as well as recognition given by the relevant government agency and research institutions .
“ InterVenn was certified as part
deployment of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence ( AI ), spectrometry and Machine Learning algorithms to help cancer patients , doctors , scientists and healthcare community .
Preparing Malaysia to be the regional hub , InterVenn Biosciences has secured a new 13,000 sq . ft office and laboratory at Technology Park Malaysia , Kuala Lumpur . The laboratory , outfitted with state-of-art equipment , is the only other InterVenn laboratory outside of the US . This facility provides an opportunity to tap into and grow the locally based , biomedical talent in Malaysia
InterVenn CEO and co-founder , Aldo Carrascoso said in a recent statement , the key decisions in selecting Malaysia also lies in his vision to be closer with the patients and experts in the region to accelerate the mission that no one should ever be blindsided by the disease .
“ Here at InterVenn , maladies are holistically understood , adequately controlled and even manipulated to benefit all .
“ We exist today to revisit the health-disease
of Bioeconomy Corporation ’ s BBA programme last year , expanding and fostering this interaction as aligned with our vision towards creating a world where everyone in the region benefits from our goal ,” said Fadzhairi .
Utilising Artificial Intelligence ( AI ), InterVenn Biosciences has developed a first-of-its-kind glycoproteomics-based liquid biopsy solution to detect and diagnose cancers . Its AI-enabled mass spectrometry glycoproteomics platform enables researchers at academic centers and biopharmaceutical companies to assess posttranslational modifications at an unprecedented scale and speed .
InterVenn Biosciences has a wide range of breakthrough tests for various types of cancers and diseases in the pipeline . InterVenn ’ s non-traditional approach to epi-proteomics is a marriage of mass spectrometry and Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning ( AI / ML ).
Apart from its Malaysian expansion , InterVenn Biosciences also recently spread its wings in San Diego , South California . – The Health

Campaign to spread awareness about severe asthma

ASTRAZENECA announced the launch of its Severe Asthma awareness campaign entitled ‘ Listen To Your Asthma ’ in collaboration with Asthma Malaysia and Brand Ambassador Dina Nadzir , singer and radio announcer , sharing her journey as an asthma patient .
The Listen To Your Asthma campaign is to help educate and raise awareness about severe asthma so that those suffering from severe asthma symptoms can get the right diagnosis and treatment to lead a better quality of life .
Dr Helmy Haja Mydin , Consultant Respiratory Physician at Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur and Co-founder of Asthma Malaysia said , “ The goal of this campaign is to help individuals with severe asthma access the right information in order to help them manage their condition better . Asthma is still misunderstood by many , leading to suboptimal control due to incorrect medication , not taking medication regularly and even incorrect techniques when using inhalers .
“ With these in mind , Asthma Malaysia recently launched its new website containing information on severe asthma . This will benefit those who need to learn more about this disease .”
Many Malaysians are unaware of the various levels of asthma severity and how they affect patients . Severe asthma impairs the patient ’ s breathing and quality of life , limiting the patient ’ s everyday activities and preventing them from attaining quality sleep .
It can sometimes lead to lung damage , which may be permanent and may require additional treatment . It is the most severe form of asthma and can potentially be fatal .
This campaign ’ s efforts align with Asthma Malaysia ’ s mission of raising more public education and empowering individuals to take control and better manage their asthma . As part of AstraZeneca ’ s long-term commitment to empower Malaysians to take better care of their asthma condition and improve their quality of life , this campaign will continue to spread more light to Malaysians suffering from this condition . – The Health

Promoting children ’ s health and safety

A PROGRAMME designed to promote children ’ s health , safety , and welfare from an early age through more than 30,000 early childhood care and education ( ECCE ) providers stands to benefit about 800,000 kids .
The Malaysian Paediatric Association ( MPA ) is the project leader for the Healthy Little Bloomers programme , which collaborates with 10 ECCE organisations from the public and commercial sectors .
The program ’ s launch coincided with its inaugural campaign , “ Junior Germ Busters ,” which focuses on preventing infection as the nation approaches an endemic phase of Covid-19 .
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin , presided over the event and emphasised the value of supporting , nurturing , and protecting children ’ s health , safety , and welfare from an early age . According to him , preschools and daycare facilities are important touch points for fostering and developing a sense of health and safety in young children .
He felt that the programme would be able to reach the operators ,
Khairy Jamaluddin
employees , and teachers of kindergartens and childcare centres as well as children and parents .
MPA President Dr Selva Kumar Sivapunniam said the programme stressed the importance of instilling sound safety and health practices in children at a young age .
“ This long-term educational programme , which aims to create a generation aware of health and safety , is aimed at kindergarten and childcare centre operators , staff , teachers , as well as kids and their parents ,”
he said .
He added that the operator , staff , and teachers of kindergartens and childcare facilities would get Junior Germ Busters webinar training over the following months . Teachers and parents can already access several educational resources for kids and materials for parents on the Healthy Little Bloomers website ( healthylittlebloomers . my ).
Roadshows will be held at child welfare homes and People ’ s Housing Programme ( PPR ) units in the Klang Valley to connect with impoverished youngsters .
The programme offers training for ECCE operators and teachers , instructional resources for kids in the classroom , and information for parents . Both public and private ECCE universities can participate in the initiative . There will be English and Bahasa Malaysia versions of the educational materials .
There will also be materials available in class appropriate for students with special needs , especially those with visual or aural impairments . – The Health