Africa Media Online

Wednesday, December 17, 2025

OAG Appoints ex-Skyscanner Executive Filip Filipov as New Chief Executive Officer

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- OAG announces today the appointment of Filip Filipov, ex-Skyscanner executive, as new Chief Executive Officer.

Filip Filipov currently serves as the company’s Chief Operating Officer and takes over from Phil Callow who has chosen to step down having completed thirteen transformational years at the helm of OAG to pursue his many other interests. Since joining in 2024, Filipov has played a leading role in the company’s ambitious next phase of growth and ongoing acceleration. He will now lead OAG into a new era defined by advanced data products and AI-driven intelligence. Before joining OAG, Filipov held senior roles in travel technology and big-data consulting, including on Skyscanner’s executive team.

Filip Filipov said: “It’s a privilege to step into this role and lead a company with such a strong heritage and reputation. I’m excited for what’s ahead and committed to serving our customers with the reliability, service, and innovation they depend on.”

Chairman of OAG, Gehan Talwatte, commented: “Filip’s appointment reflects our strong succession planning and our commitment to stability, continuity, and sustained growth. Our customers, partners, and the industry can expect OAG to continue delivering the trusted service and innovation we are known for. Phil will be supporting the transition during the first quarter of 2026 and thereafter become an Advisor to the Board.”

Outgoing CEO of OAG, Phil Callow, said: “Having steered OAG through many waves of change and played a part in building it to where it is today, I have decided that it is the right time for me to pass the baton to someone new. It’s been an enormous privilege to have led such an outstanding group of people and I’m extremely excited for their future, especially with Filip’s dynamic leadership in place.”

About OAG

OAG is a leading data platform for the global travel industry offering an industry-first single source for supply, demand, and pricing data. For more information on OAG visit www.oag.com

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Contacts

Dominique.Leroux@oag.com

VeritasChain Unveils VAP Architecture, New Auditability Research, and Confirms Submissions to 58 Regulators Globally

TOKYO - Wednesday, 17. December 2025

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- VeritasChain today unveiled its Verifiable AI Provenance Framework (VAP) architecture, published new research on verifiable audit trails, and confirmed informational submissions to 58 regulatory authorities across 43 jurisdictions. These milestones advance VeritasChain’s mission to establish a global framework for verifiable auditability in AI and algorithmic trading.

Verifiable AI Provenance Framework (VAP)

VAP is a layered assurance architecture designed for independent verification of AI decision-making. It is not a single product, but a framework defining how cryptographic evidence and third-party verification interoperate across diverse systems.

The architecture records decision-to-execution events as immutable audit trails, facilitating regulatory review and post-incident analysis without reliance on institutional trust. VAP builds upon the VeritasChain Protocol (VCP), treating cryptographic evidence as a core primitive in AI assurance.

Research Publications

VeritasChain has published two complementary papers on Zenodo establishing the feasibility and necessity of auditable AI infrastructure:

Empirical Study: “Cryptographically Verifiable Audit Trails in Live Algorithmic Trading: An Empirical Study Using VCP v1.0” https://zenodo.org/records/17920524

Regulatory Analysis: “Why Open Cryptographic Standards Matter for AI Auditability: Formal Analysis and Regulatory Alignment” https://zenodo.org/records/17947483

The official AI Decision Auditability Benchmark (v1.0)—including the scorecard and regulatory mapping—is available at: https://github.com/veritaschain/vcp-spec/tree/main/benchmark

Global Regulatory & Industry Engagement

VeritasChain submitted VCP and VAP materials to 58 regulators across 43 jurisdictions, including authorities in Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Americas, and MEA. These submissions support regulatory understanding of cryptographic auditability within frameworks like the EU AI Act.

Industry adoption of the methodology is also gaining traction. Two Tier-1 global professional services networks have begun referencing the VeritasChain Benchmark Score in the development of their independent AI audit and assurance methodologies.

About VeritasChain

VeritasChain develops open, cryptography-based standards for verifiable audit trails in AI-driven systems. Its work spans protocol design (VCP), assurance architecture (VAP), open benchmarks, and empirical research, enabling regulator-ready, independently auditable AI systems.

More information: https://veritaschain.org https://github.com/veritaschain

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Contacts

Media Contact

VeritasChain

media@veritaschain.org

AtkinsRéalis and Oman’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals convene “Powering the Future: Oman Electricity Innovation Showcase”

External image - may not work when published

AtkinsRéalis a world-class engineering services and nuclear company, in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, convened the “Powering the Future: Oman Electricity Innovation Showcase” on December 10^th, 2025. This joint initiative brought together senior leaders from government, utilities, regulators, and industry to explore how Oman can meet surging AI economic development led electricity demand through a balanced mix of nuclear, renewables, AI-ready grids, and storage, aligning with the nation’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

“A secure and sustainable power system is central to our industrial strategy and economic ambitions, which includes recently announced initiatives like the Oman Digital Triangle, a gigawatt scale group of three AI superclusters under the National Digital Infrastructure Roadmap. This collaboration highlights technologies and delivery models that can help Oman diversify its energy mix, enhance grid resilience, and accelerate progress toward our national targets,” said H.E. Mohsin Hamed Saif Al Hadhrami, Undersecretary, Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Oman.

Sessions covered decarbonization pathways, grid resilience for AI-intensive economies, economic development and growth opportunities and the complementary roles of reliable and grid-stabilizing nuclear energy alongside intermittent renewables in Oman’s future supply mix. Expert lightning talks addressed the relevance of regional grid interconnections, renewables, nuclear, finance, and hydrogen, while panel discussions examined integration, financing, and policy frameworks. Delegates also participated in interactive simulations of how to manage grid operations with a diverse electricity supply-mix as the electricity system operator and explored global case studies on nuclear delivery and refurbishment.

“Reliable, clean, baseload power is the anchor for a modern grid, serving both people and a data-driven economy. Nuclear provides the dispatchable, low-carbon capacity that helps Oman scale renewables without sacrificing stability or affordability. The question is how to design the right mix, attract and sequence investments, drive new industry capacity and growth, and build the institutional capability to deliver at pace,” said Todd Smith, Vice President, Marketing and Business Development, CANDU Energy Inc.

The innovation showcase comes at a pivotal time for Oman and the wider Gulf region as electricity demand in the country is growing 6.1% each year and MENA-wide electricity consumption is projected to rise by 50% by 2035. The dynamics of data centre growth, with the Gulf’s installed capacity possibly tripling to 3.3 GW in the next five years and the market projected to grow to $9.5 billion by 2030, the event addressed the urgent need for practical, scalable solutions that ensure energy security, economic competitiveness, and climate resilience amid growing electrification, and cooling needs. The discussions highlighted how focussed planning, a diversified supply mix, combining renewables, advanced grid technologies, and firm nuclear energy, can help the country and its neighbours navigate the transition to a low-carbon future, support industrial growth, and position the region as a leader in sustainable energy innovation.

“Our ambition with this showcase was to rise above the noise and illuminate innovative pathways grounded in evidence, strategic choices, and informed trade-offs. Today, cities, industries, and digital ecosystems converge on a singular imperative: abundant, resilient, and clean energy. In partnership with the Ministry, we have articulated a forward-looking roadmap that harmonizes renewables, advanced storage, and grid-forming technologies with proven nuclear solutions, empowering Oman to accelerate near-term growth while steadfastly advancing toward a net-zero future.” said Matthew Tribe, Global Market Lead, Buildings & Places, AtkinsRéalis.

AtkinsRéalis combines global nuclear and grid design and development expertise with a strong regional presence, drawing on decades of experience delivering CANDU reactors and a 7,000-person nuclear workforce. CANDU technology offers Oman and the region a proven path to secure, low-carbon baseload power, supporting both grid stability and large-scale renewable integration. AtkinsRéalis is committed to partnering with government and industry stakeholders across the region to identify new opportunities and co-develop solutions for the Middle East’s evolving energy and infrastructure needs, promoting sustainable growth and delivering resilient, future-ready systems for communities and businesses.

About AtkinsRéalis

Created by the integration of long-standing organizations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world-class engineering services and nuclear company dedicated to engineering a better future for our planet and its people. We create sustainable solutions that connect people, data and technology to transform the world’s infrastructure and energy systems. We deploy global capabilities locally to our clients and deliver unique end-to-end services across the whole life cycle of an asset, including consulting, advisory & environmental services, intelligent networks & cybersecurity, design & engineering, procurement, project & construction management, operations & maintenance, decommissioning and capital. Learn more at www.atkinsrealis.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

About AtkinsRéalis’ Nuclear Sector

AtkinsRéalis has over 70 years of global nuclear expertise, delivering nuclear technology products and full-service solutions to nuclear utilities around the world. AtkinsRéalis is the steward of CANDU® nuclear technology, operating on four continents, and provides advisory and engineering services to other nuclear developers. With an innovative technology portfolio, including access to over 500 patented solutions, AtkinsRéalis solves technically complex challenges across the whole nuclear lifecycle from design and new build through asset management and from life extension and late life management through decommissioning and waste management. AtkinsRéalis operates and manages government nuclear research sites, transforming ageing infrastructure and safely managing legacy nuclear waste. AtkinsRéalis’ CANDU technology also allows for the co-production of medical radioisotopes for cancer detection and treatment. The company also supports cancer treatment through its partnership with TerraPower to extract isotopes from legacy nuclear material. Learn more on our Nuclear market page.

About the Oman Ministry of Energy and Minerals

The Ministry of Energy and Minerals is the government authority responsible for the development and regulation of Oman’s energy and mineral resources. The Ministry leads national strategy and policy for the energy transition, supporting economic growth, energy security, and sustainable development. Through collaboration with industry and international partners, the Ministry is advancing Oman’s ambitions for net zero, renewable energy, and innovation in the power sector.

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Contacts

Razan Katbe

Manager - External Communications, Middle East

Razan.katbe@atkinsrealis.com

Khamis Aljaradi

Director of Communications & Media

Khamis.h.aljaradi@mem.gov.om

Visa Unveils New Global Stablecoins Advisory Practice

Visa Consulting & Analytics combines advanced payments strategy and expert crypto knowledge to help clients innovate and grow with stablecoins technology

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Visa (NYSE: V), a global leader in digital payments, today announced the launch of its Stablecoins Advisory Practice. The new value-added service offering by Visa Consulting & Analytics (VCA) provides actionable insights and recommendations to guide banks, fintechs, merchants, and businesses of all sizes on market fit, strategy, and implementation.

As the stablecoin market cap surpasses $250 billion, Visa’s settlement volume has accelerated, reaching a $3.5 billion annualized run rate as of November 30. Businesses are turning to Visa’s new Stablecoins Advisory Practice to unlock growth opportunities.

“Putting our members first has always been our mission, and we’re committed to exploring innovations that strengthen financial health and convenience for those we serve. Stablecoins may represent an opportunity to enhance speed and lower cost in payments, so with the support of Visa, we are evaluating how this technology could fit into our broader strategy to deliver meaningful value to our 15 million members worldwide,” said Matt Freeman, senior vice president, Navy Federal Credit Union.

“Visa Consulting & Analytics brings together Visa’s scale, expertise and specialized consultants to offer a unique service, and Pathward appreciates the invitation to be one of the first banks to explore this work with them,” said Anthony Sharett, president of Pathward. “Stablecoins could provide innovative solutions for the financial services sector, and Visa’s team delivered impressive work, insights and actionable recommendations for businesses exploring them.”

The Stablecoins Advisory Practice offers a suite of services designed to guide strategy and implementation amid the growing prevalence and stability of stablecoins infrastructure and emerging regulatory standards.

“Having a comprehensive stablecoins strategy is critical in today's digital landscape," said Carl Rutstein, global head of Visa Consulting & Analytics, Visa. "Clients come to Visa and VCA for guidance because they trust our ability to navigate change, both within payments and beyond. We are proud to help our clients stay agile and competitive as this space evolves at an unprecedented pace.”

Tapping into VCA’s global network of thousands of consultants, data scientists, and product experts, the new practice provides:

Stablecoin training and market trend programs, including a new Visa University course
Stablecoin strategy development and market entry planning
Use case sizing and go-to-market planning
Technology enablement for stablecoins integration

"Working with Visa Consulting & Analytics gave VyStar access to Visa’s scale, crypto expertise, and specialized consulting talent—a combination that is hard to match in the consulting world," said Lauren Morrison, vice president, Payments Products, VyStar. "The VCA team provided practical insights and tailored recommendations that helped us deepen our understanding of the stablecoin landscape and its potential relevance to our members. This engagement allowed us to explore opportunities thoughtfully and shape an informed strategy."

The services are part of Visa’s longstanding leadership in modernizing global payments through blockchain and stablecoin technology. In 2023, Visa became one of the first major payments networks to pilot stablecoin settlement using USDC. Now, Visa has more than 130 stablecoin-linked card issuing programs in over 40 countries. Additionally, Visa Direct’s latest pilots will enable qualified businesses in certain jurisdictions to pre-fund cross-border payments using stablecoins and send direct payouts to individuals’ stablecoin wallets.

To connect directly with a Visa Consulting & Analytics stablecoins advisor, email VCA@visa.com.

About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251215320410/en/

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Contacts

Media Contact
Victoria Khamsombath
press@visa.com

Visa Consulting & Analytics combines advanced payments strategy and expert crypto knowledge to help clients innovate and grow with stablecoins technology

Tapping into VCA’s global network of thousands of consultants, data scientists, and product experts, the new practice provides:

Stablecoin training and market trend programs, including a new Visa University course
Stablecoin strategy development and market entry planning
Use case sizing and go-to-market planning
Technology enablement for stablecoins integration

To connect directly with a Visa Consulting & Analytics stablecoins advisor, email VCA@visa.com.

About Visa

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251215320410/en/

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Contacts

Media Contact
Victoria Khamsombath
press@visa.com

1GLOBAL Empowers Revolut to Offer Mobile Plans in Poland

AMSTERDAM - Tuesday, 16. December 2025 AETOSWire

(BUSINESS WIRE)--1GLOBAL, a technology-driven global mobile communications provider, strengthens its partnership with Revolut, expanding the leading neobank’s mobile data plan offering to the Polish market.

By integrating 1GLOBAL’s eSIM capability into its multi-service app, Revolut’s customers in Poland who signed up to the waitlist can now enjoy bundled mobile plans that include competitively priced domestic data plans starting at zł 25 per month (approx. €6.00 per month) with unlimited calls and texts in Poland and the EU, in just a few taps.

For 1GLOBAL, this expansion marks another milestone in the company’s embedded telco services strategy. The services are trusted by more than 4,000 corporate partners across a variety of industries including fintech, aviation, hospitality and tourism.

Hakan Koç, Founder and CEO of 1GLOBAL, said: “At 1GLOBAL, we love working with market-leading tech companies like Revolut that share our passion for innovation and customer experience. Our first collaboration on the travel eSIM was the first of its kind and exceeded all expectations. Now, supporting the launch of Revolut’s local mobile plan with Tier-1 features like HD+ voice, worldwide WiFi-Calling, market-leading roaming rates, and a future-proof setup for devices and wearables marks an exciting next step. I’m looking forward to this being the first of many planned rollouts globally.”

Hadi Nasrallah, General Manager, Telco at Revolut said: “Revolut Mobile is more than just another mobile service, it’s a truly differentiated alternative designed to change the industry. Our goal is simple: offer the best service, at the best price, leveraging the best user experience. We’re bringing true innovation with features such as multiple numbers & global messaging, while removing any hassle or hidden fees from the process.”

A successful partnership boosting customer engagement

Revolut first embedded 1GLOBAL’s eSIM distribution services into its app in 2024. Since then, the partnership has augmented Revolut’s non-banking offering to include data and connectivity services via a single app.

The partnership delivers global connectivity to the millions of Polish customers that use Revolut’s multi-service platform and offers frictionless mobile data plans both domestically and at local rates across 150+ countries.

In enabling neobanks like Revolut to become true digital hubs of connectivity, 1GLOBAL’s technology helps boost customer engagement on their platforms, unlocking enhanced cross-selling opportunities and revenue streams, and helping build customer loyalty in the process.

Easy API integration for a seamless customer experience

What sets digital banks like Revolut apart is their ability to provide frictionless, borderless services in one place. With its flexible integration options, 1GLOBAL technology slots seamlessly into this business model, enabling a swift onboarding of eSIMs via its proprietary API technology.

In a single step, businesses can expand their app offering with 1GLOBAL’s API technology. Once integrated, this enables companies to provide fully branded, white-label mobile plans to their customers. 1GLOBAL offers flexible engagement models, ensuring every business can customize their eSIM solution to meet the specific requirements of their end customers.

Businesses can then leverage 1GLOBAL’s competitive roaming agreements and its status as a fully licensed Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) to offer customers affordable roaming services and attractive domestic mobile plans.

About 1GLOBAL: Leading Digital Transformation in Telecommunications

1GLOBAL is a technology-driven global mobile communications provider dedicated to empowering enterprises worldwide to unlock the full growth potential of mobile connectivity. With a best-in-class telecom technology platform, a comprehensive suite of globally viable regulatory licenses, and privileged access to the telecom wholesale market, 1GLOBAL is uniquely positioned to deliver seamless compliance and connectivity solutions. Serving the world’s leading banks, corporations, and digital-first businesses—including neo-banks, travel companies, and payment service providers—1GLOBAL connects over 43 million devices globally.

With 2024 full-year revenue exceeding US$100 million, 1GLOBAL is a profitable business generating significant cash flows to fund its ongoing investments in infrastructure, transformation, and growth. 2024 saw major client wins and marked 1GLOBAL’s evolution from a multi-market telecommunication provider to a global technology-driven mobile connectivity powerhouse.

Established in 2022 by experienced tech founders and entrepreneurs Hakan Koç and Pyrros Koussios, 1GLOBAL is a European technology leader driving digital transformation in the global telecommunications market. It operates as a fully regulated Mobile Virtual Network Operator (“MVNO”) in 12 countries and as a regulated telecommunications operator in an additional 41 countries. Headquartered in the Netherlands, with world-class R&D hubs in Lisbon, Berlin, and São Paulo, 1GLOBAL employs over 450 experts across 13 countries.

For more information, visit 1GLOBAL

About Revolut

Revolut Bank UAB is a licensed European bank, helping people get more from their money. In 2015, Revolut launched in the UK offering money transfer and exchange. Today, more than 65 million customers around the world use dozens of Revolut’s innovative products to make more than 1 billion transactions a month.

Across our personal and business accounts, we give customers more control over their finances and connect people seamlessly across the world.

Banking services are provided by Revolut Bank UAB (304580906), a bank established in the Republic of Lithuania authorised and regulated by the Bank of Lithuania and the European Central Bank. 18+, Fees and T&Cs apply. Mobile connectivity services (eSIM and Mobile Plans) are offered by Revolut Ltd.

More information here: https://www.revolut.com/en-LT/ and to find out more about which Revolut entity customers receive services from, please check here.

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Contacts

Contact 1GLOBAL

1GLOBAL Press Office

Email: press@1global.com

Tuesday, December 16, 2025

MEPRA Awards 2025 announces winners, honors best campaigns, practitioners and agencies of the year

The Middle East’s PR and communications industry gathered in full force last week as the 17th edition of the MEPRA Awards unveiled its 2025 winners, recognizing the campaigns, agencies and practitioners shaping the region’s communications landscape. Held on 27 November, the ceremony brought together more than 600 industry leaders to celebrate standout work across strategy, creativity, storytelling and impact in a year marked by rapid change and rising expectations.

Having received over 700 entries across 55 categories, the MEPRA Awards 2025 weighed PR professionals, communication strategists, agencies and in-house teams on parameters for driving awareness, brand positioning and crisis response through innovative strategies. Clinching maximum titles, Weber Shandwick MENAT, and Gambit Communications ruled the popular categories by sweeping 26 and 18 awards, respectively. The prestigious Chairperson’s award was conferred upon Scott Armstrong (founder, Mentl) for accelerating mental health advocacy, whereas Brian Lott of Mubadala Investment Company won the Best Communicator of the Year for crafting narratives for Mubadala’s global brand story. Other notable mentions for the evening include Tala Majzoub of HAVAS Red ME winning The ‘Dave Robinson’ award for Outstanding Young Communicator of the Year and Fathimath Nooha of Murdoch University for Outstanding Student Campaign.

MEPRA Awards 2025 winners represent the highest of industry standards in innovation, strategy and impact, where contestants deep dive into the nuances of brand reputation, strategic storytelling and audience connection. In a fiercely competitive communications landscape, where trends and tactics evolve at a breakneck pace, the Middle East PR community has risen once again to the challenge with strategic agility and creative tenacity. Showcasing exceptional thinking, Current Global MENAT won the Best ESG Campaign, while the Best Retail Campaign was swept by Soul Communications for their innovative Drinkable Billboards. The popular categories of Large Agency of the Year, Medium Agency of the Year, and Small Agency of the Year were clinched by Weber Shandwick MENAT, Current Global MENAT and The Romans, respectively.

Speaking of the annual initiative MEPRA Chairperson, Kate Midttun said, “MEPRA Awards has become a vital benchmark for recognizing PR brilliance and exceptional talent in the Middle East’s PR and communications sector. This has been a standout year for creative resilience, and work across the communications spectrum has been truly astounding. The honorees have showcased the power of PR to inform and engage, elevating the art of an insightful communications approach. Congratulations to all the winners tonight, and we would like to thank them for redefining excellence benchmarks, motivating the entire fraternity to gear up for the upcoming year.”

The Best Homegrown Agency went to Tales and Heads with Mubadala Investment Company, bagging the Best In-House Team of the Year. In the sector and services category, the Best Consumer Services Campaign was clinched by MSL Group ME, while Acorn Strategy and Ruya Bank won the Best Professional Services Campaign for conceiving the UAE’s first fully AI-generated banking campaign. AI’s popularity continued its winning streak with IBM and Weber Shandwick MENAT scooping the Best Technology Campaign for highlighting and promoting the responsible use of AI in businesses, and Current Global MENAT and Leo Burnett for Best Use of Artificial Intelligence.

In the country-wise campaign categories, Qatar Foundation took home the Best Campaign in Qatar, the BPG Group won the Best Campaign in Kuwait, Current Global MENAT swept three geographies scooping Best Campaign in Lebanon, Best Campaign in Saudi Arabia and Best Campaign in the UAE, while Weber Shandwick MENAT won Best Campaign in Egypt and Gambit Communications clinched Best Campaign in Bahrain and Best Campaign in Oman. From purpose-driven strategies and impactful campaigns to persuasive storytelling that moved the audience, the MEPRA Awards 2025 winners exemplify creativity and influence that power new-age media communications.

Entries were assessed by a panel of more than 130 industry experts, assuring stringent protocols to gauge creativity and impact. Gambit Communications sponsored the MEPRA Awards 2025 as the Diamond Partner, TAQA as the Platinum Partner, and Weber Shandwick MENAT and CARMA as Gold Partners, along with Mubadala, Kibsons, SEC Newgate Middle East, Telum Media, Burson; Place Communications, First and Ten Productions, Current Global MENAT, Matrix Public Relations, AMEC Measurement and Evaluation, as Supporting Partners.

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Contacts

Namita Thakkar

namita@matrixdubai.com

Esco Aster Signs Exosome Clinical cGMP Manufacturing Contract With Shine-On Biomedical For A Novel First-In-Class HLA-G Targeting Exosome Drug Delivery Platform

SINGAPORE

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Esco Aster, a vertically integrated cell and derivatives CRDMO based at JTC LaunchPad Singapore, announced CMC manufacturing support for Shine-On Biomedical’s HLA-G targeted exosome program. Shine-On Biomedical sponsored Esco Aster in 2023 for cGMP services, starting with high-yield exosome development using Esco Aster’s cell line platform. The technical reports of process, analytical, and formulation development, exosome drug loading, GMP engineering runs, and stability studies supported Shine-On’s IND submission. The IND was cleared by the U.S. FDA in Q1 2025.

Furthermore, Esco Aster is providing technical services for exploratory exosome loading feasibility studies per Shine-On’s instruction. Shine-On Biomedical is an emerging innovator in exosome-based drug delivery.

ShineOn’s proprietary product, SOB100, a HLA-G targeted exosome drug delivery carrier, has passed the U.S. FDA IND review and ongoing Phase I study, making it as a first-in-class–potential HLA-G targeted exosome platform for drug development.

Statement From Hung-Che Chiang, General Manager of Shine-On Biomedical

“Preclinical studies have shown promising biodistribution characteristics supporting further exploration across small-molecule, nucleic acid, and protein-based payloads.”

In parallel, Esco Aster, providing Mitosis™ Enterprise Solutions to support potential future evaluation of single-use cGMP workflows at China Medical University Hospital.

This collaboration strengthens Esco Aster’s position as Singapore’s first fully homegrown CRDMO offering end-to-end engineered cancer exosome development—from cell line creation to GMP manufacturing using its patented 3D Tide Motion™ bioreactor. This technology lowers COGS by enabling multiple conditioned media harvests per run. Esco Aster also co-develops autologous cell therapy programs in ASEAN, including a T-cell reactivation platform targeting non-G12C KRAS mutation NSCLC.

Esco Aster supports Asia-Pacific innovators through biomanufacturing scale-up, market access, and commercialization across South Asia, ASEAN, and Oceania—a region valued at ~USD 10.5 trillion GDP with ~2.6 billion people. Supported by a network of medical centres and clinician-scientists, Esco Aster facilitates IIT and FIM studies, especially in Australia, where R&D incentives lower costs. The company advances its “One World BioSolutions for One Health” vision, enabling high yield at low GMP cost to strengthen Singapore’s and Asia’s bioeconomy.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251215708094/en/

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Contacts

Esco Aster Pte. Ltd.

mail@escoaster.com

Website: https://escoaster.com/

Shine-On Biomedical Co., Ltd.

service@shineon-bio.com

Website: https://en.shineon-bio.com/