GIC's next Executive Briefing will include speakers Megan E. Greene, of the Harvard Kennedy School, and Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak, of BCG, discussing the economic response and perspective of the pandemic. Attendees will gain context and perspective regarding the economic response to the pandemic, as well as the predicted recovery, and what the economy will look like post-COVID-19.
Register for Thursday, June 4 here.
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By Graziella DiNuzzo
Annie created an official division – Annie Medical PPE But it wasn’t easy. Steven Miller, Executive Director of Sales and Operations explained the challenging process, “There were countless obstacles that we faced through the whole process. COVID-19 really showcased how unprepared the world is when it comes to each country being able to sustain itself with essential products.”
Testing to meet National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Standards “We had to start the long process and invest 10s of thousands of dollars to have our products tested at Nelson Labs, a globally recognized lab. Many of our products have FDA, CE and ISO certifications among others but we quickly learned that many doctors and insurance companies require NIOSH certification, formed by the CDC. When the world is in crisis and needs immediate PPE there should be a process to streamline this testing. In the meantime doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers had to resort to not wearing PPE, wearing the same PPE or wearing a homemade PPE, while we have medical and surgical grade PPE’s ready and willing to donate and/or sell. Obtaining KN95 Approval in USA “The standard in the US is the N95 mask. The N95 is made in America, the KN95 is made in China and the KF94 is made in Korea. These three masks are the most common and widely used medical grade masks in the world. Because N95 masks were not readily available in America the last two options were the KF94 and KN95. Fortunately China still allowed KN95 masks and surgical masks to be exported to other countries, and they soon were allowed in America. Japan, Australia, Mexico, UK, Europe and America all started immediately getting supplies from China as there was/is no other source.”
Customs Delays “Shipments were being held in customs for long lengths of times due to the extreme high volume of PPE and because of changing regulations.” Missing Product from Shipment “When dealing with a healthcare system, national chain store, major distributor or union this shortage can be dealt with. When dealing with a government contract this shortage is an issue when you come up short.” High Demand, High Freight Costs, Not enough Planes “Standard air freight went from around $2/KG up to $26/KG. This is outrageous. The main freight carriers such as DHL, UPS and FedEx would only accept shipments up to a certain weight. Large shipments had to rely on airlines, which either stopped flying into and/or carrying freight from China. As the airlines dropped off one by one over the weeks companies were fighting for space on planes, driving up cost. At one point Amazon, being the largest airline customers, took all of the flights out of China for 1-3 weeks while our product sat waiting.” Cash Up Front “Ten to twenty year relationships with factories didn’t matter. If you have/had terms with a factory those terms were not applicable when it came to PPE. The global supply chain for PPE’s became and still is cash based market. You must wire 50% of the cash at time of placing a PO and then the remaining 50% at completion of production before shipment. Some factories were requiring 100% upfront before production. Large National Retailers, Governments and militaries from countries all around the world, and major medical systems are and were not prepared.
“We have been providing the Mexican Government in Mexico City with millions of masks per shipment to support their healthcare system due to COVID-19. The Mexican Government had to also meet the new “playing rules” and wire the money in advance before receiving the product. When the product arrived police and military escort then took it to the social security procurement. We have done this with many countries such as Jamaica, Dominican Republic, South Africa, UK, and France.”
“We have always been in the business of PPE products, just not to the level of what the country and world needs now,” Miller emphasized. And while Miller calls the global PPE market “the wild wild west,” he admits the challenges are worth it to save lives. The City of Philadelphia wants to hear from business owners in the Philadelphia region about the resources needed to reopen safely.
The purpose of this survey is to assess the needs of businesses in the Greater Philadelphia region in order to help us to develop guidance and resources to help you safely and speedily reopen after the COVID-19 business closures. Please note that these questions are NOT intended to reflect the specific timing of reopening, which will depend on decisions made by the Governor’s office. Many of us have questions about what to expect as the economy reopens after COVID-19. Each week on The Reopening, co-hosts Andrew Schwartz and Scott Miller speak with a leader from the world of business and finance about the future of a sector they know best. Inside every enterprise is a story of revival and re-invention waiting to be told. The Reopening is the place to hear that story from people leading the way.
Learn more. Geneva, Switzerland, 26 May 2020 – In a matter of weeks, the pandemic forced the global economy and society, organizations and individuals to become more reliant than ever on the internet and the digital economy. According to the Forum’s COVID-19 Risks Outlook: A Preliminary Mapping and its Implications, cyberattacks and data fraud are considered the most likely technological risks of COVID-19 for the world, and the third of greatest concern overall owing to abrupt adoption of new working patterns.
To support business leaders responsible for reinforcing the cyber resilience of their organizations in an unforeseen, instantaneous new reality, the World Economic Forum today launched The Cybersecurity Leadership Principles: Lessons learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic to prepare for the new normal. All leaders and organizations are pressured to adapt business models faster than anyone was prepared for, to ensure existential survival. The principles provide a framework for responsible decision-making and action in this crucial period to help organizations balance short-term goals with medium- to longer-term imperatives. To bolster cyber resilience and secure operations, they urge leaders to: Foster a culture of cyber resilience Focus on protecting the organization’s critical assets and services Balance risk-informed decisions during the crisis and beyondUpdate and practice response and business continuity plans as the business transitions to the “new normal”Strengthen ecosystem-wide collaboration “Due to COVID-19, businesses must accelerate their digital transformation to harness the benefits while striking a balance between agility, scalability, efficiency, profitability and cybersecurity,” said Georges De Moura, Head of Industry Solutions, Centre for Cybersecurity, World Economic Forum. “The confluence of these disruptive forces is impacting critical functions and industry ecosystems globally.” “This crisis has prompted a step-change in our reliance on digital channels. We are managing the associated risk by following appropriate principles, including fostering a greater culture of cyber resilience and strengthening collaboration with external stakeholders”, said Sandro Bucchianeri, Group Chief Security Officer, Absa Group. Read more. This year marks Philadelphia’s 5th anniversary as a World Heritage City!
Global Philadelphia Association is celebrating World Heritage Week with five days of virtual festivities, May 26-30. There will be opportunities to win prizes, see virtual performances, and share pictures of your favorite Philly landmarks on social media. Each day of World Heritage Week will feature one of the World Heritage City Project’s missions. Hello fellow community businesses,
We have partnered with the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia and are reaching out to the community with three objectives. 1) Help offer suggestions for key safety measures that businesses can take into account when preparing to reopen business, 2) help educate the community on PPE products and 3) create a path for the community to be able to purchase the much needed PPE products. We are a 27 year old local Montgomery County, Pennsylvania based beauty supply, cosmetics and medical PPE products manufacturer. Currently we are manufacturing over 4 million PPE Masks per week. We are working directly with the Pennsylvania Governor’s office supplying the state, military & hospitals where needed. We have been partnering with and donating to many grocery markets, medical facilities, townships and law enforcement departments in the county to assist in helping minimize the spread of COVID-19. In an effort to support the region in a larger manner we have partnered with the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia to help facilitate a clear, reliable, local source for all of your PPE needs. We maintain our own inventory and ship out of own distribution centers in PA, GA & CA. We import between 250 to 350 full containers annually and are extremely familiar with all the details involved with such. There are many approaches to take when it comes to providing a safe work environment for your employees and/or customers. Some low cost but very impactful measures that you as an employer can take are the following:
We have retail ready product that we can supply directly to your stores on a weekly bases or to a distribution center if necessary. Bulk packaging is also available as well for your employees. Wearing true medical quality masks verse homemade and/or fabric masks is undeniably the safest way to protect you, your employees, your loved ones and to offer your customers. We are proud to be able to provide this level of safety as an American company. We take great pride in our products, service and quality control. Here is a link to our educational brochure on PPE products for your information. http://www.annieinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Annie_Medical_PPE_Catalog_V1.pdf Thank you for your time and interest in Annie PPE products and for helping us make our community a safer healthier place. Thank you, Annie International, Inc. By Graziella DiNuzzo The phone rang and I was startled to hear her voice. “Thank you for calling Kibow Biotech, how may I help you?” she asked. I couldn’t find words. After weeks of working remotely during COVID-19, I wasn’t used to the sound of a receptionist’s voice. I laughed and explained why and she patiently connected me with Mahesh.
Founded in 1997 by Mahesh’s father, Dr. Rangan, Kibow Biotech researches and develops scientifically-formulated and clinically-tested probiotic dietary supplements for maintaining kidney health and boosting the immunity of the geriatric population by restoring their intestinal microflora.
The name Kibow was derived from KI – for Kidney and BOW – for bowels and the product line includes: Renadyl™, Kibow Fortis®, Kibow Flora™, and Azodyl™. “We currently sell online and through other online distributors via amazon and their respective website. Not in brick and mortar. We sell to a 65 percent mix of consumers direct and about 35 percent to HealthCare professionals direct.” During this COVID-19 pandemic, news reports repeatedly mention the need to maintain healthy immune systems to fight COVID-19. “We have seen renewed interest in our Kibow Flora and a slight increase in sales,” Mahesh confirms. “Gut Microflora are responsible for boosting immunity and overall well-being of a person.” Kibow’s website describes, Kibow Flora as providing a natural immune system boost. “Kibow Flora ™is a highly effective probiotic supplement that contains 30 billion live probiotic bacteria per capsule. Kibow Flora is 100% natural and is enteric coated to ensure that the probiotic bacteria are not destroyed by gastric or bile acids before they are released into the bowel.” “We have a 14-day window for shipping but then our products need to be refrigerated. Many probiotics you find in stores don’t have the same potency as ours.” Kibow’s highest selling product is Renadyl™, a natural supplement which helps to metabolize nitrogenous waste that has diffused from the bloodstream into the bowel. “We’ve developed our products to serve niche markets. Older populations with kidney health issues and diabetes don’t have a lot of treatment options.” Another Kibow product, Kibow Fortis® was developed as prebiotic to stimulate the growth of the “good” bacteria, namely, the lactobacilli and the bifidobacteria. Azodyl™ is a Kibow product developed specifically for cats and dogs to slow down uremic toxin buildup and helps prevent kidney damage. The supplement is also distributed and marketed by a French company, Vétoquinol. “The World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia has been key with International Trade rep support and informational resources provided to help our international expansions efforts.” The top international markets for Kibow include Mexico, India, and the Philippines, “there are a large diabetic population in these regions.” “International sales via distribution average about 100,000 customers. We have about 25,000 US.” In January 2020, Mahesh attended Arab Health, one of the largest healthcare trade shows in Dubai, “ I had no idea, what was happening. Germs discriminate and affect populations unequally. The virus is a hidden epidemic of weakened immune systems. Public policy must focus on people’s ability to withstand infection.” Part of Kibow’s company vision statement, “is to advance the welfare of people globally by providing superior probiotic supplements.” Kibow offers a phone ordering option for older populations that prefer speaking with a knowledgeable customer service representative. And a friendly receptionist who answers the phone from an office during a pandemic. The project brings attention to Goal No. 4 of the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
PHILADELPHIA (April 27, 2020) – As part of a broad campaign to bring awareness to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Saint Joseph’s University and Global Philadelphia Association are inviting local artists to respond to a request for proposal (RFP) for a public art mural depicting SDG No. 4 – Quality Education. The SDGs urge all organizations and countries to transform our world by promoting prosperity while protecting the planet. In particular, the Quality Education goal recognizes that obtaining a quality education is the foundation of sustainable development. “There is no time like the present to address the many global challenges we face,” said Zabeth Teelucksingh, executive director of Global Philadelphia Association, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the region’s global profile. “We are committed to fostering the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and this collaboration with Saint Joseph’s is an opportunity to further that commitment. This also connects with our Philadelphia World Heritage City Project’s mission to raise awareness that Philadelphia’s city heritage is in fact globally connected.” This mural is one of a series of art installations throughout the City of Philadelphia that the Global Philadelphia Association is spearheading. For each mural that is created, there are five partnership components: the sponsor, host site, the artist and an NGO that will receive the project grant and accompanying academic project. Global Philadelphia Association has reached an agreement with SJU as the sponsor of this project for Goal 4. The host site will be on SJU’s campus and linked to the Samuel Gompers Elementary School, immediately adjacent to the University. For more than 30 years, the University and Gompers have been community partners. Saint Joseph’s students serve as student-teachers and volunteers to support afterschool programming. Additionally, faculty have provided professional development training to Gompers staff. “Saint Joseph’s partnership with Global Philadelphia Association is important to advancing our mission as a globally connected, Jesuit institution,” said Shaily Menon, Ph.D., dean of the Colleges of Arts and Sciences. “I’m excited to join both Global Philadelphia and Gompers on this project as it aligns with our values of quality education, sustainability, social justice and a hope-filled future for our youth.” Saint Joseph’s has long been invested and active in the SDGs. This project represents a cross-campus collaboration bringing together a working group of faculty representing the College of Arts and Sciences, Haub School of Business and School of Health Studies and Education. Experts in the Haub school created the SDG Dashboard, a collaborative data reporting and analytics platform for global business schools to share their best practice impacts on SDGs and transform business education into a force for good. Responses to the RFP are due by May 15, and the final installation on Saint Joseph’s campus is planned for early fall 2020. About the Global Philadelphia Association The Global Philadelphia Association consists of more than 200 internationally involved organizations, businesses, and individuals in Greater Philadelphia. It was created to assist – and to encourage greater interaction among – the many organizations and people who are engaged in international activity in the Greater Philadelphia Region, to promote the development of an international consciousness within the area, and to enhance Philadelphia’s global profile. For more information, visit our website: globalphiladelphia.org. About Saint Joseph’s University Founded in 1851 in the heart of Philadelphia and in the Jesuit tradition of academic excellence, Saint Joseph’s University prepares students for a rapidly changing and unpredictable world. Through a rigorous, perspective-expanding education, Saint Joseph’s 7,300 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students are mentored by thought-leading faculty scholars, exposed to a curriculum that allows for radical program combinations and demands exploration. The 125-acre campus provides both urban and suburban experiences and is home to the world-renowned Barnes Arboretum at Saint Joseph’s University. Upon graduation, nearly 100 percent of students are employed, pursuing advanced degrees or volunteering in prestigious service programs. A proud member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, Saint Joseph’s Hawks compete in 20 Division I intercollegiate men’s and women’s sports. The University’s 72,000 proud alumni are a powerful global network that are united by the rallying cry – The Hawk Will Never Die. -For immediate release- Media Contact: Graziella DiNuzzo, gdinuzzo@wtcphila.org, 609.680.7670
Philadelphia, PA….April 20, 2020….Dr. Steven Baranowitz, President of Epitek, and a member of the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia, was awarded two patents by the United States government on March 31, 2020 and earlier in August 20, 2019 for the study of broad-spectrum anti-viral medications, including COVID-19, Pandemic Influenza and Zika. “These broad-spectrum antiviral drugs include some medications currently marketed as prescription drugs (such as MMF/MPA) for other diseases, as well as a pipeline of drugs, some of which have been in clinical trials for other conditions,” says Dr. Baranowitz. Dr. Baranowitz is seeking partnerships with doctors, hospitals, private companies, or government agencies in emergency clinical trials for the treatment of coronavirus patients. With the help of World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia (WTCGP) trade specialist, Dale Foote, Dr. Baranowitz has been working with PA Authorized Trade Representatives, in Germany (covering Italy, Austria and Switzerland), South Korea, and India to locate health and hospital officials who will want to learn more. “There are medications currently available by prescription in the US which are documented to kill most coronavirus strains in the laboratory. The medications are sold for a different use but could be clinically tested in the US to treat patients. They are anti-viral in a dose smaller than the dose for the current use,” says Dr. Baranowitz. The medications have been demonstrated by Baranowitz to be broad spectrum antivirals, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), over the last 4 years. Dr Baranowitz has 28 years of drug development experience in the pharmaceutical industry, and believes that physicians, hospitals, state and federal government could use these medications rapidly in new emergency clinical trials. Epitek focuses on two drugs documented to kill most Coronaviruses. The drugs are CURRENTLY MARKETED for a completely different use. One is widely available and inexpensive. For anti-viral effect, Epitek believes that the drug can be used at 10% or less of the dose for the currently marketed indication. The drugs inhibit inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), which is a critical enzyme for increasing the body's pool of the nucleoside guanosine. Guanosine is indispensable to the virus for replicating its RNA. “A COVID research paper was published a few weeks ago by a different research group, saying that mycophenolic acid (MPA), which is the active ingredient in mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is a good candidate for clinical testing,” says Dr. Baranowitz About Steven A. Baranowitz MD MS MBA President The President of Epitek is Dr. Steven Baranowitz. Dr Baranowitz is a successful Pharmaceutical/Biotech Scientist, Physician, and an entrepreneur with many patents to his credit. Having served as Medical Director at several major Pharmaceutical companies, as well as Biotechs, Dr. Baranowitz brings a wealth of industry experience with both large and small companies. He is a recognized expert in pharmaceutical Drug Safety and Clinical Trials and has consulted for many well known companies in these areas. He worked ensuring the safety of Vaccines, both marketed and in development, as a consultant to Sanofi-Pasteur in the past. Dr. Baranowitz is an inventor with over ten US and International patents on new potential treatments for a variety of diseases in fields including virology, oncology, ophthalmology, and regenerative medicine. A graduate of the New York University School of Medicine, Dr. Baranowitz completed specialty training in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. He obtained research expertise in Developmental Biology while earning his Master of Science degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and his Bachelor of Science degree at Brooklyn College. His business training included the M.B.A. he obtained from Fairleigh-Dickinson University and his licensing and product evaluation experience at several pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Baranowitz was honored by the University of Oxford in England when its Center for Mathematical Biology sponsored him as a visiting scientist. As a guest of the University, he lectured and collaborated in original research. During his stay, he also gave an invited guest seminar at the National Institute for Medical Research in London. He continues actively collaborating in research with the National Institutes of Health, the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, and Temple University; he has in the past conducted research at U.S. Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Dr. Baranowitz has presented papers at international symposia and his research has been published in several scientific journals including the Journal of Theoretical Biology, Macromolecules, and the New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Baranowitz continues active research at his office in Philadelphia, which is adjacent to Drexel University. Over 35 Drexel undergraduate and graduate coops (interns) have been trained by him in the last five years, and this educational and research collaboration in ongoing. Dr. Baranowitz is a resident of Wyncote, PA. About the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia The World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia (WTCGP) is one of over 320 World Trade Centers in 89 countries around the globe. A non-profit and membership - based organization, the WTCGP accelerates global business growth for companies in Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey by providing customized, one-on-one trade counseling, market research, educational programs, trade mission and trade show support, business networking events, and powerful connections to customers and partners worldwide. Since 2002, the WTCGP has served as a catalyst for regional economic growth and job creation, helping area companies generate over $2B in incremental export sales, supporting over 26,000 jobs. |
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