[INVNT GROUP]™ Bets Big on Live; Enhances Live Brand Storytelling Capabilities with Newly Formed ITP LIVE, in the Strategic Acquisitions of InSync Production Services, Thunder Audio and Morpheus Lights.

Introducing ITP LIVE: An Integrated Production Services Division of INVNT®

New York, Dec. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — [INVNT GROUP] THE GLOBAL BRANDSTORY PROJECT™ announces the strategic acquisitions of four historied live event production companies: ITP LIVE, InSync Production Services, Thunder Audio, and Morpheus Lights.

Led by President and CEO, Scott Cullather, [INVNT GROUP] represents a growing portfolio of complementary disciplines designed to help forward thinking brands everywhere, impact the audiences that matter anywhere.

“This deal is a key pillar of our integrated vertical growth strategy as [INVNT GROUP] THE GLOBAL BRANDSTORY PROJECT. The dedicated search for these four companies has been in development for over 18 months. We sought leaders in the technical and production aspects of the live events industry, who were delivering premier production services to legacy brands and many of the world’s biggest peforming artists. These acquisitions will expand our innovation capabilities, allowing INVNT, our live events business, to offer our customers the ultimate in live events and experiential activations.”

Scott Cullather, President and CEO,  [INVNT GROUP]

[INVNT GROUP] consists of modern brand strategy firm, Folk Hero; creative-led culture consultancy, Meaning; branded content studio and content marketing agency HEVĒ; collegiate events and experiences, INVNT Higher Education, the original global live brand storytelling agency, INVNT and now ITP LIVE consisting of: InSync Production Services, Thunder Audio and Morpheus Lights.

For more than twenty-five years, these production companies have supported the design and execution of experiential and live entertainment programs for many of the largest corporations, trade associations, sports franchises, governmental agencies (including the White House), and some of the most successful artists in the world: Bruce Springsteen, Snoop Dog, Lady Gaga, Lionel Richie, Billy Joel, Diana Ross, Metallica, Post Malone, Tyler Perry and more.

The companies will continue to operate under their current names and will service their existing roster of clients, seek new clients, and providing services to synergistic INVNT opportunities and projects.

“Historically, producing live events has often required a great deal of outsourcing on virtually every project. Through these strategic acquisitions we will have end-to-end control over every aspect of our live events – especially quality and cost, continuing to deliver world-class service and at the very best value. The merging of resources and networks also gives us geographical spread across North America. Our anticipation is to continue growing these resources in other territories around the world. This is only the beginning.”

Kristina McCoobery, COO [INVNT GROUP] and CEO INVNT

Rooted in experiential marketing, [INVNT GROUP]’s expansion comes as part of a strategic, yet natural evolution. This business partnership creates a unique offering in the market, and enhances the group’s abilities to fulfill creative, technological, and strategic designs in dynamic new ways.

“When [INVNT GROUP] approached us about the idea of coming together and amplifying our resources, I was instantly drawn to the group’s commitment to impactful storytelling. Their award-winning work aligns with our vision of the newly formed ITP LIVE, that includes Insync Production Services, Thunder Audio and Morpheus Lights,. We’re excited by the incredible synergies created through our partnership and welcome a new chapter in designing the best events on the planet.”

Pat Hand, CEO, ITP LIVE

This transaction was structured by Wolf Karbe, CFO of [INVNT GROUP] and represented by Evergreen Advisors Capital and Center Rock Advisors. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About [INVNT GROUP]

[INVNT GROUP] was established in 2020, as an evolution of the founding global live brand storytelling agency INVNT in 2008, with a vision to provide consistent, meaningful, well-articulated BrandStory across all platforms. With offices in New York, Sydney, London, Singapore, San Francisco, Sydney, Stockholm, Detroit, and Washington D.C.; headed by President and CEO, Scott Cullather, [INVNT GROUP], THE GLOBAL BRANDSTORY PROJECT™ represents a growing portfolio of complementary disciplines designed to help forward-thinking organizations everywhere, impact the audiences that matter, anywhere. The GROUP consists of modern brand strategy firm, Folk Hero; creative-led culture consultancy, Meaning; branded content studio and content marketing agency HEVĒ, INVNT Higher Ed; events for colleges and universities, and the original live brand storytelling agency, INVNT. For more information about [INVNT GROUP], visit: www.invntgroup.com.

About INVNT

Founded in 2008 by Scott Cullather and Kristina McCoobery, INVNT uses the craft of live brand storytelling to create and produce live experiences that excite and unite physical and virtual audiences, globally. The company’s ‘challenge everything’ positioning statement helps clients including General Motors, PepsiCo, Merck, Microsoft, Pfizer, and Samsung share their stories with every audience that matters. INVNT’s offices are strategically located in New York, London, Sydney, Detroit, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Stockholm and Singapore. For more information about INVNT, visit: www.invnt.com.

About ITP LIVE

ITP Live – Ideas. Technology. People. was Founded by Pat Hand (CEO) and Paul Mullen (COO) who collectively have over 60 years of experience in event design and production management.  Pat Hand, former CEO, PRG Mid-Atlantic and Paul Mullen former President and CEO, Greyhound Exposition Services have created, managed, and integrated world class companies and were forerunners of providing end to end, turnkey production solutions. Their strategy spans from concept through execution with a true 360 production approach. Pat and Paul will oversee management for InSync, Thunder Audio and Morpheus Lights, to ensure smooth integration and growth while fully maximizing production synergies with INVNT creating significant cost savings while ensuring best in class production support services.   For more information about ITP LIVE, visit: www.itplive.com

About INSYNC PRODUCTION SERVICES

An iconic show production company, founded over 25 years ago in Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world, powering the Indy 500, Super Bowl and supporting clients that include L’Oreal, Dell Computers, Nissan, Verizon and Wells Fargo. Built around the broadcast video landscape, a creative leader leveraging LED technology. For more information about Insync Production Services, visit: www.insyncproductionservices.com.

About THUNDER AUDIO

Thunder Audio, a family owned business for over 42 years, has amplified some of the largest musical artists in the world including: Billy Joel, Post Malone, Elton John, Lionel Ritchie, Metallica, Diana Ross, and Earth Wind and Fire. Thunder Audio design and produce dynamic audio services for live experiences of all varieties and scales. Thunder Audio has always been a part of supporting touring, music festivals, corporate events, broadcast, sporting and governmental events. Providing the finest technology with premier manufacturers in the industry. For more information about Thunder Audio, visit: www.thunderaudioinc.com.

About MORPHEUS LIGHTS

Morpheus Lights has staked a global claim in the art and science of performance illumination in live events. For over 25 years, the company has counted on top-tier technology partners like AYRTON, Martin/Harmon, and Clay Paky to support lighting design and execution on  tours and performances for Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr, and Lady Gaga. The company uses an eco-conscious approach to all projects, constantly researching for the most environmentally friendly products. For more information about Morpheus Lights, visit: www.morpheuslights.com.

 

Attachment

Jhonathan Mendez de Leon
[INVNT GROUP]
3478192089
jmendezdeleon@invnt.com

La FDA autorise la commercialisation des cigarettes VLN® de 22nd Century Group en tant que produit du tabac à risque modifié

    • VLN® est la première et la seule cigarette combustible au monde à recevoir la désignation MRTP de la FDA
    • La FDA ajoute une allégation principale fondée sur des preuves « Vous aide à fumer moins » aux allégations demandées par l’entreprise
    • Les cigarettes à teneur réduite de 95 % en nicotine VLN® seront lancées aux États-Unis d’ici 90 jours
    • VLN® sera lancée en dehors des États-Unis au cours du premier trimestre 2022

BUFFALO, New York, 29 déc. 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 22nd Century Group, Inc. (Nasdaq : XXII), une société de biotechnologie agricole de premier plan axée sur la réduction des méfaits du tabac, la réduction du tabac à nicotine et l’amélioration de la santé et du bien-être grâce à une science des plantes moderne, a annoncé aujourd’hui que la Food and Drug Administration (FDA) des États-Unis a autorisé la commercialisation des cigarettes VLN® King et VLN Menthol King de la société en tant que produits du tabac à risque modifié (MRTP). Ce faisant, l’agence a conclu que VLN®, qui se fume, a le goût et l’odeur d’une cigarette conventionnelle mais contient 95 % moins de nicotine que les cigarettes conventionnelles hautement addictives, « contribue à réduire l’exposition et la consommation de nicotine pour les fumeurs qui les utilisent ».

« La décision prise aujourd’hui d’autoriser la demande MRTP de VLN® place la FDA et 22nd Century à l’avant-garde de la transformation de l’industrie du tabac. Avec 60 % des fumeurs adultes qui, dans le cadre de notre étude de marché aux États-Unis, nous ont dit qu’ils sont susceptibles d’essayer VLN®, il s’agit d’un produit totalement révolutionnaire pour 22nd Century, l’industrie du tabac, la santé publique et les fumeurs adultes cherchant à changer leur relation avec la nicotine, la substance chimique addictive que contiennent tous les produits du tabac. C’est la première et ce sera très probablement la seule cigarette combustible à porter la désignation MRTP de la FDA. La décision de la FDA d’exiger l’allégation principale supplémentaire « Vous aide à fumer moins » parallèlement à notre demande de titre « 95 % de nicotine en moins » donne aux fumeurs adultes une raison claire de remplacer leurs cigarettes conventionnelles et hautement addictives par VLN® », a déclaré James A. Mish, président-directeur général de 22nd Century Group.

« Notre mission consiste à trouver des moyens de mettre fin aux maladies et aux décès liés au tabac. Nous savons que trois fumeurs adultes sur quatre souhaitent cesser de fumer et les données sur ces produits montrent qu’ils peuvent aider les fumeurs adultes dépendants à abandonner les cigarettes fortement toxiques », a déclaré Mitch Zeller, J.D., directeur du Center for Tobacco Products de la FDA. « Disposer d’options telles que les produits autorisés aujourd’hui, qui contiennent moins de nicotine et sont raisonnablement susceptibles de réduire la dépendance à la nicotine, peut aider les fumeurs adultes. Si les fumeurs adultes étaient moins dépendants des cigarettes combustibles, ils fumeraient probablement moins et pourraient être exposés à moins de produits chimiques nocifs qui sont responsables des maladies et des décès liés au tabac. »

« Après avoir obtenu ce décret de mise sur le marché de la FDA, nous sommes fin prêts à lancer VLN® avec des partenaires de vente au détail et marketing sélectionnés sur nos marchés pilotes aux États-Unis dans les 90 prochains jours et sur le premier de plusieurs marchés mondiaux d’ici la fin du premier trimestre 2022. Nous sommes également en pourparlers avec d’autres partenaires commerciaux, marketing et stratégiques pour augmenter les ventes de VLN® aux États-Unis et à l’international, notamment par le biais d’une licence potentielle de notre technologie pour faciliter la transition plus large de l’industrie vers les produits RNC. Nous fournirons des détails supplémentaires sur les partenaires stratégiques et le déploiement de VLN® au cours des prochains mois », a déclaré M. Mish.

La FDA a autorisé la commercialisation de VLN® avec les allégations MRTP suivantes :

  • « Vous aide à fumer moins. »
  • « 95 % de nicotine en moins. »
  • « Aide à réduire votre consommation de nicotine. »
  • « …Réduit considérablement votre consommation de nicotine. »

La décision de la FDA d’autoriser les allégations MRTP de la société et d’exiger l’allégation supplémentaire « Vous aide à fumer moins » sur chaque paquet de cigarettes VLN® et dans chaque publicité sur VLN® où l’une des autres allégations autorisées est également utilisée reposait sur un vaste corpus scientifique composé de dizaines d’études scientifiques et cliniques indépendantes utilisant les cigarettes de tabac à teneur en nicotine réduite (RNC) de 22nd Century. Ces études, qui ont été financées en grande partie par la FDA, les National Institutes of Health (NIH) et d’autres agences gouvernementales fédérales des États-Unis, ainsi que des études financées par 22nd Century, montrent que les fumeurs qui utilisent des cigarettes RNC – même ceux qui n’avaient pas l’intention d’arrêter de fumer au début des études – réduisent leur exposition et leur dépendance à la nicotine, fument moins de cigarettes par jour, augmentent leur nombre de jours sans fumer, et doublent leurs tentatives d’abandon – le tout avec des symptômes minimaux ou inexistants de manque de nicotine ou de tabagisme compensatoire.

Dans l’annonce de sa décision aujourd’hui, la FDA a expliqué : « Les données ont également montré qu’il était raisonnablement probable que l’utilisation de ces produits réduise la dépendance à la nicotine, et entraîne des réductions à long terme de l’exposition aux substances toxiques liées au tabagisme associées à la morbidité et à la mortalité en réduisant le tabagisme. Des études publiées ont montré que la réduction significative du nombre de cigarettes fumées par jour est associée à un risque plus faible de cancer du poumon et de décès, une réduction plus importante du nombre de cigarettes par jour entraînant un risque moindre. En outre, comme l’exige l’autorisation, la FDA a estimé que les demandes étayaient la compréhension par les consommateurs des allégations selon lesquelles les cigarettes VLN® contenaient beaucoup moins de nicotine que les autres cigarettes. »

VLN® est également la première et la seule cigarette combustible à arriver sur le marché qui est conforme au plafond de nicotine proposé par la FDA pour les cigarettes conventionnelles dans son Comprehensive Plan for Tobacco and Nicotine Regulation (Plan complet de réglementation du tabac et de la nicotine), ainsi qu’au mandat de réduction de la teneur en nicotine récemment proposé par la Nouvelle-Zélande.

« Nous sommes convaincus que l’annonce faite aujourd’hui par la FDA illustre clairement ses progrès dans son plan pour lutter contre les méfaits incroyables causés par le tabagisme. Ce plan prévoit l’autorisation de produits du tabac moins toxiques tels que les cigarettes électroniques et d’autres produits non combustibles, ainsi qu’un plafond de 0,5 mg de nicotine par gramme de tabac dans les produits du tabac combustibles. Ce niveau de nicotine, que la FDA a décrit comme étant “faiblement ou non addictif”, a déjà été atteint par 22nd Century dans ses produits VLN® », a déclaré M. Mish.

La FDA a réitéré aujourd’hui dans son annonce qu’elle est « engagée à faire avancer le processus d’élaboration de règles visant à interdire le menthol en tant qu’arôme caractéristique dans les cigarettes et tous les arômes caractéristiques dans les cigares et reste sur la bonne voie pour publier des projets de règles au printemps 2022 » et le fait que les cigarettes VLN® King et VLN® Menthol King « pourraient aider les fumeurs de cigarettes dépendants à réduire leur consommation de nicotine et le nombre de cigarettes qu’ils fument par jour ».

« Alors que la FDA cherche également à interdire le menthol dans les cigarettes hautement addictives, nous nous attendons à ce qu’elle autorise nos cigarettes VLN® Menthol, qui offrent peu d’attrait pour les jeunes et les anciens fumeurs en raison de leur teneur réduite en nicotine, à rester sur le marché pour fournir une rampe de sortie aux fumeurs adultes de cigarettes mentholées », a ajouté M. Mish.

La décision de la FDA s’appuie en outre sur des recherches projetant qu’une norme de produit de l’industrie visant à abaisser la teneur en nicotine dans les cigarettes à des niveaux minimaux ou non addictifs modifierait considérablement la trajectoire de la dépendance à la cigarette, qui est la principale cause de maladies et de décès évitables aux États-Unis. Environ cinq millions de fumeurs adultes arrêteraient de fumer dans un délai d’un an seulement après sa mise en œuvre, plus de 33 millions de personnes éviteraient de devenir des fumeurs réguliers, et plus de huit millions de décès prématurés dus au tabac pourraient être évités. Avec près d’un demi-million d’Américains mourant du tabagisme et plus de 300 milliards de dollars dépensés chaque année pour lutter contre les maladies liées au tabagisme, il est évident et urgent de procéder à des changements substantiels dans l’industrie du tabac.

22nd Century est prête à approvisionner le marché en tabac RNC et en produits finis tels que VLN® afin de permettre à la fois à 22nd Century et à d’autres fabricants de se conformer aux capsules de nicotine proposées aux États-Unis, en Nouvelle-Zélande et dans d’autres pays, alors qu’ils adoptent cette approche innovante et hautement efficace de réduction des effets nocifs du tabac initialement proposée par l’OMS en 2015. La technologie et les produits à base de plantes de 22nd Century sont supérieurs aux technologies d’extraction coûteuses et aux technologies de dénicotinisation similaires, car ces technologies utilisent généralement des produits chimiques qui éliminent non seulement la nicotine, mais également les composés de saveur et d’arôme, résultant en un produit qui a été jugé inacceptable pour les fumeurs car il ne procure aucune satisfaction de fumer. En revanche, le tabac à teneur réduite en nicotine de 22nd Century se développe naturellement avec de très faibles niveaux de nicotine, créant des produits qui se fument, ont le goût et l’odeur de cigarettes conventionnelles mais contiennent 95 % de nicotine en moins que les cigarettes conventionnelles hautement addictives. Ceci est essentiel pour créer une solution acceptable et une « rampe de sortie » pour les fumeurs actuels qui cherchent à changer leur relation avec la nicotine.

22nd Century reste déterminée à octroyer des licences pour sa technologie et ses produits à chaque fabricant afin de permettre la conformité à l’échelle de l’industrie avec les capsules de nicotine proposées.

À propos de 22nd Century Group, Inc.
22nd Century Group, Inc. (Nasdaq : XXII) est une entreprise de biotechnologie agricole de premier plan axée sur la réduction des méfaits du tabac, la réduction du tabac à nicotine et l’amélioration de la santé et du bien-être grâce à la science des plantes. Avec des dizaines de brevets lui permettant de contrôler la biosynthèse de nicotine dans la plante de tabac, la société a développé des plantes de tabac et des cigarettes brevetées à teneur réduite en nicotine (RNC), qui sont devenues la pierre angulaire du Plan global de la FDA visant à lutter contre la mortalité et les maladies généralisées causées par le tabagisme. Dans les plantes de tabac, de chanvre/cannabis et les plants de houblon, 22nd Century utilise des technologies modernes de reproduction végétale, y compris le génie génétique, l’édition génique et la reproduction moléculaire, pour fournir des solutions aux industries des sciences de la vie et des produits de consommation en créant de nouvelles plantes brevetées avec un alcaloïde optimisé et des profils de flavonoïdes ainsi que des rendements améliorés et des traits agronomiques précieux.

Apprenez-en plus sur xxiicentury.com, sur Twitter @_xxiicentury, et sur LinkedIn.

Pour en savoir plus sur VLN®, rendez-vous sur tryvln.com.

Mise en garde concernant les déclarations prospectives
À l’exception des informations historiques, toutes les déclarations, attentes et hypothèses contenues dans ce communiqué de presse sont des déclarations prospectives. Les déclarations prospectives contiennent généralement des termes tels que « anticiper », « croire », « considérer », « continuer », « pourrait », « estimer », « s’attendre », « explorer », « prévoir », « objectif », « orientation », « avoir l’intention », « probable », « peut », « planifier », « potentiel », « prédire », « préliminaire », « probable », « projet », « prometteur », « chercher », « devrait », « sera », « voudrait » et des expressions similaires. Les résultats réels peuvent différer sensiblement de ceux explicites ou implicites dans ces déclarations prospectives. Les facteurs importants qui pourraient entraîner des écarts importants avec les résultats réels sont énoncés dans la section « Risk Factors » (Facteurs de risque) du rapport annuel de la société sur le formulaire 10-K déposé le 11 mars 2021. Toutes les informations fournies dans le présent communiqué de presse sont valables à la date du présent communiqué, et la société n’assume aucune obligation et n’a pas l’intention de mettre à jour ces déclarations prospectives, sauf si la loi l’exige.

Contact auprès des investisseurs et des médias :
Mei Kuo
Directrice des communications et des relations avec les investisseurs
22nd Century Group, Inc.
(716) 300-1221
mkuo@xxiicentury.com

Une photo accompagnant cette annonce est disponible à l’adresse https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f2454099-23c6-4b74-a46b-28fbb97124d5

FDA autoriza a comercialização do VLN® do 22nd Century Group como Produto de Tabaco de Risco Modificado

  • O VLN® é o primeiro e único cigarro combustível do mundo a receber a designação MRTP da FDA
  • FDA inclui a afirmação “Ajuda você a fumar menos” às afirmações solicitadas pela empresa
  • Cigarros VLN® com 95% de teor reduzido de nicotina a serem lançados nos EUA dentro de 90 dias
  • O VLN® será lançado fora dos EUA no primeiro trimestre de 2022

BUFFALO, N.Y., Dec. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — O 22nd Century Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: XXII), uma empresa líder em biotecnologia agrícola focada na redução de danos causados pelo tabaco, tabaco com baixo teor de nicotina e melhoria da saúde e bem-estar através da fitotecnologia moderna, anunciou hoje que a Food and Drug Administration dos EUA (FDA) autorizou a comercialização dos cigarros com baixo teor de nicotina VLN® King e VLN® Menthol King da empresa como produtos de tabaco de risco modificado (MRTPs). Ao fazer isso, a Agência descobriu que o VLN® – com fumaça, gosto e cheiro do cigarro convencional, mas com 95% menos nicotina do que os cigarros convencionais altamente viciantes – “ajuda a reduzir a exposição e o consumo de nicotina dos fumantes”.

“A decisão de hoje de autorizar a aplicação de MRTP do VLN® une a FDA e o 22nd Century na vanguarda de transformar a indústria do tabaco. Com 60% dos fumantes adultos da nossa pesquisa de mercado nos EUA nos dizendo que é provável que eles experimentem VLN®, este é um divisor de águas completo para o 22nd Century, a indústria do tabaco, a saúde pública e os fumantes adultos que procuram mudar sua relação com a nicotina – a substância química viciante encontrado em todos os produtos de tabaco. Este é o primeiro e, provavelmente, será o único cigarro combustível a ter a designação MRTP da FDA. A decisão da FDA de exigir a declaração adicional da afirmação “Ajuda você a fumar menos”, juntamente com a solicitada afirmação de “95% menos nicotina”, proporciona aos fumantes adultos um motivo claro para substituir o cigarro convencional e altamente viciante pelo VLN®”, disse James A. Mish, diretor executivo do 22nd Century Group.

“Nossa missão é encontrar maneiras de parar as doenças e mortes relacionadas ao tabaco. Três em cada quatro fumantes adultos querem parar de fumar e os dados sobre esses produtos mostram que eles podem ajudar os fumantes adultos viciados a fazer a transição para deixarem de fumar cigarros combustíveis altamente viciantes”, disse Mitch Zeller, J.D., diretor do Center for Tobacco Products da FDA. “Opções como essas dos produtos autorizados hoje, que contêm menos nicotina e são razoavelmente propensos a reduzir a dependência da nicotina, pode ajudar os fumantes adultos. Os fumantes adultos menos viciados em cigarros combustíveis provavelmente fumariam menos e estariam menos expostos a substâncias químicas nocivas que causam doenças e mortes relacionadas ao tabaco.”

“Com a obtenção da autorização de marketing da FDA, estamos prontos para lançar o VLN® com parceiros de varejo e de marketing selecionados nos nossos mercados-piloto nos EUA nos próximos 90 dias e nos primeiros mercados globais até o final do primeiro trimestre de 2022. Também estamos em discussões com parceiros adicionais de varejo, marketing e estratégicos para escalar as vendas do VLN® nos EUA e em outros países, inclusive por meio de um possível licenciamento da nossa tecnologia para facilitar a transição mais ampla da indústria para os produtos da RNC. Daremos mais detalhes sobre os parceiros estratégicos e a implantação do VLN® nos próximos meses”, disse Mish.

A FDA autorizou a comercialização do VLN® com as seguintes afirmações de MRTP:

  • “Ajuda você a fumar menos”.
  • “95% menos nicotina”.
  • “Ajuda você a reduzir o consumo de nicotina”.
  • “…Reduz muito o consumo de nicotina”.

A decisão da FDA de autorizar as afirmações de MRTP da Empresa e exigir a afirmação adicional de “Ajuda você a fumar menos” em cada embalagem e anúncio do VLN® onde qualquer uma das outras afirmações autorizadas também sejam usadas, teve por base um extenso conjunto de dezenas de estudos científicos e clínicos independentes sobre o uso de cigarro de tabaco de teor reduzido de nicotina (RNC) do 22nd Century. Esses estudos, financiados em grande parte pela FDA, pelo National Institutes of Health (NIH) e por outras agências governamentais federais dos EUA, bem como estudos financiados pelo 22nd Century, mostram que os fumantes que usam cigarros RNC – mesmo aqueles sem intenção de parar no início dos estudos – reduzem sua exposição e dependência à nicotina, fumam menos cigarros por dia, aumentam seu número de dias sem fumar e dobram suas tentativas de parar – todos com pouca ou nenhuma evidência de sintomas de abstinência de nicotina ou tabagismo compensatório.

No anúncio da sua decisão hoje, a FDA explicou: “Os dados também mostraram que é razoavelmente provável que o uso desses produtos reduza a dependência da nicotina, o que deve levar a reduções de longo prazo na exposição aos tóxicos relacionados ao tabagismo associados à morbidade e mortalidade, levando à redução do tabagismo. Estudos publicados indicam que a redução significativa do número de cigarros fumados por dia está associada ao menor risco de câncer de pulmão e morte, com maiores reduções de cigarros por dia, resultando em menor risco. Além disso, conforme exigido para autorização, a FDA descobriu que os pedidos tiveram por base a compreensão do consumidor sobre as alegações de que os cigarros VLN® contêm níveis muito mais baixos de nicotina do que outros cigarros.”

O VLN® também é o primeiro e único cigarro combustível a chegar ao mercado estando em conformidade com o limite de nicotina proposto pela FDA para cigarros convencionais no seu Plano Abrangente para Tabaco e Nicotina, bem como o recentemente proposto mandato de teor reduzido de nicotina da Nova Zelândia.

“Acreditamos que o anúncio de hoje da FDA seja uma indicação clara de que a FDA está avançando com seu Plano para lidar com os incríveis danos causados pelo tabagismo. Este plano inclui a autorização de produtos de tabaco menos tóxicos, como cigarros eletrônicos e outros produtos não combustíveis, juntamente com um limite máximo de 0,5 mg de nicotina por grama de tabaco nos produtos de tabaco combustíveis. Este nível de teor de nicotina que a FDA descreveu como sendo “minimamente ou não viciante”, já foi alcançado pelo 22nd Century nos seus produtos VLN®”, disse Mish.

A FDA reiterou no seu anúncio de hoje que está “comprometida em avançar com o processo de criação de regras para proibir o mentol como sabor caracterizante em cigarros e todos os sabores característicos em charutos, e está no caminho certo para emitir regras propostas em meados de 2022” e que os cigarros VLN® King e VLN® Menthol King “ podem ajudar os fumantes de cigarros viciados a reduzir o consumo de nicotina e o número de cigarros que fumam por dia.”

“Como a FDA também está tentando proibir o mentol em cigarros altamente viciantes, esperamos que a FDA permita que o nosso cigarro VLN® Menthol, que oferece pouco apelo para jovens e ex-fumantes devido ao seu teor reduzido de nicotina, sejam autorizados pela FDA a permanecer no mercado como uma rampa de saída para fumantes adultos de cigarros mentolados”, acrescentou Mish.

A decisão da FDA tem por base ainda pesquisas que projetam que um padrão de produto da indústria para redução do teor de nicotina nos cigarros a níveis mínimos ou não viciantes mudaria significativamente a trajetória do vício em cigarros, que é a principal causa de doenças e mortes evitáveis nos EUA. Aproximadamente cinco milhões de fumantes adultos desistiriam de fumar dentro de apenas um ano após a sua implementação, mais de 33 milhões de pessoas evitariam se tornar fumantes regulares e mais de oito milhões de mortes prematuras por tabaco poderiam ser evitadas. Com quase meio milhão de americanos morrendo de tabagismo e mais de US $ 300 bilhões gastos por ano com doenças relacionadas ao tabagismo, há uma necessidade clara e urgente de mudanças substanciais na indústria do tabaco.

O 22nd Century está pronto para fornecer ao mercado produtos de tabaco e acabados de RNC, como o VLN®, para permitir que tanto o 22nd Century quanto outros fabricantes estejam em conformidade com os limites de nicotina propostos nos EUA, Nova Zelândia e outros países, com a adoção dessa abordagem inovadora e altamente eficaz para a redução dos danos do tabaco, proposta pela OMS em 2015. A tecnologia e os produtos à base de plantas do 22nd Century são superiores a tecnologias caras de extração e de desnicotinização semelhantes porque essas tecnologias normalmente usam substâncias químicas que removem, além da nicotina, os compostos de sabor e aroma, resultando em um produto considerado inaceitável pelos fumantes não gostam do produto final. Por outro lado, o tabaco com teor reduzido de nicotina do 22nd Century cresce naturalmente com níveis muito baixos de nicotina, resultando em produtos com fumaça, gosto e cheiro de cigarro convencionais, porém com 95% menos nicotina do que os cigarros convencionais e altamente viciantes. Isso é fundamental para a criação de uma solução aceitável e de saída para os fumantes que estejam querendo mudar seu relacionamento com a nicotina.

O 22nd Century continua empenhado em licenciar sua tecnologia e produtos a todos os fabricantes para viabilizar a conformidade da indústria com os limites propostos para a nicotina.

Sobre o 22nd Century Group, Inc.
O 22nd Century Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: XXII) uma empresa líder em biotecnologia agrícola focada na redução de danos causados pelo tabaco, tabaco com baixo teor de nicotina e melhoria da saúde e bem-estar através da fitotecnologia moderna. Com dezenas de patentes para controle da biossíntese da nicotina na planta de tabaco, a Empresa desenvolveu plantas e cigarros proprietários de tabaco com teor reduzido de nicotina (RNC), que se tornaram a pedra angular do Plano Abrangente da FDA para abordar a morte e doenças generalizadas causadas pelo tabagismo. Nas plantas de tabaco, cânhamo/cannabis e lúpulo, o 22nd Century usa tecnologias modernas de aprimoramento das plantas, incluindo engenharia genética, edição genética e aprimoramento molecular para fornecer soluções para as indústrias de ciências da vida e produtos de consumo, criando plantas novas e proprietárias com perfis otimizados de alcaloides e flavonoides, bem como de rendimentos aprimorados e características agronômicas valiosas.

Saiba mais em xxiicentury.com, no Twitter @_xxiicentury, e LinkedIn.

Saiba mais sobre o VLN® em tryvln.com.

Nota de advertência sobre declarações de previsão
Com exceção das informações históricas, todas as declarações, expectativas e suposições contidas neste comunicado de imprensa são declarações de previsão. As declarações de previsão geralmente contêm termos como “antecipar”, “acreditar”, “considerar”, “continuar”, “poderia”, “estimar”, “esperar”, “explorar”, “prever”, “objetivo”, “orientação”, “pretende”, “provável”, “pode”, “planeja”, “potencial”, “prevê”, “preliminar”, “provável”, “projeto”, “promissor”, “busca”, “deve”, “vai”, “faria” e expressões semelhantes. Os resultados reais podem ser substancialmente diferentes dos resultados explícitos ou implícitos nas declarações de previsão. Fatores importantes que podem fazer com que os resultados reais sejam substancialmente diferentes podem ser encontrados nos “Fatores de Risco” do Relatório Anual da Empresa no Formulário 10-K protocolado em 11 de março de 2021. Todas as informações fornecidas nesta versão são válidas a partir da presente data e a Empresa não assume nenhuma obrigação e não pretende atualizar essas declarações de previsão, exceto conforme exigido por lei.

Relações com Investidores e Contato com a Mídia:
Mei Kuo
Diretor, Comunicações e Relações com Investidores
22nd Century Group, Inc.
(716) 300-1221
mkuo@xxiicentury.com

Foto deste comunicado disponível em https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f2454099-23c6-4b74-a46b-28fbb97124d5

Neolith Collaborates with Chef José Andrés Through His World Central Kitchen Foundation

CASTELLÓN, Spain, Dec. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Neolith will be celebrating Christmas with a charity initiative aimed at helping the world become a better place and contributing a little hope, excitement and future to the year beginning very soon and it is doing so on behalf of the great Neolith Family, which has shown a deep commitment to this idea.

It’s a social initiative that involves donating €32,950 to the foundation run by Spanish chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen, to collaborate in helping all the families affected by the volcanic eruption in La Palma who have lost their homes, their land and their businesses. Specifically, and due to Neolith’s strong ties to gastronomy, this sum will be used to set up resilient food supply systems, serving fresh food to the people impacted by the natural disaster at a time of immense importance.

For Chef José Andrés, “This pandemic has been and is a pandemic of not just a few, but rather everyone. It quickly taught us that we can only get out of it together. We have changed that thought of “there’s not much we can do” into “maybe we can do something”. In Spain, the eruption of the volcano in La Palma confirmed that only collective responsibility can overcome the great damage caused by a volcano.”

The sum donated to the Foundation is the amount the Neolith Christmas dinner and all related employee travel and expenses would have cost overall. “I feel proud to be surrounded by colleagues who show such sensitivity. This initiative has come from deep within and it’s our own little bit to assist the people in La Palma who have lost so much. We’d like to help them gradually get their hopes up again,” said José Luis Ramón, CEO of Neolith Group. “By donating this dinner and using the money it would have cost to help these families, each employee is demonstrating their own empathy.”

About Neolith

Founded in 2009, Neolith is the world’s leading Sintered Stone brand. It’s a revolutionary and innovative architectural surface with superior technical characteristics made of 100% all-natural raw materials.

US Goods Trade Gap Hits Record; Pending Home Sales Slip

The U.S. trade deficit in goods mushroomed to the widest ever in November as imports of consumer goods shot to a record ahead of the second straight COVID-19-distorted holiday shopping season along with industrial supplies, while exports slipped after a historic gain a month earlier.

The goods trade gap reported Wednesday by the Commerce Department is likely to remain historically high as long as the coronavirus pandemic continues, economists said. The emergence of the fast-spreading omicron variant of COVID-19 that has driven U.S. and global caseloads to a record this week may exacerbate it further in the near term if it limits American consumers’ spending on services and restokes demand for imported goods.

Omicron also stands as a downside risk in the housing market. A reading of pending home sales also out Wednesday showed an unexpected drop in November, and while that data largely predated omicron’s ascendance in the United States, the highly contagious new variant could further limit home sales in the near term, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) said.

The goods trade deficit widened last month by 17.5% to $97.8 billion from $83.2 billion in October, Census Bureau data showed. That exceeds the previous record deficit set in September of $97 billion and may damp optimism that trade might finally add to U.S. economic growth this quarter for the first time in more than a year.

Imports rose by 4.7% with industrial supplies leading the way with an increase of $5.7 billion to $63.2 billion, followed by consumer goods rising by $2.9 billion to just shy of $67 billion as retailers rushed to fill store shelves ahead of Christmas. Both were record highs.

“The emergence of the omicron variant may further ignite demand for imported goods if services activity is restricted” in the first quarter of 2022, Nancy Vanden Houten, lead economist at Oxford Economics, wrote after Wednesday’s report.

Goods exports, meanwhile, declined 2.1%, with weakness across the board outside of a 4.3% increase in food exports. The drop was led by declines of $1.4 billion in industrial supplies and $1.3 billion in capital goods.

The worldwide surge of coronoavirus cases to a record in recent days – including a record U.S. caseload – may weigh on global demand in the months ahead, risking an even wider trade gap, Vanden Houten said.

The so-called Advance Indicators report also showed wholesale inventories climbed 1.2% last month, while retail inventories increased 2.0%. Retail inventories, excluding autos, which go into the calculation of gross domestic product, edged up by 1.3% to $465.2 billion, the latest in a string of record-high readings.

The economy grew at a 2.3% annualized rate in the third quarter, a step-down from earlier in the year, but activity has rebounded in the fourth quarter with a consensus among economists building around a growth rate of 6% to 7% in the final three months of 2021.

Trade has been a drag on gross domestic product growth for five straight quarters, while inventories added to output in the third quarter.

Earlier this month, the Commerce Department reported a sharp reduction in the overall trade deficit – including services – for October, which had generated some optimism that trade may contribute to the improvement in output in the final quarter of the year. The big reversal to a record goods trade gap in November may prompt a rethinking of that.

Economists at Action Economics have dialed back their fourth-quarter GDP growth estimate to 6.5% from 7.0%, with exports now seen subtracting from growth rather than adding to it as had been previously expected. Economists at JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs, meanwhile, left their estimates intact at 7%.

Meanwhile, contracts to buy U.S. previously owned homes fell unexpectedly in November as limited housing stock and lofty prices crimped activity, and the explosion of new coronavirus cases poses a risk to the housing market headed into 2022.

NAR said its Pending Home Sales Index, based on signed contracts, fell 2.2% last month to 122.4. Pending home sales were lower in all four regions.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast contracts, which typically become final sales after a month or two, would rise 0.5% in November.

“There was less pending home sales action this time around, which I would ascribe to low housing supply, but also to buyers being hesitant about home prices,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist.

Looking ahead, Yun said Omicron poses a risk to the housing market’s performance, as buyers and sellers are sidelined, and home construction is delayed.

Source: Voice of America

WHO: Populism, Nationalism, Vaccine Hoarding Are Prolonging Pandemic

The World Health Organization is warning that the rapid circulation of the omicron and delta variants of the coronavirus is leading to a tsunami of cases, severe disease and surging deaths among the unvaccinated.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday that while science had led to the development of COVID-19 vaccines, the global death toll from the disease has kept rising.

In 2020, the World Health Organization reported 1.8 million deaths globally, a number that pales in comparison to the additional 3.5 million deaths reported in 2021.

Tedros said the reason for the climb was that politics has too often trumped the need to work together to defeat this pandemic.

“Populism, narrow nationalism and hoarding of health tools, including masks, therapeutics, diagnostics and vaccines, by a small number of countries undermined equity and created the ideal conditions for the emergence of new variants,” he said.

Tedros condemned the misinformation and disinformation that often has been spread by a small number of people for undermining science and trust in lifesaving health tools. He said these twin evils have driven vaccine hesitancy and are to blame for the disproportionately large number of unvaccinated people dying from the delta and omicron strains of the coronavirus.

He warned that the virus that causes COVID-19 would continue to evolve and threaten the health system if nations did not improve their collective response. He said it was time to rise above short-term nationalism and protect populations and economies against future variants by addressing global vaccine inequity.

“Ending health inequity remains the key to ending the pandemic,” Tedros said. “As this pandemic drags on, it is possible that new variants could evade our countermeasures and become fully resistant to current vaccines or past infection, necessitating vaccine adaptations.”

The WHO chief said it was time to banish the politics of populism and self-interests that have been derailing the global response to the pandemic. He asked everyone to make a New Year’s resolution to get behind WHO’s campaign to vaccinate 70 percent of the world’s population by the middle of 2022.

Source: Voice of America