
Avant Technologies and JV Partner, Ainnova, Complete Pivotal Meeting with U.S. FDA
Ainnova's clinical trial will be conducted exclusively in the United States and focus solely on diabetic retinopathy. The FDA has now provided the Company with valuable guidance on its clinical protocol, the number and type of clinics Ainnova will need to conduct a successful clinical trial, the number of retinologists required to examine the images generated by Ainnova's Vision AI, etc.
With the FDA's recommendations, the Company can now actively plan for the total cost of conducting this planned clinical trial through to completion. Data from Ainnova's trial will support the Company's FDA 510(k) submission to obtain clearance from the FDA to market the Vision AI technology in the United States.
Vinicio Vargas, Chief Executive Officer at Ainnova and a member of the Board of Directors of Ai-nova Acquisition Corp. (AAC), the company formed by the partnership between Avant and Ainnova to advance and commercialize Ainnova's technology portfolio, said, "We're truly excited about this next phase. We're getting ready to begin data collection across primary care clinics in the U.S. with a study that is simple, yet rigorous - comparing our AI-based retinal screening to the readings of three retinologists.
"This milestone not only brings us closer to validating our platform in the world's largest healthcare market, but it also paves the way for the upcoming approval of our new automated retinal camera, which we believe will be a game changer - making diabetic retinal screenings faster, more accessible, and available from virtually any point of care."
AAC has the worldwide licensing rights for Ainnova's technology portfolio. The licensing rights include the U.S., where the FDA regulates drug and medical device development, so the success of Ainnova's clinical trial is paramount to marketing the technology portfolio in the United States. Entering the U.S. market will unlock significant commercial potential, and this early engagement with the FDA ensures AAC can do so with speed, credibility, and a validated product.
About Ainnova Tech, Inc.
Ainnova is a Nevada-based healthtech startup with headquarters in San Jose, Costa Rica, and Houston, Texas. Founded by an experienced and innovative team that is dedicated to leveraging artificial intelligence for early disease detection. Recognized with multiple global awards and renowned partnerships with hospitals and medical device companies, we proudly introduce Vision AI – our cutting-edge platform designed to prevent blindness and detect the early onset of diabetes. Explore how Ainnova is revolutionizing healthcare through advanced technology and proactive solutions.
About Avant Technologies Inc.
Avant Technologies Inc. is an emerging technology company developing solutions in healthcare using artificial intelligence and biotechnologies. With a focus on pushing the boundaries of what is possible in AI and biotechnology, Avant serves a diverse range of industries, driving progress and efficiency through state-of-the-art technology.
More information about Avant can be found at https://avanttechnologies.com
https://twitter.com/AvantTechAI
https://www.linkedin.com/company/avant - technologies - ai
https://www.youtube.com/@AvantTechAI
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements because of various important factors as disclosed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission located at their website (http://www.sec.gov). In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic conditions, governmental and public policy changes, the Company's ability to raise capital on acceptable terms, if at all, the Company's successful development of its products and the integration into its existing products and the commercial acceptance of the Company's products. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date after the date of the press release.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Winnipeg Free Press
32 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Will RFK Jr.'s push for psychedelic therapy help or hamper the emerging field?
WASHINGTON (AP) — For decades, proponents of psychedelic drugs have come to Washington with a provocative message: Illegal, mind-altering substances like LSD and ecstasy should be approved for Americans grappling with depression, trauma and other hard-to-treat conditions. A presidential administration finally seems to agree. 'This line of therapeutics has tremendous advantage if given in a clinical setting and we are working very hard to make sure that happens within 12 months,' Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently told members of Congress. His suggested timeline for green-lighting psychedelic therapy surprised even the most bullish supporters of the drugs. And it comes as psychedelics are making inroads in deep red states like Texas, where former Trump cabinet secretary and ex-governor Rick Perry has thrown his full support behind the effort. The administration's embrace of psychedelics has sparked both excitement as well as concern from those in the field, who worry the drugs might be discredited if they appear to be rushed onto the market or are too closely linked with Kennedy, who is known for controversial views on vaccines, antidepressants and fluoride. 'I'm quite optimistic,' says Rick Doblin, whose organization has pursed the medical use of MDMA (or ecstasy) since the 1980s. 'But I'm also worried that the message the public might get is 'Well, RFK likes psychedelics and now it's approved.'' FDA may reconsider MDMA Under President Joe Biden, the FDA rejected MDMA as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, citing flawed data and questionable research. Regulators called for a new study, likely taking several years. It was a major setback for Doblin and other advocates hoping to see the first U.S. approval of a psychedelic for medical use. But the agency appears ready to reconsider. FDA chief Marty Makary, who reports to Kennedy, has called the evaluation of MDMA and other psychedelics 'a top priority,' announcing a slate of initiatives that could be used to accelerate their approval. One new program promises to expedite drugs that serve 'the health interests of Americans,' by slashing their review time from six months or more to as little as one month. Makary has also suggested greater flexibility on requirements for certain drugs, potentially waiving rigorous controlled studies that compare patients to a placebo group. That approach, considered essential for high-quality research, has long been a stumbling point for psychedelic studies, in which patients can almost always correctly guess whether they've received the drug or a dummy pill. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and FDA also recently hired several new staffers with ties to the psychedelic movement. 'These are all very promising signs that the administration is aware of the potential of psychedelics and is trying to make overtures that they're ready to approve them,' said Greg Ferenstein, a fellow at the libertarian Reason Foundation, who also consults for psychedelic companies. 'We didn't hear anything about that in the Biden administration' A spokesperson for HHS did not respond to a request for comment. As a presidential candidate, Kennedy discussed how his son and several close friends benefited from using psychedelics to deal with grief and other issues. A number of veterans lobbying for psychedelic access have already met with Trump's Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Doug Collins. 'What we're seeing so far is positive,' Collins told House lawmakers in May. But some experts worry the hope and hype surrounding psychedelics has gotten ahead of the science. Philip Corlett, a psychiatric researcher at Yale University, says bypassing rigorous clinical trials could set back the field and jeopardize patients. 'If RFK and the new administration are serious about this work, there are things they could do to shepherd it into reality by meeting the benchmarks of medical science,' Corlett said. 'I just don't think that's going to happen.' Texas goes all-in on ibogaine research As officials in Washington weigh the future of psychedelics, some states are moving ahead with their own projects in hopes of nudging the federal government. Oregon and Colorado have legalized psychedelic therapy. And last month, Texas approved $50 million to study ibogaine, a potent psychedelic made from a shrub that's native to West Africa, as a treatment for opioid addiction, PTSD and other conditions. The research grant — the largest of its kind by any government — passed with support from the state's former GOP governor, Perry, and combat veterans, some who have traveled to clinics in Mexico that offer ibogaine. Ibogaine is on the U.S. government's ultra-restrictive list of illegal, Schedule 1 drugs, which also includes heroin. So advocates in Texas are hoping to build a national movement to ease restrictions on researching its use. 'Governmental systems move slowly and inefficiently,' said Bryan Hubbard of Americans for Ibogaine, a group formed with Perry. 'Sometimes you find yourself constrained in terms of the progress you can make from within.' Ibogaine is unique among psychedelics in both its purported benefits and risks. Small studies and anecdotal reports suggest the drug may be able to dramatically ease addiction and trauma. It was sold for medical use in France for several decades starting in the 1930s, but the drug can also cause dangerous irregular heart rhythms, which can be fatal if left untreated. Some veterans who have taken the drug say the risks can be managed and ibogaine's healing properties go far beyond antidepressants, mood stabilizers, counseling and other standard treatments. Marcus Capone struggled with anger, insomnia and mood swings after 13 years as a Navy Seal. In 2017, at the urging of his wife Amber, he agreed to try ibogaine as a last resort. He described his first ibogaine session as 'a complete purge of everything.' 'But afterward I felt the weight just completely off my shoulders,' he said. 'No more anxiety, no more depression, life made sense all of a sudden.' A nonprofit founded by the Capones, Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions, or VETS, has helped over 1,000 veterans travel abroad to receive ibogaine and other psychedelics. But federal scientists have looked at the drug before — three decades ago, when the National Institute on Drug Abuse funded preliminary studies on using it as an addiction treatment. The research was discontinued after it identified 'cardiovascular toxicity.' 'It would be dead in the water,' in terms of winning FDA approval, longtime NIDA director Nora Volkow said. But Volkow said her agency remains interested in psychedelics, including ibogaine, and is funding an American drugmaker that's working to develop a safer, synthetic version of the drug. 'I am very intrigued by their pharmacological properties and how they are influencing the brain,' Volkow said. 'But you also have to be very mindful not to fall into the hype and to be objective and rigorous in evaluating them.' ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


Winnipeg Free Press
32 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
A look inside a lab making the advanced fuel to power growing US nuclear energy ambitions
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (AP) — Near signs that warn of radioactive risk at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a half-dozen workers from the nuclear power company X-energy are making what appear to be gray billiard balls. Inside, they're packed with thousands of tiny black spheres that each contain a speck of uranium enriched beyond what today's power plants use. The United States is chasing a new age of nuclear power that banks on domestic production of reactor fuel like X-energy is making, and though the work at Oak Ridge is unfolding across just 3,000 square feet, X-energy and others are already revving up for big production. President Donald Trump set a goal of quadrupling domestic production of nuclear power within the next 25 years, signing executive orders in May to speed up development. A new wave of advanced nuclear reactors could be operational around 2030. But just like cars won't run without gas, those plants won't run without fuel. To expand nuclear energy long-term, the nation must maximize its nuclear fuel production, according to Trump. In Oak Ridge, X-energy has broken ground on a massive, nearly $2 billion campus for a new fuel fabrication facility, the first in the United States in over half a century. The nuclear fuel company Standard Nuclear, also in Oak Ridge, aims to produce metric tons of fuel for advanced reactors. A supplier named Orano is likewise looking to build a multibillion-dollar uranium enrichment facility nearby. 'This is a unique time,' said Tyler Gerczak, Oak Ridge National Laboratory's principal investigator for the cooperative with X-energy's subsidiary TRISO-X. 'The momentum is incredible.' Making the 'most robust nuclear fuel' The Associated Press toured the lab where X-energy is making small amounts of fuel for testing. Anyone beyond a magenta-and-yellow chain that warns of radioactivity must wear gowns, two layers of gloves and radiation monitors. When they leave, they're tested for radioactivity. X-energy, a Maryland-based company, uses uranium to make so-called TRISO fuel — inside what's known as 'pebbles.' Those are the billiard balls. The Energy Department says it's the most robust nuclear fuel on Earth because the particles cannot melt in a reactor. At the lab, the first step is making a uranium cocktail that resembles dark yellow lemonade. Uranium powder, in the form of triuranium octoxide, gets added to nitric acid, said Dan Brown, vice president of fuel development for TRISO-X. Then carbon and an organic solution are added. They have two glass containers set up — one wears a heated jacket, looking almost like a little sweater, that helps the uranium dissolve into the acid solution. The second cools the acid solution while the carbon source is added, which turns the mix near-black, he said. At another station, in a long clear tube, the cocktail solidifies into small black spheres with a jellybean-like consistency. Those black balls, about the size of poppyseeds, then travel through machines under temperatures as high as 1,800 degrees Celsius to get protective carbon coatings — like candy dipping — that make them look like very tiny BBs. X-energy uses graphite and other cohesive materials to bind 18,000 kernels together into a larger sphere. That gets coated in a final layer of graphite to seal the final pebble. In the end, it's strong enough to withstand the weight of an SUV. The pebbles will eventually give up their energy in the high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor X-energy is developing, with about 220,000 pebbles per reactor, like gumballs in a gumball machine. When they exit the bottom, if energy remains, the pebbles will return to the top for another pass. Each one could be used about six times. X-energy also plans to make fuel products for other advanced reactor designs. The national laboratory lends X-energy its expertise, research and high-tech equipment for analysis and will evaluate samples, as will some universities. Other samples are archived. Idaho National Laboratory received a batch for its advanced test reactor, Brown said. Critics of building more nuclear reactors say they're too expensive and riskier than other low-carbon energy sources. 'Without a substantial decrease in construction costs, it's not worth the avoided greenhouse gas emissions,' said David Kemp, a Cato Institute policy analyst. Kemp said Trump's 25-year quadrupling goal is unrealistic because it would mean building nuclear reactors faster than ever. The United States lacks any next-generation reactors operating commercially and only two new large reactors have been built from scratch in nearly 50 years. Those two, at a Georgia nuclear plant, were completed years late and at least $17 billion over budget. Working to 'amp up' domestic nuclear fuel production Many next-generation reactors will use high-assay low-enriched uranium. It's fuel that's enriched to a higher level than traditional large nuclear reactors use, allowing the newer reactors to run longer and more efficiently, sit on smaller footprints and produce less waste, according to the Department of Energy. There's little of it made in the United States right now. Only Russia and China currently have the infrastructure to make large amounts of high-assay low-enriched uranium. In the United States, Centrus Energy produced the nation's first 20 kilograms of high-assay low-enriched uranium in more than 70 years in late 2023, to show it can produce limited quantities for commercial reactors. A big takeaway from Trump's executive orders is the need to 'amp up' domestic production of nuclear fuel to reduce dependence on foreign sources and enable in the long term expansion of American nuclear energy, according to the Energy Department. At the Nuclear Energy Institute trade association, Benjamin Holtzman, director of new nuclear, said he thinks the fuel will be ready for a new generation of U.S. nuclear reactors needed to meet the growing demand for electricity — if the right actions are taken now. X-energy CEO J. Clay Sell said he hopes to help solve the fuel problem so it doesn't hold back new reactor development. The Energy Department has awarded funding to X-energy. Amazon invested in X-energy too, and they're collaborating to bring more than 5 gigawatts of new U.S. power projects online by 2039. X-energy is the only one with an application before the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to license a new fabrication facility to transform enriched uranium into fuel products for nuclear reactors. Another applicant has asked to amend an existing license to make fuel for advanced reactors, according to the NRC. About five additional companies have told the NRC they are interested in making fuel for advanced reactors. X-energy's pilot lab at the National Laboratory started in 2016. The company now has 100 acres in Oak Ridge and growing for its nuclear fuel production complex. The first factory could be operational by late 2027 or early 2028, capable at full operation of assembling enough fuel orbs to power 11 of its new-age reactors; a second by late 2029, with a capacity four times greater, said TRISO-X President Joel Duling. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. 'I've been through two or three 'nuclear renaissances,'' Duling said. 'This isn't a renaissance. This is a game-changer.' ___ McDermott reported from Providence, Rhode Island. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at


Globe and Mail
2 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
C-COM Reports Second Quarter 2025 Results
Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 16, 2025) - C-COM Satellite Systems Inc., (TSXV: CMI) (OTCQB: CYSNF) a leading global provider of commercial grade mobile auto-deploying satellite antenna systems, announced today its financial results for its second quarter of its 2025 fiscal year. The Company's Q2 2025 sales of $1.6 million came in at $1.0 million below revenues generated during Q2 of last year. The Company continues to face headwinds caused by the United States initiative to tariff many countries around the world. The competition from SpaceX's LEO satellite network and proprietary antenna systems is also a factor. Q2 2025's gross margin of 55% was back in the normal range after Q1's unusually low gross margin of 44%. Total expenses for Q2 2025 were reduced by $0.3 million year over year. However, the lower-than-normal revenue performance generated a net loss of $90,860. "Increased global investment in military capabilities bodes well for our sales prospects. We are starting to see increased inquiries and orders from military customers around the world," said Dr. Leslie Klein, President and CEO of C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. Klein added, "In order to take advantage of this opportunity, C-COM's rugged antenna systems will be exhibited at the MSPO trade show this fall in Poland. The MSPO International Defense Industry Exhibition is one of Europe's key platforms for global military collaboration. This gathering will be an ideal place to show our Manpack series antennas as well as our new Ka-Band 1K LEO ESA antenna that is suitable for drone guidance and related mobile communications." "We are on track to have our testing and manufacturing of our Ka-band ESA multi-orbit antennas completed by the end of our fourth quarter as well as have the first batch of the 8-Chanel Analog Beamformer Integrated Circuits tested and ready for commercialization", concluded Dr. Klein. C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. is a pioneer and a leading global designer, developer, and manufacturer of transportable and mobile satellite-based antenna systems. The Company has developed proprietary, auto-acquisition controller technology for rapid antenna pointing to a satellite with just the press of a button, enabling Broadband Internet via Satellite across a wide range of market applications worldwide, including regions unserved or underserved by terrestrial access technologies. C-COM has sold more than 11,000 antenna systems, in over 100 countries, through a dedicated dealer network that provides service to a wide range of vertical markets such as Oil and Gas Exploration, Military Communications, Disaster Management, SNG, Emergency Communications, Cellular Backhaul, Telemedicine, Mobile Education, Government Services, Mobile Banking, and others. The Company's iNetVu® brand is synonymous with high quality, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. C-COM is in the final stages of satellite testing and manufacturing of a potentially revolutionary Ka-band, electronically steerable, modular, conformal, flat panel phased array antenna. C-COM has developed this unique multi-orbit antenna with the intent of providing low-cost, high-throughput mobility applications over satellite for land, airborne and maritime verticals over LEO, MEO and GEO satellite constellations. Another significant project underway at C-COM is the development of an Analog Beamforming Integrated Circuit, which is progressing well and is now in a testing phase. These BFICs will be used in the manufacturing of all our ESA antennas with the intent to significantly reduce their cost and improve their performance and will also be made available for sale. For additional information, please visit iNetVu ® is a registered trademark of C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. The Company is publicly traded on the Canadian Venture Exchange (TSXV: CMI) and on the US OTC Exchange (OTCQB: CYSNF). # # # Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Statements about C-COM's expectations for future results, its intention to continue testing and launch a new product using the funding described, the size of the potential market, C-COM's expectations of being able to capitalize on the market and the expectation that investment in R&D will generate returns to the company all contain forward-looking information. Several factors could cause actual events, performance or results to differ materially from the events, performance and results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Product testing may be delayed, may not have positive results or may result in necessary changes to the product design. Product development and launch may be postponed, delayed or, in the worst case, cancelled for many reasons outside C-COM's control, anticipated benefits of the new technology may not be realized, new products and services may not be released or, if released may not gain market acceptance and factors outside of C-COM's control may cause it to focus of its efforts and investments differently than described above. Any of those events and others could influence future performance and C-COM Satellite Systems Inc.'s ability to achieve the results mentioned above. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Readers are directed to the risk factors associated with the business of C-COM Satellite Systems in the company's most recent MD&A available at