Latest news with #Iodine
Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
A Game-Changing Deal May Flip the Script For This Understated Stock
Waystar (NASDAQ: WAY), a provider of cloud-based software for healthcare payments, is worth watching for several compelling reasons ahead of its upcoming earnings: Waystar Overview Waystar serves around 30,000 clients. Its enterprise-grade platform processes over 6 billion healthcare payment transactions annually, including over $1.8 trillion in annual gross claims and spanning approximately 50% of U.S. patients. Why Is Waystar Stock Worth Watching? Catalyst 1: Acquisition That Could Be a Gamechanger Waystar has agreed to acquire Iodine Software in a $1.25 billion, 50/50 mix of cash and stock deal. Iodine Software provides AI-powered clinical intelligence software to eliminate revenue leakage, lower administrative burden, and ensure accurate reimbursement. Waystar notes that up to 60 million claims are denied each year due to administrative errors, costing U.S. healthcare providers billions in lost revenue. Public frustration with denied claims reached a flashpoint last year following the high-profile news involving a UnitedHealth executive, underscoring a broader systemic issue. The Iodine acquisition positions Waystar to address this pain point at a time of heightened awareness around administrative inefficiencies in healthcare. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2025. Post-acquisition, Waystar will own 92% of the combined company, with Iodine shareholders holding the remaining 8%. Advent, Iodine's largest shareholder, will receive only Waystar shares in connection with the transaction and will agree to a lock-up period of 18 months after the deal closes. A lock-up clause in deals typically aims to protect the buyer's interests, by preventing early share sales by key stakeholders. Waystar is scheduled to report Q2 results on July 30 after market close and and its preliminary revenue guidance is already ahead of expectations: Catalyst 3: Compelling Relative Valuation A PEG ratio below 1 typically signals that a stock may be undervalued relative to its earnings growth. Waystar trades at a forward PEG of 0.67, which is attractive in isolation—but even more compelling when compared to the sector average of 1.82, representing a 63% discount. Even a modest rerating to a PEG of 0.81 would imply 20%+ upside, based on conservative assumptions. Bottom Line With a high-quality acquisition on deck, potential for upward revenue revisions, and a significant valuation gap to peers, Waystar appears well-positioned for a rerating, but execution will be key.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Waystar to acquire Iodine Software for $1.25bn
Healthcare payment software provider Waystar has entered a definitive agreement for the complete acquisition of Iodine Software for an enterprise value of $1.25bn. The transaction is anticipated to enhance Waystar's capacity to transform healthcare payments via its cloud-based software platform, enabling more than one million providers with AI functionalities to prevent denials, minimise manual labour, and improve financial outcomes. The integration of Iodine, which is known for its AI-powered clinical intelligence software, is expected to reduce the $440bn annual administrative costs faced by providers. Waystar uses AI across its platform to simplify payment processes while Iodine's clinical intelligence software will be used to extend Waystar's leadership in the sector. Waystar CEO Matt Hawkins said: 'Our mission is to simplify healthcare payments by eradicating unnecessary denied claims, automating manual work, and increasing transparency for providers and patients. 'We are committed to transforming healthcare through harnessing the power of AI to tackle the most critical challenges in healthcare payments.' The addition of Iodine's technology is anticipated to increase Waystar's total addressable market by over 15%. This acquisition will enable Waystar to automate tasks such as utilisation management, clinical documentation integrity, and prebill revenue leakage identification. Through the integration of Iodine's clinical data assets and Waystar's data network, the capabilities of Waystar AltitudeAI are set to expand. This is expected to advance generative AI applications in areas such as prior authorisations and claims management. Iodine's AI engine, IodineIQ, will deliver insights by training on patient encounters and clinical data. The combined entity is projected to cater to 17 of the 20 US News Best Hospitals. Waystar will also benefit from Iodine's subscription-based revenue model and potential cross-selling opportunities. The companies anticipate more than $15m in cost synergies within the first two years after closing. Funding for the transaction will be split evenly between cash and stock, with Waystar shareholders to own approximately 92% of the new company. Iodine's largest shareholder, Advent, will receive Waystar shares and agree to an 18-month lock-up period post-closing. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2025, subject to regulatory approvals. Barclays and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett are advising Waystar while JP Morgan Securities, Weil, Gotshal & Manges, and Queen Saenz + Schultz are advising Iodine on this transaction. "Waystar to acquire Iodine Software for $1.25bn" was originally created and published by Hospital Management, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Straits Times
14-06-2025
- Science
- Straits Times
Radiation risk from Israel's strikes on Iran nuclear sites is low for now
Strikes on any nuclear facilities could, in theory, release clouds of deadly radiation that endanger human lives and health. But in the case of Israel's attacks on Iran overnight on June 13, that appears so far to not have been the case. The earliest attacks and targets seem for the moment to rule out the most dangerous outcomes, limiting possible radiation threats to the realm of the relatively minor. The most dangerous kind of threat would arise from successful attacks on nuclear reactors. Over time, the splitting of atoms in reactor fuel results in buildups of highly radioactive spinoffs. Among the worst are Cesium 137, Strontium 90 and Iodine 131. If Iodine 131 is inhaled or ingested, it ends up in a person's thyroid gland. There, its intense radioactivity raises dramatically the risk of thyroid cancer, particularly in children. The other isotopes can also result in cancers. But so far, no reports or evidence suggest that Iran's nuclear reactors were hit in the Israeli attacks. Apparently spared were a power plant on the Persian Gulf, a research reactor in Tehran and a heavily guarded site ringed by antiaircraft weapons and miles of barbed wire. Known as Arak, that isolated complex was long suspected of being built to produce plutonium, one of the two main fuels for atomic bombs. But the Obama administration's 2015 deal with Iran turned the complex into a nuclear relic unusable for that purpose. The Arak reactor never came to life. A lesser threat to human health revolves around uranium, the other fuel of atomic bombs. In recent years, Iran has focused on it with great intensity, building an increasingly wide array of industrial plants and complexes to refine the fissile element. Uranium ore that miners dig up is relatively harmless. But it contains tiny amounts of a rare radioactive isotope, Uranium 235, that can be used to power nuclear reactors at low levels of enrichment, and to fuel atomic bombs at higher levels. The percentage of U-235 in mined uranium is less than 1 per cent. The goal of uranium enrichment is to raise the percentage, which is often done through the use of centrifuges – machines that spin at extremely high speeds. Iran started with low percentages and, over decades, has increasingly raised its enrichment levels. The highest now stand at 60 per cent, which is just short of bomb grade. For human health, the higher the level of U-235 enrichment, the greater the danger. The isotope and its decay products emit three types of radiation: alpha particles, beta particles and gamma rays. The first two are relatively weak. Alphas cannot penetrate skin. Betas can be stopped by a layer of clothing. But gamma rays are highly energetic and can penetrate the human body, damaging DNA and sowing the seeds of cancer. It takes thick concrete or lead to stop the penetrating rays. Satellite images and expert analyses show that a main target of the Israeli strikes was the Natanz complex, the largest of Iran's enrichment sites. Fully destroyed was the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant, where Iran was producing uranium enriched to near 60 per cent. The images show a dark craterlike scar. And videos from a distance show clouds of dark smoke. It's possible that some of that smoke contained U-235 particles, which may pose a regional health hazard. But the International Atomic Energy Agency, which monitors the Iranian site, said it had so far detected no such danger. 'The level of radioactivity outside the Natanz site has remained unchanged and at normal levels indicating no external radiological impact to the population or the environment from this event,' Mr Rafael Mariano Grossi, the agency's director general, said on June 13 before the UN Security Council. He mentioned concerns about alpha particles inside the Natanz facility, but called them 'manageable' with appropriate radiation protection measures. Acknowledging reports of attacks at Fordo and Isfahan, two other nuclear fuel sites in Iran, he said 'we do not have enough information.' Aside from the radiation danger, a complicating factor in the health calculus is that uranium in all its forms is a toxic heavy metal, similar to lead. If ingested it can produce a cascade of adverse health effects, with the kidneys a main target. Acute exposure can lead to renal failure. The main routes of exposure are ingestion of contaminated food and water, inhalation of airborne dust, and, to a lesser extent, contact with the skin. The inhalation of uranium dust – a common hazard in mining and milling – is also a hazard. Inhaled particles can lodge in the lungs, leading to respiratory irritation, inflammation, and, over time, such lung diseases such as fibrosis. NEW YORK TIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Neena Gupta redefines timely care with Cipladine
HighlightsCipla Health launches the campaign 'Cipladine – Aapka Fast Aid Expert' featuring actress Neena Gupta as the brand ambassador, reinforcing its position as India's No.1 trusted solution for cuts, wounds, burns, and infections. The campaign highlights Cipladine's unique Povidone Iodine formula that starts acting within just 30 seconds, promoting it as a true 'Fast Aid Expert' rather than just a first aid product. Conceptualized by Lowe Lintas, the campaign showcases relatable stories of Neena Gupta's character, emphasizing the product's rapid action and engaging viewers through humor and efficiency. Cipla Health , a player in consumer healthcare , has announced the launch of its latest campaign, " Cipladine – Aapka Fast Aid Expert ," featuring actress Neena Gupta as the brand ambassador. The campaign reinforces Cipladine's positioning as India's No.1 trusted solution for cuts, wounds, burns and infections — delivering fast and effective healing when it matters most. Backed by its Povidone Iodine (PVPI) formula, Cipladine is proven to stay longer on the skin, penetrate deeper, and start acting within just 30 seconds, making it not just a first aid but true Fast Aid Expert. Shivam Puri, managing director and chief executive officer, Cipla Health said, 'With our new 'Fast Aid' campaign, we're redefining timely care, delivering quick, effective relief when it's needed most. This latest narrative reaffirms Cipladine's place as a household essential, trusted across both urban and rural India. We're delighted to have Neena Gupta bring her authenticity and wide appeal to help take this message forward." Conceptulised by Lowe Lintas , the new campaign creatively brings the "fast action" benefit of Cipladine to life through a series of films featuring Neena Gupta and Shashie Verma. In these quirky and relatable stories, Gupta, a meticulous and quick-witted character, is often seen outpacing her slow, laid-back assistant, echoing Cipladine's rapid action on wounds. Gupta, actress and brand ambassador, shared her excitement about the association, saying, 'Cipladine is quick, reliable, and versatile, it reminds me of the kind of roles I enjoy doing. Being a part of this campaign was a delightful experience.' Subramanyeswar S, group chief executive officer- India and chief strategy officer – APAC, MullenLowe Global said, 'We asked ourselves: how can a leader lead even more distinctively? The answer emerged in a powerful insight - speed - a critical need in first aid. That's when we reimagined Cipladine not just as a product, but as a solution—a fast aid expert in the world of first aid solutions .' Sarvesh Raikar, president (creative), Lowe Lintas added, 'The idea of an ultra-efficient boss and her quest to set things right without wasting time served as a perfect backdrop to launch our refreshed brand idea – to move from 'first aid' to 'fast aid' expert. The chronicles of Neena Gupta and her secretary Sashi Verma, directed by Vivek Dubey, effortlessly bring alive our new narrative of speed, while also bringing a smile on the viewers faces.' The campaign is now live across TV, digital, print, OOH and trade visibility assets, to ensure maximum reach and engagement. Watch the videos here:
Business Standard
11-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Cipla Health launches a new campaign for Cipladine with Neena Gupta as brand ambassador
PRNewswire Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 11: Cipla Health, a leading player in consumer healthcare, announced the launch of its latest campaign, 'Cipladine - Aapka Fast Aid Expert', featuring acclaimed actress Neena Gupta as the brand ambassador. The campaign reinforces Cipladine's positioning as India's No.1 trusted solution for cuts, wounds, burns, and infections -- delivering fast and effective healing when it matters most. In a world where every second counts, everyday injuries like cuts, burns, and wounds can disrupt a person's journey towards new experiences. Consumers seek a quick-acting reliable solution that empowers them to get back to their daily lives without delay. Backed by its Povidone Iodine (PVPI) formula, Cipladine is proven to stay longer on the skin, penetrate deeper, and start acting within just 30 seconds, making it not just a first aid but true Fast Aid Expert. [1] Commenting on the campaign, Shivam Puri, MD & CEO, Cipla Health Ltd. said, "Cipladine has long been a trusted name in first aid, making it India's No. 1 antiseptic ointment. With our new 'Fast Aid' campaign, we're redefining timely care, delivering quick, effective relief when it's needed most. This latest narrative reaffirms Cipladine's place as a household essential, trusted across both urban and rural India. We're delighted to have Neena Gupta bring her authenticity and wide appeal to help take this message forward." Conceptulised by Lowe Lintas, the new campaign creatively brings the 'fast action' benefit of Cipladine to life through a series of films featuring Neena Gupta and Shashie Verma. In these quirky and relatable stories, Neena, a meticulous and quick-witted character, is often seen outpacing her slow, laid-back assistant, echoing Cipladine's rapid action on wounds. Neena Gupta, Actress & Brand Ambassador, shared her excitement about the association, saying, "As someone who believes in tackling life head-on, I love the idea of being associated with a product that does the same. Cipladine is quick, reliable, and versatile, it reminds me of the kind of roles I enjoy doing. Being a part of this campaign was a delightful experience." Sharing his thoughts, Subramanyeswar S. Group CEO - India & Chief Strategy Officer - APAC, MullenLowe Global said, "Cipladine has long held the leadership position in its category, but true leadership lies not in maintaining the status quo, it lies in continuously raising the bar. We asked ourselves: how can a leader lead even more distinctively? The answer emerged in a powerful insight - speed - a critical need in first aid. That's when we reimagined Cipladine not just as a product, but as a solution--a FASTAID EXPERT in the world of FIRSTAID solutions." Sarvesh Raikar, President (Creative), Lowe Lintas added, "The category of first aid solutions has been quite predictable in its problem-solution communication approach. We needed to break the clutter with a fresh tone of voice. The idea of an ultra-efficient boss and her quests to set things right without wasting time served as a perfect backdrop to launch our refreshed brand idea - to move from 'FIRST-AID to 'FAST-AID' Expert. The chronicles of Neena Gupta and her secretary Sashi Verma, directed by the national-award winning director Vivek Dubey, effortlessly bring alive our new narrative of speed, while also bringing a smile on the viewers faces." The campaign is now live across TV, digital, print, OOH and trade visibility assets, to ensure maximum reach and engagement. Catch the film here - * Film 1 * Film 2 Agency Credits: Agency: Lowe Lintas Creative: Sarvesh Raikar, Ninad Gawhankar, Prashant Pawar Servicing: Adhideb Ghosh, Jonita Quadros, Nisha Jaffer Planning: Shipra Chinchankar Production House: Thunder Films Director: Vivek Dubey Client Credits: Marketing Team Category Director: Abhiroop Chatterjea Marketing Managers: Trishna Shah, Kunal Mehta About Cipla Health Limited: Cipla Health Limited, the fast-moving wellness goods (FMWG) arm of Cipla, was incorporated in 2015 with a vision to spearhead the wellness wave in India. Cipla Health has delivered rapid growth and today plays across a diverse portfolio of 20 brands with most key brands being No. 1 or No. 2 in their respective categories. The portfolio includes products in Pain Care (Omnigel), Smoking Cessation (Nicotex), Oral Rehydration Solutions (Prolyte), Medicated Ointments (Cipladine), Cough & Cold (Cofsils and Naselin), Multi Vitamins (Maxirich), Weight Gain (Endura Mass) and Personal Care (Rivela Dermascience, Cetafresh, Tugain Essentials).
