Daily Archives: June 1, 2020

Biocon’s partner Mylan receives favourable ruling for device in U.S.

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Clears hurdle for patenting Biocon’s Insulin Glargine.

Biocon Ltd. today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Appeal Board (PTAB) ruled in favour of Mylan, Biocon’s partner in inter-partes review (IPR) proceedings, finding all challenged claims of Sanofi’s Lantus SoloSTAR device patents unpatentable. The PTAB found three claims of patent unpatentable, and two claims to be patentable. However, Mylan and Biocon previously obtained a covenant not to sue from Sanofi on the patent and therefore this ruling does not impact Biocon and Mylan’s ability to commercialise Semglee (Insulin Glargine) upon final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The PTAB also found Sanofi’s proposed amended claims for the ‘486 and ‘844 patents unpatentable. Dr. Christiane Hamacher, CEO and Managing Director, Biocon Biologics, said, “We are extremely pleased with the U.S. PTAB’s ruling in favour of our partner Mylan for four device patents of Sanofi’s Lantus SoloSTAR. This strengthens our resolve to provide high-quality, affordable Insulin Glargine to diabetic patients in the U.S. and generate savings for their healthcare system. Our partner’s New Drug Application (NDA) for Semglee is under active review by the U.S. FDA and this favourable ruling further clears the path for the anticipated launch of our Glargine in the U.S. in mid-CY20..”

Last month, the PTAB held the sole challenged claim of another Lantus SoloSTAR device patent as unpatentable and in March, Mylan and Biocon announced that a U.S. court found the asserted claims of the ‘844 patent not infringed by Mylan’s Insulin Glargine product and invalid for lack of written description. Sanofi’s formulation patents were previously affirmed to be invalid by the Federal Circuit.

“The positive IPR developments are greatly encouraging as we believe greater competition in the U.S. insulins market will help rationalise the cost of therapy and generate savings for the healthcare system. Once approved and commercialized, our co-developed Semglee will expand access to insulin therapy. Lantus is a long-acting insulin used to treat adults with type-2 diabetes and adults and pediatric patients with type-1 diabetes for the control of high blood sugar. Our partner, Mylan’s New Drug Application (NDA) is under active review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.”

Sanofi sells the product in vials (Lantus) and as a disposable injection pen (Lantus SoloSTAR®). Sanofi’s total IQVIA sales for the 12 months ending March 31, 2020, were approximately $1.71 billion for Lantus 100 Units/mL and about $4.32 billion for Lantus SoloSTAR.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Business> Industry / by Special Correspondent / Bengaluru – June 01st, 2020

Bengaluru-based doc invited to help UK manage corona crisis

Science & Technology, Uncategorized, World Opinion

An MBBS graduate from Bangalore Medical College, she went to the UK in 2002 for her post-graduate degree and has lived there for 15 years.

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Bengaluru :

A Bengaluru-based doctor is getting ready to leave for the UK after the government of that country gave a call for doctors to help the nation manage the COVID crisis and also sent a personal email to her. Dr Roopa Venkatesh, who has a UK residence permit and the licence to practice as a general practitioner there, is making plans to leave for the UK with her 13-year-old son Skanda, who wants to work there as a volunteer.

The Regional Passport Office is viewing this as a special case and is renewing her passport in a very short period. She will travel via any of the special flights that the UK government is organising. Roopa has been living in Bengaluru since July 2016 and has plans to open her own clinic. She lives in Rajarajeshwari Nagar with her husband Venkatesh, also a doctor with a license to practise in the UK. The couple has another son who is eight years old and a three-year-old daughter.

An MBBS graduate from Bangalore Medical College, she went to the UK in 2002 for her post-graduate degree and has lived there for 15 years. “With my years of experience as a frontline staffer in UK hospitals, I really think I can contribute much right now. So I have taken this tough decision to leave. I will not be recklessly risking myself though.

There is a huge demand for experienced staff on the teleconsultation front too and I have decided to opt for that role. It will not involve face to face meeting with patients,” Dr Roopa told The New Indian Express.
She has treated countless swine flu patients as well as victims of chemical warfare during the Iran-Iraq war in the UK. The UK wants her to work there until September at least.

Regional Passport Officer Bharat Kumar Kuthati said, “Her passport was to expire in July. She submitted her completed application on Monday. Though we are not dealing with public requests, we are doing it for her as a special case bearing in mind the emergency involved in her trip. It will be given to her in a day or two.”

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by S Lalitha / Express News Service / May 01st, 2020

Giving back during crisis

About Bangalore(Bengaluru) / Karnataka, Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All

The initiative which started on March 27 aims to provide 3 lakh meals by the end of the lockdown period in Bengaluru and has already provided close to 23,000 meals.

The initiative aims to provide 3 lakh meals by the end of the lockdown
The initiative aims to provide 3 lakh meals by the end of the lockdown

Bengaluru :

With the ongoing lockdown leaving scores of daily wage workers and the underprivileged without food and shelter, three Bengalurean businessmen have come together aiming to put a halt to the starvation. Venkat K Narayana, CEO, Prestige Group, Juggy Marwaha, executive MD, JLL India and K Ganesh, co-founder, Big Basket have launched the initiative ‘Feed My Bangalore’ with a plan to serve 10,000 – 15,000 meals every day to daily wagers, underprivileged and homeless children and frontline workers.

The initiative which started on March 27 aims to provide 3 lakh meals by the end of the lockdown period in Bengaluru and has already provided close to 23,000 meals. Adding to this, Narayana said, “India is overpopulated with 269 million people still living below the poverty line. Given the density of population, social distancing is a luxury for most.

The government is doing the best they can, but it’s not going to be enough. We as conscious citizens need to do our bit too. As I keep hearing my two-year old son reiterate at home, ‘Sharing is caring’ and that has to be our motto for this crisis.”

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Express News Service / April 01st, 2020

Bengaluru’s Sindhu Gangadharan is first woman to head German tech giant

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

While she’s often asked about work-life balance, the mother of two – who relocated to Bengaluru after spending 18 years in Germany – feels that it is “so last century.

Sindhu Gangadharan
Sindhu Gangadharan

Bengaluru :

When Sindhu Gangadharan walks into a meeting room, she is used to the audience anticipating the entry of a man. “There’s initial apprehension conveyed through their body language, but they soon realise she knows what she’s saying,” says Gangadharan, managing director of SAP Labs India, the first woman at the top of the German tech giant, leading an 8,000-plus team.

Despite that distinction, Gangadharan, who took charge in September, feels it’s what you bring to the table, articulating what you know, and bringing your best self to work that takes you to the top, gender not being a consideration. While there have been times she has been overlooked, she chooses to move on without dwelling upon it. “People in Germany used to ask if it was any different for me, growing up in India, and I always said it wasn’t. Growing up in Bengaluru, my mother had the same expectations from me that she had of my two brothers. Women are evolving away from compartmentalisation. Our focus is on achieving a flow between all aspects of our lives,” says Gangadharan, who studied in Bangalore University and started her career with SAP Labs India in 1999 when it was located in ITPL.

While she’s often asked about work-life balance, the mother of two – who relocated to Bengaluru after spending 18 years in Germany –  feels that it is “so last century.” For her, it’s about enjoying every part of the journey and learning from it. “These were often discussions on this in Germany, and I always felt there’s nothing like work-life balance. Work is also a significant part of one’s life,” says Gangadharan, adding that as a young girl on the debating team in school, she learned skills that she uses every day in her current product management role, making innovations easily understandable for people.

A lesson she learnt early on in her career is something she holds close. In 2001, when she moved to Germany, she would always enter discussions with a clear idea that everyone would speak English. “When I was on my maternity break, I came across many who would make an effort to speak in English. At that point I realised that when others were making an effort to make me feel comfortable, I should also be doing the same.

When I made that mental switch, it was like embracing the culture,” she says. She soon realised how it could break barriers and create a sense of inclusion. “It’s about overcoming inhibitions within yourself,” says Gangadharan, whose focus is on collaboration with a customer-centric approach, thought leadership and building a culture of inclusion.

Gangadharan is often spotted with a diary in hand, capturing her thoughts. With work keeping her busy, she admits that she doesn’t get as much time as she would like to for writing, which she eventually hopes to pursue soon.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Vidya Iyengar / Express News Service / October 31st, 2019

Saluting soldiers of yore: remembering the Battle of Haifa

Amazing Feats, Records, All, World Opinion

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Proposals for restoration of the Memorial was submitted at the 101st Haifa Day Celebrations

For entrepreneur Uday Birje and financial analyst Praveen Maney, The 1918 Battle of Haifa is much more than just another historical event. They are the descendants of the soldiers of Mysore Lancers, who won a decisive victory over the Ottoman Turks and the Germans. “My great grandfather Raghunath Rao Birje was part of the Mysore Lancers. Mysuru Maharaja Nalvaji Krishnaraja Wadiyar sent his best soldiers—the Mysore, Jodhpur, and the Hyderabad Lancers— on the promise of Independence by the British,” says Uday.

In fact, the Mysuru Maharaja sent his brother-in-law Colonel J Desaraj Urs, and relatives Risaldar BP Krishne Urs and Captain A Lingaraj Urs to Haifa in Israel.

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Praveen says four of his ancestors fought in the Battle. “They were Venkata Rao Maney, Limbaji Pawar, Rajoji Kesarkar and Bhim Rao Talekar. Venkata Rao Maney passed away in the Battle of Allepo and his remains didn’t come to India. His body was buried in Israel and his name is written on the Haifa memorial in Delhi and Bengaluru. The other three descendants returned. One of the medals Limbaji Pawar won was the Indian Distinguished Services Medal for the bravery he displayed in the Battle of Haifa.”

Though much of the memorabilia has been lost, the families have maintained some of them, including medals and swords. “After the War, many people didn’t return, while some did. Those who did spread out to other villages. Some settled within Bengaluru in places around the Mysore Lancers cantonment in Munnireddy Palya (present JC Nagar), Ganga Nagar, Malleswaram, etc.,” says Uday

Uday has a replica of the honour roll by King George, which was given to his great grandmother while Praveen’s family is in possession of a medal, and a sword taken from a German soldier.

The Ottoman Turks and Germans had superior weapons such as machine guns whereas the Mysore Lancers possessed only swords and lancers. It was sheer courage and excellent battle strategy that led to the victory of the Mysore Lancers.

Once the soldiers returned, their contributions were recognised and rewarded by Nalvaji Krishnaraja Wadiyar. It was not until last year that the Battle of Haifa received national recognition. 100 years of the Battle was celebrated last year. The consequence was the renaming of Teen Murti Marg in Delhi—where there is a Haifa Memorial—to Teen Murti Haifa Marg.

At the 101st celebration held at Mysore Lancers Memorial, JC Nagar, on September 23, a formal proposal was submitted by Yashaswini Sharma, urban historian and architect, to Commissioner of Police Bhaskar Rao and corporator of JC Nagar Ganesh Rao Maney.

“The World War I memorial, which is part of the city’s tangible heritage and sets the context for the neighbourhood, is now in need of urgent attention,” says Yashaswini.

“One step of the base stands embedded inside the road, and the circle with grill barricade is too small. We have submitted a proposal for two granite plaques with the names of all the soldiers of the Mysore Lancers around an equestrian statue; and an enlargement of the Memorial circle and redesign of the grill work.

The proposed design of the grill work is inspired by the decorations of the Mysore Lancers, which includes the Mysore Royal emblem of Gandabherunda. There is bit of paint on the pillar which needs to be cleaned out—the families of the martyrs and some NGOs had earlier cleaned the Memorial, but it requires periodic maintenance. The proposed equestrian statue — Mysore Lancer soldier astride a horse — will be in metal, and we hope this can be placed in the circle right behind the War Memorial and that both the statue and the circle could be connected by a cobbled pathway. This equestrian statue will be set on a pedestal that resembles the design of the World War I Memorial and will be encircled by stone benches so that the families of martyrs can find peace and spend some time there while they pay their respects,” adds Yashaswini.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society> History & Culture / by Sravasti Datta / September 30th, 2019

The journey of a lens man over 25 films in Kannada cinema

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

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Cameraman PVR Swamy, whose work was celebrated in ‘Reservation’, believes the cinematographer is the beating heart of the film

PVR Swamy, started his journey as a cameraman a decade ago in Kannada cinema. And as most back screen workers, he too went unnoticed till the release of Reservation. The film, directed by Nikhil Manjoo, went on to win the National Award in the best film category. Reservation was screened at many prestigious film festivals, including BIFFes, two years ago.

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That was when people started talking about the visuals in the film and the name Swamy emerged. At the many discussions after the film’s screenings, Swami’s work was appreciated and the man finally came into the spotlight.

Born in Googara Doddi, a small village in Kanakpura, to a famer, Swamy did not want to limit himself to working on the fields. He had larger dreams. In his free time he would read “everything about cinema. I wanted to be in films and camera was something that fascinated me,” says the young cameraman, who started reaching out to people to get into the film industry. “I finally met a man, also from my village, working in the film industry. However, when I called him, he said he was back to farming as life here was tough.”

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Dejected Swamy continued his quest of finding an opening in the film industry and met Srinivas Prasad, an established cameraman here, who introduced Swamy to Techno Mark Television Company. “I was immediately appointed as the cameraman.”

Swami was sent to Hyderabad and worked as the cameraman for almost 6,000 episodes of serials such as Kamanabullu, Arunaraga, Shalini, Cinema Sanchike and Sakshi.

In 2014 that he got an offer to work in the Tamil film Aiyyamai, directed by Vijay Raghavan. “Though I had worked with Technomark, it was Vijay who taught me the nuances of how the camera can be used for films.”

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After this, came many more projects in Kannada including Prathima, made by Techno Mark and Tulu films White and Malladaana. Swamy, who has worked with cinematographers such as PKH Das and HM Ramachandra, has also worked in comnmercial films such as Manvantara, HS Venkatesh Murthy’s Hasiru Ribbon, Halmidi, Only Srikrishna, Kantri Boys and Ojas.

He is currently working on Vyapthi Pradeshada Horagiddare, Shalini IAS (the biography of IAS officer, Dr Shalini, directed by Manjoo) and Kranthiveera, based on the life of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.

The man, who is 25 films old in the industry, reveals that he had never held a camera till he started working with Techno Mark. “I had to learn everything from scratch. The trick about being a good DOP is to visualise the director’s dream and to capture things as he has put on paper. So, in a way, the director’s dream becomes the cameraman’s vision. For me, being a cameraman is like being the heart of a human body. It is a tiny organ which is capable of so many emotions and also keeps this huge body living. That is the same job of a cameraman. The lens may be small but it can capture many things.”

He adds that even a tiny flower looks beautiful through a lens. “Beauty, which is normally ignored in reality, can be celebrated through the camera.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment> Movies / by Shilpa Sebastian / July 31st, 2019

Fancy a cup of jaffee?

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Records, All
Shivanna with a packet of ‘jaffee’ beverage developed by him. | Photo Credit: B.S. Satish Kumar
Shivanna with a packet of ‘jaffee’ beverage developed by him. | Photo Credit: B.S. Satish Kumar

How about a steaming cup of ‘jaffee’ to wake you up in the morning? A social entrepreneur has come up with a hot beverage made out of jackfruit seeds. Jaffee powder is made by roasting jackfruit seeds. The drink is prepared just like coffee, by blending it with milk.

Developed by engineer-turned-social entrepreneur Shivanna, jaffee was one of the main attractions at the two-day mango and jackfruit diversity fair being organised by the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) at its Hessarghatta campus from Tuesday.

Many said it tasted ‘“slightly different’ from coffee. Shivanna, 62, says, “It is not an alternative to coffee, but a health drink, as it is rich in fibre, protein and carbohydrates. Also, it is free from gluten and caffeine.”

Mr. Shivanna heads Parivarthan, a social organisation involved in rural development in Sakrayapatna in the coffee-growing district of Chikkamagaluru in Karnataka. He developed this product while trying to experiment with diversification of jackfruit products to increase the use of the underutilised fruit and to get better remuneration for growers.

“Though I developed jaffee around 2014, I have not gone for full-fledged commercialisation. I am selling this only through direct marketing to who approaches me,” he says. He has priced jaffee at ₹90 for 100 grams.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by B.S. Satish Kumar / May 29th, 2019