LOS ANGELES, Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Arixa Capital, a leading private real estate lender and alternative investment manager, today announced it has surpassed $9 billion in originated loans since inception.

The firm reached this milestone as it continues the rapid expansion of its homebuilder finance business, a specialized lending program for large-scale residential and mixed-use developments in need of sophisticated capital solutions and construction expertise. The expansion is being led by industry veteran Jim Sawitzke, who recently joined the firm as Executive Vice President, Homebuilder Finance.

"We're excited to welcome Jim at an important moment in Arixa's growth," said Seth Davis, President of Arixa Capital. "As we surpass $9 billion in originations, we see a significant opportunity to expand our presence in the homebuilder market and support experienced developers pursuing complex, large-scale residential projects."

The expansion builds on Arixa's growing presence in the homebuilder sector, including several recent financings across the country, ranging from $30 million to $80 million, supporting sizable developments in Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. These loans were provided through Arixa's Pro Builder program to support complex, multi-phase residential development.

Arixa's Pro Builder program serves established builders and developers undertaking residential and mixed-use projects of 10 or more units, with loans up to $80 million. The program supports phased developments through a single approval process, spanning acquisition, construction, and eventual sale or refinance. With more than 135 employees across its platform, including in-house credit, construction management, servicing, and capital markets functions, Arixa combines construction expertise with the institutional resources required to execute complex projects.

"Homebuilders need a trusted capital partner that understands the realities of construction lending and can execute with consistency on both current and future projects," said Greg Hebner, Chief Executive Officer. "Arixa's homebuilder financing program is designed to meet those needs, providing reliable capital, construction expertise, and personalized service throughout the development process."

Jim Sawitzke joins Arixa to lead the growth of its homebuilder finance business, bringing nearly three decades of experience in residential construction lending and real estate finance. Before joining Arixa, he served in senior leadership positions at Brio Homebuilder Solutions, a Blackstone portfolio company, and at leading financial institutions including M&T Bank, AmTrust Bank, and JPMorgan Chase.

"Homebuilders are looking for capital partners that truly understand their business, that are responsive and creative, and that can execute on time without last-minute surprises," said Jim Sawitzke, Executive Vice President, Homebuilder Finance. "Arixa's combination of construction expertise, flexible capital, and institutional infrastructure gives builders the confidence that their financing will be there when they need it."

About Arixa Capital

Founded in 2006, Arixa Capital is a leading private real estate lender and alternative investment manager with over $9.0 billion in originations completed since inception and a servicing portfolio exceeding $2.8 billion as of the date of this release. As an independent, employee-owned firm, we are personally invested in the success of our borrowers and investors. Our reputation for reliability, transparency, and high-quality service inspires long-term relationships and is the foundation of our growth and success. Arixa has been named one of the fastest growing private companies according to the Inc. 5000 for four consecutive years. 1 The firm has offices in Los Angeles and Phoenix.

To learn more about Arixa Capital, please contact:

Greg Hebner

Chief Executive Officer

[email protected]

Seth Davis

President

[email protected]

Jim Sawitzke

Executive Vice President, Homebuilder Finance

[email protected]

For media inquiries, please contact:

Steve Pavlov

Senior Vice President, Marketing

[email protected]

Important Disclosures & Endnotes

Loans made or arranged pursuant to a California Finance Lenders Law license. CFL License No. 60DBO-98673 (NMLS ID No. 2318142). Greg Hebner is a licensed California real estate broker (DRE License No. 01396057). Seth Davis is a licensed mortgage loan originator (NMLS ID 2140186).

1Arixa Capital was named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. in 2023 (#3,588), 2024 (#3,467), 2025 (#2,304), and 2026 (#1,842). Arixa provided Inc. de minimis compensation to be considered for the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in the U.S. For a full description of ranking methodology, please visit: https://www.inc.com/inc-5000-methodology-how-we-selected-these-companies.html.

SOURCE Arixa Capital Advisors, LLC

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ARTEMIS-II-CREW LANDET BEI STARMUS VIII - 15 JAHRE, NACHDEM ARMSTRONG, ALDRIN UND LEONOV DEN GRUNDSTEIN DAFÜR LEGTEN

Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover und Jeremy Hansen werden an STARMUS VIII auf Teneriffa und La Palma teilnehmen und damit eine bemerkenswerte Tradition fortsetzen, die 2011 mit den Pionieren der bemannten Raumfahrt auf den Kanarischen Inseln begann.

TENERIFFA, Kanarische Inseln, 9. September 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Fünfzehn Jahre, nachdem STARMUS die Legenden zusammengebracht hat, die das erste Zeitalter der bemannten Weltraumforschung geprägt haben, wird das Festival nun die Pioniere begrüßen, die dessen neuestes Kapitel eingeleitet haben.

Artemis-II-Kommandant Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover und Missionsspezialist Jeremy Hansen werden an STARMUS VIII – The Search for Truth teilnehmen, das vom 17. bis 22. Oktober 2026 auf Teneriffa und La Palma stattfindet.

Mit ihrer Ankunft schließt sich der Kreis der Geschichte von STARMUS.

DIE ANFÄNGE VON STARMUS

STARMUS entstand 2011 auf den Kanarischen Inseln im Rahmen einer außergewöhnlichen Veranstaltung zum 50. Jahrestag des ersten bemannten Raumflugs von Juri Gagarin.

Unter denjenigen, die nach Teneriffa und La Palma kamen, befanden sich einige der größten Entdecker der Geschichte der Raumfahrt: Neil Armstrong, der erste Mensch, der den Mond betrat; Buzz Aldrin, Pilot der Mondlandefähre von Apollo 11 und zweiter Mensch auf dem Mond; sowie Alexei Leonov, der erste Mensch, der einen Weltraumspaziergang unternahm.

Zu ihnen gesellten sich Apollo-Astronauten, Nobelpreisträger, führende Astronomen, Denker und Musiker.

Armstrong hielt einen seiner seltenen öffentlichen Vorträge. Aldrin sprach über die zukünftige Reise der Menschheit zum Mars. Leonov berichtete von den außergewöhnlichen Anfängen des sowjetischen Raumfahrtprogramms und seinem historischen ersten Weltraumspaziergang.

STARMUS wollte jedoch etwas schaffen, das über eine herkömmliche wissenschaftliche Konferenz hinausging.

Zum Gedenken an die 108 Minuten von Juri Gagarins historischem Erdumlauf rief STARMUS den „108 Minutes Round Table" ins Leben: genau 108 Minuten, in denen einige der klügsten Köpfe der Welt sich mit den größten Fragen der Menschheit auseinandersetzen konnten.

Die erste historische Diskussion fand im Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) am Roque-de-los-Muchachos-Observatorium auf La Palma statt. Neil Armstrong und Alexei Leonov saßen gemeinsam mit Brian May, Richard Dawkins, Jill Tarter, Nobelpreisträgern und anderen führenden Wissenschaftlern und Denkern an einem Tisch und führten ein beispielloses 108-minütiges Gespräch über die Menschheit, die Wissenschaft und unsere Zukunft im Kosmos.

Es entwickelte sich zu einer der prägenden Traditionen von STARMUS.

Bei den folgenden Ausgaben brachte „108 Minutes" außergewöhnliche Persönlichkeiten wie Stephen Hawking und Jane Goodall, Nobelpreisträger, Apollo-Astronauten, Denker und Künstler – Menschen, die sich sonst selten an einem Tisch wiederfinden würden – zusammen, um sich mit einigen der größten Fragen zur Menschheit, unserem Planeten und unserer Zukunft auseinanderzusetzen.

STARMUS UND DAS ERBE VON APOLLO

Die Erforschung des Weltraums stand während der gesamten Geschichte von STARMUS stets im Mittelpunkt.

STARMUS wurde 2011 vom Astrophysiker Dr. Garik Israelian und dem Queen-Gitarristen und Astrophysiker Sir Brian May gegründet. Seitdem haben sich neun Astronauten aus der Apollo-Ära STARMUS angeschlossen, darunter einige der berühmtesten Persönlichkeiten in der Geschichte der bemannten Weltraumforschung und mehrere der zwölf Menschen, die den Mond betreten haben.

Diese außergewöhnliche Verbindung erreichte 2019 einen ihrer Höhepunkte, als STARMUS V in Zürich unter dem Titel „A Giant Leap" den 50. Jahrestag von Apollo 11 und die ersten Schritte der Menschheit auf einer anderen Welt feierte.

Sechs Apollo-Astronauten nahmen an dieser Sonderausgabe teil, darunter Buzz Aldrin, Walt Cunningham, Rusty Schweickart, Al Worden, Charlie Duke und Harrison Schmitt – drei von ihnen hatten den Mond betreten.

Sie nahmen an einer außergewöhnlichen Zusammenkunft von Wissenschaftlern, Astronauten und Künstlern teil, die eine der größten Errungenschaften der Menschheit feierten.

Hans Zimmer, Brian May, Rick Wakeman, Steve Vai und weitere Musiker traten im Rahmen einer besonderen musikalischen Hommage an Apollo und das Vermächtnis von Stephen Hawking auf.

Diese Ausgabe markierte zudem einen weiteren historischen Moment.

Buzz Aldrin erhielt die erste Stephen Hawking Medal for Lifetime Achievement – als Anerkennung für ein Leben, das die Beziehung der Menschheit zum Kosmos grundlegend verändert hat.

VON APOLLO BIS ARTEMIS

Nun wendet sich STARMUS von der Würdigung des Vermächtnisses von Apollo der Generation zu, die die Erforschung des Weltraums durch den Menschen weiter vorantreibt.

Anfang dieses Jahres brachte Artemis II Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch und Jeremy Hansen um den Mond und sicher zurück zur Erde – die ersten Menschen seit mehr als einem halben Jahrhundert, die zum Mond gereist sind.

Während ihrer historischen Reise entfernten sich die vier Astronauten weiter von der Erde als je ein Mensch vor ihnen.

Artemis II bedeutet weit mehr als nur eine Rückkehr in den Mondraum. Damit hat eine neue Ära der bemannten Erforschung jenseits der erdnahen Umlaufbahn begonnen und der Weg für künftige Missionen zur Mondoberfläche und schließlich weiter hinaus ins Sonnensystem wurde geebnet.

Im Oktober werden drei Mitglieder dieser historischen Besatzung – Wiseman, Glover und Hansen – anlässlich von STARMUS VIII nach Teneriffa und La Palma kommen.

Der Zusammenhang ist unübersehbar.

Im Jahr 2011 brachte STARMUS Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin und Alexei Leonov auf die Kanarischen Inseln und inspirierte eine neue Generation mit der Geschichte des ersten großen Sprungs der Menschheit ins All.

Im Jahr 2026 treffen die Mitglieder der Artemis II-Besatzung ein, um diese Geschichte fortzusetzen.

ZEHN JAHRE STEPHEN HAWKING MEDAL

Ihre Teilnahme fällt zudem mit einem weiteren wichtigen STARMUS-Jubiläum zusammen.

STARMUS VIII feiert das 10-jährige Jubiläum der Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication, die 2016 von Stephen Hawking und STARMUS ins Leben gerufen wurde, um Personen zu würdigen, die das öffentliche Verständnis von Wissenschaft und vom Platz der Menschheit im Universum grundlegend verändert haben.

In den vergangenen zehn Jahren wurde mit dieser Medaille eine außergewöhnliche Gruppe von Wissenschaftlern, Wissenschaftskommunikatoren, Filmemachern, Entdeckern und Künstlern ausgezeichnet, darunter Hans Zimmer, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Buzz Aldrin, Jane Goodall, Brian May, Christopher Nolan, Sir David Attenborough und Sir Ridley Scott.

Die Medaille spiegelt eines der Gründungsprinzipien von STARMUS wider: dass die größten Entdeckungen der Menschheit ihre volle Kraft entfalten, wenn sie über die Grenzen von Laboren und Universitäten hinaus vermittelt werden – durch Geschichten, Bilder, Musik, Erkundungen und menschliche Erfahrungen.

Dieses Engagement für die Wissenschaftskommunikation reicht weit über das Festival selbst hinaus. Bildung und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit spielen bei STARMUS von Anfang an eine zentrale Rolle. STARMUS hat Hunderte von kostenlosen Vorträgen an mehr als 35 Universitäten und Bildungseinrichtungen gehalten und damit über 20.000 Studierende erreicht. An den kostenlosen Wissenschaftscamps haben bereits mehr als 250.000 Menschen teilgenommen. Mit über 130 Workshops, interaktiven Ausstellungen und Wissenschaftsständen wird jungen Menschen, Familien und der breiten Öffentlichkeit die Wissenschaft hautnah nähergebracht.

DIE NÄCHSTE GENERATION VON ENTDECKERINNEN UND ENTDECKERN

STARMUS VIII steht unter dem Motto „The Search for Truth" und bringt eine außergewöhnliche internationale Gemeinschaft zusammen, darunter Geoffrey Hinton, Steven Pinker, Christiana Figueres und May-Britt Moser sowie Nobelpreisträger, Astronauten, Wissenschaftler, führende Persönlichkeiten aus der Technologiebranche, Denker und international renommierte Künstler.

Neben der Artemis II-Besatzung wird STARMUS VIII zwei legendäre Persönlichkeiten der bemannten Raumfahrt begrüßen: Chris Hadfield, Astronaut, ehemaliger Kommandant der International Space Station und einer der weltweit einflussreichsten Vermittler der Weltraumforschung; sowie Julie Payette, Astronautin und ehemalige Generalgouverneurin von Kanada, die an zwei Missionen an Bord des Space Shuttle teilnahm und auf der International Space Station im Einsatz war.

STARMUS VIII beginnt am 17. Oktober mit einem spektakulären Eröffnungskonzert in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, bei dem Brian May, Andrea Bocelli sowie Sarah Brightman & Friends die Hauptacts sind. An diesem Abend kommen Musik, Wissenschaft und einige der renommiertesten internationalen Gäste von STARMUS zusammen, und zugleich wird das 10-jährige Jubiläum der Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication gefeiert.

Gemeinsam fügen sie der außergewöhnlichen STARMUS-Tradition eine weitere Generation hinzu, bei der Menschen, die den Weltraum tatsächlich erforscht haben, in direkten Austausch mit Wissenschaftlern, Künstlern und der Öffentlichkeit treten.

Die Anwesenheit von Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover und Jeremy Hansen sowie von Chris Hadfield und Julie Payette schlägt eine bemerkenswerte Brücke zwischen der Geschichte und der Zukunft der bemannten Weltraumforschung – von Gagarin und den Pionieren der Ära der ersten bemannten Raumflüge über Armstrong, Aldrin und Apollo bis hin zur International Space Station und nun zu Artemis und der Rückkehr der Menschheit in den tiefen Weltraum.

„Wir fühlen uns geehrt und freuen uns sehr, an der diesjährigen STARMUS-Veranstaltung teilzunehmen. Es ist ein beeindruckendes Vermächtnis, und wir sind nach wie vor überwältigt und inspiriert von unserem kleinen Beitrag dazu.

Animal health company's monthly donation program awards $2,500 to shelters, rescues and nonprofits each month – and anyone can nominate

WESTLAKE, Texas, Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Virbac is calling on veterinary professionals, pet owners and animal advocates to nominate a shelter, rescue or nonprofit for its Every Pet Project donation program. The monthly program awards $2,500 to two animal welfare organizations each month – with nominations open to the public, so anyone with a cause worth advocating for can put an organization on the map.

Since its launch, Every Pet Project has supported 198 charities across 45 states, fueled by more than 150,000 nominations and $500,000 in cumulative donations. Animal shelters and rescues across the country continue to face mounting pressure – rising intake numbers, limited staff and growing demand for veterinary services. Programs like Every Pet Project provide direct financial support that can help bridge the gap between what these organizations need and what they have.

"Every Pet Project exists to support the organizations out there doing the hard work every day – and each nomination shines a light on exactly that work," said Giovanni Abruzzini, CEO and President of Virbac U.S. "It's an honor to recognize the people and organizations showing up for animals in need and helping give them a second chance."

Any 501(c)(3) registered shelter, rescue or animal welfare nonprofit in the United States is eligible for nomination. If you know an organization deserving of recognition for the work they are doing, we invite you to nominate them today. Nominate a shelter, rescue or nonprofit in your community once a day, everyday at us.virbac.com/home/everypetproject.html.

About Virbac

At Virbac, we are constantly exploring new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat the majority of animal pathologies. We develop care, hygiene and nutrition products to offer complete solutions to veterinarians, farmers and pet owners around the world. Our purpose: advancing the health of animals with those who care for them every day, so we can all live better together. For more information, visit vet-us.virbac.com.

©2026 Virbac Corporation. All rights reserved.

SOURCE Virbac

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Client-centered agency leverages Integrity's AI-powered platform, advanced capabilities and comprehensive support resources to drive productivity and scalable growth

DALLAS, Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Integrity, LLC ("Integrity"), a leading distributor of life and health insurance, and provider of wealth management and retirement planning solutions, today announced it has partnered with Brave Insurance Group, an independent marketing organization based in Dallas, Texas, founded by Blake Naylor. Financial details of the partnership were not disclosed.

Brave Insurance Group serves clients across the country with final expense insurance solutions. With the mentorship and support of renowned industry leaders, Naylor has formed a high-performing, client-centered team. His systematic approach to building a business emphasizes diligence, focus and service to help agents set a foundation for sustained success. In addition to serving clients, the dedicated Brave Insurance Group team serves and assists each other in reaching growth milestones by taking part in meaningful leadership training and providing ongoing support.

"Blake is exactly the type of agency leader who makes our platform so compelling — a disciplined performer who recognizes the strengths of others and surrounds himself with exceptional individuals," said Bryan W. Adams, Co-Founder and CEO of Integrity. "Brave Insurance Group's focus on becoming a highly efficient, technology-driven agency aligns perfectly with Integrity's culture and mission. With Integrity's world-class platform, CRM and ongoing AI innovation, we can help Brave Insurance Group operate even more effectively. Integrity also offers Blake and his team the opportunity to meet client needs holistically by expanding their product offerings into health and wealth with robust support and tactical guidance. Brave Insurance Group brings an incredible legacy of service to the Integrity family and I'm excited to see how much more we can accomplish together."

"Cultural alignment was crucial to me in selecting a partner — it's truly the catalyst for an organization's success," said Blake Naylor, Founder of Brave Insurance Group. "Ours is a systems-driven agency with optimization and service as key ingredients. With Integrity, we're surrounded by trailblazers and innovators who share my vision of growth and agent support. Integrity's platform offers our agents an integrated business management experience with infrastructure, compliance and support that allows them to redirect valuable time toward client relationships. We also identify with Integrity's impressive focus on developing AI-first technology that keeps agents at the forefront of the industry. With the power of Integrity's support behind our team, I can't wait to see where Brave Insurance Group goes from here."

The industry-leading Integrity platform offers a structured approach to strategic, intentional growth by providing agents with AI-driven technology that unlocks their full potential. All Integrity partners can leverage proprietary resources and support, such as insightful data and analytics, ongoing innovation and thoughtful leadership guidance to maximize their impact. IntegrityCONNECT®, an all-in-one technology platform and business growth engine, includes a best-in-class leads system segmented by demographic as well as instantaneous health and life quoting, application and enrollment. Ongoing plan management is simplified through a state-of-the-art CRM that seamlessly integrates with Ask Integrity® — the industry's leading AI-powered and voice-activated digital assistant. Using in-the-moment prompts, coverage recommendations and lifecycle reminders, Ask Integrity helps agents and advisors deepen client relationships and strengthen engagement.

As client service continues to grow in complexity and scale, insurance professionals who join Integrity benefit from connecting with experienced partners to collaborate and share best practices. Integrity has meticulously assembled thought leaders and visionaries from leading insurance and financial services companies — all of whom are committed to Integrity's broad-based vision of holistic life, health and wealth planning. Their combined efforts enhance advisor and agent growth opportunities while optimizing insurance and financial services processes. The result is a simpler, more streamlined and ultimately more human experience for all stakeholders.

"Blake is a diligent, conscientious leader who delivers on every promise he makes," said Chad Milner, Co-Founder of North American Senior Benefits and Managing Partner at Integrity. "I've always admired Blake's commitment to equipping his team with the best technology to help them drive growth. Integrity's technology and systems, including the AI capabilities built into its platform, will amplify his current efforts and position the agency for even greater long-term success. We're thrilled to welcome Blake and the entire Brave Insurance Group team to Integrity and we can't wait to see what they accomplish with the full strength of Integrity's resources behind them."

For more information, view a video at www.integrity.com/BraveInsurance.

About Integrity

Integrity, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is a leading distributor of life and health insurance, and provider of innovative solutions for wealth management and retirement planning. Through its broad partner network of agents and advisors, Integrity helps millions of Americans protect their life, health and wealth with a commitment to meet them wherever they are — in person, over the phone and online. Integrity's proprietary, cutting-edge technology helps expand the insurance and financial planning experience for all stakeholders using an omnichannel approach. In addition, Integrity develops products with carrier partners and markets them compliantly through its nationwide distribution network. Providing best-in-class service to their clients and consumers is at the center of Integrity's holistic approach to life, health and wealth protection. The company and its partners focus on helping families and individuals prepare for the good days ahead, so they can make the most of what life brings. The recipient of nationally ranked business awards, including Newsweek's America's Greatest Workplaces, Inc.'s Power Partner, and Business Intelligence Group's AI Excellence Award, Integrity has also earned impressive employee sentiment awards such as Best Company for Career Growth, Best Company Leadership, Best Company Culture, and Best Company Happiness. For more information, visit www.integrity.com.

About Brave Insurance Group

Brave Insurance Group is a Dallas, Texas-based independent insurance agency specializing in distributing final expense insurance solutions to families and individuals nationwide. The firm is built on a strong foundation of scalable systems, hands-on mentorship and a commitment to service, empowering agents from all backgrounds to build sustainable careers and purpose-driven businesses. With a close-knit culture that treats its team like family and a mission rooted in doing right by clients and agents alike, Brave Insurance Group is focused on growth, impact and providing everyone it serves with greater security and peace of mind.

SOURCE Integrity

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Strategic collaboration unites Bioness neurorehabilitation innovation and real-world movement intelligence to advance connected, data-driven mobility care.

VALENCIA, Calif., Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bioness Medical, Inc., a global leader in neurorehabilitation technologies, and OneStep, a leader in movement intelligence, today announced a strategic partnership that will enable clinicians to objectively measure and analyze patients' gait and mobility using only a smartphone, both during clinical assessments and throughout everyday life.

By combining Bioness technologies with OneStep's smartphone-based movement intelligence platform, clinicians can access objective analysis of more than 30 gait and mobility parameters, track changes over time, and better understand how patients function in their daily lives. Patients gain greater visibility into their progress, helping them stay informed and engaged throughout rehabilitation.

Advancing Data-Driven Neurorehabilitation

For individuals living with neurological conditions such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and cerebral palsy, walking recovery remains a critical rehabilitation goal. This collaboration expands clinicians' access to objective mobility insights outside of periodic clinic visits and provides a clearer picture of real-world function.

"Partnering with OneStep expands our ability to support patients and clinicians beyond the device itself by providing objective insights into how mobility changes over time," said Todd Cushman, Chief Executive Officer of Bioness Medical. "Together, we are creating a more connected rehabilitation experience that has the potential to elevate the standard of neurorehabilitation care."

"By partnering with Bioness, we are pairing world-class rehabilitation technology with real-world mobility intelligence to give clinicians and patients a deeper understanding of functional recovery," said Tomer Shussman, Chief Executive Officer of OneStep.

As the first phase of the collaboration, access to the OneStep platform will be included with every new L300 Go® System or Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS®) purchase, creating an integrated experience that pairs Bioness' leading technology with objective mobility assessment and progress tracking tools.

Early Data Highlights the Power of Combining Mobility Intervention and Measurement

More than 300 patients were evaluated using the OneStep gait analysis platform to measure the immediate impact of functional electrical stimulation (FES) on walking performance. Results demonstrated measurable improvements in walking speed, stride length, gait symmetry, variability, and overall walk scores following application of the Bioness L300 Go and L300 Go Plus systems.

Among adults using the L300 Go Plus, stride length increased by 5.9 cm and walking velocity improved from 0.68 to 0.74 m/s, with improvements also observed in overall and symmetry-based gait scores.

OneStep's gait analysis platform made these improvements objectively measurable, helping clinicians and patients visualize outcomes and support treatment decisions. The combination of mobility intervention and objective measurement resulted in 15.3% more patients moving forward with the therapy recommended by their clinician.

About Bioness Medical, Inc.

Bioness Medical is a leading provider of advanced rehabilitation technologies designed to restore mobility, function, and independence. Its portfolio spans functional electrical stimulation, robotic gait training, and neuromodulation, supporting clinicians and healthcare systems worldwide with evidence-based solutions.

About OneStep

OneStep is an AI-powered movement intelligence platform that turns everyday movement into clinically meaningful insight. Using only smartphone sensors, its FDA-listed technology delivers gait and motion analysis in seconds, with no wearables required, helping providers assess, treat, and monitor patients from anywhere, while improving mobility. 

SOURCE Bioness Medical, Inc.

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AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Milagro announced the continued expansion of its partnership with Constitution Surgery Alliance (CSA), extending its autonomous surgical coding platform to three additional ambulatory surgery centers and bringing Milagro's coding automation to a total of 12 CSA facilities across New England and the Northeast.

The expansion strengthens CSA's use of autonomous coding to support increasingly complex surgical coding workflows while maintaining coding quality and operational oversight.

"As we continue to expand our use of autonomous coding, our commitment to coding accuracy and compliance remains our top priority," said Sayword Hill, SVP of Revenue Cycle for Constitution Surgery Alliance. "Milagro helps us automate increasingly complex surgical coding while supporting our established coding review, quality assurance, and auditing processes. By combining automation with oversight from our certified coding professionals, we are able to improve efficiency while maintaining the high standards of coding quality and compliance our customers expect."

"Seeing customers expand the scope of automation is one of the strongest indicators of trust and confidence in our platform," said Anna Ravvin, Vice President of Customer Success and Operations at Milagro. "We have been working with CSA for a few years, consistently expanding coverage, efficiency and productivity for the team."

As healthcare providers continue to face staffing shortages and growing surgical volumes, expanding autonomous coding across facilities and specialties can help organizations improve operational efficiency, reduce manual effort, and scale revenue cycle operations without adding administrative burden.

The latest milestone builds on Milagro's mission to deliver highly accurate autonomous coding, helping healthcare organizations modernize revenue cycle operations while maintaining the expertise and oversight of their coding teams.

Expanding from Coding Automation to Clinical Data Insights

Alongside the coding expansion, Milagro is broadening its role with CSA by enabling clinical data extraction across multiple surgery centers. The expanded capability will support clinical research, clinical data benchmarking, payer contracting negotiations, and outcomes-based insights while helping CSA scale its clinical outcomes and Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) programs across its surgery centers.

"This expansion with Milagro allows us to move from periodic snapshots to continuous insight into patient outcomes across our facilities," said Nicole Vit, EVP and Chief Clinical Officer at Constitution Surgery Alliance. "The goal is to gain deeper insights into patient care outcomes in order to foster continued improvement across all of our partnered surgery centers."

The expanded partnership reflects a broader opportunity for automation and data intelligence to support both the administrative and clinical sides of ambulatory surgery operations from reducing manual coding work to enabling more continuous visibility into patient outcomes.

About Milagro

Established in 2020 by a team of leading medical data experts, Milagro is dedicated to simplifying medical coding and streamlining coding operations. Milagro is leading the change in autonomous medical coding with cutting, edge technology that automates coding processes. For more information about Milagro, please visit www.milagroai.com

About Constitution Surgery Alliance

Founded in 1998, CSA is one of the largest independent operators of outpatient surgery centers in the U.S. We develop and manage ASCs that provide the highest level of surgical care to patients undergoing high-acuity and complex surgeries. CSA partnered ASCs have won the prestigious Leapfrog Group "Top ASC" award seventeen times. For more information about Constitution Surgery Alliance and our award winning ASCs, please visit www.CSAsurgery.com

Contact

Milagro

Email: [email protected] 

Web: www.milagroai.com

Constitution Surgery Alliance 

Email : [email protected] 

Web: www.csasurgery.com 

SOURCE Milagro

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Les programmes de fertilité de PostEra ont été rachetés par EMD Serono, Inc.

BOSTON, 9 septembre 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PostEra, une société de biotechnologie spécialisée dans l'intelligence artificielle appliquée à la découverte de médicaments à base de petites molécules et à l'endocrinologie reproductive, a annoncé aujourd'hui qu'EMD Serono, Inc., la branche Santé de Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Allemagne, aux États-Unis et au Canada, a acheté deux programmes de PostEra destinés au traitement des troubles de la fertilité.

Au cours des deux dernières années, PostEra a utilisé sa plateforme d'IA, Proton, pour développer de nouveaux traitements à base de petites molécules dans les domaines de la santé féminine et de la fertilité ; ces marchés importants dépendent presque entièrement des médicaments injectables et dans lesquels subsistent des besoins non satisfaits en matière de confort des patientes, auxquels l'industrie biopharmaceutique doit aujourd'hui répondre.

En matière de fertilité, Proton a été utilisé pour mettre au point une série de nouveaux agonistes du récepteur de l'hormone folliculo-stimulante (FSHR) destinés à la stimulation ovarienne dans le cadre de la FIV. Au même moment, PostEra a également mis au point de nouveaux agonistes à petites molécules du récepteur de l'hormone lutéinisante/choriogonadotrophine (LHCGR) destinés au traitement de l'infertilité masculine et au déclenchement de l'ovulation dans la FIV. Utilisé seul, cet agoniste du LHCGR a démontré, lors d'études précliniques, qu'il peut constituer une alternative par voie orale aux traitements par hCG injectable utilisés chez certains patients souffrant d'infertilité masculine. L'association d'agonistes du FSHR et du LHCGR est susceptible de transformer le protocole actuel de la FIV, en passant d'un traitement par injections à un traitement entièrement oral ; il s'agit d'une avancée majeure dans la prise en charge des femmes suivant un traitement de la FIV.

EMD Serono a racheté les programmes de PostEra portant sur les agonistes du FSHR et du LHCGR. Une fois la transaction finalisée, EMD Serono prendra complètement en charge la poursuite du développement et la commercialisation éventuelle de ces programmes à l'échelle mondiale. Ces deux programmes sont actuellement au stade du développement préclinique, et leur innocuité et leur efficacité chez l'homme n'ont pas encore été établies.

« Nous considérons cette opération comme une confirmation non seulement du potentiel très concret que recèlent les domaines de la santé des femmes et de l'endocrinologie reproductive, mais aussi de la capacité de notre plateforme Proton à produire des candidats thérapeutiques de haute qualité ciblant des cibles difficiles. Le FSHR et le LHCGR sont tous deux des cibles dont la validité a été confirmée par des études biologiques, cependant, au cours des dernières décennies, peu de progrès ont été réalisés pour mettre au point des médicaments à base de petites molécules biodisponibles par voie orale ciblant ces molécules. Nos travaux sur le FSHR et le LHCGR illustrent clairement comment la plateforme Proton peut faire évoluer la donne dans le domaine complexe de la chimie médicinale et ouvrir une nouvelle ère dans les traitements de la fertilité », a déclaré le Dr Lee, directeur scientifique de PostEra.

« Chez PostEra, notre référence en matière d'IA a toujours été une matière chimique de haute qualité. Nous ne nous évaluons pas simplement en fonction de notre capacité à dépasser un indicateur ou à figurer en tête d'un classement, mais plutôt par rapport à notre capacité à mettre au point des thérapies innovantes et prometteuses, susceptibles de contribuer à la santé humaine. En ce qui concerne notre portefeuille de produits dans le domaine de la fertilité, nous sommes ravis qu'EMD Serono, Inc., un acteur de renommée mondiale dans ce secteur, prenne le relais pour faire progresser ces programmes », a ajouté Aaron Morris, directeur général de PostEra.

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PostEra's Fertility programs acquired by EMD Serono, Inc.

BOSTON, Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PostEra, a biotechnology company specializing in artificial intelligence for small molecule drug discovery and reproductive endocrinology, today announced that EMD Serono, Inc., the Healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, in the U.S. and Canada, has acquired two of PostEra's programs directed at fertility indications.

Over the last 2 years PostEra has used its AI platform, Proton, to develop novel small molecule treatments in Women's Health and Fertility; large markets almost entirely dependent on injectable medications, with unmet needs around patient convenience that need to be addressed by today's biopharma industry.

Within Fertility, Proton was used to develop a series of novel Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Receptor (FSHR) agonists for ovarian stimulation in IVF. In parallel, PostEra also developed novel small molecule agonists of the Luteinizing Hormone/Choriogonadotropin Receptor (LHCGR) for male infertility and ovulation trigger in IVF. Standalone, the LHCGR agonist has shown the potential in preclinical studies to offer an oral alternative to injectable hCG regimens used for selected male infertility patients. A combination of the FSHR and the LHCGR agonists could potentially transform the current IVF protocol from injections to an all-oral regimen; a step-change in treatment for women undergoing IVF.

EMD Serono has acquired PostEra's FSHR and LHCGR agonist programs. Following completion of the transaction, EMD Serono will assume sole responsibility for the continued development and potential commercialization of the programs worldwide. Both programs are currently in preclinical development, and their safety and efficacy in humans have not been established.

"We view this transaction as validation of both the very real opportunity in Women's Health and reproductive endocrinology and also of the strength of our Proton platform in delivering high quality clinical candidates against challenging targets. Both FSHR and LHCGR are targets which have been validated by biologics, but over the past few decades there has been little progress in drugging them with orally bioavailable small molecules. Our work in FSHR and LHCGR is a clear benchmark of how the Proton platform can move the needle in challenging medicinal chemistry, and unlock a new era in fertility treatments.", said Dr. Lee, PostEra's Chief Scientific Officer.

"Our AI benchmark at PostEra has always been high quality chemical matter. We judge ourselves not simply on whether we can beat a metric, or top a leaderboard, but can we actually develop promising novel therapies that have the potential to help human health. For our Fertility pipeline, we are so pleased that EMD Serono, Inc. a globally-recognized player in this space will take these programs forward", added Aaron Morris, PostEra's Chief Executive Officer.

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Die Fertilitätsprogramme von PostEra wurden von EMD Serono, Inc. übernommen

BOSTON, 9. September 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PostEra, ein Biotechnologieunternehmen, das sich auf künstliche Intelligenz für die Entdeckung niedermolekularer Wirkstoffe sowie die Reproduktionsendokrinologie spezialisiert hat, gab heute bekannt, dass EMD Serono, Inc., der Unternehmensbereich Healthcare der Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, in den USA und Kanada, zwei Programme von PostEra für Indikationen im Bereich Fertilität erworben hat.

In den letzten zwei Jahren hat PostEra seine KI-Plattform Proton genutzt, um neuartige niedermolekulare Therapien in den Bereichen Frauengesundheit sowie Fertilität zu entwickeln; große Märkte, die fast vollständig von injizierbaren Medikamenten abhängig sind und in denen noch ungedeckter Bedarf hinsichtlich des Patientenkomforts besteht, dem die heutige Biopharmaindustrie Rechnung tragen muss.

Im Bereich Fertilität wurde Proton zur Entwicklung einer Reihe neuartiger Agonisten des Rezeptors für follikelstimulierendes Hormon (FSHR) zur ovariellen Stimulation bei IVF eingesetzt. Parallel dazu entwickelte PostEra zudem neuartige niedermolekulare Agonisten des Rezeptors für luteinisierendes Hormon/Choriogonadotropin (LHCGR) zur Behandlung männlicher Unfruchtbarkeit und zur Ovulationsauslösung bei IVF. In präklinischen Studien hat der LHCGR-Agonist als Monotherapie das Potenzial gezeigt, eine orale Alternative zu injizierbaren hCG-Therapien für ausgewählte Patienten mit männlicher Unfruchtbarkeit darzustellen. Eine Kombination aus FSHR- und LHCGR-Agonisten könnte das derzeitige IVF-Protokoll möglicherweise von Injektionen auf eine vollständig orale Therapie umstellen; ein entscheidender Fortschritt bei der Behandlung von Frauen, die sich einer IVF unterziehen.

EMD Serono hat die Programme von PostEra für FSHR- und LHCGR-Agonisten übernommen. Nach Abschluss der Transaktion wird EMD Serono die alleinige Verantwortung für die weitere Entwicklung sowie die mögliche Vermarktung der Programme weltweit übernehmen. Beide Programme befinden sich derzeit in der präklinischen Entwicklung, und ihre Sicherheit und Wirksamkeit beim Menschen sind noch nicht nachgewiesen.

„Wir betrachten diese Transaktion als Bestätigung sowohl für das sehr reale Potenzial im Bereich Frauengesundheit und Reproduktionsendokrinologie als auch für die Stärke unserer Proton‑Plattform bei der Entwicklung hochwertiger klinischer Wirkstoffkandidaten gegen anspruchsvolle Zielstrukturen. Sowohl FSHR als auch LHCGR sind Zielstrukturen, deren Eignung durch Biologika bestätigt wurde, doch in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten gab es kaum Fortschritte bei der Entwicklung oral bioverfügbarer niedermolekularer Wirkstoffe gegen diese Zielstrukturen. Unsere Arbeit im Bereich FSHR und LHCGR ist ein klarer Beleg dafür, wie die Proton‑Plattform bei anspruchsvollen Aufgaben der Medizinalchemie entscheidende Fortschritte erzielen und eine neue Ära der Fertilitätsbehandlung einläuten kann", sagte Dr. Lee, wissenschaftlicher Leiter von PostEra.

„Unser Maßstab für KI bei PostEra waren schon immer hochwertige chemische Verbindungen. Wir beurteilen uns nicht einfach danach, ob wir bei einer Kennzahl besser abschneiden oder eine Rangliste anführen, sondern danach, ob wir tatsächlich vielversprechende neue Therapien entwickeln können, die das Potenzial haben, die Gesundheit von Menschen zu verbessern. Mit Blick auf unsere Pipeline im Bereich Fertilität freuen wir uns sehr, dass EMD Serono, Inc., ein weltweit anerkannter Akteur in diesem Bereich, diese Programme weiter vorantreiben wird", fügte Aaron Morris, Geschäftsführer von PostEra, hinzu.

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DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- According to MarketsandMarkets™, the High Flow Nasal Cannula Market is projected to reach USD 1.44 billion by 2031 from USD 0.94 billion in 2026, at a CAGR of 8.9% during the forecast period.

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High Flow Nasal Cannula Market Size & Forecast:

- Market Size Available for Years: 2026–2031

- 2026 Market Size: USD 0.94 billion

- 2031 Projected Market Size: USD 1.44 billion

- CAGR (2026–2031): 8.9%

High Flow Nasal Cannula Market Trends & Insights:

- North America accounted for the largest share of the high-flow nasal cannula market in 2025.

- By product, the consumables & accessories segment accounted for a larger market share than the systems segment in 2025.

- By patient type, the adult segment accounted for the largest market share in 2025.

- By application, the acute respiratory failure treatment segment accounted for the largest market share in 2025.

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The HFNC market is primarily driven by the growing prevalence of acute and chronic respiratory disorders, increasing incidence of hypoxemic respiratory failure, and rising demand for non-invasive respiratory support across intensive care and emergency settings. HFNC provides several clinical benefits over conventional oxygen therapy, including more consistent oxygen delivery, improved oxygenation, reduced work of breathing, enhanced secretion clearance, and effective upper-airway dead-space washout. Its superior patient comfort and tolerance compared with conventional oxygen masks and non-invasive ventilation (NIV) further contribute to its adoption, allowing patients to communicate, eat, and drink while receiving respiratory support. The expanding range of clinical applications is another key factor supporting market growth. HFNC is increasingly utilized for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, post-extubation support, pre-oxygenation prior to intubation, perioperative respiratory management, bronchoscopy procedures, emergency department care, and as an alternative or supportive therapy during breaks from NIV or CPAP.

By application, acute respiratory failure segment to lead market during forecast period.

Acute respiratory failure holds the largest share of the HFNC market by application, primarily due to the increasing use of HFNC for patients requiring immediate non-invasive respiratory support. HFNC delivers heated and humidified oxygen at high flow rates, helping improve oxygenation, reduce the work of breathing, and relieve respiratory distress. Its growing clinical acceptance for managing acute hypoxemic respiratory failure has increased its utilization across intensive care units, emergency departments, and other acute-care settings.

The rising incidence of pneumonia, pulmonary infections, acute respiratory distress, and exacerbations of underlying cardiopulmonary conditions is further driving demand for HFNC in this application. Moreover, the increasing preference for non-invasive respiratory support and the potential for HFNC to prevent or delay invasive mechanical ventilation in appropriate patients are contributing to the segment's dominant position in the market.

By end user, hospitals segment to lead market during forecast period.

Hospitals hold the largest share of the HFNC market by end user, primarily due to the extensive use of HFNC therapy in intensive care units, emergency departments, respiratory wards, and post-operative care. Hospitals manage a high volume of patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, pneumonia, and other respiratory conditions requiring advanced oxygen and non-invasive respiratory support, making them the primary users of HFNC systems. The availability of specialized critical-care infrastructure, continuous patient monitoring, trained healthcare professionals, and reliable oxygen-delivery systems further facilitates the widespread adoption of HFNC in hospitals. In addition, the growing use of HFNC for post-extubation support, pre-oxygenation, perioperative respiratory management, and emergency care is expected to further strengthen the hospitals segment's leading position in the market.

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By region, North America accounted for largest market share in 2025.

The HFNC market is segmented into five major regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

North America is estimated to account for the largest share of the global HFNC market, driven by its advanced healthcare infrastructure, high adoption of innovative respiratory care technologies, and increasing burden of respiratory diseases. The region benefits from the presence of established HFNC manufacturers, widespread use of non-invasive respiratory support in intensive care and emergency settings, and relatively high healthcare expenditure. Furthermore, growing awareness among healthcare professionals regarding the clinical benefits of HFNC, along with its expanding application in hospitals, critical care units, and post-operative care, is supporting continued market growth and strengthening North America's leading position.

Key Players

Leading players in the High Flow Nasal Cannula companies include Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited (New Zealand), Vapotherm (US), ResMed (US), Hamilton Medical AG (Switzerland), and Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA (Germany).

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High Flow Nasal Cannula Market - Investment & funding +Merger & Acquisition

Investment Funding Context

Investment activity in the high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) ecosystem remains selective and concentrated around differentiated high-flow platforms, humidification technologies, automation, home respiratory care, and commercialization of next-generation systems, rather than broad-based venture investment across numerous startups. A strong example is Telesair, which closed a USD 22 million Series A round in January 2023, led by Pasaca Capital. The company stated that the funding would support commercialization of its Bonhawa Respiratory Humidifier for ICU use and development of a second-generation product intended to support transition from hospital to home. Bonhawa subsequently received FDA 510(k) clearance in October 2023 as a heated humidifier with an integrated blower delivering warm, humidified respiratory gas through a nasal cannula at high flow.

Vapotherm illustrates a different funding pathway. In February 2023, the company raised approximately USD 23.0 million in gross proceeds through a private placement/PIPE, with proceeds intended primarily for sales and marketing, working capital, and general corporate purposes. This was followed by a much larger balance-sheet restructuring in 2024. When Vapotherm's take-private merger closed in September 2024, an affiliate of Perceptive Advisors invested USD 50.0 million of new preferred equity, while investment affiliates managed by SLR Capital Partners converted approximately USD 83.0 million of term debt into preferred equity; SLR retained USD 40.0 million of term debt after closing. This transaction highlights investor willingness to recapitalize differentiated high-flow respiratory technology while reducing the financial constraints of a publicly traded specialist manufacturer.

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare has also continued substantial infrastructure investment. In March 2025, it signed a construction contract for a fifth building at its East Tāmaki campus, with an estimated total cost of approximately NZD 250 million (USD 148.88 million). The approximately 28,000 m² facility is intended to incorporate R&D, manufacturing, and distribution capacity. Again, this investment supports the broader F&P portfolio and should not be attributed entirely to HFNC, but it demonstrates the scale of infrastructure being built by a leading HFNC/humidification manufacturer.

Revenue Shift Context

The HFNC market remains predominantly product-led, but its economics increasingly depend on a capital-equipment-plus-recurring-consumables model. Manufacturers establish an installed base through dedicated HFNC systems or integrated high-flow platforms and then generate repeated revenue from nasal cannulas/interfaces, heated breathing circuits, humidification chambers, water-feed sets, and other patient-specific consumables. This makes installed-base penetration and consumable pull-through particularly important for long-term profitability.

Vapotherm provides one of the clearest publicly disclosed examples. In 2023, the company generated USD 68.669 million in net revenue, of which USD 50.100 million, or 73.0%, came from disposables. Capital equipment product and lease revenue contributed USD 12.766 million, or 18.6%, while service and other revenue accounted for USD 5.803 million, or 8.4%. This demonstrates that for a specialized high-flow respiratory company, recurring disposables can account for substantially more revenue than the initial equipment sale.

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare also shows strong growth in recurring hospital consumables. In FY2025, revenue from its "new applications consumables" increased 20%, or 18% in constant currency. However, this category combines products used in non-invasive ventilation, Optiflow nasal high flow, and surgical applications, so the full amount should not be treated as HFNC revenue.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Activities pertaining to mergers & acquisitions in the HFNC market have been limited and targeted rather than mega-deal driven. The most important direct transaction during the period was Vapotherm's 2024 take-private transaction.