Final programme available for Bitesize! Some tidying up of timings, and the final bullet points. https://www.cbrneworld.com/events/bitesize
If you want to register for the event, get along to www.engagez.net/cbrne and fill in your details. Fun starts next month!
Kromek (AIM: KMK), a worldwide supplier of detection technology focusing on the medical, security screening and nuclear markets, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a development agreement, worth up to $660k, with a US-based, sector-leading industrial OEM with a global customer base. The majority of the development programme is scheduled to be delivered during the Group’s current financial year and, following final completion, it is expected to transition to a multi-year supply contract.
Under the development agreement, the Group will customise one of its CZT detector platforms for incorporation into the customer’s systems for identifying contaminations during production processes.
Dr Arnab Basu, CEO of Kromek, said: “We are delighted to have secured another leading OEM customer with substantial global operations. This is further validation of the strength of our solutions. It also demonstrates the versatility of our CZT-based detector platforms, which transform the imaging and detection capabilities of our customers’ next-generation products to ensure we can live healthier and safer lives as well as reduce our customers’ cost of operation. We look forward to working with our new customer to successfully complete this development programme and establishing a long-term relationship.”
First responders in Maine are reminding people to be careful when they discard their trash after two people were treated for chemical burns on Monday.
The Goodwins Mills Fire Department have reported that a container filled with hydrochloric acid ended up in the trash, and it was compacted in a garbage truck, the container broke and reacted with other items in the trash creating a fume cloud.
Two employees, who quickly tried to empty the truck thinking there was a fire, were taken to hospital to be treated for chemical burns. The Department of Environmental Protection was called to make sure the chemical was contained and there was no lingering danger in the air.
Check in your area to find out when and where you can dispose of an hazardous items, do not put them in the general trash where they could end up seriously hurting someone.
Decon7 Systems ("Decon7")—the leading standard in disinfection and biosafety for military personnel, first responders, and food manufacturers—today announced that it will conduct a live demonstration of its D7 disinfectant, which has been designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as effectively inactivating the COVID-19 virus. The live demonstration will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020, at 1 p.m. Mountain Time at 8451 East Anderson Dr., Scottsdale, Ariz. 85255.
The COVID-19 outbreak has brought disinfection to the forefront of everyone's minds. Public safety and emergency response personnel, in particular, are looking for advanced technologies to assist them in carrying out large-scale disinfecting operations, without placing their personnel in harm's way. To offer a safe alternative method for achieving large-scale decontamination, Decon7 has teamed up with Howe & Howe to deliver the D7 disinfecting formula via Thermite RS3—the first robotic firefighting vehicle in the U.S.
Historically, robots like the Thermite RS3 are set up to deploy firefighting foam to put out fires while keeping firefighters out of harm's way. Howe & Howe has engineered its robot to distribute the D7 product, expanding applications for its technology into new areas such as COVID-19 disinfection, toxic chemical remediation, and biohazard disinfection.
"The combination of the Thermite RS3 technology and our D7 foam product opens the door to new methods of quickly and safely deactivating the COVID-19 virus in public spaces," said Decon7 Senior Vice President William Joe Hill. "By giving a live demonstration of how this works, we hope to show the significance of this capability to facility maintenance operators and first responders—including firefighters, law enforcement, and emergency services teams—all across the country."
D7, a proven broad-spectrum antimicrobial disinfectant that is incredibly versatile with a host of vital applications, capitalizes on the power of hydrogen peroxide, penetrating and disarming toxins at a molecular level. Its specialized formula penetrates and eliminates pathogens down to the molecular level, helping ensure the highest efficacy. The D7 formulation is made up of mild ingredients, which give it low toxicity and corrosion properties.
D7 can be applied as a foam via the Thermite RS3 to disinfect and clean large areas as seen in this video. Its application is particularly relevant to communities and facilities across the country that are looking for ways to effectively deactivate COVID-19 in public spaces.
The product demonstration event is free to the public and the media
It really is impressive the level of information that you can get from OSINT. Some outstanding investigative journalism by Eliot Higgins/Brown Moses. Strongly encouraged to have a read - https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2020/10/23/russias-clandestine-chemical-weapons-programme-and-the-grus-unit-21955/
On 11th Nov 2020 at 1pm GMT Kromek will be holding a webinar to launch the D5 RIID.
During the webinar you will see:
The webinar is being hosted by Eve Paylor, Kromek's Nuclear Product Manager.
Sign up to the launch webinar on 11th November 2020 at 1pm (GMT) to see what it is all about!
To learn more about Kromek and our products, go to the website
FAIs air ambulance division has been operating at maximum capacity to meet the high number of requests for repatriation and medevac flights. Since March FAI has performed almost 70 flights of covid-19 patients in 47 countries with the single patient isolation and transport system EpiShuttle.
FAI is one of the world’s leading global provider of aviation services, logging far above 10 000 hours per year flying air ambulance missions. In the month of April FAI did nearly 800 hours of flying on mostly medevac missions. So far FAI has transported patients with the EpiShuttle in 47 countries, including difficult destinations as Iraq, China and South Sudan.
- I am immensely proud of the way FAI Air Ambulance and our talented team of professionals responded to the immense challenges of the pandemic. We have collaborated with EpiGuard in on further development in safe isolation and transport. Our investments in the EpiShuttle has increased our efficiency in covid-19 transport and we have had flights with CBRN patients with the EpiShuttle as well, says Volker Lemke who heads up FAI´s Air Ambulance Division.
To this date, FAI has been to 69 airports all over the world with the EpiShuttle. The The EpiShuttle opens up for transport of covid-19 patients by air. Airflow inside a helicopter or a fixed wing aircraft can easily cause virus to flow from the patient to the pilots. Operating an aircraft wearing personal protection accessories may not be an option, and transport of contagious patients can put an entire crew on the ground.
- Collaborating with a professional partner as FAI gives us firsthand information on the use of the EpiShuttle as well as insight to practicalities you only experience in the field of duty, says Ellen Cathrine Andersen, CEO in EpiGuard.
The impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the aviation sector is enormous and the industry has been to massive changes the last few months. FAI is now nominated as the Air Ambulance Company of the Year category in this year’s International Travel & Health Insurance Journal´s (ITIJ) Industry Awards.
Introducing the AB Decontamination device. Free from alcohol and toxic chemicals, it is a biodegradable Class I sterile device that safely captures, removes and neutralises harmful pathogens and viral infections like coronavirus from skin and surfaces.
Inspired by nature, our Innovative Technology contains molecules that bind to pathogens with high affinity and removes them from the infected surfaces.
ABD does not attack the pathogens, it captures them which means it is less likely that the pathogen will evolve its defenses and this reduces the risk of secondary re-contamination. Once captured inside the material the contaminant does not detach.
Recently Aquila Bioscience received independent results on COVID 19. The capability was shown to remove 99.9 %of the pathogen from human skin.
More information can be found on their website and in this video.
There have been concerns that Chinese charity hides a desire to start harvesting genetic information from around the world. Nevada was warned not to accept tests from China, via UAE, as there might be backdoors into the data. https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-technology-dubai-nevada-united-arab-emirates-0755b0ed4a9a750bcac432300ca69275
This was something that FBI Supervisory Special Agent Ed You, warned us about in the 2017-04 issue.
On October 14 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Inmazeb (atoltivimab, maftivimab, and odesivimab-ebgn), a mixture of three monoclonal antibodies, as the first FDA-approved treatment for Zaire ebolavirus (Ebola virus) infection in adult and pediatric patients.
“Today’s action demonstrates the FDA’s ongoing commitment to responding to public health threats—both domestically and abroad—on the basis of science and data,” said FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn, M.D. “This approval was made possible because of our steadfast dedication to facilitate the development of safe and effective treatments for infectious diseases as part of our vital public health mission.”
Inmazeb targets the glycoprotein that is on the surface of Ebola virus. Glycoprotein attaches to the cell receptor and fuses the viral and host cell membranes allowing the virus to enter the cell. The three antibodies that make up Inmazeb can bind to this glycoprotein simultaneously and block attachment and entry of the virus.
Inmazeb was evaluated in 382 adult and pediatric patients with confirmed Zaire ebolavirus infection in one clinical trial (the PALM trial) and as part of an expanded access program conducted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during an Ebola virus outbreak in 2018-2019. The PALM trial was led by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the DRC’s Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale with contributions from several other international organizations and agencies.
“Today’s approval highlights the importance of international collaboration in the fight against Ebola virus,” said John Farley, M.D., MPH, director of the Office of Infectious Diseases in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “The urgent need for advanced therapies to combat this infectious disease is clear, and today’s action is a significant step forward in that effort.”
In the PALM trial, the safety and efficacy of Inmazeb was evaluated in a multi-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial, in which 154 patients received Inmazeb (50 mg of each monoclonal antibody) intravenously as a single infusion, and 168 patients received an investigational control. The primary efficacy endpoint was 28-day mortality. The primary analysis population was all patients who were randomized and concurrently eligible to receive either Inmazeb or the investigational control during the same time period of the trial. Of the 154 patients who received Inmazeb, 33.8% died after 28 days, compared to 51% of the 153 patients who received a control. In the expanded access program, an additional 228 patients received Inmazeb.
The most common symptoms experienced while receiving Inmazeb included: fever, chills, tachycardia (fast heart rate), tachypnea (fast breathing), and vomiting; however, these are also common symptoms of Ebola virus infection. Patients who receive Inmazeb should avoid the concurrent administration of a live vaccine due to the treatment’s potential to inhibit replication of a live vaccine virus indicated for prevention of Ebola virus infection and possibly reduce the vaccine’s efficacy.
Hypersensitivity, including infusion-related events, can occur in patients taking Inmazeb, and treatment should be discontinued in the event of a hypersensitivity reaction.
Inmazeb received an Orphan Drug designation for the treatment of Ebola virus infection. The Orphan Drug designation provides incentives to assist and encourage drug development for rare diseases. Additionally, the agency granted Inmazeb a Breakthrough Therapy designation for the treatment of Zaire ebolavirus infection.
The FDA is granting the approval to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.
On October 15 the latest issue of the Official Journal of the Europen Union was released which detailed regulations and decisions of the council regarding the proliferation and use of CW, this is in direct repsonse to the poisoning of Alexei Navalny.
The full copy of the journal can be read here, but in short states:
The report goes on to state the names and details of those people mentioned above, and the grounds for designation.
FLIR Systems, Inc. has announced it has been awarded a $26 million contract modification in support of the Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle Sensor Suite Upgrade (NBCRV SSU) program for the U.S. Army. The Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement was awarded through the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) as a follow-on to a $48 million contract announced in April 2019.
FLIR is the lead integrator in modernizing the Army’s NBCRV system with improved and autonomous CBRN sensors. Earlier this year, the company delivered initial prototypes of the NBCRV SSU system for a focused assessment at Fort Bliss, Texas. Soldiers employed the FLIR prototype in realistic battlefield scenarios to sense and rapidly avoid CBRN hazards. The new contract allows FLIR to continue developing the Sensor Suite and to deliver mature prototypes for government testing in 2021.
Among other third-party solutions, the NBCRV Sensor Suite will feature capabilities of the FLIR R80D SkyRaider™ drone integrated with a specialized version of the FLIR IBAC bio-detection sensor. This next phase also will pair the NBCRV with a ground robotic vehicle to expand the system’s use with manned-unmanned teams. A FLIR-developed command and control system will bring together all devices and platforms with sensor fusion and automation features that lessen the cognitive burden on users and improve decision-making.
“Our ability to build and integrate manned and unmanned sensing solutions across a wide threat space is where FLIR differentiates itself,” said Vice President and General Manager of the Unmanned Systems & Integrated Solutions business at FLIR, Roger Wells. “Incorporating UAV and UGV platforms into NBCRV aligns with our efforts to develop full sensing capabilities that can act as force multipliers and boost mission success for our troops.
“Whether through air- or ground-based detection systems, FLIR is uniquely positioned in the defense industry with deep expertise in both intelligent sensor and autonomous systems technology that keeps warfighters safe,” Wells added.
FLIR is supporting other efforts by JPEO-CBRND. In the past year, the company has won two contracts worth more than $55 million to field its FLIR Agentase™ C2 chemical warfare disclosure spray, formulated to detect nerve agents like VX and sarin as well as blister agents such as sulfur mustard.
Work on the NBCRV program has begun and is expected to continue through 2022 at FLIR facilities in West Lafayette, Indiana; Stillwater, Oklahoma; and Elkridge, Maryland. For more on FLIR System’s integrated solutions for government and defense, visit www.flir.com/integrated-solutions. For more on FLIR’s chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive detection technologies, visit www.flir.com/threat-detection.
Sepsolve Analytical Ltd has announced the launch of a ground-breaking new addition to its software suite: ChromCompare+ is a powerful, yet easy-to-use, chemometrics platform for comparing multiple GC and GC×GC chromatograms and extracting useful insights into the constituents that are present. Crucially, it offers the flexibility to process data from a broad range of GC and GC-MS platforms.
“I am confident that ChromCompare+ is the final piece of the puzzle for discovery workflows,” says Laura McGregor, SepSolve’s Product Marketing Manager. “Our innovative approach means we can reduce the risk of missing important differences between sample classes, and allow users to automatically classify unknown samples – without having to be experts in statistics”.
This is particularly valuable in discovery workflows, such as clinical research, food and beverage authenticity or fragrance profiling, when analysts don’t know the important differences between sample classes, so must investigate all components, often within complex matrices. Dr McGregor explains: “ChromCompare+ allows maximum analytical information to be automatically extracted from the raw data and filtered down to the most significant differences between samples. This not only reduces the risk of trace peaks being ignored, it also minimises the need for error-prone and time-consuming manual processing, thereby increasing the reliability of the entire data processing protocol, from start to finish.”
Andy Hardwick, Commercial Director of SepSolve’s parent company, Schauenburg Analytics Ltd, comments: “We believe that ChromCompare+ offers the ultimate in discovery workflow chemometrics. Furthermore, combining it with the enhanced separation offered by SepSolve’s INSIGHT® GC×GC flow modulator and highly-sensitive detection by BenchTOF time-of-flight mass spectrometers, means you can gain even greater insight into sample compositions, resulting in faster yet deeper, more comprehensive, end-to-end analysis.”
SepSolve Analytical is the sister company of Markes International. Together, the two companies form a network of Schauenburg Analytics technical centres around the world, serving the needs of customers not just through the provision of instrumentation and equipment, but also through their combined knowledge base and partnerships developed with academic institutions.
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