Day: May 19, 2026

AP Technologies Acquires Blueacre Technology, Adding Nitinol and Precision Laser Processing to Its Catheter Platform

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Acquisition extends AP Technologies’ vertically integrated catheter platform into nitinol and precision laser processing. Dundalk, Ireland joins the company’s network of Centers of Excellence as its first European operation.

SINGAPORE AND DUNDALK, IRELAND / ACCESS Newswire / May 19, 2026 / AP Technologies, a vertically integrated contract manufacturer of catheters and medical tubing, today announced the acquisition of Blueacre Technology, a Dundalk, Ireland specialist in laser micromachining and nitinol processing for the medical device industry. The acquisition establishes AP Technologies’ first European operation in Ireland’s medtech corridor, and extends its catheter platform into the laser-processed metallic components used in next-generation minimally invasive devices. Terms were not disclosed.

Blueacre brings nearly two decades of capability in laser micromachining and nitinol processing for the medical device industry, including femtosecond and picosecond laser cutting, laser welding, electropolishing, and on-site rapid prototyping. That capability now sits alongside AP Technologies’ PTFE etched liners, FEP heat shrink tubing, braided and coiled shafts, and finished catheter assembly.

The combined offering allows OEM partners to develop hybrid catheter and delivery system programs through a single supplier, with engineered precision across both polymeric and metallic processes.

"This acquisition marks the first step in extending our advanced catheter technologies platform, adding nitinol and precision laser processing to our vertically integrated catheter capabilities," said Charles Tang, Chief Executive Officer of AP Technologies. "We are also thrilled to partner with David Gillen, founder of Blueacre Technology, whose engineering brilliance and innovation make him a tremendous addition to our team. Together, we are positioned to shape the future of minimally invasive device manufacturing."

"Blueacre Technology is delighted to become part of the AP Technologies global team," said Dr. David Gillen, founder of Blueacre Technology. "From our first meeting, we were impressed by the strategic vision of Charles Tang and senior management. AP Technologies has proven to be a highly successful and innovative global supplier to top-tier medtech companies. We are excited to bring nearly 20 years of experience in nitinol and advanced laser processing to our new joint team, as we build capability and develop vertical integration across the globe for the next generation of interventional devices."

Dr. Gillen will continue to lead the Dundalk operation and joins the AP Technologies leadership team. The Blueacre brand, the Dundalk facility, and active customer programs are unaffected by the transaction.

About AP Technologies

AP Technologies is a vertically integrated contract manufacturer of catheters and medical tubing, headquartered in Singapore with operations in Singapore, USA, China, Vietnam, and Ireland. The company partners with top-100 medical device OEMs developing the next generation of minimally invasive technologies. Capabilities span precision micro-tubing extrusion, etched PTFE liners, FEP heat shrink, braided and coiled shafts, finished catheter assembly, and now nitinol and precision laser processing. Learn more at ap-tech.com.

About Blueacre Technology

Blueacre Technology is a leader in laser micromachining and precision manufacturing for the medical device industry. Their capabilities include femtosecond and picosecond laser cutting, fibre laser tube cutting, laser welding, polymer ablation, micro-Swiss CNC machining, and electropolishing. Blueacre serves start-ups, contract manufacturers, and multinational medical device OEMs from early-stage R&D through volume production, supported by its Accel-LAB program for on-site rapid prototyping and process development.

Media Contacts

AP Technologies
Yunfan Zhang, Global Marketing Manager
[email protected]

Blueacre Technology
Olivia May Gillen, Commercial Director
[email protected]

SOURCE: AP Technologies

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

Curia Completes Upgrade of API Aseptic Suites in Valladolid, Spain

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ALBANY, N.Y., May 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Curia Global, Inc. (Curia), a leading global research, development and manufacturing organization, today announced the completion of its upgrade to its two aseptic suites in Valladolid, Spain. The $4 million dollar investment is in accordance with the EU’s GMP Annex 1 standards.

The central feature of the upgrade was the transition to a fully closed system, designed to strengthen process and product integrity while minimizing microbiological risk across all stages of production. Enhancements also focused on modernizing core equipment and systems, including the installation of advanced isolators, as well as upgrades to HVAC, pharmaceutical utilities, automation and sterilization-in-place processes.

“This investment at Valladolid reflects Curia’s commitment to delivering high-quality sterile manufacturing capabilities that align with the growth plans of our customers,” said Philip Macnabb, CEO of Curia. “These facility enhancements position us as a stronger partner when it comes to producing increasingly complex sterile products while maintaining the high standards of quality assurance that regulators and customers expect.”

By advancing its aseptic capabilities, Curia will be able to offer greater flexibility, reliability and speed. With advanced, fully closed processing and enhanced contamination control at its core, the Valladolid facility is positioned to deliver consistent, high-quality supply at scale—reinforcing Curia’s role as a partner of choice for critical sterile programs.

About Curia
Curia is a contract research, development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with over 30 years of experience, an integrated network of 20+ global sites and 3,100 employees partnering with biopharmaceutical customers to bring life-changing therapies to market. Our offerings in small molecule, generic APIs and biologics span discovery through commercialization, with integrated regulatory, analytical and sterile fill-finish capabilities. Our scientific and process experts, along with our regulatory-compliant facilities, provide a best-in-class experience across drug substance and drug product manufacturing. From curiosity to cure, we deliver every step to accelerate your research and improve patients’ lives. Visit us at curiaglobal.com.

Corporate Contact:
Viana Bhagan
Curia
+1 518 512 2111
[email protected]

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9721586

Curia Completes Upgrade of API Aseptic Suites in Valladolid, Spain

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ALBANY, N.Y., May 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Curia Global, Inc. (Curia), a leading global research, development and manufacturing organization, today announced the completion of its upgrade to its two aseptic suites in Valladolid, Spain. The $4 million dollar investment is in accordance with the EU’s GMP Annex 1 standards.

The central feature of the upgrade was the transition to a fully closed system, designed to strengthen process and product integrity while minimizing microbiological risk across all stages of production. Enhancements also focused on modernizing core equipment and systems, including the installation of advanced isolators, as well as upgrades to HVAC, pharmaceutical utilities, automation and sterilization-in-place processes.

“This investment at Valladolid reflects Curia’s commitment to delivering high-quality sterile manufacturing capabilities that align with the growth plans of our customers,” said Philip Macnabb, CEO of Curia. “These facility enhancements position us as a stronger partner when it comes to producing increasingly complex sterile products while maintaining the high standards of quality assurance that regulators and customers expect.”

By advancing its aseptic capabilities, Curia will be able to offer greater flexibility, reliability and speed. With advanced, fully closed processing and enhanced contamination control at its core, the Valladolid facility is positioned to deliver consistent, high-quality supply at scale—reinforcing Curia’s role as a partner of choice for critical sterile programs.

About Curia
Curia is a contract research, development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with over 30 years of experience, an integrated network of 20+ global sites and 3,100 employees partnering with biopharmaceutical customers to bring life-changing therapies to market. Our offerings in small molecule, generic APIs and biologics span discovery through commercialization, with integrated regulatory, analytical and sterile fill-finish capabilities. Our scientific and process experts, along with our regulatory-compliant facilities, provide a best-in-class experience across drug substance and drug product manufacturing. From curiosity to cure, we deliver every step to accelerate your research and improve patients’ lives. Visit us at curiaglobal.com.

Corporate Contact:
Viana Bhagan
Curia
+1 518 512 2111
[email protected]

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9721586

Risen Pharma Announces Initiation of Phase 2 Clinical Trial of RP902 for Mild Cognitive Impairment Due to Alzheimer’s Disease

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SHANGHAI, May 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Risen Pharma, a clinical-stage biotech company focusing on the development and commercialization of high-need, patient-accessible therapeutics, today announced the initiation of a Phase 2 clinical study in China of RP902, an oral small-molecule drug developed to address significant unmet medical needs in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

The Phase 2 clinical trial is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of RP902 in the treatment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s Disease. The primary endpoint is the change from baseline in the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale–Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) score.

The study is co-led by Professor Yi Tang from Xuanwu Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, and Professor Yongjun Wang from Beijing Tiantan Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting cognition and daily functioning. In China, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease among people aged 65 and above has reached 6.0%, with approximately 1 in every 17 individuals affected1, highlighting a significant unmet need for therapies with improved efficacy, safety, and patient adherence.

About RP902
RP902 is an oral small-molecule drug for AD, targeting patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s disease who are apolipoprotein E ε4 (ApoE ε4) carriers, with the potential to become a first-in-class disease-modifying therapy. ApoE ε4 carriers typically experience earlier disease onset and faster progression, with limited treatment options currently available.

Preclinical studies of RP902 have demonstrated it significantly inhibits neurotoxic Aβ oligomers and improves cognitive function. RP902 has completed Phase 1 clinical trials with favorable safety and tolerability and has initiated Phase 2 clinical studies (NCT07579884).

Compared with existing therapies, RP902 has the potential to delay disease progression, with a favorable safety profile and the convenience of oral administration, offering a differentiated treatment option for Alzheimer’s disease patients carrying the ApoE ε4 allele.

About Risen (Shanghai) Pharma Tech Co., Ltd.
Risen Pharma is an internationally competitive clinical-stage biotech company focusing on developing and commercializing highly-needed, patient-accessible therapeutics. The company’s integrated capabilities cover all stages of drug development, including lead identification and optimization, preclinical evaluation, clinical development, and commercialization. Risen specializes in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, leveraging small molecules, PROTACs, and siRNA technologies to develop a comprehensive therapeutic platform encompassing prevention through treatment. Based on strong in-house R&D capabilities, the company has advanced over 20 innovative drug candidates and built a differentiated pipeline in degenerative and metabolic diseases, autoimmune diseases, cancers, and infectious diseases.

Media Contact
Company Name: Risen (Shanghai) Pharma Tech Co., Ltd.
Contact Person: Wenbing Yu
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.risen-pharma.com/

References

  1. LI, Y. F., & JI, Y. (2026). Consensus on diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer’s disease. Chinese Journal of Contemporary Neurology & Neurosurgery, 26(2).

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9722014

Bitget Launches UEX Jumpstart Program With 430K USDT Rewards

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Bitget Launches UEX Jumpstart Program With 430K USDT Rewards

Bitget Launches UEX Jumpstart Program With 430K USDT Rewards

Bitget Launches UEX Jumpstart Program With 430K USDT Rewards

VICTORIA, Seychelles, May 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the world’s largest Universal Exchange (UEX), has launched the UEX Jumpstart Program, a multi-product onboarding initiative featuring a total prize pool of 430,000 USDT across crypto futures, precious metals, stocks and CFDs.

Running from May through June, the program is designed to introduce new users to Bitget’s expanding multi-asset ecosystem by bringing together activities across four major product lines under a unified framework. Rather than focusing on a single asset category, the initiative allows users to explore different markets while becoming familiar with how trading behavior is increasingly moving across asset classes.

The launch comes as global trading activity continues to diversify. Earlier this year, Bitget reported that non-crypto assets accounted for as much as 40% of total trading volume during Q1 2026, driven largely by commodities and traditional market products. More recently, the platform’s CFD business surpassed $8 billion in daily trading volume, with gold accounting for 95% of incremental growth, highlighting increasing user participation beyond crypto markets.

“Everyone is into diversification these days,” said Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget. “Someone looking at Bitcoin today may also be watching gold, stocks, or macro events tomorrow. UEX Jumpstart is really about helping users explore those opportunities in a multi-asset trading ecosystem.”

The UEX Jumpstart Program is structured around four market entry points, introducing users progressively to different segments of the Bitget ecosystem.

Users entering through Stock Weekly Jackpot can explore Bitget’s stock perpetual products with a 100,000 USDT reward pool, featuring incentives ranging from lifetime zero-fee trading cards to rewards linked to global equities such as Tesla and NVIDIA. The campaign is designed to introduce users to equity-linked trading products within the UEX environment.

For users interested in macro-driven opportunities, the CFD May Carnival opens access to contracts linked to broader financial markets through a 100,000 USDT prize pool. Participants completing onboarding activities receive guaranteed rewards while progressing through additional tasks unlocks larger incentives.

The program also introduces users to commodity trading through the Metals & Commodities Futures Promotion, backed by a 60,000 USDT reward pool centered around gold and commodity-linked products, including prizes denominated in XAUT (Tether Gold).

Completing the experience is Futures Rush, the program’s largest track with a 170,000 USDT monthly reward pool. Structured as a progressive challenge system, the campaign guides users through increasingly advanced futures trading activities with rewards including BTC, ETH, XAUT, and other digital assets.

Together, the four campaigns create a guided onboarding pathway across crypto, equities, commodities, and derivatives, reflecting how Bitget’s Universal Exchange model brings traditionally separate markets into one trading environment. As Bitget continues expanding into stocks, commodities, AI-powered trading, and tokenized assets, initiatives such as UEX Jumpstart reflect a broader shift toward exchanges designed around opportunity discovery rather than market silos.

About Bitget

Bitget is the world’s largest Universal Exchange (UEX), serving over 125 million users and offering access to over 2M crypto tokens, 100+ tokenized stocks, ETFs, commodities, FX, and precious metals such as gold. The ecosystem is committed to helping users trade smarter with its AI agent, which co-pilots trade execution. Bitget is driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships with LALIGA and MotoGP™. Aligned with its global impact strategy, Bitget has joined hands with UNICEF to support blockchain education for 1.1 million people by 2027. Bitget currently leads in the tokenized TradFi market, providing the industry’s lowest fees and highest liquidity across 150 regions worldwide.

For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord

For media inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/47a136e7-4281-4768-8847-1975850e5ef3

 

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1001182546

Amii Fuels Canada’s AI Momentum as Upper Bound Opens with 53% Growth and 11,000 Global Attendees.

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Canada’s fastest-growing AI event sells out a month in advance, cementing Edmonton as a global anchor for AI innovation and literacy

EDMONTON, Alberta, May 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Amii (Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute) today officially opens the fifth annual Upper Bound, the premier AI conference that has surpassed all projections to become a cornerstone of the global AI calendar. Welcoming 11,000 researchers, business leaders, and policymakers representing 22 countries, the event has seen a staggering 53% year-over-year surge in scale.

This momentum is fueled by sold-out event passes, a growing roster of community-led sessions, and K-9 school takeovers. This growing demand solidifies Amii’s role as a central pillar in Canada’s AI ecosystem. By connecting world-leading AI research with business leaders, policy-makers, founders, students and educators, Amii is moving beyond theory to transform an optimistic vision for AI into a tangible economic and social reality.

A Convergence of Global Leadership

Upper Bound 2026 features a high-level intersection of government and industry, including:

  • Federal & Provincial Leadership:
    • The Hon. Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence & Digital Innovation and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Agency of Southern Ontario, Government of Canada
    • The Hon. Eleanor Olszeweski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada
    • The Hon. Nate Glubish, Minister of Technology and Innovation, Government of Alberta
    • The Hon. Myles McDougall, Minister of Advanced Education, Government of Alberta
  • Industry Titans: On-stage insights and representation from global leaders at Google, Anthropic, Meta, Sony AI, Electronic Arts and Mozilla.

Scaling Canada’s AI Talent Pipeline

The event also serves as a unique immersive training experience for Amii’s massive national training initiatives. This year, Upper Bound welcomes participants from:

  • AI Workforce Readiness (AIWR) initiative: A $5M initiative supported by Google.org equipping 125,000 post-secondary students across 57 post-secondary institutions with AI skills.
  • AI Pathways: A $10.4M Government of Canada investment empowering 6,000 energy workers with tailored AI training for the low-carbon economy.

Quotes:

“Upper Bound has grown in tandem with the unprecedented acceleration of AI, from advancing world-class research to driving global business adoption and literacy. We are immensely proud to have built a premier platform where a unique cross-section of attendees can connect, ensuring that diverse perspectives shape the next five years of AI innovation. This is where an optimistic AI future is both imagined and realized.” – Cam Linke, Amii CEO

“Canada’s leadership in artificial intelligence is grounded in world-class research and a commitment to translating innovation into real economic impact. The overwhelming demand for Upper Bound reflects the appetite to engage with Canada’s AI ecosystem and the momentum we are building to position our country at the forefront of AI.” – The Hon. Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, Government of Canada.

Event attendees will dive deep into themes critical to the field’s future, including AI for Health, Generative AI for Business Productivity, Ethical Governance, AI Literacy & Education, Energy & the Environment, Blue Sky Research, and more. The program also features an exclusive CEO Circle curated by Cam Linke, designed to spotlight pivotal AI trends and strategic opportunities for today’s executive leaders.

Upper Bound takes place May 19-22 in Edmonton. Full schedule and early access for Upper Bound 2027 available at: www.upperbound.a

About Amii:
Amii (Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute) is one of Canada’s three National AI Institutes. Based in Alberta, Amii supports world-leading research in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) and translates scientific advancement into industry adoption. Amii is dedicated to advancing leading-edge research, delivering exceptional educational offerings, and providing business advice—all to bring AI out of the lab and into the world. www.amii.ca

Media Contact:
Lynda Vang, Media & Communications Manager, Amii
[email protected]

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9721573