John Hopkins University Atlantic Basin Policy Institute

HOUSTON, July 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Charles M. Balch, MD, FACS, FASCO is acknowledged as a Pinnacle Lifetime Member for his contributions to Surgical Oncology and Medical Education. Dr. Charles M. Balch stands as a beacon of excellence in the fields of surgical oncology and medical education, with a global impact that spans continents. With a diverse background and unparalleled expertise, Dr. Balch has dedicated his career to advancing the treatment of cancer and shaping the future of medical professionals worldwide. Continue Reading Charles M Balch, MD, FACS, FASCO Dr. Balch's journey began with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, with a minor in chemistry, from the University of Toledo in Ohio. He furthered his education with a prestigious MD from Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, followed by extensive training in general surgical residency at renowned institutions such as Duke University Medical Center and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Balch honed his skills through specialized fellowships in immunology at the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, as well as clinical administrative research with the National Institutes of Health. As a board-certified surgeon with more than 49 years in the medical field, Dr. Balch's impact extends far beyond the operating room. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and has held leadership positions in numerous prestigious organizations, including serving as Past President of the Society of Surgical Oncology and Chair of the executive committee for the Commission on Cancer. His contributions to melanoma staging as Chair of the melanoma staging committee for the American Joint Committee on Cancer have been instrumental in advancing cancer care worldwide. A leading authority in both melanoma and breast cancer, as well as immunotherapy, Dr. Balch has made significant contributions to laboratory research in tumor immunology and human T lymphocyte differentiation. He is the author of more than 840 publications which have been cited more than 35,000 times in the biomedical literature (an average of 75 citations per article, h-index of 89). In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Balch has been deeply involved in medical education and research throughout his career. He has served as Executive Vice President and CEO for the American Society of Clinical Oncology and played pivotal roles in organizations such as the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the Association for Academic Surgeons. Dr. Balch's commitment to education is further evidenced by his involvement with the founding boards of the NASA Space Center in Houston and the NASA Astronaut Medical Standards Committee. A renowned and exceptional leader in multiple arenas, Dr. Balch is the Founding Editor-in-Chief Emeritus of the Annals of Surgical Oncology, which is recognized as the leading journal in the world in its field, with more than 11,000 surgical and library subscribers in 110 countries; Co-Editor-in-Chief of Chinese Clinical Oncology; Founding Editor-in-Chief of Patient Resource Cancer Guides now in its 15th year, which distributes nearly one million cancer guides (with 51 different titles) to cancer patients each year; President of Cancer Expert Now International; President of International Sentinel Node Society; Professor and Past-Chair of Surgery of the Department of Surgical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. He is the former Executive Vice-President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Alexandria, Virginia; President and CEO, City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California; Professor of Surgery, Oncology and Dermatology; Deputy Director for Clinical Trials and Outcomes Research; Director of Johns Hopkins Clinical Research Network Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore, Maryland. Further, Dr. Balch has served on The American Board of Surgery (Board of Directors); the Association of Academic Surgeons (President); The International Sentinel Node Society (as President); the Commission on Cancer (Chair, Board of Directors); the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (Founding Board of Directors); and the American Joint Committee on Cancer (Executive Committee). He holds honorary memberships in 12 national surgical organizations (including the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons; the Japan Surgical Society; the National Academy of Medicine of Mexico; and the European Society of Surgical Oncology); a Ph.D degree (honora causa) from the University of Crete; a Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Association of Surgical Oncology; National Academy of Medicine of Mexico Honorary Member; Professor Emeritus from John Hopkins University; and the Highest Alumni Award from his alma mater, The University of Toledo. The doctor has lectured in more than 42 different countries in the world and most of the major academic centers in the United States. As one of the leading melanoma experts in the world, Dr. Balch is the editor of Cutaneous Melanoma, regarded as the authoritative textbook on melanoma, now in its 6th edition through Spring Publications. His contributions to the melanoma literature include over 147 published articles, 6 books, and 154 book chapters or invited educational articles regarding his clinical investigations involving the natural history of melanoma, prognostic factors predicting clinical outcome, and standards of surgical treatment. He has published extensively on the conduct and methodology of clinical research. Dr Balch, Dr Seng-jaw Soong and colleagues performed one of the first prognostic factors analysis for melanoma in a landmark paper which was the first to use the Cox multifactorial regression analysis. They were the first to identify the major prognostic factors for Stage I, II and III melanoma that were the independent predictor of survival, including melanoma ulceration as a key predictor of metastases and interferon sensitivity. Their research on the natural history and predictive factors of melanoma clinical outcome essentially redefined the criteria now used worldwide for stratification criteria and end results reporting of clinical trials as well as TNM staging for melanoma. Dr. Balch is an acclaimed expert in the area of breast cancer and was one of the co-co-principal investigators of the only randomized surgical trial that compared Halsted radical mastectomy with modified radical mastectomy and was one of the pioneers of skin-sparing mastectomies followed by immediate breast reconstruction. As a distinguished professional in immunology research, he was the first to demonstrate that T lymphocytes were bone marrow derived and then processed in the thymus, and first described T lymphocyte distribution in various animal species including rats, guinea pigs, rabbits and monkeys. He was also the first to describe human NK and T Cell differentiation antigens, including the widely studied CD57 lymphocyte antigen. He has numerous articles about tumor and transplantation immunology, with more than 100 scientific publications and book chapters. Dr. Balch attributes much of his success to the guidance and mentorship of esteemed figures in medicine, including the late Dr. Donald Morton, Dr. John R. Durant, and Dr. R. Lee Clark, Jr. Their influence has shaped his approach to patient care, research, and leadership. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Dr. Balch is deeply involved in his communities, serving as an Elder and member of multiple churches. He also contributes to humanitarian efforts as Chair of the Board of Directors for Undying Hope International. As Dr. Balch continues to leave an indelible mark on the field of surgical oncology and medical education, his legacy of excellence and compassion serves as an inspiration to all who have the privilege of working alongside him. Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected] SOURCE The Inner Circle

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Spruce Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPRB), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel therapies for rare endocrine disorders with significant unmet medical need, today announced that three submitted abstracts were accepted for the 106th Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society (ENDO 2024) taking place June 1-4, 2024, in Boston. In a poster presentation, the company will present final results from its Phase 2 POWER study of tildacerfont for the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In two other poster presentations, the company will highlight the comorbidities associated with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and standard of care treatment, as well as the need to formalize transitionary care between pediatric and adult endocrinology practices to improve biochemical outcomes that reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality in adults with CAH. ENDO 2024 Poster Presentation Details Title: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Dose Escalation Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Tildacerfont in Adult Subjects with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Elevated Adrenal Androgens Session Title: P058 – Reproductive Endocrinology: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Session Date & Time: 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. ET on June 2, 2024 Presenter: Ricardo Azziz, M.D., M.B.A., M.P.H., Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine Authors: Yvette M. Poindexter, M.D., FACOG, M.B.A.; Maralisa Vanandel, BCPA, Daniel A. Dumesic, M.D.; Ricardo Azziz, M.D., M.B.A., M.P.H.; Richard Joseph Auchus, M.D., Ph.D.; Will Charlton, M.D.; Saba Sile, M.D.; Lubna Pal, MBBS, FRCOG Title: Impact of Geography and Insurance on Healthcare Utilization Preferences of Individuals with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Session Title: P023 – Adrenal (Excluding Mineralocorticoids): Health Disparities in Adrenal Session Date & Time: 12:15 – 1:45 p.m. ET on June 1, 2024 Presenter: Prasanth Surampudi, M.D., Associate Professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at U.C. Davis School of Medicine Authors: Prasanth Surampudi, M.D.; Amir Hamrahian, M.D.; Will Charlton, M.D.; PJ Ramtin; Mitchell Geffner, M.D. Title: The Treatment May Be Worse Than the Disease: The Real-World Clinical Burden of Disease and Treatment in Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Session Title: P023 – Adrenal (Excluding Mineralocorticoids): Health Disparities in Adrenal Session Date & Time: 12:15 – 1:45 p.m. ET on June 1, 2024 Presenter: Wenyu Huang, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Molecular Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and Amir Hamrahian, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at John Hopkins University Authors: Wenyu Huang, M.D., Ph.D.; Will Charlton, M.D.; Saba Sile, M.D.; Christopher Dieyi, M.B.A., M.P.H.; Shayna Adams, M.P.H.; Jason Maynard, Ph.D.; Chris Barnes, Ph.D.; Amir Hamrahian, M.D. The poster presentations will be available on the company’s website at the time of their respective poster sessions. Access more information about ENDO 2024 here. About Spruce Biosciences Spruce Biosciences is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel therapies for rare endocrine disorders with significant unmet medical need. Spruce is initially developing its wholly-owned product candidate, tildacerfont, as the potential first non-steroidal therapy for patients suffering from classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and other endocrine disorders. To learn more, visit and follow us on Twitter/X @Spruce_Bio, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

FRISCO, Texas, Feb. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Baird Medical Devices, Inc. ("Baird Medical" or the "Company"), a leading microwave ablation ("MWA") medical device developer and provider in China and the United States, today announced that it is accelerating its expansion in the United States through senior hires, key partnerships, and capacity building initiatives to support its business. The Company has experienced rapid momentum in the United States during the fourth quarter of 2023, in particular after receiving the U.S. FDA's clearance to market its MWA systems and technology on November 22, 2023. Christian Chilcott has been appointed as Chief Commercial Officer, Americas, to drive growth. A seasoned medical device executive with two decades of industry experience building and operating organizations focused on minimally invasive, interventional procedures in the field of Interventional Radiology, he brings extensive experience in the areas of soft tissue biopsy, oncology, and the peripheral vasculature. Mr. Chilcott is building a team across the U.S. to support business expansion including recent hires in New York, Louisiana, Texas, Florida, and California. "I am very excited to join Baird Medical at this critical time," said Christian Chilcott, Chief Commercial Officer, Americas, of Baird Medical. "It is essential that this market understands what makes MWA superior, safe, and the preferred choice of procedure for patients who have access. There is much work to do, but we're encouraged by the physician and patient feedback so far." Since the inaugural procedure was conducted on January 12th by Dr. Alizera Falahati, there has been a steady increase in the number of procedures successfully conducted in the U.S. by leaders in the field of thyroid disease, including Endocrine Surgeon and Director of Robotic Surgery, Dr. Rasa Zarnegar of Weill Cornell Medicine and Dr. Raymond Yung, an Otolaryngologist and the founder of three specialty clinics in New York City. Dr. Yung practices surgery at NYU Langone Health where he also trains surgical residents. Advocacy from these influential physicians offers a strong testament to the preferred procedural approach that MWA offers to both providers and patients alike. On February 2nd, Baird Medical hosted these luminaries and others during the North American Society of Interventional Thyroidology (NASIT) Annual Meeting. NASIT welcomed major medical institutions, including John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center, Columbia University Medical Center, Tulane University Medical Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, and the NYU School of Medicine to deepen industry best practices and develop high-impact relationships. An important aspect of NASIT was convening medical professionals to offer education on employing the MWA procedure to both raise awareness and ensure safety as the technology becomes increasingly available. Baird Medical offers a rigorous medical education program to build industry capacity and safety as a critical part of its business development. Physician exchange programs have also received positive feedback and fostered high confidence in the new medical procedure. "We are so glad to receive such positive interest and feedback from our partner physicians who hail from both the Unites States and Europe," said Ms. Haimei Wu, Founder and CEO of Baird Medical. "Entering a mature medical market like the United States requires that we take our time to do it well. This means education and safety is the priority." Baird Medical will announce more initiatives in the coming months commensurate with its U.S. commercial expansion. About Baird Medical Established in 2012 and headquartered in Guangzhou, China, Baird Medical is a leading microwave ablation (MWA) medical device manufacturer and provider in China and the United States. Baird Medical's proprietary medical devices are used for the treatment of benign and malignant tumors including thyroid nodules, liver cancer, lung cancer and breast lumps. Baird Medical is the first company to obtain a Class III medical devices registration certificate for MWA medical devices specifically indicated for thyroid nodules in China. For more information, please visit . Forward-Looking Statements This communication contains "forward-looking statements." Such statements include statements concerning anticipated future events and expectations that are not historical facts. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "target", "estimate", "continue", "positions", "plan", "predict", "project", "forecast", "guidance", "goal", "objective", "prospects", "possible" or "potential" by future conditional verbs such as "assume", "will", "would", "should", "could" or "may" or by variations of such words or by similar expressions or the negative thereof. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements based on a number of factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. Baird Medical does not assume any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement after it is made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Contacts Investor Relations Robin Yang, Partner ICR, LLC Phone: +1 (646) 308-1475 Email: [email protected] Public Relations Brad Burgess, Senior Vice President ICR, LLC Phone: +1 (646) 588-0383 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Baird Medical Devices, Inc.