Daily Business Report-Dec. 23, 2020
Holland America’s Koningsdam cruise ship. (Credit: Holland America)
Cruise ships coming to San Diego,
but with no passengers aboard
and no sailings planned at this time
Cruise ships are scheduled to return to the Port of San Diego this week and through the new year, but they won’t be carrying or admitting passengers. Their arrival is part of an effort by the cruise lines to reestablish ships in U.S. waters as a prerequisite to resume cruising in a post-COVID-19 world.
Five Holland America Line ships and one Princess Cruises ship are scheduled to arrive beginning Wednesday, periodically docking at the B Street Cruise Terminal for fuel, food, supplies and services. At this time, none of the vessels will be carrying passengers or conducting any sailings, according to local port officials.
To resume cruises after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention deems it safe in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the ships must reestablish operations in United States waters to meet CDC and U.S. Coast Guard guidelines.
Crew members aboard the vessels will not be allowed off unless as part of crew changes with plans and procedures reviewed and approved by the CDC, Coast Guard, CBP, and County HHS. All crew members will be regularly tested for COVID-19 and health procedures will be followed in the event of an infection.
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Gov. Newsom appoints Secretary of State Alex Padilla
as California’s next senator
Times of San Diego and CalMatters
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday that he will appoint Secretary of State Alex Padilla to be California’s next senator to fill the term being vacated by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
The governor’s chosen successor to Harris is a tech-minded voting rights booster, a Latino who came of age during the nativist political upheaval of the 1990s and a longtime Newsom loyalist.
Padilla, who previously served as a Los Angeles city councilman and state senator, will become the first Latino to represent California in the Senate and the first Southern Californian in nearly three decades.
“The son of Mexican immigrants — a cook and house cleaner — Alex Padilla worked his way from humble beginnings to the halls of MIT, the Los Angeles City Council and the State Senate, and has become a national defender of voting rights as California’s Secretary of State. Now, he will serve in the halls of our nation’s Capitol as California’s next United States Senator, the first Latino to hold this office,” said Newsom.
During his two terms as Secretary of State, Padilla, 47, has emerged as a national leader in the effort to expand voting rights. UnderPadilla’s leadership, voter registration has risen to an all-time high of over 22 million Californians.
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Illumina upgraded to Overweight by Piper Sandler
genomeweb
Piper Sandler on Tuesday upgraded its rating for Illumina to Overweight with a new price target of $415, following conversations with the management teams of Illumina and cancer diagnostics firm Grail, which Illumina is in the process of acquiring.
In a note to investors, Piper Sandler analysts Steven Mah and Rachel Vatnsdal wrote that the upgrade reflects “increased confidence in Grail and [Illumina’s] core NGS business.”
Specifically, they were encouraged by clinical trial data for Grail’s early-detection Galleri test for various cancer types. The test, they wrote, “could result in many more cancer patients being identified” and could help identify a cancer’s tissue or origin. Grail is expected to launch Galleri as a lab-developed test in 2021 at a price between $600 and $900. In addition, they pointed to Grail’s other two tests in development, the DAC (Diagnostic Aid for Cancer) for patients with cancer-like symptoms, to be launched in the second half of 2021, and the MRD (Minimal Residual Disease) test.
Illumina said in September that it would acquire Grail for $8 billion in cash and stock, a deal expected to close in late 2021. Following that announcement, JP Morgan and UBS each downgraded Illumina to a Neutral rating.
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Northrop Grumman completes
first flight for Global Hawk
Ground Station Modernization Program
Northrop Grumman has successfully completed the first flight for the Global Hawk Ground Station Modernization Program (GSMP), the company reported.
“New, modern ground stations for Global Hawk will significantly improve the system and allow operators to more efficiently deliver timely ISR data to warfighters and connect the joint force through its global communications node mission,” said Leslie Smith, vice president Global Hawk, Northrop Grumman.
Smith said Global Hawk ground stations will enhance operator experience, featuring new cockpit displays, the ability to fly all Global Hawk variants without software or configuration changes, simpler maintenance interfaces and improved situational awareness and environmental conditions for pilots and sensor operators.
Global Hawk collects ISR data to allow decision makers to act faster with more accurate information.
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UC SanDiego researchers to expand program
to prevent DUI of alcohol, cannabis and drugs
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine will expand a statewide program to prevent driving under the influence of alcohol, cannabis and prescription drugs. With funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the UC San Diego Training, Research and Education for Driving Safety Program (TREDS) provides education and resources to teach the public about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs in an effort to keep our roadways safe.
In addition to alcohol, driving under the influence of cannabis and certain prescription or over-the-counter medications has rapidly become a serious traffic safety issue in the United States, especially during the global COVID-19 pandemic.
An NHTSA study conducted at five hospital trauma centers between March and July of 2020 found that nearly two-thirds of seriously or fatally injured road users tested positive for at least one active drug, including alcohol, cannabis or opioids. The number of drivers that tested positive for opioids or cannabis dramatically increased after mid-March compared to the previous six months.
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Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors
announces 2021 board of directors
The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR), one of the largest real estate trade groups for San Diego-area Realtors with 3,500 members, has announced its board of directors serving during the 2021 calendar year.
Ditas Yamane will serve as 2021 PSAR board president, succeeding Robert Cromer, who will serve as past president. Max Zaker and Sam Calvano will serve in 2021 as president-elect and secretary-treasurer, respectively.
Directors serving on the 2021 PSAR board will include Mike Anderson, Yvonne Cromer, Merrie Espina, Jason Lopez, Laurie MacDonald, Peter Mendiola, Rafael Perez, Amy Ruiz, Amber Tannehill and Mike White. Andrea Martino will serve as the affiliate director.
Founded in 1928, PSAR operates service centers in Chula Vista, El Cajon and Clairemont. Services include California Regional MLS services, educational training classes, advocacy and resources for realtors, including lock boxes and signage. For information, visit www.PSAR.org.
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Kevin Han named chief financial
officer for Biological Dynamics
Biological Dynamics Inc. has named Kevin Han as its new chief financial officer, a veteran life science industry investor. Han joins the company following an accomplished career in equity research, investment management and investor relations, specifically focused on the life science tools, diagnostics, and medical technology sectors.
“As an executive team member, Kevin will have an immediate impact on Biological Dynamics’ overall work and strategy — to support the development and commercialization of our technologies for early cancer detection,” said CEO Raj Krishnan.
Previously, Han led investor relations, corporate communications and corporate sustainability strategies at Bio-Rad Laboratories. During his tenure, he developed and implemented a comprehensive investor relations program and served as a strategic thought partner on corporate strategy, business development, forecasting, and long-term planning.
Prior to Bio-Rad, Han was a portfolio manager for Lombard Odier Asset Management, BlueCrest Capital Management, and Visium Asset Management. Han started his career at Morgan Stanley, and later Goldman Sachs, where he covered the medical technology and diagnostics sectors and contributed to teams named #1 and Best Up & Comer by Institutional Investor.
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Bumble Bee Seafoods recognized
for Best New Packaging Re-Design
Bumble Bee Seafoods has been recognized by NOSH.com’s annual “Best Of” Awards for the bold and fresh re-design of the brand’s iconic tuna cans, pouches and snack kits. Each year, NOSH’s annual “Best Of” Awards are presented to honor the companies, brands, individuals, products, ideas and trends that are shaping the food industry.
The package re-design was created by San Diego’s Bex Brands. Bumble Bee and Bex Brands began work on the re-design in June 2019 with a series of consumer focus groups. The new design features the slogan “Bee Well for Life” as a nod to the brand’s re-imagined health and wellness positioning and to the bright future of the company. The new package began to debut on grocery store shelves in April 2020.
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San Diego Downtown high-rise
earns top ENERGY STAR certification
EMMES Realty Services of California LLC said its downtown San Diego building, 2 Columbia Place, earned a top ENERGY STAR certification of 90. The score means the 12-story office building is more energy efficient than 90 percent of similar properties nationwide.
“Improving the energy efficiency of our nation’s buildings is critical to protecting our environment,” said Jean Lupinacci, chief of the ENERGY STAR Commercial & Industrial Branch. “From the boiler room to the board room, organizations are leading the way by making their buildings more efficient and earning EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification.”
ENERGY STAR certified buildings and plants operate among the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide.
To earn the ENERGY STAR, buildings have to meet strict energy performance standards set by EPA. Specifically, they must perform better than at least 75 percent of similar buildings nationwide.
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County receives first shipment
of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine
The County of San Diego on Monday received its first deliveries of the second COVID-19 vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The Moderna vaccine was approved by the FDA for emergency use late last week and by the Advisory Committee to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The county received 20,000 doses in this first shipment of the first allocation of 43,700 Moderna vaccines to the region. Some local health care systems had vaccines shipped directly to them. These 43,700 doses of Moderna’s vaccine are in addition to the roughly 28,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine that started arriving in San Diego County last week.
Like the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna vaccine requires two doses for each recipient. Healthcare providers will ensure that recipients receive both doses from the same manufacturer, appropriately spaced apart.
Moderna’s vaccines are administered 28 days apart, while Pfizer’s vaccine is given 21 days apart. The initial doses of both vaccines will be distributed based on Phase 1A – Tier 1 guidelines.
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ChromaCode named finalist
in XPRIZE Rapid Covid Testing competition
ChromaCode Inc. of Carlsbad announced that the company has been named a finalist in the $6 million XPRIZE Rapid Covid Testing competition, a six-month competition to develop faster, cheaper and easier-to-use COVID-19 testing methods at scale.
ChromaCode’s testing solution is based on the company’s HDPCR — or high-definition PCR — technology. HDPCR is a cost-effective upgrade of real-time PCR that utilizes digital signal processing, enhanced PCR reagents and cloud-based software to increase testing efficiency dramatically.
“Fast, affordable and accessible testing is crucial to containing the COVID-19 pandemic and safely reopening schools, businesses and other vital institutions around the world,” said Anousheh Ansari, CEO of XPRIZE.
“From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, ChromaCode’s goal has been to enable fast and affordable testing at scale,” said Greg Gosch, ChromaCode’s co-founder, president and CEO. “We’re honored and excited to be selected as an XPRIZE finalist and look forward to working on our shared objectives.”
