Day: September 20, 2022

Mark Russo along with Steve Forbes, CEO and Founder of Forbes Media LLC, and Michael Sheppard, unveiled Michelangelo’s original pure silver Pietà as the world’s largest pure silver casting on July 13th, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada

Michelangelo’s original Pietà in Pure Silver

BATTLE GROUND, Wash., Sept. 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Treasure Investments Corporation (TIC) has completed the grand endeavor of producing the single largest .999 pure silver sculpture ever created of the original Pietà by Michelangelo Buonarroti. TIC has been given the exclusive rights to cast number 1 of 1 and only one ever to be created in pure silver. The exclusive rights to the posthumous original masterpiece are authenticated by Casa Buonarroti Museum and Foundation with the red waxes poured from the original mold at the historic Fonderia Artistica Ferdinando Marinelli in Florence, Italy. The Marinelli Foundry was given access to the Vatican prior to World War II when Pope Pius XI summoned Marinelli Sr. with concern over looming war and the possibility of theft or damage of the Vatican’s priceless art collections. Marinelli Foundry, specifically Ferdinando Marinelli Sr, was given the honor of creating master molds of plaster, right from the original marble sculptures, one of which is entitled the Pietà created by Michelangelo in 1499.

“We believe the Pietà in pure silver, as a one-of-one original and the largest pure silver sculpture ever created with empirical provenance to support the piece, could exceed 100 million USD,” said Mark Russo, CEO & Founder of Treasure Investments Corp.

It is from this original master mold that Marinelli poured a flawless red wax which was inspected and examined by Casa Buonarroti for TIC and found to be perfectly compliant with Michelangelo’s original. In a letter written to TIC from the Foundation of Casa Buonarroti, Dr. Alessandro Cecchi, the Director of the museum and the highest authority of authentication for the Foundation of Michelangelo, affixed its coat of arms and the Lily of Florence, authorizing Treasure Investments to produce one and only one silver posthumous original casting of the Pietà.

These waxes were shipped by air from Florence, Italy, and received at the TIC headquarters and new renaissance art museum, “Museo Michelangelo” in Battle Ground, WA. “It was an incredible day for everyone at the headquarters when the Pietà waxes showed up; it’s not every day you receive original Michelangelo’s from Italy,” said Mark Russo, CEO of TIC.

Treasure Investments Corporation purchased the exclusive rights to cast over 72 European masterpieces in precious metals from the Vatican collections; including works by Michelangelo, Canova, Apollonius of Nestor, Bernini, and others. Obtaining these rights allow TIC to be the only entity authorized to create these pieces in pure Silver, Gold, and Platinum. All of which will be only one-of-one and will be considered posthumous originals.

The Pietà by Michelangelo, now complete and cast in .999 pure silver, weighs an astonishing 20,021 ounces making it the single largest pure silver sculpture ever created. When asked about the Pietà‘s value in pure silver, Mark Russo stated, “We believe that the Pietà by Michelangelo in pure silver, as a one-of-one original and the largest pure silver sculpture ever created with empirical provenance to support the piece, could exceed 100 million USD in value and whomever the person or institution that makes the purchase has an incredible investment opportunity, as we believe that the true value is much higher than that.”

TIC has been casting large sculptures in pure silver for the last 5 years. Most of the pieces weigh over 1000 ounces and are among the collection by famous artist Lorenzo Ghiglieri (1931-2020). The images cast in precious metals are primarily from his eagle collections and other wildlife pieces. In the last 2 years, Treasure has produced over 45,000 ounces of sculpture in silver from our vast master mold collection. “We knew we wanted to cast the largest silver piece ever done but needed to find the right piece. When we asked our team what that image should be, we all asked the right questions. Who is the most famous artist in human history? And what are the most famous sculptures in human history? It was easy to find that Michelangelo was at the top of the list for artists and the Pietà as one of the most famous sculptures in history. The hardest question to answer was would it ever be possible to do, let alone get permission, access to the molds, and obtain the true and empirical provenance to support the validity and authentication of the original work?” said Russo. The Pietà selected is a work of Renaissance sculpture by Michelangelo Buonarroti, housed in St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City. It is the first of a number of works of the same theme by the artist. The statue was commissioned for the French Cardinal Jean de Bilhères, who was the French ambassador in Rome.

After several years of hard work, an undisclosed amount of cash, and a trip to Florence, Italy, Treasure Investments’ wish came true to begin the production of original masterpieces in pure silver from the Vatican collections. “For us, it was a dream come true. The result of an amazing amount of hard work and dedication to what we love,” says Jason Dilling, President of Sales for Treasure Investments Corp.

Due to the complexity and the nearly impossible challenge to cast and create the largest pure silver sculpture in history from the original waxes, Mark knew who to work with to make this dream a reality. Mark contacted Rip Caswell, the owner of Firebird bronze in Troutdale, OR. “Rip, a world-famous sculpture artist himself has an amazing gift of creation. His wildlife pieces and other spectacular masterworks have been in the fine art and foundry business for decades. Rip’s incredible team at Firebird Bronze has over 400 years of experience in the casting business and is probably the only one qualified to cast Michelangelo’s works in pure silver. I knew Rip Caswell was the perfect person to help bring this project to fruition. His eye for perfection and his talent as an artist made the Michelangelo Pietà casting in silver one of the most impressive sculptures in human history,” said Mark Russo.

When asked what the next piece TIC is going to create in pure silver and how can they ever top the Pietà? Russo’s answer was, “The David, by Michelangelo. Can you imagine that piece in pure silver standing over 19′ in height?”

Treasure Investments has already begun the production of the original David sculpture by Michelangelo. Arguably the most famous art piece in history and TIC will be producing this sculpture in pure .999 fine silver. The red waxes have already been poured and will be sent to TIC headquarters this fall. Treasure Investments expects to unveil the piece to the world sometime next year and when finished, will stand nearly 19′ in height and weigh an estimated 80,000 ounces of pure silver.

Treasure Investments Corp dba Foundry Michelangelo, “The Source for the world’s greatest fine art masterpieces,” creates original sculptures from small desktop collectibles to larger-than-life heroic monuments cast in bronze, pure silver, and gold. The company’s master mold collection contains thousands of original molds from world-famous artists, including Benvenuto Cellini, C.M. Russell, Edgar Degas, Bill Toma, Auguste Rodin, Ghiglieri, Bernini, and Michelangelo. For more information, visit FoundryMichelangelo.com.

Contact Information:
Mark Russo
CEO, Founder
info@treasureinvestmentscorp.com
01 360 954 5453

Related Images

Image 1: Michelangelo’s original Pietà in Pure Silver

Mark Russo with Michelangelo’s original Pietà cast as the largest pure silver sculpture ever created

Image 2: Mark Russo | Firebird Bronze | Red Waxes of Michelangelo’s Pietà

Mark Russo with Firebird Bronze Foundry owner Rip Caswell and Museo Michelangelo Museum Curator Madison Brower at the foundry carefully removing the Original Red Waxes of Pietà from Florence, Italy

Image 3: The David by Michelangelo | Pure Silver | Treasure Investments Corp Exclusive

The David by Michelangelo to be cast in Pure Silver with an estimated weight of 80,000 ounces as a Treasure Investments Corp Exclusive (Currently in Production)

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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• Michelangelo’s original Pietà in Pure Silver

New UN Global Compact Patron & Sponsor companies announced ahead of Uniting Business Live 2022

United Nations, New York, Sept. 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The United Nations Global Compact is pleased to announce new additions to the group of Patron and Sponsor companies who have displayed their ongoing commitment to the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Enel, as a Patron, and RELX, as a Sponsor, have committed to supporting the UN Global Compact’s work on Governance and SDG 16.

The UN Global Compact Patron and Sponsor companies recognized today are highly engaged participants of the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative and support the programmatic rollout of accelerator programmes, peer learning groups, think labs, and e-learning tools on the SDGs, across topics including  Gender Equality, Climate Change, Human Rights and Labour Rights.

The Patrons’ financial and in-kind support helps make it possible to deliver these programmes through UN Global Compact Local Networks in 69 countries, with an emphasis on supporting small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) around the world on their sustainability journey.

“Patron and Sponsor companies represent the highest level of engagement with the UN Global Compact and are key to implementing our 2021–2023 strategy, which is focused on accelerating and scaling the global collective impact of business. We thank our Patrons and Sponsors and welcome others to join us to deliver impact at scale globally through the upholding of the Ten Principles,” said Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General and CEO of the UN Global Compact.

To be eligible for Patron and Sponsor recognition, companies must demonstrate a commitment to the UN Global Compact and its Ten Principles, display strong performance in the sustainability area they are sponsoring and commit to funding and working on the programme for a minimum of two years.

The initial group of 2022–23 Global Compact Patron and Sponsor companies are:

Gender Equality:

Patron: L’Oreal

Sponsors: Mary Kay,  Project Management Institute

Labour Rights:

Patron: Schneider Electric

Sponsors: McCormick & Co, UPM, L’Oreal, Firmenich

Climate:

Patrons: Iberdrola, AIA Group

Sponsors: Schneider Electric, Moody’s

Governance: 

Patron: Enel

Sponsor: RELX

SDG Integration:

Patrons: 3M, SAP, Project Management Institute

SME Engagement:

Patron: CEMEX

Sponsor: Safaricom

About the United Nations Global Compact

As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Our ambition is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 15,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and 69 Local Networks, the UN Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative — one Global Compact uniting business for a better world.

For more information, follow @globalcompact on social media and visit our website at unglobalcompact.org

Media Contact:  Alex Gee, gee@unglobalcompact.org

UN Global Compact Media
United Nations Global Compact
(212) 907-1301
media@unglobalcompact.org

–6th approved indication of toripalimab in China, bringing more treatment options to patients with advanced NSCLC

SHANGHAI, China, Sept. 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co., Ltd (“Junshi Biosciences”, HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180), a leading innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies, announced today that the China National Medical Products Administration (“NMPA”) has approved the supplemental new drug application (“sNDA”) for toripalimab in combination with pemetrexed and platinum as the first-line treatment in EGFR mutation-negative and ALK mutation-negative, unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (“NSCLC”). This is the sixth indication approved for toripalimab in China and will bring more treatment options to Chinese patients with advanced NSCLC.

“We are very pleased that toripalimab’s first indication for the treatment of lung cancer has been approved, which means we will be able to help more patients fight against malignant tumors with the highest incidence and mortality rates in China,” said Dr. Jianjun Zou, Global Research and Development President at Junshi Biosciences. “We are particularly grateful to our patients, researchers, and R&D teams that participated in the clinical trials, whose efforts and contributions allowed our study to progress during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to advocate for the use of toripalimab in the treatment of lung cancer as well as other cancers, and we hope to provide many more patients with better treatment options and greater survival benefits as soon as possible!”

Professor Jie Wang from the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences elaborated on toripalimab’s performance in clinical trials. “In China, the number of lung cancer patients is massive and so is the demand for treatment. The CHOICE-01 study provided us with reliable and substantiating data, confirming that the addition of toripalimab to standard first-line chemotherapy can bring longer progression-free survival (“PFS”) and overall survival (“OS”) to patients with advanced NSCLC, regardless of PD-L1 expression and with a manageable safety profile. For patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC, published data reveal that the 2-year OS rate is around 50%, and according to the CHOICE-01 study results, toripalimab in combination with chemotherapy is the only PD-(L)1 inhibitor combination in this field that can achieve a 2-year OS rate of more than 60%, not to mention a 50% decrease in risk of death, indicating that toripalimab plus standard chemotherapy can significantly increase survival benefits for patients. We are excited for toripalimab’s continuous contribution to the battle against lung cancer!”

Between April 2, 2019 to August 5, 2020, the CHOICE-01 study enrolled a total of 465 NSCLC patients in 63 centers in China, among which 245 non-squamous NSCLC patients were randomly allocated in the ratio of 2:1 to receive toripalimab/placebo in combination with pemetrexed and cisplatin/carboplatin. After disease progression, eligible control subjects could receive crossover treatment with toripalimab monotherapy. Previously, the latest research results of the CHOICE-01 study were announced at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (“ASCO”) Plenary Series March Program and the ASCO annual meeting. The study data showed that compared to chemotherapy alone, toripalimab in combination with chemotherapy in the first-line treatment of patients with advanced NSCLC without EGFR/ALK mutations can significantly improve the PFS and the OS of patients with a manageable safety profile regardless of PD-L1 expression status.

As of October 31, 2021, in 245 non-squamous NSCLC patients, the median PFS of toripalimab in combination with chemotherapy was 9.7 months, which was 4.2 months longer than placebo in combination with chemotherapy (HR = 0.48 [95% CI: 0.35-0.66], p < 0.0001); the median OS of toripalimab in combination with the chemotherapy group has yet to be reached, while OS benefits had already been observed, reducing the risk of death by 52% (HR=0.48 [95%CI: 0.32-0.71]).

About NSCLC
Lung cancer is currently the second most prevalent malignant tumor with the highest mortality rate in the world^[1], and the most prevalent with the highest mortality rate in China^[2]. According to data released by the World Health Organization, in 2020, the number of new lung cancer cases in China amounted to 816,000 and accounted for 17.9% of all new cancer cases in China^[2]. In the same year, the number of lung cancer deaths in China amounted to 715,000 and accounted for 23.8% of all cancer deaths in China^[2]. NSCLC is a major subtype of lung cancer, accounting for approximately 85% of all cases^[3]. Non-squamous NSCLC patients account for approximately 70% of all NSCLC patients^[4]. Existing domestic and overseas studies have shown that the use of anti-PD-(L)1 monoclonal antibodies as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy has already become new standard for the first-line treatment of advanced driver gene-negative NSCLC.

[1] https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/cancers/15-Lung-fact-sheet.pdf
[2] https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/populations/160-china-fact-sheets.pdf
[3] Rosell R, Karachaliou N. Large-scale screening for somatic mutations in lung cancer. Lancet, 2016, 387(10026): 1354-1356. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)01125-3
[4] Gridelli C, et al. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2015;1:15009

About Toripalimab
Toripalimab is an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody developed for its ability to block PD-1 interactions with its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, and for enhanced receptor internalization (endocytosis function). Blocking PD-1 interactions with PD-L1 and PD-L2 promotes the immune system’s ability to attack and kill tumor cells. In China, toripalimab was the first domestic anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody approved for marketing in 2018 (approved in China as TUOYI®). Currently, there are six approved indications for toripalimab in China.

About Junshi Biosciences
Founded in December 2012, Junshi Biosciences (HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180) is an innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative therapeutics. The company has established a diversified R&D pipeline comprising over 50 drug candidates, with five therapeutic focus areas covering cancer, autoimmune, metabolic, neurological, and infectious diseases. Junshi Biosciences was the first Chinese pharmaceutical company that obtained marketing approval for anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody in China. Its first-in-human anti-BTLA monoclonal antibody for the treatment of various cancers was the first in the world to be approved for clinical trials by the FDA and NMPA and has since entered Phase Ib/II trials in both China and the US. Its anti-PCSK9 monoclonal antibody was the first in China to be approved for clinical trials by the NMPA.

In the face of the pandemic, Junshi Biosciences’ response was strong and immediate, joining forces with Chinese and international scientific research institutions and enterprises to develop an arsenal of drug candidates to combat COVID-19, taking the initiative to shoulder the social responsibility of Chinese pharmaceutical companies by prioritizing and accelerating COVID-19 R&D. Among the many drug candidates is JS016 (etesevimab), China’s first neutralizing fully human monoclonal antibody against SARS-CoV-2 and the result of the combined efforts of Junshi Biosciences, the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Science and Lilly. JS016 administered with bamlanivimab has been granted Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) in over 15 countries and regions worldwide. As of December 3 2021, over 700,000 patients have been treated with bamlanivimab or bamlanivimab and etesevimab, potentially preventing more than 35,000 hospitalizations and at least 14,000 deaths. Meanwhile, VV116, a new oral nucleoside analog anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug designed to hinder virus replication, is in global Phase III clinical trials. A Phase III clinical study (NCT05341609) comparing the efficacy and safety of VV116 versus nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (“PAXLOVID”) for patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, has reached its pre-specified primary endpoint and secondary efficacy endpoint. The study results show that compared to PAXLOVID, VV116 provided patients with a shorter median time to sustained clinical recovery, while achieving statistical superiority. The JS016 and VV116 programs are a part of the company’s continuous innovation for disease control and prevention of the global pandemic.

Junshi Biosciences has more than 3,100 employees in the United States (San Francisco and Maryland) and China (Shanghai, Suzhou, Beijing, Guangzhou, etc). For more information, please visit: http://junshipharma.com.

Junshi Biosciences Contact Information
IR Team:
Junshi Biosciences
info@junshipharma.com
+ 86 021-6105 8800

PR Team:
Junshi Biosciences
Zhi Li
zhi_li@junshipharma.com
+ 86 021-6105 8800