New Zealand, Hawaii Lauded for Inclusive Cultures
New Zealand has been named the most inclusive country in the world for the fourth straight year in a study by the Othering & Belonging Institute’s annual Inclusiveness Index.
The institute, based at University of California, Berkeley, said the index “ranks countries and U.S. states by their levels of inclusion based on a handful of indicators, including how well they respect the rights of different groups based on their race, gender, dis/ability, religion and the general population.”
Portugal was the second-most inclusive country, followed by The Netherlands.
The United States was ranked 75th of 152 countries, with the authors noting that America “consistently ranks midpack in the study.”
Hawaii was the most inclusive state for the eighth year in a row, the study concluded, with New Hampshire and Delaware rounding out the top three.
Novartis to Acquire Avidity Biosciences, Known for MD Treatments
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis (NYSE: NVS) is acquiring Avidity Biosciences Inc. (Nasdaq: RNA), a San Diego-based biopharmaceutical company known for its RNA therapeutics that treat neuromuscular conditions such as muscular dystrophy (MD).
In an Oct. 26 press release, Novartis said Avidity “is committed to delivering a new class of pioneering RNA therapeutics called Antibody Oligonucleotide Conjugates for serious, genetic neuromuscular diseases.
“The proposed acquisition will bring Avidity’s late-stage neuroscience programs into Novartis and provide Novartis access to a differentiated RNA-targeting delivery platform. These programs are expected to advance the company’s neuroscience strategy and complement the current pipeline with potential first-in-class therapeutic candidates that address the genetic drivers of muscle-damaging conditions.”
Transaction details reported Avidity’s sales price at approximately $12 billion.
