October 23, 2020

Customer Loyalty – The Epic Battle Between Amazon Prime and Walmart Plus

Posted on October 23, 2020August 16, 2021 by Staff Writer

The battle among the world’s largest retailers has been ongoing for decades. Amazon, Walmart, Target and others jockey for position in a landscape that is constantly changing. Not only have consumer buying habits changed amidst a global pandemic. But likewise, customers are increasingly expecting more of retailers including same-say delivery and discounts. It’s here that the real battle among retailers will ultimately be won or lost. And both Amazon and Walmart are approaching these challenges in similar yet very different ways.

On September 15^th, Walmart launched its member subscription service called Walmart Plus. Without question, this new offering is meant to complete with Amazon Prime services, which is now 15 years old. But despite similar cost structures, Walmart Plus offers different value on the surface than Amazon Prime services. But deep down, both programs have a similar goal that goes beyond sales revenues. And understanding this goal helps understand why both retail giants are likely to be around for many decades to come.

“The power behind Walmart+ and its data is that it positions Walmart to leverage AI/machine learning to implement a next-generation of customer management that makes it into an even better tool for meeting the unique needs of its customers.” – Bill Bishop, Co-founder and Chief Architect of Brick Meets Click

Comparing Walmart Plus to Amazon Prime Services

In essence, both Walmart Plus and Amazon Prime represent consumer subscription programs that allows members perks. And for the most part, they are similar in price. Amazon Prime services cost $119 a year or $12.99 a month. Walmart Plus costs $98 a year and $12.95 a month. Likewise, both offer same-day delivery for groceries and a variety of other retail items. But that is where the similarities end. Depending on a customer’s needs, one or both may look appealing.

What happens when a brick-and-mortal retail giant takes on an online shopping giant? With Walmart Plus taking on Amazon Prime, we’ll know soon enough.

Amazon Prime services more than 150 million people already and offers over 3 million products for sale. In addition, it provides members with a variety of streaming services as well as programs like Prime Reading and Prime Wardrobe. And it is aligned with Whole Foods as well as Amazon Fresh, which target a different grocery consumer. These features along with discounts for college students and those receiving government assistance attract many.

Walmart Plus has its unique offerings as well. Though Walmart Plus only offer around 160,000 products for delivery, its groceries in particular are more affordable. This will be attractive to many customers, especially those accustomed to shopping there. Walmart Plus also provides discounts for members on fuel as well as in-store conveniences. Specifically, its Scan-and-Go feature and access to Walmart Pay means in-store customers don’t have to wait in lines. Though it lacks the same variety and offerings as Amazon Prime services, Walmart Plus does have its “pluses.”

“Supporting small businesses is a fundamental part of [Amazon’s] work … our success depends on their success. This has been a challenging year for many small businesses, and our commitment to adapting together for the future has never been more steadfast.” – Dharmesh Mehta, Vice President, Amazon

Amazon Prime Goes Beyond Traditional Customer Loyalty

Since its inception, Amazon Prime services have attracted millions of customers who consider Amazon their go-to for retail items. In this regard, its direct customer loyalty success with this program has been tremendous. For the last six years, the company has held its annual Amazon Prime Days, where items are deeply discounted for consumers. And even this year amidst a pandemic, Prime Day was highly successful. But the company’s real success wasn’t necessarily with those purchasing items. Instead, the big winners were small business vendors selling on Amazon’s site.

This past year, Amazon Prime Day saw third party sales on its site increase 60 percent. This generated roughly $3.5 billion in sales for small businesses as a result. While Amazon certainly wants to attract customers and keep their loyalty, they also see these vendors as essential. Therefore, Amazon Prime services, through Prime Day, is another way that this program provides a competitive advantage. Amazon must keep not only its customers happy but its small business partners satisfied as well. Amazon Prime services is one way of achieving this.

“The big news is that it shows Walmart has rethought its approach to loyalty and will now be leveraging customer management. And this shift has significant implications for every retailer that competes with Walmart.” – Bill Bishop

Walmart Plus Targets a Seamless Customer Experience

As a customer subscription membership, Walmart Plus acknowledges that customer loyalty is important. Once subscribed, customers will find it easier to shop Walmart products and use its delivery services. But there’s more to it than that. Walmart Plus wants to focus on the customer experience not only online but also in-store. By creating greater convenience at every point of contact, Walmart enhances customer value. As a result, Walmart Plus members begin to view Walmart’s value as a low-cost retailer. They also appreciate the company as one that is extremely convenient and meets their expectations.

Of course, Walmart must also continue to meet customers’ cost expectations as well. As subscription memberships grow with Walmart Plus, this becomes even easier to achieve. And Walmart is already off to a good start. With Walmart Plus only available for a little over a month, over 11 percent of U.S. households already have memberships. As this figure grows, Walmart has the opportunity to establish stronger relationships with consumers. This is not only because of Walmart Plus. It’s also because it operates more than 11,000 brick-and-mortar stores globally. A seamless value-rich experience offers great potential in gaining customer allegiance.

Consumers Win in the Retail Wars

Amazon Prime services offer extensive variety. Walmart Plus provides in-store and online conveniences. And both are attractive for many e-commerce needs that require fast delivery. But the choice for consumers isn’t whether to have one or the other. It’s likely to be whether or not to have both memberships. In fact, 45 percent of current Walmart Plus members already use Amazon Prime services. Both retailers’ subscription programs are attractive, and both companies are committed to creating consumer value. As a result, both are likely to lead the pack of giant retailers for some time to come.

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Advancements in ALS Treatment – Amylyx Ushers in Several New Promising Therapies

Posted on October 23, 2020August 16, 2021 by Staff Writer

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurological disorder. Despite investments and dozens of experimental trials, few ALS interventions currently exist. Of the ALS treatment options available, two are currently FDA approved. And these medications have little benefit, extending life only a few months in most cases. However, given that the average time from diagnosis to death is 2.5 years, months matter. And because ALS affects many people in middle age, significant efforts are being made to find better ALS therapies.

With this in mind, the pharmaceutical company Amylyx announced some positive news recently regarding its new AL treatment drug. The drug, AMX0035, has been shown in Phase II/III trials to increase longevity in ALS patients by 6.5 months on average. While this does not sound impressive, it is notable that AMX0035 was administered in combination with existing FDA approved ALS therapies. Therefore, Amylyx’s medication could be an additional add-on drug that could benefit patients soon.

“In addition to the significant functional benefit previously reported, people taking AMX0035 appear to live several months longer. That is a very meaningful benefit for people affected by this devastating, fatal disease.” – Neil Thakur, Chief Mission Officer of the A.L.S. Association

Amylyx’s New ALS Treatment

The founders of Amylyx are two former students of Brown University. Together, they came up with the idea that a two-drug combination ALS treatment might offer some advantages. The two drugs include sodium phenylbutyrate and taururosodiol, which are used in other existing conditions. The former is used in pediatrics for children with urea cycle disorders. The latter is used to dissolve gallstones. But their effect is ALS is completely different.

ALS treatments are few and far between, but innovation is breeding hope.

Sodium phenylbutyrate works by reducing the stress on a cell’s endoplasmic reticulum. This organelle is responsible for making cell proteins, and it is routinely damaged in ALS. Taururosodiol, on the other hand, is used to improve cellular mitochondrial dysfunction. This is also commonly present in neurons affected by ALS. In theory, Amylyx’s cofounders believed this combination might delay cell death and offer a new strategy for ALS therapies. And preliminary evidence seems to support this.

The recent trial involved a total of 137 patients who had been diagnosed with ALS within the last 18 months. Half of the patients received AMX0035 while the others received placebo. The initial administration lasted 24 weeks with some patients taking up to 30 weeks. The researchers then followed all the patients for up to 3 years. At the end of the study, it was evident that the ones taking the ALS treatment lived over half a year longer. Based on these results, the researchers are seeking expedited FDA approval or at least compassionate use approval.

“The commitment of so many people with ALS to this research over the course of nearly three years, especially when weighing just how valuable time is for this patient community, has led us to this critical development milestone where we can now reimagine outcomes for ALS.” -Justin Klee, Co-CEO and Co-founder, Amylyx

Amylyx’s Drug Potentially First of Several New ALS Therapies

While Amylyx offers a potential new options of ALS treatment for patients, it appears others are soon coming. Several ongoing clinical trials of new agents offer some hope that better ALS therapies on the horizon. And what’s notable is that several work by completely different mechanisms. It may very well be likely that ALS therapies in the future will consist of a cocktail of medicines. The following are current research studies that should provide results within the coming year.

Biogen – The current clinical trial being conducted by Biogen is testing a drug called Toferson. This hopeful ALS treatment works by inhibiting Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), which is involved in free radical inflammation. The current trial involves 183 participants, and results are expected in the second half of 2021.

Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics – One of the more intriguing possible ALS therapies may soon involve cellular therapies. Brainstem Cell Therapeutics is currently conducting a trial involving 261 ALS patients of its drug NurOwn Program One. And perhaps the best news is that top line data from the study is expected next month.

Alexion – Given that targeted cellular inflammation plays a major role in the disease, some companies are exploring anti-inflammatory agents. Alexion has a current trial underway of Ultomiris, its anti-complement monoclonal antibody factor. This rather large trial involves 354 patients with results expected in 2022.

Clene Nanomedicine – In many health areas, nanomedicine is being considered in the development of novel therapies. The same is true for ALS. Clene Nanomedicine is conducting a research trial of its potential ALS treatment CNM-Au8. The drug consists of gold nanocrystals, and 180 patients are currently under study. The results of this trial should be available in spring of 2021.

Orphazyme – Other pharmaceutical companies are exploring SOD compounds as ALS therapies as well. Orphazyme’s current trial is testing its drug Arimoclomol Citrate among 231 ALS patients. Its compound is described as a SOD chaperone molecule that may also reduce cellular inflammatory damage. The study’s results should be published in the first half of 2021.

“We’re thrilled to see the pipeline as full as it is now.” – Joshua Cohen, Co-founder and Co-CEO, Amylyx

Advanced Technology Offering New Hope

For many years, the availability of new ALS therapies has been scant. Riluzole and Edaravone have been the only FDA approved treatments for some time. But fortunately, it appears that a number of new medications may soon be approved for ALS treatment. The reason for the increase in clinical trials relates largely in part to newer technologies. Nanotechnology and cellular medicine offer new avenues to develop ALS treatment compounds. The same is true for many evolving advances in immune-technologies. While Amylyx’s new ALS treatment is exciting, its effects are still modest. But the progress made signals that important discoveries are around the corner. And this holds great promise for the future of ALS management.

Addressing the Challenges of Treating Vision Loss – Innovations in Vision Therapies

Posted on October 23, 2020August 16, 2021 by Staff Writer

In the U.S., there are over 3.4 million people who are either blind or visually impaired. Global figures exceed over 2.2 billion people in this group. And even worse, interventions could prevent nearly half of these cases worldwide. Not only does a lack of access to care exist in many parts of the world, but treating vision loss has been challenging. Vision loss therapies have been generally lacking for many with serious eye disease. But fortunately, some innovative breakthroughs are being reported that may soon change that.

It’s not surprising that medical science and technologies are making some incredible progress as of late. Among those that have potential for treating vision loss, gene therapies and stem cell research have significant potential. University researchers and private companies alike are actively exploring these as vision loss therapies for those with various eye disorders. At the same time, other collaborations are leveraging technologies to enhance training and access to better vision care. If these prove to be effective, the incidence of vision impairment could literally drop by more than a third.

“By working together, we can significantly accelerate our work to train eye care professionals across Asia. With global blindness projected to triple over the next three decades, training the next generation of ophthalmologists is more critical than ever.” – Derek Hodkey, President and CEO of Orbis

Treating Vision Loss Through Training

One of the most notable challenges in treating vision loss is a lack of trained eyecare professionals. This is especially true in middle and low-income countries, and likewise, in Asia overall. While such outreach has been difficult, innovative technologies allow this to be tackled from a different perspective. The use of telehealth and telemedicine has the potential too greatly change how eye professionals can be trained. If adequate providers can be trained in the latest vision loss therapies, significant progress can be made.

Innovations in vision loss therapy mean a whole new world for those who couldn’t previously see.

Recently, Santen Pharmaceuticals Company Ltd and Orbis International joined forces to accomplish this type of program. Their 10-year partnership looks to boost the number of eyecare professionals worldwide by using digital technology platforms. Specifically, Orbis brings its Cybersight telemedicine platform to the table that can be utilized for professional training methods. Likewise, Orbis also has its Flying Eye Hospital, a fully accredited MD-10 airplane teaching hospital, as well. This could have a tremendous impact in certain parts of the world.

“[Gene targeting] is a new way of approaching these diseases. The current methods — invasive surgeries or life-long injections into the eye — only prevent the disease from advancing and often have serious complications.” – Courtney Griffin, PhD Researcher, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation

Cutting Edge Genetic Vision Loss Therapies

Enhanced training can help greatly with prevention. But at the same time, vision loss therapies are needed for those who already have disease. Retinal degeneration, cancers, and conditions like diabetes can all cause progressive visual loss and blindness. Therefore, other investigators are exploring how gene therapies might be useful in treating vision loss. If genes could be changed so that the process causing vision loss could be halted, millions could benefit. It appears that some early evidence in this area is good reason for optimism.

Researchers at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation have recently identified a specific gene that can run off abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina. This abnormal growth plays a notable part of vision loss in many patients suffering blindness. The researchers, by applying an experimental compound, turned off the genetic switch stimulating abnormal blood vessel growth in mice. Better yet, the compound had no effect in normal retinal blood vessels. If this is similarly beneficial in humans, then it could represent one of the most promising vision loss therapies.

“We hope to look at the safety of gel injection in a clinical trial of retinoblastoma in children, and if that proves safe, we could move on to see if our methodology can reduce or eliminate these tumors.” – Barbara Savoldo, MD, PHD, Professor of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, UNC School of Medicine

Other Innovative Vision Loss Therapies

In addition to genetic breakthrough, immunologic and stem cell research are also offering new treatments. At the University of North Carolina-Lineberger, researchers have developed a new way in treating vision loss associated with retinoblastoma. Retinoblastoma is a treatable form of cancer affecting the retina. However, even with treatment, 5 percent of patients lose their vision. However, a combination of immune T-cells that target cancer proteins with an immune booster seems to help this. Their study showed 60 percent of mice with retinoblastoma treated with this therapy retained their vision through the study. This form of precision medicine thus offers promise.

Private commercial innovation is also occurring in these cutting-edge areas. AIVITA Biomedical Incorporated is known for its efforts in developing cancer and coronavirus vaccines. But it is also exploring the use of stem cell therapies in treating vision loss. In mice with retinal degeneration from retinal pigment epithelial dysfunction, stem cell transplants offer hope. These transplants resulted in photoreceptor growth and preservation of vision in recent trials. Stem cell treatments may also be one of the available vision loss therapies soon.

“Leveraging our expertise in stem cell growth and differentiation, I’m excited to see the promise of our technology platform in potential therapeutics for vision loss.” – Hans Keirstead, PhD., CEO of AIVITA

Vision Loss Therapies – From Mice to Men

As is evident, much of the research and breakthrough in vision loss therapies have been performed in mice. However, multiple new ways of preventing and treating vision loss are being explored. And many are showing positive results that offer hope for the future. As these studies advance, human trials will begin. If similar results are seen with adverse events, then vision loss therapies of the future will look much different from today. Between public and private efforts, these innovations have the potential to make a tremendous impact on vision care.

Day: October 23, 2020

Customer Loyalty – The Epic Battle Between Amazon Prime and Walmart Plus

Comparing Walmart Plus to Amazon Prime Services

Amazon Prime Goes Beyond Traditional Customer Loyalty