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Category: Science & Innovation

  • Imperial Partners with Capgemini to Boost Technology

    Imperial Partners with Capgemini to Boost Technology

    Imperial Brands announced a long-term global partnership with technology and consulting firm Capgemini to support its 2030 strategy focused on strengthening consumer engagement, improving sales execution, and becoming a “more agile, data-driven business.” The collaboration will provide access to advanced analytics, AI tools, and technology services, with initial plans including consultations on transferring finance, procurement, and supply chain teams in Poland to Capgemini.

    Imperial said the partnership is designed to accelerate innovation, enhance operational efficiency, and support its transformation into a “stronger challenger brand,” with further updates expected at its half-year results in May.

    “Our approach is about getting ever closer to our consumers and customers, focusing on our biggest opportunities and investing for agility,” said Lukas Paravicini, CEO of Imperial Brands. “Our new partnership with Capgemini will accelerate our development. It will deliver a step-up in our consumer insights and sales execution, improve our innovation capabilities, and free our people to focus on the activities which create most value.”

  • Qnovia Reports Positive Results in Phase 1 NRT Trial

    Qnovia Reports Positive Results in Phase 1 NRT Trial

    Qnovia reported positive Phase 1 clinical results for RespiRx, a handheld inhalable nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) using a vibrating mesh nebulizer to deliver nicotine via a cool mist without combustion or heating. In a 2025 randomized crossover study involving 25 adult smokers, the device demonstrated cigarette-like nicotine absorption, reaching peak blood nicotine levels in about seven minutes while producing lower overall nicotine exposure than cigarettes and showing meaningful reductions in smoking cravings. No serious adverse events were reported, with only moderate cough noted. The technology aims to address limitations of traditional NRTs, which often deliver nicotine more slowly, and is being positioned as a potential new pharmaceutical smoking-cessation option pending further clinical testing and regulatory review.

  • Survey Breaks Down Fiji’s Smoking Habits

    Survey Breaks Down Fiji’s Smoking Habits

    A survey in Fiji found that 36.3% of adults currently use tobacco, with significantly higher smoking rates among men (50.8%) than women (20.6%). Manufactured cigarettes remain the dominant tobacco product among smokers, with 80.6% of daily smokers using them, according to the Fiji STEPS Survey 2025. The survey was conducted between May 2024 and June 2025 among adults aged 18 to 69.

    Daily smoking was reported by 19.5% of adults, while smokeless tobacco use stood at 9.5%, primarily among men. The study also highlighted emerging nicotine trends, with 4.5% of adults reporting e-cigarette use, indicating growing diversification in nicotine consumption despite the continued dominance of manufactured cigarettes.

  • IKE Tech Invited to FDA Roundtable on PMTA Submissions

    IKE Tech Invited to FDA Roundtable on PMTA Submissions

    IKE Tech LLC has been invited by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to participate in an invitation-only roundtable discussion with small electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) manufacturers focused on Premarket Tobacco Product Application (PMTA) submissions. The news was announced by Ispire Technology, a founding partner of IKE Tech.

    The February 10 forum, limited to 30 companies nationwide, is designed to gather direct industry feedback on the PMTA process, with IKE Tech selected to participate in the Manufacturing Controls panel examining operational challenges and compliance practices. The company is developing a blockchain-enabled, Bluetooth-based age-gating system intended to verify legal-age access at the point of use, which has been submitted as a component PMTA for an interoperable age-verification technology. The FDA session is expected to inform future regulatory guidance and potential refinements to the PMTA review framework.

  • ‘Reverse Spin Bias’ Impacting Vape Studies

    ‘Reverse Spin Bias’ Impacting Vape Studies

    A newly published academic commentary highlighted potential inconsistencies in how evidence on vaping for smoking cessation is interpreted, introducing the concept of “reverse spin bias.” Published last month in Research Integrity and Peer Review, authors Renée O’Leary, Giusy Rita Maria La Rosa, and Riccardo Polosa, reviewed 16 systematic reviews published between 2021 and 2025 and found that 13 reported e-cigarettes as significantly more effective than comparators such as nicotine replacement therapy or placebo. However, only three of those reviews ultimately recommended e-cigarettes as a cessation tool, while others either discouraged their use or declined to make recommendations despite reporting positive findings. The authors argue that this disconnect between statistical outcomes and policy-facing conclusions may undermine evidence-based decision-making in public health and clinical guidance.

    The paper suggests several mechanisms behind the trend, including discounting positive evidence as low quality without formal evaluation, emphasizing hypothetical long-term risks, and selectively omitting favorable subgroup outcomes. For the vape sector, the findings reinforce concerns that harm-reduction evidence may not be consistently reflected in academic and regulatory discussions. The authors are calling for greater scrutiny from journal editors and peer reviewers to ensure that study conclusions accurately reflect underlying data, warning that failure to address such reporting bias could limit the adoption of potentially effective smoking cessation tools.

  • Secondhand Vape Plumes May Form Lung-Damaging Free Radicals: Study

    Secondhand Vape Plumes May Form Lung-Damaging Free Radicals: Study

    A laboratory study published in Environmental Science & Technology raised new questions about the potential risks of secondhand exposure to e-cigarette aerosols, finding that aged vape emissions may contain ultrafine particles, metals, and highly reactive compounds capable of generating free radicals linked to lung tissue damage. Researchers from the University of California, Riverside, led by Ying-Hsuan Lin, simulated indoor vaping conditions and found that aerosol particles contained metals including iron, aluminum, zinc, and trace levels of lead, arsenic, and tin. The study also reported that ultrafine particles, which can penetrate deep into the lungs, showed significantly higher concentrations of reactive peroxide compounds and produced substantially greater levels of free radicals when exposed to simulated lung fluid.

    The findings add to the growing body of research examining indoor air chemistry associated with vaping, particularly interactions between aerosol emissions and environmental ozone. While conducted under controlled laboratory conditions using simplified e-liquid formulations without nicotine, the researchers said the results highlight the need for further real-world and epidemiological studies to better understand potential health impacts of secondhand vape exposure.

  • AIR Study Finds New Hookah Lowers Indoor Toxicants

    AIR Study Finds New Hookah Lowers Indoor Toxicants

    AIR Limited said a newly published, peer-reviewed study found significantly lower levels of indoor air pollutants from its OOKA electronic waterpipe and from e-cigarettes compared with conventional hookah and combustible cigarette use. The research, published in December 2025 in Contributions to Tobacco & Nicotine Research, was authored by cardiovascular researcher Dr. Ian M. Fearon and based on testing commissioned by AIR and conducted by Al Futtaim Element Materials Technology Dubai LLC in an unventilated facility.

    According to the study, conventional charcoal-heated waterpipes and cigarettes generated the highest increases in carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), and other toxicants. By contrast, AIR’s OOKA device, which does not use charcoal, produced negligible carbon monoxide and roughly 40% lower particulate matter than conventional hookah in single-user scenarios, while e-cigarettes produced the lowest particulate levels overall. In multi-occupant scenarios, elevated volatile organic compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were observed primarily during cigarette smoking.

    AIR CEO Stuart Brazier said the findings support the view that electronic delivery systems may reduce secondhand exposure risks in indoor environments while maintaining social smoking traditions. The study comes as AIR prepares for a proposed business combination with Cantor Equity Partners III, which would take the company public on Nasdaq under the ticker “AIIR” in the first half of 2026, pending regulatory approvals.

  • Seoul Rolling Out Public Smoking Booths

    Seoul Rolling Out Public Smoking Booths

    Seoul’s Gangnam District began rolling out newly designed “separated smoking booths” along major commercial streets to curb secondhand smoke and reduce friction between smokers and pedestrians, officials said today (January 22). The first installations physically separate smokers from passersby and also distinguish between conventional cigarettes and e-cigarettes, assigning each to different structures. Fully enclosed cigarette booths feature smoke-control systems, air purifiers, and air curtains, while semi-open e-cigarette booths emphasize ventilation and filtration. District officials said the initiative aims to improve street cleanliness and walkability in high-traffic areas, with expansion to be considered based on public response.

  • PMI Releases White Paper on Human Cognition in the AI Age

    PMI Releases White Paper on Human Cognition in the AI Age

    Philip Morris International Inc. released a white paper titled “Human Cognition: The Next Frontier?”, inviting leaders from business, policy, and academia to engage in a global conversation on the role of human cognition as AI transforms work, society, and the economy. The paper argues that skills like critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability will become the “superskills” of the future, essential for organizations navigating an era of human/machine collaboration. As AI increasingly automates routine and cognitive tasks, PMI emphasized that nurturing human cognition is critical for resilience, innovation, and decision-making.

    “Technology helps us move faster—but real progress depends on people,” said Moira Gilchrist, PMI’s Chief Global Communications Officer. “Change isn’t just about scientific and technological advances; it’s about vision, ambition, and how people apply innovations.” The paper identifies key cognitive risks posed by AI, including cognitive atrophy from over-reliance on AI for ideation and analysis, attention erosion due to digital distractions, an emerging cognitive divide, and trust challenges from synthetic media and deepfakes. PMI highlights the importance of protecting and strengthening human cognition to ensure society benefits from AI rather than being overwhelmed by it.

    PMI said the white paper underscores its commitment to continuous learning, workforce development, and dialogue on the societal implications of AI, as it aims to become predominantly smoke-free by 2030.

  • MagicCube Investing in Phone Biometrics, AI Commerce

    MagicCube Investing in Phone Biometrics, AI Commerce

    MagicCube announced that it raised $10 million in new committed funding to expand its software-based security technology beyond tap-to-phone payments into biometrics, identity verification, and AI-driven device security, with strategic participation from Verifone alongside existing investors. The California-based company develops Software Defined Trust, which uses a software Trusted Execution Environment to deliver hardware-grade security on standard mobile and IoT devices without specialized chips, supporting secure payments and sensitive data processing. The funding will be used to accelerate R&D, strengthen AI security capabilities, and deepen integrations across global payment and identity ecosystems, as MagicCube positions its platform for broader digital commerce and compliance-driven use cases.