HANOI, Vietnam, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- When Vietnam's phenomenal animation sensation meets global social entertainment trends, a creative and joyful collision is about to unfold! Leading global social entertainment platform WePlay has announced its collaboration with Vietnam's viral animation IP Heo Äen (Black Pig), launching the "Summer Party" themed crossover event. This partnership deeply integrates Heo Äen's signature satirical humor with WePlay's social entertainment DNA, creating a borderless social carnival for global youth through user-generated content and interactive social gaming.
Heo Äen has become the "spiritual voice" of Vietnam's younger generation through its sharp deconstruction of social phenomena and localized storytelling. Its YouTube channel boasts over 1 million views per episode, while its over 710,000 Facebook followers validate its status as "social currency among Gen-Z." This collaboration not only reflects WePlay's recognition of its content value, but also demonstrates WePlay's strategic commitment to regional market development and multicultural connections. With aligned visions in youth-oriented narratives, creative content production, and local cultural exploration, the injection of Heo Äen's "satirical DNA" into WePlay's social scenarios promises cross-dimensional chemical reactions.
The WePlay × Heo Äen campaign offers users an all-round entertainment experience. In-app IP-themed activities include exclusive perks:
- Custom emojis featuring the Heo Äen Alliance, adding humor to online interactions.
- Recharge discounts and VIP membership benefits, delivering both fun and tangible rewards.
- Limited-edition virtual gifts, designed as unique symbols of interactive expression.
The collaboration also features a comic creation contest where participants can craft short, imaginative comics starring Heo Äen characters and WePlay's mascot, Wezai. From hilarious antics and heartwarming tales to suspenseful adventures or pop culture parodies, the contest empowers creators to showcase their talents while deepening the fusion of WePlay and Heo Äen's brands. This initiative not only celebrates creativity but also amplifies the charm of cross-cultural synergy.
About WePlay
Owned by Singapore-based Wejoy, WePlay is a next-generation global social entertainment platform integrating gaming and interactive features. Guided by its mission to "Bring joy and friends to young people around the world"and its vision to "Bring people together through games, lead the trend of global online social entertainment." WePlay is committed to co-creating an innovative, dynamic gaming-social ecosystem with its users. Moving forward, WePlay will expand partnerships with top global IPs, fostering cultural exchanges to build a social landscape that resonates with young generations worldwide.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
WePlay × Heo Đen Cross-Border Collaboration Launches, Revolutionizing Social Trends Through Humor and Creativity
T. Rowe Price Investment Management, Inc. and Braidwell LP participate as new investors
Stephen Williams, MD, Ph.D. joins as Chief Scientific Officer
Rebecca Chambers and Frank Witney, Ph.D. appointed to Board of Directors
FREMONT, Calif., Jan. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Alamar Biosciences, Inc. ("Alamar"), a leader in precision proteomics dedicated to advancing the early detection of disease, announced the close of an oversubscribed convertible notes financing, bringing in more than $50 million of new capital. Accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Investment Management, Inc. and Braidwell LP joined the financing as new investors. Existing investors, including Illumina Ventures and Sands Capital, also participated. The financing will support the continued commercial advancement of Alamar's precision proteomics platform.
"We deeply appreciate the continued support from our existing investors and are excited to welcome our new partners," said Dr. Yuling Luo, founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Alamar. "Their confidence in our vision and strategy underscores the transformative potential of our work. This investment will enable us to accelerate innovation and continue to expand the reach of our platform, unlocking the full value of precision medicine and early disease detection."
Leadership and Board Expansion
Alamar also announced key additions to its executive leadership team and board of directors to support the company's continued growth and commitment to operational excellence.
To further strengthen its scientific leadership, Alamar welcomes Dr. Stephen Williams as Chief Scientific Officer. Steve brings more than three decades of experience in precision medicine and biomarker innovation. He most recently served as Chief Medical Officer at Standard BioTools and SomaLogic, and previously spent 18 years at Pfizer in senior leadership roles. A recognized leader in the scientific community, he has served on the NIH National Advisory Council for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, helped launch the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, and co-founded the FDA-FNIH-PhRMA Biomarker Consortium.
Alamar has also appointed Rebecca Chambers and Dr. Frank Witney as directors to its board. Rebecca, Chief Financial Officer at Veracyte, brings deep financial and healthcare leadership experience from her current role as well as previous positions at Outset Medical, Illumina, Myriad Genetics and Life Technologies. Frank, an operating partner at Ampersand Capital Partners, adds over three decades of life sciences leadership experience, including serving as President and CEO of Affymetrix and Dionex Corporation, and currently sits on the boards of Revvity, Cerus Corporation, Standard BioTools, and several private companies.
"I am thrilled to welcome Steve to our leadership team, and Rebecca and Frank to our board of directors," said Dr. Yuling Luo. "Their deep expertise and diverse perspectives will be invaluable as we accelerate our mission to unleash the power of our Precision Proteomics platform, to enable broad impacts across health and disease. This is an exciting moment for Alamar, and we look forward to the impact their leadership will have on driving innovation and growth."
About Alamar Biosciences, Inc.
Alamar Biosciences is a privately held life sciences company dedicated to powering precision proteomics to enable the earliest detection of disease. Leveraging its proprietary NULISA™ technology and the ARGO™ HT System, Alamar's platform is designed to deliver ultra-high sensitivity and addresses key limitations of existing technologies to deliver precision proteomics. For more information, please visit alamarbio.com.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Alamar Biosciences Announces Close of Oversubscribed Convertible Notes Financing and Expansion of Leadership Team
Alamar Biosciences Announces Close of Oversubscribed Convertible Notes Financing and Expansion of Leadership Team
Alamar Biosciences Announces Close of Oversubscribed Convertible Notes Financing and Expansion of Leadership Team
Alamar Biosciences Announces Close of Oversubscribed Convertible Notes Financing and Expansion of Leadership Team
