Tag: HEA

Health Care

DKSH Supports Growth for Vitabiotics in Hong Kong and Malaysia

admin

DKSH, the leading Market Expansion Services provider with a focus on Asia, and Vitabiotics, Britain’s largest and fastest growing major vitamin supplement company, has signed an agreement to expand the firm’s product range into Hong Kong and Malaysia.

BANGKOK, April 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — DKSH Business Unit Healthcare, a leading partner for healthcare companies seeking to grow their business in Asia, will provide marketing, sales, distribution, logistics and regulatory services for Vitabiotics in Hong Kong and Malaysia. The agreement is an extension of a collaboration that started in Taiwan in 2011.

DKSH will broaden Vitabiotics’ already established market position and product range in Hong Kong on offer by leveraging its reach and deepening distribution to more pharmacy outlets. The Vitabiotics range is also undergoing approval by authorities in Malaysia.

According to a recent study by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, the Market Expansion Services market for over-the-counter healthcare products in Hong Kong is expected to grow by 5-6% annually between 2014 and 2019. Malaysia is expected to see a slightly higher growth rate of 6-7% growth per year over the same period.

“The diverse Asian market shows excellent long term growth potential for Vitabiotics’ products. Working with our regional partner DKSH allows us to accelerate our growth and enter new strategic markets at the same time. While we can focus on our core strengths, DKSH’s strong commitment to compliance and governance gives us the security that the expansion of our business is in safe hands,” said Robert Taylor, Vice President, Vitabiotics.

“Our regional reach and integrated services give Vitabiotics the convenience of working with one strategic partner across multiple markets. With the insights and commercial capabilities of our local experts and our broad capillary distribution, we are confident to spur further growth for Vitabiotics in Asia,” said Andrew Frye, Head of Business Healthcare, DKSH.

The agreement will strengthen DKSH’s market position in Asia over time.

About Vitabiotics

Vitabiotics has pioneered advances in nutritional healthcare for 45 years, a British company committed to human health and research. As the UK’s No.1 vitamin company, Vitabiotics has created a unique portfolio of products at the forefront of scientific developments in key sectors, with no fewer than 8 brands in the top 18 VMS brands in the UK, including Pregnacare, Osteocare, Wellman and Wellwoman. Vitabiotics is widely acknowledged as leaders in innovation and in 2013 became the first vitamin company to receive the Queen’s Award for Innovation, awarded for its ground breaking clinical research.

As the fastest growing major vitamin company in the UK, Vitabiotics exports to over 100 countries, and has twice received the Queen’s Awards for International Trade. Designed to provide maximum efficacy by supporting the human body in its own natural processes, each product is developed using the latest research available and is produced to the highest pharmaceutical standards.

About DKSH

DKSH is the leading Market Expansion Services provider with a focus on Asia. As the term “Market Expansion Services” suggests, DKSH helps other companies and brands to grow their business in new or existing markets.

Publicly listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange since March 2012, DKSH is a global company headquartered in Zurich. With 750 business locations in 35 countries — 720 of them in Asia — and 27,600 specialized staff, DKSH generated net sales of CHF 9.8 billion in 2014.

In 2015, DKSH celebrates its 150th anniversary. With strong Swiss heritage, the company has a long tradition of doing business in and with Asia, and is deeply rooted in communities and businesses across Asia Pacific.

DKSH Business Unit Healthcare is the leading Market Expansion Services provider for healthcare companies seeking to grow their business in Asia. Custom-made offerings comprise registration, regulatory services, market entry studies, importation, customs clearance, marketing and sales, physical distribution, invoicing and cash collection. Products available through DKSH Healthcare include pharmaceuticals, consumer health and over-the-counter (OTC) products, as well as medical devices. With 150 business locations in 14 countries and around 9,200 specialized staff, Business Unit Healthcare serves over 150,000 customers and generated net sales of around CHF 4.5 billion in 2014.

Health Care

Sphenopalatine Ganglion Stimulation in the Pathway CH-1 Study Reduces Headache Burden Before and After Sustained Periods of Cluster Attack Remission

admin

BUDAPEST, Hungary, April 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — During the world congress of controversies in Neurology, CONy, Autonomic Technologies[TM] presented long term data* (18 months results) on a segment of the CH-1 study patients experiencing Cluster Headache Remission periods. While Sphenopalatine Ganglion (SPG) stimulation with the Pulsante[TM] microstimulator has already shown safety and efficacy on chronic cluster headache, long-term benefits of SPG stimulation in cluster patients with remission suggest that the therapy is beneficial during the episodic phase of patients’ cluster bouts.

“This data strongly suggest that SPG stimulation could be beneficial also to episodic cluster patients”, commented Prof. Miguel Lainez, Head of Neurology Department at Catholic University of Valencia and Professor of Neurology in the Catholic University of Valencia who presented the data on March 28th.

Pulsante microstimulator is the first electroceutical device that has documented efficacy in a long term RCT for the treatment of cluster headache. The Pulsante microstimulator is MR Conditional since 2012. The device is inserted through the gum with a minimally invasive technique that leaves no visible scars.

Autonomic Technologies 

Autonomic Technologies, Inc. (ATI[TM]) is a medical device company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapies for the treatment of severe headache. The company’s initial product, the Pulsante microstimulator, is CE marked in Europe for the treatment of cluster headache. The device is also under an IDE study in the US for the treatment of chronic cluster headache.  

ATI is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area and is backed by blue chip investors: Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, InterWest Partners, Versant Ventures, Novartis Ventures, Aberdare Ventures, and the Cleveland Clinic.  http://www.pulsante.eu

Contact:
Eva Birle
+49(0)891395782711
birle@bskom.de

*Poster Presentation at 9th CONy Congress, Budapest, March 28th 2015 

Health Care

Latin American Contract Research Organizations Set to Get More Local Outsourcing Opportunities

admin

– Currently, multinational companies outsource a larger proportion of their clinical trials than local firms, finds Frost & Sullivan

SAO PAULO, April 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — As market penetration stood at only 64 percent in 2013, huge opportunities exist for contract research organizations (CROs) to expand their market share in Latin America (LATAM). Local contracts, which accounted for 21.6 percent of the total market size in 2013, will begin to contribute more to overall revenues. The local development of biosimilars, domestic pharmaceutical companies’ plans to increase the number of clinical trials to comply with regulations, and focus on geographic expansion will give rise to more local contracts for CROs in the region.

Research

Research

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150407/196999

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Latin American Contract Research Organization Market (http://www.frost.com/p849), finds that the market earned revenues of $438.5 million in 2013 and estimates this to reach $661.3 million in 2019 at a compound annual growth rate of 7.1 percent. The study covers phase I, phase II, phase III and late phase clinical development as well as biostatistics, central laboratory services and data management. Health economics studies, a part of late phase trials, will gain significant traction in the coming years, since they are utilized while deciding which new molecules to include in the list of reimbursed drugs considered by public health services and private insurance plans.

For complimentary access to more information on this research, please visit: http://corpcom.frost.com/forms/LA_PR_FValente_P849-52_27Mar15.

“Multinational pharmaceutical companies tend to outsource about 70 percent of their trials by adopting either a fully outsourced or function-to-function model,” said Frost & Sullivan Healthcare Consultant Sanjeev Kumar. “However, local pharmaceutical companies have lower outsourcing rates that range from 50 to 70 percent in countries across LATAM.”

In Argentina and Brazil, regulatory issues have restrained clinical development, thereby dampening the prospects of CROs in the region. Bottlenecks in the Agencia Nacional de Vigilancia Sanitaria (ANVISA) submission and approval processes have meant that protocol approval takes 12 to 15 months in Brazil and an average of 6 months in Argentina.

In addition, limited outsourcing among big pharmaceutical clients that can conduct in-house R&D and clinical drug testing has restricted CRO market growth. Nevertheless, as large, well-established CROs have begun to use specialized research technologies that can cater to the rising demand for drug development, pharmaceutical clients’ reliance on in-house R&D is likely to reduce considerably. Along with this trend, the rise of innovative therapeutic options as well as the need for increased drug efficacy and safety will promote market development.

“In order to better serve and become the preferred partner of bio-pharmaceutical companies, CROs in LATAM must make an effort to expand their range of services,” noted Kumar. “Mergers and acquisitions with local CROs will be a cost-effective approach to achieve this end.”

Latin American Contract Research Organization Market is part of the Life Sciences (http://www.lifesciences.frost.com) Growth Partnership Service program. Frost & Sullivan’s related studies include: Global Diabetes Drug Delivery Market, Global CRO Market, Global Stem Cell Market, and Global Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market. All studies included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today’s market participants.

Our “Growth Partnership” supports clients by addressing these opportunities and incorporating two key elements driving visionary innovation: The Integrated Value Proposition and The Partnership Infrastructure.

  • The Integrated Value Proposition provides support to our clients throughout all phases of their journey to visionary innovation including: research, analysis, strategy, vision, innovation and implementation.
  • The Partnership Infrastructure is entirely unique as it constructs the foundation upon which visionary innovation becomes possible. This includes our 360 degree research, comprehensive industry coverage, career best practices as well as our global footprint of more than 40 offices.

For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies?

Contact Us:     Start the discussion

Join Us:           Join our community

Subscribe:       Newsletter on “the next big thing”

Register:         Gain access to visionary innovation

Latin American Contract Research Organization Market
P849-52

Contact:
Francesca Valente
Corporate Communications – Latin America
P: +54 11 4777 5300
F: +54 11 4777 5300
E: francesca.valente@frost.com 

http://www.frost.com

Photo – http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20150407/8521502174

Health Care

European Hospitals Will Move from Single-Use to Reusable Procedure Trays and Packs

admin

— The trend is catching on as hospitals try to make their operating rooms greener to reduce environmental impact, finds Frost & Sullivan

LONDON, April 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Increasing procedure volumes have been fuelling the adoption of custom procedure trays and packs (CPTP) in Western and Eastern Europe. In part, the expanding aging population, which is more likely to develop chronic wounds as they have more medical issues affecting their general health and mobility, has been responsible for the growth in procedures and the resultant expansion of the CPTP market.

Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan

Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150407/196956LOGO

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Western and Eastern European Custom Procedure Trays and Packs (CPTP) Market, finds that the market earned revenues of $769.4 million in 2014 and estimates this to reach $1131.4 million in 2019. The study covers surgical and minor procedure trays and packs.

For complimentary access to more information on this research, please visit: http://corpcom.frost.com/forms/EU_PR_AZanchi_MAC5-54_20Mar15

CPTP offer off-the-shelf convenience to hospitals, lower costs, and lead to more efficient operating rooms (ORs) with faster turnaround times between operations. Additionally, these products enable inventory reduction, easy storage, and simplified delivery schedules.

“In Western and Eastern Europe, single-use CPTP have particularly gained traction due to the stricter enforcement of infection-control measures within the hospital environment,” said Frost & Sullivan Healthcare Senior Research Analyst Parthasarathy Raghava. “For hospitals in these regions, these kits have been a natural choice as they ensure both compliance with safety standards and control over nosocomial and iatrogenic infections in the OR.”

However, with more hospitals involved in greening the OR, the future will see an emphasis on reusable and reprocessable kits rather than single-use or disposable kits. Thus, market participants that provide comprehensive CPTP services as well as reprocessing and serialization services will be in the best position to acquire new customers.

Nevertheless, certain challenges will continue to trouble market participants in Western and Eastern Europe. For one, the lack of standard regulations mandating the adoption of procedure packs will curtail usage rates in these regions. Furthermore, new entrants’ tendency to undercut prices to strengthen their foothold in the market will create pricing pressures and dampen overall market revenues.

“To remain competitive, market participants in Western and Eastern Europe will have to find a sweet spot between customizing trays and packs according to end-user preferences and standardizing these products to control costs,” noted Raghava. “Perhaps, standardizing only basic commodity items in packs is an appropriate starting point for CPTP providers to achieve these ends.”

Western and Eastern European Custom Procedure Trays and Packs (CPTP) Market is part of the Advanced Medical Technologies Growth Partnership Service program. Frost & Sullivan’s related studies include: Western European Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) Devices Market, Western European Infant Care Solutions Market, Global Orthopaedic Implant Market, and Global Wound Care Market Outlook. All studies included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

About Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today’s market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies?

Contact
Anna Zanchi
Corporate Communications – Europe
P: +39.02.4851 6133
E: anna.zanchi@frost.com 
http://www.frost.com 

Photo – http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20150407/8521502165

Health Care LIC

Global Strategic Partners Merck and Pfizer Finalize Agreement to Co-Promote XALKORI(R) (crizotinib)

admin

DARMSTADT, Germany and NEW YORK, April 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ —

Not intended for UK-based media 

  • In the second and third quarters of 2015, Merck and Pfizer will begin co-promoting XALKORI in the United States, Canada, Japan and five European Union countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) 
  • In the United States and Canada, XALKORI will be co-promoted by EMD Serono, the US and Canadian biopharmaceutical businesses of Merck  
  • Co-promotion of XALKORI allows the Merck-Pfizer alliance to establish a combined oncology sales organization in key markets for the program 

Merck and Pfizer today announced the finalization of the co-promotion agreement allowing the companies to jointly co-promote Pfizer’s anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor XALKORI® (crizotinib). This agreement showcases the alliance’s commitment to establishing a combined oncology sales organization in key markets in advance of the potential launch of avelumab*-based treatment regimens in the future.  

XALKORI is the first ALK inhibitor approved in the United States, Japan and the European Union (EU) and is supported by two positive global randomized trials in the first- and second-line ALK-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment settings. To date, globally more than 8,000 patients have been treated with XALKORI, including those who received XALKORI in clinical trials.

Under the agreement, XALKORI will be co-promoted in two waves, the first of which will begin in the second and third quarters of 2015 in the United States, Canada, Japan and five European Union countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom). In the United States and Canada, XALKORI will be co-promoted by EMD Serono, the US and Canadian biopharmaceutical businesses of Merck. The second wave will begin in 2016 and includes China and Turkey.  

In 2015, Merck will receive a reimbursement associated with its promotion of XALKORI, followed by an 80 percent (Pfizer), 20 percent (Merck) profit sharing on the product starting in 2016. The co-promotion term will last through December 31, 2020 for the United States, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom and from January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2021 in China and Turkey. Pfizer will report the sales of XALKORI in countries where it is co-promoted with Merck.

“We are proud and excited to share the legacy of XALKORI, a medicine that changed the treatment paradigm for patients with ALK-positive metastatic NSCLC, with Merck,” said Liz Barrett, President and General Manager, Pfizer Oncology. “Through our co-promotion of XALKORI, we will establish a best-in-class global sales organization that will be exceptionally prepared for the potential launches of our future oncology medicines.”

“As we progress our robust program to co-develop and co-commercialize avelumab, the co-promotion agreement is an exciting milestone for the alliance between Merck and Pfizer, allowing us to establish our combined oncology sales organization in key markets for the program,” said Dr. Andrew Schiermeier, General Manager for the Merck-Pfizer Alliance and Head of Global Oncology, adding: “For Merck, this agreement is particularly important as it accelerates the establishment of our United States and Canada oncology sales organization ahead of our potential avelumab launches and positions us for future success in this market.”

This co-promotion relationship is related to the announcement in November 2014 of a global strategic alliance between Merck and Pfizer to jointly develop and commercialize avelumab, an investigational anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody, to accelerate the development of immuno-oncology medicines for patients with cancer. The immuno-oncology alliance will also advance Pfizer’s PD-1 antibody.  

*Avelumab is the proposed International Nonproprietary Name (INN) for the anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody (MSB0010718C)

About Non-small Cell Lung Cancer 

Globally, lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths in men and the second most common in women, responsible for almost twice as many deaths as both breast and prostate cancer combined[1]. Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for 85 to 90 percent of all lung cancers[2]. Locally advanced and metastatic disease account for approximately 35 to 40 percent[3]  and 70 percent[4]  of patients, respectively with NSCLC.

About XALKORI® (crizotinib) 

XALKORI is a kinase inhibitor indicated in the US for the treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors are anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive as detected by an FDA-approved test. The US indication is not limited to any specific line of therapy. In the EU, XALKORI is indicated for the treatment of adults with previously treated ALK-positive advanced NSCLC. XALKORI has received approval in more than 80 countries.  For more information and full prescribing information, please see: http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/EPAR_-_Product_Information/human/002489/WC500134759.pdf.

Merck-Pfizer Alliance 

Immuno-oncology is a top priority for Merck and Pfizer. The global strategic alliance between Merck and Pfizer enables the companies to benefit from each other’s strengths and capabilities and further explore the therapeutic potential of avelumab, an investigational anti-PD-L1 antibody initially discovered and developed by Merck.  The immuno-oncology alliance will jointly develop and commercialize avelumab and advance Pfizer’s PD-1 antibody. The companies will collaborate on up to 20 high priority immuno-oncology clinical development programs, including combination trials, many of which are expected to commence in 2015.

Pfizer Inc.: Working together for a healthier world® 

At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products. Our global portfolio includes medicines and vaccines as well as many of the world’s best-known consumer health care products. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world’s premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 150 years, Pfizer has worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. To learn more, please visit us at http://www.pfizer.com.

Merck 

Merck of Darmstadt, Germany, is a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in healthcare, life science and performance materials. The company has six businesses – Biopharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, Allergopharma, Biosimilars, Life Science and Performance Materials – and generated sales of € 11.3 billion in 2014. Around 39,000 employees work in 66 countries to improve the quality of life for patients, to foster the success of customers and to help meet global challenges. Merck is the world’s oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company – since 1668, the company has stood for innovation, business success and responsible entrepreneurship. Holding an approximately 70% interest, the founding family remains the majority owner of the company to this day. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are Canada and the United States, where the company operates as EMD Serono, EMD Millipore and EMD Performance Materials.

All Merck press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Website. Please go to http://www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your selection or discontinue this service.

Pfizer Disclosure Notice 

The information contained in this release is as of April 7, 2015. Pfizer assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this release as the result of new information or future events or developments. 

This release contains forward-looking information about an agreement between Pfizer and Merck to co-promote Pfizer’s XALKORI in certain markets as well as about the companies’ immuno-oncology alliance involving avelumab and Pfizer’s anti-PD-1 antibody and clinical development plans, including their potential benefits, that involves substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Risks and uncertainties include, among other things, uncertainties regarding the success of the co-promotion arrangement and whether the companies will realize the anticipated benefits of the co-promotion arrangement; the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the ability to meet anticipated clinical study commencement and completion dates as well as the possibility of unfavorable study results; risks associated with interim data, including the risk that the final results of the Phase I study for avelumab and/or additional clinical trials may be different from (including less favorable than) the interim data results and may not support further clinical development; the risk that clinical trial data are subject to differing interpretations, and, even when we view data as sufficient to support the safety and/or effectiveness of a product candidate, regulatory authorities may not share our views and may require additional data or may deny approval altogether; whether and when drug applications may be filed in any jurisdictions for any potential product candidates or combination therapies; whether and when any such applications may be approved by regulatory authorities, which will depend on the assessment by such regulatory authorities of the benefit-risk profile suggested by the totality of the efficacy and safety information submitted; decisions by regulatory authorities regarding labeling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of any of such product candidates or combination therapies; and competitive developments.

A further description of risks and uncertainties can be found in Pfizer’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 and in its subsequent reports on Form 10-Q, including in the sections thereof captioned “Risk Factors” and “Forward-Looking Information That May Affect Future Results”, as well as in its subsequent reports on Form 8-K, all of which are filed with the SEC and available at http://www.sec.gov and http://www.pfizer.com.

References 

  1. American Cancer Society. (2011). Global Facts & Figures Second Edition.  Retrieved from: http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@epidemiologysurveilance/documents/document/acspc-027766.pdf
  2. American Cancer Society. (2014). Lung Cancer (Non-Small Cell) [Fact sheet]. Retrieved from: http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003115-pdf.pdf
  3. Blumenschein, G. R., Paulus, R., Curran, W. J., Robert, F., Fossella, F., Werner-Wasik, M., Herbst, R. S., Doescher, P. O., Choy, H., & Komaki, R. (2011). Phase II study of cetuximab in combination with chemoradiation in patients with stage IIIA/B non-small-cell lung cancer: RTOG 0324. Journal of clinical oncology: official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, 17, 2312-2318.
  4. Wood, S. L., Pernemalm, M., Crosbie, P. A., & Whetton, A. D. (2013). The role of the tumor-microenvironment in lung cancer-metastasis and its relationship to potential therapeutic targets. Cancer treatment reviews, 4,558-566.
Health Care

Transforming Traditional Healthcare to Virtual Methods

admin

Frost & Sullivan reveals the importance of raising consumer awareness surrounding virtual visits

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — How consumers access healthcare is evolving in the U.S. due to connected healthcare expansion and new options in the delivery of care. As the healthcare system shifts to value-based models, including focal points on wellness and prevention, different settings in the care continuum are growing in importance, especially the home. Over the next five years, virtual visits expect to become a more common occurrence given the rapid expansion in video telemedicine service options. For true advancement, consumer awareness of virtual visits is a critical challenge for all healthcare system stakeholders to overcome.

During the Health Sciences Innovation Investment Forum in New York City, the Big Idea Session:  Raising Consumer Awareness of Virtual Visits will be hosted by Frost & Sullivan Healthcare and Life Sciences Research Director Daniel Ruppar (@danielruppar).

Attendees should expect insight on the following:

  • The access to care challenge.
  • Importance of virtual visits and growth ranking in telehealth.
  • Growing consumer awareness.
  • Creating the new world of primary care.

Please join Ruppar at the Health Sciences Innovation Investment Forum. To view more information regarding the events please visit, http://bit.ly/19xs1Ys.

“Now is a critical time in the market for virtual visits,” said Ruppar. “All stakeholders must work together to maximize awareness with consumers of this approach, to best expand integration in their lives as a common healthcare option, and further promote the growth of telehealth.”

Ruppar has extensive background in a number of healthcare sectors including digital transformation of healthcare and solutions throughout the continuum of care, including telemedicine and mHealth.

The Health Sciences Innovation Investment Forum will be held at the Alexandria Center. The conference will take place on April 22 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Frost & Sullivan is pleased to partner with the American Heart Association at their upcoming Health Sciences Innovation Investment Forum.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today’s market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion

Contact:
Kayla Belcher
Corporate Communications 
P: +1-210-247-2450
E: kayla.belcher@frost.com

http://www.frost.com 

Health Care

Resverlogix Receives Two Patents for RVX-208 in China

admin

CALGARY, Alberta, April 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Resverlogix Corp. (“Resverlogix” or the “Company”) (TSX: RVX) announces that it has received two China patent approvals covering RVX-208. A composition of matter patent, China No. 2007 8 0052349.8 titled, “Compounds for the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease” was granted until February 2027. A manufacturing patent, China No. ZL 2009 8 0106586.7 titled, “Methods of Preparing Quinazolinone Derivatives” was granted until June 2029.

“These two additional patents build upon the growing intellectual property estate for our core asset, RVX-208. With our Chinese patent life extending out to June 2029, RVX-208 now has the necessary protection required for a regional licensing deal in China,” stated Donald McCaffrey, president and CEO of Resverlogix. Mr. McCaffrey added, “Resverlogix views the ever expanding Chinese pharmaceutical market as an attractive opportunity which aligns with our regional licensing strategy. We will continue our discussions with potential partners at the China Bio Partnering Forum in Shanghai next week.” On April 15th, Resverlogix is one of four selected Canadian companies who will be presenting at China Bio.

About RVX-208

RVX-208 is a first-in-class, small molecule selective BET bromodomain inhibitor. BET bromodomain inhibition is an epigenetic mechanism that can turn disease-causing genes off, returning them to a healthier state. RVX-208 is the first and only BET inhibitor selective for BRD4-BD2, producing a nexus of biological effects with potentially important benefits for patients with diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes mellitus (DM), Alzheimer’s disease, peripheral artery disease, and chronic kidney disease while maintaining an excellent safety profile. Resverlogix is planning to study RVX-208 in a proposed Phase 3 clinical trial in CVD patients with DM and low HDL.

About Resverlogix

Resverlogix Corp. is developing RVX-208, a first-in-class, small molecule selective BET bromodomain inhibitor for the potential treatment of patients with cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer’s disease, peripheral artery disease, and chronic kidney disease. RVX-208 is the only selective BET bromodomain inhibitor in clinical trials. Resverlogix’s common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RVX). For further information please visit www.resverlogix.com. We can be followed on our blog at http://www.resverlogix.com/blog and via Twitter https://twitter.com/resverlogix_rvx @Resverlogix_RVX.

This news release may contain certain forward-looking information as defined under applicable Canadian securities legislation, that are not based on historical fact, including without limitation statements containing the words “believes”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “intends”, “will”, “should”, “expects”, “continue”, “estimate”, “forecasts” and other similar expressions. In particular, this news release includes forward looking information relating to research and development activities and the potential role of RVX-208 in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, peripheral artery disease and chronic kidney disease. Our actual results, events or developments could be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We can give no assurance that any of the events or expectations will occur or be realized. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions and risk factors including those discussed in our Annual Information Form and most recent MD&A which are incorporated herein by reference and are available through SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and are made as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention and has no obligation or responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For further information, please contact:

Company Contacts:
Donald J. McCaffrey
President and CEO
Resverlogix Corp.
Phone: +1-403-254-9252
Email: don@resverlogix.com

Sarah Zapotichny
Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Resverlogix Corp.
Phone: +1-403-254-9252
Email: sarah@resverlogix.com

Media:
Tony Russo, Ph.D.
Matt Middleman, M.D.
Russo Partners, LLC
Phone: +1-212 845 4251
Phone: +1-212-845-4272
Email: tony.russo@russopartnersllc.com
Email: matt.middleman@russopartnersllc.com

Health Care

SAFC Launches New EX-CELL® Advanced™ Products for Scalable, Efficient Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing

admin

ST. LOUIS, April 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Sigma-Aldrich Corporation (NASDAQ: SIAL) today announced that SAFC® Commercial (www.sigma-aldrich.com/safc), the Company’s business unit providing products and services for use in regulated pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical applications, has launched the EX-CELL® Advanced™ product line. Designed to address the needs of an evolving industry where speed to market is paramount, the new product line provides for increased performance, streamlines regulatory compliance, and offers the supply chain security needed in today’s biopharmaceutical environment.

The first EX-CELL Advanced product is the high-performing batch media system developed for a range of widely used industrial CHO cell lines, including SAFC’s proprietary CHOZN® cell line. During rigorous testing, the EX-CELL Advanced CHO Fed-batch System outperformed other commercially available equivalents by displaying significantly higher titers. Robust scale up and effortless adaptation offers those in biopharmaceutical development the opportunity to get their process up and running quickly and efficiently. Protein quality, another vital consideration in the development process, remains uncompromised.

“At SAFC we recognize our customers’ needs are constantly changing”, said Deb Stutz, Director of Biopharm Marketing. “Our team has utilized unique expertise in raw material science, understanding of process knowledge and decades of experience in cGMP manufacturing in development of the new EX-CELL Advanced line. We are delighted to launch this product in response to market needs for new levels of speed and performance, while continuing to provide the confidence of a secure and transparent supply chain.”

EX-CELL Advanced products are available now as catalog products in a range of pack sizes. To learn more or to make a purchase inquiry about the EX-CELL Advanced CHO Fed-batch System, visit www.sigma-aldrich.com/CHOperformance.

©2015 Sigma-Aldrich Co. LLC. All rights reserved. Sigma-Aldrich, SAFC, EX-CELL, EX-CELL Advanced and CHOZN are trademarks of Sigma-Aldrich Co. LLC or its affiliates, registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Health Care

Phylogica Enters Transaction with UK Biotech to Identify and Develop Small Molecule Cancer Drugs

admin

Non-exclusive license granted to PhoreMost Limited for phenotypic screening of Phylomer libraries to discover and develop small molecule drugs

Phylogica obtains 7.5% stake in PhoreMost

Phylogica obtains rights to develop therapeutic Phylomer peptides discovered from PhoreMost screens

Agreement has potential to feed Phylogica’s peptide-based oncology pipeline and unlock significant value in Phylomer platform

PERTH, Australia, April 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Phylogica Limited (ASX: PYC) has entered into a licensing agreement with PhoreMost Limited, a private biotechnology company based in Cambridge UK.

Under the agreement, Phylogica grants to PhoreMost a world-wide non-exclusive license to use certain Phylomer libraries solely for phenotypic screening to identify novel targets involved in diseases such as cancer, and then to identify and develop small molecule drugs against these targets.

The license includes certain preference conditions that cap the number of similar phenotypic deals Phylogica may enter into during an 18 month option period. Importantly, Phylogica will retain all commercial rights to exploit any Phylomer peptides identified in the screens for therapeutic purposes.

As consideration for the license Phylogica will obtain a 7.5% equity stake in PhoreMost together with non-exclusive rights to commercialise any functional Phylomer peptides and associated disease targets that are identified by PhoreMost for peptide therapeutics, along with an option to negotiate exclusive rights for such purpose.

“We are delighted the PhoreMost agreement formalises our long standing collaboration with Professor Venkitaraman’s team at the University of Cambridge who are co-founders of PhoreMost and who are world leaders in cutting-edge phenotypic screening approaches to identify novel disease targets involved in cancer,” said Phylogica CEO, Dr. Richard Hopkins.

“The team is complemented by PhoreMost CEO Dr. Chris Torrance, who co-founded and commercialised Horizon Discovery, a pioneering phenotypic screening company, which recently floated on the London Stock Exchange and is currently valued at more than GBP150 million.”

“This agreement provides Phylogica’s shareholders with an equity stake in an innovative company with its own proprietary small molecule-based oncology programs. It also has the potential to feed Phylogica’s oncology pipeline with novel cancer targets and peptides, accelerating our path to product development and adding significant value to the company.”

Dr. Torrance commented, “We have been very aware of Phylogica’s unique technology asset and its vast potential to generate novel drug candidates for diseases previously considered undruggable. This agreement is an important part of our quest to find and develop superior small molecule therapies through specialised phenotypic screening approaches.”

Using novel ‘phenotypic’ screening technologies developed in collaboration with Professor Venkitaraman, Phylogica’s Phylomer libraries will be used to probe the landscape of intracellular disease targets to identify the best new approaches for next-generation cancer therapy. A pipeline of these validated drug targets, the majority of which will have been drugged for the very first time, will be developed in partnership with Phylogica and other pharmaceutical companies to bring a multiplicity of new treatment options into the clinic.

Enquiries:
Rudi Michelson
Monsoon Communications
rudim@monsoon.com.au
+61 3 9620 3333

About PhoreMost

PhoreMost Ltd is a new bio-pharmaceutical company based in Cambridge UK, established to significantly increase the diversity and affordability of novel therapeutics for cancer and other difficult diseases. PhoreMost is managed by Dr. Chris Torrance, founder of Horizon Discovery (LSE: HZD), a pioneering translational genomics company using advanced human genome editing techniques to create accurate and genetically-defined human disease models for accelerating targeted drug discovery. Horizon completed its IPO in March this year raising GBP37.8 million.

About Phylogica

Phylogica Limited (ASX: PYC) is a biotechnology company based in Perth, Australia with a world-class drug discovery platform harnessing the rich biodiversity of nature to discover novel peptide therapeutics from the most structurally diverse libraries available. The Company listed on the ASX in 2005 as a spin out from the Telethon Kids Institute (Perth, Australia) and the Fox Chase Cancer Centre (Philadelphia, USA). The Company’s drug discovery platform is based on its proprietary Phylomer® libraries containing over 400 billion unique natural peptides, which have been optimised by evolutionary selection to adopt stable drug-like structures. Phylogica offers fully integrated drug discovery services to the pharmaceutical industry utilising its Phylomer® libraries and proprietary screening technologies in exchange for license fees, milestones and royalties. Partners from discovery alliances within the last 5 years include Roche, MedImmune, Pfizer, Janssen, Cubist Pharmaceuticals and Genentech.

About Phylomer® Peptides

Phylomer peptides are derived from biodiverse natural sequences, which have been selected by evolution to form stable structures that can bind tightly, and specifically to disease associated target proteins, both inside and outside cells. Suitable targets for blockade by Phylomers include protein interactions that promote multiple diseases, such as infectious diseases, cancer, autoimmunity and heart disease. Phylomer peptides can have drug-like properties including specificity, potency and thermal stability, and are capable of being produced by synthetic or recombinant manufacturing processes. Phylomer peptides are also readily formulated for administration by a number of means including parenteral or intranasal delivery approaches. Current Phylomer libraries comprise more than 400 billion distinct sequences derived from thousands of protein structure families encoded by biodiverse genomes, representing the most structurally diverse peptide libraries available. Phylomer peptides have also been demonstrated to have world-class cell penetrating ability, enabling them to deliver protein cargoes with unprecedented efficiency.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/phylogica-enters-transaction-with-uk-biotech-to-identify-and-develop-small-molecule-cancer-drugs-300061855.html

Health Care

Zebra Medical Vision Launches the Most Comprehensive Medical Imaging Research Platform Globally

admin

SHEFAYIM, Israel, April 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ —

Completes $8m seed round led by Khosla Ventures to accelerate the creation of imaging insights tools for HMOs and ACOs

Zebra Medical Vision launched a closed beta of its Medical Imaging Research platform and announced funding of $8 million led by Khosla Ventures, with participating parties DeepFork Capital and Salesforce (NYSE: CRM) CEO Marc Benioff. The company’s solution enables researchers to quickly develop imaging algorithms and insights based on large scale datasets and advanced processing power. Zebra’s commercialization pipeline will then expedite clinical application of imaging research products.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150405/196595)

With a billion people joining the middle class by 2020, and an aging global population, the demand for medical imaging is rapidly increasing. Fast, accurate diagnosis is paramount, and is getting increasingly difficult to achieve with existing Radiology resources. Medical Imaging storage has grown tenfold since 2005 according to a Frost&Sullivan report and continues to grow with more advanced modalities. Therefore there is an acute need for accurate automated tools to enable high quality diagnostic insights at scale.

“Advances in machine learning and computer vision have made it possible to create diagnostic quality algorithms based on big data, that surpass current reading accuracy rates. Such algorithms will reduce false positives, identify false negatives, provide earlier diagnosis of cancer or other diseases and unlock incidental findings hidden in the vast amounts of imaging data that resides within archives of health providers,” said Elad Benjamin, Zebra Medical CEO and former General Manager of the Carestream Healthcare Information Solutions group.

“I have frequently commented that technology will reinvent healthcare as we know it,” said Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures. “Zebra is combining the power of machine learning, computer vision and big data to do just that in medical imaging – creating a sandbox through which imaging innovation can occur and be delivered to patients. We are proud to back such a team and an ambitious endeavor and look forward to seeing the outcomes of the platform.”

Zebra’s platform offers a cloud-based, fully hosted research and development environment. This includes access to large datasets of structured, de-identified studies, storage, state-of-the-art GPU computing power and support for a multitude of research tools. The platform also enables research groups to collaborate and create joint tools.

“Zebra is the only platform today that offers such seamless access to both the tools and the needed datasets and research environment – and at such a large scale,” said Professor Gabriel Krestin, Professor of Radiology, Chair of Radiology at Erasmus University Medical Centre Rotterdam and past President of the European Society of Radiology. “This will finally enable providers to bring medical imaging into the fold of large scale clinical analysis and population management.”

The Zebra platform is initially being launched to select research groups. Researchers and machine learning practitioners can apply for an invite here. ACOs and HMOs are welcome to participate and learn how can better imaging insights improve care and reduce costs.

About Zebra Medical Vision Ltd  

Zebra Medical Vision has set out to create the world’s largest medical imaging insights platform. We believe that by providing machine-learning researchers the needed tools and datasets we can accelerate development of advanced decision support tools and diagnosis needed to serve the worlds population. Headquartered in Kibutz Shfayim Israel, the Company was founded in 2014 by Co-Founders Eyal Toledano, Eyal Gura and Elad Benjamin.  

More info at http://www.zebra-med.com

Contact:
Elad Benjamin  
info@zebra-med.com