Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Announces Data Presentations at the 38th Annual Meeting & Exposition of the Controlled Release Society

PARSIPPANY, N.J., Aug. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PCRX), an emerging specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced that new preclinical data evaluating the safety of DepoFoam® with DEPC (a novel excipient) will be presented in two podium sessions at the 38th Annual Meeting & Exposition of the Controlled Release Society (CRS) in National Harbor, Md. DepoFoam is Pacira’s proprietary, extended release drug delivery technology, which is a key component of EXPAREL(TM) (bupivacaine extended-release liposome injection), the company’s lead investigational product candidate for postsurgical pain management.

The first abstract, titled “Quantitative WholeBody Autoradiography Following Single Subcutaneous Injection of [114C] 2erucoyl)DEPC DepoFoam Formulation in Rats,” will be presented on Tuesday, August 2, 2011, at 4:30 p.m. EDT. The second abstract, titled “Safety Evaluation of a Novel Pharmaceutical Excipient (DEPC) in EXPAREL, an Extended-Release Liposomal Formulation of Bupivacaine,” will be presented on Tuesday, August 2, 2011, at 5 p.m. EDT. Both abstracts are being presented at a major medical meeting for the first time.

“These new data add to the growing body of evidence supporting the safety of DepoFoam as a proprietary, extended release drug delivery technology,” said David Stack, president and chief executive officer of Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. “As DepoFoam is the carrier vehicle for our lead product candidate, EXPAREL, these presentations mark another important safety milestone for the clinical community. We believe these data, combined with the other positive clinical and pre-clinical data we have previously presented, further validate the potential safety and utility of EXPAREL in postsurgical pain management, should it be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) later this year.”

For more information or to view the full abstracts, please visit the scientific presentations page located in the investors and media section on the Pacira website at www.pacira.com.

About Pacira

Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an emerging specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacture and commercialization of novel pharmaceutical products, based on its proprietary DepoFoam drug delivery technology, for use in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. In December 2010, Pacira announced that its New Drug Application (NDA) for EXPAREL, the company’s most advanced investigational product candidate, had been accepted for filing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA has assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date of October 28, 2011 for the review of the EXPAREL NDA. EXPAREL is a bupivacaine-based product and has completed extensive Phase 3 clinical development for postsurgical analgesia by infiltration. EXPAREL consists of bupivacaine encapsulated in DepoFoam, which is designed to address the limitations of widely used medications by enhancing their dosing and/or administration profile. Additional information about Pacira is available at www.pacira.com.

About EXPAREL(TM)

EXPAREL is Pacira’s proprietary drug candidate consisting of bupivacaine encapsulated in DepoFoam®, both of which are currently used separately in FDA-approved products. Bupivacaine is a well-characterized anesthetic/analgesic that has an established safety profile with more than 20 years of use in the United States. Market data indicate that there is an unmet medical need for a longer-acting anesthetic/analgesic for postsurgical pain management. Several Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials have been completed for EXPAREL and suggest statistically significant reduction of pain in soft tissue and orthopedic surgery in different surgical models. Clinical data from Phase 3 trial 316 suggest that EXPAREL provides analgesia for up to 72 hours post-surgery, the primary endpoint for the trial. The safety of EXPAREL was evaluated in 10 randomized, double-blind, local administration into the surgical wound clinical studies involving 823 patients; the most common adverse events following EXPAREL administration were nausea, constipation, and vomiting.

About DepoFoam®

DepoFoam is Pacira’s proprietary, extended release drug delivery technology, and is a key component of the company’s investigational product candidate, EXPAREL (bupivacaine extended-release liposome injection). DepoFoam consists of microscopic spherical particles composed of a honeycomb-like structure of numerous internal, aqueous chambers containing an active drug ingredient. Its unique technology enables the release of an encapsulated drug over a desired period of time, from 1 to 30 days.

Forward Looking Statements

Any statements in this press release about our future expectations, plans and prospects, including statements about EXPAREL’s potential, and other statements containing the words “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including risks relating to: the timing of, and our ability to obtain regulatory approval of EXPAREL; the timing of our anticipated commercial launch of EXPAREL; the rate and degree of market acceptance of EXPAREL; the size and growth of the potential markets for EXPAREL and our ability to serve those markets; our commercialization and marketing capabilities; and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, and in other filings that we periodically make with the SEC. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent our views as of the date of this press release. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our views to change. However, while we may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

Contacts:

James S. Scibetta
Chief Financial Officer
Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(973) 254-3570

Dan Budwick
Vice President, Media Relations
Pure Communications, Inc.
(973) 271-6085

SOURCE Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

LifeCare Holdings, Inc. Completes Acquisition of HealthSouth LTAC Hospitals

PLANO, Texas, Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — LifeCare Holdings, Inc. has completed its transaction to acquire the long term acute care hospitals (LTACHs) of HealthSouth Corporation (NYSE:HLS). With this transaction, LifeCare now operates 27 LTACHs in 10 states, totaling 1,392 licensed beds.

The new hospital facilities are located in Sarasota, FL; Las Vegas, NV; Mechanicsburg and Monroeville, PA.; and Ruston, LA, with remote locations in the neighboring communities of Farmerville and Homer. LifeCare has historically operated hospitals in four of the five states in which the HealthSouth hospitals are located, providing opportunities to increase market share and strengthen referral and payor relationships.

“With the completion of this transaction, we have not only expanded our network of facilities but have also enhanced our workforce of highly trained, compassionate caregivers,” said LifeCare Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Phillip B. Douglas. “We look forward to the opportunity to share best practices with these hospitals and to integrate them into our efforts to consistently improve outcomes for patients in need of the intensive level of care provided in an LTACH environment.”

Total consideration to HealthSouth was $117.5 million, which included the value of working capital not acquired by LifeCare. The transaction was financed by additional drawings under LifeCare’s senior secured credit facility and by proceeds generated from the sale of the real estate assets associated with four of the acquired hospitals. The transaction is expected to be immediately deleveraging to LifeCare Holdings’ balance sheet on a pro forma basis.

Founded in 1992 to provide a better chance at recovery for patients with severe injuries or acute illnesses, LifeCare is a leader in the delivery of long term acute hospital services. Douglas serves as board president of the Acute Long Term Hospital Association (ALTHA), and LifeCare National Medical Director T. Brian Callister, M.D., is the immediate past chairman of the ALTHA Clinical Policy Committee. Along with ALTHA and the American Hospital Association, LifeCare has been actively involved in championing efforts to establish patient and facility LTACH certification criteria to better define the appropriate role of LTACHs in the post-acute continuum.

About LifeCare Holdings, Inc.

LifeCare, based in Plano, Texas, operates 27 long term acute care hospitals located in 10 states. Long-term acute care hospitals specialize in the treatment of medically complex patients who typically require extended hospitalization. For more information on LifeCare, visit our website at www.lifecare-hospitals.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding, among other items, the proposed acquisition of long term acute care hospitals from HealthSouth Corporation, the proposed financing for such acquisition as well operational and regulatory matters. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily estimates based upon current information, involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and relate to, among other things, future events, the likelihood and timing of the closing of this sale transaction, LifeCare’s business strategy, its financial plans, its future financial performance, or its projected business results, or its projected capital expenditures. Actual events or results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors. Factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, risks relating to our ability to complete the proposed acquisition, regulatory delay in closing the proposed acquisition, termination fees that we could become obligated to pay under the terms of the definitive agreement in the event that we are unable to complete the acquisition on the terms contemplated by such agreement, operating in a regulated environment, implementing our business plan, maintaining relationships with physicians in our markets, availability of sufficient nurses and therapists, competition, retaining key management, ability to service our debt requirements, litigation matters and availability of insurance, and such other factors that may be identified from time to time in LifeCare’s SEC filings and other public announcements, including in our Form 10-K as filed on March 30, 2011, which can be viewed on the SEC’s website. Many of the factors that will determine the Company’s future results are beyond the ability of management to control or predict. As a result, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s views only as the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.


    Media Contact:         Investor Contact:
                            Chris A. Walker, Chief
    Rosemary Plorin         Financial Officer
                            chris.walker@lifecare-
    [email protected]     hospitals.com
    615.297.7766           469.241.2116

SOURCE LifeCare Holdings, Inc.

U Of M Researchers Use Improved Brain Imaging Techniques; Discover A Better Approach To Diagnosing Epilepsy

News Summary

Using state-of-the-art, 7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology, University of Minnesota Medical School researchers may have uncovered a better approach to diagnosing and treating epilepsy.

Quotes

“There is huge potential here to improve patient care through improved approaches to magnetic resonance imaging,” said Dr. Thomas Henry. University of Minnesota Physician neurologist. “When you see how much clearer these 7 Tesla images are, compared with standard MRI, it’s sort of like reading fine print with a magnifying glass versus the naked eye. The possibility of using 7 Tesla MRI to find brain lesions that were missed on current brain scans is likely to be very helpful in epilepsy and many other conditions.”

“Standard MRI technology is an effective way to diagnose epilepsy when it is caused by large lesions,” said Henry. “We believe that by using 7 Tesla machines, which we have right at our fingertips on the University of Minnesota campus, we’ll be able to treat a greater population of epileptic patients more effectively,” said Henry.

Using state-of-the-art, 7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology, University of Minnesota Medical School researchers may have uncovered a better approach to diagnosing epilepsy.

In the process, the team was able to cure eight patients of all epileptic symptoms.

Epilepsy, a neurological disorder causing repeated seizures or convulsions, impacts about one percent of the population, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The most common type of epilepsy is temporal lobe epilepsy, caused by scarring inside the hippocampus, a major memory center of the brain. Many of these patients have severe memory problems, even in between seizures.

Using 7 Tesla MRI technology, a U of M research team led by University of Minnesota Physician neurologist Dr. Thomas Henry, scanned epileptic patients to capture extremely detailed images of their brain. (The strength of a magnetic field is measured in Tesla units. The higher the field strength, the more detailed the image acquired by MRI machines.)

While most standard clinical MRI machines have strength of 1.5 or 3 Tesla, the improved 7 Tesla technology allowed researchers to make highly-improved, detailed images of patients’ brain tissue, especially the portion responsible for causing epilepsy.

The clearer MRI images allowed Henry and his colleagues to more accurately find scar tissue associated with temporal lobe epilepsy. Accurately locating this scarring is critical because if medications fail to control epileptic seizures, it’s often possible for highly-trained neurosurgeons to remove scars from the brain in order to stop the seizures. The healthy parts of the brain left untouched, and actually begin to function better after seizures stop.

“There is huge potential here to improve patient care through improved approaches to magnetic resonance imaging,” Henry said. “When you see how much clearer these 7 Tesla images are, compared with standard MRI, it’s sort of like reading fine print with a magnifying glass versus the naked eye. The possibility of using 7 Tesla MRI to find brain lesions that were missed on current brain scans is likely to be very helpful in epilepsy and many other conditions.”

Dr. Henry and his team conducted their research in the University of Minnesota’s Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR), an interdisciplinary research laboratory that is home to the world’s strongest imaging magnets and most sensitive scanners.

“Standard MRI technology is an effective way to diagnose epilepsy when it is caused by large lesions,” said Henry. “We believe that by using 7 Tesla machines, which we have right at our fingertips on the University of Minnesota campus, we’ll be able to treat a greater population of epileptic patients more effectively,” said Henry.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Keck Foundation. It appears in the online edition of the journal Radiology.

On the Net:

Hologic Announces Third Quarter Fiscal 2011 Operating Results

BEDFORD, Mass., Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Hologic, Inc. (Hologic or the Company) (Nasdaq: HOLX), a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics products, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women, today announced its results for the third fiscal quarter ended June 25, 2011.

Highlights of the quarter include:

  • Revenues of $451.1 million resulting from year-over-year growth in all four operating segments.
  • Net income was $36.2 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, calculated in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
  • Non-GAAP adjusted net income was $85.5 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, and adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) was $154.2 million. A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP results is included as an attachment to this press release.
  • Acquisition of TCT International Co. Ltd. on June 1, 2011, a distributor of medical products in China.

Highlight subsequent to the quarter:

  • Acquisition of Beijing Healthcome Technology Company, Ltd. on July 19, 2011, a manufacturer of mammography systems in China.

Third quarter fiscal 2011 revenues totaled $451.1 million, an increase of 7.2% compared to revenues of $420.7 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2010. This increase resulted from growth in revenues in all four of our operating segments, primarily from: (i) growth in Breast Health revenues of $15.8 million, or 8.4%, driven by an $11.1 million, or 19.0%, increase in service revenue related to our increased installed base of digital mammography systems; (ii) an increase in Diagnostics revenues of $6.1 million, or 4.4%, primarily due to an increase in Cervista HPV and ThinPrep revenues; (iii) an increase in GYN Surgical revenues of $7.8 million, or 10.9%, related to the contribution from sales of our MyoSure hysteroscopic tissue removal system (MyoSure) from our acquisition of Interlace Medical, Inc. (Interlace) in January 2011 and growth in sales of both our NovaSure endometrial ablation (NovaSure) and Adiana permanent contraception (Adiana) systems; and (iv) an increase in Skeletal Health revenues of $0.7 million, or 3.2%, primarily due to an increase in bone densitometry sales of approximately 19% over the third quarter of fiscal 2010.

For the third quarter of fiscal 2011, Hologic reported net income of $36.2 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, compared with net income of $27.4 million, or $0.10 per diluted share, in the third quarter of fiscal 2010.

The Company’s non-GAAP adjusted net income increased 9.4% to $85.5 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, in the third quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to $78.2 million, or $0.30 per diluted share, for the same period in the prior year. The Company’s fiscal 2011 and 2010 third quarter non-GAAP adjusted net income primarily excludes: (i) a charge of $59.7 million and $57.1 million, respectively, attributable to the amortization of intangible assets; (ii) a non-cash interest expense charge of $18.2 million and $18.5 million, respectively, related to the Company’s Convertible Notes; and (iii) $1.7 million and $0.8 million, respectively, of acquisition-related costs and charges. The Company’s fiscal 2011 third quarter non-GAAP adjusted net income also excludes $2.7 million of charges to operating expenses attributable to contingent consideration relating to the Sentinelle Medical, Inc. (Sentinelle), Interlace, and TCT International Co. Ltd. (TCT) acquisitions.

For the nine months ended June 25, 2011, revenues totaled $1.32 billion, an increase of 5.7% compared to revenues of $1.25 billion in the nine months ended June 26, 2010. This increase resulted from growth in revenues in all four of our operating segments, primarily from: (i) growth in Breast Health revenues of $48.5 million, or 8.7%, driven by a $36.5 million, or 21.8%, increase in service revenue primarily related to our increased installed base of digital mammography systems; (ii) an increase in GYN Surgical revenues of $16.4 million, or 7.8%, primarily related to growth in sales of the Adiana system, as well as the inclusion of MyoSure and growth in sales of the NovaSure system; (iii) an increase in Skeletal Health revenues of $3.2 million, or 4.8%, primarily due to an increase in bone densitometry sales; and (iv) an increase in Diagnostics revenues of $3.0 million, or 0.7%, primarily from growth in revenues from our Cervista HPV tests that was partially offset by a decrease in ThinPrep revenues.

For the nine months ended June 25, 2011, Hologic reported net income of $129.6 million, or $0.49 per diluted share, compared with net income of $74.2 million, or $0.28 per diluted share, in the nine months ended June 26, 2010. The Company’s non-GAAP adjusted net income increased 6.8% to $244.3 million, or $0.92 per diluted share, in the nine months ended June 25, 2011 compared to $228.7 million, or $0.87 per diluted share, for the same period in the prior year. The Company’s non-GAAP adjusted net income for the first nine months of fiscal 2011 and 2010 primarily excludes: (i) a charge of $175.3 million and $171.3 million, respectively, attributable to the amortization of intangible assets; (ii) a non-cash interest expense charge of $54.4 million in each period related to the Company’s Convertible Notes; and (iii) $4.1 million and $0.8 million, respectively, of acquisition-related costs and charges. The Company’s non-GAAP adjusted net income for the first nine months of fiscal 2011 also primarily excludes: (i) an $84.5 million net gain, included as a credit within operating expenses, related to our agreement to sell the rights of the Makena (formerly Gestiva) assets to KV Pharmaceutical Company upon FDA approval in the first quarter; (ii) a $29.9 million non-cash loss on the exchange of Convertible Notes in the first quarter; (iii) a $3.3 million charge attributable to the write-up of acquired inventory sold relating to Sentinelle and Interlace; and (iv) a $1.4 million net credit to operating expenses attributable to contingent consideration relating to the Sentinelle, Interlace and TCT acquisitions. The Company’s non-GAAP adjusted net income for the first nine months of fiscal 2010 also primarily excludes a $12.5 million litigation settlement charge related to a legal settlement.

Non-GAAP adjusted net income, non-GAAP adjusted earnings per diluted share (non-GAAP adjusted EPS), and adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP financial measures. The Company’s definitions of these non-GAAP financial measures, and the reconciliations of these measures to the Company’s comparable GAAP financial measures for the periods presented, are set forth in the supplemental information attached to this press release. When analyzing the Company’s operating performance, investors should not consider these non-GAAP measures as a substitute for the comparable financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.

As of June 25, 2011, total backlog for all products was $292.4 million.

“We had another strong quarter with growth from all four of our business segments contributing to record revenues,” said Rob Cascella, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are encouraged by the early interest in our Dimensions 3D mammography system, which was approved by the FDA last quarter. I am particularly pleased with the strong performance of our Diagnostics and GYN Surgical businesses this quarter. Lastly, we believe our China-based acquisitions of TCT and Healthcome will further enable us to deliver on our international expansion strategy. These two businesses are intended to better position Hologic to take advantage of the growth opportunities presented by the Chinese market.”

Third quarter fiscal 2011 revenue overview by segment:

  • Breast Health revenues, which include the Company’s mammography, Computer-Aided Detection (CAD), breast biopsy, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) breast coil, MammoSite and AEG products, increased to $205.2 million for the third quarter compared to $189.3 million for the same period in fiscal 2010, an increase of 8.4%. Revenue growth this quarter was driven primarily by an increase in service revenues related to our growing installed base of digital mammography systems. Product revenue growth was driven primarily by a combination of: (i) the shift in sales from Selenia to Dimensions; (ii) stronger sales of breast biopsy products, led by Eviva; and (iii) the inclusion of breast coil sales related to our acquisition of Sentinelle in August 2010.
  • Diagnostics revenues, which include the Company’s ThinPrep products, Rapid Fetal Fibronectin test, Cervista HPV tests, and other molecular diagnostics products, totaled $143.4 million for the third quarter compared to $137.4 million for the same period of fiscal 2010, an increase of 4.4%. Sales growth was driven primarily by a combination of strong growth in Cervista HPV revenue and higher ThinPrep volume.
  • GYN Surgical revenues, which include the Company’s NovaSure, Adiana and MyoSure systems, totaled $79.4 million for the third quarter compared to $71.6 million for the same period of fiscal 2010, an increase of 10.9%. This increase was primarily due to the inclusion of MyoSure revenues and growth in sales of both the NovaSure and Adiana products.
  • Skeletal Health revenues, which mainly include the Company’s osteoporosis assessment and mini C-arm product lines, totaled $23.1 million for the third quarter compared to $22.4 million for the same period of fiscal 2010, an increase of 3.2%. This increase was primarily the result of an increase in bone densitometry unit sales.

Acquisitions of TCT and Healthcome:

On June 1, 2011, the Company acquired TCT, a privately?held distribution company headquartered in Beijing, China and a distributor of medical products that includes Hologic’s ThinPrep Pap Test, related instruments and other diagnostic and surgical products. The purchase price for the transaction was $135 million in cash (of which $35 million is deferred for one year), plus a two?year contingent earn out. The earn out will be payable in cash installments equal to a multiple of the incremental revenue growth in TCT’s business. Each component of the total purchase price is subject to adjustment and the purchase price is subject to a maximum threshold. TCT’s results of operations are primarily included within the Company’s Diagnostics segment. In Fiscal 2011, the Company expects this transaction to generate incremental revenues of approximately $10 million and to be accretive to earnings, absent the amortization of intangibles related to the transaction and other acquisition-related charges.

On July 19, 2011, the Company acquired Beijing Healthcome Technology Company, Ltd. (Healthcome), a privately-held manufacturer of mammography systems headquartered in Beijing, China. Healthcome is a leader in the field of analog mammography in China. The Company has an established product line, strong manufacturing capabilities and an established distribution system. Healthcome’s operating results will be reported within the Company’s Breast Health segment. The purchase price for the transaction is an aggregate amount of up to approximately $16.9 million, subject to adjustment, comprised of an up-front payment and future payments based on continuing employment of the principal shareholders. There will be minimal contribution to operating results in Fiscal 2011 and the acquisition will be neutral to earnings, absent the amortization of intangibles related to the transaction and other acquisition-related charges.

“The acquisitions of TCT and Healthcome are consistent with our strategy to expand our women’s healthcare franchise globally,” said David Harding, Senior Vice President and General Manager, International. “TCT holds the majority market share for liquid-based cytology in China and Healthcome is well-positioned to become a leader in the expanding mammography market in China. Both companies have established sales and distribution infrastructures suited to the needs of the Chinese healthcare system. We believe these acquisitions, combined with our other distribution partners, create a strong set of capabilities that will allow us to address the needs of the rapidly growing Chinese healthcare market.”

Appointment of David R. LaVance, Jr. as Chairman of the Board

Effective July 28, 2011, David R. LaVance, Jr., 57, was appointed as the new independent Chairman of Hologic’s Board of Directors. The appointment follows the succession plan put in place two years ago for Jack Cumming, 66, to step down as Chairman and from the Board to focus on his role as Global Strategic Advisor, supporting Hologic’s key international initiatives.

Mr. LaVance has been one of Hologic’s directors since December 2002 and was elected lead independent director by the Company’s Board in 2008. He has participated as a member of all Board Committees and has chaired the Corporate Development, the Compensation and the Nominating and Governance Committees at different times during his term with Hologic. Since 1997, Mr. LaVance has served as President of Century Capital Associates LLC, an investment banking firm that he founded specializing in the biosciences fields. From 1995 to 1997, Mr. LaVance was Managing Director for KPMG Health Ventures, the life sciences consulting practice of the KPMG accounting firm. Since 2003, Mr. LaVance has served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors, CEO and President of Scivanta Medical Corporation (SCVM.OB) and joined IET, Ltd. (IEVM.OB) as CEO in 2011.

“On behalf of Hologic’s Board of Directors, we would like to thank Jack for all of his accomplishments during his nine years as Chairman and 10 years as Director,” said Rob Cascella. “We are very pleased Jack will play an ongoing role with the Company as he concentrates exclusively on growing our international presence in key emerging markets. We also are pleased to maintain the Board continuity with David’s transition from lead independent director to Chairman. David’s Board leadership has been invaluable to me and I am confident in his new expanded capacity, this will only be further enhanced.”

Financial Guidance:

The Company’s guidance reflects its current core products, including revenues from its recently-approved Dimensions 3D mammography system and its recently acquired businesses, but does not reflect any future revenue or earnings from future acquisitions, if any.

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2011 (Quarter ending September 24, 2011):

  • The Company expects fourth quarter fiscal 2011 revenues of $455 to $460 million. This primarily reflects an increase in revenues related to the acquisition of TCT and to a lesser extent increases in the GYN Surgical, Diagnostics and Breast Health segments. Year-over-year, this represents an expected increase in revenues of 6% to 7% over the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 revenues of $428.3 million.
  • The Company expects non-GAAP adjusted EPS to be approximately $0.32 to $0.33.

Fiscal 2011 (Year ending September 24, 2011):

  • The Company is increasing guidance for fiscal 2011 revenues to a range of $1.77 billion to $1.78 billion (from $1.76 billion to $1.77 billion), primarily reflecting the revenues related to the acquisition of TCT.
  • The Company expects non-GAAP adjusted EPS to be approximately $1.24 to $1.26.

Estimates of certain non-GAAP adjustments that the Company anticipates will be reflected in its non-GAAP fiscal 2011 fourth quarter and fiscal 2011 year financial performance are included as an attachment to this press release.

Hologic may not generate expected revenues and may incur expenses or charges or realize income or gains in fiscal 2011 that could cause actual results to vary from the guidance above. In addition, the Company is continuing to monitor the effects of the U.S. and general worldwide economic and regulatory conditions and related uncertainties, including the ongoing implementation of healthcare reform legislation, including associated tax provisions, as well as foreign currency fluctuations, which, along with other uncertainties facing our business, could adversely affect anticipated results.

Conference Call and Webcast:

Hologic’s management will host a conference call on Monday, August 1, 2011, at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern) to discuss third quarter fiscal 2011 operating results. Interested participants may listen to the call by dialing 877-440-5803 or 719-325-4813 for international callers and referencing code 9709196 approximately 15 minutes prior to the call on August 1. For those unable to participate in the live broadcast, a replay will be available one hour after the call ends through Friday, August 19, 2011, at 888-203-1112 or 719-457-0820 for international callers, access code 9709196. The Company will also provide a live webcast and replay of the call on the investor relations page of the Company’s website at www.hologic.com/investor-overview. A PowerPoint presentation related to the conference call will be posted after the close of the market on Monday, August 1, 2011, on the investor relations page of the Company’s website.

About Hologic, Inc.:

Hologic, Inc. is a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics products, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women. Hologic’s core business units are focused on breast health, diagnostics, GYN surgical and skeletal health. Hologic provides a comprehensive suite of technologies with products for mammography and breast biopsy, breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging, radiation treatment for early-stage breast cancer, cervical cancer screening, treatment for menorrhagia and uterine fibroids, permanent contraception, osteoporosis assessment, preterm birth risk assessment, mini C-arm for extremity imaging and molecular diagnostic products including HPV and reagents for a variety of DNA and RNA analysis applications.

Hologic, Adiana, AEG, Cervista, Dimensions, Healthcome, Interlace, MammoSite, MyoSure, NovaSure, Rapid fFN, Selenia, Sentinelle, TCT and ThinPrep and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Hologic, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries.

Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer:

This News Release contains forward-looking information that involves risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding the Company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions. Such statements include, without limitation, statements regarding: economic and market trends; the Company’s backlog and any implication that the Company’s backlog may be indicative of future sales; the Company’s anticipated opportunities from its recent acquisitions of TCT and Healthcome; financial or other information included herein based upon or otherwise incorporating judgments or estimates relating to future performance, events or expectations; and the Company’s outlook and financial and other guidance. These forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions made by the Company as of the date hereof and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated.

The Company’s backlog consists of orders for which delivery is scheduled within the next twelve months, as specified by the customer. In certain circumstances, orders included in backlog may be canceled or rescheduled by customers without significant penalty. Therefore, backlog as of any particular date should not be relied upon as indicative of the Company’s revenues for any future period.

There are significant risks, known and unknown, associated with the Company’s recent acquisitions, including without limitation: the Company’s ability to successfully integrate each of those businesses; the risks that the acquired businesses may not operate as effectively and efficiently as expected even if otherwise successfully integrated; and the risks that acquisitions may involve unexpected costs or unexpected liabilities. Moreover, TCT and Healthcome conduct their respective business in China, which will create enhanced risks and challenges to the Company in successfully integrating and operating those businesses including, without limitation: difficulties in staffing and managing operations in foreign locations as a result of, among other things, distance, language and cultural differences; protectionist laws and business practices that may favor local companies; difficulties in trade accounts receivable collection; difficulties and expenses related to implementing internal controls over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures; expenses associated with customizing products for clients in foreign countries; possible adverse tax consequences; the inability to obtain favorable third-party reimbursements; the inability to obtain required regulatory approvals; governmental currency controls; multiple, conflicting and changing government laws and regulations (including, among other things, antitrust and tax requirements, international trade regulations and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act); the inability to effectively obtain or enforce intellectual property rights or otherwise protect against clone or “knock off” products; political and economic changes and disruptions; export/import controls; and tariff regulations. Moreover, the businesses of TCT and Healthcome may be adversely affected by future legislative, regulatory, or tax changes as well as changes in international currency exchange rates and other economic, business and competitive factors.

Other risks and uncertainties that could adversely affect the Company’s business and prospects, and otherwise cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, include without limitation: U.S. and general worldwide economic conditions and related uncertainties; the Company’s reliance on third-party reimbursement policies to support the sales and market acceptance of its products, including the possible adverse impact of government regulation and changes in the availability and amount of reimbursement and uncertainties regarding the availability or amount of reimbursement for new products or product enhancements; uncertainties regarding the recently enacted or future healthcare reform legislation or budget reduction efforts, including associated tax provisions; changes in guidelines, recommendations and studies published by various organizations that could affect the use of the Company’s products; uncertainties inherent in the development of new products and the enhancement of existing products, including FDA approval and/or clearance and other regulatory risks, technical risks, cost overruns and delays; the risk that products may contain undetected errors or defects or otherwise not perform as anticipated; manufacturing risks, including the Company’s reliance on a single or limited source of supply for key components, and the need to comply with especially high standards for the manufacture of many of its products; the Company’s ability to predict accurately the demand for its products, and products under development, and to develop strategies to address its markets successfully; the early stage of market development for certain of the Company’s products; the risk of adverse events and product liability claims; risks related to the use and protection of intellectual property; expenses, uncertainties and potential liabilities relating to litigation, including, without limitation, commercial, intellectual property, employment and product liability litigation; technical innovations that could render products marketed or under development by the Company obsolete; competition; the risks of conducting business internationally, including the effect of exchange rate fluctuations on those operations; financing risks, including the Company’s obligation to meet payment obligations and financial covenants under the Company’s financing arrangements and leases; and the Company’s ability to attract and retain qualified personnel.

The risks and uncertainties included above are not exhaustive. Other factors that could adversely affect the Company’s business and prospects are described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

                               HOLOGIC, INC.
                   CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                                (Unaudited)
                               (In thousands)

                                          June 25,     September 25,
                                             2011           2010
                                         ---------    --------------
    ASSETS

      CURRENT ASSETS:
      Cash and cash equivalents             $613,801        $515,625
      Restricted cash                            557             942
      Accounts receivable, net               292,324         283,103
      Inventories                            232,835         192,482
      Deferred income tax assets              40,576          72,808
      Prepaid expenses and other current
       assets                                 27,703          33,921
           Total current assets            1,207,796       1,098,881
                                           ---------       ---------

      Property and equipment, net            247,592         251,698
      Intangible assets, net               2,145,120       2,118,948
      Goodwill                             2,286,695       2,108,847
      Other assets                            50,020          47,460
                                              ------          ------
                                          $5,937,223      $5,625,834
                                          ==========      ==========


      CURRENT LIABILITIES:
      Accounts payable                       $51,794         $57,480
      Accrued expenses                       290,183         183,054
      Deferred revenue                       124,814         120,516
      Notes payable                              347           1,362
      Deferred gain                                -          79,500
                                                 ---          ------
           Total current liabilities         467,138         441,912
                                             -------         -------

      Convertible notes (principal of
       $1,725,000)                         1,470,110       1,447,053
      Deferred income tax liabilities        971,067         955,611
      Deferred service obligations- long
       term                                    9,832          10,011
      Other long-term liabilities            108,783          72,698
                                             -------          ------
           Total long-term liabilities     2,559,792       2,485,373
                                           ---------       ---------

      STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY:
      Common stock                             2,623           2,595
      Capital in excess of par value       5,297,423       5,224,399
      Accumulated deficit                 (2,397,489)     (2,527,070)
      Accumulated other comprehensive
       income                                  9,254             143
      Treasury stock, at cost                 (1,518)         (1,518)
                                              ------          ------
           Total stockholders' equity      2,910,293       2,698,549
                                           ---------       ---------
                                          $5,937,223      $5,625,834
                                          ==========      ==========


                                  HOLOGIC, INC.
                  CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                                   (Unaudited)
                      (In thousands, except per share data)

                                                    Three Months Ended
                                                    June 25,      June 26,
                                                       2011          2010
                                                   ---------     ---------

     REVENUES
          Product sales                              $372,790      $353,677
          Service and other revenues                   78,292        67,016
                                                       ------        ------
                                                      451,082       420,693

     COSTS AND EXPENSES (1):
          Cost of product sales                       129,420       126,336
          Cost of product sales - amortization of
           intangible assets                           44,877        43,524
          Cost of service and other revenues           42,503        40,944
          Research and development                     29,725        25,691
          Selling and marketing                        73,293        59,425
          General and administrative                   39,811        32,426
          Amortization of intangible assets            14,794        13,573
          Contingent consideration                      2,743             -
                                                        -----           ---
                                                      377,166       341,919
                                                      -------       -------

          Income from operations                       73,916        78,774
          Interest expense                            (28,673)      (33,653)
          Other (expense) income, net                    (819)          626
                                                         ----           ---

          Income before provision for income taxes     44,424        45,747
          Provision for income taxes                    8,228        18,299
                                                        -----        ------

          Net income                                  $36,196       $27,448
                                                      =======       =======

          Net income per share:
             Basic                                      $0.14         $0.11
                                                        =====         =====
             Diluted                                    $0.14         $0.10
                                                        =====         =====

          Weighted average number of shares
           outstanding:
             Basic                                    261,784       259,107
                                                      =======       =======
             Diluted                                  265,167       262,106
                                                      =======       =======


    (1) Stock-based compensation included in costs and expenses during
    the three months ended June 25, 2011 was $992
    for cost of revenues, $1,081 for research and development, $1,342 for
    selling and marketing and $4,364 for general and
    administrative. Stock-based compensation included in costs and
    expenses during the three months ended June 26, 2010
    was $1,083 for cost of revenues, $1,024 for research and development,
    $1,083 for selling and marketing and $4,759 for
    general and administrative.

                                  HOLOGIC, INC.
                  CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                                   (Unaudited)
                      (In thousands, except per share data)

                                                      Nine Months Ended
                                                      June 25,      June 26,
                                                         2011          2010
                                                     ---------     ---------

     REVENUES
          Product sales                              $1,092,345    $1,058,206
          Service and other revenues                    229,959       193,047
                                                        -------       -------
                                                      1,322,304     1,251,253

     COSTS AND EXPENSES (1):
          Cost of product sales                         386,421       360,240
          Cost of product sales - amortization of
           intangible assets                            131,478       130,570
          Cost of service and other revenues            124,981       120,470
          Research and development                       88,615        77,051
          Selling and marketing                         212,253       185,483
          General and administrative                    119,174       110,870
          Amortization of intangible assets              43,842        40,729
          Contingent consideration                       (1,432)            -
          Gain on sale of intellectual property, net    (84,502)            -
          Litigation settlement charges                     450        12,500
          Restructuring and divestiture charges               -           696
                                                            ---           ---
                                                      1,021,280     1,038,609
                                                      ---------     ---------

          Income from operations                        301,024       212,644
          Interest expense                              (85,767)      (97,778)
          Other income, net                                 414         2,732
          Loss on extinguishment of debt                (29,891)            -
                                                        -------           ---

          Income before provision for income taxes      185,780       117,598
          Provision for income taxes                     56,199        43,437
                                                         ------        ------

          Net income                                   $129,581       $74,161
                                                       ========       =======

          Net income per share:
             Basic                                        $0.50         $0.29
                                                          =====         =====
             Diluted                                      $0.49         $0.28
                                                          =====         =====

          Weighted average number of shares
           outstanding:
             Basic                                      260,744       258,595
                                                        =======       =======
             Diluted                                    264,114       261,463
                                                        =======       =======


    

    (1) Stock-based compensation included in costs and
     expenses during the nine months ended June 25, 2011 was
    $3,533 for cost of revenues, $3,633 for research and development, $4,486 for selling and marketing and $15,593 for
    general and administrative. Stock-based compensation
     included in costs and expenses during the nine months
     ended
    June 26, 2010 was $3,115 for cost of revenues, $2,946 for
     research and development, $3,577 for selling and
     marketing
    and $14,886 for general and administrative.

    

                                  HOLOGIC, INC.
       RECONCILIATION OF GAAP EPS AND NET INCOME TO NON-GAAP ADJUSTED EPS,
                              NET INCOME AND EBITDA
                                   (Unaudited)
                    (In thousands, except earnings per share)


                                                          Three Months
                                      Three Months Ended          Ended
                                      ------------------  ------------
                                         June 25, 2011   June 26, 2010
                                         -------------   -------------

    EARNINGS PER SHARE
    GAAP earnings per share- Diluted          $0.14            $0.10
    Adjustments to net income (as
     detailed below)                           0.18             0.20
                                               ----             ----
    Non-GAAP adjusted earnings per
     share- Diluted                           $0.32  (1)       $0.30  (1)
                                              =====            =====

    NET INCOME
    GAAP net income                         $36,196          $27,448
    Adjustments:
    Amortization of intangible assets        59,671           57,097
    Non-cash interest expense
     relating to convertible notes           18,229           18,499
    Acquisition-related costs                 1,700              796
    Contingent consideration                  2,743                -
    Income tax effect of reconciling
     items                                  (33,036) (2)     (25,671) (3)
                                            -------          -------
    Non-GAAP adjusted net income            $85,503          $78,169
                                            =======          =======

    EBITDA
    Non-GAAP adjusted net income            $85,503          $78,169
    Interest expense, net, not
     adjusted above                           9,959           14,833
    Provision for income taxes               41,264           43,970
    Depreciation expense                     17,482           17,439
                                             ------           ------
    Adjusted EBITDA                        $154,208         $154,411
                                           ========         ========



    EXPLANATORY NOTES:
    ------------------
    (1) Non-GAAP adjusted earnings per share was calculated based on
    265,167 and 262,106 weighted average diluted
    shares outstanding for the three months ended June 25, 2011 and June
    26, 2010, respectively.
    (2) To reflect an estimated annual effective tax rate of 33.5% on a
    non-GAAP basis.
    (3) To reflect an estimated annual effective tax rate of 36.0% on a
    non-GAAP basis.

                                  HOLOGIC, INC.
       RECONCILIATION OF GAAP EPS AND NET INCOME TO NON-GAAP ADJUSTED EPS,
                              NET INCOME AND EBITDA
                                   (Unaudited)
                    (In thousands, except earnings per share)


                                                             Nine Months
                                        Nine Months Ended            Ended
                                        -----------------    -----------
                                          June 25, 2011    June 26, 2010
                                          -------------    -------------

    EARNINGS PER SHARE
    GAAP earnings per share- Diluted           $0.49         $0.28
    Adjustments to net income (as
     detailed below)                            0.43          0.59
                                                ----          ----
    Non-GAAP adjusted earnings per
     share- Diluted                            $0.92  (1)    $0.87  (1)
                                               =====         =====

    NET INCOME
    GAAP net income                         $129,581       $74,161
    Adjustments:
    Amortization of intangible assets        175,320       171,299
    Non-cash interest expense relating
     to convertible notes                     54,438        54,418
    Non-cash loss on convertible notes
     exchange                                 29,891             -
    Gain on sale of intellectual
     property, net                           (84,502)            -
    Acquisition-related costs                  4,052           796
    Fair value write up of acquired
     inventory sold                            3,298             -
    Contingent consideration                  (1,432)            -
    Litigation settlement adjustments            450        12,500
    Restructuring and divestiture
     charges                                       -           696
    Income tax effect of reconciling
     items                                   (66,845) (2)  (85,194) (3)
                                             -------       -------
    Non-GAAP adjusted net income            $244,251      $228,676
                                            ========      ========

    EBITDA
    Non-GAAP adjusted net income            $244,251      $228,676
    Interest expense, net, not adjusted
     above                                    29,977        42,453
    Provision for income taxes               123,044       128,631
    Depreciation expense                      51,038        51,026
                                              ------        ------
    Adjusted EBITDA                         $448,310      $450,786
                                            ========      ========


    EXPLANATORY NOTES:
    ------------------

    (1) Non-GAAP adjusted earnings per share was calculated based on
    264,114 and 261,463 weighted average diluted shares outstanding for
    the nine months
    ended June 25, 2011 and June 26, 2010, respectively.
    (2) To reflect an estimated annual effective tax rate of 33.5% on a
    non-GAAP basis.
    (3) To reflect an estimated annual effective tax rate of 36.0% on a
    non-GAAP basis.

Future Non-GAAP Adjustments:

Future GAAP EPS may be affected by changes in ongoing assumptions and judgments relating to the Company’s acquired businesses, and may also be affected by nonrecurring, unusual or unanticipated charges, expenses or gains, all of which are excluded in the calculation of non-GAAP adjusted EPS as described in this press release. It is therefore not practicable to reconcile our non-GAAP adjusted EPS guidance to the most comparable GAAP measure. The Company’s estimates of certain future non-GAAP adjustments, based upon current information, judgments and assumptions, are presented below for informational purposes.


                                        Three Months
                                           Ended
                                       September 24,
                                            2011            Shares
                                      --------------        ------

    (In thousands)
    Certain Anticipated Non-GAAP
     Adjustments:
      Cost of revenues -
       amortization of
        intangible assets                     $44,800
      Amortization of intangible
       assets                                  15,400
      Non-cash interest expense
       relating to convertible                 18,500
       notes
      Non-cash loss on convertible
       notes exchange                               -
      Gain on sale of intellectual
       property, net                                -
      Acquisition-related costs                     -
      Fair value write-up of
       acquired inventory sold                      -
      Contingent consideration                  9,900
      Litigation settlement charges                 -
      Income tax effect of
       reconciling items                      (29,700) (1)
                                              -------  ===
    Total Anticipated Non-GAAP
     Adjustments                              $58,900
                                              =======
    Diluted Weighted Average
     Shares Outstanding                                     265,500  (2)
                                                            =======



                                        Twelve Months
                                             Ended
                                     September 24, 2011       Shares
                                     ------------------       ------

    (In thousands)
    Certain Anticipated Non-GAAP
     Adjustments:
      Cost of revenues -
       amortization of
        intangible assets                      $176,300
      Amortization of intangible
       assets                                    59,200
      Non-cash interest expense
       relating to convertible                   72,900
       notes
      Non-cash loss on convertible
       notes exchange                            29,891
      Gain on sale of intellectual
       property, net                            (84,502)
      Acquisition-related costs                   4,052
      Fair value write-up of
       acquired inventory sold                    3,298
      Contingent consideration                    8,500
      Litigation settlement charges                 450
      Income tax effect of
       reconciling items                        (90,500) (1)
                                                -------  ===
    Total Anticipated Non-GAAP
     Adjustments                               $179,589
                                               ========
    Diluted Weighted Average
     Shares Outstanding                                       264,500  (2)
                                                              =======


    Explanatory Notes:
    ------------------
    (1) To reflect an estimated annual effective tax rate of 33.5% for
    the fourth quarter and full year of fiscal 2011 on a non-GAAP
    basis.
    (2) To reflect estimated diluted weighted average shares outstanding
    of 265,500 and 264,500  for the fourth quarter and full year of
    fiscal 2011, respectively.


Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

The Company has presented the following non-GAAP financial measures in this press release: adjusted net income; adjusted EPS; and adjusted EBITDA. The Company defines its non-GAAP adjusted net income to exclude the non-cash amortization of intangible assets, other acquisition-related charges, such as change in contingent consideration, transaction costs, charges associated with the write-off of acquired in-process research and development and the write-up of acquired inventory to fair value, non-cash charges resulting from changes in GAAP, closure and restructuring charges, non-cash loss on exchange of convertible notes, and one-time, nonrecurring, unusual or unanticipated charges, expenses or gains. As set forth in the applicable reconciliation tables above, non-GAAP adjusted net income and non-GAAP adjusted EPS for the periods presented exclude the following items from GAAP net income and EPS: (i) non-cash expenses associated with the Company’s acquisitions, including amortization of intangible assets; (ii) non-cash interest expense resulting from the Company’s accounting for convertible debt instruments with cash settlement features; (iii) loss on exchange of convertible notes; (iv) the increase in cost of revenues resulting from the write-up of acquired inventory sold during the applicable period; (v) acquisition transaction costs and charges; (vi) litigation settlement charges; and (vii) divestiture and restructuring charges. The Company’s non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA excludes from its GAAP net income: (i) the items excluded in its calculation of non-GAAP adjusted net income; (ii) interest expense, net, not otherwise excluded in calculating its non-GAAP adjusted net income; (iii) provision for income taxes; and (iv) depreciation expense.

The Company believes the use of non-GAAP adjusted net income and non-GAAP adjusted EPS are useful to investors in comparing the results of operations in fiscal 2011 to the comparable period in fiscal 2010 by eliminating certain of the more significant effects of its acquisitions and related activities, non-cash charges resulting from changes in GAAP, and litigation settlement, divestiture and restructuring. These measures also reflect how the Company manages the business internally. In addition to the adjustments set forth in the calculation of the Company’s non-GAAP adjusted net income, its non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA eliminates the effects of financing, income taxes and the accounting effects of capital spending. As with the items eliminated in its calculation of non-GAAP adjusted net income, these items may vary for different companies for reasons unrelated to the overall operating performance of a company’s business. When analyzing the Company’s operating performance, investors should not consider these non-GAAP financial measures as a substitute for net income or EPS prepared in accordance with GAAP.


    Contact:  Deborah R. Gordon
              Vice President, Investor Relations
              Hologic, Inc.
              (781) 999-7716

SOURCE Hologic, Inc.

Brown & Toland Physicians and Alta Bates Medical Group Form One Company

SAN FRANCISCO and EMERYVILLE, Calif., Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Brown & Toland Physicians, San Francisco’s largest independent physician association (IPA), announced today that it has formed one company with Alta Bates Medical Group (ABMG), one of the East Bay’s largest IPAs.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110801/SF45006-a)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110801/SF45006LOGO-b)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110801/SF45006LOGO-c)

Forming one company centralizes the administrative functions of both medical groups and lays the groundwork to provide more services to physicians and members of both groups. Combined, both IPAs have close to 1,500 doctors, more than 140,000 HMO members, and more than 175,000 PPO members.

Richard Fish remains as chief executive officer of Brown & Toland. James Slaggert, former chief executive officer of ABMG, is now Senior Vice President of Business Development at Brown & Toland. Additionally, four former ABMG Board members will join Brown & Toland’s current 14-member Board of Directors.

“Today is an important day for our physicians and members on both sides of the Bay,” said Neal Birnbaum, M.D., Brown & Toland’s Chairman of the Board. “Physicians at Brown & Toland and Alta Bates Medical Group both have long histories of providing care for their communities. Working together, we can do much more.”

Added Richard L. Oken, M.D., former ABMG Board President and current member of Brown & Toland’s Board of Directors, “Alta Bates has been part of the greater East Bay community for close to 30 years. Aligning with Brown & Toland will provide us with the opportunity to expand our services and improve quality and outcomes for our members.”

Current members at both Alta Bates Medical Group and Brown & Toland will still have easy access to physicians in their respective physician networks. Additionally, Alta Bates Medical Group will retain its name and logo, so current members of the medical group, and those who want to select a doctor from ABMG, should select “Alta Bates Medical Group” on their health care election forms this fall.

Brown & Toland Physicians, based in San Francisco, is an independent practice association (IPA) of more than 850 physicians serving more than 300,000 HMO and PPO patients. The group has earned numerous awards for quality and innovation over the years, and has been named a California Association of Physician Groups (CAPG) “Elite” group for five consecutive years.

Alta Bates Medical Group, a division of Brown & Toland Physicians, is an independent practice association that has served patients in Oakland, Berkeley, and the greater East Bay since 1983. ABMG is comprised of approximately 600 physicians and serves 38,000 health plan members. ABMG has about 200 primary care physicians and 400 specialty care physicians throughout the East Bay.

SOURCE Brown & Toland Physicians

Austin Recovery Announces New Family House Facility; Space to be Designed by Austin-based Sixthriver Architects

The Expansion Will Provide Additional Support for Mothers in Travis County

AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Austin Recovery, the largest and most affordable drug and alcohol treatment center in Texas, announces their new partnership with Sixthriver Architects, the firm selected to provide architectural and interior design for their new Family House facility.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110801/DC44908)

“Family House is unique in that not many other treatment centers in the United States allow women to bring children with them into residential treatment,” said Jonathon Ross, CEO, Austin Recovery. “It is a highly specialized program that we have pioneered over the last 25 years, and allows mothers to work completely on their recovery without worrying about the safety and security of their young children.”

The Family House will offer special forms of therapy for the children as well, which will allow them to heal through their mother’s recovery process.

Dawn Stone Crouch, a member of Austin Recovery’s Board of Directors, feels passionately about the positive impact of Family House, saying, “There is not a more important gift that we can give a child than a sober mother. She is the first and most important source of love and nurturing for her children.” She continued, “Family House will provide all of the resources for a mother to achieve sobriety and grow in her abilities to parent.”

“It is with great pride that we announce our partnership with Austin Recovery on this influential project,” said Roland Roessner, Jr., president, Sixthriver Architects. “Through our extensive knowledge of architecture and interior design, we’re eager to showcase this innovative project once it is completed in 2012.”

About Family House
At more than 21,000 square feet, the Family House will offer private living quarters allowing mothers and their children to stay together, comfortably, in a family-like environment. Purpose-built play areas will be customized to enable strategic play therapies for the children, with space for mothers to watch and participate. Austin Recovery’s Family House program provides a minimum of 90-days of residential drug and alcohol rehab to mothers of young children and women in their third trimester of pregnancy, allowing them to bring up to two children under the age of six with them into treatment. Through parenting education and intensive case management, mothers are able to reconnect with their children and hone their parenting skills while also recovering from their addiction.

About Austin Recovery
Since 1967, Austin Recovery has provided effective and compassionate chemical dependency treatment at very affordable rates. CARF-accredited, their transformational treatment model brings about in-depth cognitive, behavioral and spiritual changes essential for overcoming addiction. Austin Recovery offers a number of programs including medical detox, separate men’s and women’s campuses for 30-day and 90+ day programs, and Family House. Austin Recovery also offers free intervention classes, outpatient services, alumni support, family programs, aftercare and community education. For more information about Austin Recovery, please visit www.austinrecovery.org.

About Sixthriver Architects
Established in 1994, Sixthriver Architects offers services in tenant development, vision building, interior design, and architecture. The firm maintains a high percentage of registered professionals in support of our belief in hands-on architecture by experienced, working principals and is responsible for projects like Austin Music Hall, Spirit Reins, Hampton Roads Navy Housing – Virginia, Barrett Honors College – Arizona State, Vista Del Sol – Arizona State and Girl Scouts Camp Texlake dining and conference center. For more information about Sixthriver Architects, please visit www.sixthriver.com.

CONTACT: Ramona Cruz-Peters
Director of Marketing & Communications
Austin Recovery
512-697-8506
[email protected]

SOURCE Austin Recovery

Study Shows Increase in Obesity Rates in Maryland, Virginia, Dramatic Rise in Diabetes in D.C.

COLLEGE PARK, Md., Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Experts at My Weight Doctor® ,one of the Washington area’s most prestigious weight loss clinics, expressed alarm over reports that obesity rates had surged in Maryland and Virginia residents. They warn area residents to take steps to reverse the trend and seek weight loss solutions and healthier lifestyles.

The report, by the Robert Wood Foundation, indicates that obesity rate grew 27 percent in Maryland over a three-year period and 25 percent in Virginia. The statistics for those who are overweight and obese grew 64 percent in Maryland and 61 percent in Virginia.

“This trend as indicated by the Robert Wood Foundation is of major concern, being overweight or in fact obese can lead to a myriad of health problems – such as diabetes, heart disease and even cancer,” said My Weight Doctor® clinic’s medical director Dr. Henri Ghanei.

Here’s the link: http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/tfahfasinfat2011a.pdf

Indeed, in the report, diabetes rates in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia have climbed. According to the report, the diabetes rate climbed 20% over the past three years and 23 percent for the same time period in Maryland and Virginia.

“We believe that most people who are challenged with weight problems should take necessary measures to become healthier – nutrition, increasing their fitness regimens. We also recommend that in addition to those options, persons check in with a qualified medical physician to seek solutions to obtaining healthier weight,” said Dr. Ghanei.

My Weight Doctor® also plans to begin community health fairs to educate about nutrition and weight loss. For more information about upcoming seminars and community events, contact the My Weight Doctor® marketing and community affairs department at (240) 473-6659.

My Weight Doctor ® offers a myriad of concise, customized, medically supervised weight loss services that effectively support lifestyle changes while providing clients with better health and noticeable results in appearance. For more information about My Weight Doctor® contact us at www.myweightdoctor.com or call us at 888-526-2240. Follow us Facebook!!

SOURCE My Weight Doctor

Aprima Doubles Sales in First Fiscal Quarter

DALLAS, Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Aprima Medical Software announced today that its bookings for the first quarter of fiscal year 2012 increased by 128%, compared to the same period a year ago. This increase follows the company’s 92% compound annual growth rate of sales over the two preceding fiscal years.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110118/LA31043LOGO)

CEO Michael Nissenbaum pointed out, “Aprima has experienced strong, steady growth in the size and diversity of its installed base. With our integrated system of electronic health records (EHR), practice management (PM), and revenue cycle management (RCM), Aprima software appeals to practices large and small, internists to orthopedic surgeons, and even hospitals. And they all see big gains in both patient care and financial performance.”

Key wins in the first three months include a 15-provider podiatry practice in Atlanta, Ankle & Foot Centers of Georgia, following the path of many others who chose Aprima in recent months; the Pensacola Lung Group, a 6-physician pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine group in Florida that continues to strengthen Aprima’s position in Pulmonary Medicine; Union County Physician Corporation/Memorial Hospital of Union County, Ohio, a hospital-owned multispecialty group that purchased Aprima for its physicians on the heels of Wilson Medical Center in Raleigh, NC, who also chose Aprima over a large and diverse field of vendors; Summit Community Care Clinic in Frisco, Colorado, a 7-provider community health group which continues the strong expansion Aprima is seeing into the CHC/FQHC market; and Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, NJ, a hospital with 850 staff physicians, where Aprima just successfully completed pilot testing.

More and more practices like these are selecting Aprima EHR, PM, and RCM as they hear how much their colleagues are benefiting from the system. Dr. Craig Hersh, Physician Medical Information Officer at the Holy Name Medical Center, said, “Aprima is powerful, easy to use, and easily adapts to different doctors’ styles. The integration between Aprima and our hospital information system is a big advantage to both the hospital and individual physicians.”

Pensacola Lung Group had grown frustrated when its previous EHR wanted an expensive upgrade to allow “meaningful use.” Instead, Administrator Ted LaPointe and the physicians chose to switch to Aprima EHR+PM as a more powerful, more cost-effective, web-based option. “I particularly appreciate that Aprima’s EHR and PM are one program, working from one database, with everything our doctors need visible from one window.”

Aprima offers a fully integrated, single-application, single-database PM/EHR solution, supplemented by a full-service Revenue Cycle Management offering. The user-friendly EHR is chief-complaint-driven, with an adaptive learning capability that responds to each provider’s habits. The comprehensive knowledge base quickly displays appropriate content based on the presenting chief complaint, speeding up documentation. Aprima’s robust PM software includes all the tools a busy practice needs, including insurance eligibility, optical character recognition for automating data input, and built-in reporting capabilities. Aprima’s RCM service, coupled with the comprehensive Aprima software, allows practices to maximize their reimbursements and minimize payment time.

About Aprima Medical Software, Inc.

Aprima Medical Software, Inc., provides innovative electronic health record, practice management and revenue cycle management solutions for medical practices. The Aprima EHR+PM is an integrated system built on a single database. Aprima uses a fast, flexible design that adapts automatically to a physician’s workflow and sets the benchmark for ease of use, speed and flexibility. Aprima is one of the few companies with a 12-year track record of success, including CCHIT Certification* consistently every year as well as ONC Certification* for 2011/2012. Thousands of Aprima users are benefiting from improved quality of care, improved patient satisfaction, improved quality of life and an improved bottom line. Based in Carrollton, TX, Aprima performs all development, support, and implementation from the U.S. To learn how Aprima can help your practice, please visit www.aprima.com, call us at 866-960-6890, option 7, or email us at [email protected].


    Contact:  Judy Friedman
              [email protected]
               (214) 466-8093

* Aprima 2011 is 2011/2012 compliant and was certified as a Complete EHR as announced on September 30, 2010 by the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®), an ONC-ATCB, in accordance with the applicable eligible provider certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The 2011/2012 criteria support the Stage 1 meaningful use measures required to qualify eligible providers and hospitals for funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). 2011/2012 certification conferred by CCHIT does not represent an endorsement of the certified EHR technology by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services nor does it guarantee the receipt of incentive payments. The Aprima 2011 ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 certification ID is CC-1112-607751-1. Click here to read the Aprima Medical Software announcement and to review the complete details including the clinical quality measures and software used to demonstrate compliance. CCHIT® and CCHIT Certified® are registered marks of the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology.

SOURCE Aprima Medical Software, Inc.

Upsher-Smith Laboratories Named Manufacturer of the Year by AmerisourceBergen Corporation

MAPLE GROVE, Minn., Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc. announced today that it received the prestigious AmerisourceBergen Manufacturer of the Year Award for branded pharmaceutical sales under $500 million at the annual National Healthcare Conference and Exposition (NHCE) in Las Vegas, NV held July 19-23, 2011. NHCE is one of the largest conferences of its kind, bringing together community pharmacy leaders, pharmaceutical manufacturers, health and beauty aids manufacturers and other industry experts.

Valley Forge, PA-based AmerisourceBergen, one of the largest pharmaceutical services companies in the world, selected Upsher-Smith as its Manufacturer of the Year for consistently demonstrating the attributes of a productive partnership: being respectful, responsive, and fair.

“We are honored to receive the Manufacturer of the Year Award from AmerisourceBergen,” said Mark Evenstad, President and CEO, Upsher-Smith. “This acknowledgement reflects our team’s hard work and dedication. As a US manufacturer with an unwavering commitment to quality products and service, this award further encourages our efforts to meet and exceed the needs of all of our mutual customers.”

About Upsher-Smith

Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc., founded in 1919, is a rapidly growing, privately held pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, and markets prescription and over-the-counter products. The company’s product portfolio focuses on the areas of women’s health, dermatology, cardiology, and CNS diseases. Upsher-Smith strives to recognize the unmet healthcare needs of its customers and prides itself on providing safe, effective, and economical therapies to the ever-changing healthcare environment. For additional information, visit http://www.upsher-smith.com.

About AmerisourceBergen

AmerisourceBergen is one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical services companies serving the United States, Canada and selected global markets. Servicing both healthcare providers and pharmaceutical manufacturers in the pharmaceutical supply channel, the Company provides drug distribution and related services designed to reduce costs and improve patient outcomes. AmerisourceBergen’s service solutions range from pharmacy automation and pharmaceutical packaging to reimbursement and pharmaceutical consulting services. With $79 billion in annualized revenue, AmerisourceBergen is headquartered in Valley Forge, PA, and employs approximately 10,000 people. AmerisourceBergen is ranked #27 on the Fortune 500 list. For more information, go to www.amerisourcebergen.com.

SOURCE Upsher-Smith

Burlington Coat Factory, #1 National Corporate Partner of LLS’s Light The Night Walk, Announces 10th Year of Partnership to Help Beat Cancer

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Jack Guindon was a 4-year-old preschooler from Massachusetts when he was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia in July of 2007.

Leukemia causes more deaths among children than any other cancer. Over the next 3 1/2 years he endured grueling chemotherapy treatments, many surgeries, spinal taps and spent many days and weeks in the hospital, missing his schoolmates and family. His treatments finally came to an end in October of 2010 and today he is a happy, healthy 8-year-old. Jack and his parents, Tom and Joanna, are well aware that cancer research supported by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) saves lives.

Inspired by this and similar stories, Burlington Coat Factory, the number one national corporate partner for LLS’s Light The Night Walk, today announces the 10th year of the partnership with commencement of its company-wide initiative encouraging shoppers to purchase paper balloon icons to support LLS’s fight against cancer. The campaign runs from today through November 25th at its more than 460 locations in 44 states and in Puerto Rico.

Over the past nine years, Burlington has raised close to $10 million dollars for the LLS through this campaign.

In addition to the balloon icon program, Burlington Coat Factory will form 120 Light The Night Walk teams throughout the country in 78 different cities. Light The Night Walk is LLS’s evening walk held in communities across the country each fall to honor and commemorate lives touched by cancer and raise funds for cancer research and patient services.

The Guindons received information and support from LLS when Jack was first diagnosed and have been enthusiastic participants of Light The Night Walks for several years.

“We are so thankful to Burlington Coat Factory, its employees and customers, who are helping to make a difference in the lives of so many patients and their families through this initiative,” said Joanna Guindon.

“I am consistently impressed and overwhelmed by the tremendous generosity of our employees and our customers who give back in support of this important life-changing research,” said Burlington Coat Factory president and chief executive officer, Thomas Kingsbury. “We are looking forward to another outstanding campaign this season as we work together to help beat cancer and assist individuals and families like the Guindons, affected by this terrible disease.”

About Burlington Coat Factory

Burlington Coat Factory is a national retail chain offering brag-worthy merchandise for the entire family and the home with up to 60 percent off department store prices every day. Departments include ladies’ sportswear, menswear, family footwear, children’s clothing, furniture and accessories for baby at Baby Depot, home decor and gifts, along with the largest selection of coats in the nation for the entire family. Burlington Coat Factory was founded in 1972 and has expanded from a single store selling coats, to a multi-department retail chain with more than 460 stores in 44 States and Puerto Rico. In 2006, Bain Capital purchased Burlington Coat Factory. For more, visit www.BurlingtonCoatFactory.com, and to brag about great finds from Burlington, visit www.BurlingtonBrag.com.

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in White Plains, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org or contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. www.lls.org.

For LLS Contact:
Andrea Greif
914-821-8958
[email protected]

For Burlington Contact:
Chelsea Cowan
212-251-1204
[email protected]

SOURCE The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Pointers for Radiation Dose in Head CT

(Ivanhoe Newswire) — Computed tomography (CT) is a noninvasive medical test that helps doctors diagnose and treat medical conditions. CT scanning combines special x-ray equipment with computers to produce multiple pictures of the inside of the body. Head CT is the second most commonly performed CT examination; it accounts for 28 percent of the total number of CT examinations.

Recently, researchers have looked at various head CT examinations and outlined strategies for radiation dose reduction for the application of CT in the head, paranasal sinuses and spine. Computed Tomography is an important part of modern neuroradiologic practice, and can provide lifesaving information about patient management, specifically in patients with cerebrovascular diseases and head trauma.

“In the head, specific scanning protocols must be assigned depending on the examination type or clinical indication, such as routine head CT, CT angiography, CT perfusion, and paranasal or facial CT. In addition, users must ensure that CT is being performed for a valid clinical indication, whereby CT is expected to add information that will affect patient management,” Mahadevappa Mahesh, M.S., PhD, the article’s lead author, was quoted saying.

Experts stress the use of certain techniques such as lower tube current, automatic exposure control and scanning at a lower tube voltage, especially for perfusion CT scans, are key factors for allowing substantial dose reduction for head CT examinations in both children and adults.

SOURCE: The Journal of the American College of Radiology, July 29, 2011

Key Components of an Effective School-Based Autism Program

NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Considering the alarming growth in the prevalence of autism (estimates as high as 1 in 91 (1)) as well as the challenging financial climate, in which 34 states have cut funding for K-12 education since 2008 (2), it is no surprise that public school districts nationwide are struggling to keep pace with a growing autism population. After hosting several oversubscribed sessions earlier this year, web-based educational platform Rethink Autism will again present their free online webinar “Key Components of an Effective School-Based Autism Program” in an effort to help school districts meet the needs of this complex group of learners.

Presented by Jamie Pagliaro, Founding Executive Director of the New York Center for Autism Charter School, and Executive VP of Rethink Autism, the webinar identifies seven key components that research and practitioners agree are necessary to effectively support students with autism. In response to a previous webinar session, Linda W. of California wrote, “He acknowledged that districts need to do more with less funding and offered great ideas for how to utilize the resources we already have … to be more effective interventionists.”

As part of its commitment to the autism community, Rethink Autism invites school district leaders, teachers and parents to join “Key Components of an Effective School-Based Autism Program,” on Thursday, Aug. 4 at 2 PM EDT / 1PM CDT. These key components provide a framework for district leaders to allocate resources, for teachers to coordinate direct services, and for parents to advocate, all in a collaborative effort to improve support for students on the autism spectrum.

This free online webinar is open to anyone with Internet access – parents or professionals – but capacity is limited so registration is required to attend (at http://www.rethinkautism.com). Through the Expert Access webinar series, Rethink Autism connects the autism community with leading experts to share knowledge and perspectives on a variety of important topics.

For additional registration dates and a video archive of other Expert Access webinars, visit: http://www.rethinkautism.com/Community/webinars/default.aspx

For information about live seminars in your area, visit: http://www.rethinkautism.com/community/seminars/proEvents.aspx

Rethink Autism’s unique web-based program provides teachers with a comprehensive evidence-based curriculum through 1200+ video-based teaching steps, parent and staff training modules, an assessment tool, and progress tracking features. The curriculum, endorsed by leaders in the field of autism treatment and research, spans the entire autism spectrum and covers a broad range of skills, including academics, language, social, motor, daily living, and behavior management.

About Rethink Autism (http://www.rethinkautism.com)

Rethink Autism, Inc. seeks to ensure that every child on the autism spectrum has access to effective and affordable evidence-based treatment options by providing professionals, parents, and family members with the tools and information necessary to teach children with autism in a way that is easy to understand and apply. Rethink Autism was founded in 2007 and has its headquarters at 19 West 21st Street in New York City.

Notes:

(1) “The Prevalence of Parent-Reported Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children in the United States, 2007,” Oct. 5, 2009 issue of Pediatrics.

(2) “An Update on State Budget Cuts: At Least 46 States Have Imposed Cuts That Hurt Vulnerable Residents and the Economy,” February 9, 2011 from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Contact:

Jamie Pagliaro
Executive Vice President, Rethink Autism
[email protected]
ph: 646-257-2919

This press release was issued through eReleases(R). For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE Rethink Autism, Inc.

Protalix Submits Reply to FDA Complete Response Letter for Taliglucerase Alfa and Reports Top-Line Results from the Company’s Switchover Trial

CARMIEL, Israel, Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. (NYSE-AMEX:PLX, TASE:PLX), announced today that it has submitted its reply to the Complete Response Letter issued in February 2011 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after its review of the Company’s New Drug Application (NDA) for taliglucerase alfa. Taliglucerase alfa, the Company’s proprietary plant-cell expressed form of glucocerebrosidase (GCD), is in development for the treatment of Gaucher disease.

“We believe we have adequately addressed the requests that were outlined by the FDA in their Complete Response Letter,” said Dr. David Aviezer, President and CEO of Protalix. “We will continue to work closely with the FDA as it moves forward with the NDA review.”

On November 30, 2009, Pfizer and Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. entered into an agreement to develop and commercialize taliglucerase alfa.

The Company’s submission addresses the issues identified by the FDA in the Complete Response Letter, including the request for clinical data from the Company’s switchover trial and long-term extension trial, and additional information relating to chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC).

Data from all twenty six adult patients enrolled in the Company’s switchover trial of patients switched from Cerezyme® to taliglucerase alfa over the nine-month period, were included in the submission. The data supports the efficacy and safety data package showing that patients can be switched from imiglucerase (Cerezyme®) to taliglucerase alfa. One patient experienced a hypersensitivity reaction. The efficacy data demonstrates that mean hemoglobin and platelet count, spleen volume and liver volume remained stable. Patients enrolled in the trial were switched from imiglucerase (doses ranging from around 10-60 U/kg every other week) to an equivalent dose using the same number of units of taliglucerase alfa.

The submission also included data from treatment naive patients who completed the Company’s pivotal Phase III trial and have continued to receive taliglucerase alfa for over 24 months in the Company’s blinded long-term extension trial. These patients continued to show an improvement in efficacy and the drug was safe and well tolerated. Furthermore, those patients who were followed specifically for their bone parameters using Quantitative Chemical Shift Imaging (QCSI) MRI continued to show bone marrow improvement over time. Detailed data from the Company’s switchover trial and long-term extension trial will be presented at upcoming medical meetings.

Regarding CMC, Protalix submitted further analyses and modifications of analyses previously submitted to the FDA to address their questions raised with regard to testing specifications and assay validation.

The Company expects the FDA to provide an updated Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date within weeks, which is consistent with FDA guidelines.

About Protalix

Protalix is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of recombinant therapeutic proteins expressed through its proprietary plant cell based expression system, ProCellEx(TM). Protalix’s unique expression system presents a proprietary method for developing recombinant proteins in a cost-effective, industrial-scale manner in an environment free of mammalian components and viruses. Protalix’s lead compound, taliglucerase alfa, an enzyme replacement therapy for the treatment of Gaucher disease, completed Phase III development. To date, marketing applications have been submitted for taliglucerase alfa in the United States, European Union, Brazil, Israel and Australia. Protalix’s development pipeline also includes the following product candidates: PRX-102, a modified version of the recombinant human alpha-GAL-A protein for the treatment of Fabry disease; PRX-105, a pegylated recombinant human acetylcholinesterase in development for several therapeutic and prophylactic indications, a biodefense program and an organophosphate-based pesticide treatment program; an orally-delivered glucocerebrosidase enzyme that is naturally encased in carrot cells, also for the treatment of Gaucher disease; pr-antiTNF, a similar plant cell version of etanercept (Enbrel(TM)) for the treatment of certain immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, ankylosing, spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis; and others.

Forward Looking Statements

To the extent that statements in this press release are not strictly historical, all such statements are forward-looking, and are made pursuant to the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The terms “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect” and “intend” and other words or phrases of similar import are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual future experience and results to differ materially from the statements made. These statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations as to such future outcomes. Drug discovery and development involve a high degree of risk. Factors that might cause material differences include, among others, risks relating to: the completion of our clinical trials; the review process of the FDA, the EMA, other foreign regulatory bodies and other governmental regulatory bodies, including the risk that regulatory authorities may find that the data from our clinical trials and other studies is insufficient for regulatory approval; delays in the FDA’s, the EMA’s or other foreign regulatory authorities’ approval of any applications we file or refusals to approve such filings, including the NDA we filed with the FDA for taliglucerase alfa for the treatment of Gaucher disease; the risk that the FDA may find the information we provided in our reply to the Complete Response Letter from the FDA is in sufficient for regulatory approval; the risk that our facilities may fail to remain complaint with GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices); refusals by such regulatory authorities to approve the marketing and sale of a drug product even after acceptance of an application we file for any such drug product; and other factors described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have suffered significant setbacks in advanced or late-stage clinical trials, even after obtaining promising earlier trial results or in preliminary findings for such clinical trials. Further, even if favorable testing data is generated from clinical trials of drug products, the FDA, EMA or any other foreign regulatory authority may not accept or approve an NDA filed by a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company for such drug product. Failure to obtain approval from the FDA, EMA or any other foreign regulatory authority of any of our drug candidates in a timely manner, if at all, will severely undermine our business and results of operations by reducing our potential marketable products and our ability to generate corresponding product revenues. The statements in this release are valid only as of the date hereof and we disclaim any obligation to update this information.

Investor Contact
Marcy Nanus
The Trout Group, LLC
646-378-2927
[email protected]

Media Contact
Jennifer Conrad or Douglas MacDougall
MacDougall Biomedical Communications
781-235-3060
[email protected]

SOURCE Protalix Biotherapeutics, Inc.

SXC Health Solutions Launches Enhanced Coordination of Benefits Program for State Medicaid Programs

LISLE, IL, Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ – SXC Health Solutions Corp. (“SXC” or the
“Company”) (NASDAQ: SXCI) (TSX: SXC), a leading provider of technology
and pharmacy benefit management (“PBM”) services, is launching the
industry’s first automated, enhanced Coordination of Benefits service
in the State Fee-For-Service Medicaid market.  The Company plans to
formally unveil the new offering at this week’s MMIS conference being
held in Austin, Texas. This MMIS conference is attended by State
Medicaid directors, staff personnel, and thought leaders to share ideas
and innovations in the industry.

Using unique data sources to identify and recover missed opportunities
to recoup healthcare costs that are attributable to a third party, SXC
delivers dramatic, immediate and real time savings to State Medicaid
clients.  This offering substantially improves upon the existing
pay-and-chase model available today.

“SXC continues to leverage our proprietary technology to innovate and
deliver increased savings to healthcare payers.  This service reflects
our ability to utilize data and technology in powerful new ways to
enable State Medicaid Programs to stretch their budgets and increase
recipient service,” said Mark Thierer, Chairman and CEO of SXC.  “We
believe that this enhanced COB offering is applicable across many of
the markets served by SXC. The impressive early results of this program
demonstrate our ongoing commitment to deliver new and innovative
applications of data and technology to drive increased efficiency and
cost containment.”

On average, 13% of all Medicaid beneficiaries have unreported primary
coverage, costing states billions of dollars in healthcare costs when,
in fact, there was third party liability (TPL).  Pay-and-chase recovery
efforts, the standard approach in the industry today, are expensive,
inefficient and marginally effective; states typically recoup only 17%
of potential claim dollars. SXC identifies these beneficiaries by
integrating external data sources, identifying suspect TPL cases and
embedding unique algorithms into the claims recovery process.  This
offering is architected to run as a stand-alone application and can run
independently of the claims processing platform.

With production go-live in July, the enhanced Coordination of Benefits
service has already yielded significant client savings, and numerous
state Medicaid programs have expressed interest.  With $15.4B in annual
Medicaid prescription drug costs, the potential impact of this service
for state programs is considerable.

About SXC Health Solutions Corp.

SXC Health Solutions Corp. is a leading provider of pharmacy benefits
management (PBM) services and Health Care Information Technology (HCIT)
solutions to the healthcare benefits management industry. The Company’s
product offerings and solutions combine a wide range of PBM services
and software applications, application service provider (ASP)
processing services and professional services, designed for many of the
largest organizations in the pharmaceutical supply chain, such as
health plans, employers, federal, provincial, and, state and local
governments, pharmacy benefit managers, retail pharmacy chains and
other healthcare intermediaries. SXC is headquartered in Lisle,
Illinois with multiple locations in the US and Canada. For more
information please visit www.sxc.com.

SOURCE SXC Health Solutions Corp.

Chew More, Eat Less, Researchers Report

The act of eating may itself be a way to lose weight, according to a new study which claims that spending more time chewing your food more could cause you to eat less.

Writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Jie Li and colleagues at the Harbin Medical University in China, discovered that those who chew their food 40 times instead of a typical 15 would consume approximately 12-percent fewer calories, according to a report on the research by Eric Schultz of Reuters Health.

In their research, the scientists recruited 14 obese men and 16 males of normal weight in order to study their chewing techniques. They fed them a pork pie and filmed them to see if there were any differences between the two groups. Next, they repeated the procedure twice, first instructing them to chew 15 times and then asking them to chew 40 times.

“Researchers found that when volunteers chewed for longer they consumed 11.9 percent fewer calories, regardless of whether they were slender or obese,” Pat Hagan of the Daily Mail reported on Friday. “Blood tests taken 90 minutes after eating showed volunteers also had much lower levels of ghrelin when they had chewed each portion 40 times rather 15.”

Ghrelin is a hormone that stimulates an individual’s appetite.

The researchers also discovered higher levels of a second hormone, CCK, which is believed to reduce a person’s appetite, Schultz reported. One of the researchers, co-author Shuran Wang, told Reuters in an email that both hormones could “represent useful targets for future obesity therapies.”

University of Washington obesity expert Adam Drewnowski, who was not involved with the study, said that cutting calorie intake by 12-percent could theoretically cause an individual to lose 25 pounds per year. However, since the typical diet includes certain foods that are not chewed, and because it may be difficult for people to more than double the amount of times they chew each bite of food, “I am not sure that this is a viable obesity prevention measure.”

“When you gulp down your food, you don’t realize you’re eating so much,” Catherine Collins, chief dietician at London’s St. George’s Hospital–who, like Drewnowski, was not involved in the research, told Hagan. “But chewing for longer makes you more likely to notice the taste, smell and texture, which makes you more aware of what you’re eating and how much.”

On the Net:

Climate Change May Be Less Severe Than Predicted

A University of Alabama climatologist is claiming that temperature-monitoring satellites have revealed “a huge discrepancy” between global warming predictions and the actual levels of heat contained within the atmosphere.

Dr. Roy Spencer, identified by AP Science Writer Seth Borenstein as “a prominent climate skeptic,” claims that NASA satellite readings between 2000 and 2011 show, in the words of Daily Mail reporter Tamara Cohen, “far smaller temperature rises than six climate models which are used by international governments and corporations to predict changes to our climate in the future.”

According to Cohen, Spencer believes that the Earth releases far more heat into space than experts had previously thought, meaning that carbon dioxide emissions do not, in actuality, trap as much heat as many scientists have asserted.

“The satellite observations suggest there is much more energy lost to space during and after warming than the climate models show,” he said, according to the Daily Mail. “There is a huge discrepancy between the data and the forecasts that is especially big over the oceans.”

Critics responded quickly and scathingly to Spencer’s claims. Cohen reports that many believe “his research is over too short a period to draw conclusions and ignores other factors,” while Borenstein adds that “several mainstream climate scientists call the study’s conclusions off-base and overstated.”

“Climate change skeptics, most of whom are not scientists, are touting the study, saying it blasts gaping holes in global warming theory and shows that future warming will be less than feared,” the AP reporter adds, noting that the journal which published the paper, Remote Sensing, typically focuses on “the nuts-and-bolts of satellite data and not interpreting the climate.”

But, he says, “at least 10 climate scientists reached by The Associated Press found technical or theoretical faults with Spencer’s study or its conclusions. They criticized the short time period he studied and his failure to consider the effects of the ocean and other factors.”

Richard Somerville, a scientist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego, told Borenstein that the paper was “very bad” and “demonstrably wrong.”

Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Kerry Emanuel defended Spencer’s findings, stating that the work was cautious and focused on finding problems associated with forecasting heat feedback, and that those criticizing the Alabama scientist’s report  are misinterpreting his findings.

Those findings, the AP reports, are the result of a cause-and-effect analysis of clouds and warming. According to Spencer, over the past decade, he believed that variations in cloud cover were a cause, not an effect, of warming temperatures, resulting in mainstream climate models not squaring up with his findings.

In his study, Spencer used a simplified model that did not factor in oceanic heat or El Nino, Borenstein says, and concluded that the role of clouds in heating was “an unresolved problem.”

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Dr. David Whitehouse of the Global Warming Policy Foundation said that Spencer’s study was “interesting” and that it “correctly states that the computer models of climate have many flaws and have been unable to explain how the earth has warmed up in recent decades,” but he added “only time will tell if its analysis–that the earth radiates more heat out into space than we thought–stands up.”

On the Net:

Study Claims Dyslexia Can Impair Voice Recognition

Not only does dyslexia make it difficult for people to read, but a new study also suggests that the condition might also keep people from recognizing familiar voices.

In the study, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the McGovern Institute for Brain Research discovered those suffering from the condition, which is a dysfunction in the brain’s ability to convert viewed written images into meaningful language, also have difficulty picking up how different people can pronounce words differently.

“We tested voice-recognition abilities of dyslexic and control listeners for voices speaking listeners’ native language or an unfamiliar language,” authors Tyler K. Perrachione, Stephanie N. Del Tufo, and John D.E. Gabriel wrote in the journal Science on Friday.

“Individuals with dyslexia exhibited impaired voice-recognition abilities compared with controls only for voices speaking their native language. These results demonstrate the importance of linguistic representations for voice recognition,” they added. “Humans appear to identify voices by making comparisons between talkers’ pronunciations of words and listeners’ stored abstract representations of the sounds in those words.”

As part of their study, the MIT researchers trained two sets of subjects–one with dyslexia, and one without dyslexia–to recognize the voices of people speaking either their native tongue (English) or an unfamiliar foreign language (Mandarin Chinese).

For each language, they were taught to associate five speakers’ voices with “unique cartoon avatars,” and they were then tested on their ability to correctly match the dialect with the avatar.

“The neuroscientists found individuals with dyslexia were significantly worse at being able to consistently recognize the voices of the English speakers,” the National Science Foundation (NSF) reported in a press release. “They were about the same as listeners without dyslexia at recognizing the Chinese voices; both groups were very poor at recognizing voices speaking an unfamiliar language.”

“It is remarkable that individuals with dyslexia are no better able to identify voices speaking a familiar language than a foreign one,” Perrachione said in a statement. “It is also very interesting that the reason for this is that they are less accurate at voice recognition than individuals who don’t have dyslexia.”

That said, the researchers are still uncertain as to why dyslexia does not affect an individual’s ability to produce speech, despite difficulties in processing the written and spoke work. Nonetheless, they believe that their research could help those with the condition by pinpointing reasons why they have difficulty understanding speech under certain conditions, and allowing educators to use that find was to better connect with those affected individuals.

The key element here, BBC News Science Reporter Jennifer Carpenter reports, are small sounds known as phonemes, which are the simple sounds that are used to teach youngsters how to speak.

“As we first try to form the word dog, for example, phonemes are the ‘duh’-‘og’-‘guh’ sounds that our parents prompt us to make,” she said. “But as we master the ability to read, we become less reliant on recognizing these sounds to read, and eventually stop noticing them… Despite ignoring them, however, phonemes remain important for voice recognition”¦ The tiny inflections in the way people pronounce phonemes gives a listener cues to tell one voice from another.”

“Our results are the first to explicitly link impairment in reading ability to impairment in ecologically processing spoken language,” said Perrachione. “The results suggest that the source of a phonological deficit might be in dyslexic individuals’ difficulties learning the consistent properties of speech sounds as spoken by an individual talker.”

On the Net:

Nestle Purina Recalls Limited Number of Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ Dry Cat Food Bags Due to a Potential Health Risk

ST. LOUIS, July 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Nestle Purina PetCare Company (NPPC) is voluntarily recalling a limited number of 3.5- and 7-pound bags of its Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ Dry Cat Food from a single production run and shipped to customers in 12 states in December 2010. This is being done because some bags of the product have been found to be contaminated with Salmonella. Only Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ Dry Cat Food with both the “Best By” date and the production code shown are included in this voluntary recall:


    Product Name              Bag         "Best By" Date &      Bag UPC
    ------------              ---         ----------------      -------
                              Size        Production Code*        Code
                              ----        ----------------        ----

    Purina ONE
     Vibrant Maturity                          MAY 2012
     7+                     3.5 lb.            03341084         17800 01885

    Purina ONE
     Vibrant Maturity                          MAY 2012
     7+                     3.5 lb.            03351084         17800 01885

    Purina ONE
     Vibrant Maturity                          MAY 2012
     7+                      7 lb.             03341084         17800 01887

    Purina ONE
     Vibrant Maturity                          MAY 2012
     7+                      7 lb.             03351084         17800 01887

         *"Best By" Date and Production Code are found on the back or
                              bottom of the bag.

No additional Purina cat or dog products are involved in this voluntary recall. No other Purina ONE brand products are involved. Only Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ brand products which match the “Best By” dates and production code above are included in this recall.

Consumers who have purchased Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ Dry Cat Food products with these specific “Best By” Date and Production Codes should discontinue feeding the product and discard it.

Salmonella can affect animals eating the product, and there is a risk to humans from handling contaminated products. People handling contaminated dry pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may exhibit decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If you pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

The product was distributed to customers located in California, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin, who may have further distributed the product to other states.

Nestle Purina PetCare Company became aware of the contamination as a result of samples that had been collected in several retail stores.

At Nestle Purina PetCare, the safety and efficacy of our products are our top priority. We apologize for any inconvenience due to this voluntary recall. For further information or to obtain a product refund, please call NPPC toll-free at 1-800-982-6559 or visit www.purina.com.

SOURCE Nestle Purina PetCare

CWRU’s Nursing School Prepares Future Nurses for the OR Environment

CLEVELAND, July 29, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing (FPB) at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) will introduce mandatory perioperative nursing content to its undergraduate curriculum this fall and will become one of the first schools to do so.

The newly designed courses in acute and critical care will bolster nursing students’ skills in locations like the operating room (OR) and improve their understanding of infection control and sterile techniques.

“The perioperative environment is an area where quality and safety issues are both stark and critical,” says Marilyn Lotas, Ph.D., RN, associate dean and director of FPB’s undergraduate program. “Since FPB integrated a quality and safety component into its entire curriculum a few years ago, the perioperative content is a new opportunity for us to provide another excellent exemplar for our students’ learning.”

“Our program marks an important opportunity for hospitals which have had limited success in recruitment,” says Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, FAAN, who is FPB’s Atkinson Scholar in Perioperative Nursing and the former president of the American Nurses Association. “Since most nursing students seek to reproduce their clinical experiences when they establish their careers, we saw it as vital to familiarize them with the OR setting early on.”

Students will be required to spend seven weeks in the OR during their junior year. Patton anticipates that a number of them will then choose to work in the OR for their 10-week Senior Capstone project, an intensive community-based health care experience.

The new perioperative courses had their origins nearly a decade ago, when FPB alumna Lucy Jo Atkinson donated close to $2 million to the school to support the integration of perioperative content into the nursing curriculum. An assessment of Cleveland-area hospitals demonstrated that there was a growing unmet need in OR nurses as well as rising concern of hospital-acquired infections, which can occur from the lack of good sterile techniques.

“With this new content, FPB has increased its focus on strengthening the knowledge base in critical subjects such as aseptic techniques necessary for every nurse,” says Patton.

Linda Burnes Bolton, DrPH, RN, FAAN, a CWRU Trustee, Vice President of Nursing & Chief Nursing Officer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and co-chair of the Institute of Medicine’s The Future of Nursing, agrees: “Healthcare organizations continue to experience significant nursing staff shortages in the perioperative arena. FPB’s program to prepare nurses to provide care in OR, acute care, surgical, and procedural centers meets a community need and is a great public asset.”

Two of the school’s biggest nursing partners have also expressed their enthusiastic interest and support, and work is underway to have students placed in up to seven clinical OR sites around Cleveland.

“Years ago, perioperative experience and didactic was removed from undergraduate education, but FPB’s program is bringing it back,” says Catherine S. Koppelman, RN, MSN, NEA-BC, chief nursing officer of University Hospitals Case Medical Center. “Nurses need to understand the basics about the perioperative patient experience and nursing responsibilities as they care for all patients. Exposure and learning at the undergraduate level will benefit patients as well as generate interest for this specialty as a career upon graduation.”

“The operating room is a primary component in any health system, and nurses are an imperative part of that environment,” adds Sarah Sinclair, RN, BSN, MBA, FACHE, Executive Chief Nursing Officer of the Cleveland Clinic Health System. “This undergraduate coursework is a necessity that fills a void that has remained for many years in nursing education. We are very pleased to have CWRU nursing students training in our Cleveland Clinic operating rooms alongside our talented OR team members.”

Patton says that FPB’s educational program is extremely valuable, providing essential and meaningful experiences for students to learn how to keep their patients safe while providing quality care. “The OR is the best place to learn teamwork, communication, and coordination of care,” she explains. “There is no better environment to learn patient advocacy.”

“I see this new content as an exciting and powerful new element in our already excellent undergraduate curriculum,” says FPB’s new dean, Mary E. Kerr, Ph.D., FAAN. “It’s wonderful to see it launch at the start of my deanship. With this fall’s incoming freshman BSN class being the largest in the past fourteen years, FPB will provide a tremendous boost to the Cleveland and overall nursing community and once again demonstrate why we are at the forefront of nursing education.”

SOURCE Case Western Reserve University

Increase Of Strokes Among Pregnant Women, New Mothers

The rate of strokes in women who have recently given birth has increased in the last dozen years and is alarming physicians, The Telegraph is reporting.

A database of 5 to 8 million discharges from 1,000 hospitals was studied and compared the rates of strokes from 1994-95 to 2006-07 in women who were pregnant, delivering a baby and who had recently given birth, says a study published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Pregnancy-related stroke hospitalizations increased 54 percent, from 4,085 in 1994-95 to 6,293 in 2006-07.

“I am surprised at the magnitude of the increase, which is substantial,” said Elena V. Kuklina, M.D., Ph.D., lead author of the study and senior service fellow and epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention in Atlanta, Ga.

“Our results indicate an urgent need to take a closer look. Now more and more women entering pregnancy already have some type of risk factor for stroke, such as obesity, chronic hypertension, diabetes or congenital heart disease.”

“Since pregnancy by itself is a risk factor, if you have one of these other stroke risk factors, it doubles the risk.”

For expectant mothers, the rate of stroke hospitalizations rose 47 percent. In pregnant women and in women who had a baby in the last 12 weeks (considered the postpartum period), the stroke rate rose 83 percent.

However, the rate remained the same for stroke hospitalizations that occurred during the time immediately surrounding childbirth. Pregnant and postpartum women ages 25 to 34 were hospitalized for stroke more often than those who were younger or older.

Furthermore, high blood pressure was more prevalent in pregnant women who were hospitalized because of stroke.

“It’s best for women to enter pregnancy with ideal cardiovascular health “” without additional risk factors,” Kuklina said. Next, she suggests developing a comprehensive, multidisciplinary plan that gives doctors and patients guidelines for appropriate monitoring and care before, during and after childbirth.

Physicians don’t have enough guidance on which medications are best for pregnant women who have an increased risk for stroke primarily because pregnant women typically aren’t included in clinical trials because most drugs pose potential harm to the fetus.

“We need to do more research on pregnant women specifically,” said Kuklina, who found only 11 cases of pregnancy-related stroke in her review of previously published literature.

On the Net:

Prosthetic Orthotic Solutions International First in NJ and PA to Fit Patients With Otto Bock Healthcare’s Genium(TM) Bionic Prosthetic System

marlton, n.j., July 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Prosthetic Orthotic Solutions International (POSI), a Physiotherapy Associates company with locations in Marlton, NJ and Horsham, PA, announces it is one of the first clinics in the U.S. to fit patients with Otto Bock Healthcare’s Genium(TM) Bionic Prosthetic System, and the first facility in the NJ/PA metro area to fit patients with this system. The Genium system is a next-generation microprocessor knee unit that utilizes the latest technology available to patients in the field of prosthetics, and POSI is one of the first clinics in the U.S. with a trained clinician to provide this unique technology.

Kevin Towers, CPO, vice president of prosthetics for Physiotherapy Associates’ Orthotics and Prosthetics division and manager of POSI, states, “We are honored and excited to be one of the first clinics chosen by Otto Bock to access and fit this new product. This opportunity allows our clients to access and benefit from this ground-breaking technology.”

The Genium Bionic Prosthetic System is a state-of-the-art prosthetic system that utilizes multiple environmental inputs including a gyroscope and accelerometer and hundreds of rule sets that allow it to know where it is in the gait cycle. The result of extensive research and development, the Genium is built on an entirely new prosthetic technology platform. The Genium technology redefines quality of life for the wearer. The microprocessor knee unit allows users to make quick complex movements, easily step over obstacles, and even ascend stairs.

Mr. Towers adds, “The Genium system will make walking and negotiating obstacles very seamless and there is less concentration required by the user because of the knee unit’s intuitive capabilities. We will be able to gather data on utilization with our patients and prove that each person’s mobility has improved.”

Steve Mantegani, PT, area vice president for Physiotherapy Associates’ Orthotics and Prosthetics division, states, “We are thrilled about the opportunity to partner with the team at Otto Bock Healthcare and usher in this technology for our patients and the prosthetic industry. The Genium Bionic Prosthetic System is going to help revolutionize the industry and improve the quality of life of our patients with above-knee amputations. I am very proud of the work that Kevin Towers and his team have done to make this opportunity a reality for our patients.”

For patients interested in being fitted with the Genium Bionic Prosthetic System, POSI offers locations in Marlton, NJ and in Horsham, PA. All of Physiotherapy Associates’ orthotics and prosthetic clinics offer three compelling reasons to visit: one-on-one care; custom fabrication and other custom, patient-focused services; and successful patient outcomes.

About Physiotherapy Associates

Physiotherapy Associates is the nation’s foremost provider of outpatient rehabilitation services. With more than 650 clinics including 28 orthotic and prosthetic facilities, Physiotherapy Associates is national in scope, local in care. Physiotherapy Associates employs an industry-leading team of physical therapists and healthcare practitioners who are dedicated to high-quality patient care. The company provides physical therapy, industrial rehabilitation and orthotics and prosthetics services to thousands of patients across the United States. For more information, visit www.physiocorp.com, follow us on Twitter (@physiocorp) or become a Physio fan on Facebook.

More information on the new Genium system can be found online: www.ottobockus.com/genium

SOURCE Physiotherapy Associates

Participation Needed for OCLI Clinical Study

WESTBURY, N.Y., July 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Participate in a clinical study for an investigational device and receive laser vision correction at a reduced fee. Participation will last about one week. Patients should be nearsighted (myopic) and NOT currently wearing contact lenses. For more information, please call 516 593 4026 or email [email protected].

CONTACT: Sara Rietbroek of InfiniTech | Public Relations, +1-516-829-5502

SOURCE Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island

Dogs Help Researchers Better Understand Intricacies Of Bone Cancer

A new University of Minnesota discovery may help bone cancer patients fight their disease more effectively, according to new research published in the September issue of Bone.

Bone cancer typically affects children; the course and aggressiveness of the disease can vary from patient to patient and is very difficult to predict. Some patients respond remarkably well to conventional therapies. Their disease shows less aggressive behavior and they can survive for decades without recurrence. Others respond poorly to treatment or their disease comes back rapidly. Often, these patients survive less than five years.

Recently, a team led by Dr. Jaime Modiano, a College of Veterinary Medicine and Masonic Cancer Center expert in comparative medicine, discovered a gene pattern that distinguishes the more severe form of bone cancer from a less aggressive form in dogs. Dogs are the only other species besides humans that develops this disease spontaneously with any frequency.

In fact, dogs are much more likely to develop bone cancer than humans, but according to Modiano ““ who specializes in the relationship between animal and human disease ““ human and canine forms of bone cancer are very similar and the gene pattern is an exact match. The discovery of this key differentiating signature may be beneficial in the treatment planning of human bone cancer patients.

“Our findings pave the way to develop laboratory tests that can predict the behavior of this tumor in dogs and children at the time of diagnosis,” said Modiano. “This allows us to tailor individualized therapy to meet the patient’s needs.”

The downstream impact of the findings

University of Minnesota researchers hope to use their findings to develop practical and useful lab tests for humans and for companion animals that will help clinical care providers determine the type of cancer a patient faces, and how aggressive that cancer may be.

Then, depending on which type of cancer a patient has, clinicians could adjust interventions and treatment plans accordingly.

“Patients with less aggressive disease could be treated conservatively, reducing the side effects and the risks associated with treatment, while patients with more aggressive disease could be treated with more intense therapy,” said Modiano.

The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute, the AKC Canine Health Foundation and the Kate Koogler Canine Cancer Fund.

On the Net:

Bright Now! Dental Opens a New Dental Office in Orlando, FL

IRVINE, Calif., July 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Smile Brands Inc., the nation’s leading provider of business support services to dental groups in the United States, today announced the grand opening of a new Bright Now! Dental office in Orlando, FL in the Waterford Lakes Town Center – the second office in the Orlando area. The first Bright Now! Dental office in the Orlando market opened in May, 2011 in Casselberry, FL.

Located at 785 North Alafaya Trail, Orlando, FL in the Waterford Lakes Town Center, this new office provides families with a convenient, comfortable environment where they can receive the latest in comprehensive, quality dental care. Bright Now! Dental offers general dentistry, preventive care, children’s dentistry, and specialty care services, including orthodontics (braces), oral surgery, periodontics, and endodontics. Bright Now! Dental accepts most insurance plans and offers patients without insurance the opportunity to enroll in the ConfiDent® Dental Discount Program. Additionally, Bright Now! Dental offers everyone minimum $500 in financing with no credit check(1) and flexible payment plans, including interest-free(1) or $0 down(2).

To celebrate its grand opening, the Waterford Lakes Town Center office is offering dental discounts: $100 Off Dental Services(3), a $39 Exam & X-Rays(4) and 50% Off Cleanings(5). Please visit our website for additional new patient offers. This opening continues the growth and mission of Smile Brands: to provide “Smiles for Everyone!”® by bringing quality, affordable dental care to local neighborhoods.

Bright Now! Dental’s Elana Oliver, D.D.S. will lead the clinical team in the new office. Dr. Oliver, a University of Florida graduate, is excited to bring her dental practice to the Waterford Lakes community.

“My goal is to give my patients confident smiles, while emphasizing patient comfort,” says Dr. Oliver. “Hearing that a patient feels better about his or her smile is the most gratifying part of the job.”

This new office is open Mondays, Thursdays & Fridays 8:00am-5:00pm; Tuesdays & Wednesdays 10:00am-7:00pm; and every other Saturday, beginning in September.

Prospective patients can call the Bright Now! Dental office in the Waterford Lakes Town Center at 321-354-0905 or toll-free at 1-888-BRIGHT-NOW (1-888-274-4486), or visit us online to schedule dentist appointments.

About Smile Brands Inc.

Smile Brands Inc. is the largest provider of support services to dental groups in the United States. Smile Brands Inc. provides comprehensive business support services so dentists can spend more time caring for their patients and less time on the administrative, marketing and financial aspects of the dental practice. Smile Brands Inc. services support more than 1,100 dentists and hygienists practicing in over 320 Bright Now! Dental, Monarch Dental, and Castle Dental offices in 18 states.

Nearly three quarters of a million people a year take advantage of extended evening and weekend office hours, convenient locations, affordable prices, and flexible payment plans for quality, full-service dental care including general and cosmetic dentistry, and specialty services such as orthodontics at affiliated Smile Brands’ offices.

Based in Irvine, Calif., Smile Brands Inc. and its affiliated dental offices combined employ approximately 4,200 people nationwide. For more information, visit www.smilebrands.com.

1. $500 financing and interest-free payment plans require valid photo ID and a checking account or credit card.

2 $0 down payment plans available on approved credit

3. Offer valid for every family member in same residence, but only valid once per person (maximum $100). Cannot be combined with other discounts or offers on same visit. Valid for patients at Bright Now! Dental in Casselberry only. Not redeemable for cash or credit.

4. Exam Offer includes necessary X-Rays, regular price is $117 (ADA Codes: 150, 274, 1120, 1110, 4342).

5. Cleaning regular prices start at $73 (ADA Codes: 1110, 1120, 4341, 4342 or 4910).

All offers are subject to change, cannot be combined and expire on 12/31/11. Fees stated are minimum fees only. THE PATIENT AND ANY OTHER PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT HAS A RIGHT TO REFUSE TO PAY, CANCEL PAYMENT, OR BE REIMBURSED FOR PAYMENT FOR ANY OTHER SERVICE, EXAMINATION, OR TREATMENT THAT IS PERFORMED AS A RESULT OF AND WITHIN 72 HOURS OF RESPONDING TO THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE FREE, DISCOUNTED FEE, OR REDUCED FEE SERVICE, EXAMINATION, OR TREATMENT.

SOURCE Smile Brands Inc.

Truffle Dog Gene Could Cure Epilepsy

(Ivanhoe Newswire)–Truffle hunting dogs may be the answer in treating benign childhood epilepsies. Professor Hannes Lohi and his research group at the University of Helsinki and the Folkhalsan Research Center may have discovered a new candidate gene for human childhood epilepsies characterized by seizure emission.  Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which an individual has repeated convulsions over time as a result of disturbed brain activity. This disease occurs when permanent changes in the brain tissue cause the brain to be overly excitable, causing it to send out abnormal signals.

Epilepsy is the most common neurological disease in children and occurs in o.5 percent of all 2-10 year old children when they are developing nerves in their brain.  This new gene discovery gives an alternative perspective into the development of a child’s brain and the remission mechanisms in childhood epilepsies. The new epilepsy gene is known as LG12 and has been found in the Lagotto Romagnolo dog. Every third Lagotto Romagnolo carries the gene mutation in its genome and researchers have developed a gene test to be used by breeders to eliminate the disease from the breed. This study reveals the first time the gene has been linked to human epilepsies, providing hope for curing this disease in children.

Through the study, insight was gained into the pathways that control the development of a child’s brain and open avenues of research in uncovering the molecular bases of transformation of the brain from infancy to adolescence to early adulthood. In this study, the mutations in about 40 different breeds and in dogs with an early age onset of epilepsy were tested but only present in Lagottos. The study also revealed another form of epilepsy in the breed unconnected with the mutation, but this research group has built a large canine DNA bank in Finland with over 35,000 samples from 250 breeds and plays an important role in present and ongoing studies.

SOURCE: PLoS Genetics, July 28th, 2011

Biocept, Inc. Announces Availability of Its New Breast Cancer Test, OncoCEE-BR(TM) Utilizing Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs)

SAN DIEGO, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Biocept, Inc., an advanced diagnostic CLIA-certified service laboratory developing novel tests for the oncology community, today announced the availability of OncoCEE-BR(TM) for breast cancer, a test designed to detect circulating tumor cells (CTCs) found in the blood of patients with this disease, and to assess their HER2/neu status by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) performed on the CTCs detected in the blood. HER2/neu status is diagnostic of a potential response to targeted cancer therapies like Herceptin® and Tykerb®.

OncoCEE-BR(TM) is intended as an adjunct to current standard testing methods for breast cancer, and may be especially useful in clinical settings where it may not be possible to obtain a tissue biopsy. CTC analysis, including biomarker analysis such as HER2 gene amplification, may provide very important information for the physician in the treatment of a patient’s cancer.

The OncoCEE-BR(TM) test includes: 1) the enumeration of CTCs (their actual number, per an 8 ml blood sample), and 2) the determination of the HER2/neu status of the detected CTCs by FISH. Clinical studies have demonstrated a poor prognosis for patients with elevated or increasing numbers of CTCs. The detection of HER2/neu amplification in tissue biopsy samples indicates a patient’s eligibility for HER2-targeted therapies like trastuzumab (e.g., Herceptin®). In the future Biocept intends to add ER/PR status determination to the test, and potentially other biomarkers. OncoCEE-BR(TM) is the only commercially available test that combines CTC enumeration with cytogenetic characterization. It requires a proprietary blood draw tube and sample shipping container, which are provided by Biocept.

The results from an OncoCEE-BR(TM) test may provide oncologists, pathologists and their patients with a greater understanding of the status and aggressiveness of a patient’s disease, and help guide clinical management of that patient. OncoCEE-BR(TM) provides real-time information on a tumor via a simple blood test to evaluate CTCs as compared to a surgical biopsy. This means that a tumor can be monitored and analyzed utilizing CTC analysis on an ongoing basis during therapy which may permit the early identification of emerging treatment resistance. In addition, expression of HER2 has been detected in CTCs in metastic breast cancer patients whose primary tumors from surgery or biopsy were HER2 negative [Munzone, et al, Clin. Cancer Res. 2011]. In fact, preliminary reports suggest that breast cancer patients who were CTC HER2-positive and primary tumor HER2-negative responded to Herceptin® therapy [Meng et al, PNAS 2004]; larger prospective clinical studies are in process.

More than 200,000 new cases of breast cancer will be reported in the US in 2011. Approximately 20% of breast cancer patients are HER2 positive by primary tissue diagnosis, and thus candidates for HER2-targeted therapy. Due primarily to tumor heterogeneity, the false-negative rate for the HER2 test, particularly by immunohistochemistry (IHC), is estimated to be 10-15% or higher; the HER2 FISH test, which Biocept performs on CTCs, is considered a “gold standard”.

“We believe that OncoCEE-BR(TM) may be an important tool for clinicians in the assessment of a breast cancer patient’s prognosis and treatment options,” said Executive Chairman David F. Hale. “It can complement tumor tissue analysis, offering the opportunity to “cross-check” those results. In situations where tissue is not available, for example at time of recurrence, or when monitoring therapy to determine its effectiveness, it can provide a real-time evaluation of the cancer at the cellular level.” Mr. Hale continued, “Clinical studies are being conducted to examine the effects of HER2 targeted therapies in patients with HER2 positive CTCs, but HER2 negative tissue analysis. We believe that a positive HER2 FISH result in CTCs is very compelling. We feel that OncoCEE-BR(TM) offers clinicians with important information about their patients’ tumors, which will enhance the treatment they provide, and potentially the outcomes their patients will experience.”

For more information on the OncoCEE-BR(TM) test, please visit www.biocept.com.

About Biocept, Inc.

Biocept Laboratories, headquartered in San Diego, California, is an advanced diagnostic CLIA-certified laboratory services company specializing in the capture, detection, enumeration and molecular analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Biocept is dedicated to positively impacting the lives of cancer patients through the development of innovative diagnostic products and services. Biocept utilizes innovative and proprietary technologies to deliver clinically relevant and actionable information to physicians that enable better patient care. This includes clinical assessments of CTCs, both prognostic and diagnostic, which may provide physicians with information highly relevant for the treatment of their patients with cancer.

About OncoCEE(TM)

The OncoCEE(TM) platform, developed by Biocept, has demonstrated that it can consistently and accurately capture extremely rare cells in blood, like CTCs, which may be present in only 1 of every 50-100 billion blood cells. Biocept obtains patient samples via a simple blood draw, or “liquid biopsy”, instead of relying on traditional biopsy methods or surgical procedures. Biocept differentiates its “liquid biopsy” CTC analysis by combining CTC enumeration and diagnostic (e.g., HER2 status) biomarker analyses, information not currently available through commercial laboratories using existing technologies for CTC testing. Other methods to capture, detect and enumerate CTCs rely only on the expression of the epithelial cell adhesion (EpCAM) molecule and cytokeratins, and do not include molecular biomarker analysis. This approach may exclude CTCs that have undergone intrinsic modifications of their phenotype, such as the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT may represent a possible explanation for many patients who, despite an aggressive disease, are found negative for the presence of CTCs. OncoCEE(TM) captures epithelial (i.e., EpCAM positive) CTCs and mesenchymal-like CTCs. Additionally, the OncoCEE(TM) platform enables evaluation of diagnostic biomarkers by techniques like immunocytochemistry, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and mutation analysis.

For OncoCEE(TM) blood draw tubes and sample shipping containers, please contact Biocept Customer Support at 888-332-7729.

For more information about Biocept or OncoCEE-BR(TM), please contact Michael Dunn, Sr. VP, Corporate Development at 858-320-8200 or by visiting Biocept’s web site at http://www.biocept.com. The Company’s website is not part of this press release.

SOURCE Biocept, Inc.

R A E N Optics Launches New Website and Releases New Styles

ENCINITAS, Calif., July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-iReach/ — Encinitas, CA-based boutique eyewear brand, R A E N optics has the 2011 season in full focus with today’s launch of their new website. A fresh look with optimized user capability, R A E N invites the World Wide Web to explore art, culture, fashion, and one stellar lineup of hand-crafted optics.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110728/CG43745)

THE LOOK

Besides its contemporary skin, R A E N said so long to flash and hello to cross compatibility granting visitors 24-7 access on any browser, portable device or smart phone platform. Through seamless navigation, viewers can easily dig in to the newest collections with enlarged hero, front and side views, meet the R A E N community, get inspiration from daily blog posts and see their favorite frames featured hot off the press.

Jonesing to purchase those shades now? R A E N offers customers (national and international) a direct shopping experience within the website as well as a list of online and retail stores stocked with R A E N product.

“We wanted a site that emulated not only the R A E N culture, but one that paralleled the aesthetic of the team behind the brand,” says Creative Director, Justin Heit. “We are a like-minded bunch full of ideas that I believe were successfully translated into the look, feel and overall user experience.”

THE COMMUNITY

An important element to R A E N lies in the individuals that create their culture. As so, this community of photographers, ambassadors and fine artists live within the website so visitors can see “Through The Eyes Of” the eclectic lives that drive inspiration behind the brand’s authentic product and timeless style.

THE PRODUCT

With the launch of the new website also comes the release of new styles. R A E N welcomes The Myopia, a chic warrior goggle created in collaboration with designer and artist Alexandra Cassiniti, and Premium R A E N, a limited edition collection featuring six of R A E N’s most sought after styles. Finished in a matte coating with the ultimate polarized protection (excluding The Regan), this collection represents the brand at its finest. These design driven frames join the R A E N family with each cut, screw and flourish engineered to optic perfection. Outfitted with the highest quality CR-39 lenses from Optics by Carl Zeis and made with durable, Italian Mazzucchelli 1849 Zyl-Acetate, the trio along with all R A E N optics boasts optimum visual comfort with never fading, eye protecting precision.

From a visually pleasing exterior to intelligent navigation and interface the R A E N optics website is a refreshing update to the always handmade, heartfelt brand.

So what are you waiting for? The site is live and awaiting your arrival!

WWW.RAENOPTICS.COM

Media Contact: Joni Parmer/ PR Director R A E N Optics, 760 436 7236, [email protected]

SOURCE R A E N Optics

Tomball Regional Medical Center Enters Into Acquisition Agreement With Subsidiary of Community Health Systems, Inc.

TOMBALL, Texas, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Tomball Hospital Authority (Authority), which owns and operates Tomball Regional Medical Center (TRMC), a nationally recognized provider of comprehensive healthcare services serving the greater Northwest Houston market, today announced that its board of directors has unanimously approved the sale of substantially all of the assets of TRMC to a subsidiary of Community Health Systems, Inc. (NYSE: CYH). The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed later this year.

“Following a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives, which included the evaluation of numerous potential partners, I’m pleased to announce the board’s selection of Community Health Systems, an ideal partner to ensure TRMC’s long-term success,” said Lynn LeBouef, President and CEO of Tomball Regional Medical Center. “Our medical staff and employees have worked hard to implement successful performance improvement initiatives to counter the challenges we’ve faced related to the impact of healthcare reform and increased competition from nearby hospitals. After thorough consideration, the sale of TRMC to Community Health Systems is the right next step for our organization to build on this progress and to ensure that we are able to meet the community’s healthcare needs for many years to come.”

Community Health Systems and the Authority have entered into a definitive asset purchase agreement involving the sale of substantially all of TRMC’s assets. Sale proceeds will enable payment in full of all outstanding financial obligations of the Hospital Authority. As a result of the sale, the hospital will convert to taxable status, thereby contributing to a substantial increase in the tax base available to the City of Tomball and Harris County.

Building on its network of 18 affiliated hospitals throughout the State of Texas, Community Health Systems will position TRMC as its flagship health system for the region serving the Tomball and Northwest Houston markets. To that end, Community Health Systems has committed to make capital investments of at least $50 million over five years to expand clinical programs and to renovate and expand existing facilities and infrastructure. This investment will also allow TRMC to acquire advanced medical technologies and pursue development strategies, such as physician recruitment and practice acquisitions. Additionally, the acquisition agreement includes commitments that will provide substantial support to local community efforts, including TOMAGWA Health Care Ministries and Lone Star College.

“This sale is good news for our medical staff, employees, patients and the broader Tomball community,” Mr. LeBouef said. “Community Health Systems is an industry-leader in managing community hospitals such as ours. There are many benefits to TRMC and the Tomball community from this partnership, including access to capital, additional resources and expertise, and the continued provision of quality, cost-effective healthcare.”

Additional covenants in the agreement assure that:

  • Active employees in good standing at the time the transaction closes will be hired into their same positions, at the same rate of pay and with their seniority recognized;
  • Medical staff credentialing and privileges will be honored;
  • The hospital will continue to provide and support indigent care in the community; and,
  • A local Board of Trustees, comprised of community leaders and members of the medical staff, will be established.

Navigant Capital Advisors served as financial advisor to Tomball Hospital Authority in this sale transaction. Proskauer Rose LLP served as legal counsel.

About Tomball Regional Medical Center

Recognized for its full continuum of services and remarkable growth over the years, Tomball Regional Medical Center (TRMC) serves a population of 330,000 area residents. TRMC earned a #10 ranking on the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals in Houston, Texas list for 2011-12. In addition, HealthGrades ranks TRMC among the:

  • Top 5% of America’s hospitals for clinical excellence
  • Top 10% in the nation for treatment of stroke
  • Top 5% in the nation for overall pulmonary care
  • Top 5 hospitals in Texas for overall cardiac care
  • Top 5% in the nation for emergency services
  • Top 5% in the nation for women’s services

Through exceptional technology and a specialized medical staff, area residents receive a full range of medical services close to home. Services provided include open-heart surgery, neurosurgery, a maternity floor and level III neonatal intensive care unit, inpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, and home health care. The 150-acre campus also includes designated specialty centers: the Robert F. Schaper Heart Center, the Texas Wound Center, the Texas Sports Medicine Center, and Cancer Treatment Center. To learn more, explore our website or call 281.401.7500.

About Community Health Systems

Located in Nashville, Tennessee, suburb of Franklin, Community Health Systems, Inc. is one of the largest publicly-traded hospital companies in the United States and a leading operator of general acute care hospitals in non-urban and mid-size markets throughout the country. Through its subsidiaries, the Company currently owns, leases or operates 133 hospitals in 29 states with an aggregate of approximately 19,500 licensed beds. Its hospitals offer a broad range of inpatient and surgical services, outpatient treatment and skilled nursing care. Shares in Community Health Systems, Inc. are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CYH.”

Contact:
Ellen Moskowitz or Giovanna Konicke
Brunswick Group for Tomball Regional Medical Center
212.333.3810

Or

Tomi Galin
Community Health Systems
615.628.6607

SOURCE Tomball Regional Medical Center

Digital Assent Announces Integration between PatientPad and PatientNOW Electronic Medical Records System

ATLANTA, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Digital Assent, provider of the award-winning PatientPad® self-service patient check-in and patient education solution, has partnered with PatientNOW, a leading provider of electronic medical records (EMR) solutions for aesthetic-focused practices, to automatically transfer patient check-in information entered via the PatientPad to the physician’s PatientNOW system.

“Digital Assent’s partnership with PatientNOW will significantly improve a patient’s experience from the moment they walk through their physician’s door,” said Tim Collins, CTO and co-founder of Digital Assent. “Everything is electronic and automated, which decreases time spent filling out paperwork or a doctor shuffling through paper for health information. Physicians will also benefit from reduced clerical errors and transcription costs.”

The PatientPad is a wireless touch-screen solution that automates the patient check-in process and delivers targeted health information and advertising to interested patients while they sit in their healthcare provider’s waiting room, exam room or treatment room. Since the beginning of the year, the PatientPad has enjoyed rapid adoption by physician practices in more than 30 states.

Along with a comprehensive and certified EMR solution, PatientNOW offers fully integrated marketing, customer contact and patient process tracking tools to increase efficiency and revenue creation for each practice. This unified EMR and practice management solution is tailor-made for the aesthetic medical provider market, including plastic and cosmetic surgeons, dermatologists and medical spas.

“Aligning ourselves with Digital Assent and the PatientPad is a natural fit for both companies, which are two of the pioneers leading the conversion from paper to electronic health records,” said Jerry Jacobson, president and co-founder of PatientNOW. “Capturing data electronically from the patient and pushing it automatically to the PatientNOW EMR system is a tremendous value and time saver for every one of our practices.”

The first office to go live with the integrated solution was The Skin Spa of Newnan Dermatology, located a few miles south of metro Atlanta in Newnan, Ga. “Now that PatientPad integrates with PatientNOW, our front-office staff no longer have to waste time and energy manually entering patient data,” said Trisha Kennedy, Director of The Skin Spa.

This partnership follows on the heels of Digital Assent’s recent $7.5 million Series B equity funding, which the company is using to more rapidly grow its market share and product footprint. Earlier this year, the company received a $2 million Series A round of funding to expand its leadership team and launch a national sales campaign.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Digital Assent is proud to be a technology company contributing to Georgia’s leadership in health IT. Earlier this month Georgia Governor Nathan Deal praised the state’s reputation as a healthcare technology hub by having more than 135 health IT companies in the state generating more than $4 billion in revenue each year. To learn more about where Georgia leads, search #WhereGAleads on www.twitter.com or visit www.wheregeorgialeads.com.

About Digital Assent

Founded in 2009, Digital Assent is a fast-growing healthcare technology company based in Atlanta. The company’s wireless touch-screen PatientPad® solution streamlines the patient check-in process and delivers targeted health information to interested patients while they sit in their provider’s waiting or exam room. By automating patient intake, the PatientPad enables healthcare providers to collect patient information in a standard electronic format, more easily transition from paper to electronic health records, and improve the overall patient experience. For more information about Digital Assent and the company’s rapidly growing PatientPad point-of-care network, please visit www.digitalassent.com or www.patient-pad.com. To learn more about the company’s new PatientCoupons(TM) service, please visit www.patientcoupons.com.

About PatientNOW

PatientNOW is an innovative healthcare technology company that creates certified EMR and practice management software for physicians who provide aesthetic services, such as cosmetic and plastic surgeons, dermatologists, medical spas and others. Medical practices that use paper, non-specialized or outdated software are far less efficient. PatientNOW provides numerous solutions to bring your medical practice into the modern age. With PatientNOW, you can create, store and search for crucial patient information electronically, replacing your existing paper files and placing many marketing tools at your fingertips. For more information, visit www.patientnow.com.

SOURCE Digital Assent

IPC The Hospitalist Company Reports Second Quarter 2011 Results

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif., July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ –IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc. (Nasdaq: IPCM), a leading national hospitalist physician group practice, today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2011.

Second Quarter 2011 Highlights (comparisons are to second quarter 2010):

  • Net revenue increased 28% to $111.7 million, with same-market area net patient revenue growth of 20%
  • Patient encounters increased to 1.2 million, a 26% increase
  • Income from operations increased 18% to $10.5 million
  • Net income increased 20% to $6.5 million, or $0.39 per diluted share

Six Months Ended June 30, 2011 Highlights (comparisons are to six months ended June 30, 2010):

  • Net revenue increased 28% to $225.1 million, with same-market area net revenue growth of 21%
  • Patient encounters increased to an all-time high of 2,345,000, a 27% increase
  • Income from operations rose 25% to $23.0 million
  • Net income increased 28% to $14.2 million, or $0.85 per diluted share

Adam D. Singer, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of IPC The Hospitalist Company, stated, “We are very pleased to again report a strong revenue quarter with growth of 28%. This growth reflects not only the results of the acquisitions we completed in the latter part of 2010 through the second quarter of 2011, but also continued strength in our existing markets.

“However, our profitability this quarter was impacted by higher expenses at several of our larger hospital contracted practices. The added costs, which included higher compensation for locum tenens, moonlighters and premium call pay and discretionary bonuses for our employed physicians at those practices, led to a 130-basis-point increase in our practice operating expense as a percentage of revenue. In all cases, we are in the process of recruiting permanent staff and expect that these practices will generate improved practice margins over time.

“We continued to leverage our general and administrative costs which resulted in a 50-basis-point reduction in these costs as a percentage of revenue, partially offsetting the higher practice expenses. We generated a 9.4% operating margin for the quarter.”

Dr. Singer added, “We continue to execute on our strategy of organic hiring and acquisition growth. We have completed seven acquisitions year to date in 2011, which includes the recent acquisition in Orlando which gives us entry into a new market in our already strong Florida region. Our acquisition pipeline is robust, with a significant number of privately-owned, unaffiliated physician practices in both the acute and post-acute areas. In addition, we believe that there will continue to be more opportunities to add to our practices through hospital contracting, by either taking over employed groups or starting new groups under hospital contracts. However, the hospital contracted practices may impact our margins as we convert them from inefficient staffing models. We are confident in our ability to continue to execute our multi-pronged growth plan for the remainder of 2011 and beyond.”

Second Quarter 2011

Patient encounters for the three months ended June 30, 2011 increased by 239,000 encounters, or 26.0%, to 1,159,000, compared to 920,000 for the same period in the prior year. Net revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2011 was $111.7 million, an increase of $24.1 million, or 27.5%, from $87.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2010. Of this $24.1 million increase, 71.4% was attributable to same-market area growth, including acquisitions and new hires, and 28.6% was attributable to revenue generated from four new markets, three of which were entered through acquisitions in 2010 and one in 2011. Same-market revenue increased 19.6%, same-market encounters increased 18.5% and patient revenue per encounter increased 0.5%. The remaining increase in same-market revenue was attributable to an increase in hospital contract and other revenue.

Physician practice salaries, benefits and other expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2011 were $81.8 million, or 73.2% of net revenue, compared to $63.1 million, or 71.9% of net revenue, for the three months ended June 30, 2010. The increase in practice costs is largely related to the increase in the number of hospitalists added through hiring and acquisitions during the period and to continued investment in physician leadership initiatives. As a percentage of revenue, physician costs increased by 130 basis points quarter over quarter. This increase in costs was largely the result of added cost for locum tenens, moonlighters and premium call pay and discretionary bonuses for employed physicians at several of the larger hospital contracted practices. In all cases, the Company is in the process of recruiting additional full-time staff in order to operate more efficiently.

General and administrative expenses increased $3.5 million, or 23.6%, to $18.4 million, or 16.5% of net revenue, for the three months ended June 30, 2011, as compared to $14.9 million, or 17.0% of net revenue, for the three months ended June 30, 2010. The increase in expense is primarily the result of increased costs to support the continuing growth of operations, including new regional office costs and increases in corporate development and other expenses to support acquisitions. In addition, stock based compensation expense increased primarily as a result of the increase in IPC’s stock price at the date of various grants. Excluding stock based compensation, general and administrative expenses decreased by 70 basis points to 15.4% of revenue, compared to 16.1% of revenue for the same period of 2010.

Income from operations increased $1.6 million, or 18.3%, to $10.5 million, as compared to $8.9 million for the same period in the prior year. The operating margin was 9.4% for the three months ended June 30, 2011, as compared to 10.2% for the three months ended June 30, 2010. The decrease in the operating margin was largely the result of the increase in physician costs as a percentage of revenue, offset by the decrease in general and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenue.

The effective tax rate for the three months ended June 30, 2011 was 38.0%, compared to 39.0% for the three months ended June 30, 2010.

Net income increased to $6.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2011, as compared to $5.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2010, and the net income margin was 5.8%, as compared to 6.2% for the same period in the prior year. Diluted earnings per share for the quarter ended June 30, 2011 was $0.39, compared to diluted earnings per share of $0.33 in the same quarter of 2010, an increase of 18.2%.

Six Months Ended June 30, 2011

Patient encounters for the six months ended June 30, 2011 increased by 498,000 encounters, or 27.0%, to 2,345,000, compared to 1,847,000 for the same period in the prior year. Net revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2011 was $225.1 million, an increase of $49.8 million, or 28.4%, from $175.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2010. Of this $49.8 million increase, 73.9% was attributable to same-market area growth, including acquisitions and new hires, and 26.1% was attributable to revenue generated from four new markets, three of which were entered through acquisition in 2010 and one in 2011. Same-market revenue increased 21.0%, same-market encounters increased 19.8% and patient revenue per encounter increased 0.8%. The remaining increase in same-market revenue was attributable to an increase in hospital contract and other revenue.

Physician practice salaries, benefits and other expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2011 were $163.9 million, or 72.8% of net revenue, compared to $126.7 million, or 72.3% of net revenue, for the six months ended June 30, 2010. The increase in practice costs is largely related to the increase in the number of hospitalists added through hiring and acquisitions during the period and to continued investment in physician leadership initiatives.

General and administrative expenses increased $7.3 million, or 25.3%, to $36.2 million, or 16.1% of net revenue, for the six months ended June 30, 2011, as compared to $28.9 million, or 16.4% of net revenue, for the six months ended June 30, 2010. The increase in expense is primarily the result of increased costs to support the continuing growth of operations, including new regional office costs and increases in corporate development and other expenses to support acquisitions. In addition, stock based compensation expense increased primarily as a result of the increase in IPC’s stock price at the date of various grants. Excluding stock based compensation, general and administrative expenses decreased by 50 basis points to 15.1% of revenue, compared to 15.6% of revenue for the same period of 2010.

Income from operations increased $4.7 million, or 25.4%, to $23.0 million, as compared to $18.3 million for the same period in the prior year. The operating margin was 10.2% for the six months ended June 30, 2011, compared to 10.5% for the six months ended June 30, 2010. The decrease in the operating margin was largely the result of the increase in physician costs as a percentage of revenue, offset by the decrease in general and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenue.

The effective tax rate for the six months ended June 30, 2011 was 38.0%, compared to 39.0% for the six months ended June 30, 2010.

Net income increased to $14.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2011, as compared to $11.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2010, and the net income margin was 6.3%, as compared to 6.4% for the same period in the prior year. Diluted earnings per share for the six months ended June 30, 2011 was $0.85, compared to diluted earnings per share of $0.67 in the same period of 2010, an increase of 26.9%.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of June 30, 2011, IPC had no debt outstanding, and approximately $54.6 million in liquidity, composed of $24.7 million in cash and cash equivalents, and an available line of credit of $29.9 million.

Net cash provided by operating activities for the six months ended June 30, 2011 was $12.0 million, compared to $15.1 million for the same period of 2010. The decrease in net cash from operations between the two periods is largely the result of an increase in accounts receivable and a decrease in accrued compensation caused by the timing of payrolls. Although accounts receivables increased since December 31, 2010, the days sales outstanding (DSO), which is used to measure the effectiveness of collections, decreased to 49 DSO as of June 30, 2011, compared to 51 DSO as of December 31, 2010.

Net cash used in investing activities was $9.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2011, compared to $13.4 million for the same period in 2010. Cash of $7.7 million was used in 2011 for physician practice acquisitions and earn-out payments on prior acquisitions compared to $12.2 million in the same period of the prior year.

2011 Guidance

The Company is updating its 2011 guidance from the numbers announced in February to reflect the results of the first half of the year. For the full year 2011, the Company is increasing the revenue range to $452 million to $460 million from the previous range of $446 million to $455 million. The Company is maintaining the range for earnings per diluted share to be between $1.78 and $1.86. Earnings per share is based on assumptions of (i) weighted average shares outstanding of 16.8 million for the year; (ii) a 38.0% effective tax rate, (iii) $4.7 million in stock based compensation expense, and (iv) $3.5 million in depreciation and amortization expense. Not included in the assumptions are new market acquisitions completed after today’s date.

Conference Call Information

IPC The Hospitalist Company will host an investor conference call to review the quarterly results at 5:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. PT) today. To participate in the conference call, please dial 877-225-7695 (USA) or 720-545-0027 (International). In addition, a dial-up replay of the conference call will be available beginning July 28, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT) and ending on August 11, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. The replay telephone number is 855-859-2056 (USA) or 404-537-3406 (International); please use the conference ID 83562172 to access the replay. A live webcast of the call will also be available from the Investor Relations section on the corporate web site at http://www.hospitalist.com. A webcast replay can be accessed on the corporate web site beginning July 28, 2011 at approximately 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT) and will remain available until August 11, 2011 at 11:59 p.m.

About IPC The Hospitalist Company

IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc. (NASDAQ: IPCM) is a leading national hospitalist physician group practice focused on the delivery of hospitalist medicine services. IPC’s physicians and affiliated providers manage the care of hospitalized patients in coordination with primary care physicians and specialists. The Company provides its hospitalists with the comprehensive training, information technology, and management support systems necessary to improve the quality and reduce the cost of inpatient care in the facilities it serves. For more information, visit the IPC website at www.hospitalist.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements and information in this press release may be deemed to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Federal Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements in this press release may include, but are not limited to, those statements set forth under the section titled “Guidance” regarding projected operating results, revenues, earnings, and IPC’s growth opportunities and strategy. Forward-looking statements are often characterized by terminology such as “believe”, “hope”, “may”, “anticipate”, “should”, “intend”, “plan”, “will”, “expect”, “estimate”, “project”, “positioned”, “strategy” and similar expressions. Any forward-looking statements are necessarily based on a variety of estimates and assumptions which, though considered reasonable by the Company, may not be realized and are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, industry, regulatory, market and financial uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are and will be beyond IPC’s control. Important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, developments and business decisions to differ materially from those contemplated by any forward-looking statements are described in IPC’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the section titled “Risk Factors” and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements.

In particular the following risks and uncertainties may have such an impact:

  • failure to comply with complex and intensive government regulation of our industry;
  • the adequacy of IPC’s insurance coverage and insurance reserves;
  • IPC’s ability to recruit and retain qualified physicians;
  • IPC’s ability to successfully complete and integrate new acquisitions;
  • the effect of changes in rates or methods of third-party reimbursement; and
  • the high level of competition in IPC’s industry.

IPC undertakes no obligation following the date of this press release to update or revise any such statements or projections whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

                            IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc.
                               Consolidated Balance Sheets
                          (in thousands, except for share data)

                                                     June 30,  December 31,
                                                          2011       2010
                                                          ----       ----
    Assets                                         (Unaudited)  (Adjusted)
    Current assets:
      Cash and cash equivalents                        $24,651    $18,935
      Accounts receivable, net                          62,794     54,161
      Insurance receivable for malpractice claims
       -current portion, net                             7,000      6,491
      Prepaid expenses and other current assets          8,202      9,672
                                                           ---        ---
    Total current assets                               102,647     89,259
    Property and equipment, net                          4,485      4,100
    Goodwill                                           154,447    149,289
    Other intangible assets, net                         1,933      2,282
    Deferred tax assets, net                             2,323      2,323
    Insurance receivable for malpractice claims
     -less current portion, net                         14,186     11,725
    Total assets                                      $280,021   $258,978
                                                      ========   ========

    Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
    Current liabilities:
      Accounts payable and accrued liabilities          $3,284     $3,708
      Accrued compensation                              18,688     19,472
      Payables for practice acquisitions                25,731     27,715
      Medical malpractice and self-insurance
       reserves, current portion                         7,451      6,940
      Deferred tax liabilities                             784        784
                                                             -          -
    Total current liabilities                           55,938     58,619
    Medical malpractice and self-insurance
     reserves, less current portion                     30,135     25,871
    Other long-term liabilities                             23         23
    Total liabilities                                   86,096     84,513
    Stockholders' equity:
      Preferred stock, $0.001 par value,
       15,000,000 shares authorized, none issued             -          -
      Common stock, $0.001 par value, 50,000,000
       shares authorized, 16,420,972
        and 16,287,377 shares issued and
         outstanding at June 30, 2011 and December
         31, 2010, respectively                             16         16
      Additional paid-in capital                       135,874    130,661
      Retained earnings                                 58,035     43,788
                                                          ----       ----
    Total stockholders' equity                         193,925    174,465


    Total liabilities and stockholders' equity        $280,021   $258,978
                                                      ========   ========

                                   IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc.
                                   Consolidated Statements of Income
                               (in thousands, except for per share data)
                                              (unaudited)


                                           Three Months Ended
                                                                   June 30,
                                             ------------------
                                             2011             2010
                                             ----             ----

    Net revenue                          $111,732          $87,639
    Operating expenses:
      Cost of services -physician
       practice salaries,
                        benefits and
                        other            81,784           63,052
      General and administrative         18,419           14,908
      Net change in fair value of
       contingent consideration             188               79
      Depreciation and amortization         795              682
                                              -                -
    Total operating expenses            101,186           78,721
                                          -----             ----
    Income from operations               10,546            8,918
    Investment income                         4                4
    Interest expense                        (22)             (22)
                                            ---              ---
    Income before income taxes           10,528            8,900
    Income tax provision                  4,000            3,470
                                            ---              ---
    Net income                           $6,528           $5,430
                                         ======           ======

    Net income per share:
      Basic                               $0.40            $0.33
                                          =====            =====

      Diluted                             $0.39            $0.33
                                          =====            =====

    Weighted average shares:
      Basic                          16,382,869       16,241,727
                                     ==========       ==========

      Diluted                        16,860,203       16,573,563
                                     ==========       ==========


                                         Six Months Ended June
                                                                   30,
                                           ----------------------
                                             2011             2010
                                             ----             ----

    Net revenue                          $225,119         $175,343
    Operating expenses:
      Cost of services -physician
       practice salaries,
                        benefits and
                        other           163,881          126,712
      General and administrative         36,194           28,888
      Net change in fair value of
       contingent consideration             480               92
      Depreciation and amortization       1,550            1,305
                                            ---              ---
    Total operating expenses            202,105          156,997
                                          -----            -----
    Income from operations               23,014           18,346
    Investment income                         9                7
    Interest expense                        (44)             (44)
                                            ---              ---
    Income before income taxes           22,979           18,309
    Income tax provision                  8,732            7,140
                                            ---              ---
    Net income                          $14,247          $11,169
                                        =======          =======

    Net income per share:
      Basic                               $0.87            $0.69
                                          =====            =====

      Diluted                             $0.85            $0.67
                                          =====            =====

    Weighted average shares:
      Basic                          16,346,383       16,230,987
                                     ==========       ==========

      Diluted                        16,786,098       16,582,034
                                     ==========       ==========

                       IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc.
                     Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
                                 (in thousands)
                                  (unaudited)

                                                    Six Months Ended June
                                                             30,
                                                  ----------------------
                                                      2011          2010
                                                      ----          ----
    Operating activities
    Net income                                     $14,247       $11,169
    Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
     cash provided by operating activities:
      Depreciation and amortization                  1,550         1,305
      Stock-based compensation expense               2,251         1,507
      Net change in fair value of contingent
       consideration                                   480            92
      Changes in assets and liabilities:
        Accounts receivable                         (8,633)       (3,250)
        Prepaid expenses and other current assets    1,470         2,703
        Accounts payable and accrued liabilities      (424)           (3)
        Accrued compensation                          (784)        1,455
        Medical malpractice and self-insurance
         reserves, net                               1,805           892
        Accrued professional liability settlement        -          (750)
                                                         -          ----
    Net cash provided by operating activities       11,962        15,120
                                                      ----          ----

    Investing activities
    Acquisitions of physician practices             (7,748)      (12,204)
    Purchase of property and equipment              (1,460)       (1,244)
    Net cash used in investing activities           (9,208)      (13,448)
                                                    ------       -------

    Financing activities
    Net proceeds from issuance of common stock       1,991         1,129
    Excess tax benefits from stock-based
     compensation                                      971           336
    Net cash provided by financing activities        2,962         1,465
                                                       ---           ---

    Net increase in cash and cash equivalents        5,716         3,137
    Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of
     period                                         18,935        31,473
    Cash and cash equivalents, end of period       $24,651       $34,610
                                                   =======       =======

                      IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc.
                                Operating Data
                                 (unaudited)

    Patient Encounter Data:
      The following is a summary of our patient encounters for the six
      consecutive quarters ended June 30, 2011:

                                      Quarter Ended
                                      -------------
                                Mar          Jun          Sep
                                 31           30           30
                                 2010         2010         2010
                                 ----         ----         ----

      Patient encounters      927,000      920,000      957,000
                              =======      =======      =======




                                    Quarter Ended
                                    -------------
                               Dec 31         Mar 31          Jun 30
                                   2010           2011            2011
                                   ----           ----            ----

      Patient encounters      1,006,000      1,186,000       1,159,000
                              =========      =========       =========






                            Amy Glynn/Nick
    Contacts:               Laudico
    Devra Shapiro          The Ruth Group
    IPC The Hospitalist
     Company, Inc.                (646) 536-7023/7030
    (818) 766-3502          [email protected]
                            -----------------------
                            [email protected]
                            -------------------------


SOURCE IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc.

Sutter Heart Failure Program First in Nation to Receive New Joint Commission Certification

SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The Sutter Heart & Vascular Institute Heart Failure Clinic became the first program in the nation to be certified under new Joint Commission standards that are focused on providing safe, successful transitions of care as heart-failure patients move from the inpatient setting to the outpatient setting.

In collaboration with the American Heart Association, The Joint Commission launched the Advanced Certification in Heart Failure program on July 1 by using criteria outlined in the AHA’s Get With The Guidelines. These clinical practice guidelines include recommendations related to assessment, monitoring, management and performance improvement of heart failure care across health-care settings.

After a thorough review of the Sutter Heart & Vascular Institute’s program, the Heart Failure Clinic at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento was found to meet all of the guidelines to promote successful efforts in heart failure management.

“Our Heart Failure Clinic has produced some of the best outcomes in the nation, not only for successful heart-failure treatments, but for excellence in continued care,” said John Chin, M.D., medical director of the Sutter Heart & Vascular Institute Transplant and Advanced Heart Therapy Department. “Most heart-failure patients need to be seen for the rest of their lives, and our goal is to improve both their longevity and the quality of their lives.”

Sutter Heart & Vascular Institute is the only heart program in Northern California outside the Bay Area to offer advanced heart-failure treatments, including heart transplants, rescue devices and heart pumps known as ventricular assist devices. Its Heart Failure Clinic is located on the SMCS campus of Sutter Memorial Hospital in East Sacramento and sees hundreds of patients a month. The goal of the Heart Failure Clinic is to prevent unnecessary emergency department visits and hospital admissions, promote consistency in the use of medications, and promote better self-management through patient education and lifestyle changes.

“Although there is no cure for heart failure, the proper treatment program can allow patients to lead full lives,” said Jean Range, M.S., R.N., CPHQ, executive director of The Joint Commission’s Disease-Specific Care Certification program. “The Joint Commission’s certification program will help health care organizations focus on the care processes that produce the best outcomes for their heart failure patients and give patients with heart failure confidence that these health care organizations are committed to quality care.”

AHA estimates that nearly 6 million Americans suffer from heart failure, a condition in which the heart can’t pump enough blood to the body’s other organs. Although the heart keeps working, it is not as effective as it should be.

For more information on The Joint Commission’s Advanced Certification in Heart Failure program, go to http://www.jointcommission.org/certification/heart_failure.aspx. For information on Sutter’s Heart Failure Clinic, call 1-800-556-8133 or go to www.checksutterfirst.org/heartandvascular/departments/chf.cfm.

CONTACT: Gary Zavoral
(916) 454-6825

SOURCE Sutter Heart & Vascular Institute

Sensus Healthcare and Megatop MTC Announce Their First Sale of the SRT-100(TM) Superficial Radiation Therapy System to the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong.

BOCA RATON, Fla., July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Sensus Healthcare is pleased to announce that the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong has become the first healthcare facility in the country to purchase and deploy an SRT-100(TM) non-invasive skin cancer treatment system. The SRT-100(TM) will provide the local patient community with the most effective, non-surgical, and pain free therapy modality to treat non-Melanoma Basal and Squamous Cell skin cancers, which account for the vast majority of all skin cancers.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110124/FL34943LOGO)

“This is a groundbreaking event for MMTC. We are honored to be able to serve the Prince of Wales Hospital of Hong Kong, a pivotal entity in the radiotherapy market in Asia. This first order is a prime example of how Sensus Healthcare of the USA integrates modern technology, safety features, and ease of use in system operation to provide the best possible solution for non-Melanoma skin cancer patients in Hong Kong,” stated George Shum, Managing Director of MMTC.

“Megatop has covered an unbelievable measure of ground in a short period of time, winning the trust and therefore the business with the Prince of Wales Hospital,” stated Rick Golin, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Sensus Healthcare. “We are very proud and pleased to have Megatop as our partner in Asia. We look forward to many more successes with them over the coming years.”

About Prince of Wales Hospital:

The Prince of Wales Hospital is a major public and teaching hospital located in Sha Tin, New Territories in Hong Kong. The hospital is affiliated with the Medical Faculty of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Named after and officially opened by Charles, Prince of Wales in 1984, the Prince of Wales Hospital proudly provides its community with comprehensive quality healthcare. It is also the regional hospital responsible for the Eastern New Territories serving Shatin, Tai Po, North New Territories, Sai Kung and the outlying islands in East New Territories.

About Sensus Healthcare:

Sensus Healthcare specializes in making proven non-melanoma skin cancer solutions more accessible to patients. Our dedicated superficial radiation therapy (SRT) systems are designed specifically to provide an alternative to surgical procedures for basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. Our mobile, compact SRT-100(TM) systems are used widely by oncologists and dermatologists to bring non-melanoma skin cancer treatment to more patients in more settings. We also offer a professional skin care line, Sensus Skin Solutions(TM), through our physician SRT-100(TM) users for their patients.

Contact:
Vicky Perez
Public Relations
561-922-5808 Ext 108
[email protected]

SOURCE Sensus Healthcare

NASA Readies Juno For Trip To Jupiter

NASA, looking forward to launching a Jupiter-bound mission next week, sent the Juno spacecraft to its final destination at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida as the agency makes final preparations for the launch.

The solar-powered spacecraft was secured in place atop the United Launch Alliance Atlas V 55 rocket at 10:42 a.m. EDT on Wednesday.

The “most powerful Atlas rocket ever made” is sitting on the launch pad at the base while technicians carry out “a final flurry of checks and tests” before the first launch opportunity arises on August 5.

“The on-pad functional test is the first of seven tests and reviews that Juno and its flight team will undergo during the spacecraft’s last 10 days on Earth,” said Jan Chodas, Juno’s project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. “There are a number of remaining pre-launch activities that we still need to focus on, but the team is really excited that the final days of preparation, which we’ve been anticipating for years, are finally here.”

Juno is scheduled to spend one year orbiting inside Jupiter’s radiation belts, far closer than any spacecraft has gone before, to learn how much water the giant planet holds, what triggers its massive magnetic fields and whether a solid core lies beneath the dense atmosphere. Juno will first need to travel 5 years through space before it reaches its destination sometime in July 2016.

“Jupiter holds a lot of key secrets about how we formed,” lead scientist Scott Bolton, with the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas, told Reuters.

“We’re about to start our journey to Jupiter to unlock the secrets of the early solar system. After eight years of development, the spacecraft is ready for its important mission,” he added.

Scientists believe Jupiter was the first planet to form after the birth of the Sun, though only speculation exists over how that occurred.

Any water content found on Jupiter would be directly tied to where — and how — the planet formed. Some evidence points to a planet that grew colder nether-regions of the solar system and then migrated inward. Other models show Jupiter formed at or near its present location by accumulating ancient icy snowballs.

However, as it grew, Jupiter ended up with a mass more than twice all its sister planets combined, giving it the gravitational muscle to hang on to all of its original building materials.

“That’s why it’s very interesting to us if we want to go back in time and understand where we came from and how the planets were made,” Bolton told Reuters reporter Irene Klotz, adding that Juno will help scientists do that.

Only one other space probe got closer to Jupiter than Juno will get when it reaches the hot giant. A NASA probe released by Galileo was able to relay data for 58 seconds before succumbing to the planet’s crushing pressure and intense heat.

Juno’s electronics are protected in a vault of titanium, but it too will falter in the harsh Jovian environment after about a year. Juno’s last job will be to dive into the planet’s atmosphere to avoid any chance of contaminating Jupiter’s potentially life-bearing moons.

“Three solar panels extend outward from Juno’s hexagonal body, giving the overall spacecraft a span of more than 66 feet. The solar panels will remain in sunlight continuously from launch through end of mission, except for a few minutes during the Earth flyby. Before launch, the solar panels will be folded into four-hinged segments so that the spacecraft can fit into the launch vehicle,” as explained by NASA.

The panels will power an array of kit which includes a six-wavelength microwave radiometer, plasma and energetic particle detectors, and ultraviolet and infrared imager/spectrometers. Juno is also carrying a color camera, promising Earthlings “the first detailed glimpse of Jupiter’s poles,” the agency said.

Juno is scheduled for a launch on August 5. However, NASA has a window that leads up to August 26 before it will no longer have favorable alignment to make the launch.

Juno was built by Lockheed Martin Astronautics of Denver, Colorado. The mission, the second in NASA’s lower-cost, quick-turnaround New Frontiers planetary expeditions, will cost $1.1 billion.

JPL manages the Juno mission for principal investigator Scott Bolton. The Juno mission is part of the New Frontiers Program managed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Image Caption: NASA’s Juno spacecraft passes in front of Jupiter in this artist’s depiction. The Juno mission is the first of NASA’s three planetary missions launching this year, making 2011 one of the busiest ever in planetary exploration. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

On the Net:

Oncolytics Biotech(R) Inc. Announces Second Quarter 2011 Results

CALGARY, AB, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ – Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (TSX:ONC)
(NASDAQ:ONCY) (“Oncolytics” or the “Company”) today announced its
financial results and operational highlights for the quarter ended June
30, 2011.

“We continue to build upon and progress through our research and
development in an effort to maximize the future commercial potential of
REOLYSIN(®). In Q2, we focused our efforts on expanding our Phase III clinical
trial in head and neck cancer, and expanding our clinical trial program
by announcing a U.S. National Cancer Institute-sponsored clinical trial
in multiple myeloma,” said Dr. Brad Thompson, President and CEO of
Oncolytics. “We also received positive data from early stage studies in
metastatic colorectal and non-small cell lung cancer studies, and
secured a leading manufacturer for the clinical and commercial supply
of REOLYSIN(®), both significant steps forward in our plans to expand our development
program.”

Selected Highlights

Since April 1, 2011 the Company has announced:

Clinical Trial Results

        --  Interim data from a U.K. translational clinical trial (REO 013)
            investigating intravenous administration of REOLYSIN in
            patients with metastatic colorectal cancer prior to surgical
            resection of liver metastases. On initial histological analysis
            of the 10 treated patients, there was evidence of selective
            delivery of virus to tumour versus normal liver and viral
            replication in the majority (seven) of patients;
        --  A presentation covering interim preliminary results from a
            Phase 2 clinical trial using intravenous administration of
            REOLYSIN in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin in
            patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with Kras or
            EGFR-activated tumours at the International Association for the
            Study of Lung Cancer World Conference on Lung Cancer. Response
            evaluation as of the date of presentation in 21 patients showed
            six partial responses (PR) (28.6%), 13 stable disease (SD)
            (61.9%), and two progressive disease (PD) (9.5%), translating
            into a clinical benefit rate (complete response (CR)+PR+SD) of
            90.5% and a response rate (CR+PR) of 28.6%;

Ongoing Clinical Program

        --  The Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, Division of Cancer
            Treatment and Diagnosis, U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI),
            which is part of the National Institutes of Health, has agreed
            to sponsor a Phase I study of REOLYSIN alone in patients with
            relapsed multiple myeloma;
        --  A commercial supply agreement with SAFC, a Division of
            Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, for the commercial manufacture of
            REOLYSIN. Under the terms of the agreement, SAFC will perform
            process validation of the product, will continue to supply
            clinical requirements and will supply commercial material upon
            approval of the product; and

Corporate

        --  The appointment of George M. Gill, MD as Chief Medical Officer.
            Dr. Gill has been Senior Vice President of Clinical Safety and
            Regulatory Affairs and an officer of Oncolytics since 2002.


                                  ONCOLYTICSBIOTECH INC.
                       CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION
                                        (unaudited)

     

                                     June 30,   December 31,    January 1,
                                       2011         2010           2010
    As at,                               $            $              $

    Assets                                                                 

    Current                                                                
    assets

    Cash and cash                    46,640,231    39,296,682    32,448,939
    equivalents

    Short-term                        1,929,306     3,609,246     1,679,937
    investments

    Accounts                             51,421       284,988        64,787
    receivable

    Prepaid                             840,444       278,934       507,408
    expenses

    Total current                    49,461,402    43,469,850    34,701,071
    assets

                                                                           

    Non-current                                                            
    assets

    Property and                        228,751       226,911       208,320
    equipment

    Long term                           --       --       684,000
    investment

    Total                               228,751       226,911       892,320
    non-current
    assets

     

    Asset held                          --       735,681       --
    for sale

    Total assets                     49,690,153    44,432,442    35,593,391

                                                                           

    Liabilities And Shareholders' Equity                                   

                                                                           

    Current Liabilities                                                    

    Accounts payable and              4,186,139     2,500,682     4,226,933
    accrued liabilities

    Warrant liability                   --     5,536,800     1,023,051

    Total current liabilities         4,186,139     8,037,482     5,249,984

                                                                           

    Shareholders' equity                                                   

    Share capital                
      Authorized: unlimited
      Issued:
      June 30, 2011 -
    71,214,318
      December 31, 2010 -
    67,958,302
      January 1, 2010 -
    61,549,969                      177,179,742   155,439,610   131,908,274

    Warrants                          2,653,627     4,108,652     2,437,460

    Contributed surplus              19,397,121    19,399,489    13,734,743

    Accumulated other            
    comprehensive
      loss                            (194,991)     (156,660)       --

    Deficit                       (153,531,485) (142,396,131) (117,737,070)

    Total shareholders' equity       45,504,014    36,394,960    30,343,407

    Total Liabilities And            49,690,153    44,432,442    35,593,391
    Equity




                                   ONCOLYTICSBIOTECH INC.
                   CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF LOSS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
                                        (unaudited)

                                                             

                     ThreeMonth   ThreeMonth    SixMonth           Six
                    PeriodEnding PeriodEnding PeriodEnding, MonthPeriodEnding,
                      June 30,   June30, 2010 June30, 2011    June 30, 2010
                        2011          $             $               $
                         $

                                                                              

    Expenses                                                                  

    Research and       5,483,131    3,237,216     8,454,742          6,279,030
    development

    Operating          1,068,623    1,147,940     2,195,634          2,112,249

                       6,551,754    4,385,156    10,650,376          8,391,279

    Loss before      (6,551,754)  (4,385,156)  (10,650,376)        (8,391,279)
    the following

                                                                              

    Write down of
    asset
    available for
    sale               (735,681)      --     (735,681)            --

    Change in
    fair value of
    warrant
    liability            --      391,000        36,000          (150,489)

    Interest             123,197        9,304       214,703             19,123

    Loss before      (7,164,238)  (3,984,852)  (11,135,354)        (8,522,645)
    income taxes

                                                                              

    Income taxes         --      --       --            --

    Net loss         (7,164,238)  (3,984,852)  (11,135,354)        (8,522,645)

    Other
    comprehensive
    loss -
    translation
    adjustment          (75,211)       23,878      (38,331)          (121,029)

    Net              (7,239,449)  (3,960,974)  (11,173,685)        (8,643,674)
    comprehensive
    loss

    Basic and
    diluted loss
    per share             (0.10)       (0.06)        (0.16)             (0.14)

    Weighted
    average
    number of
    shares (basic
    and  diluted)     71,209,164   61,556,343    70,586,073         61,553,173




                                                ONCOLYTICS BIOTECH INC.
                                     CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
                                                      (unaudited)

     

                                        For the six month period ending, June 30, 2011

                                                       Accumulated
                                                          Other
                      Share   Contributed             Comprehensive
                     capital    Surplus     Warrants     Income         Deficit   Total Equity

                         $           $           $             $             $            $

    As at         155,439,610  19,399,489   4,108,652     (156,660) (142,396,131)   36,394,960
    December 31,
    2010

                                                                                              

    Net loss and      --     --     --      (38,331)  (11,135,354) (11,173,685)
    comprehensive
    loss for the
    period

    Exercise of    21,487,080     -- (1,455,025)       --       --   20,032,055
    warrants

    Exercise of       253,052    (45,710)     --       --       --      207,342
    stock options

    Stock based       --      43,342     --       --       --       43,342
    compensation

    As at June    177,179,742  19,397,121   2,653,627     (194,991) (153,531,485)   45,504,014
    30, 2011

                                        For the six month period ending, June 30, 2010

                                                       Accumulated
                                                          Other
                      Share   Contributed             Comprehensive                   Total
                     capital    Surplus     Warrants     Income         Deficit      Equity

                         $           $           $             $             $           $

    As at January 131,908,274  13,734,743   2,437,460       -- (117,737,070)  30,343,407
    1, 2010

                                                                                             

    Net loss and      --     --     --     (121,029)   (8,522,645) (8,643,674)
    comprehensive
    loss for the
    period

    Expired           --   2,438,000 (2,438,000)       --       --     --
    warrants

    Exercise of        72,000    (18,000)     --       --       --      54,000
    stock options

    Stock based       --       2,428     --       --       --       2,428
    compensation

    Other             --     --         540       --       --         540

    As at June    131,980,274  16,157,171     --     (121,029) (126,259,715)  21,756,701
    30, 2010

                                                                                             




                                        ONCOLYTICS BIOTECH INC.
                                 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                                              (unaudited)

                                                            

                   Three Month   ThreeMonth    Six Month   SixMonthPeriodEnding,
                   PeriodEnding PeriodEnding PeriodEnding,     June 30, 2010
                   June 30,2011 June 30,2010 June 30, 2011           $
                        $            $             $

    Cash Flows                                                                  

    Operating                                                                   
    Activities

    Net loss for    (7,164,238)  (3,984,852)  (11,135,354)           (8,522,645)
    the period

                         29,992       14,621        47,267                29,506
    Amortization
    - property
    and
    equipment

      Stock              40,469        1,399        43,342                 2,428
    based
    compensation

      Change in         --    (391,000)      (36,000)               150,489
    fair value
    of warrant
    liability

      Write down        735,681      --       735,681               --
    of asset
    available
    for sale

      Unrealized         28,978    (293,534)       220,127              (74,546)
    foreign
    exchange
    loss (gain)

    Net change        1,417,496      384,452     1,357,514             (792,229)
    in non-cash
    working
    capital

    Cash used in    (4,911,622)  (4,268,914)   (8,767,423)           (9,206,997)
    operating
    activities

                                                                                

    Investing                                                                   
    Activities

    Redemption        1,679,940      --     1,679,940               --
    of
    short-term
    investments

    Acquisition        (33,831)     (39,851)      (49,107)              (43,498)
    of property
    and
    equipment

    Cash              1,646,109     (39,851)     1,630,833              (43,498)
    provided by
    (used in)
    investing
    activities

                                                                                

    Financing                                                                   
    Activities

    Proceeds             23,300       54,000    14,738,597                54,000
    from
    exercise of
    stock
    options and
    warrants

    Cash                 23,300       54,000    14,738,597                54,000
    provided by
    financing
    activities

                                                                                

    Increase        (3,242,213)  (4,254,765)     7,602,007           (9,196,495)
    (decrease)
    in cash

    Cash and         49,912,873   27,143,314    39,296,682            32,448,939
    cash
    equivalents,
    beginning of
    period

    Impact of
    foreign
    exchange on
    cash and
    cash
     
    equivalents        (30,429)      410,378     (258,458)                46,483

    Cash and         46,640,231   23,298,927    46,640,231            23,298,927
    cash
    equivalents,
    end of
    period



To view the Company’s Second Quarter 2011 Consolidated Financial
Statements, related Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, and
Management’s Discussion and Analysis, please see the Company’s
quarterly filings which will be available on
www.sedar.com and on www.oncolyticsbiotech.com

About Oncolytics Biotech Inc.
Oncolytics is a Calgary-based biotechnology company focused on the
development of oncolytic viruses as potential cancer therapeutics.
Oncolytics’ clinical program includes a variety of human trials
including a Phase 3 trial in head and neck cancers using REOLYSIN, its
proprietary formulation of the human reovirus. For further information
about Oncolytics, please visit: www.oncolyticsbiotech.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the
meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.  Forward-looking statements, including the Company’s belief as
to the potential of REOLYSIN as a cancer therapeutic; the Company’s
expectations as to the success of its research and development programs
in 2011 and beyond, the Company’s planned operations, the value of the
additional patents and intellectual property; the Company’s
expectations related to the applications of the patented technology;
the Company’s expectations as to adequacy of its existing capital
resources; the design, timing, success of planned clinical trial
programs; and other statements related to anticipated developments in
the Company’s business and technologies involve known and unknown risks
and uncertainties, which could cause the Company’s actual results to
differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such
risks and uncertainties include, among others, the availability of
funds and resources to pursue research and development projects, the
efficacy of REOLYSIN as a cancer treatment, the success and timely
completion of clinical studies and trials, the Company’s ability to
successfully commercialize REOLYSIN, uncertainties related to the
research and development of pharmaceuticals, uncertainties related to
the regulatory process and general changes to the economic
environment.  Investors should consult the Company’s quarterly and
annual filings with the Canadian and U.S. securities commissions for
additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the
forward-looking statements.  Investors are cautioned against placing
undue reliance on forward-looking statements.  The Company does not
undertake to update these forward-looking statements, except as
required by applicable laws.

 

 

 

SOURCE Oncolytics Biotech Inc.

Delcath Systems to Report Second Quarter Progress Update and Conduct Conference Call

NEW YORK, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Delcath Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: DCTH) announced today that the Company will host a conference call and webcast to discuss its recent corporate developments and second quarter results on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 at 4:30 p.m. ET. Eamonn Hobbs, President and Chief Executive Officer, and David McDonald, Chief Financial Officer, will host the call.

The dial-in number for the conference call is 877-941-6009 for domestic participants and 480-629-9819 for international participants.

To access the live webcast of the meeting, go to Delcath’s website at www.delcath.com. A taped replay of the conference call will also be available beginning approximately one hour after the meeting’s conclusion and will be available for seven days. This replay can be accessed by dialing 800-406-7325 for domestic callers and 303-590-3030 for international callers, both using passcode 4460492#. An archived webcast will also be available at www.delcath.com.

About Delcath Systems

Delcath Systems, Inc. is a development stage specialty pharmaceutical and medical device company focused on oncology. Delcath’s proprietary system for chemosaturation is designed to administer high dose chemotherapy and other therapeutic agents to diseased organs or regions of the body, while controlling the systemic exposure of those agents. The Company’s initial focus is on the treatment of primary and metastatic liver cancers. In 2010, Delcath concluded a Phase III metastatic melanoma study, and the Company recently completed a multi-arm Phase II trial to treat other liver cancers. The Company obtained authorization to affix a CE Mark for the Hepatic CHEMOSAT delivery system in April 2011. The Company has not yet received FDA approval for commercial sale of its system in the United States. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at http://www.delcath.com/.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor for forward-looking statements made by the Company or on its behalf. This news release contains forward-looking statements, which are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to differ materially from those described. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to, uncertainties relating to the time required to build inventory and establish commercial operations in Europe, adoption, use and resulting sales, if any, for the Hepatic CHEMOSAT delivery system in the EEA, our ability to successfully commercialize the chemosaturation system and the potential of the chemosaturation system as a treatment for patients with terminal metastatic disease in the liver, acceptability of the Phase III clinical trial data by the FDA, our ability to address the issues raised in the Refusal to File letter received from the FDA and the timing of our re-submission of our NDA, re-submission and acceptance of the Company’s NDA by the FDA, approval of the Company’s NDA for the treatment of metastatic melanoma to the liver, adoption, use and resulting sales, if any, in the United States, approval of the current or future chemosaturation system for other indications, actions by the FDA or other foreign regulatory agencies, our ability to obtain reimbursement for the CHEMOSAT system, our ability to successfully enter into distribution and strategic partnership agreements in foreign markets and the corresponding revenue associated with such foreign markets, uncertainties regarding our ability to obtain financial and other resources for any research, development and commercialization activities, and uncertainties relating to the impact, if any, of being added to the Russell Microcap Index. These factors, and others, are discussed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they are made.

    Contact Information:
    Investor Contact:                         Media Contact:
    Doug Sherk/Gregory Gin                    Janine McCargo
    EVC Group                                 EVC Group
    415-568-4887/646-445-4801                 646-688-0425

SOURCE Delcath Systems, Inc.

“ËœBrain Cap’ Could One Day Control Prosthetic Limbs

Researchers have developed a “Brain Cap” technology that allows users to turn their thoughts into motion.

Researchers from the University of Maryland have created a non-invasive, sensor-lined cap with neural interface software that could be used to control computers, robotic prosthetic limbs, motorized wheelchairs and digital avatars.

“We are on track to develop, test and make available to the public- within the next few years – a safe, reliable, noninvasive brain computer interface that can bring life-changing technology to millions of people whose ability to move has been diminished due to paralysis, stroke or other injury or illness,” Associate Professor of Kinesiology Jos© ‘Pepe’ L. Contreras-Vidal of the university’s School of Public Health said in a press release.

The team demonstrated that people wearing the EEG brain cap could achieve performance levels comparable to those by subjects using invasive implanted electrode brain computer interface systems. 

“We are doing something that few previously thought was possible,” said Contreras-Vidal.

“We use EEG [electroencephalography] to non-invasively read brain waves and translate them into movement commands for computers and other devices.”

The team successfully used EEG brain signals to reconstruct the complex 3D movements of the ankle, knee and hip joints during human treadmill walking. 

They showed similar results in earlier studies for 3D hand movement and that subjects wearing the brain cap could control a computer cursor with their thoughts.

The team is collaborating with other researchers to develop thought-controlled robotic prosthetics that can assist victims of injury and stroke.

“There’s nothing fictional about this,” Rice University co-principal investigator Marcia O’Malley, an associate professor of mechanical engineering, said in a statement. “The investigators on this grant have already demonstrated that much of this is possible. What remains is to bring all of it — non-invasive neural decoding, direct brain control and [touch] sensory feedback — together into one device.”

The team’s brain cap technology is being paired with a DARPA-funded next-generation robotic arm designed by John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory researchers.

Contreras-Vidal says the use of the device in stroke victims offers exciting possibilities. 

“By decoding the motion of a normal gait,” Contreras-Vidal says in a press release, “we can then try and teach stroke victims to think in certain ways and match their own EEG signals with the normal signals.”

The team published results from the brain cap technology in the Journal of Neurophysiology.

Image Caption: Harsha Agashe, a Ph.D. student in Contreras-Vidal’s lab wears the Brain Cap, a non-invasive, sensor-lined cap with neural interface software. Photo Credit – John Consoli, University of Maryland.

On the Net:

True 2 Beauty, Inc. Inks Deal With Nada Marketing to Supply Products:

LOS ANGELES, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — True 2 Beauty, Inc., (Pinksheets: TRTBNews) (the “Company”) (www.true2beautyinc.com), a leading distributor of male & female lifestyle ingestible products and health & beauty accessories in the United States, is pleased to announce an exclusive supplier contract between TRTB and Nada Marketing, Inc. Currently, Nada Marketing distributes their own brands of male and female sexual enhancement products under the brand name Mojo Nights and is heavily distributed throughout the Southeast and can be found in several “Big Box” retailers like Wal-Mart, CVS, and Walgreens all throughout the south Florida region and online at www.cvs.com

“It is our intention to strategically capture as large a percentage as possible of the current market for enhancement pills. By collaborating and creating strategic alliances with some of our competitors and providing them with the best products available in the market, we can assure our shareholders of our commitment to control most of the reputable shelf space across a broad spectrum of retail venues,” states Alex Hbaiu, CEO of TRTB.

Mr. Hbaiu continues, “It’s not realistic for us to control all of the shelf space with our lineup of products in a category which is fairly matured, so it makes strategic sense for us to collaborate with some of our competitors who currently occupy some of that valuable shelf space. It makes no sense to compete head to head with what I call quality competitors, so collaborative deals when possible benefit both sides. Currently, our focus is to diversify our business and minimize our risk exposure, which was a hard lesson learned when we dealt with the devastating counterfeit attack during the last two quarters. We will of course maintain our focus to grow the Libi-brands but we certainly do not want to operate as a ‘one-trick pony’ type of company.”

The deal provides TRTB the option to bid to buy the brands at a future date with first right of refusal. Mr. Hbaiu went on to say that, “strategically, we will not engage in private labeling or manufacturing products for our competitors if we do not have an option to capitalize on that arrangement at some point in the future through acquisition. These types of collaborations not only add to our current bottom line and allow us to have more control over the category, but also allow us to add accretive value thru acquisition.”

“We are very excited for this opportunity to work with TRTB as they provide assurance of our growth not only with the highest quality products but also with their ability to utilize their new packaging equipment to meet our complex packaging needs. TRTB can provide us with proven quality products and handle our packaging needs quickly which is an important part of our business, making them a great partner to work with,” states Mr. Nada, CEO of Nada Marketing, Inc.

About True 2 Beauty, Inc.

True 2 Beauty, Inc. is a leading distributor of male & female lifestyle ingestible products and health & beauty accessories including pills, liquid products, and semi-durable goods in the United States. The True 2 Beauty line of current products includes Libigrow, Libigirl, Blue Diamond, Pink Diamond, Energy Shots, Relaxation Drinks, EZ Curler Curling Roller, and Naked Vapor Electronic Cigarettes.

More information on the Company and its line of products can be found at:

www.mojonights.com

www.nakedvapor.com

www.ezcurler.com

www.libigirl.com

www.lovepack.com

www.libigrow.com

www.true2beautyinc.com

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, among others, all assumptions, expectations, predictions, intentions or beliefs about future events. You are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that a number of risks and uncertainties could cause actual results of the Company to differ materially from those anticipated, expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “targets,” “optimistic,” “intend,” “aim,” “will” or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated include risks related to new and existing products, product defects and any related product recall; any projections of sales, earnings, revenue, margins or other financial items; any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements. The Company assumes no obligation and does not intend to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

For further information, please contact:
Media Relations:
Zara Hbaiu
[email protected]

1-888-942-5350

Links:

www.true2beautyinc.com

www.mojonights.com

www.nakedvapor.com

www.ezcurler.com

www.libigrow.com

www.libigirl.com

www.lovepack.com

www.bluediamondpill.com

www.pinkdiamondpill.com

www.mancodebook.com

SOURCE True 2 Beauty, Inc.

CT Shows Changes In Lungs Associated With COPD Flare-Ups

Using computed tomography (CT), researchers have identified two types of structural changes in the lungs of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that are associated with frequent exacerbations, or episodes when symptoms suddenly worsen. Their findings are published online in the journal Radiology.

COPD can damage both the airways and the air sacs of the lungs, and is a leading cause of death and illness worldwide. The two main structural abnormalities seen in COPD are emphysema, in which the air sacs of the lung are gradually destroyed, and airway disease, which causes a narrowing of the bronchial tubes.

“COPD is an extremely common problem that is frustrating to physicians,” said the study’s lead researcher, MeiLan K. Han, M.D., M.S., assistant professor of medicine at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor, Mich. “For a long time, we have had a one-size-fits-all approach to treating COPD patients.”

COPD is currently staged by measuring lung function with a spirometer, a machine that measures how much air the lungs can hold and how fast air is expelled. A handful of medications are typically prescribed for the condition, regardless of what type of COPD patients have.

“Spirometry is inadequate as the sole parameter for assessing risk of exacerbations,” Dr. Han said. “Two COPD patients may be identical in terms of lung function yet behave very differently. For instance, there are subsets of patients with severely reduced lung function who do not experience frequent exacerbations.”

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), an estimated $49.9 billion was spent on COPD in the United States in 2010, the majority of which was related to exacerbations.

Dr. Han analyzed data from the COPDGene Study, an ongoing multi-center NHLBI-sponsored study, designed to identify genetic factors associated with COPD. In the study, patients who are between 45 and 80 years old with a history of cigarette smoking undergo spirometry and whole-lung volumetric CT examinations.

Dr. Han’s study group included the first 2,500 patients enrolled in the COPDGene Study who met criteria for COPD. The researchers studied whether there was an association between a patient’s bronchial wall thickness and degree of air sac destruction on CT with frequency of exacerbations.

The analysis revealed that while many patients had a mixture of structural changes related to their COPD, two subgroups predominantly with emphysema or large airway disease could be identified, and both increased airway wall thickness and increased emphysema were associated with greater exacerbation frequency, independent of spirometric measures of lung function.

“Radiologic characterization of COPD patients has prognostic value in the selection of more homogeneous subgroups for clinical trials and possibly for identifying patients at risk of frequent exacerbations for targeted medical therapies,” Dr. Han said.

Dr. Han added that her research suggests there may be different disease mechanisms causing inflammation in the two COPD subgroups, and that future studies may help determine if these patients should be treated differently.

On the Net:

Aspen Dental’s Growth Continues with Opening of 300th Office

SYRACUSE, N.Y., July 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Four new full-service Aspen Dental practices will open July 28 in Davenport, Iowa; Roseburg, Oregon; Arcadia, Arizona; and Sun City, Florida – bringing to 300 the number of locations throughout the country.

“When the first Aspen Dental office opened in 1998, there was an unmet need for affordable, high-quality dental care in areas across the nation,” said Bob Fontana, President & CEO of Aspen Dental Management, Inc. (ADMI), which provides business support services to Aspen Dental practices. “The number of Aspen Dental locations has continued to grow, even during the economic downturn. This demonstrates the continuing need to get people the dental care they need. Knowing that Aspen Dental practices are making a positive difference in the lives of increasing numbers of people is what’s so special about this milestone.”

“With ADMI providing support services, dentists can focus on what they’re trained to do – provide quality dental care to patients,” said Arwinder Judge, DDS, vice president of clinical support at ADMI. “Aspen Dental practices are excited to be part of the healthcare solution affecting comprehensive dental care across the United States.”

Last year Aspen Dental locations recorded nearly 1.9 million patient visits, including visits from more than 422,000 new patients. Opening an average of one new office each week, Aspen Dental practices are located in 22 states.

Aspen Dental practices offer patients a full range of dental care and denture services, ranging from preventive care to general dentistry and restoration.

“Getting patients the dental care they need starts by removing the barriers and creating access to care,” said Dr. Judge. “That’s what Aspen Dental’s clinicians and office staffs are doing every day around the country.”

Patients looking for a dentist in Sun City, Florida; Davenport, Iowa; Arcadia, Arizona; and Roseburg, Oregon will now have a new dental care provider options. To make an appointment at any one of Aspen’s 300 offices, patients can call 813-633-0550 or 800-ASPEN DENTAL (800-277-3633), or visit www.aspendental.com.

SOURCE Aspen Dental

A Shady Grove Fertility Baby is Born Every 3 Hours

Fertility Patients, Staff and Partners Unite to Share Inspirational Stories on a New Website – JoyforGenerations.com

ROCKVILLE, Md., July 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — In the last 20 years, over 27,000 babies have been born as a result of Shady Grove Fertility Center. When the center opened its doors in 1991, approximately one baby was born every 20 days. Today, one Shady Grove Fertility baby is born approximately every 3 hours.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090203/DC66439LOGO)

Shady Grove Fertility Center is celebrating its 20th Anniversary with the launch of the website www.JoyforGenerations.com. The website is a place for past, present and future fertility patients, staff members, referring physicians and practice partners to read or share inspirational stories and images about their experience with Shady Grove Fertility.

In addition to reading stories from the Shady Grove Fertility community, visitors to the site can click on a historical timeline of the Practice, view educational and inspirational videos, connect to Shady Grove Fertility’s social networks and schedule new patient appointments.

The Shady Grove Fertility Practice began in 1991 in Rockville, MD with two reproductive endocrinologists, Arthur Sagoskin, M.D. and Michael Levy, M.D. Today, the Practice has 23 physicians and 13 full service offices in Maryland, Washington, DC and Virginia and also welcomes patients from around the country and internationally from countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Ireland.

“They say it takes a village to raise a child,” said Patty Stull, Executive Director at Shady Grove Fertility Center. “When it comes to battling infertility, it takes a village of dedicated patients, compassionate employees, supportive OB/GYN physicians and trusted colleagues to help bring 27,000 babies into the world. What sets us apart is that we are committed to making fertility treatment more accessible by providing individualized patient care and innovative financial programs.”

Due to advancements in the field of fertility, there are now treatments to help almost everyone conceive, including a range of low-tech and high-tech options such as Clomid, intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), and donor egg. These treatments are very effective in overcoming most diagnoses such as annovulation, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), blocked fallopian tubes, unexplained infertility, recurrent miscarriages or male factor infertility, to name only a few.

About Shady Grove Fertility

Shady Grove Fertility Center is the largest and one of the most progressive fertility and IVF Centers in the United States, producing pregnancy success rates that are consistently higher than the national averages. Twenty-three reproductive endocrinologists, as well as PhD scientists, geneticist, and over 400 highly specialized staff care for the thousands of local, national and international patients who seek treatment through the Center each year. Shady Grove Fertility conducts clinical research in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health and is part of their subspecialty training Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology. In addition to participating with 22 insurance plans, Shady Grove Fertility innovated a number of treatment and financial programs, such as Shared Risk 100% Refund Program, Multi-Cycle Discount Option for IVF, Shared Donor Egg, International Donor Egg, and Shared Help, to make treatment more affordable for more couples. Shady Grove Fertility is Celebrating 20 Years and 27,000 Babies Born. Shady Grove Fertility is a member of the Attain Fertility Network. New patient appointments can be scheduled by calling Shady Grove Fertility’s New Patient Center at 1-888-761-1967.

SOURCE Shady Grove Fertility Center

Eliminating Protein In Specific Brain Cells Blocks Nicotine Reward

Animal study suggests a common process for both the pleasurable and anxiety-reducing effects of nicotine

Removing a protein from cells located in the brain’s reward center blocks the anxiety-reducing and rewarding effects of nicotine, according to a new animal study in the July 27 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The findings may help researchers better understand how nicotine affects the brain.

Nicotine works by binding to proteins called nicotinic receptors on the surface of brain cells. In the new study, researchers led by Tresa McGranahan, Stephen Heinemann, PhD, and T. K. Booker, PhD, of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, found that removing a specific type of nicotinic receptor from brain cells that produce dopamine “” a chemical released in response to reward “” makes mice less likely to seek out nicotine. The mice also did not show reductions in anxiety-like behaviors normally seen after nicotine treatment. Smokers commonly report anxiety relief as a key factor in continued smoking or relapse.

“These findings show that the rewarding and anxiety-reducing properties of nicotine, thought to play a key role in the development of tobacco addiction, are related to actions at a single set of brain cells,” said Paul Kenny, PhD, an expert on drug addiction at Scripps Research Institute, who was unaffiliated with the study.

Previous studies showed blocking the alpha4 nicotinic receptor within the ventral tegmental area (VTA) “” a brain region important in motivation, emotion, and addiction “” decreases the rewarding properties of nicotine. Because alpha4 receptors are present on several cell types in the VTA, it was unclear how nicotine produced pleasurable feelings.

To zero in on the circuit important in the brain’s response to nicotine, researchers developed mice with a mutation that left them unable to produce the alpha4 receptor, but only on dopamine brain cells. Mice lacking alpha4 receptors in these cells spent less time looking to obtain nicotine compared with normal mice, suggesting the alpha4 receptors are required for the rewarding effects of nicotine. Nicotine also failed to reduce anxiety-like behaviors in the mutant mice, as it normally does in healthy mice.

“Identification of the type of nicotinic receptors necessary for two key features of nicotine addiction “” reward and anxiety “” may help us better understand the pathway that leads to nicotine dependence, and potential treatment for the one billion cigarette smokers worldwide,” McGranahan said. Diseases from tobacco use remain a major killer throughout the world, causing more than 5 million deaths per year.

The findings could guide researchers to a better understanding of the mechanisms of tobacco addiction and assist in the development of new drugs to treat tobacco addiction and provide relief from anxiety disorders, Kenny added.

On the Net:

IDRI Makes Strides in Vaccine Technology, New Study in Science Translational Medicine Reports

SEATTLE, July 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI), International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and Imdaptive Inc. announce new research that for the first time shows how to define how vaccine components expand immune responses. The results of these studies are published in Science Translational Medicine today.

The research was performed by scientists at IDRI in collaboration with researchers at ICGEB, New Delhi, and Imdaptive, Inc., Seattle. They demonstrated that increased variable chain sequences are observed in animals treated with a recombinant malaria vaccine formulated with immune response enhancers, TLR-agonists, versus animals receiving control vaccines. This diversity, or “antibody repertoire,” may have the most significant impact on the vaccine’s efficacy against a target pathogen as well as related variants.

Dr. Chetan Chitnis, Principal Investigator, ICGEB, comments, “TLR-agonists developed by IDRI may help malaria vaccines overcome the problem of diversity of malaria parasite strains.”

Furthermore, the implications of these findings may impact vaccine formulations for diseases in addition to malaria, such as influenza and HIV.

Dr. Darrick Carter, Vice President of Adjuvant Technology at IDRI and one of the study’s Principal Investigators, explains, “By measuring the entire antibody variable repertoire, we are able to show that antibody diversity is a function of the adjuvants used to initiate and enhance the immune response. This knowledge has the potential to make a significant impact on the future of vaccine design.”

Dr Steven Wiley, founder of Imdaptive Inc., adds, “This paper demonstrates the usefulness of state of the art sequencing technologies and bioinformatic analysis in order to better understand the immune response at the molecular level”.

About IDRI’s Adjuvants
Adjuvants are compounds used to improve the body’s immune response to vaccines. Adjuvant technology is proving invaluable in the development of vaccines for serious diseases for which vaccines are not currently available, including malaria and HIV.

Adjuvants are a key research component of IDRI’s malaria, tuberculosis, leishmaniasis and leprosy vaccine development programs–supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the American Leprosy Missions.

About IDRI – Translating science into global health solutions

IDRI is a Seattle-based not-for-profit organization committed to applying innovative science to the research and development of products to prevent, detect, and treat infectious diseases of poverty. By integrating capabilities–including preclinical vaccinology, manufacturing, and clinical trials–IDRI strives to create an efficient pathway bringing scientific innovation from the lab to the people who need it most.

For more information, go to www.idri.org.

Contact: Stewart Parker, 206-518-6281 [email protected]

About ICGEB – Biotechnology research for the developing world
ICGEB is an international organization dedicated to advanced research and training in molecular biology and biotechnology, with special regard to the needs of the developing world. ICGEB, New Delhi is focused on addressing problems in health and agriculture. Health related projects are pursued in hepatitis B and E virus, HIV, tuberculosis, dengue and malaria. Plant biology projects address biopesticides, abiotic and biotic plant stress and crop improvement through biotransformation.

For more information, go to http://www.icgeb.org.

About Imdaptive
Imdaptive is a start-up biotechnology company with facilities located in the greater Seattle area. Imdaptive is focused on developing new sequence based methods for profiling changes in the adaptive immune system and discovery of monoclonal antibodies. These new techniques have implications in disease profiling, creation of therapeutic entities, and personalized medicine.

For more information, go to http://imdaptive.com.

SOURCE Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI)

UNH Researcher Collaborates On Breakthrough Data On Football Player’s Broken Neck

A high school football player’s broken neck ““ from which he’s recovered ““ has yielded breakthrough biomechanical data on cervical spine injuries that could ultimately affect safety and equipment standards for athletes. University of New Hampshire associate professor of kinesiology Erik Swartz collaborated on the study, which appears in a letter in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.

Swartz and lead author Steven Broglio of the University of Michigan captured this groundbreaking spinal fracture data while studying concussions. Broglio had fitted the helmets of football players at a high school in the Midwest with padded sensors as part of the Head Impact Telemetry System (HITS), which measures the location and magnitude of impacts to the helmet. During a head-down tackle, an 18-year-old cornerback in the study suffered both a concussion and a fracture of his cervical spine, or neck. (He has since fully recovered.)

“This is really novel,” says Swartz, explaining that all previous research on cervical spine injuries have been done on cadavers, animals, or via mathematical modeling. “You can’t create a cervical spine fracture in a healthy human, but here you have an actual event where we captured data during an actual cervical spine injury,” he says.

Swartz notes that this research will bring real-world information to the study of axial load impact to the head and its effects on the spine. “We now have data that we know caused a serious spine injury in a healthy, 18-year-old strong-bodied athlete,” he says.

Swartz, who teaches athletic training, was tapped by Broglio for his expertise in cervical spine injuries in athletes.  Swartz helped analyze the acceleration data from the in-helmet sensors in collaboration with sideline video footage of the tackle to describe the effects of the impact to the player.

The authors see far-reaching implications for this work in the quest for greater safety in youth sports. In the journal letter, they note that sports and recreation activities are the second most common cause of cervical spine injuries for people under age 30, with an average lifetime cost of more than $3 million.

While concussions are far more common than broken necks among high school or college athletes, Broglio notes that media attention has been focused on professional sports. “To us, the larger public health issue is with the 1.5 million high school kids that play football each year. Not the 1,500 that play in the NFL,” he says.

Swartz adds that this work will inform ongoing discussions about the safety and long-term effects of head-down tackles. “It sends a huge message to the athletic community about head-down impact,” he says.

The research, “In Vivo Biomechanical Measurements of a Football Player’s C6 Spine Fracture,” along with the sideline video of the tackle, is available to download from the July 21, 2011 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine:

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1102689?query=featured_home. In addition to Swartz and Broglio, co-authors are Joseph Crisco of Brown University and Robert Cantu, M.D., of Emerson Hospital in Concord, Mass.

The department of kinesiology is in the College of Health and Human Services. The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state’s flagship public institution, enrolling 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students.

On the Net:

Statement of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) on Ruling By Court on RICO Lawsuit

ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — United States Federal Judge Claude M. Hilton ruled today that a civil lawsuit brought by Sodexo against the Service Employees International Union can continue forward. In response, the Service Employees International Union released the following statement:

“The Court’s ruling today does not speak at all to the merits of Sodexo’s baseless claims. The ruling means that SEIU will have an opportunity to prove the facts about our organization, our members, and our work regarding Sodexo.

“For more than two years, Sodexo workers have been seeking nothing more than the opportunity to form a union without fear of intimidation or retaliation from Sodexo. By continuing with this lawsuit, Sodexo is attempting to send a chilling message to all who would speak out against abuses from the company–that they’d better stand down or face expensive litigation. It will not work, and we will not be silenced. The freedoms of speech and association, including the freedom to speak out against big corporations is fundamental to our democracy, and worth defending.

“The lawsuit is part of a much grander and larger assault on the rights of workers to bargain collectively with their employers. Increasingly, we operate in a world where multinational companies want to act unfettered by checks on their conduct and are willing fight hard to maintain that status.

“We look forward to proving what this campaign is really about and defending our freedom to speak out against abuses by corporate entities. And we continue to hope that Sodexo will engage in constructive dialogue with SEIU and our partner unions around the world so that we can work together toward a process that provides Sodexo workers the ability to form a union in the easiest legal way possible in their home countries.”

With 2.1 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers–not just corporations and CEOs–benefit from today’s global economy.

SOURCE Service Employees International Union

First to Market Nationwide Launch of E-Prescribing of Controlled Substances with EPCS Gold(TM) 2.0 by DrFirst, Inc.

ROCKVILLE, Md., July 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Today, DrFirst, Inc. announced an innovative product that fulfills the company’s commitment to deliver a simple, secure, and affordable way to send controlled substance prescriptions electronically with the launch of EPCS Gold(TM) version 2.0 (Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances). EPCS Gold(TM) is fully certified to meet the prescription processing requirements set by Surescripts, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) requirements enforced through the Interim Final Rule (IFR), and the Identity Proofing requirements set by NIST, and is now available to all eligible providers nationwide.

In 2009, physicians in Berkshire County, MA began utilizing DrFirst’s EPCS 1.0 in a pilot program funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) under the auspices of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and a waiver from the DEA. Through this pilot program, DrFirst was the first and only e-prescribing company to publically demonstrate the nation’s first end-to-end EPCS system. DrFirst was able to apply both the learnings from this pilot and the requirements outlined in the DEA’s Interim Final Rule (IRF) to substantially enhance EPCS Gold(TM) for the 2.0 version of the product.

Prescribers enrolling for EPCS Gold(TM) will be able to send controlled substance prescriptions electronically after a simple credentialing and identity-proofing process with DrFirst. After providers are certified, they can begin e-prescribing Schedule II-V drugs based on their individual state laws and the ability of the receiving pharmacy to meet the DEA’s requirements to process these prescriptions. To avoid any confusion and eliminate guesswork by providers, EPCS Gold(TM) automatically detects which substances can be sent electronically.

“As the originators of controlled substance e-prescribing for physicians, we are excited to be the first to market with a true nationwide offering. Version 2.0 of EPCS Gold(TM) reflects DrFirst’s expertise in security through a design that provides a straightforward and inexpensive solution for both providers and health IT vendors,” said President of DrFirst, G. Cameron Deemer. “We’re encouraging doctors to begin moving forward on the credentialing process and to begin contacting their local pharmacies to let them know they’re ready to send controlled substances electronically.”

Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Electronic Health Record (EHR) vendors are invited to partner with DrFirst to offer this groundbreaking product to their clients and avoid the developmental, certification and auditing costs required to conform to the DEA’s guidelines.

DrFirst will be offering the first 500 qualified providers free registration (i.e., identity proofing, token distribution, logical access control) and a one-year subscription to EPCS Gold(TM) 2.0 service in celebration of this historic milestone in medical history.

What Are Controlled Substances?

Controlled substances are drugs or other substances that are regulated under federal law depending on medical use, potential for abuse, and addictiveness.

  • Schedule I: High abuse potential, no medical use, considered unsafe
  • Schedule II: High abuse potential, approved for medical use, has severe dependence risk
  • Schedule III: Lower abuse potential, approved for medical use, has moderate or low dependence risk
  • Schedule IV: Relatively low potential, approved for medical use, limited dependence risk
  • Schedule V: Drugs that are cough medicines with codeine

The five “schedules” of drugs are not the same as the five “classes” of drugs, which organizes drugs according to their main properties. The five classes of controlled substance drugs are narcotics, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and anabolic steroids.

For further information about EPCS Gold(TM) 2.0, contact DrFirst at (866) 263-6511.

About DrFirst

Founded in 2000, DrFirst is the nation’s leading e-prescribing provider to physician practices, major health plans, health systems, hospitals, and EHR vendors. Through its Open Borders Program, DrFirst solutions are widely integrated with over 170 HIT systems. A Surescripts Gold Certified solution provider for four consecutive years with its award-winning Rcopia electronic prescription management system, DrFirst utilizes the Surescripts network for pharmacy connectivity, health plan information, and patient medication history. Certain DrFirst solutions can qualify users for government incentive programs such as MIPPA, PQRI/PQRS, and ARRA HITECH/Meaningful Use of EHR. For more information, visit www.drfirst.com. Keep up to date on DrFirst news at http://blog.drfirst.com/ or follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/drfirst.

Contact:
DrFirst, Inc.
Irene Froehlich
Director of Marketing
240-671-3320
[email protected]

SOURCE DrFirst, Inc.

Urologist Advises Circumcision Pros & Cons As Debate Grows

CONCORD, Calif., July 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Although one of the world’s oldest medical procedures, male circumcision has become a hotly-contested topic amongst lawmakers, influential groups and the general public across the globe from San Francisco to sub-Saharan Africa.

On November 8, San Francisco residents will vote on the so-called Male Mutilation Bill, potentially outlawing the procedure. But for parents of infant boys, circumcision offers both pros and cons, says Dr. Jeremy Lieb, a urologist who has done hundreds of circumcisions at the six-doctor Pacific Urology, in the east San Francisco Bay area.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has repeatedly stated that there is no absolute medical indication for routine circumcision of the newborn. Regardless, “Currently, there isn’t enough medical research to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is a medical procedure to be regulated by a governmental body,” said Dr. Lieb.

U.S. Circumcision Controversy and the Global Perspective:

  • The San Francisco bill would ban circumcision of male children and make it a misdemeanor punishable by $1,000 fine or up to one year in jail for physicians to perform. A group of Muslims and Jews have sued to block the measure, claiming infringement of religious freedom.
  • Medicaid reimbursement for circumcision is now no longer funded in 18 states.
  • In Great Britain, a men’s support group claiming to have suffered harm from circumcision recently held a public demonstration against the practice.
  • In Africa there are calls for compulsory circumcision to help stop the spread of AIDS and HIV.

Pros: Five Health Benefits-

  1. Hygiene
  2. Decreased risk of urinary tract infections
  3. Prevention of penile problems
  4. Decreased risk of penile cancer
  5. Decreased risk of sexually transmitted diseases

Cons: Physical and Psychological Arguments-

  1. Health benefits are exaggerated or possibly even untrue, say some opponents.
  2. Circumcision can be painful and traumatic, changing infant behavior and disrupting the mother-son relationship.
  3. Potential interference with sexual function in adulthood

“In the United States, most men are circumcised,” said Dr. Lieb, “while outside the U.S., there is much less debate and the vast majority of males are not. In the end, every parent needs do careful research and make a well-informed decision.”

A more detailed backgrounder on circumcision is at the Pacific Urology website or click here for a detailed release.

About Pacific Urology

With clinics in Concord, Walnut Creek, Antioch, Brentwood, San Ramon, and Livermore, Pacific Urology is one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s largest urology practices. Pacific Urology was formed in 1995 by six urologists in solo practice joining into one group.

SOURCE Pacific Urology

CVS Caremark All Kids Can Program Invests in Easter Seals’ Make the First Five Count(SM) Initiative to Assure Children Receive Critical Early Intervention Services

CHICAGO, July 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — CVS Caremark continues to demonstrate its commitment to children with disabilities through its All Kids Can Program. Through this signature program, CVS Caremark has partnered with Easter Seals over the past six years to support children at risk of autism, developmental delays or disabilities so they can be school-ready and build a foundation for a lifetime of learning.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110411/MM80978LOGO)

Every year, millions of young children with disabilities or at risk of developmental delays enter school already far behind other children. Many never catch up. By identifying and treating a delay early on, kids with autism and other disabilities have the best chance of succeeding in life and developing on par with their peers.

As the nation’s leading nonprofit provider of autism and early intervention services, Easter Seals knows the impact early intervention services can make to strengthen children’s physical, social, emotional and intellectual abilities well before kindergarten. CVS Caremark’s investment in Make the First Five Count will continue to help assure successful outcomes for young children served by Easter Seals nationwide.

Investing Early in Young Children with Autism

Since Easter Seal’s Living with Autism Study was released in late 2008, CVS Caremark has responded to the needs of families living with autism by providing nearly $650,000 in grants from the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust to train and certify Easter Seals therapists in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), enhancing further Easter Seals’ capacity to respond to the need for evidence-based interventions for young children with autism.

Through this funding, nearly 100 Easter Seals therapists at 20 Easter Seals affiliates nationwide have been trained and certified in these critical interventions. To date, more than 500 young children with autism have benefited from ABA therapies with the promise of continued impact in the lives of thousands more young children with autism in years to come.

“We know what’s possible for children with disabilities and their families,” said James E. Williams, Jr., president and chief executive officer of Easter Seals. “Thanks to our partnership with CVS Caremark, Easter Seals continues to provide exceptional, evidence-based services to deliver solutions that shape the lives of children and families living with autism.”

Local Fundraising Efforts

2011 will mark CVS Caremark’s sixth straight year as the National Premier Sponsor of Easter Seals’ signature fundraising event, Walk With Me. This year, CVS Caremark associates expect to raise more than $1 million through local community engagement and fundraising at nearly 70 Walk events nationwide.

Over the past five years, CVS Caremark and its more than 200,000 associates across the country have raised more than $7 million for Walk With Me, bringing Easter Seals one step closer to making sure all young kids at risk of disabilities or delays get the early identification and services they need to be school-ready.

“We are very proud of the thousands of CVS Caremark colleagues who are supporting Easter Seals to ensure their services are available to children and families in every community,” said Eileen Howard Boone, CVS Caremark Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications and Community Relations. “Together, for the past six years, we have been dedicated to helping children of all abilities reach their highest potential.”

CVS Caremark’s Support of Easter Seals through All Kids Can To Date

CVS Caremark selected Easter Seals as a national partner in All Kids Can when the program was introduced in 2006. Since that time, the company, its foundation and its associates have contributed more than $11.5 million to support Easter Seals services in local communities nationwide.

To learn more about the CVS Caremark All Kids Can Program and its support of Easter Seals, visit http://www.cvsallkidscan.com/partners/easter-seals.

To learn more about Easter Seals’ Make the First Five Count(SM), visit www.makethefirstfivecount.org and view this internet public service announcement featuring Kyle, a child living with autism: http://www.westglen.com/online/makethefirstfivecount.html.

About Easter Seals

Easter Seals is the leading non-profit provider of services for individuals with autism, developmental disabilities, physical disabilities and other special needs. For more than 90 years, we have been offering help and hope to children and adults living with disabilities, and to the families who love them. Through therapy, training, education and support services, Easter Seals creates life-changing solutions so that people with disabilities can live, learn, work and play. Visit www.easterseals.com.

About CVS Caremark All Kids Can

CVS Caremark All Kids Can(TM), a program of the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust and supported by CVS Caremark, is a commitment to making life easier for children with disabilities. Through this signature program, CVS Caremark and the Trust will support nonprofit organizations that provide innovative programs and services in local communities focused on helping children with disabilities learn, play and succeed in life.

SOURCE Easter Seals

UHC Integrates Clinical and Supply Spend Data to Identify Savings Opportunities

CHICAGO, July 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — UHC today announced a new offering for UHC supply chain participants that links clinical and supply data, thereby identifying potential savings opportunities for supply-intensive medical/surgical service lines and procedures. The new Base Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Group (MS-DRG) Report capability is another significant enhancement of UHC’s market-leading spend analytics tool, SpendLINK®.

The new report displays information from the UHC Clinical Data Base/Resource Manager(TM) and gives users access to both clinical and supply data within the same reporting system. This new enhancement will allow health care executives to pinpoint costs in the continuum of care for each patient, contributing to identification of potential cost savings and more efficient medical supply utilization.

“The ability to link clinical and supply chain data clearly gives UHC members an advantage in performance improvement,” said Jake Groenewold, senior vice president, Supply Chain, UHC. “The new service fosters collaboration between hospitals’ clinical and supply chain teams and helps them better understand how to cut costs while maintaining high standards of patient care.”

Supply-intensive procedures, such as major joint replacements, can be costly for hospitals that need to purchase and store supplies but may not be doing so as efficiently as possible. A feature of the new report allows users to view an opportunity summary by base MS-DRG code for these supply-intensive procedures. Further, the tool allows the user to sort by principle procedure code and principal procedure physician. Users can then drill down to the details of the related spend categories to gain a better understanding of the supply cost component–supply cost, laboratory, pharmacy, blood, etc–and determine whether there are savings opportunities with regard to price or utilization.

The report can identify when an organization is paying more than the expected cost and has opportunity to lower its spending; it can also identify a negative cost variance, indicating that an organization is performing better than expected. The report also allows hospitals to identify potentially costly purchasing patterns, such as lack of standardization.

“The response from UHC members has been extremely positive,” said Brent Fiedler, director, Supply Chain Data and Informatics.

About UHC

UHC is an alliance of the nation’s leading nonprofit academic medical centers, which are focused on delivering world-class patient care. Based in Chicago, Ill, UHC fosters collaboration with and among its 113 academic medical center and 255 affiliated hospital members through its renowned programs and services in the areas of comparative data and analytics, performance improvement, supply chain management, strategic research, and public policy. UHC helps its members achieve excellence in quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness. Formed in 1984, UHC’s membership includes more than 90% of the nonprofit academic medical centers in the United States. For more information, visit uhc.edu.

SOURCE UHC

Joint Replacement Surgery Increases Risk of Blood Clot Formation in Certain Patients

Clots more likely to form in patients with cardiovascular disease, smokers and the elderly

ROSEMONT, Ill., July 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — When tennis star Serena Williams underwent emergency treatment for a pulmonary embolism earlier this year, the world’s attention was drawn to this often fatal medical condition which, although surprisingly not uncommon, is unfamiliar to most men and women. A common risk factor associated with clot development is surgery; particularly hip and knee replacement surgery.

Pulmonary emboli, or blood clots in the lungs, occur when a clot that forms within veins elsewhere in the body – often in the lower legs or other limbs – breaks free and travels to the lungs, where it can cause serious complications. Pulmonary emboli can occur in patients of any age and common factors associated with an increased risk of clot development include:

  • oral contraceptive use;
  • cardiovascular disease;
  • prior clot formation;
  • clotting disorders;
  • family history of clots; or
  • advanced age.

A new study focusing on the occurrence of clots in knee replacement patients and published in a recent issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS) indicates that despite treatment with blood thinners prior to and immediately following joint replacement surgery, the risk of clot formation is still relatively high in certain patients.

“The rate of knee replacement has increased substantially worldwide, and continued increases are anticipated in the future,” said study author Alma Pedersen, MD, PhD. “The formation of clots, including pulmonary emboli, is a serious complication in patients undergoing knee arthroplasty. Prophylactic measures, such as the use of blood thinners around the time of surgery, are used to reduce the occurrence of clots, but their effectiveness in routine clinical practice following surgery is more uncertain.”

Study Details and Findings

The authors evaluated 37,223 knee replacement patients who had surgery between 1997 and 2007, looking for evidence of post-surgical embolism in the 90-day period following surgery.

The authors found 441 patients (1.2 percent) were hospitalized for blood clots during the 90-day period following knee surgery. An in-depth evaluation of these patient records revealed the following risk factors associated with clot development:

  • advanced age (older than 80 years of age);
  • history of cardiovascular disease;
  • history of previous clot; or
  • increased number of accompanying medical conditions.

The study also revealed the number of patients admitted to hospitals with clots following knee surgery has increased since 1997, which Dr. Pedersen noted is most likely due to advances in diagnosis which have enabled physicians to identify clots before they cause serious problems. The study also notes that individuals who have a knee replacement surgery due to rheumatoid arthritis have a lower risk of clots than those with other conditions. However, in all patients, the risk can be diminished slightly by replacing only one knee at a time, rather than both.

Although knee surgery is still a generally safe procedure, which enables thousands of men and women each year to regain mobility lost to injury or illness, patients should be aware of the risk of post-surgical clotting and talk with their physician about the possible use of blood thinners and follow-up evaluations that may help to identify clots which may be treated before they cause problems. Although blood thinners are typically prescribed only during hospitalization, the study suggested that physicians consider extending the duration of blood thinner therapy into the weeks following surgery.

“Despite the use of blood thinners, patients undergoing knee arthroplasty continue to remain susceptible for clot formation for several weeks following surgery,” Dr. Pedersen said. “Future studies should focus on the improvement of prophylaxis following hospital discharge, particularly among elderly patients and those with a history of cardiovascular diseases or previous clot formation.”

Disclosure: None of the authors received payments or services, either directly or indirectly (i.e., via his or her institution), from a third party in support of any aspect of this work. None of the authors, or their institution(s), have had any financial relationship, in the thirty-six months prior to submission of this work, with any entity in the biomedical arena that could be perceived to influence or have the potential to influence what is written in this work. Also, no author has had any other relationships, or has engaged in any other activities, that could be perceived to influence or have the potential to influence what is written in this work.

More about joint replacement surgery and blood clot formation:

As the bones are prepared for the new joint in a replacement surgery, tiny microfragments of bone and tissue can become dislodged and enter the bloodstream, “hooking” on vessel walls where they can allow additional debris to accumulate. Eventually, this debris can form a clot large enough to impede the normal flow of blood, sometimes causing discomfort, especially in the lower legs, one of the more common areas of clot formation. Most individuals, however, experience no symptoms of the forming clot. If the clot becomes dislodged from the vessel walls, it can travel through the blood stream, eventually lodging in the lungs. In addition, long periods of immobility prescribed for patients undergoing these surgeries can cause blood flow to slow down, increasing the of clot formation in these patients. If a patient develops swelling, redness or pain in the leg following discharge from the hospital, you should contact your physician.

More about pulmonary embolism:

According to data from the American Thoracic Society, pulmonary embolism is a common complication of hospitalization and contributes to 5 to 10 percent of deaths in hospitalized patients. Some studies have estimated that more than 1 million Americans experience pulmonary embolisms each year, with 100,000 to 200,000 of these events being fatal.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) has more information on how to prepare for joint replacement surgery which can be found at www.orthoinfo.org.

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More information about the AAOS

SOURCE American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Millennium HealthCare Inc. Changes Symbol to MHCC

SYOSSET, N.Y., July 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Millennium HealthCare Inc., (Symbol: MHCC) today officially completed its name and symbol change. The company was formerly known as Zen Holding Corp.

Chris Amandola, newly appointed President of the Company stated, “We are extremely excited about the future direction of our company and the changes announced today reflect our long-term strategy to brand our products and services. Millennium HealthCare Inc.’s entire Management Team is committed to being a significant contributor in the battle to repair our healthcare industry’s inefficiencies by addressing patient safety and overall operational cost effectiveness.”

About Millennium HealthCare Inc.

Millennium HealthCare Inc. is a holding company that operates thru its wholly-owned subsidiary, Greenleaf Management Corp. The Company has been providing corporate strategy, operational analysis and advisory services since 1999. Our focus is in the medical industry assisting clients in identifying and resolving operational inefficiencies, patient safety and revenue enhancement strategies.

(www.millenniumhcs.com)

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

Certain written and oral statements made by us may constitute “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Reform Act”). Forward-looking statements are identified by such words and phrases as “we expect,” “expected to,” “estimates,” “estimated,” “current outlook,” “we look forward to,” “would equate to,” “projects,” “projections,” “projected to be,” “anticipates,” “anticipated,” “we believe,” “could be,” and other similar phrases. All statements addressing operating performance, events, or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future, including statements relating to revenue growth, earnings, earnings-per-share growth, or similar projections, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Reform Act. Because they are forward-looking, they should be evaluated in light of important risk factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from our anticipated results. The information provided in this document is based upon the facts and circumstances known at this time. We undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

SOURCE Millennium HealthCare Inc.