Mpathy Medical, a rapidly growing medical device company which has developed and brought to market a range of surgical solutions used to restore pelvic health to women, is pleased to introduce its newest product – Restorelle(TM) Y – which is the premier solution for enhanced laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy procedures to treat pelvic organ prolapse.

“Restorelle(TM) Y was developed with the needs of our surgeons and patients in mind,” stated Ian Stevens, Chief Executive Officer, Mpathy Medical. “We are confident this product delivers upon our mission to offer less invasive surgical mesh solutions which yield better outcomes for patients.”

Restorelle(TM) Y is constructed with a unique, physiologically compatible mesh material – Smartmesh(TM) Technology – which was designed by surgeon specifically for the female anatomy and physiology. Utilizing an ultrasonically welded Y-shaped graft, the Restorelle(TM) Y procedure can be performed using an abdominal, laparoscopic, or robotic approach. The low profile of the device not only leaves less mesh behind in the patient’s body, but also enables easy passage through narrow laparoscopic ports.

“In my use of Restorelle(TM) Y for laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy, I have found the mesh offers enhanced surgical handling as it conforms nicely to the vaginal vault shape,” stated Dr. Charles Rardin, Women & Infants’ Hospital, Providence, RI. “The lightweight and conformability of the mesh allow for easy placement and draping during fixation. The large pores make the graft nearly transparent during laparoscopy, and enable suture passage through the mesh without needles, both of which increase the technical ease and safety of the procedure.”

Smartmesh(TM) Technology Benefits

— Ultra lightweight at 19 grams square meter

— 71% more mature type I collagen growth than heavier meshes

— New 2008 data from PFR series of 201 patients show only 1 vaginal mesh erosion in 360 mesh implants (0.28%)

— 99% cure rate with no vaginal mesh erosions and no de novo dyspareunia in a PFR series of 119 patients

— Two laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy series utilizing Smartmesh”” Technology indicated:

— Less post-operative dyspareunia

— Non-palpability

— Lower vaginal tenderness and rigidity

About Mpathy Medical

Mpathy Medical is a rapidly growing medical device company which has developed and brought to market a range of surgical solutions used to restore pelvic health to women. Mpathy Medical’s core product lines – Minitape(R) and Restorelle(TM) – are used by surgeons specializing in urogynecology, gynecology, and urology to treat female urinary stress incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. Founded in 2003 by Dr. James Browning, Mpathy Medical supplies the only surgical mesh solutions designed by a surgeon specifically for the female anatomy. The mesh – branded Smartmesh(TM) – is a physiologically compatible, ultra lightweight polypropylene mesh which encourages superior collagen growth and works in concert with the patient’s own natural tissue for optimum safety and results. The company is headquartered in Glasgow, Scotland with US operations in Raynham, MA and has received 510(k) clearance to market by the FDA in the US and CE marking in the UK for all its medical devices. To learn more about Mpathy Medical, visit www.mpathymedical.com.

MANHATTAN, Kan., Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — A new medication is available to treat dogs with Cushing’s disease, but pet owners should be prepared for the cost of managing the disease, according to a veterinarian at Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Kenneth Harkin, associate professor of clinical sciences, said a new drug called Trilostane is undergoing approval by the Food and Drug Administration, but veterinarians may obtain the medication if they decide it is the necessary choice to treat Cushing’s disease.

The disease is the result of the dog’s body producing too much cortisol, the steroid important for the body’s stress response. Harkin said excess cortisol is either caused by a tumor of the adrenal gland or, more commonly, of the pituitary gland. He said if the Cushing’s disease is caused by an adrenal gland tumor, veterinarians usually try to remove the tumor. If it’s a more common pituitary gland tumor, veterinarians rely on medication.

Harkin said Trilostane, which comes in a twice-daily pill, works by inhibiting an enzyme that turns cholesterol into cortisol. This drug presents an alternative to medications that treat Cushing’s by destroying the adrenal gland.

The problem with producing too much cortisol, Harkin said, is that it causes muscle wasting, can increase the susceptibility to infection, may delay healing, and, at a minimum, can cause clinical signs that are annoying. These can include excessive thirst and urination, a ravenous appetite, excessive panting and an appearance that is displeasing, such as a potbelly, hair loss and thin skin. The potbellied appearance from Cushing’s disease is different than in an obese dog, however.

“An overweight dog will have full hips and back,” he said. “With Cushing’s, they have muscle loss on the hips and legs, too.”

Although the surplus of cortisol is destructive to the dog’s body, the excess steroid is making the animal feel quite well.

“You see these dogs with Cushing’s disease that look awful, but they feel great,” Harkin said.

Cushing’s disease, which is not common among humans, is comparatively prevalent in dogs, Harkin said. It’s a disease that usually impacts older dogs — those 8 years old or older — although dachshunds seem to be particularly vulnerable at a young age, he said.

Although Cushing’s is a manageable disease, Harkin said dog owners should be aware that it is costly to treat.

Kansas State University

CONTACT: Dr. Kenneth Harkin of Kansas State University, +1-785-532-4251,[email protected]

Healthaxis Inc. (NASDAQ: HAXS) announced today its response to the most recent revised unsolicited offer by Ebix, Inc. to purchase Healthaxis. The Healthaxis Board of Directors carefully evaluated the Ebix proposal contained in a letter from Ebix dated October 27, 2008, as clarified by Ebix on October 30, 2008. Following receipt of that proposal, the Healthaxis Board of Directors met with its financial and legal advisors and concluded that pursuing this latest proposal from Ebix is not in the best interests of Healthaxis and is not reasonably likely to lead to an offer that is superior to the proposed merger with BPO Management Services, Inc. On November 4, 2008, Healthaxis delivered a letter to Ebix formally declining the Ebix offer and addressing other aspects of Ebix’s various offers. The complete text of this letter is as follows:

November 4, 2008

VIA FAX

 Mr. Robin Raina Ebix, Inc. 5 Concourse Pkwy Suite 3200 Atlanta, GA 30328 

Mr. Raina:

The purpose of this letter is to convey to you the response from the Healthaxis Board of Directors concerning your most recent proposal as outlined in a press release you issued on October 27, 2008, with information subsequently issued in a separate release on October 30, 2008. Given the background and circumstances surrounding this latest unsolicited public offer from you, the Healthaxis Board of Directors feels compelled to provide you with a detailed response, not only to your current proposal, but also to address many of the public misstatements and misrepresentations that you have made in connection with the various and constantly changing versions of your proposals.

As you know, Healthaxis declined your first two proposals without any dialogue with you because the Board determined that those offers were inferior to the terms of Healthaxis’ merger agreement with BPO Management Services, Inc. (“BPOMS” or “BPOM”) and were not reasonably likely to lead to a “superior offer,” as defined under the terms of the BPOMS merger agreement.

In response to your third proposal dated October 8, 2008, the Healthaxis Board of Directors concluded that it was appropriate to enter into discussions with you because it appeared that your proposal was reasonably likely to lead to a superior offer. On its face that offer, as publicly disseminated by you, would have provided an opportunity for all Healthaxis common and preferred shareholders to elect either cash or Ebix stock; and all of those Healthaxis common and preferred shareholders electing stock, would have had your guarantee of a minimum floor price and a right to “put” the stock back to you at any time within the first year at the guaranteed floor price. In fact, your October 8 proposal made the following representation concerning this aspect of your offer as it applied to all of our common and preferred shareholders:

"This money can be received by the Healthaxis shareholder in cash or in the form of equivalent value Ebix stock, valued at $100 per share. For those who elect to take Ebix stock instead of cash, they will be given a one year special put which will allow them to sell the stock back to Ebix (at their discretion), within a one year period from the date of merger for $100 per share. This will serve to guarantee a downside price protection on the Ebix stock."

In addition, your October 8 proposal included an offer to pay Tak Investments, Inc. a net amount of $2.5 million for the Healthaxis warrants convertible into 3,333,334 shares of Healthaxis common stock. Your letter made the following representation concerning this aspect of your offer:

"This money can only be received by Tak Investments in the form of equivalent value Ebix stock valued at $100 per share. They will be given a one year special put which will allow them to sell the stock back to Ebix (at their discretion), within a one year period from the date of merger for $100 per share. This will serve to guarantee a downside price protection on the Ebix stock."

Furthermore, your original offer issued on September 23, 2008, contained the following statement:

"Ebix will offer a guaranteed downside price cover on the Ebix stock for a period of one year to all Healthaxis shareholders on the Ebix stock given to them, implying that they could sell the stock back to Ebix, for the price at which they received it, at anytime in a period of 12 months from the closing date of the merger."

As a result, and based on your repeated public statements that Healthaxis shareholders would, in effect, have an ongoing all cash option available to them, on October 9, 2008, the Healthaxis Board of Directors authorized the commencement of discussions with you.

During the course of these conversations and through a review of written correspondence from you, we came to understand that Ebix’s offer as expressed in the October 8 letter was being “modified” and no longer represented a cash offer with respect to the holders of a majority of our common stock or the warrant holder. Instead, at that point, contrary to your public statements, what you were actually offering would have required our two largest shareholders (Tak Investments and Lewis Opportunity Fund) and the warrant holder (Tak Investments) to accept an unspecified form of security that could be put back to Ebix at a guaranteed floor price no sooner than the 13th month following a closing, and then only for a period of 30 days. Further, you stated that your position on this point was non-negotiable, and that you absolutely would not consider the guaranteed effective all cash offer you originally used to induce these shareholders and the Board of Directors to spend time discussing the potential merger of our two companies. Faced with these revised terms, and after discussing the modified offer with these two shareholders, the Healthaxis Board of Directors concluded that your modified proposal was no longer reasonably likely to lead to a “superior offer.” Accordingly, on October 23, 2008 we provided you with formal written notice that Healthaxis was abandoning any further discussions with Ebix, and that your October 8 proposal, as modified through subsequent conversations and correspondence, was declined. Healthaxis issued a straightforward and courteous release at that time, summarizing its reasons, as further described above, for declining your offer and abandoning discussions with you.

In your public release of October 3, 2008, you stated that, “we have done extensive reading of Healthaxis and BPOM’s SEC filings, to understand the dynamics of the BPOM Merger proposal with Healthaxis.” For someone who has done such extensive research, you either fail to understand the requirements for a successful competing offer, or you have some ulterior motives that are furthered by continuing to make offers that you either know, or should know, cannot possibly rise to the level of a superior offer that is reasonably likely to close.

In your extensive research, you must have discovered that Tak Investments has an investor rights agreement with Healthaxis that gives it special consent rights in the event of a transaction of the nature you propose. Any reader of our public disclosures would have to be aware of these rights. Thus, you must know that any offer you make must be acceptable to both the Board and to Tak Investments, or it has no chance of proceeding.

Frankly speaking, and with that background in mind, the Healthaxis Board of Directors can only guess at your motivation for issuing your latest offer dated October 27, 2008, as clarified on October 30, 2008. In this now fifth different offer, you proposed an all stock transaction that omitted the cash offer features that you had previously proposed. While the Board of Directors favorably noted that your latest offer was extended to all Healthaxis stockholders on an equal basis, it completely eliminated any consideration to Tak Investments for its warrants. In effect, you lowered the total overall consideration to Healthaxis securityholders on the table from $9.9 million to $8.1 million. In addition, you seemed to go out of your way to make it clear that you were unwilling to agree to the Board’s other requirements, which were carefully developed by the Board to enable a constructive dialogue with you while also protecting Healthaxis’ interests. This most recent offer is so dramatically inferior to Tak Investments that you must have known it would be unacceptable and that Tak Investments would almost certainly not consent to the proposed transaction.

Accordingly, please be advised that your latest offer dated October 27, 2008, as supplemented on October 30, 2008, is respectfully declined. The Board has determined that pursuing your offer is not in the best interests of Healthaxis, and that your proposal is not reasonably likely to lead to a superior offer. In addition, we have discussed the offer with Tak Investments, and Tak Investments will not consent to such a transaction and has no interest. We have also discussed the offer with Lewis Opportunity Fund, and it has no interest either. Thus, not only does the Board believe that your latest offer is inferior to the terms of the BPOMS transaction, it is clear that your offer is not reasonably likely to close. As you know, under these circumstances we are not permitted to explore the offer further under the terms of our merger agreement with BPOMS.

As mentioned earlier, the Board would also like to take this opportunity to clear up some misperceptions that you may have, to point out your prior misrepresentations, and generally correct the record.

Facts Regarding Your Representations Concerning the Valuation and Other Aspects of the BPOMS Transaction

In your various public releases, you have made the following statements:

"We are proposing to acquire all of the shares of Healthaxis for a total offer of $6.8 million, which in financial terms is basically twice better than the present offer proposed by BPO Management Services.""We believe that this offer is a substantially better offer for Healthaxis shareholders, based upon publicly available information. It represents almost a 100% premium on the proposed merger offer price given by BPO Management.""BPOM market capitalization is presently estimated at $1.39 million (stock price of 11 cents) while HealthAxis market capitalization is presently estimated at $3.5 million. As public companies, both HealthAxis and BPOM have the benefit of not having to resort to hypothetical paper valuations since that is precisely what stock prices are meant to do.""This would imply that HealthAxis shareholders ownership at best can only be valued at $0.98 million; (HealthAxis share price @ 35 cents) assuming that the reverse split is not accompanied by any further price drops. In reality, merger of a $1.3 million market- capitalized company with a $3.5 million market-capitalized company, can possibly create a combined company with a diluted shareholding and the existing Healthaxis shareholders owning 20% of that diluted shareholding.""HealthAxis' market capitalization of $3.5 million is presently more than 2.5 times the $1.3 million market capitalization of BPOM. This fact along with the fact that existing HealthAxis shareholders holding a 2.5 times greater market capitalization than BPOM shareholders will have merely a 20% of ownership in the combined entity, cannot be assuring to a HealthAxis shareholder.""This bid is substantially superior to the BPOM offer that values three BPOM shares for one Healthaxis share. (The Healthaxis BPOM agreement would thus value Healthaxis stock at 15 cents, based on BPOM's closing price of 5 cents on 24th October 2008)."

All of these statements, of course, ignore the fact that BPOMS has a complex capital structure that includes both common stock and multiple series of preferred stock. An informed assessment of BPOMS’ total value cannot be achieved by an analysis that is based solely on the market price of BPOMS’ common stock. While the market price for BPOMS’ common stock should be, and was, considered, it is necessary to understand both BPOMS’ and Healthaxis’ entire capital structure, evaluate the enterprise value of both entities, and then analyze the proposed combined company’s capital structure to competently assess the value of the BPOMS transaction to our shareholders.

The Healthaxis Board has spent over one year analyzing the company’s strategic options and carefully considering various options available to it. We have very carefully studied the valuation of the BPOMS transaction in comparison to other alternative transactions. As discussed in our recently filed preliminary proxy statement, we engaged a respected, independent valuation firm to provide a fairness opinion with respect to the proposed merger with BPOMS. The proxy statement includes a summary of their work and a range of valuations for the combined BPOMS/HAXS company using five different commonly used and well-recognized valuation methodologies, each of which exceeded a value of $57 million, and in some cases by a considerable margin.

While some investors may not understand that the market price of BPOMS’ common stock is a poor metric to understand the value of BPOMS, we assume that you do understand the relative significance that various valuation methodologies should be given. I urge you to carefully read the preliminary proxy statement to gain a better understanding of the Board’s views regarding the value of BPOMS and the factors it considered, both for and against the BPOMS transaction.

Facts Regarding Your Offers Related to Termination of Warrants

In each of your offers dated October 3 and thereafter, you demand that all outstanding warrants be terminated. As you are well aware, warrants are a contractual obligation that a company cannot unilaterally terminate. Certain warrant holders have agreed to terminate their warrants in the BPOMS transaction, but a number of warrants would remain outstanding. The success of your offers will depend on persuading the holders of outstanding warrants to terminate their contractual rights, which is a factor that lends uncertainty to the probable outcome of your offers.

Facts Regarding Your Inappropriate Communications and Conversations with Healthaxis Shareholders

In your various public releases you have expressly addressed a number of your representations directly to Healthaxis shareholders, and you have acknowledged that you have had numerous conversations with some Healthaxis shareholders. A few of your published statements in this regard are as follows:

"This research has been complemented by the innumerable number of calls received by us from your shareholders, conveying their understanding and concerns about the proposed merger with BPOM.""Ebix decided to issue these clarifications in a public manner, in response to queries received by its Investment Relations group, from Healthaxis shareholders over the last few days."

We have talked to our two largest shareholders on several occasions concerning the details of their conversations with you. We have received some communications from other Healthaxis shareholders suggesting that they have spoken to you and other representatives of Ebix. It seems clear from your public statements and from the feedback we have received with respect to your private conversations with Healthaxis shareholders that you and Ebix are spending considerable effort on a public relations campaign that, in fact, mischaracterizes and misrepresents to these Healthaxis shareholders the terms, conditions and benefits of the BPOMS transaction and of our Remote Resourcing Agreement with Healthcare BPO Partners, L.P. Furthermore, it seems apparent that in some of these private conversations you have very likely violated non-disclosure obligations that you have.

While we cannot prevent you from speaking to our shareholders, we do expect that in doing so you will honor your obligations to protect confidential information, refrain from making false and misleading statements, and do so in strict accordance with federal securities laws.

The Remote Resourcing Agreement is a highly customized arrangement that we created for the long-term benefit of Healthaxis customers and shareholders. Our business relationship with Healthcare BPO Partners provides a number of important benefits to Healthaxis and its customers, and the agreement contains a number of features that address issues of significance to Healthaxis’ ability to efficiently deliver high quality services. The contract was carefully reviewed by our audit committee, which is tasked with reviewing related party transactions. Furthermore, the pricing set forth in this agreement was similar to the competing pricing that was available from other suppliers we reviewed and considered at that time.

Facts Regarding Your Misrepresentations With Respect to Healthaxis Customer Relationships

Throughout your series of public releases you have made numerous statements regarding the status of business relations between Healthaxis and some of its largest customers. In addition, in your private conversations with our two largest shareholders, you stated that you would take all of our largest customers whether we merge with you or not. You have also made efforts to imply that Healthaxis has not properly disclosed the loss of a significant customer. Some of your public statements in this regard have been as follows:

"HealthAxis will need to retain its entire customer base (especially the top three customers) and institute synergistic cuts if it has to turn the company profitable.""As you are already aware, one of your three largest customers who accounted for 17% of your revenues in 2007 (as per your SEC filings) has already signed a contract with Ebix's Employee Benefits Division. With the customer in question moving its business to Ebix over the next few months, it can only have a negative effect on the HealthAxis revenues and net income projections.""It insulates the HealthAxis shareholders from the possible effects of the loss of a 17% revenue client."

The fact is that one customer has informally notified us that they intend to move to the LuminX system which you now own by virtue of your acquisition of Acclimation Systems. As we understand it, this decision was made by the customer very early this year, well before you completed the acquisition. We have still not received any formal written notice of termination from this customer, and we have seen virtually no loss of revenue from this customer despite this situation.

We have been providing claims systems to our customers on an application solution provider basis for over 30 years. Over all those years we have been notified on occasion by different customers of their intent to move to a competing system and, in several cases, it never happened because our competitors oversold and under-delivered. In other cases it took a very extended period for the transition to occur because our capabilities cannot be duplicated easily. Given these facts and our extensive history in these situations, it would have been inappropriate and irresponsible to report anything until such time as there is some reasonable level of certainty regarding the situation. We still have not received formal notification from this customer that it will be terminating its business relationship with Healthaxis; however, because you have chosen to publicize this matter, we plan in the near future to clarify the current factual circumstances surrounding our business relationship with this customer.

With respect to our other large customers, we have spoken to them, and we do not believe that they are going anywhere. In fact, we understand that you have personally contacted at least two of our largest customers, and they expressed no interest whatsoever in working with you.

Facts Regarding Your Misrepresentations Regarding BPOMS and the Combined BPOMS/Healthaxis Post-Merger Entity

You made the following erroneous statements in your public releases:

"The additional 3 million shares of common state to be issued will require SEC registration. From public records, it is apparent that BPOM has been late with its required SEC filings, which implies that the company is likely to not be eligible to use Form S-3 but rather will be restricted to Form S-1, a much lengthier and costly registration process."

The fact is that BPOMS has been, and remains, current and is in full compliance with timely reporting requirements.

The fact is that the combined company will have the option to register stock under any available method if it so chooses.

The fact is that the 3 million shares you refer to are related to in an increase in the size of our stock incentive plan, and we will be registering those shares on Form S-8, as clearly reflected in our merger agreement.

Conclusion

Given the foregoing facts and circumstances, as well as your pattern of behavior throughout this process, the Board is forced to consider that your objective may not be to make a superior offer so that you have a reasonable chance to actually acquire Healthaxis. Instead, it appears that as a competitor and very new entrant into our space by virtue of your August 2008 acquisition of Acclimation Systems, your motives may well be to disrupt our efforts to build a stronger Healthaxis through the BPOMS transaction. Your continued efforts to muddy the water with confusing and often misleading offers and statements appear designed to confuse our shareholders, customers and other stakeholders, and to create ongoing uncertainty surrounding Healthaxis. In each instance, your offers communicated publicly through press releases have differed radically, and when we did have discussions with you, amounted to “bait and switch” tactics. Your continued pursuit of this strategy, while not putting a superior offer forward, leaves the unmistakable impression that your primary goal may be competitive disruption. We have noted with interest your prior, similar behavior in at least one other failed acquisition attempt by Ebix.

We regret that the very public tactics you have chosen to employ have made it difficult to work with you to attain the best transaction for Healthaxis. Despite your clear and persistent attempt to leave the impression that the Healthaxis Board and its management team are somehow placing their own personal interests above those of the company and its shareholders, please be advised that the Healthaxis Board and Healthaxis management will continue working diligently to fulfill their duties and obligations to Healthaxis and its various constituencies. Your proposals have been, and will be, carefully evaluated consistent with the high professional standards to which we hold ourselves and in compliance with applicable law.

Sincerely,

 John M. Carradine Chief Executive Officer 

About Healthaxis Inc.

Healthaxis (NASDAQ: HAXS) is an innovative provider of healthcare payer solutions. By combining technology and services Healthaxis can deliver value to payers and their customers. The company offers fully integrated business process outsourcing and claims administration systems that incorporate advanced technology solutions. Healthaxis’ technology is time tested, scalable and offered on an ASP basis. With its Best Shore capability Healthaxis can offer competitive, high quality BPO services in four locations – Dallas, Texas; Castle Dale, Utah; Montego Bay, Jamaica and Jaipur, India. Their Smart Front End(R) enables payers the ultimate flexibility in network re-pricing delivering to their legacy system a fully edited, clean, pre-priced claim to ensure the highest levels of auto adjudication. Healthaxis’ claims administrations systems technology solutions provide an end to end cost competitive solution for all sizes of payers: enrollment, data capture, administration, claims, customer service, print distribution and web services. For information on Healthaxis products and services, call (800) 519-0679 or visit the website at www.healthaxis.com.

Forward-looking statements:

Statements that are not purely historical facts constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results to be materially different from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include without limitation the risks and uncertainties identified in our documents filed with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those identified under the caption “Risk Factors” in our most recently filed Form 10-K. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Additional Information and Where to Find It:

Healthaxis is considering entering into a merger transaction with BPO Management Services, Inc. (“BPOMS”). In connection with the proposed merger transaction, Healthaxis and BPOMS will be filing a definitive joint proxy statement and relevant documents concerning the transaction with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors and security holders of Healthaxis and BPOMS are urged to read the joint proxy statement and other relevant documents filed with the SEC when they become available, because they will contain important information. Healthaxis investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the joint proxy statement and other documents when they become available by contacting Healthaxis Investor Relations through the Healthaxis website at www.healthaxis.com, or by mail at Healthaxis Investor Relations, 7301 State Highway 161, Suite 300, Irving, TX 75039, Attn: Ron Herbert, or by telephone at (972) 443-5000. BPOMS investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the joint proxy statement and other documents when they become available by contacting BPOMS Investor Relations through the BPOMS website at www.bpoms.com, or by mail at BPOMS Investor Relations, 1290 N. Hancock Street, Suite 200, Anaheim, CA 92807, or by telephone at (714) 974-2670. In addition, documents filed with the SEC by either BPOMS or Healthaxis are available free of charge at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Healthaxis, BPOMS and their respective directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from stockholders in connection with the proposed merger transaction. Information concerning the special interests of these directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees in the proposed merger transaction will be included in the joint proxy statement of BPOMS and Healthaxis described above. Information regarding Healthaxis’ directors and executive officers is available in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, and information regarding BPOMS’ directors and executive officers is also available in its Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007. These documents are available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and from Investor Relations at each of BPOMS and Healthaxis as described above.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Nov. 4, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MAKO Surgical Corp. (Nasdaq:MAKO) announced today that Thomas M. Coon, M.D. of St. Elizabeth Community Hospital will present a live surgical webcast of a MAKOplasty(r) partial knee resurfacing procedure, which utilizes robotic arm technology, on December 1st at 3:00 p.m. PST.

MAKOplasty(r) offers a new treatment option for those who suffer with early to mid-stage knee osteoarthritis. It is enabled by the MAKO Tactile Guidance System(tm) (TGS(tm)), a surgeon-interactive tactile robotic arm and 3-D virtual visualization system that delivers consistent reproducible precision and eliminates many of the challenges of manual partial knee procedures.

The TGS(tm) allows the surgeon to make a pre-surgical plan that details the technique for bone preparation and implant positioning using a CT scan of the patient’s knee. During the MAKOplasty(r) procedure the system creates a three-dimensional live-action, virtual view of the patient’s bone surface and correlates the image to the pre-programmed surgical plan. As the surgeon uses the robotic arm, its tactile, acoustic and visual feedback limits the bone preparation to the diseased areas and provides for more optimal implant positioning, placement and results.

The MAKOplasty(r) partial knee resurfacing procedure will be webcast on OR-Live, Inc., an Internet broadcasting company which creates live and on-demand video-based communications solutions for clients in the healthcare industry. It has developed more than 600 live and on-demand events and more than 2,000 hours of programming.

About MAKO Surgical Corp.

MAKO Surgical Corp. is a medical device company that markets both its advanced robotic-arm solution and its proprietary implants for minimally invasive orthopedic knee procedures. The MAKO Tactile Guidance System(tm) (TGS(tm)) is a surgeon-interactive tactile platform that incorporates a robotic arm and patient-specific visualization technology and prepares the knee joint for the insertion and alignment of MAKO’s resurfacing implants through a minimal incision. The FDA-cleared TGS allows surgeons to provide a precise, consistently reproducible tissue-sparing, bone resurfacing procedure called MAKOplasty(r) to a large, yet underserved patient-specific population suffering from early to mid-stage osteoarthritic knee disease. MAKO has an intellectual property portfolio of more than 200 licensed or owned patents and patent applications relating to the areas of computer assisted surgery, haptics, robotics and implants. Additional information can be found at www.makosurgical.com.

This news release was distributed by GlobeNewswire, www.globenewswire.com

 CONTACT:  MAKO Surgical Corp.           Cynthia M. Kalb           954-927-2044 x426           [email protected] 

PASADENA, Calif., Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ — Proactive measures can reduce hip fracture rates by an average of 37.2 percent — and as much as 50 percent — among those at risk, according to a study conducted by Kaiser Permanente Southern California. The study was published online on November 3 by The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery, a peer-reviewed journal.

The largest study of its kind, the five-year study tracked more than 625,000 male and female patients over the age of 50 in Southern California who had specific risk factors for osteoporosis and/or hip fractures. The implementation of a number of initiatives in the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Healthy Bones Program reduced the hip fracture rates beyond the goal rate of 25 percent.

“One-half of all women and one-third of all men will sustain a fragility fracture in their lifetime. The mortality rate due to osteoporosis-related fractures is greater than the rates for breast cancer and cervical cancer combined,” said study lead author Richard M. Dell, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at the Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center. “Yet it’s a misconception that nothing can be done to prevent or treat osteoporosis. It is possible to achieve at least a 25 percent reduction in the hip fracture rate in the United States if a more active role is taken by all orthopedic surgeons in osteoporosis disease management.”

The National Osteoporosis Foundation reports that although osteoporosis can affect people of all ages, the problem of osteoporosis has reached epidemic proportions with the rapidly aging population. Of the 10 million Americans who have osteoporosis, 80 percent are women. More than 300,000 hip fractures are reported annually in the United States. Twenty-four percent end up in a nursing home, 50 percent never reach their functional capacity, and 25 percent of patients with a hip fracture die in the first year after the incident.

Participating physicians in the study implemented a number of initiatives including increasing the use of bone density test (DXA scans) and anti-osteoporosis medications; adding osteoporosis education and home health programs; and standardizing the practice guidelines for osteoporosis management. The full article is found at http://www.ejbjs.org/cgi/content/abstract/90/Supplement_4/188.

“Significant improvements in hip fracture rates are achievable wherever orthopedic surgeons and treatment teams are willing to take a more active role in osteoporosis disease management,” Dell said.

Study authors include: Richard M. Dell, MD and Denise Greene, RNP, MS, Department of Orthopedics, Kaiser Permanente Bellflower; Steven R. Schelkun, MD, Department of Orthopedics, Kaiser Permanente San Diego; and Kathyrn W. Williams, MSG, Department of Orthopedics, Kaiser Permanente Fontana.

Recommendations for Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis

(Based on the ten steps outlined by Laura Tosi, MD, and the American Orthopaedic Association’s Own the Bone initiative.)

   1.  Be a champion. Remember that addressing the problem of fragility       fractures is multifaceted and will require a multidisciplinary       solution. Identify potential partners in your community.   2.  Be proactive. Identify high-risk patients and don't wait until your       patient has a fragility fracture.   3.  Teach your patients about osteoporosis and falls.   4.  Develop pre-printed admission sheets and orders.   5.  Develop a discharge checklist for fragility fracture patients, and       improve your discharge documentation.   6.  Set realistic goals and measure what you've done.   7.  Use the new fracture risk assessment tool called FRAX.    

For the detailed list, go to http://www.ejbjs.org/cgi/content/abstract/90/Supplement_4/188.

About the Kaiser Permanente Department for Research and Evaluation

The Department of Research and Evaluation conducts high-quality, innovative research into disease etiology, prevention, treatment and care delivery. Investigators conduct epidemiology, health sciences, and behavioral research as well as clinical trials. Areas of interest include diabetes and obesity, cancer, HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular disease, aging and cognition, pregnancy outcomes, women’s and children’s health, quality and safety, and pharmacoepidemiology. Located in Pasadena, Calif., the department focuses on translating research to practice quickly to benefit the health and lives of Kaiser Permanente Southern California members and the general population. Visit http://www.kp.org/research.

About Kaiser Permanente Research

Kaiser Permanente’s eight research centers comprise one of the largest research programs in the United States and engage in work designed to improve the health of individuals everywhere. KP HealthConnect(TM), Kaiser Permanente’s electronic health record, and other resources provide population data for research, and in turn, research findings are fed into KP HealthConnect to arm physicians with research and clinical data. Kaiser Permanente’s research program works with national and local health agencies and community organizations to share and widely disseminate its research data. Kaiser Permanente’s research program is funded in part by Kaiser Permanente’s Community Benefit division, which in 2007 directed an estimated $1 billion in health services, technology, and funding toward total community health.

About Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is America’s leading integrated health plan. Founded in 1945, the program is headquartered in Oakland, Calif. Kaiser Permanente serves 8.7 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Today it encompasses Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and their subsidiaries, and the Permanente Medical Groups. Nationwide, Kaiser Permanente includes approximately 164,000 technical, administrative and clerical employees and caregivers, and 14,000 physicians representing all specialties. The organization’s Labor Management Partnership is the largest such health care partnership in the United States. It governs how more than 130,000 workers, managers, physicians and dentists work together to make Kaiser Permanente the best place to receive care, and the best place to work. For more Kaiser Permanente news, visit the Kaiser Permanente News Center at: http://xnet.kp.org/newscenter.

http://www.kaiserpermanente.org/

Kaiser Permanente

CONTACT: Danielle Cass, +1-510-267-5354, [email protected], orFarra Levin, +1-510-267-7364, [email protected], both of Kaiser Permanente

Web site: http://www.kaiserpermanente.org/

Tufts Medical Center and the New England Quality Care Alliance have selected eClinicalWorks’s electronic medical record and practice management software, placing the system in both the academic and community settings.

According to the company, Tufts Medical Center and New England Quality Care Alliance (NEQCA) members will implement its electronic medical record (EMR) and practice management (PM) software to have one system across the network of providers – connecting community physicians with local hospitals and the academic center.

This system will streamline clinical processes between practice locations and promote patient safety while reducing costs. The Patient Portal will provide a secure, online means for patients to communicate with their doctor’s office for aspects of care including patient statements and education, said eClinicalWorks.

eClinicalWorks EMR and PM will help with reporting and clinical guidelines, provide patient information, including problem lists, allergies, medication history, and lab results. Interfaces with area hospitals’ in-patient systems will allow for information, such as discharge summaries, to be shared with the patient’s regular physician. These tools will help improve patient safety and the quality of care received, added eClinicalWorks.

Girish Navani, CEO and co-founder of eClinicalWorks, said: “Tufts is a well-known leader in providing excellent patient care. We take a deal of pride in being chosen by the most top-rated academic organizations in the country. Our successful track record helps distinguish eClinicalWorks from other systems and we look forward to working with Tufts Medical Center and NEQCA to meet their collective goals.”

HOUSTON, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ — US Oncology today announced that OncologyRx Care Advantage, a national oral oncology specialty pharmacy, has exceeded the $10 million mark in assisting more than 2,000 patients with drug co-pays since the launch of Care Advantage in August 2006.

“It was important when we designed Care Advantage to be able to increase patient access to oral chemotherapies by easing the financial burdens these therapies impose,” said David Reese, vice president of OncologyRx Care Advantage. “By including a service that seeks assistance from foundations on behalf of the patient, the OncologyRx Care Advantage pharmacy is able to provide financial assistance support to oncology practices in the marketplace. It’s a service that we are proud to extend beyond those affiliated with the US Oncology network to benefit all cancer patients needing specialty pharmaceuticals.”

Since its inception, the oral oncology pharmacy has provided therapy support services to more than 4,000 patients and convenient home delivery of more than 22,000 prescriptions.

“We are delighted we have been able to help so many patients who otherwise would not have been able to afford their co-pay for oral chemotherapies,” said Diane Collom, Associate Director of Business Operations at OncologyRx Care Advantage. Coordinators on the Care Advantage patient assistant support team work closely with the financial counselors at each patient’s practice to seek funding through organizations such as the Chronic Disease Fund and the Patient Access Network Foundation.

Designed specifically for the complexity of cancer care, the OncologyRx Care Advantage pharmacy provides patients with convenient home delivery of oral cancer therapies and the additional support necessary for safe and supervised use of these oral therapy treatments. The program utilizes oncology certified nurses to proactively monitor patient compliance with the prescribed therapy and support adherence by helping patients manage their side effects. In addition to the ongoing support of a team of patient care experts, Care Advantage patients also have 24-hour access to oncology certified pharmacists.

Oral chemotherapies have a significant impact on how cancer care is being delivered. The rate of growth of oral oncology agents is estimated anywhere between 20 and 30 percent year over year with over a third of the 650 oncology agents in the drug pipeline coming in an oral form. Given this rate of increase, oral oncology drugs are expected to comprise between five and seven billion dollars in annual drug spend by 2010. (Pipeline Insight: Cancer Overview DMHC2025 (C) Datamonitor (Published 10/2004))

Last month OncologyRx Care Advantage successfully expanded to a national service offering with license approval for California. The addition brings access to home delivery of oral drugs and critical patient support to cancer patients in all 50 U.S. states and the territory of Puerto Rico.

About US Oncology

US Oncology, headquartered in Houston, works closely with physicians, manufacturers and payers to identify and deliver innovative services that enhance patient access to advanced cancer care. US Oncology supports one of the nation’s foremost cancer treatment and research networks, accelerating the availability and use of evidence-based medicine and shared best practices.

US Oncology’s expertise in supporting every aspect of the cancer care delivery system–from drug development to treatment and outcomes measurement, enables the company to help increase the efficiency and safety of cancer care. According to the company’s last quarterly earnings report, US Oncology is affiliated with 1,220 physicians operating in 480 locations, including 92 radiation oncology facilities in 39 states. For more information, visit the company’s Web site, http://www.usoncology.com/.

US Oncology

CONTACT: Jennifer Horspool of US Oncology, +1-832-601-6151,[email protected]; or Lisa Henderson, +1-813-775-6208,[email protected], for US Oncology

Web Site: http://www.usoncology.com/

A $30 million federal lawsuit alleges a 9-year-old quadriplegic boy starved to death in a Detroit foster care facility supervised by the state.

Johnny Dragomir, who was born with cerebral palsy, died of malnutrition at the Monroe Foster Home on March 9, 2007, said an autopsy report from the Wayne County Medical Examiner.

The boy’s mother, Elena Andron, 32, placed her son in the care of the state Department of Human Services in 2006 after she lost her job and could no longer afford to care for him, The Detroit News reported Monday.

Andron said she was barred from visiting her son after she complained about his deterioration, said her lawyer Arnold Reed, who filed the lawsuit against operators of the home, a nurse and a dietitian. State officials are to be sued in a separate case filed next week in federal court, Reed told the News.

Documents cited in the lawsuit filed Monday charged the boy’s feeding chart had 500 blank entries between Jan. 29, 2006 and March 9, 2007, Reed said.

Department of Human Services officials said they were investigating the boy’s death but were prevented by state law from releasing any information.

Canopus BioPharma, a developer of pharmaceutical technologies to help combat international health threats, has successfully completed the second phase of its cancer vaccine development.

The specialized laboratory study was analyzed at the Southern Research Institute in Birmingham, Alabama. The study used the blood of healthy human volunteers, vaccinated with Canopus Biopharma’s cancer vaccine peptides, which then demonstrated anticancer properties against a panel of 12 human cancer cell lines in tissue culture.

For the first time, successful human testing confirms that Canopus BioPharma’s proprietary, patented use of these cancer-targeted peptide antigens is effective as a vaccine against human cancer cells.

When used as a vaccine in healthy volunteers, the peptide antigens generate antibodies that are non-toxic to normal cells, but significantly effective in destroying human cancer cells in-vitro. In effect, the peptide antigens work by stimulating a person’s own immune system, to protect the individual from developing certain forms of cancer.

Elizabeth Shanahan-Prendergast, president of oncology at Canopus BioPharma, said: “Successful results from this series of laboratory tests, using vaccinated, healthy volunteers, confirms proof of principle in humans. In the laboratory, the vaccinated human blood demonstrated that it can significantly inhibit the growth of a broad range of human cancer cells – including colorectal, prostate, small-cell lung, pancreatic, ovarian and breast – when compared to a control sample of non-vaccinated human blood.”

Precision Dynamics Corporation (“PDC”), the global leader in healthcare identification solutions, announced today that it has acquired TimeMed Labeling Systems, Inc., a national producer of specialty healthcare labels, to create the industry’s leading provider of patient safety identification solutions. Water Street Healthcare Partners, a private equity firm focused exclusively on the healthcare industry and an investor in PDC, was instrumental in bringing the two companies together.

PDC will now offer hospitals a full range of wristbands and specialty labels that interface directly with their laboratory, pharmacy and information technology systems to accurately identify and track patients, enhance communications between caregivers, and improve the safety of dispensing medications. These all are among the top ten goals for improving patient safety that recently were outlined by The Joint Commission. With as many as one million people injured from errors during hospital treatment each year, patient safety continues to be one of the healthcare industry’s top priorities.

“Our vision is to deliver the best patient safety solutions to hospitals and healthcare providers worldwide,” said Gary Hutchinson, president and chief executive officer, PDC. “By joining forces with TimeMed, we have significantly broadened our product portfolio and expanded our team of field specialists to help our customers with reducing adverse medical events and improving patient outcomes. Together, we offer the industry’s most comprehensive identification solutions that interface directly with hospitals’ information technology systems to track and support patient care from admission through discharge.”

Together, PDC and TimeMed have more than 100 years of experience developing and producing identification and labeling products for the healthcare industry. PDC introduced the first bar code identification wristband used by most hospitals today. It also pioneered the radio frequency identification (RFID) wristband. TimeMed, which is headquartered in Burr Ridge, Illinois, was founded after it designed the first self-adhesive tape and labeling products that control and help prevent the spread of contamination in healthcare settings.

“Our two companies have long and impressive track records in creating innovative and reliable patient safety products,” said Jerry Nerad, president of TimeMed. “Together, we offer a powerful combination of knowledge and experience, as well as a robust set of products that will benefit our customers enormously.”

Kevin Swan, a partner with Water Street, commented: “Acquiring TimeMed marks another important step in our plan to build PDC into a leading patient safety company. We believe PDC has a tremendous opportunity to support the industry’s goals for improving patient outcomes. This will only intensify as government and healthcare organizations create and enforce new standards for care. We will continue to pursue additional acquisition opportunities that will leverage PDC’s strong foundation and establish it as the industry leader for a broad range of patient safety solutions.”

About Precision Dynamics Corporation

Founded in 1956, PDC is the global leader and pacesetter in the development of wristband systems for healthcare, leisure and entertainment, and law enforcement. Focused in patient safety, the company introduced the first single-piece patient wristband, the first patient bar code ID wristband, patented Smart Band(R) Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) wristband system, and award winning PDC Smart(R) Kiosk. PDC is committed to 100% quality in service, design, and manufacturing and has ISO-9001: 2000 and ISO-13485: 2003 certification. For more information about PDC, call 800.772.1122 or visit www.pdcorp.com.

About TimeMed

Founded in 1955, TimeMed Labeling Systems Inc. is an industry leader in quality labeling products and services for the healthcare industry. Its products improve patient safety and medical accuracy and support supply chain management. TimeMed originated hospital labeling with Time(R) Tape, which expanded to include a variety of label products in the 1960’s, EDP labeling in the 1970’s and 80’s, and a full line of thermal labeling systems in the 1990’s. TimeMed also introduced twin web laser products for the millennium. For additional information about TimeMed, call 800.323.4840 or visit http://www.timemed.com.

About Water Street Healthcare Partners

Water Street Healthcare Partners is a leading private equity firm focused exclusively on healthcare. With more than $1 billion of capital under management, Water Street is one of the most active investors in the healthcare industry. The firm has a strong track record of building market-leadership companies across key growth sectors in healthcare. It has partnered with some of the world’s leading healthcare companies on its investments, including: Gentiva Health Services, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic and Smith & Nephew. Water Street’s team is comprised of industry executives and private equity professionals with decades of experience investing in and operating global healthcare businesses. The firm is headquartered in Chicago. For more information about Water Street, visit www.wshp.com.

Precision Dynamics Corporation, product names, company names, marks, logos and symbols mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Precision Dynamics Corporation. All other product names, company names, marks, logos and symbols mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners.

Canopus BioPharma, Inc. (OTC:CBIA);(www.canopusbiopharma.com) today announced that permission has been granted by the U.S. Department of Defense to initiate a Hepatitis C efficacy and safety human clinical Phase II trial, testing the patented antiviral drug CB5300.

The 15-patient, Phase II clinical trial will be conducted at Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas and will be directed by Lt. Colonel. Stephen Harrison, Ph.D. The study will involve administering CB5300 orally to individuals with chronic Hepatitis C who have not previously undergone drug treatment or therapy for the disease. CB5300 will be administered as a mono-therapy, with detailed monitoring and reporting of viral load and liver enzymes.

“We are excited to begin the clinical trial with our partners at the U.S. Department of Defense,” said Patrick T. Prendergast, Chairman and CEO, Canopus BioPharma. “Our pre-clinical data shows very promising results, and we expect this clinical trial will confirm that taking CB5300 translates into a greater quality of life for those living with Hepatitis C.”

CB5300 represents a unique family of molecules that are non-toxic in nature and are registered with the FDA as having GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) status. The molecules, which have potent antiviral properties against a wide range of viruses, were first discovered to be antiviral by Canopus BioPharma a number of years ago. The company successfully refined, isolated, and patented the most active molecules as CB5300.

Prior to developing the Phase II trial, Canopus BioPharma tested CB5300 at the Southern Research Institute in Alabama against the BVDV Hepatitis (HCV) assay model–the industry accepted standard laboratory test for anti-HCV activity. The selected CB5300 molecules displayed specific antiviral activity against BVDV and overall assay performance was validated by the positive control compound, Recombinant Interferon Alpha, which exhibited the expected level of antiviral activity. The therapeutic index for CB5300 was greater than 177, compared to that of the current prescription interferon alpha for Hepatitis C, which has a therapeutic index of greater than 55.

“There are currently more than 130 million people infected with Hepatitis C worldwide, and the annual cost for treatment of Hepatitis C is greater than $2 billion in the US alone,” Prendergast said.

With the positive pre-clinical results and the opportunity to begin a human clinical trial with the US Department of Defense, Canopus BioPharma is actively seeking a licensing or co-development partner to assist in bringing CB5300 to commercialization.

About Canopus BioPharma, Inc.

Canopus BioPharma, Inc. (OTC:CBIA) is dedicated to providing the safest, most cost effective and efficacious pharmaceutical products and assay methods in the areas of infectious disease, radiation protection, cancer, and addiction. With innovative science, proven research and development leadership, and superior products and compounds, Canopus BioPharma has, since 2001, been committed to becoming a market trend setter in a new era of healthcare. In addition, the Company is a world leader in the development of novel camelid antibody products to provide unique avenues of progress and improvement in assay methods and monitoring capabilities for physicians, patients and researchers, initially for food chain protection applications. Canopus maintains staff in Australia, South Africa, Ireland, and the USA. Additional information on the company is available at www.canopusbiopharma.com.

MEDSEEK, the leading provider of enterprise portal connectivity solutions, announced today that Oklahoma University (OU) Medicine has gone live in record time with MEDSEEK’s consumer portal, in conjunction with a website strategy and design from MEDSEEK’s e-Marketing Solutions team.

“Since we launched the OU Medicine umbrella brand earlier this year, which encompasses OU Physicians, OU College of Medicine, OU Medical Center, and The Children’s Hospital, it was important to increase patient and consumer awareness of this new brand through a refreshed website design,” said Kevin Elledge, Executive Director of Operations at OU Physicians. “We also wished to enhance the online experience for consumers, reflecting the industry movement toward consumerism in healthcare. OU Medicine is able to offer patients ‘another level of medicine’ with access to the latest research, combined with our collaborative approach and the latest advancements in treatments and diagnoses. We chose MEDSEEK because of its in-depth experience serving academic medical centers and the ease of use and flexibility of its solution, which allows even non-technical employees to post website content changes online.”

MEDSEEK’s consumer portal provides the ability to cross-promote services dynamically throughout the site utilizing MEDSEEK’s Channel Management System, ensuring seamless access to valuable health and service line resources including videos, as well as information about the 450-member OU Physicians with locations throughout Oklahoma. Additionally, the portal supplies a comprehensive online health library powered by A.D.A.M, Inc., and access to the A.D.A.M.-supplied Symptom Navigator, an interactive application that delivers highly relevant, personalized health information when consumers click on the part of the illustrated body about which they have concerns regarding a particular symptom.

“OU Medicine implemented the MEDSEEK consumer portal in just three months — in half the time that we expected,” Elledge said. “We are confident that the portal will not only improve our consumer interactions, but will also enhance internal productivity through a reduced number of consumer phone inquiries; thus, enabling our staff and physicians to provide better care through increased face-to-face time with patients.”

According to Peter Kuhn, MEDSEEK’s president, “We are pleased to partner with OU Medicine to transform its online consumer experience and look forward to helping this industry leader realize its strategic objectives by enhancing the quality, convenience and efficiency of its online consumer relationships and communications.”

About OU Medicine

Oklahoma City, Okla.-based OU Medicine was formed by a partnership among OU Medical Center, The Children’s Hospital, OU Physicians, and the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. At OU Medicine, our mission is leading health care. Our vision is to be the premiere enterprise for advancing health care, medical education and research for the community, state and region. Through our combined efforts, we strive to improve the lives of all people. For more information, visit www.oumedicine.com or call 405-271-4700.

About MEDSEEK

Birmingham, Ala.-based MEDSEEK provides healthcare organizations with enterprise eHealth solutions to fully engage and strengthen relationships with key constituents – physicians, patients, employees, and consumers. By connecting information and communities to foster an enhanced experience with the organization, hospitals will improve community advocacy, revenue and patient throughput, and clinical decision making. MEDSEEK’s comprehensive technology platform and strategic consulting services create the infrastructure and provide the thought leadership for hospitals to deliver the most powerful portal solutions. With more than ten years’ experience and 600+ hospital customers, MEDSEEK has the experience and expertise to meet the diverse needs of the healthcare community. MEDSEEK also maintains offices in California and Mississippi. For more information, visit www.medseek.com or call 888-MEDSEEK.

BOSTON, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ — Allied Minds funds research to reduce wrinkles by developing a natural replacement for artificial dermal fillers. Allied Minds, a seed investment firm specializing in early stage university business ventures, to fund new research with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory through creation of start-up company, ProGDerm, Inc. The research led by Doctors Eva Turley and Mina Bissell will develop a technology based on modulation of the RHAMM protein to induce the controlled generation of fat cells to replace those lost in the aging process. While researching the regulation of cell motility as it relates to the spread of cancer, it was discovered that modulating the RHAMM protein increases the deposition of subcutaneous fat while decreasing unhealthy visceral fat. This technique could provide a non-surgical approach to normalizing skin appearance after the aging process has caused wrinkles and folds and after reconstructive surgery.

This technology would replace the now commonly used artificial dermal fillers prescribed to alleviate the appearance of age related wrinkles. Current filler products are injected under the skin to replace volume lost with the decrease of subcutaneous fat that accompanies the aging process. These filler products however, are of short duration, can cause pain and bruising, require multiple treatments, and often result in an unnatural appearance. Modulating RHAMM proteins represents a natural process that has the potential to actually induce controllable re-growth of the patient’s own subcutaneous fat in targeted areas to help restore a youthful appearance without artificial dermal fillers.

The ProGDerm product will initially be administered via injection by trained professionals but has the potential to be delivered as a topical cream. The demand for cosmeceuticals – loosely defined as cosmetic products that have medicinal or drug-like benefits – is rapidly increasing particularly within the skin care segment. “There is a vibrant marketplace for the next generation of dermal products. We look forward to entering this exciting new phase with Dr. Turley and Dr. Bissell,” says Allied Minds CEO, Chris Silva.

About Allied Minds, Inc.

Allied Minds, Inc. is the premiere seed organization for early-stage technology. We focus on converting academic discoveries into commercial reality by working exclusively with a network of U.S. universities and national labs. By filling the gap between government grants and traditional venture capitalists, Allied Minds focuses on funding innovations with significant transformative potential. Instead of managing funds, we foster early-stage companies through to success, generating value for all stakeholders. We have a nationwide footprint with offices in Boston, Seattle, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, and a European presence in London, United Kingdom. For more information, logon to http://www.alliedminds.com/.

About Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

Berkeley Lab is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory located in Berkeley, California. It conducts unclassified scientific research and is managed by the University of California. Visit the Lab website at http://www.lbl.gov/.

Allied Minds, Inc.

CONTACT: Erick Rabins, Vice President, Allied Minds, Inc.,+1-206-335-9707, [email protected]

Web Site: http://www.alliedminds.com/

By Anne Godlasky

Headaches distract. Migraines can debilitate. Nearly 30million Americans suffer from the throbbing pain, costing employers about $13 billion a year from missed workdays and impaired work function, according to research reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

“You can be out for three days — lie there and not move, feel nauseous but not throw up — it’s incapacitating,” says Jeanne Safer, 61, of New York, a psychotherapist who has had regular migraines for about a decade.

But new treatments in the pipeline may help control the pain. Some “exciting” new drugs are coming into the headache field, says Alan Rapoport, a UCLA professor of neurology who has studied headaches for 35 years.

Scientists still haven’t agreed on a single cause of migraines, although genetic and hormonal factors and some environmental triggers often play a part.

But wherever a migraine starts — whether with malfunctioning nerve cells deep in the brain stem or hyperexcited neurons in the cerebral cortex — it sets off something called the trigeminal nerve system, which carries sensory information from the face, head and meninges (membranes covering the brain and spinal cord) to the brain stem.

During a migraine, the trigeminal nerve releases a peptide called CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide), which causes dilation of blood vessels and increased pain signaling. A drug that would prevent the peptide from activating the neurons is in final trials: Merck’s telcagepant. Its latest study showed that about 55% of patients had marked pain relief, and 23% were pain-free after two hours, significantly better than placebo patients. Merck plans to apply for Food and Drug Administration approval for telcagepant next year. Other companies are starting trials on similar drugs.

New drug may eclipse triptans

Interest among migraine specialists stems from evidence that these drugs are at least as effective as triptans, the most commonly prescribed class of migraine drug, writes Stephen Silberstein in the October issue of The Lancet.

Triptans were considered a major breakthrough when they arrived about 15 years ago. But unlike triptans, the new drugs don’t constrict vessels, so they may be safer for patients with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a variety of vascular diseases.

The heart warnings on triptans make some patients nervous, including Safer. But because she has about 15 headaches a month, she’s settled on taking her triptan, Maxalt, in addition to Botox injections every 2 1/2 months and — if the pain is unbearable and she has used up her medication — shots of lidocaine, an anesthetic. Patients who received Botox had fewer days with headaches compared with those who got dummy injections, according to two studies funded by drugmaker Allergan. Botox is FDA-approved for cosmetic use, and Allergan announced in September that it would seek approval for use against migraines.

Safer’s doctor, Alexander Mauskop, also gets migraines, and like about 30% of migraines patients, pain is sometimes preceded by a visual aura. “You see flickering lights, spots, zigzags, sometimes in color,” he says.

For patients who experience aura, which many scientists believe is caused by an electrical abnormality called cortical spreading depression, a new device may stop it before it signals pain.

“If you have a fire that starts in a forest, then the fire would spread from one tree to another until it reaches your house,” says Yousef Mohammad, a professor of neurology at Ohio State University. “But if you cut a few trees in the middle, it won’t reach your house.”

That’s the theory behind the transcranial magnetic stimulator, a hairdryer-sized device that creates a magnetic pulse that, when held against the back of a patient’s head, interrupts the electrical activity during the aura, according to a study funded by the manufacturer, NeuraLieve. The firm is applying to the FDA for approval, says Mohammad, the study’s lead author.

A healthy lifestyle can help

Mauskop, director of the New York Headache Center, believes most patients could control their migraines with over-the-counter medications and “headache hygiene,” including sleeping, eating and exercising regularly.

Mohammad agrees. “Healthy lifestyle — exercise, yoga, hydration to alleviate tension — is important because we know stress can trigger an attack,” he says.

Safer has tried her share of alternative treatments, including feverfew (a plant in the sunflower family), acupuncture, massage, hypnosis, magnesium injections, biofeedback, wearing a bite guard and listening to Bach. “I offer myself for any treatment that doesn’t involve cutting off my head,” she says.

She encourages other patients to see a doctor and “be activists in their treatments.” (c) Copyright 2008 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc. <>

SWARTZ CREEK, Mich., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ — Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy today announced that Dr. Rinku A. Patel has joined the company’s executive management team. Dr. Patel will serve as Director of Pharmacy Development and Operations. She will be responsible for the management and development of Diplomat’s Chicago location and will closely collaborate with the executive team to develop and implement specialty pharmacy programs. Dr. Patel will directly report to Jeff Rowe, Sr. Vice President of Operations for Diplomat.

“Rinku brings extensive expertise in several key growth areas for Diplomat including RSV, Hemophilia, and Pharmacy technology,” said Phil Hagerman, President and CEO of Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy. “Her experience in these core Specialty Pharmacy areas will support our continued national expansion and industry leading platform.”

“I am thrilled to be part of Diplomat. They are the largest independently owned specialty pharmacy in the country and value patient care above everything else,” said Dr. Patel. “I am looking forward to providing innovative and comprehensive specialty pharmacy solutions to address the needs of our Patients, Payors, Providers and Pharma partners.”

Dr. Patel is a registered pharmacist with over 10 years of operational and strategic development experience in the areas of Specialty, Home Infusion, and Pharmacy Technology. Prior to joining Diplomat she was the Director of Procurement & Pharma Relations at OptionCare; and at Caremark, Dr. Patel was the Manager of Contracts and Trade Relations and served as an IT Pharmacist. Dr. Patel is a graduate of the Bachelors in Pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy programs at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Illinois.

About Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy is the nation’s largest independently held Specialty Pharmacy and focuses on complete medication management programs for patients with serious and chronic conditions. Key programs include: Oncology, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn’s and Psoriasis. Other specialty areas include Transplant, Fertility, Dialysis Medication Management, Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy and Specialty Compounding. The company also specializes in Disease Management programs for Chronic Kidney Disease patients, as well as Home and Out-Patient Infusion. With locations in Flint, Swartz Creek and Grand Rapids, MI; Cleveland, OH; Chicago, IL; and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; Diplomat services the specialty pharmacy needs of patients and physicians nationwide.

   For more information contact:   Kathy Karns   [email protected]   810-720-4452  

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy

CONTACT: Kathy Karns of Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy, +1-810-720-4452,[email protected]

Web site: http://www.diplomatpharmacy.com/

Oxbridge Ventures, Inc., a New York based private investment group, today announced that it will arrange up to $50,000,000 in equity and debt capital for Carestation Health Centres Ltd. and certain related companies. Major financial institutions have already committed nearly $5 million in funding, with another $5 million in funding expected to be made available in 2009 alone.

Carestation is the largest full service multi-specialty practice group in the Province of British Columbia, with some 160 family doctors, specialists and others who service upwards of 500,000 patient visits annually.

Oxbridge will lead a syndicate of international investors, banks and other financial institutions that will make up to $50 million in equity and debt capital available for approved projects over the next 60 months. The funds are to be made available in one or more funding tranches to support projects in the following healthcare related sectors:

1) Senior Care Facilities — Between $10 million and $20 million for senior care/age restricted/skilled nursing facilities in Canada and the Western United States;

2) Medical Buildings and Clinics – Between $10 million and $20 million for medically anchored commercial real-estate, including medical buildings and owner occupied structures in Canada and the Western United States (including Texas);

3) Practice Acquisitions – Between $5 million and $10 million to support practice acquisitions and related costs in Canada and the Western United States, including a continent wide roll out strategy and catalytic funding for EMR and patient portal technologies.

“We are extremely pleased to have partnered with Oxbridge as we begin implementation of our national growth strategy,” said Mr. Andy Rizvi, Director of Operations for Carestation. “In the face of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the funding commitment announced today constitutes important market validation of our business model, management team and growth strategy.”

“In just 36 short months, Carestation has developed an insurmountable lead in certain local markets in Canada in respect of the provision of medical services by physicians, and we are determined that it should have the financial and human resources needed to replicate its strategy and business model in other key markets across North America,” said Mr. Karim Rajani, the managing principal of Oxbridge Ventures. “We are very pleased to be associated with Carestation as it executes on it corporate mission to improve care, enhance life and advance science.”

 Contacts: Carestation Health Centres Ltd. Andy Rizvi Director of Operations (604) 638-1554 (604) 638-1555 (FAX) Email: [email protected] Website: www.carestation.ca  Oxbridge Ventures, Inc. Karim Rajani Chief Executive Officer (646) 233-0685 (646) 530-8509 (FAX) Email: [email protected] Website: www.oxbridgeventures.com

SOURCE: Carestation Health Centres Ltd. and Oxbridge Ventures, Inc.

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Bionovo, Inc. announced today that its drug candidate for metastatic breast cancer, BZL101, will advance to Phase 2 clinical testing after the successful completion of a second Phase 1 clinical trial.

The Phase 1B clinical trial was conducted to identify the maximum tolerated dose of BZL101 and to determine the safety and feasibility of the company’s novel, oral, anticancer treatment. A total of 27 women with metastatic breast cancer were enrolled to this Phase 1B trial. A total of 48 women with advanced breast cancer have been treated with BZL101 in all clinical trials to date. Results from the Phase 1B show Bionovo’s lead drug candidate for advanced breast cancer continues to be safe and well-tolerated, with early signs of clinical efficacy. The company will present the findings from the Phase 1B in an oral presentation of the best scoring abstracts at the Society of Integrative Oncology’s Fifth International Conference on November 20, 2008 in Atlanta, Georgia.

“We are encouraged by the results of the Company’s second Phase 1 trial in women with advanced breast cancer,” said Isaac Cohen, President and CEO, Bionovo. “There are currently over 160,000 women in the United States living with advanced breast cancer who are eagerly awaiting an oral anticancer drug with minimal side effects and the ability to extend life without profoundly diminishing quality of life. We believe BZL101 may be an important new anticancer agent because its biological selectivity allows the drug to kill cancer cells without affecting normal cells. This will lead to a dramatically lower side effect profile.”

Phase 2 Clinical Trial

The Phase 2 clinical trial is currently enrolling 80 women diagnosed with advanced, measurable breast cancer who have received no more than two prior cytotoxic cancer therapies.

The Principle Investigator of the trial is Dr. Charles Shapiro, Director of Breast Oncology at Ohio State University.

The trial will be open at the following clinical sites under the directorship of the listed investigators:

   Institution                               Site Principle Investigator   Breastlink Medical Group, Long Beach,    California                               Dr. Bichlien Nguyen   California Cancer Care Inc.,    Greenbrae/San Mateo, California          Dr. Peter Eisenberg   Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center,    New York, New York                       Dr. Dawn Hershman   Comprehensive Cancer Center at Desert    Regional Medical Center, Palm Springs,    California                               Dr. Gail Leichman   Duke University, Durham, North Carolina   Dr. Gretchen Kimmick   Lynn Regional Cancer Center, Boca Raton,    Florida                                  Dr. Reshma Mahtani   MD Anderson, Houston, Texas               Dr. Banu Arun   Memorial Cancer Institute, Hollywood,    Florida                                  Dr. Alejandra Perez   Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx,    New York                                 Dr. Tianhong Li   Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio     Dr. Ewa Mrozek   St. Vincent's Medical Center, New York,    New York                                 Dr. Paula Klein   University of California, San Francisco   Dr. Hope Rugo    University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois  Dr. Gini Fleming   University of Miami, Miami, Florida       Dr. Alberto Montero   University of Pittsburg Magee Women's    Hospital, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania        Dr. Adam Brufsky   University of Southern California,    Los Angeles, California                  Dr. Agustin Garcia   University of Texas, Southwestern,    Dallas, Texas                            Dr. Jenny Li      BZL101  

BZL101 is an oral drug designed for the treatment of advanced breast cancer with a novel mechanism of action. BZL101 targets diseased cells while leaving normal cells healthy and intact. Normal cells depend primarily on the citric acid cycle (>85%) and very little on glycolysis (85%) for energy production. BZL101 stops the production cycle of energy in cancer cells by inhibiting glycolysis. This leads to DNA damage and cell death in cancer cells while normal cells remain unharmed.

There are currently no effective therapeutic cures for advanced breast cancer and treatment is primarily aimed at palliation of symptoms as well as improving overall survival. Over 200,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer each year and breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Although survival after breast cancer treatment is improving, there are still over 40,000 deaths per year due to the disease in the Unites States alone.

Bionovo, Inc.

Bionovo is a pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of safe and effective treatments for women’s health and cancer, markets with significant unmet needs and billions in potential annual revenue. The company applies its expertise in the biology of menopause and cancer to design new drugs derived from botanical sources which have novel mechanisms of action. Based on the results of early and mid-stage clinical trials, Bionovo believes they have discovered new classes of drug candidates within their rich pipeline with the potential to be leaders in their markets. Bionovo is headquartered in Emeryville, California and is traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol, “BNVI”. For more information about Bionovo and its programs, visit http://www.bionovo.com/.

Forward Looking Statements

This release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to the business of Bionovo, Inc. that can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believes,””expects,” or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including uncertainties relating to product development, efficacy and safety, regulatory actions or delays, the ability to obtain or maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual property protection, market acceptance, physician acceptance, third party reimbursement, future capital requirements, competition in general and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Certain of these risks and uncertainties are or will be described in greater detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available at http://www.sec.gov/. Bionovo, Inc. is under no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Bionovo, Inc.

CONTACT: Tom Chesterman of Bionovo, Inc., +1-510-601-2000,[email protected]

Web site: http://www.bionovo.com/

The following release focuses on the topic Thanksgiving

ALL TIME-OFFS ARE IN EASTERN TIME, UNLESS NOTED STORIES MOVED AT 4:35 AM ET ON NOVEMBER 3, 2008.

PROVO, Utah–When Bad Relatives Happen to Good People Source: VitalSmarts, L.C.

The following knowledgeable industry leaders and scholars from Business Wire’s ExpertSource database are available to discuss topics relating to Thanksgiving

Ms. Paula Comunelli is founder and CEO of Listening Well, a client-run organization that uses the power of story to replace stigma and discrimination with respect and unity.

Profile: Paula Comunelli, MSOD, is founder and CEO of Listening Well, which provides wellness and recovery education, training, and consulting to individuals, families, organizations, and communities. Ms. Comunelli launched Listening Well in response to her community’s clear desire to tell their stories and, especially, to be heard. The importance of listening was confirmed through 2.5 years of community research with the Santa Cruz County Coalition for Mental Health. Ms. Comunelli’s knowledge is built upon more than 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur, corporate manager, consultant, facilitator, wellness and recovery educator, community activist, and motivational speaker. Her professional history includes: Founder & CEO Listening Well 2001 – Present MHSA Consultant/Trainer California Institute for Mental Health 2005 – 2006 Co-Director 2nd International AI Conference 2003 – 2004 Founder/Director SCC Coalition for Mental Health 2002 – 2004 OD Consultant/HR Manager KLA-Tencor Corporation 1995 – 2000 Training & Development Specialist Octel Communications 1991 – 1995 Ms. Comunelli is a prominent speaker on mental health. She has presented at:

— Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Voice Award, 2008

— Trust-Truth-Triumph: Celebration of the Resiliency of the Human Spirit, 2004, 2005

— California Institute of Mental Health Annual Conferences: – Cultural Competence, 2006, 2008 – Integrated Services Conference, 2006-08

— California Association of Social Rehabilitation Agencies (CASRA), 2006-08

— New York Association of Social Rehabilitation Agencies (NYAPRS), 2006 —

— American College of Mental Health Administration (ACMHA), NM,2004-05

— Performing the World (Social Justice) Conference, NY, 2005

— National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) National, WA DC, 2004

— Latino Ethno Medicine Conference, San Jose State University, 2004

— Mental Health Summits, Santa Cruz County Coalition for Mental Health, 2003-04

Ms. Comunelli’s affiliations include:

— Member, American College of Mental Health Administrators (ACMHA)

— Member, CA Network of Mental Health Clients

— Charter Member, Appreciate Inquiry Consulting (AIC), LLC

— Facilitator, Leadership Dialogue Institute, Angles Arrien Foundation

— Pro-Track Member, National Speaker’s Association (NSA)

Ms. Comunelli holds a Master of Science in Organization Development (MSOD) from Pepperdine University, Malibu, California and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Management, Human Resources Option, from California State University, Hayward.

Research and Publications: The power of story in recovery Appreciative inquiry SOME LISTENING WELL RESULTS * Increased personal empowerment, confidence, and accountability * Shifted clients’ focus, goals, and services from life managing to life-enriching * Developed skills to design and facilitate groups, training, meetings, and events * Increased client employment within and outside the mental health system * Developed speaker’s bureaus and community interaction * Increased collaborations between individuals, organizations, and counties * Developed client collective voice and aligned advocacy efforts * Shifted beliefs about clients’ role in organizations and communities

Contact: Ms. Paula Comunelli, Founder & CEO, [email protected], 831-421-9393

Registered journalists can submit queries to the ExpertSource staff and/or search for more experts in this and various other topics by going to www.businesswire.com and logging in with your email address and PressPass password. If you are not registered, you may do so at www.businesswire.com. For more information or assistance with ExpertSource, please contact Stacey Frank, ExpertSource Coordinator/Business Wire at 312/223-1037, [email protected].

The following are upcoming Features Package release dates:

November 6 – Home & Garden V

November 11 – Holiday III

November 13 – Fitness & Health V

Questions? Contact Business Wire’s Media Relations team at [email protected] or [email protected].

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ — MedImmune today announced that it has initiated a Phase 1/2a clinical trial of a live, attenuated intranasal vaccine in healthy children one month to 12 months of age to help prevent severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections. RSV is the most common respiratory infection in infants and can cause disease in otherwise healthy infants and children.

“RSV is a serious respiratory disease that can have significant effects on children. As a leader in pediatric medicine, MedImmune is committed to developing therapies that can combat the most common cause of pediatric respiratory illness,” said Filip Dubovsky, M.D., M.P.H, vice president, clinical development, vaccines. “Because respiratory illness due to RSV occurs in otherwise healthy children, developing a vaccine is a public health priority.”

MedImmune is a world leader in the development of innovative therapeutic biologic products for prophylaxis and prevention of infectious diseases. This Phase 1/2a clinical trial is designed to assess the safety, tolerability, immunogenicity and viral shedding of the intranasal RSV vaccine in infants and young children. It is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled and multi-dose study that will enroll 320 children.

The investigational vaccine, MEDI-559, is being developed through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, to help address RSV disease in children. The vaccine was originally developed in the NAID Division of Intramural Research by a team led by Peter L. Collins, Ph.D. and Brian R. Murphy, M.D.

About RSV

RSV is the most important cause of viral lower respiratory tract illness in infants worldwide. Each year, an estimated 125,000 infants in the United States are hospitalized with severe RSV infections. RSV is the most common respiratory infection in infancy or childhood that circulates in the Northern Hemisphere predominantly in the fall and winter months. Approximately one-half of all infants are infected with RSV during the first year of life, and nearly all children have been infected at least once by the time they reach their second birthday.

About MedImmune

MedImmune is a leading innovation-focused biotechnology company whose mission it is to provide better medicines to patients, new medical options for physicians and rewarding careers to employees. Dedicated to advancing science and medicine to help people live better lives, the company is focused on infection, oncology, respiratory disease and inflammation, cardiovascular / gastrointestinal disease and neuroscience. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, MedImmune has approximately 3,000 employees worldwide and is the wholly owned biologics business for AstraZeneca plc . For more information, visit MedImmune’s website at http://www.medimmune.com/.

MedImmune

CONTACT: Media, Sidoney Atse, +1-301-398-5990, or Investors, PeterVozzo, +1-301-398-4358, both of MedImmune

Web site: http://www.medimmune.com/

NEW YORK, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — NeoStem, Inc. , which is pioneering the pre-disease collection, processing and long-term storage of adult stem cells for future medical need, announced today that it has agreed to acquire a Hong Kong corporation, whose wholly-owned subsidiary, Beijing HuaMeiTai Bio-technology Limited Liability Company, has a series of contracts with Shandong New Medicine Research Institute of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine LLC that establish control over Shandong’s business, personnel and finance as though it were a wholly-owned subsidiary.

Shandong New Medicine Research Institute currently administers a multitude of treatments and is a leading provider of regenerative medical therapies in China which strategically fits into both NeoStem’s existing business and intellectual property platform. Through the acquisition, NeoStem will align itself with Dr. Wang Taihua, founder of Shandong New Medicine Research Institute and a leading provider of regenerative therapies in China.

“We look forward to working with NeoStem in the support of both our efforts in providing new and innovative cell regenerative therapies and also bringing to the People’s Republic of China enhanced technologies of collection and cryopreservation of regenerative cells,” said Dr. Wang Taihua. “We are also particularly excited at the prospect of collaborating with NeoStem to vet new technologies and bring VSEL technology to the large population base of the PRC.”

Robin Smith, MD, CEO of NeoStem said, “NeoStem is very excited at the idea of bringing our expertise in cell extraction and preservation protocols as well as advances in research and development and clinical trial know-how to roll out in China through Shandong New Medicine Research Institute and believe the strong strategic fit of the two companies will result in an acceleration of the business model of both companies.”

NeoStem also looks forward to assisting Dr. Wang in creating a destination site for individuals looking to receive care outside of their place of residency. The objectives of such individuals, according to The McKinsey Quarterly (May 2008), is to obtain advanced technologies, better medical care than they could find in their home country, quicker access to medically necessary procedures, lower costs for medically necessary procedures, and discretionary procedures. NeoStem believes it could benefit from medical tourism.

“We have already begun to see international interest,” stated Dr. Smith, as reflected in the recent Deloitte 2008 Survey of Health Care Consumers which indicates that Medical Tourism is set to explode in growth over the next 3-5 years for people going outside of the United States to seek medical care. According to Deloitte, whereas in 2007, 750,000 Americans traveled abroad for medical care, it is anticipated that by 2010 this number will grow to 6,000,000. Dr. Smith further commented, “NeoStem believes that individuals in increasing numbers will seek safe and effective regenerative medicine therapies abroad that are not yet approved in the United States and many important clinical advances will be in hospitals and clinics outside the United States. We believe that we could gain value from this by including Medical Tourism in the Company’s future business strategy in collaboration with Dr Wang.”

The consideration to be paid by NeoStem to effect the acquisition is 5,000,000 shares of common stock. This acquisition is subject to the approval of the shareholders of NeoStem, Inc., regulatory approvals, as well as the satisfaction of other customary conditions and is expected to close in the 1st calendar quarter of 2009. The acquisition will be more fully described in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within four business days of the signing of the definitive agreement.

About NeoStem, Inc.

NeoStem is developing a network of adult stem cell collection centers that are focused on enabling people to donate and store their own (autologous) stem cells when they are young and healthy for their personal use in times for future medical need. The Company has also recently entered into research and development through the acquisition of a worldwide exclusive license to technology to identify and isolate VSELs (very small embryonic-like stem cells), which have been shown to have several physical characteristics that are generally found in embryonic stem cells.

   For more information, please visit: http://www.neostem.com/.     Forward-Looking Statements  

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect management’s current expectations, as of the date of this press release, and involve certain risks and uncertainties. The Company’s actual results, including the successful closing of the acquisition transaction and the realization of the potential strategic benefits of the transaction, could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Factors that could cause future results to materially differ from the recent results or those projected in forward-looking statements include the “Risk Factors” described in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company’s further development is highly dependent on future medical and research developments and market acceptance, which is outside its control.

   Contact:       NeoStem, Inc.       Robin Smith, Chief Executive Officer       T: 212-584-4180       E: [email protected]       http://www.neostem.com/  

NeoStem, Inc.

CONTACT: CONTACT: Robin Smith, Chief Executive Officer, NeoStem, Inc.,+1-212-584-4180, [email protected]

Web Site: http://www.neostem.com/

Life Time Fitness, Inc. (NYSE: LTM) today announced that the Grand Opening of its newest sports and athletic, professional fitness, family recreation and resort-spa center in Westminster, Colorado, will occur Wednesday, November 12, 2008, at 5:00 a.m. This is the Company’s second location in the Denver area, joining the Parker location that opened earlier this year.

Additionally, Life Time Fitness members, area residents and special guests will take part in a special VIP preview celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, November 11, 2008, beginning at 7:00 p.m. The event will offer tours of the distinctive, category redefining facility and feature opportunities to experience program demonstrations and activities.

In keeping with the Company’s commitment to help members achieve and lead healthy and active ways of life, Life Time Fitness Westminster offers a comprehensive array of family sports and recreation, health and fitness, and resort-spa amenities, programming and services, supported by a team of certified fitness and nutrition specialists.

Life Time officials commented on its second opening in Colorado. “We are proud to be a part of the Westminster community and to serve consumers with this incredible facility and associated healthy way of life programs and services, which are enveloped in a luxurious, resort-like environment,” said Mike Gerend, president and chief operating officer, Life Time Fitness. “We aim to address the health and fitness needs of the entire family, while delivering unprecedented experiences and value, making Life Time Fitness the ultimate destination for individuals and families seeking healthy, active lives.”

Among the multitude of Life Time Fitness Westminster amenities are more than 400 pieces of state-of-the-art cardiovascular and resistance equipment, multiple group exercise, cycle, Pilates and yoga studios, a team of certified personal trainers and programming, a wide selection of adult and youth programs and activities, an indoor rock climbing cavern, two full-size basketball courts, and dry saunas. The facility also features indoor and outdoor water parks with multiple pools.

Families will appreciate Life Time Fitness’ large, interactive child center, featuring a play maze, junior basketball court, computer lab, children’s activity areas, and a separate infant playroom. Dedicated family dressing rooms also are available.

Furthermore, members can take advantage of LifeSpa, which delivers a full range of hair, nail and skin care services, and therapeutic massage, and LifeCafe, which offers the best in healthy food and beverage services.

Life Time Fitness provides 24 hour access, complimentary towel and locker service, and an initial 30-day money-back guarantee with no long-term membership contracts.

For more information about Life Time Fitness Westminster, please visit www.lifetimefitness.com/westminster/

About Life Time Fitness, Inc.

Life Time Fitness, Inc. (NYSE: LTM) operates distinctive and large, multi-use sports and athletic, professional fitness, family recreation and resort and spa centers. The company also provides consumers with personal training consultation, full-service spas and cafes, corporate wellness programs, health and nutrition education, the healthy lifestyle magazine, Experience Life, athletic events, and nutritional products. As of November 3, 2008, Life Time Fitness operated 79 centers in 17 states, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Utah and Virginia. Life Time Fitness is headquartered in Chanhassen, Minnesota, and can be located on the Web at lifetimefitness.com. LIFE TIME FITNESS, EXPERIENCE LIFE, and the LIFE TIME FITNESS TRIATHLON SERIES are registered trademarks of Life Time Fitness, Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Note to Editors:

Life Time Fitness Westminster is located at 397 W. 148th Ave., Westminster, CO 80020.

The center’s telephone number is 303-429-8000.

Please contact Kent Wipf at 952-229-7211 or [email protected] for all Life Time Fitness preview, interview, photography or video requests.

One of the longest awaited events for individuals with disabilities is the day they finally become eligible for Medicare, according to Allsup, a leading provider of Social Security disability, Medicare, financial and healthcare-related services to people with disabilities. Unfortunately, the relief of qualifying for Medicare coverage quickly diminishes for too many when they select a plan that doesn’t meet their special needs and exposes them to unplanned medical and prescription drug costs.

“People think they’re playing it safe by choosing traditional Medicare. But those with a disability need to understand how limited traditional Medicare coverage can be for them and how difficult it is to get supplemental coverage,” said Paul Gada, personal financial planning director and product manager for Allsup Medicare Advisor(SM) service, which helps people with disabilities choose the best, most affordable Medicare plan to meet their specific needs.

Individuals with disabilities who can no longer work become eligible for Medicare 24 months after their date of entitlement to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. At that point, they can choose to enroll in a traditional Medicare program or a Medicare Advantage program. However, choosing the right plan that takes into account preexisting conditions and ongoing healthcare needs can be a daunting and confusing process.

Comparing Benefits of Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans

Two key factors in evaluating different Medicare options are coverage and cost, according to Gada.

Coverage

Traditional Medicare includes Part A (hospital) and Part B (medical). Yet, because traditional Medicare coverage is limited, many people also pay more to get supplement insurance (Medigap) and prescription drug coverage (Part D) to help offset high out-of-pocket expenses.

However, people with disabilities who choose traditional Medicare coverage often are unpleasantly surprised to learn they cannot take advantage of Medigap because pre-existing conditions frequently are excluded or have limited coverage.

In fact, 24 states also now severely limit Medicare supplement insurance options. In Texas, for example, people who are not yet 65 are limited as a group to getting only one Medicare supplement plan. This is the most limited standardized Medicare supplement plan of the 12 offered in Texas and provides only basic benefits. Meanwhile in 2008, Texans have 387 potential Medicare Advantage plans to choose from, 20 of which enroll only people with chronic or disabling conditions.

“An unfortunate irony is that medical issues related to the very disability that made them eligible for Medicare may also make them ineligible for supplemental insurance,” said Gada. “They find themselves with just basic coverage under Medicare and mounting, unplanned-for out-of-pocket expenses they can’t afford on SSDI income.”

Medicare Advantage plans, on the other hand, at a minimum cover everything offered by traditional Medicare (Parts A and B). Also, these plans are required to accept most Medicare beneficiaries since medical history cannot be a barrier to enrollment. Many Medicare Advantage plans also offer additional benefits not covered by traditional Medicare, such as dental care, hearing and vision screening.

Most Medicare Advantage plans also provide prescription drug coverage options. Having adequate drug coverage is very important, especially if you are facing thousands of dollars in non-covered prescription drug costs while in the Medicare coverage gap known as the donut hole. In 2008, the donut hole begins when an individual’s total drug costs reach $2,510, including the portion paid by Medicare and the individual’s own out-of-pocket deductibles and co-payments. The individual then must pay 100 percent of the next $3,216 in out-of-pocket costs for prescriptions until total drug costs reach $5,726, after which Medicare prescription drug coverage resumes.

Cost

Despite the added coverage, out-of-pocket costs are generally less costly with a Medicare Advantage plan than if an individual has traditional Medicare and Medigap supplemental insurance. Traditional Medicare Part A is free and Part B premiums are based on the individual’s income. For 2008, the monthly cost is $96.40 for single taxpayers with an income of $82,000 or less (or couples with $164,000 or less in income).

Everyone in a Medicare Advantage plan must pay the same monthly premium as those enrolled in traditional Medicare Part B. Additional costs depend on the benefits provided by the plan, with some charging an additional premium or having higher deductible and co-payment requirements. However, there are many Medicare Advantage plans that offer more coverage protection than Medicare Parts A and B, but have zero extra monthly premiums (above the Part B amount that normally is paid).

Also, Medicare Advantage plans still are generally less expensive than traditional Medicare because they cap the amount of out-of-pocket costs. For example, traditional Medicare plans typically require an individual to personally pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount out of their own pocket. For someone with high medical costs this can quickly add up. Medicare Advantage plans, however, limit annual out-of-pocket expenses, typically between $2,000 and $5,000.

“One of the worst surprises for someone on a fixed income is unexpected costs,” said Gada. “Rising living costs already are taking their toll; so to be hit with unplanned medical costs can be truly devastating.”

Medicare Advantage Options May Overwhelm Some

While Medicare Advantage plans can provide better coverage, the choices can seem overwhelming. Depending on where someone lives, the Medicare Advantage plan options number in the hundreds. For example, someone living in New York City has 107 health plans to choose from and someone in Miami has 104 plan options.

“It’s clear that people really need help in understanding their coverage options and prioritizing their needs so they can make a sound choice,” said Gada, adding that in addition to Allsup Medicare Advisor, which provides a custom, printed report on options based on an interview with the individual, individuals also can find information on various plans on the Medicare site.

About Allsup

Allsup, Belleville, Ill., is a leading nationwide provider of financial and healthcare related services to people with disabilities. Founded in 1984, Allsup has helped more than 110,000 people receive their entitled Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare benefits. Allsup employs more than 500 professionals who deliver services directly to consumers and their families, or through their employers and long-term disability insurance carriers.

The Allsup Medicare Advisor service provides customized, objective support to help individuals with disabilities navigate the complexities of Medicare and Medicare Advantage programs, analyze the best plan coverage and provider options based on individual preferences, better understand healthcare cost information, and simplify the confusing process of enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan.

For more information, visit www.Allsup.com.

The information provided is not intended as a substitute for legal or other professional services. Legal or other expert assistance should be sought before making any decision that may affect your situation.

 

IntraOp Medical Corporation (OTCBB: IOPM) today announced that it entered into an agreement with Southwest Florida Dermrad, LLC(TM) (Dermrad(TM)) in Fort Myers, Florida, to provide a Mobetron that will treat skin cancer patients with electron-beam radiation therapy. Dermrad(TM) selected the Mobetron because of its ability to provide desirable cosmetic outcomes for patients in an office setting, and potentially reduce the need for invasive skin cancer surgeries. IntraOp plans to install the Mobetron within the next 30 days.

In the United States, there are over 1 million nonmelanoma skin cancer cases per year. The current standard of care for these patients includes excisional surgery, Moh’s surgery, and electro-dessication curettage. Unfortunately, these invasive procedures can result in unsightly scarring, making them less desirable options for cosmetically sensitive areas such as the face. In addition, these surgical techniques are not always the preferred method of treatment for large tumors in areas with compromised blood supply. As such, elderly patients may have prolonged healing and wound infection with surgery, and may be better served with radiation to avoid these problems. Radiation can also be used to treat high risk cancers after surgery to prevent recurrence.

Radiation therapy was once a standard of care in dermatology, but fell out of favor due to lack of accessibility. Because the Mobetron delivers electron-beam radiation therapy in a fully mobile, self-shielding environment, dermatologists can now use electron-beam radiation in the office setting.

Radiation therapy treatment has comparable cure rates for all forms of basal and squamous cell skin cancers as surgery, making it an exciting alternative for many skin cancer patients. Electron-beam radiation is also an excellent complementary offering for dermatology practices since it offers very strong reimbursement from both Medicare and private payers and can be widely used for cosmetic treatments, such as the removal of keloid scars.

The Mobetron is currently in use at more than 26 hospitals around the world, including eight in the United States. The Mobetron is typically used to deliver intraoperative electron-beam radiation therapy (IOERT) to cancer patients at the time of surgery, in many cases eliminating the need for post-operative radiation treatment. Dermrad(TM) is the first in the world to deploy the Mobetron for non-surgical use in an office setting.

“I view the addition of the Mobetron to our dermatology practice as an important benefit for my patients,” says Andrew Jaffe, MD, a Dermrad(TM) founder. “We are very excited to begin offering non-surgical skin cancer treatment using the Mobetron as a compliment to our comprehensive skin cancer center.”

Dr. Jaffe continued, “Because the Mobetron does not require shielding, our dermatology group will be able to install the Mobetron directly in our office building, allowing our patients to receive treatments in a more hospitable and familiar surrounding. In addition to the convenience for the patients, this allows our doctors, working hand in hand with the radiation oncologist, to closely follow patient progress from our own facility.”

John Powers, President and CEO of IntraOp Medical, added, “Dr. Jaffe and his colleagues at Dermrad(TM) are on the leading edge of skin cancer innovation. We are thrilled that they have chosen the Mobetron to provide skin cancer patients with electron beam radiation treatment and anticipate that many dermatologists will follow suit.”

The Mobetron will be installed at Riverchase Dermatology by Demrad(TM), a newly formed service provider. Demrad is also considering the purchase of 10 additional Mobetrons to be installed at dermatology centers across the country.

About IntraOp

IntraOp Medical Corporation provides innovative technology solutions for the treatment and eradication of cancer. Founded in 1993, IntraOp is committed to providing the tools doctors need to administer intra-operative radiation therapy safely and effectively – for all cancer patients. The company’s flagship product, the Mobetron, is the first fully portable, self-shielding intra-operative electron radiation therapy device designed for use in any operating room. Key Mobetron benefits include: increased survival rates, better local tumor control, shorter treatment cycles, and fewer side effects. Leading hospitals, from university research centers to specialized cancer clinics in North America, Europe and Asia, use the Mobetron as a vital part of their comprehensive cancer program.

For more information on IntraOp Medical Corporation, please visit www.intraopmedical.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the 1933 Securities Act and Section 21E of the 1934 Securities Exchange Act. Actual results could differ materially, as the result of such factors as competition in the markets for the company’s products and services and the ability of the Company to execute its plans. By making these forward-looking statements, the Company can give no assurances that transactions described in this press release will be successfully completed, and undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this press release.

Biolex Therapeutics, Inc. announced that Walker Long, M.D. has joined the Company as Chief Medical Officer and Vice President, Drug Development, and that Anne McKay has joined as Vice President, Regulatory Affairs. Each of these pharmaceutical executives brings a proven track record in drug development and complement the experienced management team already in place. The Company also announced that it has promoted Bipin Dalmia, Ph.D., MBA, to Senior Vice President, Business Development and Intellectual Property.

As Chief Medical Officer and Vice President, Drug Development, Dr. Long leads the preclinical and clinical development of Biolex’s drug candidates including the clinical development of Locteron, currently in Phase 2 testing for the treatment of hepatitis C. Dr. Long previously served as Vice President, Clinical Development of AtheroGenics, Inc., where he directed clinical development, data management and statistical analysis. As Senior Vice President, Worldwide Project Operations at Cato Research, Ltd., a leading contract research organization, Dr. Long was the lead scientific medical and project officer for over 100 active drug development projects. He previously directed clinical research during his ten years at the Wellcome Research Laboratories at Burroughs Welcome Co., during which time two first-in-class drugs received approval. Dr. Long has also served on the faculty of the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina. Dr. Long received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

As Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, Ms. McKay is responsible for the development and implementation of the Company’s regulatory strategies and serves as primary liaison with the FDA and other regulatory agencies. Previously, Ms. McKay worked as a consultant with BWA Consulting, LLC providing regulatory and compliance guidance to a number of biotech and pharmaceutical companies. Ms. McKay also served previously as Executive Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance, with Triangle Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where her responsibilities included managing the regulatory activities for two drug candidates targeting HIV, including Emtriva(R), and two drug candidates targeting hepatitis B. Ms. McKay also served as Director, Regulatory Affairs, North America for Burroughs Wellcome Co., where she led all regulatory activities for numerous NDAs and INDs. Ms. McKay received a B.S., Animal Science, from Michigan State University.

Dr. Dalmia joined Biolex in August 2003 and prior to his promotion to Senior Vice President, Business Development, Intellectual Property, served as Vice President of Business Development. Dr. Dalmia is responsible for all business development activities at Biolex related to its drug candidates and platform technology, as well as management of the Company’s intellectual property portfolio and strategy. Prior to joining Biolex, Dr. Dalmia championed the creation of, and served as the Global Head, for Syngenta’s Biopharmaceuticals Business Unit. His other previous positions include Director of Product Concepts and Business Development at Novartis Agricultural Discovery Institute and Research Manager, Protein Core Facility at Pioneer Hi-Bred. Dr. Dalmia received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Iowa State University and his MBA from Drake University.

“During 2008 we have announced a number of major milestones, including the commencement of a U.S. Phase 2 trial of Locteron, a $60 million financing, and the acquisition of the full commercial rights to Locteron,” said Mr. Jan Turek, Biolex’s Chief Executive Officer. “We are very pleased to have Dr. Walker Long and Anne McKay join our management team as each possess skills, relevant experience and a track record of success that will be valuable as we advance the development of Locteron and our other candidates. We anticipate that both of these individuals will make important contributions to the continued success of Biolex.”

“We are also happy to recognize the contributions of Bipin Dalmia as he has been a key contributor to the Company’s success,” added Mr. Turek. “Bipin has led the development of our intellectual property strategy, and has directed partnering activities related to our LEX System technology and our product candidates. He also served as the primary negotiator on the recently-completed Locteron acquisition agreement.”

About Biolex Therapeutics

Biolex is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that uses its patented LEX System(SM) to develop hard-to-make therapeutic proteins and to optimize monoclonal antibodies. The LEX System is a novel technology that genetically transforms the aquatic plant Lemna to enable the production of biologic product candidates. The company’s product candidates are designed to provide superior efficacy/tolerability profiles and to address large, proven pharmaceutical markets. Biolex’s lead product candidate, Locteron(R), is in Phase 2 clinical testing for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Locteron is a controlled-release interferon alfa designed to improve patient care in the treatment of hepatitis C through a more favorable side-effect profile and dosing convenience compared to existing pegylated interferon products. Biolex has also developed two other product candidates that capitalize on the benefits of the LEX System which it is advancing toward clinical trials: BLX-155, a direct-acting thrombolytic designed to dissolve blood clots in patients; and BLX-301, an anti-CD20 antibody it is optimizing for the treatment of non-Hodgkin’s B-cell lymphoma and other diseases.

 Contacts: Media: Michelle Linn Linnden Communications 508-362-3087 Email Contact  Investors: Dale Sander Chief Financial Officer 858-663-6993 Email Contact

SOURCE: Biolex Therapeutics

LISLE, IL, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — SXC Health Solutions Corp. (“SXC” or the “Company”) , announces that its pharmacy benefit management (PBM) division, informedRx, has signed a five-year agreement with the Health Plan of San Mateo (HPSM) valued at more than $50 million annually. Based in San Francisco, California, HPSM provides health care benefits to 59,000 members.

“This is a great win for SXC as it expands our footprint in California and in the managed Medicaid market,” said Mark Thierer, President and CEO of SXC. “Our recent acquisition of NMHC provided us with several new service offerings, including specialty pharmacy management, that were key to our ability to secure this important customer. This is another example of how we can deploy our technology and services to address the unique needs of health care organizations that manage prescription drug benefit programs.”

Under the terms of the agreement, SXC will provide its full suite of informedRx PBM services along with specialty drug management and Medicare Part D services beginning January 1, 2009. SXC expects to generate approximately $50 million annually in revenue during the five-year term of the contract, recorded on a gross dollar basis.

“SXC’s PBM services come with full transparency that will enable us to track and manage our prescription drug program much more closely,” said MayaӚÓš Altman, Executive Director of HPSM. “Armed with this information and SXC’s innovative technology platform, we can take control of our benefit programs to ensure that they are cost effective and delivering a superior level of care to our members.”

About Health Plan of San Mateo

The Health Plan of San Mateo is a managed care health plan that provides health care benefits to San Mateo County’s underserved residents. Current membership is approximately 59,000. It is a County Organized Health System.

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 and professional services, designed for many of the largest organizations in the pharmaceutical supply chain, such as health plans, employers, Federal, state, and local governments, pharmacy benefit managers, managed care organizations, retail pharmacy chains and other healthcare intermediaries. SXC is headquartered in Lisle, Illinois with 13 locations in the US and Canada. For more information please visit http://www.sxc.com/.

SXC Health Solutions Inc.

CONTACT: Jeff Park, Chief Financial Officer, SXC Health Solutions, Inc.,Tel: (630) 577-3206, [email protected]; Dave Mason, Investor Relations -Canada, The Equicom Group Inc., (416) 815-0700 ext. 237,[email protected]; Susan Noonan, Investor Relations – U.S., The SANGroup, LLC, (212) 966-3650, [email protected]

Neoprobe, a biomedical company, has announced that the European Medicines Agency has provided positive formal responses to the company’s scientific advice submission regarding RIGScan CR and the pathway to receive a marketing authorization for the drug.

The company asked the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) to review its manufacturing and clinical development plan for RIGScan CR. The EMEA concurred that Neoprobe could use updated and improved manufacturing processes to produce the antibody that is used in RIGScan CR and would be able to use all previously produced drug safety data derived from prior clinical studies to support a marketing authorization.

The EMEA reviewed and agreed to the design and adequacy of a Phase III clinical study to be conducted in 380 patients with diagnosed primary or metastatic/recurrent colorectal cancer. The Phase III study would be a randomized trial with equal control and RIGScan CR treatment cohorts. The primary endpoint of the study would be improved survival for the RIGScan CR treated patients as compared to the control arm.

In addition, the EMEA agreed to the clinical need for a product like RIGScan CR to improve the treatment of patients with colorectal cancer. Finally, the EMEA provided Neoprobe the opportunity to request a conditional marketing authorization after completion of the initial antibody production or prospective clinical activities.

David Bupp, Neoprobe’s president and CEO, said: “The scientific advice response provides a clear, achievable development pathway for RIGScan CR. The response acknowledges that the technology meets a currently unmet medical need and has the potential for improving the long-term prognosis for both primary and recurrent colorectal patients.

“The EMEA has suggested a mechanism for an early termination of the study if, as anticipated, early improved outcomes are observed in the RIGScan treatment arm versus the control arm patients.”

Focused on restoring the state’s healthcare infrastructure post-Hurricane Katrina, Information & Quality Healthcare (IQH), the Medicare quality improvement organization for Mississippi, announced today that it has selected Medicity Inc., to connect the Mississippi Coastal Health Information Exchange (MSCHIE). As the market leader and one of the select Alpha Network Certification Process participants in the CCHIT certification process for health information exchanges (HIEs), Medicity delivers real-time clinical data exchange among all healthcare providers to improve patient outcomes and patient-provider relationships while reducing healthcare costs resulting from inefficiencies, medical errors and incomplete patient information.

“After thoroughly evaluating half a dozen vendors, we chose Medicity because of its proven track record in successfully launching clinical data exchanges in Delaware and California,” said James S. McIlwain, M.D., president and CEO of IQH. “The success of this HIE is critical as it will impact the future development of an expansive state-wide health information exchange.”

Initially, five provider organizations located in a six-county coastal area that was battered by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 will share data over the MSCHIE. Authorized clinicians will be able to access aggregated patient clinical information integrated from disparate systems, from any location, 24×7, via Medicity’s MediTrust interoperability platform and ProAccess clinical applications suite.

Dr. McIIwain, who in March 2007 was named co-chair of the Mississippi Health Information Infrastructure Technology Task Force by Governor Haley Barbour added, “To implement MSCHIE, IQH will collaborate closely with the state-appointed task force. The state has been keenly interested in using information technologies to facilitate clinical data exchange and ensure a community-based continuity of care record ever since Katrina damaged the healthcare infrastructure along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. The absence of detailed patient histories and medical records put the citizens of Mississippi at risk and created an information vacuum for physicians and nurses as they sought to provide high-quality healthcare in a variety of care settings across the state.”

Medicity’s MediTrust and ProAccess solutions, installed in a hosted, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model will provide the MSCHIE with a secure interoperability platform, enabling clinicians to access community-based patient health records, clinical messaging and e-consultation, medical claims, medication history and more. The Medicity interoperability platform, community master patient index and EMR gateway facilitate the exchange of clinical data to and from EMRs, hospital information systems and ancillary systems such as lab, radiology, pathology, transcription, etc.

“Medicity’s technology was developed to support our nation’s healthcare goals of interconnecting clinicians and healthcare organizations, encouraging physician adoption of EMRs, personalizing care through online personal health records, and improving public health through tracking and analysis of regional and national patient data trends,” said Kipp Lassetter, M.D., CEO of Medicity. “By sharing secure data on a daily basis, MSCHIE participants will enhance the overall continuity of care, reduce costs and ensure vital, up-to-date information are available to clinicians at the point-of-care.”

MSCHIE will initially deploy Medicity solutions in a centralized model to maximize sharing of clinical information across participants, but expects to expand to include Medicity’s Record Locating Service (RLS) to support those stakeholders across the state that would like to participate under a confederated or hybrid architecture model. MSCHIE’s approach also leverages Medicity’s security management, patient matching, clinical data indexing, retrieval and display. By integrating patient data from many disparate data sources, MSCHIE participants can improve healthcare outcomes by eliminating unnecessary tests and procedures, enabling more efficient clinical workflow for physicians and nurses and improve patient safety by reducing medical errors.

About Information & Quality Healthcare

Information & Quality Healthcare (IQH) is the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Mississippi. By serving as a resource to the state’s healthcare providers and to the Medicare beneficiaries, IQH seeks to fulfill its vision to be a leader in promoting a quality and cost-effective healthcare system. For more information please visit www.iqh.org.

About Medicity

With a single point of access to multiple data sources within and across healthcare enterprises, Medicity, Inc. empowers patients, providers and health plans with essential healthcare information, resulting in improved clinical workflow, enhanced patient safety and reduced costs. Medicity, Inc. serves more than 1,800 healthcare organizations globally and has been connecting healthcare since 1998. For more information please visit www.medicity.com.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company has announced positive data from two separate cohort evaluations, in which long-term treatment with Baraclude was associated with improved liver histology, including improvement in fibrosis, in chronic hepatitis B patients.

New long-term histology results were presented from a cohort of 57 nucleoside-naive patients from rollover study ETV-901. ETV-901 provided long-term treatment with Baraclude 1mg for patients who have completed Phase II-III studies. Patients followed in this cohort received Baraclude for a median of six years across the studies (ETV-022, -027 and -901) and had evaluable baseline and long-term liver biopsies.

Of the 57 patients, 96% experienced improvement in liver histology (improvement in how the liver tissue looks under a microscope). Improvement in liver histology was defined as greater than or equal to a two-point decrease in Knodell necroinflammatory score and no worsening of Knodell fibrosis score. Additionally, 88% of patients experienced a reduction in liver fibrosis, defined as improvement in Ishak fibrosis score (greater than or equal to a one-point decrease).

Control of viral replication is an important goal of chronic hepatitis B treatment. At the time of the ETV-901 long-term biopsy, 100% of subjects with evaluable liver biopsies had undetectable viral load (HBV DNA less than 300 copies/mL by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)).

Histology results were also presented from the open-label rollover study ETV-060, which evaluated Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis B. This cohort included 37 treatment-naive patients and 27 patients resistant to treatment with lamivudine from two Phase II studies (ETV-053, ETV-052) who had liver biopsies after receiving at least three years of treatment with Baraclude.

Of these 64 patients, 100% of treatment-naive patients and 89% of lamivudine-refractory patients experienced improvement in liver histology (measured by a greater than or equal to a two-point decrease in Knodell necroinflammatory score), and 47% of treatment-naive and 32% of lamivudine-refractory patients experienced an improvement in liver fibrosis (greater than or equal to a one-point decrease in Knodell fibrosis score).

Yun-Fan Liaw, lead investigator for the long-term histology cohort (subset of ETV-901), from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, said: “These data suggest that long-term treatment with Baraclude has the potential to stop liver damage and may even improve liver fibrosis caused by chronic hepatitis B infection. The ability to provide effective long-term treatment with a potent antiviral with minimal resistance represents a positive step forward.”

BEDFORD, Mass., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Insulet Corporation, , the global leader in patch pump technology, and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) today announced that Insulet is an official partner of IDF’s World Diabetes Day (WDD) campaign. World Diabetes Day, celebrated on November 14, will raise awareness of children and adolescents with diabetes, spotlighting both the impact of the disease and access to care.

“Insulet’s mission is to improve the lives of people with diabetes, so we felt it was imperative to join IDF to increase global awareness of this devastating disease, which affects millions of people worldwide,” said Duane DeSisto, Insulet’s president & chief executive officer. “Our easy-to-use OmniPod(R) Insulin Management System helps people with diabetes stay healthy while living life fully. OmniPod’s innovative, tubing-free design provides all the benefits of pump therapy, which supplies the best control over diabetes, while eliminating the hassles of a traditional pump. Its virtually pain-free automated insertion has no needles in sight, which appeals to both children and adults. But primarily, OmniPod enables people with diabetes to simply live their lives normally.”

The campaign also emphasizes that, with the right treatment, children and adolescents can live full, healthy and productive lives. To ensure this, it’s vital that parents know the early warning signs of diabetes and if their child shows these signs, to seek immediate medical attention. These signs include:

   -- Frequent urination   -- Excessive thirst   -- Increased hunger   -- Rapid weight loss   -- Tiredness   -- Lack of interest and concentration   -- Blurred vision   -- Vomiting and stomach pain (often mistaken as the flu)    

“We are extremely pleased that Insulet is an official partner in World Diabetes Day and very much welcome their support and expertise in diabetes to bring attention to the disease,” said World Diabetes Day Campaign Director Phil Riley.

Introduced by IDF and the World Health Organization in 1991, World Diabetes Day is celebrated every year on November 14 because it marks the birthday of Frederick Banting, who, along with Charles Best, is credited with the discovery of insulin. All WDD partners share the goal of increasing diabetes awareness, care and priority in the world health arena.

In addition to partnering in the WDD campaign, Insulet is focused on raising awareness of diabetes during November, National Diabetes Awareness Month, through a series of local market efforts in cities throughout the United States.

About Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease characterized by the destruction of more than 90% of the body’s insulin-producing cells. It can neither be prevented nor cured. Globally, it is the most common form of diabetes in children, affecting around 500,000 children under 15, with 70,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Prevalence is increasing most quickly among pre-school children, at a rate of 5% per year.

About the International Diabetes Federation

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is an umbrella organization of over 200 member associations in more than 160 countries, advocating for the more than 250 million people with diabetes, their families, and their healthcare providers. Its mission is to promote diabetes care, prevention and a cure worldwide. The International Diabetes Federation is an NGO in official relations with the World Health Organization and an associated NGO with the United Nations Department of Public Information. The International Diabetes Federation leads the World Diabetes Day and Unite for Diabetes campaigns. Additional information is available at http://www.idf.org/

About the OmniPod Insulin Management System

Cleared by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in January 2005, the OmniPod Insulin Management System offers people living with insulin-requiring diabetes unprecedented freedom, comfort and ease in managing their diabetes. The System currently consists of two devices, the compact, lightweight OmniPod, which is worn discreetly beneath clothing and delivers precise, personalized doses of insulin based on instructions programmed wirelessly using its companion, the handheld, wireless Personal Diabetes Manager (PDM). The OmniPod features no tubing and virtually pain-free automated insertion. The PDM, which is very similar in look and feel to a personal digital assistant, features an integrated blood glucose meter, disease management software and integrated storage and display of all insulin delivery, blood glucose and carbohydrate records.

About Insulet Corporation

Insulet Corporation is an innovative medical device company dedicated to improving the lives of people with diabetes. The Company’s OmniPod Insulin Management System is a revolutionary, discreet and easy-to-use insulin infusion system that features two easy-to-use parts with no tubing and fully-automated cannula insertion. Through the OmniPod System, Insulet seeks to expand the use of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy among people with insulin-requiring diabetes. Founded in 2000, Insulet is based in Bedford, MA.

    Contact:     Rachel Kessler, Lazar Partners     (917) 660-0608     Mark Sahl, Lazar Partners     (646) 871-8485  

Insulet Corporation

CONTACT: Rachel Kessler, +1-917-660-0608, or Mark Sahl, +1-646-871-8485,both of Lazar Partners for Insulet Corporation

Web site: http://www.idf.org/

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ — Nearly half of all Americans suffer from one or more chronic diseases, many of which are manageable and preventable. Data released today show that many people, despite knowing that they have a chronic disease, such as diabetes or asthma, may not understand the extent or seriousness of their health problems. The data were collected at local health screening events sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline to educate people on the impact of chronic diseases and encourage them to take better control of their health. GlaxoSmithKline has partnered with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) and WebMD to help people become more engaged in managing their personal health. A new offering, available at big5healthcheck.webmd.com, will enable WebMD visitors to assess their own health risks and will provide a personalized self-assessment, with recommendations and an action plan/ doctor’s report for the five biggest health risks.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/gsk/35702/

Data collected from nation-wide health screenings of 65,000 people found that many with chronic diseases reported that they were in good health. However, results showed that this is often not the case. In a large percentage of those living with chronic diseases such as diabetes or asthma, screening results revealed that many of these chronic diseases were not in healthy ranges.

“These screening results show that we need to do a better job educating everyone about the dangers of living with chronic diseases. The public needs to know that making small changes toward healthier living, including avoiding tobacco usage, can have a big impact on their health regardless of whether or not they have a chronic disease,” said John Robitscher, Executive Director, National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD). “As chronic disease directors, we have an opportunity to intervene and motivate the public to take action. Not only can people find health information through their local, state and national health departments, but with more frequent visits to the doctor and tools such as the Big 5 Health Check, patients can better manage their risks and take action to prevent a decline in their overall health status.”

   What the Data Uncovered   --  Although approximately 70 percent of participants reported their       health to be "excellent"       --  Nearly half of those who reported that they had type 2 diabetes,           or were shown to be at risk for developing it, showed poor glucose           control -- based on a test that gives a picture of the average           amount of sugar in the blood for the past two to three months to           gauge how well one's diabetes treatment plan is working.       --  Nearly one-third of patients with asthma had poor control of their           condition.   --  Of the individuals with poorly controlled diabetes or asthma,       approximately 70 percent had not visited a primary care physician in       the last year.       --  Similar results were uncovered for measures of obesity, high           cholesterol and high blood pressure.       --  Lack of insurance coverage for physician visits was likely not a           factor, as the majority of screening participants reported having           some type of health insurance.    Reasons for Concern  

People who do not manage their chronic diseases may develop further complications, leading to greater health problems. For example, patients with diabetes are at risk for cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, blindness, and amputation if they do not maintain control of their diabetes. Every day in the United States, diabetes causes an estimated 194 amputations, 128 people to start therapy for end-stage kidney disease, and at least 33 people to lose their eyesight. Poorly controlled asthma can progress from mild and occasional symptoms to life threatening episodes.

Chronic diseases are the primary driver of healthcare spending and account for $3 of every $4 spent on healthcare. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), preventive screenings and early intervention represent important steps in controlling the personal and financial costs of chronic diseases.

“In practical terms, we spend more money on the cost of a movie ticket or to change the oil in our cars, than we do on preventive health measures,” continued Mr. Robitscher. “Yet, a focus on preventing and better managing chronic diseases has the potential to save lives and money in the long-run, and this starts with changing the focus of our health care system from managing sickness to maintaining overall health through moderate changes in healthy behavior.”

Reasons for Hope

The Triple Solution for a Healthier America advocates a three-part approach to tackle chronic diseases. The goal of this initiative is to help improve health and lower healthcare costs by focusing on prevention (empowering people to make healthier choices and prevent chronic diseases), intervention (helping individuals with chronic diseases get early diagnosis, appropriate treatment and quality care), and innovation (continuing the search for better treatments and cures for chronic diseases through medical research and healthcare technologies). To help Americans better maintain their health, Triple Solution for a Healthier America encourages people to use the Big 5 Health Check tool, now available at big5healthcheck.webmd.com, to assess their risk of chronic diseases.

Campaign support is provided by GSK’s Triple Solution for a Healthier America. For more information, visit http://www.forahealthieramerica.com/.

About the Data

GSK screened approximately 65,000 individuals attending free health fairs in cities across the country over a four-year period as part of its Healthy Communities program. The results were analyzed to determine whether individuals were managing their health and to potentially aid in finding solutions that will allow them to make better decisions for healthier lifestyles and have more informed conversations with their healthcare providers. This aggregated data included anonymous patient-reported information as well as a limited set of clinical screening test values. However, not all of the individuals participated in each screening test because participation was voluntary.

GlaxoSmithKline — one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies — is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.

   Media Contact:   Michael McTigue   Director of Communications   +1 (215) 751.7709   [email protected]  

Video: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/gsk/35702/

GlaxoSmithKline

CONTACT: Michael McTigue, Director of Communications, GlaxoSmithKline,+1-215-751-7709, [email protected]

Web Site: http://www.big5healthcheck.webmd.com/http://www.forahealthieramerica.com/

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — VNUS(R) Medical Technologies, Inc. , a leading provider of medical devices for the minimally invasive treatment of venous reflux disease, today announced the hiring of Guido Smeets, MD, as Vice President of Clinical Research and Chief Medical Officer.

Dr. Smeets joins VNUS with over 17 years of clinical experience. Prior to joining VNUS, Dr. Smeets served as the Head of Clinical Affairs for Pelikan Technologies, Inc., a privately held diagnostic testing platform company. Prior to joining Pelikan Technologies, he was Vice President of Clinical Development for Ilypsa, Inc. and Vice President of Clinical Development for GMP Companies, Inc. Dr. Smeets held increasingly responsible positions in Clinical Research at Mallinckrodt BV and Mallinckrodt, Inc., as well as in Sales and Marketing at Johnson & Johnson and Mallinckrodt BV. Dr. Smeets holds a Doctor of Medicine from Utrecht University, School of Medicine, The Netherlands and an MBA from Erasmus University, Rotterdam School of Management, The Netherlands.

VNUS President & Chief Executive Officer Brian Farley stated, “Dr. Smeets brings a tremendous amount of pre-clinical, clinical development and device commercialization experience to our company with his prior responsibilities in clinical research and sales in the medical device and pharmaceutical fields. These skills make him a highly welcome addition to the VNUS organization and Senior Management Team.”

About VNUS Medical Technologies, Inc.

VNUS is a leading provider of medical devices for the minimally invasive treatment of venous reflux, a progressive condition caused by incompetent vein valves in the leg. VNUS sells the Closure system, which consists of a proprietary radiofrequency (RF) generator and proprietary disposable endovenous catheters and devices to treat diseased veins through the application of temperature-controlled RF energy. For more information, please visit the corporate website at http://www.vnus.com/.

VNUS Medical Technologies, Inc.

CONTACT: Brian Farley, President and Chief Executive Officer of VNUSMedical Technologies, Inc., +1-408-360-7200

Web site: http://www.vnus.com/

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SLXP) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing approval for APRISO(TM) (mesalamine) extended-release capsules 0.375 g. APRISO is a locally-acting aminosalicylate indicated for the maintenance of remission of ulcerative colitis (UC) in adults. APRISO is the first and only mesalamine product approved by the FDA for once-a-day dosing for the maintenance of remission of ulcerative colitis. Additionally, APRISO is the first and only 5-ASA with Intellicor(TM) extended release delivery technology. The Company expects to launch APRISO to physicians during the first quarter of 2009. APRISO is patent protected until 2018.

Bill Forbes, Pharm. D., Vice President, Research and Development, and Chief Development Officer, Salix, stated, “APRISO is an important new once-daily treatment option that encourages compliance in ulcerative colitis patients and provides effective long-term protection from ulcerative colitis flare-ups. A major goal of UC therapy is to prevent relapse which may decrease the risk of disease progression. APRISO accomplishes this goal through the combination of an enteric pH-dependent coating which provides for a delayed release starting at a pH of 6.0 and a polymer matrix core, which provides for extended release. This patented delivery technology is designed to distribute the active ingredient beginning in the small bowel and continuing throughout the colon. Previous generation pH-dependent 5-ASA treatment options provide for release of the active ingredient starting at a pH of 7.0. According to published data, many people never reach a pH of 7.0 in their small or large intestine. APRISO represents a new and important advancement in 5-ASA drug delivery.”

The approval is based on results from two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multi-center, multi-national studies totaling 562 adults in remission from ulcerative colitis. The studies showed that APRISO was more effective than placebo in maintaining long-term remission for six months. In both studies, the proportion of patients who remained relapse-free at six months was greater for APRISO than for placebo.

In these studies APRISO offered clinically-proven efficacy in extending both remission and relief of UC symptoms:

— Maintained remission for six months in 7 out of 10 UC patients in two clinical trials and

— Sustained improvement in rectal bleeding and bowel movement frequency.

APRISO’s patented Intellicor(TM) delivery system is the first and only to combine delayed and extended 5-ASA release.

— Unlike tablets, APRISO’s gelatin outer capsule quickly dissolves in the stomach to disperse microgranules into the digestive tract.

— Next, a delayed-release coating on the microgranules dissolves at pH 6.0 or higher.

— Last, an inner polymer matrix core controls the extended release of mesalamine to provide drug distribution throughout affected areas.

About Mesalamine Granules

APRISO(TM) is a locally-acting aminosalicylate indicated for the maintenance of remission of ulcerative colitis in patients 18 years and older. APRISO is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to salicylates, aminosalicylates, or to any of the components of APRISO capsules. The recommended dose of APRISO is four 0.375 g capsules once daily in the morning (1.5 g/day) with or without food. Because dissolution of the coating of APRISO granules depends on pH, APRISO should not be coadministered with antacids. Patients with phenylketonuria should be aware that APRISO contains aspartame, equivalent to 0.56 mg of phenylalanine. In two well-controlled clinical trials, the most common treatment-related adverse events occurring in greater than 3% of adult patients taking 1.5 g/day of APRISO (versus placebo) were headache (11% vs 8%), diarrhea (8% vs 7%), upper abdominal pain (5% vs 3%), nausea (4% vs 3%), nasopharyngitis (4% vs 3%), influenza and influenza-like illness (4% vs 4%) and sinusitis (3% vs 3%).

Salix acquired rights to market APRISO in the U.S. from Dr. Falk Pharma GmbH of Freiburg, Germany. Mesalamine granules have been approved in Germany since 2001 for the treatment of symptoms related to inflammatory bowel disease. In addition, consistent with the FDA-approved labeling, once-daily dosing of mesalamine granules is currently approved via the mutual recognition procedure in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Spain and the UK.

About Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the colon or large intestine. The inflammation usually begins in the rectum and lower colon, but it may also involve the entire colon. Because the inflammation makes the colon empty frequently, symptoms typically include diarrhea (sometimes accompanied by blood) and often abdominal pain. About five percent of people with ulcerative colitis will develop colorectal cancer.

Patients with ulcerative colitis may experience periods of remission (times when the symptoms go away) that can last for months or years. However, most patients’ symptoms eventually return. Active therapy is treatment given to treat ulcerative colitis symptoms when they are active. Maintenance therapy refers to treatment given to patients to enable them to stay in remission, and to maintain their health in a disease-free, or limited-disease, state. Maintenance medications must be taken for a prolonged period of time.

About Salix Pharmaceuticals

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, develops and markets prescription pharmaceutical products for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. Salix’s strategy is to in-license late-stage or marketed proprietary therapeutic drugs, complete with any required development and regulatory submission of these products, and market them through the Company’s gastroenterology specialty sales and marketing team.

About Dr. Falk Pharma

Dr. Falk Pharma GmbH is one of the most recognized companies worldwide in gastroenterology. Dr. Falk Pharma products are sold in more than 60 countries. The Falk Foundation, which is associated with the Company, provides medical information via international symposia, forums and postgraduate courses. Over the past 40 years the Falk Foundation has sponsored more than 200 symposia in which over 100,000 physicians from 110 countries have come together to advance knowledge in gastroenterology and hepatology.

Salix also markets XIFAXAN(R) (rifaximin) tablets 200 mg, OSMOPREP(R) (sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate, USP and sodium phosphate dibasic anhydrous, USP) Tablets, MOVIPREP(R) (PEG 3350, Sodium Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Ascorbate and Ascorbic Acid for Oral Solution), VISICOL(R) (sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate, USP, and sodium phosphate dibasic anhydrous, USP) Tablets, COLAZAL(R) (balsalazide disodium) Capsules 750 mg, PEPCID(R) (famotidine) for Oral Suspension, Oral Suspension DIURIL(R) (Chlorothiazide), AZASAN(R) Azathioprine Tablets, USP, 75/100 mg, ANUSOL-HC(R) 2.5% (Hydrocortisone Cream, USP), ANUSOL-HC(R) 25 mg Suppository (Hydrocortisone Acetate), PROCTOCORT(R) Cream (Hydrocortisone Cream, USP) 1% and PROCTOCORT(R) Suppository (Hydrocortisone Acetate Rectal Suppositories) 30 mg. METOZOLV(TM) ODT (metoclopramide), balsalazide tablet, vapreotide acetate and rifaximin for additional indications are under development.

For full prescribing information on Salix products, please visit www.salix.com.

Salix trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “SLXP”.

For more information, please visit our Web site at www.salix.com or contact the Company at 919-862-1000. Information on our Web site is not incorporated into our SEC filings.

Please Note: The materials provided herein contain projections and other forward-looking statements regarding future events. Such statements are just predictions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual events or results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: market acceptance for approved products; our need to return to profitability; generic and other competition; the possible impairment of, or inability to obtain, intellectual property rights and the costs of obtaining such rights from third parties; and the need to acquire new products. The reader is referred to the documents that the Company files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Fitch Ratings has affirmed the rating on approximately $39.9 million of Puerto Rico Industrial, Tourist, Educational, Medical, and Environmental Control Facilities Financing Authority’s hospital revenue bonds (Mennonite General Hospital Project), series 1996A and 1997. The Rating Outlook is Stable.

The affirmation is supported by Mennonite General Hospital’s (MGH) consistent operating performance, solid utilization trends, good debt service coverage, and dominant market position. MGH ended fiscal 2008 with income from operations of $3.19 million (2.5% operating margin and 9.7% operating EBITDA margin), equating to a fourth consecutive year of positive operating earnings after five years of operating losses. These trends have largely been driven by a substantial increase in patient volumes. MGH has seen patient days increase year over year since fiscal 2005, for a total increase of 15% over that period. In particular, MGH saw patient days increase over 9,000 days in fiscal 2008 from fiscal 2007 due to the addition of 37 beds in June 2007. Further, as a result of the improved operating performance, debt service coverage by earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization has been 2.1 times (x) over the last two fiscal years. MGH also benefits from having the only two acute care hospitals in its primary service area (Cayey and Aibonito municipalities), and there are no major competing private ambulatory service facilities.

Primary credit concerns for MGH include weak liquidity, high days in accounts receivable, and a high reliance on top ten admitting physicians. For fiscal 2008, unrestricted cash measured approximately $10.8 million, translating to 34 days cash on hand and cash to debt of 22%. However, MGH has funded several capital projects with cash and has seen capital expenditures as a percentage of depreciation expense equal 130% for fiscal 2008 and 222% for fiscal 2007. This compares favorably to Fitch’s below investment grade median of 76%. Due to local Puerto Rican laws, collection from insurance companies is far slower than that of the United States and in combination with the Medicare Advantages program, days in accounts receivable is at a high 99 days. Lastly, MGH has had a historically high reliance on their top ten admitting physicians, exposing MGH to reductions in volumes due to physician departures. In fiscal 2008, the top ten admitters comprised 67% of admissions at the Aibonito Hospital and 53% at the Cayey Hospital.

The Stable Outlook is based on Fitch’s belief that MGH will continue to have positive operating performance and the hospitals will be able to sustain the utilization trends we have seen over the last few years. Additionally, consistent operating performance should help to increase liquidity measures.

Mennonite General Hospital is a two hospital system in Puerto Rico comprised of the 150-bed hospital in Aibonito, and 157-bed hospital in Cayey. Total revenues for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2008 was approximately $128 million. MGH covenants to provide annual disclosure of financial statements and utilization statistics and has been excellent in terms of timeliness.

Fitch’s rating definitions and the terms of use of such ratings are available on the agency’s public site, www.fitchratings.com. Published ratings, criteria and methodologies are available from this site, at all times. Fitch’s code of conduct, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, affiliate firewall, compliance and other relevant policies and procedures are also available from the ‘Code of Conduct’ section of this site.

MILWAUKEE, Oct. 31 /PRNewswire/ — The Aurora Visiting Nurse Association honored donors, caregivers and friends of the VNA from across southeast Wisconsin during the home health and hospice agency’s annual meeting.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081031/AQF531)

Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin was recognized as corporate friend of the year for its support of Aurora VNA’s pediatric program.

“The relationship between Aurora VNA and Children’s Hospital has been critical to the success of our pediatric programs,” said Candace Hennessy, president of Aurora VNA.

“I would like to thank Children’s for its longstanding support of our mission to meet the home care needs of children, from newborns to teenagers, who have chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, asthma and cystic fibrosis and who rely on Aurora VNA caregivers to help them stay at home and out of the hospital.”

In addition to home infusion therapies, home medical equipment and transitional services, the Aurora VNA provides a variety of specialty programs, including pediatric hospice, to meet the individual needs of our patients and families.

Hennessy also stressed the role that community members play in supporting Aurora VNA’s mission.

“Patient-centered care is at the heart of what we do each day as we enter families’ homes. But we are not alone in our mission. We are fortunate to have friends, family members and volunteers who are an integral part of our team,” Hennessy said.

Among those individuals honored were:

Norrie Daroga of Bayside received the Sarah Boyd Award, which is given to Aurora VNA’s donor of the year in recognition of his philanthropic support to the organization. Sarah Boyd created the VNA to “give skilled nursing care and health instruction to the sick in their homes regardless of race, color, creed or ability to pay.”

Anna Rios of Kenosha, who has worked tirelessly to meet the needs of her son, Manuel, was named care partner of the year. The award is given to a caregiver who has exemplified dedication, loyalty and skill in caring for their loved one

Dennis and Marjorie Pierce of Muskego were named volunteers of the year for their outstanding commitment to patients and families. The Pierces have provided home respite care as well as other duties for Aurora VNA hospice.

Retiring board member Jim DeWees of Brookfield also was honored for his service.

The Aurora Visiting Nurse Association of Wisconsin is a not-for-profit agency that has been committed to keeping people independent in their homes since 1907. The Aurora VNA is the most comprehensive source of home care services in eastern Wisconsin. Aurora VNA is part of Aurora Health Care, a not-for-profit Wisconsin health care provider and a nationally recognized leader in efforts to improve the quality of health care.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081031/AQF531AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN10PRN Photo Desk, [email protected]

Aurora Health Care

CONTACT: Sue Pierman of Aurora Health Care, +1-414-647-6432

Web site: http://www.aurorahealthcare.org/

UCB announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the anti-muscarinic agent Toviaz(R) (fesoterodine fumarate) extended-release tablets for the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB) with symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, urgency, and urinary frequency.

The NDA approval was granted to Pfizer Inc., New York, USA, which in April 2006 acquired the exclusive world-wide rights to Toviaz(R) from Schwarz Pharma, now a member of the UCB Group. UCB will be entitled to receive royalties on the combined sales of Toviaz(R) and Pfizer’s current Detrol(R) (tolterodine) product line. Upon this approval, UCB will also receive a milestone payment from Pfizer. Details of the agreement are not disclosed.

TOVIAZ is structurally related to Pfizer’s OAB medication Detrol(R) LA (tolterodine tartrate extended-release capsules). The 4 mg and 8 mg doses of TOVIAZ allow dosing flexibility to optimize treatment based on individual patient response and tolerability.

Toviaz(R) is approved in the EU and was launched by Pfizer mid-2008.

About UCB

UCB (Brussels, Belgium, www.ucb-group.com) is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the research, development and commercialization of innovative medicines with a focus on central nervous system and immunology disorders. Employing around 12,000 people in over 40 countries, UCB achieved revenue of EUR 3.6 billion in 2007. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB).

Forward Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current plans, estimates and beliefs of management. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those that may be implied by such forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Important factors that could result in such differences include: changes in general economic, business and competitive conditions, effects of future judicial decisions, changes in regulation, exchange rate fluctuations and hiring and retention of its employees.

French and Dutch translations will be available as of Monday November 3rd on www.ucb-group.com

This announcement was originally distributed by Hugin. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Copyright Copyright Hugin AS 2008. All rights reserved.

 Further information Antje Witte Corporate Communications & Investor Relations UCB Group T +32.2.559.9414 Email Contact  Mareike Mohr Investor Relations UCB Group T +32.2.559.9264 Email Contact  Michael Tuck-Sherman Investor Relations UCB Group T +32.2.559.9712 Email Contact

SOURCE: UCB

Pfizer Inc said today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved TOVIAZ(TM) (fesoterodine fumarate) extended release tablets for the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms. New once-daily TOVIAZ can significantly reduce the number of urge urinary incontinence episodes and the frequency of urination over 24 hours, symptoms of OAB that can significantly impact patients’ lives. Overactive bladder is a bothersome medical condition that affects an estimated one in six Americans, yet still remains highly undertreated. TOVIAZ is currently available in Europe.

Structurally related to the most prescribed OAB medication, Pfizer’s Detrol(R) LA (tolterodine tartrate extended release capsules), TOVIAZ can help regulate the involuntary contractions of the bladder associated with OAB. These contractions cause frequent, sudden urges to urinate. The two efficacious and well-tolerated doses of TOVIAZ, 4 mg and 8 mg, allow dosing flexibility to optimize treatment based on the individual patient response and tolerability.

“The emotional and social implications for people who suffer from OAB are challenging, yet the condition remains underdiagnosed and highly undertreated,” said Nancy Muller, executive director, National Association For Continence. “We need to encourage people with OAB symptoms to stop simply coping and start talking to their doctors about finding treatment approaches that work for them. New treatments, like TOVIAZ, offer healthcare professionals another option to help their patients.”

Symptoms of OAB can have a profound effect on workplace productivity, social and sexual activity and sleep. Overactive bladder may also lead to other health problems, such as falls and fractures, urinary tract infections and skin disorders, sleep problems and depression. Despite the impact of OAB on patients’ lives, research, including a March 2008 National Institutes of Health (NIH) report, concludes that the embarrassment and stigma associated with incontinence can cause sufferers to try to hide the condition from families, friends and even their doctors. As a result, many with incontinence conditions suffer without seeking help.

“Pfizer is proud to offer TOVIAZ, a new treatment for OAB symptoms that builds on our strong heritage in urology,” said Jim Maffezzoli, senior director, group leader, Pfizer. “We will continue to partner with physicians and patients to provide extensive support and education to help enhance treatment success.”

Dr. Victor Nitti, professor and vice chairman of urology at the New York University Langone Medical Center and a principal investigator for TOVIAZ, added, “The FDA approval of TOVIAZ is good news for patients and treating physicians. Clinical trials with TOVIAZ showed strong efficacy and favorable tolerability, and the ability to titrate the dose of TOVIAZ allows physicians flexibility in treating each patient based on individual history and need.”

TOVIAZ Data Demonstrate Efficacy, Safety

The approval of TOVIAZ is based on two large 12-week Phase III clinical studies of 1,964 OAB patients. In these studies, patients showed up to an 88 percent median reduction in urge urinary incontinence with TOVIAZ 8 mg versus 50 percent with placebo. Treatment with TOVIAZ 8 mg reduced the number of urinations per day by up to 19 percent compared to an 11 percent reduction with placebo treatment. Reductions in wetting accidents with TOVIAZ were seen as early as week two of treatment and maintained over 12 weeks.

In clinical studies, the most commonly reported adverse event was dry mouth (incidence of 7 percent for placebo; 19 percent for TOVIAZ 4 mg; 35 percent for TOVIAZ 8 mg). Most cases of dry mouth were mild to moderate with less than one percent of patients discontinuing TOVIAZ due to dry mouth. There was a low incidence of constipation (2 percent with placebo; 4 percent with 4 mg; 6 percent with 8 mg). TOVIAZ was evaluated for up to three years in open-label studies, with an adverse event profile similar to that seen in previous trials.

TOVIAZ will be available in the United States in the first half of 2009.

Important Safety Information for TOVIAZ and Detrol LA

TOVIAZ and DETROL LA treat the symptoms of overactive bladder (leaks, strong sudden urges to go, going too often).

If you have certain stomach problems, glaucoma, or trouble getting urine to pass, you shouldn’t take TOVIAZ or DETROL LA.

The most common side effects (greater than or equal to 4%) of TOVIAZ are dry mouth and constipation.

The most common side effects (greater than or equal to 4%) of DETROL LA are dry mouth, headache, constipation, and abdominal pain.

TOVIAZ and DETROL LA, like all medicines, have benefits and risks. There may be other options. Ask your doctor if TOVIAZ or DETROL LA is right for you. For more information, visit TOVIAZ.com. or DETROLLA.com.

About Overactive Bladder

Overactive bladder is a treatable medical condition defined by urinary urgency (a sudden compelling desire to pass urine that is difficult to defer) with or without urgency urinary incontinence (the involuntary leakage of any amount of urine, associated with or immediately preceded by urgency), increased daytime urinary frequency and nocturia.

Overactive bladder affects an estimated one in six Americans; yet it is not necessarily a natural part of aging as many people assume. Overactive bladder can impact a wide range of health-related quality of life issues. However, many people with OAB do not seek medical help due to embarrassment or the belief that nothing can be done to alleviate their symptoms.

Please visit www.TOVIAZ.com for full prescribing and patient information.

PHOENIX, Oct. 31 /PRNewswire/ — Arizona Heart Institute announced today that its Division of Vascular Surgery was the first to implant, in Phoenix, the Powerlink XL, a newly FDA-approved, minimally invasive device for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). The procedure was performed at Arizona Heart Hospital by Julio Rodriguez-Lopez, M.D., Vascular Surgeon and Director of Peripheral Vascular Services at Arizona Heart Institute and Arizona Heart Hospital, who repaired a 6 cm aneurysm in a patient having an aortic neck diameter of 30 mm.

AAA is a weakening in the wall of the abdominal aorta which results in a balloon-like enlargement. About 1.7 million Americans have AAAs, and the incidence of the condition increases with age. An enlarged AAA leaves the aorta vulnerable to rupture which can lead to internal bleeding and death in many cases. Ruptured AAA is the 13th leading cause of death in the United States. The minimally invasive treatment, called endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), is performed through a small incision in the groin with the device inserted through a catheter. Since the early 1990s, Arizona Heart Institute has pioneered the research and development of new devices for the treatment of AAA and has among the largest worldwide experience with the EVAR technique.

“The procedure with Powerlink XL was very successful and we are pleased to have this new technology available to treat our AAA patients with large diameter aortic necks,” said Dr. Rodriguez. “The low-profile Powerlink System enables us to effectively treat AAA patients with challenging anatomy and lower the risk of surgical complications compared to invasive open surgery.”

The Endologix Powerlink XL is an addition to the FDA-approved Powerlink System that allows for treatment of aortic necks up to 32 millimeters in diameter. The new Powerlink XL is the lowest profile device on the market to treat aortic necks in excess of 26 millimeters and is the only available device with both infrarenal and suprarenal proximal extensions, allowing physicians to choose the best device for each patient’s anatomy.

Arizona Heart Institute is a cardiovascular specialty facility known worldwide for its excellence in clinical care, research and education. Edward B. Diethrich, M.D., Founder and Medical Director of Arizona Heart Institute and Arizona Heart Hospital noted that the Powerlink XL is a significant advancement in the less invasive treatment of complex abdominal aneurysm. “We will now be able to offer these devices to patients who otherwise would have to undergo a major invasive surgical procedure,” said Dr. Diethrich.

About AAA

AAAs are often caused by atherosclerosis, or hardening and weakening of the arteries. Left untreated, AAAs can burst or rupture, leading to severe internal bleeding, shock and death. Approximately half of all AAAs go undetected because patients do not experience symptoms. Presence of symptoms may depend on the location and size of the aneurysm and whether a dissection is present. Symptoms of aortic rupture can occur suddenly with severe, sharp pain in the back and abdomen. Patients who experience these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.

Early detection of aortic aneurysms can prevent sudden death; therefore, patients with a family history of aortic aneurysm or other connective tissue disorders should notify their physician about their risks. Aneurysms can be easily diagnosed using simple imaging studies. If the AAA is small (around four or less centimeters in diameter), the physician may simply recommend monitoring the size and shape of the aneurysm every six months while also addressing other risk factors such as high blood pressure to reduce the degree of pressure on the weakened area of the aneurysm. Large, symptomatic AAAs require prompt attention to prevent rupture and are typically treated by a vascular surgeon with either open surgical repair or less invasive, endoluminal graft repair.

About Arizona Heart Institute

Arizona Heart Institute is among the world’s leading providers of cardiovascular care. This visionary organization was founded in 1971, quickly evolving into the country’s first freestanding outpatient clinic solely dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart and blood vessel disease. Since then, Arizona Heart Institute has grown to expand treatment and research options with the opening of Arizona Heart Hospital in 1998 and the dedication of Arizona Heart Institute Translational Research Center in 2007. Through these unique facilities, Arizona Heart Institute offers the most contemporary and comprehensive approach to cardiovascular medicine and an unmatched level of specialty care. For more information, please visit http://www.azheart.com/, or contact [email protected].

Arizona Heart Institute

CONTACT: Maggie Cocco of Arizona Heart Institute, +1-602-707-3519,[email protected]

Web site: http://www.azheart.com/

GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric Company, has completed the acquisition of Vital Signs, a provider of medical products applicable to a wide range of care areas such as anesthesia, respiratory, sleep therapy and emergency medicine.

Vital Signs will become part of GE Healthcare’s clinical systems business, a provider of advanced technologies for patient monitoring, anesthesia delivery and acute respiratory care. The strong strategic fit between the two businesses is expected to offer substantial customer benefits through complementary product and service offerings.

Omar Ishrak, president and CEO of GE Healthcare’s clinical systems business, said: “We believe that combining the skills and knowledge of the two companies will create significant added value for our customers, bringing new technologies to healthcare professionals worldwide.

“Clinical Systems is a key area of growth for GE Healthcare and expanding our skill base and product offering in this area supports our vision of helping clinicians and nurses deliver the best possible care to their patients.”

Humana (NYSE: HUM) and Metcare of Florida, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Metropolitan Health Networks, Inc. (AMEX: MDF), today announced the establishment of patient centered medical homes for Humana Medicare Advantage members in nine Metcare centers in Central and South Florida.

The medical home is a model that has drawn national attention as a way to improve patient satisfaction and health care quality, promote prevention and add value to the customer. By creating a system in which the primary care doctor serves as a member’s health care “quarterback,” the patient centered medical home strengthens the relationship among the patient, the physician and other health care professionals and thus delivers coordinated care that emphasizes the health of the whole person.

In order to accomplish this, the patient centered medical home focuses on the following principles:

— Ensuring that the patient has a personal physician that is coordinating all of his or her care with the team of health care providers

— Developing a patient-centered focus that delivers the right care at the right place, avoiding the need to visit the emergency room or retail medicine centers for non-emergency care

— Utilizing technology, such as electronic prescribing, to improve the quality and safety of care, and to increase member outreach to encourage preventive behaviors

— Enhancing prompt access to care and increasing communication between physicians and members to better serve the patient’s clinical needs

“This program between Humana and Metcare marks the first time a medical home practice model is available exclusively to Medicare members,” said Michael Sherman, M.D., M.B.A., M.S., director of Humana’s Physician Strategies Department. “We are very proud to be the first to offer this state-of-the-art, cutting edge health care choice to Humana Medicare members, at no additional cost above their Humana Medicare Advantage premium. We believe it will significantly increase our member’s satisfaction and health and will lead to a stronger relationship between our members and our physician partners.”

Humana Medicare Advantage members can participate and receive care through the patient centered medical home model at any of the following Metcare locations:

Central Florida

— Ormond Beach

— Port Orange

— New Smyrna Beach

— Bunnell

South Florida

— Jupiter

— Boca Raton

— Belle Glade

— Plantation

— Wellington

Commenting on the program, Hymin Zucker, M.D., chief medical officer of Metcare of Florida, Inc., stated, “The patient centered medical home concept is perfectly aligned with Metcare’s philosophy of health care delivery that incorporates a team approach to care and a focus on wellness and transitional care. It is also a concept that is easily integrated into the operations of our medical practices. We believe it is a model for success that supports our vision to be Florida’s premier patient centered medical home for people with Medicare. Expanding our relationship with a quality-centric partner like Humana in an endeavor such as this furthers our mutual goal of delivering the best in patient care.”

For more information please contact Humana at 1-800-372-2147 or Maria Xirau, SVP Operations at Metcare at 561-805-8500.

About Humana

Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation’s largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies, with approximately 11.5 million medical members. Humana is a full-service benefits solutions company, offering a wide array of health and supplementary benefit plans for employer groups, government programs and individuals.

Over its 47-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio.

More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s web site at http://www.humana.com, including copies of:

— Annual reports to stockholders

— Securities and Exchange Commission filings

— Most recent investor conference presentations

— Quarterly earnings news releases

— Replays of most recent earnings release conference calls

— Calendar of events (includes upcoming earnings conference call dates and times, as well as planned interaction with research analysts and institutional investors)

— Corporate Governance Information

About Metropolitan Health Networks

Metropolitan is a growing healthcare organization in Florida that provides comprehensive healthcare services for Medicare Advantage members and other patients in South and Central Florida. To learn more about Metropolitan Health Networks, Inc. please visit its website at http://www.metcare.com.

Response Biomedical, a developer and marketer of rapid on-site diagnostic tests, has introduced its Ramp technology in the 3M Rapid Detection Flu A+B test, officially launching the Ramp influenza A/B Assay in the US.

The test is branded by 3M as the 3M Rapid Detection Flu A+B Test. This rapid flu test provides hospital and physician office laboratories reliable and objective electronic results in approximately 15 minutes and in a clinical study has been shown to be more sensitive for influenza A and B than the hospital competitor, the BinaxNOW influenza A & B Test.

The Ramp system consists of a reader and single-use disposable test cartridges, and has the potential to be adapted to more than 250 medical and non-medical tests currently performed in laboratories.

Ramp clinical tests are commercially available for the early detection of heart attack, congestive heart failure and influenza. In the non-clinical market, Ramp Tests are currently provided for the environmental detection of West Nile Virus, and biodefense applications including the rapid on-site detection of anthrax, smallpox, ricin and botulinum toxin, the company said.

Wayne Kay, CEO of Response Biomedical, said: “The 3M Rapid Detection Flu A+B test, powered by the RAMP technology, is the first major clinical test to be launched by a partner in the US. It is further evidence of the broad platform of the RAMP technology that we have developed to meet the market needs of our partners, such as 3M, Roche Diagnostics and Shionogi.

“Besides the launch of the 3M product, we are excited about the introduction of our comprehensive cardiac line by Roche Diagnostics, expected in the first quarter of 2009.”

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) and the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation today announced plans to award $1.4 million in grants focused on hepatitis C prevention and education and the mitigation of the disease in four Asian countries. The grants are part of Delivering Hope, an umbrella program for Bristol-Myers Squibb’s efforts in the areas of hepatitis awareness, prevention and care. A total of five grants will be awarded, including four individual country grants of $250,000 to support two-year projects in China, India, Taiwan and Thailand, and one multi-country grant of $400,000 to support a collaborative, integrative two-year project involving two or more of these countries.

“The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation has a long track record of harnessing expert resources and community support to bring measurable advances in the response to public health threats such as HIV in Africa,” said John Damonti, president, Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation. “The grant program in Asia builds on our expertise in addressing health disparities to help coordinate the response to hepatitis in countries where the need is greatest.”

The Foundation will award grants to universities, health centers or established nonprofit and non-governmental organizations for projects focused on: improvement of hepatitis C screening, blood transfusion practices and risk reduction services; implementation and maintenance of infection-control practices within the health care setting; hepatitis C education for lay or community-based health workers; or improvement of prevention methods and determination of risk factors for infection and disease transmission patterns.

In keeping with the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation’s commitment to sharing lessons learned, grant recipients should have a detailed plan of evaluation and reportable outcomes and must prepare a comprehensive final report at the completion of their projects to enhance the body of knowledge on hepatitis prevention, care and support.

Institutions interested in applying for a grant may download applications on the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation website at http://www.bms.com/sr/foundation. Proposals must be submitted by January 3, 2009. Grants will be awarded in February 2009.

About Hepatitis C (1)

Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver and is transmitted through direct contact with blood. An estimated 170 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C and, of these, 94.5 million people live in the Asia Pacific region. One to five percent of people with chronic infection will develop liver cancer. Although there is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C, it is a curable disease.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation and Delivering Hope

The mission of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation is to help reduce health disparities by strengthening community-based health care worker capacity, integrating medical care and community-based supportive services, and mobilizing communities in the fight against disease. The Foundation’s work related to hepatitis in Asia represents a significant part of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Delivering Hope: Awareness, Prevention and Care program. Beyond hepatitis, the Foundation also focuses on HIV/AIDS in Africa through its SECURE THE FUTURE(R) program, cancer in Central and Eastern Europe and serious mental illness and Alzheimer’s disease in the United States.

Since 2002, the Foundation has supported efforts in Asia, initially focusing on prevention of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B and promoting hepatitis B immunization in China. In 2006, the Foundation expanded those efforts to provide broader support for hepatitis B and C awareness, prevention and education as well as adoption and integration of hepatitis B and C interventions and health education in public health programs. Today, the Foundation’s priority hepatitis B and C programs encompass capacity building for health care professionals and lay health workers, disease education and awareness, and sharing of best practices in the prevention of management of hepatitis B and C to inform public health policy.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb

Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to extend and enhance human life. For more information visit www.bms.com.

References

1. World Health Organization Web site. Fact sheet N(degree)164. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs164/en/. Accessed September 23, 2008.

Hospira, a specialty pharmaceutical and medication delivery company, has announced that the FDA has approved a new indication for Precedex, the company’s innovative drug for in-hospital sedation.

This approval allows for use of Precedex in non-intubated patients requiring sedation prior to and during surgical and other procedures. The additional indication complements Precedex’s initial approval for the sedation of intubated and mechanically ventilated patients in the intensive care setting for up to 24 hours, the company said.

The FDA approval is based on the results of two randomized, prospective, double-blind, multicenter clinical studies – the Mac and Awake trials – which, collectively, looked at 431 patients. The Mac study examined patients that underwent a variety of surgical or diagnostic procedures including orthopedic, vascular, ophthalmic, excision of lesions, breast biopsies and plastic surgery.

The Awake trial included patients requiring an awake fiberoptic intubation, a specialized anesthesiology technique to facilitate insertion of an endotracheal tube through the nose or mouth for general anesthesia in patients with known or suspected difficult airways.

Paula Bokesch, medical director of global medical affairs, drug development at Hospira, said: “Hospira is excited to be able to provide Precedex to anesthesiologists as an alternative agent that can be used for non-intubated patients undergoing surgical and other procedures requiring MAC, or monitored anesthesia care, as well as those undergoing awake fiberoptic intubation.”

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/683fce/drug_delivery_usin) has announced the addition of the “Drug Delivery Using Nanotechnologies: Technologies, Markets and Competitive Environment” report to their offering.

Drug delivery commands a sizeable proportion of the overall pharmaceutical market, approximately 15% or some US 109 billion in 2008. It is also expected to grow at a faster rate than the overall pharmaceutical market over the next 4 years. The reason Extending patent life for existing drugs and offering new alternatives for delivery, in particular the peroral route.

In all of this nanotechnology is a major enabler. Previously insoluble drugs can be re-packaged or formulated both increasing efficacy and decreasing the need for solvents. Greater stability can be assured by novel nanostructured materials and processes utilising nanotechnology. Such developments are not going unnoticed, with strategic collaborations, mergers and acquisitions becoming the norm.

This report, written by Tiju Joseph and Richard Moore of the Institute of Nanotechnology, provides a comprehensive overview of these new technologies and a market analysis of opportunities to 2012. It concludes with a description of over 40 emerging companies in this exciting and fast-developing field.

Companies Mentioned:

– Abraxis Biosciences Inc. – Access Pharmaceuticals Inc. – Allergan Inc. – ALZA Corporation – Aphios Corporation – Artificial Cell Technologies – Avidimer Therapeutics – Azaya Therapeutics – Baxter Healthcare – BioAlliance Pharma – Biodelivery Sciences International – Biophan – Calando Pharmaceuticals – Capsulution Nanosciences AG – Dabur Research Foundation – Elan Corporation – Endovasc – Enzon Pharmaceuticals Inc – Exilica Ltd – Flamel Technologies – Gilead Sciences, Inc – ICeutica – Insert Therapeutics – ImuThes Ltd – Intezyne Technologies – Keystone Nano – Labopharm – Magforce Nanotechnologies – Nanocarrier – Nanocopoeia – NanoBioMagnetics – Nanobiotix – Nanomerics – Nanotherapeutics – NanoViricides Inc – Neopharm – Novosom – Psividia – SamYang – Spherics – Starpharma – Skyepharma – Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corporation – XstalBio

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/683fce/drug_delivery_usin.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Oct. 30, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — AMERIGROUP Corporation has been named one of America’s Best Places to Work In Healthcare — and the best among the country’s health insurers — in a survey conducted by Modern Healthcare magazine.

The survey, which was the first of its kind conducted by Modern Healthcare, was open to all American hospitals, medical practices and other companies whose primary business is healthcare, including producers of medical equipment and health insurers. More than 260 organizations participated. The survey evaluated eight separate aspects of each organization’s work environment, including leadership and planning, pay and benefits, and overall employee satisfaction.

Modern Healthcare ranked three separate categories of healthcare organizations — providers, insurers and equipment suppliers — and identified AMERIGROUP as the top insurer. AMERIGROUP was the only healthcare organization in Virginia to make the list of 100 best workplaces. The magazine includes a profile of AMERIGROUP in its October 27 issue.

“We are very pleased that this respected publication has recognized AMERIGROUP as a great place to work,” said James G. Carlson, AMERIGROUP Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We’ve often said that our Company’s 4,000 associates are the best people in the industry and that they are responsible for our success. We have worked hard to create a culture of accountability and service to those who often need help. This environment enables our team to do their best work and rewards them for it. This honor from Modern Healthcare tells us we are on the right track.”

About AMERIGROUP Corporation

AMERIGROUP Corporation, headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, improves healthcare access and quality for the financially vulnerable, seniors and people with disabilities by developing innovative managed health services for the public sector. Through its subsidiaries, AMERIGROUP Corporation serves approximately 1.7 million people in Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. For more information, visit http://www.amerigroupcorp.com/.

   CONTACTS:   Investors:  Julie Loftus Trudell   Senior Vice President, Investor Relations   AMERIGROUP Corporation   (757) 321-3597    News Media:  Kent Jenkins Jr.   Senior Vice President, External Communications   AMERIGROUP Corporation   (757) 769-7859  

AMERIGROUP Corporation

CONTACT: Investors, Julie Loftus Trudell, Senior Vice President,Investor Relations, +1-757-321-3597, or News Media, Kent Jenkins Jr., SeniorVice President, External Communications, +1-757-769-7859, both of AMERIGROUPCorporation

Web site: http://www.amerigroupcorp.com/

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ — A large number of breast cancer survivors received complimentary L-Dex readings as part of the “Know Your L-Dex” awareness campaign activities at recent Komen Race for the Cure(R) events in Houston and Dallas.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081030/NY43020 )

Dr. Walton Taylor, a breast surgeon at the Medical City Dallas Hospital, provided survivors with complimentary readings using an FDA-cleared L-Dex medical device developed by ImpediMed Ltd. .

L-Dex readings serve as an aid for medical professionals to clinically assess female breast cancer patients for the early signs of unilateral lymphedema of the arm (swelling that occurs in one arm following breast cancer treatment), potentially before symptoms such as heaviness or visible swelling are present.

“Lymphedema is one of the major concerns of many breast cancer survivors, and it is important that they are educated on the importance of early detection and intervention,” said Dr. Taylor. “With the help of ImpediMed’s L-Dex devices, medical professionals can now perform pre-operative baseline assessments and conduct ongoing surveillance for the early signs of lymphedema in patients.”

“The outcomes of the ‘Know Your L-Dex’ activities in Texas greatly exceeded our expectations,” said Greg Brown, CEO of ImpediMed. “In addition to performing the readings, Dr. Taylor answered survivors’ questions about lymphedema and helped Komen Race for the Cure(R) participants to gain a better understanding of the importance of early lymphedema detection and intervention. We look forward to bringing the ‘Know Your L-Dex’ activities to other markets this quarter and throughout next year.”

Additional “Know Your L-Dex” activities are scheduled for November at the Komen San Diego Race for the Cure(R) and the Breast Cancer Network of Strength’s Life in Balance: Breast Cancer Survivorship Forum in Chicago.

For additional information about L-Dex or the “Know Your L-Dex” campaign, call 858-412-0199 x1235 or visit http://www.l-dex.com/.

About Lymphedema

Lymphedema is a condition that can cause significant swelling of the upper and lower extremities due to the build-up of excess lymph fluid. This can occur when the lymphatic system, which is responsible for draining excess fluid from the body and is a key component of the immune system, is damaged or altered. In breast cancer patients, this can occur after surgery, such as removal or biopsy of the lymph nodes, and/or radiation therapy. It is estimated that six percent to 40 percent of patients with breast cancer develop lymphedema, and that it often occurs within the first two years after surgery. For some cancer survivors and others at risk, a low level lymphedema can occur 10 years to 15 years following the initial primary treatment and develop into a condition that has a serious impact on overall health and quality of life.

About ImpediMed

ImpediMed Ltd. is the world leader in the development and distribution of medical devices employing Bioimpedence Spectroscopy (BIS) technologies to aid medical providers in the non-invasive clinical assessment and monitoring of fluid status. ImpediMed’s primary product range consists of a number of medical devices that enable surgeons, oncologists, therapists and radiation oncologists to clinically assess patients for the potential onset of secondary lymphedema. Pre-operative clinical assessment in breast cancer survivors, before the onset of symptoms, may help prevent the condition from becoming a lifelong management issue and thus improve the quality of life of the cancer survivor. ImpediMed has the first medical device with an FDA clearance in the United States to aid health care professionals clinically assess secondary lymphedema of the arm in female breast cancer patients. For more information, visit http://www.impedimed.com/.

Note: ImpediMed’s device is not intended to diagnose or predict lymphedema of an extremity.

   Media Contacts:         Wendy Lau or Bianca Molina                           Russo Partners                           (212) 845-4272 office                           [email protected]                           [email protected]  

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081030/NY43020AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN15PRN Photo Desk, [email protected]

ImpediMed Ltd.

CONTACT: Wendy Lau, [email protected] or Bianca Molina,[email protected], both of Russo Partners, +1-212-845-4272

Web Site: http://www.impedimed.com/http://www.l-dex.com/

Fitch Ratings has assigned ‘AA-‘ ratings to the New Mexico Hospital Equipment Loan Council’s approximately $388.9 million hospital revenue bonds, series 2008 (Presbyterian Healthcare Services). In addition, Fitch has affirmed the ‘AA-‘ rating on Presbyterian Healthcare Services’ (PHS) outstanding series 2001A and the ‘AA-‘ underlying ratings on the PHS’ outstanding series 2005A&B bonds. The Rating Outlook is Stable.

The series 2008 bonds are expected to consist of the following:

— $164 million uninsured fixed-rate series A and E bonds;

— $225 million series B, C and D variable-rate demand bonds.

The series 2008B-D bonds will be secured by liquidity facilities issued by JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Fitch expects to assign short term ratings on the series 2008 B-D bonds based on the liquidity facilities at a date closer to pricing. Proceeds from the series 2008 issue will be used to refund all of PHS’ series 2005A&B variable-rate revenue bonds currently outstanding, repay a $146.6 million bank loan (which was used to redeem PHS’ series 2004 and series 1993 auction-rate securities in April 2008), reimburse the corporation approximately $30 million for prior capital expenditures, fund a swap termination fee and pay associated costs of issuance. The series A & E bonds are expected to price the week of Nov. 10 and the series B-D bonds are expected to price the week of Nov. 24.

The ‘AA-‘ rating and Stable Outlook continues to be supported by the strategic, operational and financial benefits that accrue from PHS’ vertically integrated delivery network, which has allowed the system to develop a strong financial profile and leading market position in Albuquerque and throughout New Mexico. PHS, through the support and coordination of its employed medical group (approximately 497 employed physicians) and health plan (approximately 380,000 total members), has increased its inpatient market share in Albuquerque to 43% in 2007 from 37.7% in 2004.

The Obligated Group operating results were improved with operating income of $51.6 million (4.5% operating margin) in fiscal 2007 as compared to $27.1 million income from operations (2.6% operating margin) in the prior year period. Through the seven months ended July 31, 2008 operating margin has dipped to 2.3%. Strong volume growth in the interim period has been outpaced by increased staffing and salary expenses. PHS obligated group’s liquidity and capital related ratios remains solid with most ratios at or near Fitch’s AA category medians. At July 31, 2008, the obligated group’s unrestricted cash and investments totaled $647 million equating to 223 days cash on hand, a pro-forma cushion ratio of 24.0 times (x) and pro-forma cash to debt of 166.4%. Coverage of pro-forma maximum annual debt service (MADS) in fiscal 2007 of 5.5x, proforma MADS as a percent of revenue of 2.3% and debt to EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) of 2.4x reflect the obligated group’s manageable debt burden and compare favorably to Fitch’s 2007 medians of 5.6x, 2.8% and 2.6x, respectively.

On a consolidated basis (including the results of non-obligated Presbyterian Health Plans), PHS generated operating income of $99.3 million (5.6% operating margin) in fiscal 2007 as compared to the $59.1 million operating profit (3.6% operating margin) in fiscal 2006. Liquidity indicators are strong at Dec. 31, 2007 with 222 day cash on hand, proforma cushion ratio of 35x and proforma cash to debt of 236%. Coverage of proforma MADS in fiscal 2007 is 7.3x.

Fitch’s primary credit concerns include PHS’ future debt plans, the competitive Albuquerque market and the ability of the Obligated Group to make transfers to PHP. PHS expects to issue approximately $230 million of new debt to fund the construction of a new 96-bed acute care hospital in the northwest suburb of Rio Rancho, NM. The first phase of construction for the hospital and a connected medical office building began in August 2008. The facility is expected to open in late 2010 with approximately 80 physicians locating their practices on the new campus.

Management projects total capital spending from 2009-2011 to be approximately $397 million including the new hospital construction. PHS faces increasing competition from University Hospital and University of New Mexico Medical Group which has increased its market share in the Albuquerque metropolitan area to 27.7% in 2007 from 25.5% in 2005. In addition, University of New Mexico Medical Group announced a joint venture with Legacy Health Partners to develop and construct a 100-bed acute care hospital at the City Center in Rio Rancho, due for completion in 2010.

In 2007, Presbyterian held a 48% share of the Rio Rancho inpatient discharge market and employs approximately 60 physicians located in Rio Rancho. In contrast, the University of New Mexico held an 18% share of the Rio Rancho inpatient discharge market and currently employs no physicians in Rio Rancho. Finally, the Obligated Group can make transfers to the PHP without recourse and without limit subject to various covenants in the Master Indenture. Although the OG has not made any loans or capital contributions to PHP since 2001, Fitch recently revised its Rating Outlook on the U.S. health/managed care insurance sector to Negative from Stable (more information is available in Fitch’s July 9 special report ‘US Health Insurers’ Outlook Changed to Negative’, available at www.fitchratings.com).

The Stable Outlook reflects PHS’ leading market position and management’s track record of successfully operating and managing costs of its integrated delivery system. The Albuquerque metropolitan area has experienced solid population growth which Fitch believes supports PHS’ Rio Rancho hospital development. Although the debt associated with the Rio Rancho project will negatively impact certain of PHS’ liquidity and capital ratio in the near term, Fitch believes the project has strategic value and will enhance PHS’ market position over the long term.

Headquartered in Albuquerque, NM, PHS is a large, fully integrated health care delivery system. The obligated group includes the hospitals, the medical group and other entities but does not include PHP. As of Dec. 31, 2007 the OG’s net assets represented approximately 69% of PHS’ total combined net assets, 50% of total operating revenues and 67% of total excess over revenues. PHS had total revenues of $1.8 billion in 2007. PHS covenants to disclose annual and quarterly financial information to bondholders. Disclosure, which includes a balance sheet, income statement, a cash flow statement, utilization statistics and a management discussion and analysis, is disseminated through the national information repositories and DAC.

Fitch’s rating definitions and the terms of use of such ratings are available on the agency’s public site, www.fitchratings.com. Published ratings, criteria and methodologies are available from this site, at all times. Fitch’s code of conduct, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, affiliate firewall, compliance and other relevant policies and procedures are also available from the ‘Code of Conduct’ section of this site.