Anthem a Blue Shield Insurer Announces Dedinitive Agreement To Acquire Cigna Corporation
Indianapolis, Ind. and Bloomfield, Conn. – July 24, 2015 – Anthem, Inc. (NYSE: ANTM) and Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby Anthem will acquire all outstanding shares of Cigna in a cash and stock transaction and Cigna shareholders will receive $103.40 in cash and 0.5152 Anthem common shares for each Cigna common share. The total per share consideration equates to approximately $188.00 for each Cigna share based on Anthem’s closing share price on May 28, 2015, valuing the transaction at $54.2 billion on an enterprise basis.
The combined company will be an industry leader with enhanced diversification and capabilities to advance the transformation of health care delivery for consumers.
Following the transaction, Anthem will have more than $115 billion in pro forma annual revenues, based on the most recent 2015 outlooks publicly reported by both companies and will gain meaningful diversification covering approximately 53 million medical members with well positioned commercial, government, consumer, specialty and
international franchises. Upon the close of the transaction, Joseph Swedish will serve as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the combined company and David Cordani will be President and Chief Operating Officer. In addition, effective upon closing, the Anthem Board of Directors will be expanded to 14 members. David Cordani and four independent directors from Cigna’s current Board of Directors will join the nine current members of the Anthem Board of Directors.
The agreement provides an “unaffected” premium to Cigna’s shareholders of approximately 38.4%, based on the unaffected closing price of Cigna’s shares on May 28, 2015. Under the terms of the transaction, the consideration consists of approximately 55% cash and 45% Anthem shares, and the combined company would reflect a pro forma equity ownership comprised of approximately 67% Anthem shareholders and approximately 33% Cigna shareholders.
“We are very pleased to announce an agreement that will deliver meaningful value to consumers and shareholders through expanded provider collaboration, enhanced affordability and cost of care management capabilities, and superior innovations that deliver a high quality health care experience for consumers. We believe that this transaction will allow us to enhance our competitive position and be better positioned to apply the insights and access of a broad network and dedicated local presence to
the health care challenges of the increasingly diverse markets, membership, and communities we serve.
The Cigna team has built a set of capabilities that greatly complement our own offerings and the combined company will have a competitive presence across commercial, government, international and specialty segments. These expanded capabilities will enable us to better serve our customers as their health care needs evolve,” said Joseph Swedish, President and Chief Executive Officer of Anthem.
“Our companies share proud histories and an even brighter future. Going forward our new company will deliver an acceleration of innovative and affordable health and protection benefits solutions that help address our health system’s challenges and provide supplemental insurance protection, and health care security to consumers, their families, and the communities we share with them. The complementary nature of our businesses will allow us to leverage the deep global health care knowledge, local market talent, and expertise of both organizations to ensure that consumers have access to affordable and personalized solutions across diverse life and health stages and position us for sustained success,” said David M. Cordani, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cigna.
Utilizing Anthem’s and Cigna’s complementary strengths, the combined company will be able to deliver higher quality health care as America’s valued health partner. By combining Anthem’s Blue Cross and Blue Shield footprint in 14 states and Medicaid footprint via its Amerigroup brand in 19 states with Cigna’s broad portfolio of health and protection services in the U.S. and globally, the combined company will offer a comprehensive range of high quality, high value products and services to the full spectrum of customers – individuals, employers and State and Federal governments.
The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2016, pending the receipt of customary approvals, including certain state regulatory approvals and expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act. In addition, the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including the approval of Cigna’s shareholders of the merger agreement and Anthem’s shareholders of the issuance of shares in the transaction. Anthem is confident in its ability to
obtain all necessary regulatory and other approvals.
The combined company expects to achieve adjusted earnings per share accretion approaching 10% in year one, with the accretion more than doubling by year two following the closing of the transaction.
We are confident in our ability to achieve synergy targets and are committed to retaining investment grade debt ratings. Anthem expects its debt-to-capital ratio to be approximately 49% at the time of close, with a plan to bring the ratio down to the low 40% range within 24 months. Anthem has received committed financing from Bank of America, Credit Suisse and UBS Investment Bank in connection with the transaction.
Global Financing Facility Launched with Billions Already Mobilized to End Maternal and Child Mortality by 2030
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, July 13, 2015—The United Nations, the World Bank Group, and the Governments of Canada, Norway and the United States joined country and global health leaders today to launch the Global Financing Facility (GFF) in support of Every Woman Every Child, and announced that $12 billion in domestic and international, private and public funding has already been aligned to country-led five-year investment plans for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health in the four GFF front-runner countries of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania.
Launched at the Third International Financing for Development Conference, the GFF is a key financing platform in support of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health and the Sustainable Development Goals.
At the launch, the World Bank Group announced a new GFF partnership with its International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) to raise funds from capital markets for countries with significant funding gaps for reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH). This ground-breaking partnership expects to mobilize between $3 to $5 dollars from the private capital markets for every $1 dollar invested into the GFF. The Government of Canada is jumpstarting this initiative with a $40 million investment towards two focus areas: one that prioritizes strengthening front-line health systems and scaling-up of community health workers, and another that focuses on the control of malaria to reduce child mortality.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Canada, Japan, and the United States announced new financing commitments totalling $214 million. This is in addition to commitments previously made by Norway and Canada of $600 million and $200 million, respectively, to the World Bank Group-managed GFF Trust Fund.
The GFF has set in motion an unprecedented movement among countries, United Nations agencies and multilateral agencies including the World Bank Group, the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, as well as public and private sector financiers and civil society organizations, to increase and align funding in support of countries’ health priorities and plans, to drive transformative improvements in the health of women, children and adolescents everywhere. Today’s announcements are a first step to help close the $33.3 billion annual funding gap for RMNCAH.
The GFF partners also announced the next group of eight countries to benefit from the GFF, with the goal of supporting 62 high-burden low- and lower-middle income countries within five years. The GFF is adding Bangladesh, Cameroon, India, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal and Uganda as the second wave of GFF countries.
New GFF-IBRD Partnership to Leverage Private Sector Investments for Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health
A key aim of the GFF is to mobilize private sector resources that, in addition to public sector resources, help close gaps in the financing of essential interventions required to improve the health of women, children and adolescents. To this end, the GFF is partnering with the World Bank Group’s IBRD to raise funds from capital markets for countries with significant funding gaps for RMNCAH.
The IBRD finances its lending activities by issuing bonds in the capital markets, leveraging its equity to bring in private sector financing for sustainable development. The new GFF-IBRD partnership will mobilize the capital markets for better outcomes for maternal child and adolescent health, by using the overall IBRD funding platform, issuing Sustainable Development Bonds with a health focus, and designing innovative risk-sharing structures.
The Government of Canada’s $40 million investment to jumpstart this partnership and leverage funding from private capital markets will be directed toward investments in two focus areas: one that prioritizes strengthening front-line health systems and scaling-up of community health workers, and another that focuses on the control of malaria to reduce child mortality. These monies will be used as performance payments to countries, due upon the achievement of agreed-to outcomes, significantly reducing countries’ borrowing costs while incentivizing performance. Further investments in this partnership will unlock significantly more resources from the private sector, with an objective of raising up to $1 billion in private capital.
In support of Every Woman Every Child, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is committing $75 million over five years to the GFF Trust Fund to advance the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health.
The GFF Trust Fund is catalyzing the work of the broader facility by providing grants to countries linked to World Bank Group loans for health and supporting countries to prepare health financing strategies that anticipate the transition of countries from low- to middle-income status. The GFF Trust Fund aims to secure universal access to essential services for every mother and every child by ensuring that official development assistance does not displace domestic resources for the sector and charting a path to sustainable domestic financing for health.
Other GFF partners are making commitments through in-country financing for country-led maternal and child health investment plans. This includes a US$50 million commitment to the GFF from the U.S. Agency for International Development. This funding will support the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania to scale up national strategies and efforts to end preventable child and maternal deaths. The Government of Japan pledges $33 million to support maternal and child health initiatives in Kenya.
In addition, Canada commits $16 million for the start-up and establishment of a global Centre of Excellence for strengthening civil registration and vital statistics, in support of the GFF’s efforts to contribute to universal registration by 2030. By improving the quality and availability of data on every birth, death, cause of death and marriage, GFF-supported countries will be able to better monitor and track their investments in maternal, newborn and child health.
GBCHealth, a coalition of companies and organizations investing their resources to make a healthier world, is committing to raise capital for the GFF from its network of companies through its Health Credit Exchange, a new performance-based funding initiative.
About the Global Financing Facility in Support of Every Woman Every Child
The GFF is a key financing platform of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health. It is a country-driven financing partnership that brings RMNCAH stakeholders together, under national government leadership and ownership, to provide smart, scaled and sustainable financing to accelerate efforts to end preventable maternal, newborn, child and adolescent deaths by 2030.
The child mortality rate in low-income countries is more than 15 times higher than in high-income countries. And maternal mortality is nearly 30 times higher. Yet, with over 100 million children’s lives saved since 1990, the Lancet Commission on Investment and Health documented the feasibility of a grand convergence in mortality between low-income countries and the best-performing middle-income countries, with a return of nine to 20 per dollar invested.
The GFF will be a key driver of this convergence. Its results framework will be aligned with the Global Strategy’s results frameworks and with the new Sustainable Development Goals.
The GFF is an essential part of the paradigm shift in development financing, emphasizing the essential but changing role of official development assistance in unlocking domestic resources and private flows and focusing on results. It has the potential to act as a pathfinder for financing the SDGs in the post-2015 era.
CVS Health Announces New Clinical Affiliations with Four Leading Health Care Organizations
WOONSOCKET, R.I., – CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) announced today it has entered into new clinical affiliations with Sutter Health in California, Millennium Physician Group in Florida, Bryan Health Connect in Nebraska and Mount Kisco Medical Group, PC in New York. These affiliations will help enhance access to high-quality, affordable health care services for patients. Through these clinical affiliations, CVS Health will provide prescription and visit information to the participating health care organizations by enabling communication between our secured electronic health record (EHR) systems, which will help enhance clinical care for patients served by the partnering organizations. In addition, patients will continue to have access to clinical support, medication counseling, chronic disease monitoring and wellness programs at CVS/pharmacy stores and MinuteClinic, the retail medical clinic of CVS Health.
“In this era of health care reform, we are pleased to work with these health care organizations to develop collaborative programs that enhance access to patient care, improve health outcomes and lower health care costs in the communities they serve,” said Troyen A. Brennan, MD, Chief Medical Officer, CVS Health. “By allowing our electronic health records and information systems to communicate and share important information about the patients we collectively serve, we will have a more comprehensive view of our patients, which can aid in health care decision making and help ensure patients adhere to important medications for chronic diseases.”
CVS/pharmacy currently has more than 7,800 retail pharmacy locations across the U.S. where CVS pharmacists provide counseling to patients to help them be adherent to their chronic disease medications. In addition, MinuteClinic also plays an important role by providing patients with timely, affordable and high-quality walk-in health care. There are nearly 1,000 MinuteClinic walk-in medical clinics available at CVS/pharmacy retail stores. MinuteClinic locations are open seven days a week, offering evening hours with no appointment necessary and most health insurance is accepted. The clinics are staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants who provide treatment for common family illnesses and administer wellness and prevention services, including health-condition monitoring for patients with chronic diseases.
Affiliates’ health care providers will receive data on interventions conducted by CVS pharmacists to improve medication adherence for their patients. The affiliation also encourages collaboration between the health care providers and MinuteClinic providers to improve coordination of care for patients seen at MinuteClinic locations. Through this collaboration, the affiliate organizations and MinuteClinic practitioners will also work together on planning strategies around chronic care and wellness. If more comprehensive care is needed, patients can follow up with their primary care provider and have access to the services at the health care provider as appropriate. For those patients who do not have regular access to health care, MinuteClinic provides information to help patients in finding a primary care physician and a greater opportunity for continuity of health care services.
MinuteClinic, CVS/pharmacy and the participating health care organizations will begin to work toward streamlining and enhancing communication through their EHR systems. This will include the electronic sharing of messages and alerts from CVS/pharmacy to the health care organizations’ physicians regarding medication non-adherence issues. In addition, MinuteClinic will electronically share patient visit summaries with the patient’s primary care physician when they are part of an affiliate organization and with the patient’s consent. MinuteClinic will continue its standard practice of sending patient visit summaries to primary care providers who are not affiliated with one of these participating health care organizations via fax or mail, with patient consent.
The new affiliations announced here bring the total number of clinical collaborations for CVS Health and MinuteClinic to nearly 60 major health systems and health care providers across the country.
About CVS Health
CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its 7,800 retail drugstores, nearly 1,000 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with more than 70 million plan members, and expanding specialty pharmacy services, the Company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable, effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at www.cvshealth.com.
Aetna to Acquire Humana, Combined Entity to Drive Consumer-focused, High-value Health Care
Aetna and Humana Inc. announced on July 3 that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Aetna will acquire all outstanding shares of Humana for a combination of cash and stock valued at $37 billion or approximately $230 per Humana share based on the closing price of Aetna common shares on July 2, 2015.
In a news release, the companies said, “The complementary combination brings together Humana’s growing Medicare Advantage business with Aetna’s diversified portfolio and commercial capabilities to create a company serving the most seniors in the Medicare Advantage program and the second-largest managed care company in the United States. The combined entity will help drive better value and higher-quality health care by reducing administrative costs, leveraging best-in-breed practices from the two companies — including Humana’s chronic-care capabilities that measurably improve health outcomes for larger populations — and enabling the company to better compete with more cost effective products.”
The joint release also noted that, “The combined company will be well positioned to offer a broad choice of affordable, consumer-centric health care products, helping to constrain cost growth, improve health outcomes, and promote wellness. The combination will provide Aetna with an enhanced ability to work with providers and create value-based payment agreements that result in better care to consumers, and spread cutting-edge clinical practices and quality care.”
After closing Aetna will make Louisville the headquarters for its Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE businesses, and will maintain a significant corporate presence in Louisville. Founded in Louisville more than 50 years ago, Humana has a long history of contributing to the Louisville community.
Aetna Chairman and CEO Mark T. Bertolini said, “The acquisition of Humana aligns two great companies and will significantly advance our strategy of more effectively serving members in a rapidly changing health care industry.”
He noted the combination “will allow us to continue to invest in excellent service for our members and strengthen our partnerships with providers to deliver high quality care at an affordable price. We have great respect for Humana, their talented team, their culture and their strong medical management capabilities. We look forward to working with them following the closing, as we enhance our combined portfolio of innovative health care offerings to provide significant benefits to consumers, employers and providers, and to continue delivering value for our shareholders.”
Bruce D. Broussard, president and CEO of Humana, said, “Aetna and Humana share a strong commitment to improving the health and well-being of consumers, whatever their needs and wherever they are on their lifelong health journey. Through the use of technology and integrated services to simplify the consumer experience, the combined entity will be even more effective in meeting the health needs of many more people — especially people with chronic conditions, who will benefit from Humana’s home health, pharmacy management, and data analytics programs. The transaction is a testament to the accomplishments of Humana associates and an outstanding outcome for our shareholders, who will receive an immediate premium and the opportunity to participate in the growth potential of the combined organization.”
The combination of Aetna and Humana:
Builds on each company’s respective efforts to provide innovative, technology-driven products, services and solutions to build healthier populations, promote higher quality health care at lower cost, and offer greater transparency and convenience for consumers.
Increases Aetna’s Medicare Advantage membership to 4.4 million and improves Aetna’s ability to serve members and their providers with cutting-edge technology and best practices.
Brings together two companies with leading percentages of membership in Medicare plans rated four Stars or higher.
Creates a leading health care services and pharmacy benefit franchise, serving members who use over 600 million prescriptions annually.
Strengthens care management capabilities by taking the best-of-breed provider solutions, including robust offerings of patient-centered provider services, clinical intelligence, value-based reimbursement models, data integration and analytics solutions from both companies.
Brings together two companies with longstanding commitments to promoting wellness, health, and access to high-quality health care for everyone, while supporting the communities in which they serve.
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Important Information For Investors And Stockholders
This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval. In connection with the proposed transaction between Aetna Inc. (“Aetna”) and Humana Inc. (“Humana”), Aetna and Humana will file relevant materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including an Aetna registration statement on Form S-4 that will include a joint proxy statement of Aetna and Humana that also constitutes a prospectus of Aetna, and a definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus will be mailed to stockholders of Aetna and Humana. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF AETNA AND HUMANA ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the registration statement and the joint proxy statement/prospectus (when available) and other documents filed with the SEC by Aetna or Humana through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Aetna will be available free of charge on Aetna’s internet website at http://www.Aetna.com or by contacting Aetna’s Investor Relations Department at 860-273-8204. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Humana will be available free of charge on Humana’s internet website at http://www.Humana.com or by contacting Humana’s Investor Relations Department at 502-580-3644.
Aetna, Humana, their respective directors and certain of their respective executive officers may be considered participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of Humana is set forth in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, which was filed with the SEC on February 18, 2015, its proxy statement for its 2015 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on March 6, 2015, and its Current Report on Form 8-K, which was filed with the SEC on April 17, 2015. Information about the directors and executive officers of Aetna is set forth in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 (“Aetna’s Annual Report”), which was filed with the SEC on February 27, 2015, its proxy statement for its 2015 annual meeting of shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 3, 2015 and its Current Reports on Form 8-K, which were filed with the SEC on May 19, 2015 and May 26, 2015. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitations and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available.
Botox Maker Allergan to Acquire KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals – Complements Existing Position in Facial Aesthetics
DUBLIN and WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., June 17, 2015 — Allergan plc (NYSE: AGN), a leading global pharmaceutical company, and KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: KYTH), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel prescription products for the aesthetic medicine market, today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Allergan has agreed to acquire KYTHERA in a cash and equity transaction valued at $75 per KYTHERA share, or approximately $2.1 billion, subject to the fulfillment of certain customary conditions summarized below. The fixed-value transaction consideration will be payable 80 percent in cash and 20 percent in new AGN shares issued to KYTHERA shareholders. Allergan’s 2015 earnings-per-share forecast provided on May 11, 2015 is unchanged as a result of the acquisition. The acquisition is expected to be breakeven in 2016 and accretive thereafter. The Company remains committed to de-levering to below 3.5x debt to Adjusted EBITDA by the end of the first quarter of 2016.
The acquisition of KYTHERA immediately enhances Allergan’s global facial aesthetics portfolio with the addition of KYBELLA™ (deoxycholic acid) injection, the first and only approved non-surgical treatment for contouring moderate to severe submental fullness, commonly referred to as double chin. KYBELLA™ was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on April 29, 2015. KYBELLA™ injection is also being developed for potential introduction into international markets; KYTHERA has submitted KYBELLA™ injection for regulatory approval in Switzerland, Canada and Australia, with other market applications to follow. The acquisition will also add KYTHERA’s development product setipiprant (KYTH-105), a novel compound for the prevention of male pattern baldness, as well as additional early-stage development candidates.
“The acquisition of KYTHERA is a strategic investment that strengthens our leading global position in aesthetics and continues to position us for long-term growth,” said Brent Saunders, CEO and President of Allergan. “KYBELLA™ is an exciting new product that offers patients the first and only clinically-proven, non-surgical treatment for submental fullness (excess fat under the chin). As a leader in aesthetics, we know our customers are looking to offer their patients new options beyond traditional facial aesthetics. KYBELLA™ will do that while complementing our market leading facial aesthetics portfolio, which includes BOTOX®, JUVEDERM® XC, JUVEDERM VOLUMA® XC, LATISSE® and SKINMEDICA. KYBELLA™ is also a pivotal entry point for expanding the use of facial aesthetic products in men, while KYTHERA’s setipiprant (hair-loss) development program can drive additional long-term value.”
“Allergan’s world-class medical aesthetics, global footprint, history and commitment to developing leading aesthetic products makes them ideally suited to realize the maximum commercial potential of KYBELLA™,” said Keith Leonard, CEO and President of KYTHERA. “I am deeply appreciative of the commitment and dedication of our KYTHERA team that worked so tirelessly to bring KYBELLA™ from early development through approval and launch. We look forward to working with Allergan to ensure a successful U.S. launch of KYBELLA™, as well as to secure additional approvals globally.”
Submental fullness is a common yet undertreated condition that can detract from an otherwise balanced and harmonious facial appearance – leading to an older and heavier look. Submental fullness can affect adults – both women and men – of all ages, weight and gender. Influenced by multiple factors including aging and genetics, submental fullness is often resistant to diet and exercise. According to a 2015 survey by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, 67 percent of consumers are bothered by submental fullness.i
KYTHERA is executing a training-led launch in the U.S. supported by a training program designed to educate physicians and qualified injectors on the safe use of KYBELLA™ and its approved indication. Physician faculty education in the U.S. began in June 2015. KYBELLA™ physician training programs will initiate in late summer. Qualified injectors in the U.S. will be able to purchase KYBELLA™ and treat their patients after they have been trained.
Allergan’s acquisition of KYTHERA is subject to approval by the shareholders of KYTHERA, expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 and fulfillment of certain other customary conditions to closing. Pending such approvals and fulfillment of other conditions, Allergan currently anticipates closing the transaction in the third quarter of 2015.
J.P. Morgan is serving as financial advisor to Allergan and Covington & Burling LLP is serving as Allergan’s lead legal counsel. Goldman Sachs is serving as financial advisor to KYTHERA and Latham & Watkins LLP is serving as KYTHERA’s lead legal counsel.
About KYBELLA™
KYBELLA™ is the first and only approved non-surgical treatment for contouring moderate to severe submental fullness, commonly referred to as double chin. KYBELLA™ is a non-human and non-animal formulation of deoxycholic acid, a naturally-occurring molecule in the body that aids in the breakdown and absorption of dietary fat. When injected into subcutaneous fat, KYBELLA™ causes the destruction of fat cells. Once destroyed, those cells cannot store or accumulate fat.
KYBELLA™ (deoxycholic acid) injection is indicated for improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe convexity or fullness associated with submental fat in adults.
The safe and effective use of KYBELLA for the treatment of subcutaneous fat outside the submental region has not been established and is not recommended.
Important Safety Information
KYBELLA should only be administered by a trained healthcare professional.
KYBELLA is contraindicated in the presence of infection at the injection sites.
Avoid injecting in proximity to vulnerable anatomic structures due to the increased risk of tissue damage.
Cases of marginal mandibular nerve injury, manifested as an asymmetric smile or facial muscle weakness, were reported during clinical trials. To avoid the potential for nerve injury, KYBELLA should not be injected into or in close proximity to the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve. All marginal mandibular nerve injuries reported from the trials resolved spontaneously (range 1-298 days, median 44 days).
Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) occurred in the clinical trials in the setting of administration site reactions, e.g., pain, swelling, and induration of the submental area. Cases of dysphagia spontaneously resolved (range 1-81 days, median 3 days). Subjects with current or prior history of dysphagia were excluded from clinical trials. Avoid use of KYBELLA in these patients as current or prior history of dysphagia may exacerbate the condition.
In clinical trials, 72% of subjects treated with KYBELLA experienced injection site hematoma/bruising. KYBELLA should be used with caution in patients with bleeding abnormalities or who are currently being treated with antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy as excessive bleeding or bruising in the treatment area may occur.
To avoid the potential of tissue damage, KYBELLA should not be injected into or in close proximity (1-1.5 cm) to salivary glands, lymph nodes and muscles.
The most commonly reported adverse reactions in the pivotal clinical trials were: injection site edema/swelling, hematoma/bruising, pain, numbness, erythema, and induration.
About Allergan
Allergan plc (NYSE: AGN), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is a unique, global pharmaceutical company and a leader in a new industry model – Growth Pharma. Allergan is focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing innovative branded pharmaceuticals, high-quality generic and over-the-counter medicines and biologic products for patients around the world.
Allergan markets a portfolio of best-in-class products that provide valuable treatments for the central nervous system, eye care, medical aesthetics, gastroenterology, women’s health, urology, cardiovascular and anti-infective therapeutic categories, and operates the world’s third-largest global generics business, providing patients around the globe with increased access to affordable, high-quality medicines. Allergan is an industry leader in research and development, with one of the broadest development pipelines in the pharmaceutical industry and a leading position in the submission of generic product applications globally.
With commercial operations in approximately 100 countries, Allergan is committed to working with physicians, healthcare providers and patients to deliver innovative and meaningful treatments that help people around the world live longer, healthier lives.
For more information, visit Allergan’s website at www.allergan.com.
About KYTHERA®
KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel prescription products for the aesthetic medicine market. In addition to its lead product KYBELLA™, KYTHERA also licensed the worldwide rights to setipiprant (KYTH-105), an early-stage potential treatment for hair loss. KYTHERA’s longer-term strategy is to leverage its biotechnology and aesthetics experience to expand its product portfolio and pipeline. KYTHERA has submitted regulatory filings for ATX-101 in Canada, Switzerland and Australia. Find more information at www.kythera.com.
CVS Health and Target Sign Agreement for CVS Health to Acquire, Rebrand and Operate Target’s Pharmacies and Clinics
Woonsocket, RI and Minneapolis, MN, June 15, 2015 – CVS Health Corporation (NYSE:CVS) and Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement for CVS Health to acquire Target’s pharmacy and clinic businesses for approximately $1.9 billion. Through this agreement, CVS Health will acquire Target’s more than 1,660 pharmacies across 47 states and operate them through a store-within-a-store format, branded as CVS/pharmacy. In addition, a CVS/pharmacy will be included in all new Target stores that offer pharmacy services. Target’s nearly 80 clinic locations will be rebranded as MinuteClinic, and CVS Health will open up to 20 new clinics in Target stores within three years of the close of the transaction. The new clinics will be part of CVS/minuteclinic’s plan to operate 1,500 clinics by 2017. In addition, CVS Health and Target plan to develop five to 10 small, flexible format stores over a two-year period following the deal close, which will each be branded as TargetExpress and include a CVS/pharmacy.
This strategic relationship brings together two leading retailers with complementary strengths, brands and cultures to enhance the health care experience for Target guests while expanding CVS Health’s retail presence in new markets, such as Seattle, Denver, Portland and Salt Lake City. The transaction enables CVS Health to reach more patients, adding a new retail channel for its offerings, and expanding convenient options for consumers. Given CVS Health’s proven success in growing its business, the relationship is expected to benefit Target’s long-term traffic and sales growth. It also enables Target to strengthen its focus on wellness as a signature category. Moving forward, enhanced efforts by Target will center on continuing to deliver products and experiences to help guests eat well, be active and find natural and clean label products.
“This strategic relationship with Target supports the highly complementary customer base, brand and culture we share,” said Larry Merlo, CVS Health President and CEO. “When we introduced the new name for our company, CVS Health, we began a new era of growth with a broader health care focus and an appreciation of the rise of health care consumerism with consumer choice and accountability growing. This relationship with Target will provide consumers with expanded options and access to our unique health care services that lead to better health outcomes and lower overall health care costs.”
“At Target, we’ve talked a lot about the evolving preferences of our guests and this partnership demonstrates that we’re committed to putting them at the forefront of everything we do,” said Brian Cornell, Target Chairman and CEO. “By partnering with CVS Health, we will offer our guests industry leading health care services, and at the same time, sharpen our focus on elevating the way we deliver wellness products and experiences to our guests.”
Following completion of the transaction, Target guests will have access to CVS Health’s leading pharmacy care programs and medical clinic services. Pharmacy programs, including Pharmacy Advisor, Specialty Connect and Maintenance Choice, will help consumers achieve better medication adherence through both improved convenience as well as enhanced pharmacy care counseling. CVS Health has also committed to having a low-cost generic drug option available to Target’s cash-paying guests. In addition, with MinuteClinic at Target locations, Target guests will have enhanced access to high-quality affordable medical care. CVS Health customers will gain the option of an expanded, one-stop Target shopping experience, including apparel, home, fresh food and more, when seeking health care services.
The strategic relationship also unlocks future joint development opportunities. Together, Target and CVS Health will carefully evaluate and select locations best-suited for new small format Target stores with a CVS/pharmacy inside. Additionally, Target and CVS Health will explore innovative, new market offerings that have the potential to generate strong returns on investment and offer long-term benefits for customers and communities.
“We operate in a rapidly changing health care and regulatory environment,” added CVS Health’s Merlo. “This requires companies like CVS Health to continually innovate, providing additional points of access, lowering costs and improving quality for both consumers and payors.”
This acquisition is consistent with each company’s stated goals of investing in core businesses that help drive growth.
CVS Health expects this transaction to generate significant sales and prescription volumes upon closing, and to generate significant operating profit over the long term. The company will finance the transaction with additional debt. In combination with CVS Health’s planned acquisition of Omnicare, this transaction will increase the company’s Adjusted Debt to EBITDA leverage ratio to approximately 3.2x. In support of reaching its leverage target of 2.7x, CVS Health is reducing its share repurchase guidance for 2015 by $1 billion, from $6 billion to $5 billion. This reduction in share repurchases reduces the company’s 2015 Adjusted Earnings Per Share guidance by approximately one cent per share and will lower 2016 Adjusted Earnings Per Share by approximately 4 cents per share.
The timing of closing the transaction is uncertain; assuming it closes near the end of the year, the transaction is expected to be approximately 6 cents dilutive to CVS Health’s Adjusted Earnings Per Share in 2016. This includes the dilutive impact to 2016 from the lower 2015 share repurchase of approximately 4 cents per share as well as financing costs of approximately 5 cents per share; it excludes integration costs and any transaction or one-time costs associated with the deal. On the same basis, the transaction is expected to be approximately 10 cents accretive to CVS Health’s Adjusted Earnings Per Share in 2017, and at least 12 cents accretive to CVS Health’s Adjusted Earnings Per Share in 2018 and beyond.
This transaction will allow Target to continue offering this traffic-driving business in its stores and deliver a differentiated experience in support of its wellness efforts. Target’s after-tax net proceeds from the transaction are expected to be approximately $1.2 billion, which Target expects to deploy in support of its long-standing capital priorities, including share repurchase. The transaction is expected to benefit Target’s Segment EBITDA and EBIT margins post-close, is expected to be accretive to Target’s EPS immediately following the deal close, and is expected to add half a percentage point or more to Target’s return on invested capital over time.
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including necessary regulatory clearance. In-store changes will be rolled out over a period of several months thereafter, as CVS Health and Target work to ensure the smoothest possible transition for all pharmacy and clinic patients. CVS Health is committing to offering the approximately 14,000 in-store Target health care professionals comparable positions with CVS Health as part of the transition. Also following the deal closing, Target will further evaluate the business impact and related support needs at its headquarters locations.
About CVS Health
CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its 7,800 retail drugstores, nearly 1,000 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with more than 70 million plan members, and expanding specialty pharmacy services, the Company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable, effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at www.cvshealth.com.
About Target
Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) serves guests at 1,795 stores and at Target.com. Since 1946, Target has given 5 percent of its profit to communities, that giving equals more than $4 million a week. For more information, visit Target.com/Pressroom. For a behind-the-scenes look at Target, visit Target.com/abullseyeview or follow @TargetNews on Twitter.
Health Care In America – “I am not the first President to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last.”
The aim was simple: That every American could share fully in the promise of quality health care.
The groundwork was laid over nearly 100 years: Other administrations — from Presidents Truman to Nixon to Clinton — have tried and failed to immortalize this principal into American law.
Then, after nearly a century of work, an improbable piece of legislation with a lot of heart behind it ended its journey on the President's desk on March 23, 2010.
Since then, health reform in America has been the law of the land and after more than five years under this law 16.4 million Americans have gained health coverage. 129 million people who could have otherwise been denied or faced discrimination now have access to coverage. Health care prices have risen at the slowest rate in nearly 50 years. And it will live on as a legacy achievement not just of this administration, but of all those who fought for it for so many years.
CVS Health and Omnicare Sign Definitive Agreement for CVS Health to Acquire Omnicare
WOONSOCKET, R.I.and CINCINNATI,- CVS Health Corporation (NYSE:CVS) and Omnicare, Inc. (NYSE:OCR) announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement for CVS Health to acquire Omnicare, the leading provider of pharmacy services to long term care facilities, for $98.00 per share in cash, for a total enterprise value of approximately $12.7 billion, which includes approximately $2.3 billion in debt. In total, Omnicare has approximately 13,000 employees at 160 locations in 47 states across the U.S.
With the acquisition of Omnicare, CVS Health will significantly expand its ability to dispense prescriptions in assisted living and long term care facilities, serving the senior patient population. CVS Health will also expand its presence in the rapidly growing specialty pharmacy business. Omnicare’s complementary specialty pharmacy platform and clinical expertise will augment CVS Health’s capabilities and enable CVS Health to continue to provide innovative and cost-effective solutions to patients and payors.
The boards of directors of both companies have approved the transaction, which is subject to approval by the holders of Omnicare’s common stock, as well as other customary closing conditions, including applicable regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close near the end of 2015.
CVS Health expects to achieve significant purchasing and revenue synergies as well as operating efficiencies from this combination. The company expects the transaction to be approximately 20 cents accretive to Adjusted EPS in 2016, its first full year, excluding integration and any one-time transaction costs. It is expected to become increasingly accretive to Adjusted EPS in subsequent years. The company has secured $13 billion in fully committed unsecured bridge financing from Barclays and expects to put in place permanent financing in the form of senior notes and/or term loans prior to the closing of the transaction. CVS Health expects that it will continue to have a solid balance sheet and, with its strong free cash flow, is committed to returning to its targeted leverage ratio of 2.7 times adjusted debt-to-EBITDA.
“The acquisition of Omnicare significantly expands our business, providing CVS Health access into a new pharmacy dispensing channel,” said CVS Health President and CEO Larry Merlo. “It also creates new opportunities for us to extend our high-quality, innovative pharmacy programs to a broader population of seniors and chronic care patients as they transition across the care continuum. We have been impressed by the Omnicare team and what they have created for the patients they serve.”
“We are pleased to have reached this agreement with CVS Health, one of the leading companies in the health care industry, which we believe will allow us to accelerate our mission of enhancing the quality and cost-effectiveness of care for complex patient populations,” said Omnicare President and CEO Nitin Sahney. “This exciting combination is the result of a broad and thorough review of our strategic options. On behalf of the Omnicare team, I’d like to thank our 13,000 employees whose hard work and dedication has enabled Omnicare to become a recognized leader in pharmacy services.”
Given the aging U.S. population, long term care is a growth segment of the health care system. More people are expected to use assisted living facilities and independent living communities in the coming decades, creating a substantial growth opportunity for those companies serving the health care needs of seniors.
In entering this new customer distribution channel, CVS Health will deliver meaningful benefits to consumers, patients, caregivers, and payors by providing highly coordinated clinical pharmacy care across multiple treatment settings from retail to long term care. CVS Health will help improve patient outcomes and provide enhanced continuity of care to patients and caregivers as they transition through the health care system.
CVS Health received investment banking and financial advice from Barclays and Evercore. The company was advised on transaction legal matters by Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and on antitrust matters by Dechert LLP.
BofA Merrill Lynch and Centerview Partners are serving as financial advisors to Omnicare. White & Case LLP is serving as Omnicare’s legal counsel.
About CVS Health
CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its 7,800 retail drugstores, nearly 1,000 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with more than 70 million plan members, and expanding specialty pharmacy services, the Company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable, effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at www.cvshealth.com.
About Omnicare
Omnicare, Inc., a Fortune 500 company based in Cincinnati, Ohio, provides comprehensive pharmaceutical services to patients and providers across the United States. As the market-leader in professional pharmacy, related consulting and data management services for skilled nursing, assisted living and other chronic care institutions, Omnicare leverages its unparalleled clinical insight into the geriatric market along with some of the industry’s most innovative technological capabilities to the benefit of its long-term care customers. Omnicare also provides specialty pharmacy and key commercialization services for the bio-pharmaceutical industry through its Specialty Care Group. For more information, visit www.omnicare.com.
UNICEF and ARM Unleash Technology to Transform Children’s Lives – ‘Wearables for Good’ Design Challenge Launched Today
LONDON/NEW YORK, – UNICEF and ARM have announced a multi-year partnership to accelerate the development of new technologies to overcome the barriers that prevent millions of families from accessing basic health, education and support services. The partnership’s first action is to collaborate with global product strategy and design firm frog on a ‘Wearables for Good’ challenge to generate ideas for new and innovative devices that tackle maternal and child health needs in emerging economies.
The partnership will focus on enabling UNICEF to provide faster and more comprehensive help to children coping with the effects of mass urbanization and increased social and economic divides. Together, UNICEF and ARM will use their influence to encourage the tech sector to innovate for impact.
Initial deliverables in the multi-year partnership include:
• UNICEF and ARM have partnered with frog to launch the ‘Wearables for Good’ design challenge. The challenge asks: Could wearable and sensor technology be the next mobile revolution? Running over six months, the challenge invites developers, designers, community partners and problem-solvers to design a wearable device that offers a cost-effective, efficient, and sustainable solution to pressing maternal, newborn or child health problems.
• ARM will work alongside UNICEF’s network of Innovation Labs and country offices to identify and scale up pilot projects that demonstrate the potential to be used at a national level. Over the next year, UNICEF and ARM will uncover the most impactful solutions being used or in trials across the UNICEF network and invest to deliver them wherever they are needed.
• Longer term, the UNICEF/ARM partnership will conduct research to evaluate and promote market opportunities in developing countries. With the findings, UNICEF and ARM will outline the business case for investing in solutions for mobile financial services, identity, transportation, learning and wearable/sensor technology. The joint goal is to build momentum for globally co-created and scalable technologies that attract commercial investment.
“We need to innovate with social purpose in order to overcome the barriers of time, distance and lack of information that prevent millions of children from surviving and realizing their potential,” said Erica Kochi, Co-lead, UNICEF Innovation. “By working together with ARM we improve our ability to develop new technologies that impact children and help them grow up healthy, educated and able to positively contribute to their families, communities and wider economies.”
“Technology should be used to create opportunity for all; improving child health, education and prospects, and access to it should not be governed by economic status or geography,” said Simon Segars, CEO, ARM. “We have spent 25 years enabling life-changing technologies and together with UNICEF’s innovation experts we believe this partnership can deliver a positive social impact for children all-around the world.”
Today’s partnership announcement has evolved from a growing understanding between UNICEF and ARM that technology can have a defining impact on children’s lives. With that shared view, UNICEF and ARM aim to drive sector-wide change, creating an ecosystem of technology companies that explore the potential social impact of new technologies they develop.
See a short video interview with Simon Segars, ARM CEO and Erica Kochi, Co-lead, UNICEF Innovation on ARMFlix.
‘Wearables for Good’ design challenge
The launch of the ‘Wearables for Good’ design challenge with frog signifies the commencement of UNICEF and ARM’s partnership. The competition panel will assess the entries on several levels including product and service design that disrupts or improves the status quo, sustainability of technology and potential impact at scale.
Entrants will be guided by the ‘Use Case Handbook’ created by UNICEF and frog. The handbook outlines the challenges that need to be addressed, as well as considerations, context and principles for good design.
Two winners will be selected at the end of the design challenge. Each winner will receive $15,000 funding alongside incubation and mentorship support from ARM and frog.
“Today, wearable technologies are primarily focused on applications such as fitness and the quantified self,” said Denise Gershbein, Executive Creative Director at frog. “However, there are countless opportunities for wearable and sensor technology to make more of an impact in emerging markets, particularly in the next wave of social impact development. With the ‘Wearables for Good’ challenge we hope to foster dialogue among new partners and increase cross-discipline innovation.”
The ‘Wearables for Good’ design challenge goes live today, May 19, 2015, and entry details can be found at http://wearablesforgood.com
UNICEF and ARM each have a history of developing technology-based solutions that improve social good, including:
• Literacy Bridge, which is jointly supported by UNICEF and ARM, is a portable listening device being used in Ghana used to relay health, agricultural and education information. The Talking Book is being trialled by 500,000 people in the first mass trials
• ARM provides support to SimPrints, a portable biometric reader that compares a person’s fingerprints to a database containing medical records. It is being tested in Bangladesh and more than 1,000 people are now registered on the system
• UNICEF’s U-Report is a mobile phone, text-based service designed to give young people a chance to voice their opinions on important issues. To date U-Report is live in 14 countries and reaches 700,000 young people, with plans to scale to 20 countries, reaching 1 million by the end of 2015
• UNICEF’s EduTrac is a data collection system that uses basic mobile phones to support and strengthen education systems by enabling front-line education workers to report on indicators and get critical information, such as the location of supplies, in real-time. In Uganda, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, educators are using EduTrac to report on indicators, such as absenteeism, cases of violence against children, curriculum progress and supervision visits.
About ARM
ARM is at the heart of the world’s most advanced digital products. Our technology enables the creation of new markets and transformation of industries and society. We design scalable, energy-efficient processors and related technologies to deliver the intelligence in applications ranging from sensors to servers, including smartphones, tablets, enterprise infrastructure and the Internet of Things.
Our innovative technology is licensed by ARM Partners who have shipped more than 60 billion System on Chip (SoCs) containing our intellectual property since the company began in 1990. Together with our Connected Community, we are breaking down barriers to innovation for developers, designers and engineers, ensuring a fast, reliable route to market for leading electronics companies. Learn more and join the conversation at http://community.arm.com.
About frog
frog is a global product strategy and design firm. Our work solves problems, anticipates the future and advances the human experience. We are more than 600 strategists, researchers, designers, and technologists who consult and partner with clients across industries. Headquartered in San Francisco, we have offices in Amsterdam, Austin, Boston, London, Milan, Munich, New York, Seattle, Shanghai and Singapore. www.frogdesign.com.
About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and well-being of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF visit: www.unicef.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
UNICEF Innovation is an interdisciplinary team of individuals around the world tasked with identifying, prototyping, and scaling technologies and practices that strengthen UNICEF’s work. We build and scale innovations that improve children’s lives around the world. For more information about UNICEF’s work in innovation, visit: www.unicef.org/innovation and http://www.unicefstories.org/. Follow us on Twitter.
For more information please contact:
Every Newborn Action Plan Progress Report, Strategies toward Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality Launch
GENEVA, Switzerland, — Since the Every Newborn Action Plan (ENAP) was endorsed at the World Health Assembly one year ago, 15 of the 18 countries with some of the highest burden of maternal and newborn mortality have taken steps to improve care for mothers and their newborns.
Governments’ commitment to ENAP’s framework is a stride forward. It sets a clear direction for government actions to ensure mothers and their babies survive and thrive following childbirth and the fragile first month, and lays out mortality and coverage of care targets for countries to meet by 2035.
According to the ENAP Progress Report released today, four countries – Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and Kenya – have developed specific action plans, and a further six countries – China, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe – are in the process of preparing specific action plans. An additional three countries – Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo and Mali – have strengthened newborn components within existing plans for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH). Work is in progress in Ethiopia and Lesotho to strengthen the newborn component within existing plans.
Also launching today, Strategies toward Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality (EPMM) calls for eliminating inequity in access, quality and outcomes of care within and between countries that lead to wide disparities in maternal and neonatal mortality. EPMM proposes a human rights-based approach to maternal and newborn healthcare, and expands the focus to address the shifting patterns of causes of maternal death in countries, as well as the systemic social, political and economic determinants of health and survival that are associated with high rates of maternal mortality. Both the ENAP and EPMM strategies aim to improve the quality of maternal and newborn care, to reach every woman and newborn with universal coverage, and to strengthen measurement capacity and count every death to drive improvement and accountability.
EPMM aims to address maternal and newborn mortality over the continuum of care, whilst the Every Newborn Action Plan takes on these critical issues by using more immediate tools.
The combined strategic approaches for ending preventable maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths under Every Woman Every Child promote successful partnership initiatives and country leadership that can lead to real change for families, communities and societies across the globe.
“Countries and other global stakeholders have come together to ensure that sound strategies are available to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths within a generation, and to bridge the equity gap so that all mothers and their newborns, especially those who are voiceless and vulnerable, have their right to health upheld. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that everyone can survive and thrive. These strategies inform the update of the UN Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, highlighting the need for evidence in order to drive this critical agenda forward.” said Dr. Flavia Bustreo, WHO Assistant Director-General for Family, Women’s and Children’s Health.
While unprecedented progress has been made in improving the lives of women and children around the world, maternal mortality rates have not declined to the levels set by the MDGs. Newborn mortality rates have fallen even more slowly and stillbirth rates have been stagnant. Despite efforts to date, each day 800 women and 7,700 newborns still die from complications during pregnancy, childbirth and other neonatal causes, and 7,300 women experience a stillbirth. Moreover, these deaths are not equally distributed within or between countries around the world.
As improved newborn survival and health are intrinsically linked with the health and survival of women before conception, during pregnancies and around the time of birth, a range of interventions across a continuum of quality care addressing reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health is needed to address these preventable tragedies. In particular, improved access and quality of care around childbirth can generate a triple return on investment by saving maternal and newborn lives and preventing stillbirths and disability.
“Women and children need access to high-quality care and services across a continuum of care, including in fragile states where over half of the deaths occur,” said Kate Gilmore, Deputy Executive Director, UNFPA. “Seeing so many countries spring into action is testament that ending preventable maternal and child deaths and stillbirths within a generation is possible and a priority. The ENAP and EPMM plans are essential guidance to help countries reach their goals.”
Led and supported by many committed partners,* with particular leadership from WHO and UNICEF, the process to develop both EPMM and ENAP plans lasted more than two years and involved numerous multi-stakeholder consultations, official Member State input and web-based consultations drawing over 300 comments.
“Making newborns and mothers a priority on a global scale has catalyzed unprecedented action,” said Nina Schwalbe, UNICEF’s principal adviser on health. “We must keep this focus in the post-2015 era. The bold actions we take today to end preventable maternal and child mortality will lead to a better world tomorrow.”
*Partners: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Family Care International; Human Reproduction Programme (HRP); International Confederation of Midwives; International Federation of Gynecology & Obstetrics (FIGO); London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine; Maternal and Child Survival Program; Maternal Health Task Force; Save the Children; The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health; The White Ribbon Alliance; The World Bank; USAID; UNFPA; UNICEF; United Nations Foundation; World Health Organization
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For a copy of the Every Newborn Action Plan Progress Report, please visit: EveryNewborn.org
For a copy of Strategies toward Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality, please visit: who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/maternal_perinatal/epmm/en/
About the Global Maternal Newborn Health Conference October 18 – 21, 2015, Mexico City
The Global Maternal Newborn Health Conference will provide a forum to identify, understand and respond to the most urgent health needs of mothers and newborns, focusing on quality care, integration and equity. The aim of the conference is to advance the technical knowledge; showcase innovative and effective solutions; consider successes and challenges of scaling up quality, integrated and equitable programmes; and accelerate momentum for maternal and newborn health within the post-2015 development framework. To find out more, visit: http://www.globalmnh2015.org/
About A Promise Renewed
Ending Preventable Maternal and Child Deaths: A Promise Renewed (APR) brings together governments, civil society, the private sector and individual citizens to stop women and children from dying of causes that are easily avoidable. In June 2012, the Governments of Ethiopia, India and the United States of America convened the Child Survival Call to Action in Washington, D.C. to rejuvenate the global child survival movement. Since the Child Survival Call to Action, over 178 governments and hundreds of civil society and faith based organizations have signed a pledge vowing to do everything possible to stop women and children from dying of causes that are easily avoidable. We now call this commitment Ending Preventable Maternal and Child Deaths: A Promise Renewed. Since the launch of A Promise Renewed, 30 countries have launched sharpened country strategies to end preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths. Read more at: www.apromiserenewed.org
About Every Woman Every Child (EWEC)
Launched by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Summit in September 2010, Every Woman Every Child is an unprecedented global movement that mobilizes and intensifies international and national action by governments, multilaterals, the private sector and civil society to address the major health challenges facing women and children around the world. The movement puts into action the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health, which presents a roadmap on how to enhance financing, strengthen policy and improve service on the ground for the most vulnerable women and children.
About UNFPA
UNFPA: Delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential fulfilled. www.unfpa.org
About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org
CVS Study Finds Smoking Cessation Programs with Financial Incentives Increase Rates of Quitting and Staying Smoke-free
WOONSOCKET, R.I.,– A new study by the CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) Research Institute and researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, finds that employer-sponsored smoking cessation programs with financial incentives are associated with higher rates of quitting smoking and sustained abstinence. Findings of the study, conducted among a sample of CVS Health colleagues and their relatives and friends, helped shape an innovative smoking cessation program for CVS Health colleagues that will launch in June 2015.
“More than 50 years after the release of the first Surgeon General’s report on the harmful effects of tobacco, smoking still remains the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the U.S. While as a society, we have made significant strides in curbing rates of smoking, there is still a clear opportunity to make an even greater impact,” said Troyen A. Brennan, MD, MPH, executive vice president and Chief Medical Officer, CVS Health and a study co-author. “As we think about novel approaches to smoking cessation, these findings provide evidence that financial incentives can be a powerful motivator.”
The researchers randomly assigned approximately 2,500 CVS Health colleagues and their family and friends to one of four incentive-based smoking cessation programs or to usual care, which consisted of informational resources and free access to a behavioral-modification program and nicotine-replacement therapy. Across all of the incentive-based programs, participants were eligible for up to $800 for successfully quitting smoking but the programs differed in how incentives were accrued and disbursed. Two of the programs required participants to pay an upfront deposit of $150, which was reimbursed if participants successfully quit smoking. Overall, study participants who enrolled in any of the four incentive-based programs were nearly three times more likely to quit smoking than those who received usual care alone. In addition, although participants assigned to the groups requiring an upfront deposit were more likely to decline participation than those in the pure incentive-based programs, deposit programs led to nearly twice the rate of abstinence from smoking at six months among people who would have accepted either type of program.
“This study is one of the first to compare incentive programs that first require deposits and programs that entail pure rewards to promote healthy behaviors,” added Scott D. Halpern, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and lead author of the study. “The results are fully consistent with the behavioral theory that people are typically more motivated to avoid losses than to seek gains. Although the need to make monetary deposits deters some people from participating, deposit-requiring incentive programs can produce robust, long-term results in helping to change complex health behaviors.”
As part of CVS Health’s purpose of helping people on their path to better health, CVS Health will launch 700 Good Reasons, an innovative smoking cessation program for its colleagues who smoke or use tobacco of any kind. Set to launch next month, the program was developed based on key learnings and insights gained from this new research in order to create an incentive program that would both encourage participation and result in sustained success in quitting smoking. Program participants are required to pay a $50 deposit and can earn up to $700 as well as a refund of their full deposit if they commit to quit and are successful. The financial incentives will be paid to participating employees who test tobacco-free at six and 12 months. In addition, those enrolled will also be encouraged to participate in CVS/minuteclinic’s Start to Stop® smoking cessation program which offers a personalized quit plan, nicotine replacement therapy and support to help stay on track.
“Last year, we made a commitment as a company to be tobacco-free as we strive to fulfill our purpose of helping people on their path to better health and that includes our colleagues,” said Lisa Bisaccia, executive vice president and Chief Human Resources Officer, CVS Health. “The research we conducted with the University of Pennsylvania provided us with important information about what can motivate and help our colleagues stop smoking. We are excited to offer this innovative program to our colleagues who want to quit smoking as we foster a healthy workplace and workforce.”
CVS Health stopped selling tobacco products in all CVS/pharmacy locations in September 2014 to support the health and well-being of its patients and customers.
The CVS Health Research Institute is focused on contributing to the body of scientific knowledge related to pharmacy and health care through research collaborations with external academic institutions, participation in federally-funded research, analysis and sharing of CVS Health data sources and coordination of pilot programs and initiatives. CVS Health Research Institute findings support a continuous quality improvement environment, which encourages product innovation and development to benefit CVS Health patients, clients and their members.
The study was also supported by a grant from the National Cancer Institute (CA159932) and a grant from the National Institute on Aging (AG036592).
About CVS Health
CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its 7,800 retail drugstores, nearly 1,000 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with more than 70 million plan members, and expanding specialty pharmacy services, the Company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable, effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at www.cvshealth.com.
Takeda Agrees to Settle ACTOS Product Liability Lawsuits and Claims; Takeda Stresses Continued Commitment to ACTOS
Deerfield, Ill., U.S., and Osaka, Japan, April 29, 2015 – Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc., today announced that they have reached an agreement expected to resolve the vast majority of ACTOS (pioglitazone HCl) product liability lawsuits pending against Takeda in the U.S. Takeda will take a $2.7 billion charge against earnings in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2014 to cover the settlement and the costs associated with defending remaining cases and for other related litigation. The settlement will become effective if 95 percent of current litigants and claimants opt into the settlement. Once that threshold is achieved, Takeda will pay $2.37 billion into a settlement fund. However, that figure will rise to $2.4 billion if 97 percent or more of the current litigants and claimants opt to participate in the settlement.
Takeda believes that the claims made in this litigation are without merit, and does not admit liability. Takeda believes the company acted responsibly with regard to ACTOS, and that ACTOS has a positive benefit/risk profile for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Takeda’s decision to settle does not change the company’s continued commitment to ACTOS. ACTOS continues to be available as a treatment option in the U.S., Japan and other countries. Pioglitazone has been approved for use in 95 countries, including the U.S., Japan, several in Europe, Australia, Brazil, Canada and Russia, to highlight a few.
The settlement will reduce financial uncertainties for the company and provides a significant degree of assurance toward resolving a high percentage of the ACTOS product liability claims. The settlement allows the company to fully focus on developing innovative medicines for patients around the world.
Under the settlement, current litigants and claimants who meet prescribed criteria would receive payouts from the fund. The settlement will not affect Takeda’s ability to pay dividends.
Takeda stands behind the substantial data that confirm a positive benefit/risk profile for ACTOS, which includes more than 14 years of clinical and patient experience with the product.
Indication for ACTOS
ACTOS (pioglitazone) is a prescription medicine used with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar (glucose) control in adults with type 2 diabetes. ACTOS is not for the treatment of type 1 “juvenile” diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis (increased ketones in blood or urine).
Important Safety Information
WARNING: HEART FAILURE
ACTOS can cause or worsen heart failure. ACTOS can cause the body to keep extra fluid (fluid retention), which leads to swelling (edema) and weight gain. Extra body fluid can make some heart problems worse or lead to heart failure. Heart failure means the heart does not pump blood well enough. Patients should not take ACTOS if they have severe heart failure. If patients have heart failure with symptoms such as shortness of breath or swelling, even if these symptoms are not severe, ACTOS may not be right for them. Patients should call their doctor right away if they experience swelling or fluid retention (especially in the ankles or legs), shortness of breath or trouble breathing (especially when lying down), an unusually fast increase in weight, or unusual tiredness.
ACTOS may not be right for everyone. Serious side effects may happen to people taking ACTOS.
Patients should not take ACTOS if they are allergic to any of its ingredients.
ACTOS may cause liver problems. Patients should call their doctor right away if they experience nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, unusual or unexplained tiredness, loss of appetite, dark urine, or yellowing of the skin or eyes, as these could be symptoms of liver damage.
Women are at higher risk of having broken bones (fractures) while taking ACTOS.
There may be an increased chance of having bladder cancer when patients take ACTOS. Patients should not take ACTOS if they are receiving treatment for bladder cancer. Patients should tell their doctor right away if they have blood or a red color in the urine, have an increased need to urinate, or have pain while they urinate, as these may be symptoms of bladder cancer.
When taking ACTOS with insulin or other anti-diabetic medications (especially sulfonylureas), hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) may occur. Lightheadedness, shakiness, dizziness, or hunger may mean that a patient’s blood sugar is too low. Patients should talk to their doctor if low blood sugar is a problem for them.
Some patients have experienced visual changes while taking ACTOS. If patients experience vision problems, patients should consult their doctor immediately. Patients should have their eyes checked regularly.
If a woman is of childbearing age, but does not have monthly periods, she should talk to her doctor before taking ACTOS, as it could increase her chance of becoming pregnant.
It is not known if ACTOS can harm an unborn or nursing baby. Patients should talk to their doctor if they are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to breastfeed.
Adverse Reactions
The most common side effects (>5%) of ACTOS include cold-like symptoms, headache, sinus infection, muscle pain, and sore throat.
Drug Interactions
Patients should tell their doctor about all the medicines, vitamins, and supplements they take. ACTOS and some other medicines can affect each other. Patients may need to have their dose of ACTOS or certain other medicines changed.
Patients are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088 FREE.
IBM to Acquire Phytel to Help Healthcare Providers Deliver Higher Value Care
Armonk, NY and Dallas, Texas: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced plans to acquire Phytel, a leading provider of integrated population health management software.
The acquisition once completed will bolster the company’s efforts to apply advanced analytics and cognitive computing to help primary care providers, large hospital systems and physician networks improve healthcare quality and effect healthier patient outcomes. Phytel will become part of IBM’s new Watson Health unit, launched today. The acquisition is subject to regulatory review and is anticipated to close later this year.
Phytel develops and sells cloud-based services that help healthcare providers and care teams work together to ensure care is effective and coordinated in order to meet new healthcare quality requirements and reimbursement models. Population health management makes it possible to deliver proven quality of care to patients based on evidence of what works best, so physicians can deliver higher value.
The software works with healthcare providers’ current electronic health record technology to reduce patient hospital readmissions and automates population health management, improving patient outreach and engagement. Because it is cloud-based, providers are not constrained with technology issues and can focus on outcomes. The software has delivered proven results for Phytel clients while improving patient care using a rapid deployment methodology.
“IBM is continuing a significant investment in supporting the needs of our healthcare clients by bringing together powerful cognitive computing with new insights into all the factors that influence a person’s health,” said Mike Rhodin, senior vice president, IBM Watson. “The acquisition of Phytel once completed will further our mission by giving providers insights into patient health from data about patient behaviors and their engagement with care plans.”
“Phytel was founded on the principle of delivering patients continuous proactive care and providing collective information about the ongoing health of patients across entire communities,” said Steve Schelhammer, CEO, Phytel. “By combining our powerful population health management capabilities with the cognitive insight of IBM, once the acquisition closes, together we will help providers turn insight into action to improve health quality.”
About Phytel
The premier company empowering physician-led population health improvement, Phytel provides physicians with proven technology to deliver timely, coordinated care to their patients. Phytel’s SaaS-based registry uses evidence-based chronic and preventive care protocols to identify and notify patients due for service, while tracking engagement and measuring quality and financial results. For more information, please visit www.Phytel.com. Follow us on Twitter and find us on Facebook.
About IBM Watson Health
IBM and its vast ecosystem of clients, partners and medical researchers are accelerating the development of a new generation of data-driven applications and solutions built on IBM Health Cloud and IBM Watson cognitive solutions to advance health and wellness. For more information, please visit ibm.com/watsonhealth.
Apple Announces ResearchKit Available Today to Medical Researchers
CUPERTINO, California— Apple® today announced ResearchKit™, a software framework designed for medical and health research that helps doctors, scientists and other researchers gather data more frequently and more accurately from participants using mobile devices, is now available to researchers and developers. The first research apps developed using ResearchKit study asthma, breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Parkinson’s disease, and have enrolled over 60,000 iPhone® users in just the first few weeks of being available on the App Store™.* Starting today, medical researchers all over the world will be able to use ResearchKit to develop their own apps and developers can also contribute new research modules to the open source framework.
“We are delighted and encouraged by the response to ResearchKit from the medical and research community and the participants contributing to medical research. Studies that historically attracted a few hundred participants are now attracting participants in the tens of thousands,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s senior vice president of Operations. “Medical researchers all over the world are actively exploring how ResearchKit can help them study even more diseases, and we believe the impact on global understanding of health and wellness will be profound.”
The open source framework allows any medical researcher to take advantage of the initial modules in ResearchKit to study health and wellness and better understand disease. Developers can also build new modules based on the open source code and contribute them to ResearchKit. The initial customizable modules address the most common elements found in research studies—participant consent, surveys and active tasks.
Participant consent: Participant consent is a critical element to research studies, and with ResearchKit researchers can access a visual e-consent template that can be customized to explain the details of the study and obtain participant signatures. This module makes it easy for the researcher to include elements such as video segments explaining the study and an interactive quiz to confirm the participant’s understanding.
Surveys: The survey module provides a pre-built user interface that makes it easy to customize questions and answers for study participants to complete and immediately share with researchers.
Active Tasks: The Active Task module enables researchers to gather more targeted data for their study by inviting participants to perform activities that generate data using iPhone’s advanced sensors. Initial Active Task modules include tasks to measure motor activities, fitness, cognition and voice, and with the framework available as open source, the research community can contribute even more active tasks to ResearchKit.
“ResearchKit could help us reach people all over the world who are willing to contribute to medical research, but might not know how or be able to get involved,” said Ricky Bloomfield, Director of Mobile Technology Strategy and Assistant Professor in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics at Duke University. “Our team of researchers is now launching the development of an exciting new study using the ResearchKit framework, which will enable us to gather data quickly, from more participants than we are typically able to reach.”
“Because of the ubiquity of iPhone and the elegant implementation of consent, survey and instrumented data collection, ResearchKit has enormous promise for leading the transformation of how we engage patients in research,” said Kenneth Mandl, MD, MPH, of the Boston Children’s Hospital Informatics Program. “Now that we have access to the ResearchKit framework, our team can start customizing the initial modules and even design new ones for our particular study.”
ResearchKit turns iPhone into a powerful tool for medical research. When granted permission by the participant, ResearchKit apps can access data from advanced iPhone sensors like the accelerometer, gyroscope, microphone and GPS to gain insight into a participant’s activity levels, motor impairments, memory and more. ResearchKit works seamlessly with HealthKit™, a software framework Apple introduced with iOS 8 to provide developers the ability for health and fitness apps to communicate with each other. With permission from the participant, ResearchKit apps can access and use data from the Health app such as weight, blood pressure, glucose levels and asthma inhaler use, which are measured by third-party devices and apps.
For more information on ResearchKit, visit www.apple.com/researchkit and for details on how to access the open source framework, visit www.researchkit.org.
*ResearchKit apps are available on the App Store in the US at www.appstore.com/researchkit and will be rolling out to more countries in the future. iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and the latest generation of iPod touch® support ResearchKit apps.
Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.
Hybrid OR: Maquet and GE Healthcare announce cooperation in the field of the Hybrid OR
Rastatt, April 2015. Maquet and GE Healthcare are announcing they are developing together a new flexible angiography Hybrid OR solution[1]. The combined system for surgical procedures and catheter-based interventions will consist of the angiography system Discovery IGS 730 (GE) and the Magnus operating table system (Maquet). Both companies will be presenting their integrated solution for the very first time at the Charing Cross International Symposium 2015 to be held between 28th April and 1st May in London.
Versatile solution for efficient use
Besides its high-precision imaging technology, the differentiating feature of the Discovery IGS 730 is its unique mobility. With its laser-guided, mobile gantry, it can be conveniently positioned throughout the OR with high predictability to provide the medical team with full patient access. The Discovery IGS 730 enables to use both left and right customizable parking locations in a single room for an excellent patient access during either left or right access procedures. Its mobile design allows more flexibility in the implantation of ceiling suspended elements such as laminar flow and booms. The Discovery IGS 730 also offers all features of a premium angiography system. It enables high-quality 2D imagery, as well as 3D rotational angiography and multimodality 3D Fusion with outstanding opportunities for minimally invasive therapy.
The Magnus operating table is a full-fledged, versatile OR table that meets all requirements of surgeons and interventional physicians. It has a “floating” function that enables quick and precise movements, during catheter-based interventions. Through the flexibility of different table tops it is possible to expand diagnostic and therapeutic measures for further surgical procedures.
Combination of the gantry mobility of the Discovery IGS 730 and the patient positioning capabilities of the Magnus operating table system should enable use of the OR for multidisciplinary surgical interventions. In addition, thanks to its universal table top, the Hybrid OR can also be used in regular OR programs, thus providing high capacity and utilization rate to the hospital.
“The Maquet table brings additional clinical breadth to the hybrid operating rooms. It should complement GE unique mobile gantry technology that delivers easy-to-use advanced imaging capability and highly flexible siting to fit the needs of virtually any surgery and interventional specialty. This solution should enable hospitals to expand their services to attract more patients and physicians while securing the operating room utilization.” says Chantal Le Chat, Global General Manager Interventional, GE Healthcare.
Setting the trend for the Hybrid OR
“Our collaboration with GE Healthcare has produced several synergies for all parties involved”, adds Markus Medart, President of Maquet GmbH. “With the successful collaboration in the field of Hybrid ORs in combination with MR, which began back in the year 2000, this joint development is yet a further milestone in the expansion of our position as global market leader for complete solutions for the OR in the international market.” The company is able to look back on some 500 integrated systems over the past years. In addition to planning complex projects, the Maquet portfolio for Hybrid ORs encompasses all products from our own development and production units required to realize the project, from the modular wall system VARIOP to surgical lights, ceiling supply units, anesthesia and heart-lung machines up to full OR Integration.
[1] This is a collaboration announcement and the integrated solution is not yet available for sales
About GE Healthcare
GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services to meet the demand for increased access, enhanced quality and more affordable healthcare around the world. GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter – great people and technologies taking on tough challenges. From medical imaging, software & IT, patient monitoring and diagnostics to drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies and performance improvement solutions, GE Healthcare helps medical professionals deliver great healthcare to their patients. For our latest news, please visit http://newsroom.gehealthcare.com
About MAQUET
MAQUET, a trusted partner for hospitals and physicians for more than 175 years, is a global leader in medical systems. The company offers innovative therapy solutions and infrastructure capabilities for high-acuity areas within the hospital — including the operating room (OR), hybrid OR/cath lab, and intensive care unit (ICU) — as well as intra- and inter-hospital patient transport. Additionally, MAQUET develops intelligent and sustainable room concepts that exceed the expectations of modern hospitals, working in close cooperation with customers, production engineers and architects to integrate high quality products and services. Headquartered in Rastatt, Germany, MAQUET is the largest subsidiary of the publicly listed GETINGE Group AB of Sweden. MAQUET generated about 1.54 billion Euros in 2013, representing more than half of the Getinge Group’s annual revenue of 2.9 billion Euros. MAQUET has 6,550 employees and provides over 40 international sales and service organizations, as well as a network of more than 300 sales partners. MAQUET – The Gold Standard. www.maquet.com. www.getingegroup.com.
Drug Firm Mylan Proposes To Acquire Perrigo For $205 Per Share
POTTERS BAR, England, April 8, 2015 — Mylan N.V. (NASDAQ: MYL) today announced that Mylan has made a proposal to acquire Perrigo Company plc (NYSE: PRGO) in a cash-and-stock transaction that would create a diversified, global pharmaceutical leader with an unmatched commercial and operating platform and a unique, one-of-a-kind profile. The combination of these highly complementary businesses would produce a company with critical mass in specialty brands, generics, over-the-counter (OTC) and nutritional products; a powerful commercial platform with reach across all customer channels; an exceptional high-quality operating platform; and opportunities to generate enhanced growth and deliver significant immediate and long-term value and benefits for shareholders and the other stakeholders of both companies.
Under the terms of the non-binding proposal, which was delivered to Perrigo’s Chairman on April 6, 2015, Perrigo shareholders would receive $205 in a combination of cash and Mylan stock for each Perrigo share, which represents a greater than 25% premium to the Perrigo trading price as of the close of business on Friday, April 3, 2015 (the last trading date prior to the date of Mylan’s proposal), a greater than 29% premium to Perrigo’s sixty-day average share price and a greater than 28% premium to Perrigo’s ninety-day average share price.
Mylan’s Executive Chairman Robert J. Coury commented, “This proposal is the culmination of a number of prior discussions between Mylan and Perrigo about the compelling strategic and financial logic of this combination. This combination would result in meaningful immediate and long-term value creation, and our proposal is designed to deliver that value to shareholders and other stakeholders of both companies. We have great respect for Perrigo’s board and management team and what they have built. We look forward in the weeks ahead to working with them to capitalize on this tremendous opportunity and working together to create a unique leader with a one-of-a-kind profile in our industry.”
The proposal is subject to the pre-condition of confirmatory due diligence, which pre-condition may be waived by Mylan at its discretion. This announcement is not an announcement of a firm intention to make an offer under rule 2.5 of the Irish Takeover Panel Act, 1997, Takeover Rules 2013 and there can be no certainty that an offer will be made, even if the due diligence pre-condition is satisfied or waived. A further statement will be made if and when appropriate.
The full text of the letter delivered to Perrigo by Mylan on April 6, 2015 is included below.
April 6, 2015
Joseph C. Papa
President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman
Perrigo Company plc
Treasury Building
Lower Grand Canal St.
Dublin 2, Ireland
Dear Joe:
As you and I have discussed on a number of occasions over the past few years, a combination of Mylan and Perrigo offers clear and compelling strategic and financial benefits, has sound industrial logic, and would create a global leader with a unique and one-of-a-kind profile. We have complementary operations across all of our businesses, both from a product and geographic perspective. In an environment where scale and reach are becoming increasingly important, the combination of our companies would result in an unmatched global platform, substantial revenue and operating synergies, and enhanced long-term growth potential, all of which would serve to create significant value for the combined company’s shareholders and other stakeholders.
Based on our many conversations over the years and my knowledge of Perrigo, I have often noted the similarity in the culture and core values of our two companies. We both place paramount emphasis on integrity, respect and responsibility in our commitment to provide the world’s 7 billion people access to the broadest range of affordable, high quality medicine. We also have a common focus on innovation, reliability and excellent customer service. Most importantly, all of our people are dedicated to creating better health for a better world, one person at a time. This shared culture and these common values will be key contributors to a successful integration.
For the foregoing reasons, I am writing on behalf of Mylan to propose a combination of Mylan and Perrigo in a transaction that would deliver to your shareholders significantly greater near-term and long-term value than they could otherwise obtain on a standalone basis. Our proposal is the natural culmination of our prior discussions and reflects our shared vision for the industry. This is the right time for our two companies to move forward together, and Mylan and our Board are firmly committed to making this combination a reality.
Specifically, we propose to offer Perrigo shareholders $205 in a combination of cash and Mylan stock for each Perrigo share, which represents a greater than 25% premium to the Perrigo trading price as of the close of business on Friday, April 3, 2015, a greater than 29% premium to Perrigo’s sixty-day average share price and a greater than 28% premium to Perrigo’s ninety-day average share price.
Our proposal provides a very significant cash payment to Perrigo shareholders. In addition, even with conservative assumptions for what we believe to be significant and meaningful synergies coming from both companies, our proposal provides Perrigo shareholders with an even greater equity value in the combined company than they currently have in Perrigo today.
In addition to the compelling value to shareholders, a combination of Mylan and Perrigo would offer substantial benefits to the other stakeholders of both companies. In particular, the combination would provide a broader variety of opportunities to our employees and increased stability for the communities in which we operate and serve. The position of our creditors and suppliers would be enhanced by the combined company’s scale and significant free cash flows, and patients would receive improved access to affordable, high quality medicine through increased scale across geographies and robust capabilities to drive innovation.
As you and I have acknowledged in our prior discussions, we have no doubt that you and your Board will recognize the compelling logic of this transaction as outlined below:
Highly complementary businesses with strong presence in key developed and emerging markets around the world;
Attractive, diversified portfolio with critical mass across generics, OTC, specialty brands and nutritionals;
Powerful commercial platform with strong reach across multiple channels, giving the combined company an increasingly important strategic advantage in light of the evolving distributor and payor dynamics across geographies;
World-class operating platform, including an unrivaled combined manufacturing platform, renowned supply chain capabilities, vertical integration and global sourcing excellence with the cost advantages and flexibility to be a leading reliable source of high quality products around the world; and
Strong R&D capabilities, including broad technological capabilities across prescription, OTC and nutritionals products, and expertise in complex, difficult-to-formulate products, which would continue to expand our pipeline and drive long-term growth.
Our proposed transaction not only makes compelling strategic sense, it also results in a combined company with a very strong financial profile, including:
Approximately $15.3 billion in 2014 pro forma sales;
Substantial free cash flows driving rapid deleveraging and enhanced reinvestment into the business;
Compelling synergies resulting in operating margin expansion and EPS accretion;
Scope for meaningful revenue synergies given the strength of the combined business, rich pipeline of launches, and opportunities to mean more to our customers across business lines;
A much stronger, larger and more diverse platform to create enhanced and more predictable earnings growth; and
Greater opportunities for continued growth through strategic acquisitions.
Mylan is a seasoned integrator and quality operator, and we have extensive and proven experience in successfully integrating combinations like this one and capturing the significant value we see ahead.
We and our advisors have carefully studied the regulatory aspects of a combination of Mylan and Perrigo, and we are confident that we would be able to structure a transaction that would not pose material impediments to closing.
The Mylan Board would like to offer you the opportunity to serve with me as co-Chairman and as a member of the Mylan Board. In addition, I look forward to discussing with you the possibility of potentially including other Perrigo directors on the Mylan Board.
The Mylan Board believes that continuity of our management team, with its successful track record of execution and proven strategic vision, is critical to the success of the combined company. As such, I will continue to serve as Mylan’s Executive Chairman, Heather Bresch will continue to serve as CEO and Rajiv Malik will continue to serve as President. Our Board also has great respect for your senior management team, and we envision the combined company leveraging the best of our collective management and employee talent. To that end, we are hopeful that, among others at Perrigo, Judy Brown and Todd Kingma would be willing to serve in important roles with the combined company. We also envision important roles in the combined company for members of Marc Coucke’s Omega Pharma management team. We look forward to exploring with you other ways of maximizing the benefits to our shareholders and other stakeholders presented by combining these two very strong management teams.
We have dedicated a full team to the evaluation of Perrigo, including both Mylan management and outside advisors, and have conducted a thorough review of the business and its operations based on publicly available information. In order to finalize our proposal, we would welcome the opportunity to complete customary confirmatory due diligence, which we believe could be completed quickly. We stand ready to begin working with you and your team immediately and are prepared to commit the resources and time required to complete the proposed transaction expeditiously. To that end, we have retained Goldman Sachs as financial advisors and Cravath, Swaine & Moore as legal advisors to assist us in completing this transaction.
This preliminary proposal is a non-binding indication of interest.
We look forward to working together with you to deliver compelling value and benefits to our respective shareholders and other stakeholders.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Robert J. Coury
Robert J. Coury
Executive Chairman
ABOUT MYLAN
Mylan is a global pharmaceutical company committed to setting new standards in healthcare. Working together around the world to provide 7 billion people access to high quality medicine, we innovate to satisfy unmet needs; make reliability and service excellence a habit; do what’s right, not what’s easy; and impact the future through passionate global leadership. We offer a growing portfolio of around 1,400 generic pharmaceuticals and several brand medications. In addition, we offer a wide range of antiretroviral therapies, upon which approximately 40% of HIV/AIDS patients in developing countries depend. We also operate one of the largest active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturers and currently market products in about 145 countries and territories. Our workforce of approximately 30,000 people is dedicated to creating better health for a better world, one person at a time. Learn more at mylan.com.
GE Healthcare Strengthens “Make In India” Capability For Accessible, Affordable Healthcare
BANGALORE, INDIA, GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), reiterated its commitment towards ‘Make in India’ by strengthening its R&D, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Distribution capabilities and Education initiative. With enhanced capabilities, GE today announced the launch of Revolution™ ACTs*, first Computed Tomography system designed and developed by GE Healthcare in India. The Revolution ACTs is manufactured in India for India and the world. The Revolution ACTs is the result of Rs.120 Crores investment and collaborative efforts of GE and Indian healthcare providers for over 4 years.
Speaking at the occasion, John Flannery, President and CEO of GE Healthcare, said, “Make in India means much more than local manufacturing for us at GE Healthcare. It is a 360 degree thrust starting with designing and developing relevant solutions in partnership with our users; robust engineering of technologies; developing a world class supply chain, advanced manufacturing, expert user training and developing a network for distribution as well as maintenance of these solutions in the remotest parts of the country and world. It represents our commitment to work towards making quality healthcare truly accessible and affordable for India as well as the world. “
“We are proud that our first ever locally designed CT technology – Revolution ACTs is developed by the people of India, for the people of India. It is a testament to India’s intellectual, design and advanced manufacturing capabilities.” added Terri Bresenham, President& CEO of GE Healthcare South Asia.
Healthcare in India is under-served and under-consumed with its skewed imbalance in resources. India faces severe shortfall of both hard infrastructure and skilled talent, especially in Tier II-IV towns. While disruptive technologies have the potential to enhance infrastructure and care delivery, adoption of same has been restricted due to a number of factors like affordability, knowledge about its clinical utility, distribution, service, funding etc. For over 2 decades GE Healthcare has been innovating and making in India to enhance affordability and access of healthcare solutions. GE Healthcare has recently formed a new national network – GenWorks Health Pvt. Ltd and is endeavoring to address these severe challenges faced by healthcare providers in Tier II-IV towns. GenWorks has commenced operations with 150 highly experienced team members with each member having an average industry and leadership experience of 17 years. GenWorks is rapidly building presence in 450 tier II-IV towns to take disruptive technologies, training and support closer to healthcare providers in a bid to give these first time users a high quality user experience.
“All initiatives to develop relevant technologies would be meaningless if they are not accessible to all and hence we also invested and built a national network. GenWorks Health Pvt Ltd will help us take these technologies to the grass root level and provide world-class training and support for doctors to ensure technology can benefit patient outcomes. Healthier India cannot be built in isolation and hence GE Healthcare is looking at an all-inclusive approach to achieve this. With GenWorks, we are stepping up our efforts to elevate the standard of healthcare services in tier II/III cities and towns through this new venture “said Terri Bresenham.
For over 25 years, GE Healthcare has been working extensively towards a healthier India through innovating in India, making in India and now skilling India. GE Healthcare has strengthened R&D facility with the inclusion of a Global Design Studio called eCube. The studio serves the vital role of a stage for immersive research and collaborative co-creation of disruptive technologies with willing healthcare providers as partners. Revolution ACTs is the result of 4 years of research and development by 75 GE scientists and engineers in collaboration with over 500 healthcare providers from both urban and rural settings. The Revolution ACTs also achieved a remarkable feat of 5 global patents for its design and engineering.
“Revolution ACTs is a journey into the needs of new users of CT in smaller towns. It’s about innovating for affordability and defining solutions that deliver high quality diagnostic CT solutions in the most challenging healthcare markets. We hope to place one Revolution ACTs per district to improve access to quality diagnosis “said Milan Rao, Chief Operating Officer, GE Healthcare, India & South Asia.
Revolution ACTs is 40% more affordable compared to previous generation 4 slice CT systems. The total life cycle cost of Revolution ACTs is further reduced by its 8m2 compact footprint leading to 45% lower siting cost and 47% savings in electricity consumption. Making in India will bring in additional cheer to Indian healthcare providers – faster delivery, faster response and reduced import duties. Revolution ACTs introduces Clarity panel detector, exclusively developed for this product to improve image resolution, along with Smart Dose technologies to lower radiation dose by up to 36% while preserving high image quality. It hosts an efficient digital workflow and an user interface that is easy to learn and use for even a first time user.
GE has developed a world class supplier base in India as well as facilities for assembly and testing. Over 30% of the product components and parts are either in-house manufactured or sourced from India and includes the heart of the machine – Generator and Tubes. GE is the first company to manufacture advanced healthcare imaging technologies in India with its first factory set up in Bangalore in 1991. Today, GE Healthcare has three dedicated, world class manufacturing plants in Bangalore with over 400,000 sq. ft of manufacturing space that has produced over 200,000 units of medical technologies for the world. GE has been recognized as the largest medical electronics exporter for 11 consecutive years.
CT is one of the most valuable diagnostic tools in emergency rooms as well as in the diagnosis of several health conditions like Stroke, Trauma etc. with its rapid imaging capability for quick diagnosis. India has one of the highest prevalence of diseases like Stroke with 1.6 Mn new cases every year leading to 0.63 Mn deaths. India also accounts for largest accidents and trauma conditions with 1 accident per minute and 1 death every 3.7 minutes. One third of accident victims can be saved with speedy hospitalization and trauma care. However, in India, we have limited penetration of this important technology – 3 CT systems per million populations compared to 20 CT systems per million population in developed markets. An ACT can be the change.
As per a recent Bain & Company report, India has made noteworthy progress and is healthier today than ever, but the country still struggle with substantial issues and gaps in its healthcare system. Healthcare in India is under-served and under-consumed with its skewed imbalance in resources. India faces severe shortfall of both hard infrastructure and skilled talent today. India imports over 75% of its medical technologies and devices today making accessibility and affordability a challenge. Many healthcare providers are forced to opt for low quality, used and sometimes obsolete technologies that leads to poor quality diagnosis and costly downtimes. Now is an opportune time to re-define India’s healthcare system in order to power India’s economic growth. Co-creating relevant technologies in India for India can lead to increased adoption to deliver quality healthcare everywhere. India can emerge as an innovation hub for disruptive technologies and quality manufacturing.
About GE Healthcare: GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services to meet the demand for increased access, enhanced quality and more affordable healthcare around the world. GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter – great people and technologies taking on tough challenges. From medical imaging, software & IT, patient monitoring and diagnostics to drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies and performance improvement solutions, GE Healthcare helps medical professionals deliver great healthcare to their patients.
GE Healthcare is at work for a healthier India and is focusing on some of the toughest healthcare challenges faced by India today – lowering maternal and infant deaths, enabling early detection of cancer for early treatment, addressing heart diseases early, etc. GE Healthcare pioneered innovation of healthcare imaging technologies in India for India and the world to enhance access to quality healthcare at affordable costs to more people. GE Healthcare operates in India through a joint venture namely Wipro GE Healthcare Private Limited. For the latest news, please visit http://newsroom.gehealthcare.com
About GE in India: Present in India since 1902, GE works to innovate, partner and develop technology solutions in energy, healthcare, infrastructure, aviation and financial services that improve the quality of life in the country. With over 13,000 employees, GE’s imagination is taking the nation to the future with ideas designed and developed in India – for India and for the rest of the world.
With more than 5,300 technologists, GE’s research centers in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai are developing new technologies for both India and the world, while the 10 local manufacturing facilities bring products, services and technologies closer to customers. GE in India has partnered with a number of Indian companies to develop localized solutions, meeting the needs of the country. Committed to social development, GE in India is closely engaged with local communities on social and environmental issues.
GE Healthcare Announces Omnyx Agreement with Argent Global Services to transform Digital Pathology
PITTSBURGH, PA, — Omnyx, LLC, the digital pathology joint venture between University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and GE Healthcare, today announced a memorandum of understanding with Argent Global Services, a process engineering and management consulting firm, to help revolutionize the pathology laboratory. The agreement is intended to provide hospitals and academic research facilities with operational consulting and change management solutions that enhance workflow efficiency and enable seamless transition for adopting digital technologies in pathology labs.
Digital pathology is a new area for many pathologist labs that traditionally used microscopes to examine tissues. The increased occurrence of cancer in recent times has raised the urgency to embrace digital technologies as they have the potential to enhance clinical and operational results. Digital pathology has the ability to cut slide processing time by 25 percent[1]. The use of digital pathology also enables more collaboration with care teams, which studies has shown that seeking a second opinion or collaborating with the care team has the potential to improve the diagnosis and treatment plan in nearly one in 10 patients[2], [3].
“As pathology ushers in the new, digital era, we believe that its success will rely greatly on three key aspects – smart scanners, brilliant software and leveraging the full potential of these technologies with transformative consulting,” said Mamar Gelaye, CEO of Omnyx. “Collaborating with industry leaders, like Argent, allows us to strengthen our offering in each of these aspects, and is additional proof of our commitment to transform this critical field.”
Through this agreement, Omnyx will leverage Argent’s 20 years of consulting expertise to add a range of pilot offerings into its consulting portfolio around:
· Operations improvement
· Organizational change management for digital pathology
· Performance assessment and benchmarking
“Together, we aim to improve digital pathology workflow and, ultimately helping pathologists connect patients with the right treatment,” said Steve Stone, Managing Director of Argent. “As pathologists adjust to new scanning equipment and software, our joint consulting services will work with them to make a seamless transition, and transform the way in which their labs utilize smart scanners and brilliant software throughout the clinical process.”
The new offerings are expected to be available to customers through Omnyx later this year.
About GE Healthcare
GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services to meet the demand for increased access, enhanced quality and more affordable healthcare around the world. GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter – great people and technologies taking on tough challenges. From medical imaging, software & IT, patient monitoring and diagnostics to drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies and performance improvement solutions, GE Healthcare helps medical professionals deliver great healthcare to their patients. www.gehealthcare.com
About Omnyx
Omnyx, LLC is a joint venture of GE Healthcare and UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) with locations in Pittsburgh, PA and Piscataway, NJ. The company has developed the OmnyxTM IDP solution allowing pathology departments worldwide to move to an all-digital workflow. Their products include image acquisition devices, workflow software, and transformation consulting. Close collaboration with pathologists at UPMC and other institutions along with their relationship with GE Healthcare allows Omnyx to focus its innovation on the needs of anatomic pathologists worldwide. OmnyxTM products are for in vitro diagnostic use for specific clinical applications, and are intended for research use only on other applications. For more information, go to: omnyx.com.
About Argent
Founded in 1988, Argent Global Services is a recognized leader in the implementation of solutions that increase productivity, enhance service, improve quality, and reduce costs. Argent provides industrial engineering, software, training and management consulting solutions that enable clients to gain a competitive advantage in the global marketplace. Argent utilizes industry knowledge and real-world experience to deliver significant value for each client. http://argentglobal.com/
US$10 Million Investment into the Registration of Moxidectin, an Important New Global Health Medicine for River Blindness
LONDON – UK: The Global Health Investment Fund (GHIF) and Medicines Development for Global Health (Medicines Development) announced today a 10 million USD program for the registration of moxidectin for the treatment of river blindness (onchocerciasis). River blindness is a debilitating neglected tropical disease caused by the worm Onchocerca volvulus, which is transmitted through the bites of infected blackflies. The disease affects more than 37 million people, the majority of whom live in poor communities in sub-Saharan Africa. Medicines Development, an Australian not-for-profit biopharmaceutical company that licensed the moxidectin data from the World Health Organization (WHO), will undertake the registration process and, should it be successfully registered, will supply this potentially transformative new drug.
From the late 1990s, the WHO-based Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (WHO/TDR) has worked extensively with industry, patient and community groups to evaluate the use of moxidectin for the treatment of onchocerciasis. The compound is an anthelmintic medicine with activity against a broad range of parasitic worms and insects. The final stages of human studies in river blindness have now been completed and moxidectin has been shown to be well tolerated and effective against the disease.
The GHIF investment will be used to support the manufacture of moxidectin and the compilation of the regulatory dossier required for the registration process for use in humans. Should the drug be approved, Medicines Development will work towards ensuring a secure supply of moxidectin for onchocerciasis and, with GHIF, will continue to research other potential human uses of moxidectin for infectious diseases. An important part of the agreement between Medicines Development and GHIF is the contractual requirement to ensure accessibility of moxidectin for river blindness should the drug be approved, a goal consistent with the aims of each of the WHO, GHIF and Medicines Development.
“Moxidectin has the potential to be an important medicine for treating river blindness, and we are delighted to work with GHIF to achieve the goal of registering this drug for human use” said Mark Sullivan of Medicines Development. “GHIF’s strategy to invest in projects that impact health particularly in low- and middle-income countries could not be better matched with the reasons we established Medicines Development.”
“It is a privilege to be partnering with Medicines Development to bring moxidectin through its final stages of registration in humans. There has been no drug registered to fight river blindness since 1987. If successful, this will give health workers a new tool in their armoury in the effort to eliminate onchocerciasis.” said Julia Fan Li of the GHIF.
“We are delighted to see the continued progress in the development of moxidectin for treating river blindness” said John Reeder, Director of WHO/TDR. “Our vision for this drug being registered and made available to the communities affected by this debilitating disease has taken another important step forward.”
About River Blindness (Onchocerciasis): River blindness is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa, with pockets of infection in the Arabian Peninsula and in some parts of South America as well. The WHO estimates that over 100 million Africans are at risk of infection and some 37 million people are infected globally. This parasitic disease is caused by the worm Onchocerca volvulus, which is transmitted from person to person through the bite of black flies of the genus Simulium. Each adult female worm, which can live for up to 15 years in the human body, produces millions of microscopic offspring (microfilaria) that migrate through the skin, eyes, and lymph nodes. The microfilariae are the main cause of the symptoms, which include severe skin inflammation and intense itching, enlarged lymph nodes and, in some patients, visual impairment that can ultimately lead to blindness. Control and elimination of this disease currently relies on mass annual or biannual drug administration with ivermectin (through donations to the Mectizan Donation Program by Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada).
About the Global Health Investment Fund: The GHIF is a private investment fund structured by JPMorgan Chase & Co., the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Lion’s Head Global Partners, which received anchor support from Grand Challenges Canada (funded by the Government of Canada), the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (acting through KfW), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation. The GHIF’s mission is to finance late-stage drugs, vaccines and diagnostics for diseases that disproportionately burden low-income populations. Public health challenges targeted by the GHIF include malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, cholera, maternal and infant mortality and other neglected infectious diseases.
In addition to the anchor supporters listed above, the GHIF’s limited partners also include AXA, GlaxoSmithKline, the International Finance Corporation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Merck, the Pfizer Foundation, Storebrand and a number of individual investors. The sponsors and partners of the GHIF believe that the Fund offers a novel opportunity to help bring about significant improvements in the treatment and prevention of disease and the reduction of maternal and child mortality, along with the prospect of a net financial return for investors.
LHGP Asset Management LLP, the London-based asset management arm of Lion’s Head Global Partners, authorized by the Financial Conduct Authority, serves as Investment Manager for the GHIF.
For additional information about GHIF, please visit www.ghif.com.
About Medicines Development for Global Health: Medicines Development is a not-for-profit biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. This unique organisation was established in 2005 by a team of industry veterans to undertake the development and delivery of new medicines and vaccines for unmet medical needs prevalent in people in low- and middle-income countries. The company works on the development of a portfolio of products, including vaccines, small molecules and biological therapies, targeting predominantly infectious, immunologic and oncologic diseases.
For additional information about Medicines Development, please visit www.medicinesdevelopment.com.
About TDR: The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, is a global programme of scientific collaboration that helps facilitate, support and influence efforts to combat diseases of poverty. It is hosted at the WHO, and is sponsored by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and WHO.
New Apps to Aid Research on Asthma, Breast Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes & Parkinson’s Disease
SAN FRANCISCO — Apple® today announced ResearchKit™, an open source software framework designed for medical and health research, helping doctors and scientists gather data more frequently and more accurately from participants using iPhone® apps. World-class research institutions have already developed apps with ResearchKit for studies on asthma, breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Parkinson’s disease.* Users decide if they want to participate in a study and how their data is shared.
“iOS apps already help millions of customers track and improve their health. With hundreds of millions of iPhones in use around the world, we saw an opportunity for Apple to have an even greater impact by empowering people to participate in and contribute to medical research,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s senior vice president of Operations. “ResearchKit gives the scientific community access to a diverse, global population and more ways to collect data than ever before.”
ResearchKit turns iPhone into a powerful tool for medical research. When granted permission by the user, apps can access data from the Health app such as weight, blood pressure, glucose levels and asthma inhaler use, which are measured by third-party devices and apps. HealthKit™ is a software framework Apple introduced with iOS 8 to provide developers the ability for health and fitness apps to communicate with each other. ResearchKit can also request from a user, access to the accelerometer, microphone, gyroscope and GPS sensors in iPhone to gain insight into a patient’s gait, motor impairment, fitness, speech and memory.
ResearchKit also makes it easier to recruit participants for large-scale studies, accessing a broad cross-section of the population—not just those within driving distance of an institution. Study participants can complete tasks or submit surveys right from the app, so researchers spend less time on paperwork and more time analyzing data. ResearchKit also enables researchers to present an interactive informed consent process. Users choose which studies to participate in and the data they want to provide in each study.
“We’re excited to use these new ResearchKit tools from Apple to expand participant recruitment and quickly gather even more data through the simple use of an iPhone app. The data it will provide takes us one step closer to developing more personalized care,” said Patricia Ganz, MD, professor at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and Director of Cancer Prevention & Control Research at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Access to more diverse patient-reported health data will help us learn more about long-term aftereffects of cancer treatments and provide us with a better understanding of the breast cancer patient experience.”
“When it comes to researching how we can better diagnose and prevent disease, numbers are everything. By using Apple’s new ResearchKit framework, we’re able to extend participation beyond our local community and capture significantly more data to help us understand how asthma works,” said Eric Schadt, PhD, the Jean C. and James W. Crystal Professor of Genomics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Founding Director of the Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology. “Using iPhone’s advanced sensors, we’re able to better model an asthma patient’s condition to enable us to deliver a more personalized, more precise treatment.”
Developed by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and LifeMap Solutions, the Asthma Health app is designed to facilitate asthma patient education and self-monitoring, promote positive behavioral changes and reinforce adherence to treatment plans according to current asthma guidelines. The study tracks symptom patterns in an individual and potential triggers for these exacerbations so that researchers can learn new ways to personalize asthma treatment.
The Share the Journey app, developed by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Penn Medicine, Sage Bionetworks and UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, is a research study that aims to understand why some breast cancer survivors recover faster than others, why their symptoms vary over time and what can be done to improve symptoms. Share the Journey will use surveys and sensor data on iPhone to collect and track fatigue, mood and cognitive changes, sleep disturbances and reduction in exercise.
Developed by Stanford Medicine, the MyHeart Counts app measures activity and uses risk factor and survey information to help researchers more accurately evaluate how a participant’s activity and lifestyle relate to cardiovascular health. By studying these relationships on a broad scale, researchers will be able to understand better how to keep hearts healthier.
Massachusetts General Hospital developed the GlucoSuccess app to understand how various aspects of a person’s life—diet, physical activity and medications—affect blood glucose levels. The app can also help participants identify how their food choices and activity relate to their best glucose levels, enabling them to clearly see correlations and take more active roles in their own well-being.
Developed by Sage Bionetworks and the University of Rochester, the Parkinson mPower app helps people living with Parkinson’s disease track their symptoms by recording activities using sensors in iPhone. These activities include a memory game, finger tapping, speaking and walking. Activity and survey data from your phone are combined with data from many other participants to fuel Parkinson’s research at a scale never before possible, making this the world’s largest and most comprehensive study of this disease.
ResearchKit will be released as an open source framework next month, providing researchers with the ability to contribute to specific activity modules in the framework, like memory or gait testing, and share them with the global research community to further advance what we know about disease. For more information, visit www.apple.com/researchkit.
*ResearchKit apps are available on the App Store™ in the US at appstore.com/researchkit and will be rolling out to more countries in the future. iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and the latest generation of iPod touch support ResearchKit apps.
Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.
