My Health Care News

UPDATE 2-Takeda Q3 profit up 9.9 pct, outlook steady

2009-02-03T01:16:00.000-08:00

* Q3 operating profit rises 9.9 percent

* Q3 net profit drops 14.6 percent

* Revenue from Millennium, TAP boosts profit

* Keeps full-year forecast (Adds net profit, analyst comments, byline, updates share price)

By Yumiko Nishitani

Takeda Pharmaceutical (4502.T), Japan's largest drugmaker, said third-quarter operating profit rose 9.9 percent, helped by the acquisition of U.S. biotech firm Millennium and the absorption of part of a former U.S. joint venture.

Net profit fell 14.6 percent, however, with lower interest income and decreased cash reserves after the purchase of Millennium Pharmaceutical.

Takeda shares ended the day down 1.4 percent at 4,150 yen, little changed after the earnings announcement.

"The results were 100 percent no surprise," said Kenji Masuzoe, an analyst at Deutsche Securities.

"Investors' focus will remain on the extent to which Kapidex can fill the earnings gap likely to be caused by the expiry of its patent on Prevacid in the deteriorating U.S. market and whether its diabetes drug SYR-322 will win U.S. marketing approval."

Prevacid, Takeda's mainstay acid-reflux drug, which accounted for roughly one-tenth of its revenues last business year, will lose U.S. patent protection in November. Takeda won approval for Prevacid's successor drug Kapidex this week.

Japanese drugmakers, racing with bigger global rivals to fill revenue gaps caused by patent expirations, are looking to expand drug pipelines through acquisitions, buying rights to new drugs and increasing in-house research spending.

Takeda booked goodwill amortisation and other relatively minor costs related to Millennium and the venture TAP Pharmaceuticals, but this was offset by the additional revenue and a reduction in overseas costs due to a firmer yen.

Takeda posted an operating profit of 154.9 billion yen ($1.7 billion) for October-December, as revenues rose 7.6 percent to 395.6 billion yen, led by Prevacid.

Net profit fell to 96.8 billion yen, hurt by the absence of equity income from its partial ownership of TAP, which had helped boost non-operating profits last year.

It maintained its forecast for an operating profit of 270 billion yen for the year ending on March 31, in line with a consensus of 279.8 billion yen from 19 analysts polled by Reuters Estimates.

Takeda shares fell 12 percent in October-December, outperforming the Nikkei Average .N225 which fell 21 percent. ($1=89.75 Yen) (Editing by Michael Watson)

Philippine Farmers Bank Turns to Misys to Underpin its Consumer Lending Business

2009-01-07T04:57:00.000-08:00

LONDON, January 7, the global application software and services company, today announces that Philippine Farmers Bank has chosen Misys to strengthen its lending business and increase its ability to respond to and service its customers throughout the country.

Philippine Farmers Bank is a rural bank that provides retail banking services in the Philippines, including traditional deposit, loan products and cash management. Having established itself as the leading bank for both consumers and small and medium-sized businesses to have access to these services in one place, it is now focused on growing its business further and keeping ahead of the competition.

Philippines Farmers Bank selected Misys from among the several vendors offering a core banking solution. The bank was looking for a trusted partner with both the knowledge and the experience to help it to achieve its goals without impacting the high level of customer satisfaction the bank had built in its business.

"We turned to Misys because of its track record in the region and its ability to support banks growing their business," stated Ronaldo C. Alaya-ay, Manag

Ekahau Selected to Provide RTLS to University HealthSystem Consortium

2009-01-07T04:54:00.000-08:00

RESTON, Virginia, January 7. Ekahau Inc., a leading provider of Wi-Fi-based Real Time Location Systems (RTLS), announced that after a competitive bid process it was awarded a multi-year agreement with University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) to provide the Ekahau Real Time Location System (RTLS) solution to UHC member hospitals.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081014/324879-a )

This three-year agreement, with options to extend, positions Ekahau as the preferred provider of RTLS solutions to UHC's 294 member hospitals throughout the United States. Many of these institutions have Wi-Fi in place today making Ekahau's WI-Fi-based RTLS solution a logical choice for a cost-effective, quick deployment. Ekahau also has mutual certifications with all leading Wi-Fi infrastructure providers, further endorsing the benefits of Ekahau's location tracking solution to UHC and its member hospitals.

RTLS systems have become a mainstream technology in hospitals across the U.S. for tracking assets, inventory and patients and knowing the whereabouts of key staff members. Knowing the real-time whereabouts of these key assets has become mission critical to healthcare institutions, helping them reduce costs, improve workflow and increase the quality and timeliness of patient care.

"UHC is excited about entering into a new agreement with Ekahau because we believe they are one of the best RTLS system providers for our member hospitals," said Cindy White, UHC's vice president of operations. "We wanted a system that can cater to the unique tracking needs of each of our member hospitals and yet be simple and cost-effective to deploy."

Ekahau RTLS is a unique tracking system because it can locate objects using a hospital's existing Wi-Fi network, regardless of vendor or generation of the infrastructure. The Ekahau system is the only Wi-Fi-based system on the market that is capable of providing room-level accuracy using Wi-Fi without deploying proprietary chokepoints or readers, which can cause interference with medical equipment. Since Wi-Fi is typically deployed hospitalwide, Ekahau RTLS can extend location visibility across the entire campus or several campuses without any additional costs.

"We are very honored that UHC selected Ekahau as its RTLS partner of choice and to have the opportunity to serve the organization's member hospitals. The program we have put into place with UHC will allow UHC members to easily procure and roll out RTLS solutions to meet immediate needs and to have a platform for future growth and expandability as new requirements are put forth," said Tuomo Rutanen, Ekahau's vice president of business development. "During challenging economic times, like those we're experiencing today, RTLS systems can help businesses of all types save money. By leveraging existing Wi-Fi networks, Ekahau RTLS allows hospitals to better utilize their existing assets, resulting in lower capital spending, while driving significant operational efficiencies that reduce expenses and support improved patient care and safety initiatives."

Ekahau holds more than a dozen patents on its core location algorithms and processes that allow for the full modeling and analysis of RF data from the Wi-Fi network. Ekahau also offers the broadest set of Wi-Fi tags available to meet user- or application-specific needs. This powerful combination of software and hardware has been selected by thousands of customers worldwide to solve everyday business and operational problems.

About UHC

The University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC), formed in 1984, is an alliance of 103 academic medical centers and 191 of their affiliated hospitals representing approximately 90 percent of the nation's nonprofit academic medical centers. UHC offers its members specific programs and services to improve clinical, operational, and patient safety performance. The mission of UHC is to advance knowledge, foster collaboration, and promote change to help members succeed in their respective markets. For more information, visit http://www.uhc.edu.

About Ekahau Inc.

Ekahau Inc. is the industry leader in providing Wi-Fi-based RTLS solutions. Ekahau's customers, including several Fortune 500 companies worldwide, are realizing the benefits of Wi-Fi based location services and innovative Wi-Fi network planning and optimization tools. Ekahau's solutions are being used in more than 150 hospitals around the world, as well as by manufacturers, mining/oil/gas companies, government agencies and the military. Ekahau partners include wireless software developers, leading system integrators and international OEM partners, who develop and market wireless enterprise applications. Ekahau is a U.S. based corporation, with offices in Saratoga, Calif.; Reston, Va.; Helsinki, Finland; and Hong Kong, China. For more information about Ekahau, please visit at http://www.ekahau.com.

(c) Copyright 2009, Ekahau, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Research and Markets: Israel Ophthalmic Devices Investment Opportunities Report with Analysis and Forecasts to 2012

2009-01-07T04:50:00.000-08:00

DUBLIN, Ireland Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f27933/israel_ophthalmic) has announced the addition of Global Markets Direct's new report "Israel Ophthalmic Devices Investment Opportunities, Analysis and Forecasts to 2012" to their offering.

This report is an essential source for in-depth information and data relating to the Israel ophthalmic devices market. It also offers detailed and comprehensive coverage of market revenue, volume, distribution and company share information; and latest news, financial deals and pipeline products information of each of the key sub-segments of the ophthalmic devices in Israel

Scope

* The report provides ophthalmic devices information broken down into detailed categories and segments in Israel.
* Total revenues, products sold, end users, and average pricing.
* Market shares of all the key competitors.
* Key pipeline products that are set to shape the market, broken down by sector.
* Information on the top medical equipment companies in the sector in the country covering business description, strategic analysis, and financial information.
* Healthcare structure, regulatory environment, approval process, pricing trends and reimbursement.
* Product and brand updates, strategy changes, R&D projects, corporate expansions and contractions and regulatory changes.
* Key mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, private equity investments and IPOs.
* Customer, hospitals and physicians data.

Reasons to buy

* Gain a strong understanding of the ophthalmic devices market in Israel.
* Evaluate and compare the attractiveness of the market in the country.
* Identify growth segments and opportunities in each industry sector within the country.
* Evaluate the pipeline of key products that will change the sector, and identify threats and opportunities before the products are launched in the country.
* Analyze the competitiveness of the market in the country and identify hotspots.
* Develop strategies based on the latest product, brand, expansion and research and development news in the country.
* Do deals with an understanding of how competitors are financed, and the mergers and partnerships that have shaped the market in the country.
* Identify and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the industry incumbents in the country.

Key Topics Covered:

* Table of Contents
* Introduction
* Definitions of the Markets Covered in the Report
* Healthcare Sector Review
* Regulation System
* Pricing and Reimbursement
* Distribution Structure
* Ophthalmic Devices In Israel
* Cataract Surgery In Israel
* Refractive Surgery In Israel
* Vision Care In Israel
* Appendix

Companies Mentioned:

* Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
* Bausch & Lomb Incorporated
* Essilor International
* Alcon, Inc.
* Advanced Medical Optics, Inc.
* CIBA Vision Corporation
* Acuity LTD.
* Medtechnica Ltd.
* NuLens Ltd.
* Shamir Optical Industry Ltd.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f27933/israel_ophthalmic
Contact:

Laura Wood
Senior Manager
press@researchandmarkets.com
Fax from USA: 646-607-1907
Fax from rest of the world: +353-1-481-1716

Cell Therapeutics Announces Receipt of NASDAQ Panel Decision to Transfer to NASDAQ Capital Market

2009-01-07T04:46:00.000-08:00

SEATTLE, Jan. 7 announced today that it has received notification that the NASDAQ Listing Qualifications Panel has granted CTI's request to transfer the listing of its common stock from The NASDAQ Global Market to The NASDAQ Capital Market, which will be effective with the open of trading on Thursday, January 8, 2009. CTI's shares will continue to trade under the ticker symbol CTIC.

CTI's continued listing on The NASDAQ Capital Market is subject to CTI evidencing compliance with all applicable requirements for continued listing on The NASDAQ Capital Market, including the $35 million market value of listed securities requirement or its alternatives, as set forth in NASDAQ Marketplace Rule 4310(c)(3), by February 12, 2009. The Company expects to comply with all applicable requirements for continued listing on The NASDAQ Capital Market by February 12, 2009; however, there can be no assurance that it will be able to do so.

As disclosed on September 6 and October 10, 2008, CTI was previously notified by NASDAQ regarding its non-compliance with the $50 million market value of listed securities requirement for continued listing on The NASDAQ Global Market. In response, CTI appeared before the NASDAQ Listing Qualifications Panel at a hearing at which it requested the transfer of its listing to The NASDAQ Capital Market pursuant to its plan to evidence compliance with the $35 million market value of listed securities requirement for continued listing on that market.

The NASDAQ Capital Market is one of the three market tier designations for NASDAQ-listed stocks and operates in substantially the same manner as The NASDAQ Global Market. Securities listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market must satisfy all applicable qualification requirements for NASDAQ securities, and companies listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market must meet certain financial requirements and adhere to NASDAQ's corporate governance standards.

About Cell Therapeutics, Inc.

Headquartered in Seattle, CTI is a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing an integrated portfolio of oncology products aimed at making cancer more treatable. For additional information, please visit http://www.celltherapeutics.com.

This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, the outcome of which could materially and/or adversely affect actual future results. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the Company's ability to achieve compliance with the NASDAQ Capital Market's continued listing requirements by February 12, including the market value of listed securities requirement, as well as other risks and uncertainties that could affect the Company's business operations and the development of the Company's products including the Company's need to raise additional capital, risks associated with preclinical and clinical developments in the biopharmaceutical industry in general including, without limitation, the potential failure of a product to prove safe and effective for treatment of a specific condition, determinations by regulatory, patent and administrative governmental authorities, competitive factors, technological developments, and costs of developing, producing and selling the product(s). You should also review the risk factors listed or described from time to time in CTI's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including, without limitation, CTI's most recent filings on Forms 10-K, 8-K, and 10-Q. Except as may be required by law, CTI does not intend to update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Media Contact:
Dan Eramian
T: 206.272.4343
C: 206.854.1200
E: media@ctiseattle.com
http://www.CellTherapeutics.com/press_room

Investors Contact:
Ed Bell
T: 206.272.4345
Lindsey Jesch Logan
T : 206.272.4347
F : 206.272.4434
E: invest@ctiseattle.com
http://www.CellTherapeutics.com/investors

ELAD(R) Liver Support System Study Initiated at Multiple U.S. Centers

2009-01-07T04:39:00.000-08:00

Program Expands on Successful Results from prior U.S., U.K. and China Trials

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 7 Vital Therapies, Inc. (VTI), a development stage company targeting liver disease, announced patient enrollment has begun for a randomized, controlled, multi-center, Phase 2 clinical trial that will study the Extracorporeal Liver Assist Device (ELAD) as a treatment for patients with Acute Liver Failure (ALF) under three protocols. The study is open for enrollment at seven U.S. sites, which will be expanded to 15 sites in the U.S. and Europe during the first half of 2009. Six patients have already been enrolled in the first protocol and four patients have been treated under the emergency use Expanded Access regulations.

This trial expands on prior results from phase 1 and 2 U.S. and U.K. trials and a pivotal, randomized, controlled clinical trial at two sites in China during 2006/2007. In that study, 69 patients with hepatitis B or C who had suffered ALF were treated with either ELAD or standard therapy. Thirty day transplant free survival rates were statistically significant in the ELAD group vs. concurrent controls. A marketing application was submitted to China's State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) in September 2007 and is under review.

ALF afflicts more than 30,000 U.S. patients each year including people with chronic liver disease like hepatitis, or without chronic disease, such as individuals whose livers were harmed by taking too much acetaminophen pain medicine.

For ALF patients, liver transplantation is the only therapy proven to impact survival. However, it has a cost exceeding $350,000 and there is a worldwide shortage of livers for transplant. ELAD was designed to address both problems since it may support regeneration of a patient's native liver, or maintain sufficient liver function until a transplant organ is available.

VTI Chairman and CEO Terry Winters, Ph.D., said, "With the continuing shortage of donor livers for transplantation and the large number of patients unlisted for transplant, patients are dying who do not have access to a donor liver or a living donor transplant. Our goal is to get ELAD to market as soon as possible so patients with ALF may have another treatment option."

VTI is currently enrolling patients in three separate protocols:

* Two are randomized, controlled studies of patients with ACLF (Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure) or FHF (Fulminant Hepatic Failure). Continuous ELAD treatment is for a minimum of three and a maximum of 30 days.
* The third is an Expanded Access protocol with cost recovery allowing emergency treatment of patients who do not qualify for the first two protocols.

For more details on the protocols and study sites, please go to www.clinicaltrials.gov,

About ELAD

ELAD is a bedside system whose central component is four cartridges containing 440 grams of immortalized human liver cells and 32,000 hollow fibers. The patient's plasma flows inside of the hollow fibers to allow two-way transfer of metabolites. During ELAD therapy the cells metabolize toxins and synthesize proteins and other liver specific products essential for life. The ELAD cell cartridges are produced at VTI's GMP-compliant facility in San Diego, California.

About Vital Therapies Inc

Vital Therapies, Inc. (VTI) is based in San Diego, California, with a wholly owned subsidiary in Beijing, China. VTI is developing the first human liver cell-based Extracorporeal Liver Assist Device (ELAD). ELAD could provide support for patients with severe liver failure by processing toxins and synthesizing proteins and metabolites that are key products of normal human liver function. ELAD is in investigational clinical trials and VTI completed a pivotal trial and filed for market approval in China in September 2007.

ELAD is a trademark of Vital Therapies, Inc.

YoNaturals Healthy Vending Featured at Tennessee Aquarium & Imax Theatre

2008-12-28T05:25:00.000-08:00

YoNaturals Healthy Vending Launches in Chattanooga, Tennessee Offering Healthy Snacks and Drinks at Chattanooga Choo Choo Holiday Inn and Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts

* Friday December 26, 2008, 5:09 pm EST

* Yahoo! Buzz
* Print

SAN DIEGO--YoNaturals Inc., the nation's leading healthy vending leader, announced today the addition of various Chattanooga, TN area venues to its fast growing list of locations nationwide to offer its YoNaturals healthy vending program.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for YoNaturals in Tennessee," said Mark Trotter CEO of YoNaturals. "Schools are a major focus for YoNaturals and we see other Tennessee schools following the Chattanooga lead. YoNaturals has now grown to hundreds of locations in over 135 cities nationwide,” said Mark Trotter.

"Due to new nutritional guidelines being implemented in States across the country, School Districts are looking for vending solutions that offer drink and snack vending machines that feature healthy snacks and drinks and YoNaturals meets or exceeds this criteria in every case," said Trotter.

"The receptive response to our healthy menus in the machines has been fantastic and we receive emails and calls from both students, parents and faculty every week supporting YoNaturals efforts."

The YoNaturals combination drink and snack vending machines are state-of-the-art, and designed with ultimate convenience in mind for both the customers and operators. The YoNaturals vending solutions feature colorful graphics, cashless payment systems for debit/credit cards, and are temperature controlled to service both fresh food and drinks simultaneously. The healthy and organic products sold at each location are specially selected from a list of over 500 "better for you" products on the YoNaturals e-commerce website.

Based in San Diego, YoNaturals is the nation's fastest growing healthy vending company with locations in over 135 cities across the U.S. The Company's multi-channel business model includes schools, hospitals, health clubs and office locations nationwide. YoNaturals mission is to become the leading branded provider of healthy vending machines and natural and organic products to schools, corporate customers, health clubs and healthcare facilities in selected markets nationwide.

Contact:

YoNaturals Inc.
Mark Trotter, 858-794-9955
mark@yonaturals.com

FDA Issues Complete Response Letter to GlaxoSmithKline for Eurand's EUR-1048

2008-12-28T05:21:00.000-08:00

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 26, 2008 Eurand N.V. a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops enhanced pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products based on its proprietary drug formulation technologies, announced that it has been advised by GlaxoSmithKline that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Complete Response letter for the New Drug Application (NDA) for EUR-1048. EUR-1048 is an orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) formulation with an undisclosed active compound co-developed by Eurand and GSK.
GSK also has informed Eurand that it submitted its response to the Complete Response letter on December 24th and anticipates that the FDA will take up to 60 days to review the response and take action on the NDA.

Separately, the FDA also has advised GSK that the review of another collaborative product, EUR-1000, has been extended into 2009. EUR-1000 is an AB-rated generic equivalent to Inderal LA.

About Eurand

Eurand is a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes enhanced pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products based on its proprietary drug formulation technologies. Eurand has had four partnered products approved by the FDA since 2001 and has a pipeline of product candidates in development for itself and its collaboration partners. Eurand's technology platforms include bioavailability enhancement of poorly soluble drugs, custom release profiles, taste-masking/orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) formulations and drug conjugation.

Eurand is a global company with facilities in the U.S. and Europe. For more information, visit Eurand's website at http://www.eurand.com.

King Pharmaceuticals Initiates Phase II Clinical Trial Evaluating T-62 as a Treatment for Neuropathic Pain

2008-12-28T05:16:00.000-08:00

Dr. Eric Carter, Chief Science Officer of King, stated, “T-62, a new chemical entity, is an adenosine A1 allosteric enhancer that increases the effectiveness of the body’s endogenous adenosine to treat neuropathic pain. The successful development of this product would address a substantial unmet medical need for more effective medicines to treat this serious condition.”

The Phase II clinical trial is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study assessing the analgesic efficacy and safety of T-62 in subjects with postherpetic neuralgia and its associated pain. The study is expected to enroll approximately 130 patients in up to 20 study centers and will evaluate two doses of T-62 and placebo utilizing a parallel design. Each patient will complete a 7-day screening period, a 28-day treatment period, and a 14-day post-treatment period.

About King Pharmaceuticals

King, headquartered in Bristol, Tennessee, is a vertically integrated branded pharmaceutical company. King, an S&P 500 Index company, seeks to capitalize on opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry through the development, including through in-licensing arrangements and acquisitions, of novel branded prescription pharmaceutical products and technologies that complement the Company’s focus in specialty-driven markets, particularly neuroscience, hospital and acute care. King strives to be a leader and partner of choice in bringing innovative, clinically-differentiated medicines and technologies to market.

Video: Allergan Announces U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Approval of Latisse(TM) -- First and Only Treatment Approved by the FDA for Hypotric

2008-12-28T05:08:00.001-08:00

New Prescription Product Increases Length, Thickness and Darkness of Eyelashes

IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 26 Allergan, Inc. announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved LATISSE(TM) (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03% as a novel treatment for hypotrichosis of the eyelashes. Eyelash hypotrichosis is another name for having inadequate or not enough eyelashes. LATISSE(TM) is the first and only science-based treatment approved by the FDA to enhance eyelash prominence as measured by increases in length, thickness and darkness of eyelashes.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/latisse/36439/

"LATISSE(TM) fulfills a significant and previously unmet need in the medical aesthetic marketplace with a product approved by the FDA that increases the growth of eyelashes, making them longer, thicker and darker," said Scott Whitcup, M.D., Allergan's Executive Vice President of Research and Development. "As the global leader in medical aesthetics, LATISSE(TM) exemplifies our continuing commitment to developing innovative treatments that are studied in well-controlled clinical trials, manufactured to pharmaceutical standards, appropriately labeled for use, and available to consumers as a prescription product."

Available only through a doctor, LATISSE(TM) is a once-daily prescription treatment applied to the base of the upper eyelashes with a sterile, single-use-per-eye disposable applicator. LATISSE(TM) users can expect to experience longer, fuller and darker eyelashes in as little as eight weeks, with full results in 16 weeks. To maintain effect, continued treatment with LATISSE(TM) is required. If use of LATISSE(TM) is discontinued, eyelashes will gradually return to where they were prior to treatment over a period of weeks to months (average eyelash hair cycle).

Similar to Allergan's other medical aesthetic offerings, the benefits of LATISSE(TM) are derived from scientific evidence, its quality formulation, and medical origin. LATISSE(TM) was clinically tested in a pivotal Phase III, multi-center, double-masked, placebo-controlled study to assess its safety and efficacy in which all endpoints (improved eyelash prominence, length, thickness and darkness) were met. In addition, like BOTOX® (botulinum toxin type A), which was first approved by the FDA as a medical treatment for eye disorders and was later found to have an aesthetic benefit, bimatoprost, the active ingredient in LATISSE(TM), was first approved in 2001 as a medical product to lower intraocular pressure in people with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Patients treated with bimatoprost for this specific eye condition experienced eyelash growth as a side effect. The long-term safety of bimatoprost for therapeutic use has been recognized by the medical community and well established based on use in 32 clinical trials involving more than 5,700 glaucoma patients and more than 13 years of clinical trial experience. Given the existing and substantial clinical and post-marketing safety data with bimatoprost solution 0.03%, coupled with the positive results from the Phase III LATISSE(TM) study, LATISSE(TM) provides patients a clinically meaningful aesthetic benefit with a favorable safety profile.

Bimatoprost is the active pharmaceutical ingredient in the formulation of LATISSE(TM) and is a structural prostaglandin analog, a lipid compound derived from fatty acids designed to bind to prostaglandin (PG) receptors. PG receptors are present in hair, particularly in the dermal papilla and outer root sheath. Although the precise mechanism of action is unknown, PG receptors are thought to be involved in the development and regrowth of the hair follicle,(i) by increasing the percent of hairs in, and the duration of, the anagen or growth phase.

"As an oculoplastic surgeon who has treated both medical eye conditions as well as aesthetic needs, I have extensive knowledge of and experience with the established therapeutic safety profile for bimatoprost," said Steven Fagien, M.D., F.A.C.S., in private practice at Aesthetic Eyelid Plastic Surgery in Boca Raton, Florida, and LATISSE(TM) clinical investigator. "In the clinical study with LATISSE(TM), I observed statistically significant differences in eyelash growth and resulting patient satisfaction. Now that LATISSE(TM) is FDA approved, I look forward to prescribing it to my patients who will enjoy the benefits of more prominent eyelashes while I remain confident in the treatment's favorable safety profile."

LATISSE(TM) will be available in the United States by prescription only and is subject to all U.S. guidelines applicable to dispensing a prescription product. Based on today's FDA approval, Allergan expects to launch the product nationwide in the first quarter of 2009. Doctors and consumers are encouraged to visit www.latisse.com for further product and prescribing information.

Allergan estimates global peak sales of LATISSE(TM) could exceed $500 million per year. As the exclusive U.S. and foreign patent owner, Allergan obtains the rights to the use of bimatoprost and other prostaglandins and prostaglandin analogs as a treatment to stimulate eyelash growth.

LATISSE(TM) Clinical Development Program

In the pivotal Phase III study, 278 healthy adult patients with no active ocular disease and with baseline minimal or moderate eyelash prominence were randomized to apply either LATISSE(TM) or vehicle to both upper eyelid margins once daily for 16 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was overall eyelash prominence at the end of the 16-week treatment period as measured by a > or = 1-grade improvement on a 4-point Global Eyelash Assessment Scale. Secondary efficacy endpoints were eyelash length, thickness, and darkness as determined by Digital Image Analysis of patient photographs taken in a standardized manner.

All of the endpoints in the LATISSE(TM) pivotal trial were met. By the end of the 16-week treatment period, patients treated with LATISSE(TM) experienced statistically significant greater improvement (p < 0.0001 for each endpoint) than those in the vehicle group in the measurements of eyelash prominence, length, thickness and darkness. LATISSE(TM) was also well tolerated with the most commonly reported adverse events being non-serious and cosmetic in nature. Common adverse events observed in the clinical trial included eye redness (3.6%), itchy eyes (3.6%) and skin hyperpigmentation (2.9%).

Important LATISSE(TM) Safety Information

LATISSE(TM) solution is intended for use on the skin of the upper eyelid margins at the base of the eyelashes. DO NOT APPLY to the lower eyelid. If you are using LUMIGAN® or other products in the same class for elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), or if you have a history of abnormal IOP, you should only use LATISSE(TM) under the close supervision of your doctor.

LATISSE(TM) use may cause darkening of the eyelid skin which may be reversible. Although not reported in clinical studies, LATISSE(TM) use may also cause increased brown pigmentation of the colored part of the eye which is likely to be permanent.

It is possible for hair growth to occur in other areas of your skin that LATISSE(TM) frequently touches. Any excess solution outside the upper eyelid margin should be blotted with a tissue or other absorbent material to reduce the chance of this from happening. It is also possible for a difference in eyelash length, thickness, fullness, pigmentation, number of eyelash hairs, and/or direction of eyelash growth to occur between eyes. These differences, should they occur, will usually go away if you stop using LATISSE(TM).

The most common side effects after using LATISSE(TM) solution are an itching sensation in the eyes and/or eye redness. This was reported in approximately 4% of patients. LATISSE(TM) solution may cause other less common side effects which typically occur on the skin close to where LATISSE(TM) is applied, or in the eyes. These include skin darkening, eye irritation, dryness of the eyes, and redness of the eyelids.

If you develop a new ocular condition (e.g., trauma or infection), experience a sudden decrease in visual acuity, have ocular surgery, or develop any ocular reactions, particularly conjunctivitis and eyelid reactions, you should immediately seek your doctor's advice concerning the continued use of LATISSE(TM) solution.

Full prescribing information is available at www.latisse.com and www.allergan.com.

Important BOTOX® and BOTOX® Cosmetic (Botulinum Toxin Type A) Information

BOTOX® is approved for the treatment of cervical dystonia in adults to decrease the severity of abnormal head position and neck pain associated with cervical dystonia.

BOTOX® is approved for the treatment of strabismus and blepharospasm associated with dystonia, including benign essential blepharospasm or VII nerve disorders in patients 12 years of age and above.

The efficacy of BOTOX® treatment in deviations over 50 prism diopters, in restrictive strabismus, in Duane's syndrome with lateral rectus weakness, and in secondary strabismus caused by prior surgical over-recession of the antagonist has not been established. BOTOX® is ineffective in chronic paralytic strabismus except when used in conjunction with surgical repair to reduce antagonist contracture.

And BOTOX® is approved for the treatment of severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis that is inadequately managed with topical agents.

BOTOX® Cosmetic is approved for the temporary treatment of moderate to severe frown lines between the brows in people ages 18 - 65.

Important Safety Information

Who should not be treated with BOTOX® and BOTOX® Cosmetic

BOTOX® injections should not be given to people who have an infection where the physician proposes to inject. They should not be given to people who are known to be sensitive to any ingredient in the BOTOX® product.

Warnings

Serious heart problems and serious allergic reactions have been reported rarely. If you think you're having an allergic reaction or other reaction, such as difficulty swallowing, speaking, or breathing, call your doctor immediately.

Patients with certain neuromuscular disorders such as ALS, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome may be at increased risk of serious side effects.

Patients with neuromuscular disorders may be at increased risk of clinically significant systemic effects including severe dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and respiratory compromise from typical doses of BOTOX® and BOTOX® Cosmetic.

Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) is a commonly reported adverse event following treatment of cervical dystonia patients with all botulinum toxins. In these patients, there are reports of rare cases of dysphagia severe enough to warrant the insertion of a gastric feeding tube.

Precautions

Patients or caregivers should be advised to seek immediate medical attention if swallowing, speech, or respiratory disorders arise.

Side Effects

Localized pain, infection, inflammation, tenderness, swelling, redness and/or bruising may be associated with the injection.

In cervical dystonia, the most common side effects following injection include difficulty swallowing (19%), upper respiratory infection (12%), neck pain (11%), and headache (11%).

In blepharospasm, the most common side effects following injection include ptosis (20.8%), inflammation of the cornea (6.3%), and eye dryness (6.3%).

In strabismus, the most common side effects following injection include ptosis (15.7%) and vertical deviation (16.9%).

In severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis, the most common side effects (3-10% of patients) include injection-site pain and bleeding, non-underarm sweating, infection, sore throat, flu, headache, fever, neck or back pain, itching and anxiety.

The most common side effects following BOTOX® Cosmetic injections include temporary eyelid droop and nausea.

Please see full product information at www.botox.com and www.botoxcosmetic.com.

China Biopharma, Inc. Issues Corporate Information Update

2008-12-28T05:04:00.000-08:00

HANGZHOU, China, Dec. 26 China Biopharma, Inc.

The Company had significant operational improvement after the start of corporate operational restructuring last year. For the nine months ended September 30, 2008, it has made approximately $5.4 million in sales, more than thirteen times the sales revenue made in the same period of 2007, which was approximately $0.4 million. It also made approximately $90,000 in net profit from the China operation, comparing to a net loss of approximately $0.35 million in the same period of 2007. The Company believes that the current operation will further improve as it finalizes the operational restructuring.

The Company has signed an agreement with Zhejiang Tianyuan Biopharma Co., Ltd. that the Company will increase its stakes from currently 65% to 100% in the joint venture, Zhejiang Tianyuan Biotech Co., Ltd. ("ZTBC"). ZTBC will become a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, and will change its name to Zhejiang Kangchen Biotech Co., Ltd. It is waiting for the new business license.

The Company has signed an agreement to acquire 90% of Beijing Tiancheng Xinhai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. ("BTXP"), a regional pharmaceutical distribution company. The company now has full operating control in BTXP and is waiting for final governmental approval and new business license.

After completion of recent operational restructuring, the company is looking for future merge and acquisitions. The Company is projecting a 25% sales increase in 2009.

About China Biopharma, Inc.

China Biopharma, Inc. is a pharmaceutical company based in China. Through its operating subsidiaries, the company introduces and distributes biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical products throughout the world's most populated country, China. Products include biopharmaceutical and other pharmaceutical drugs. Leveraging its local presence and the relationship with local Chinese pharmaceutical companies and international pharmaceutical companies, China Biopharma is building a highly-competitive platform for growth in China as well as in new world markets, including the U.S. and Europe. For more information, visit its website at HYPERLINK "http://www.chinabiopharma.net/"http://www.chinabiopharma.net.

Safe Harbor Statement

Some of the statements here discuss future events and developments, including the Company's future business strategy and its ability to generate revenue, income and cash flow, and should be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These "forward-looking" statements can generally be identified by words such as "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend," "plan," and similar expressions. These statements involve a high degree of risk and uncertainty that exists in the Company's operations and business environment and are subject to change based on various factors that could cause actual Company results, performance, plans, goals and objectives to differ materially from those contemplated or implied in these forward-looking statements. Actual results may be different from anticipated results for a number of reasons, including the Company's new and uncertain business model, uncertainty regarding acceptance of the Company's products and services and the Company's limited operating history.

CONTACT:

China Biopharma, Inc.
Tel: +1 (609) 651-8588
ir@chinabiopharma.net
http://www.chinabiopharma.net

Partners In Care President to Ring the NASDAQ Stock Market Closing Bell

2008-12-28T04:59:00.000-08:00

Feed Information:

The Closing Bell is available from 3:50 p.m. to 4:05 p.m. on AMC-3/C-3 (ul 5985V; dl 3760H). The feed can also be found on Ascent fiber 1623. If you have any questions, please contact Robert Madden at (646) 441-5045.

Radio Feed:

An audio transmission of the Closing Bell is also available from 3:50 p.m. to 4:05 p.m. on uplink IA6 C band / transponder 24, downlink frequency 4180 horizontal. The feed can be found on Ascent fiber 1623 as well.

Webcast:

A live webcast of the NASDAQ Closing Bell will be available at: http://www.nasdaq.com/about/marketsitetowervideo.asx

Photos:

To obtain a hi-resolution photograph of the Market Close, please go to http://www.nasdaq.com/reference/marketsite_events.stm and click on the market close of your choice.

About Partners In Care:

Partners In Care, a 501c3 community nonprofit, was founded to help older adults remain independent in their own homes. The MGCE grant values the organization's innovative volunteer engagement strategies. The group engages more than 2,500 volunteer members to help each other in a formalized program based on reciprocity. Using the service-exchange model, people contribute their time and talents to the 'community pool' to accomplish what needs to be done. Every person is encouraged to contribute what they can and to become part of the solution. In this way, assets already in the community are identified and utilized, accomplishing more than in traditional models. Participants enjoy parity, rather than charity. A network of care is developed and older adults are empowered to remain independent. The model is being replicated in numerous communities seeking to support aging populations.

PIC was founded in 1993 by three women with degrees in gerontology and health care administration who wanted to make a difference in their own community. They believed that every person has gifts and talents that the community needs and they developed a program for people to use their time and talents to help each other. The service-exchange / time-banking program helps people -- wherever they are along the continuum of life -- to remain independent in their own homes and in the community. Starting with a dozen initial participants, PIC has grown to include 2,500 members and is going strong!

About NASDAQ OMX:

The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. is the world's largest exchange company. It delivers trading, exchange technology and public company services across six continents, with over 3,900 listed companies. NASDAQ OMX Group offers multiple capital raising solutions to companies around the globe, including its U.S. listings market; NASDAQ OMX Nordic, NASDAQ OMX Baltic, including First North; and the U.S. 144A sector. The company offers trading across multiple asset classes including equities, derivatives, debt, commodities, structured products and ETFs. NASDAQ OMX Group technology supports the operations of over 70 exchanges, clearing organizations and central securities depositories in more than 50 countries. NASDAQ OMX Nordic and NASDAQ OMX Baltic are not legal entities but describe the common offering from NASDAQ OMX Group exchanges in Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Iceland, Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius. For more information about NASDAQ OMX, visit http://www.nasdaqomx.com

U.S. Federal Trade Commission Provisionally Accepts Consent Decree and Terminates Waiting Period for King Pharmaceuticals Acquisition of Alpharma

2008-12-28T04:57:00.000-08:00

Related:

* Alpharma, Inc.
* , King Pharmaceuticals Inc.

BRISTOL, Tenn. & BRIDGEWATER, N.J. King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Alpharma Inc. announced that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has provisionally accepted a proposed consent order for public comment and has terminated the Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period applicable to King’s proposed acquisition of Alpharma.

Nihon Kohden Announces Acquisition of Neurotronics, Inc.

2008-12-28T04:54:00.000-08:00

RVINE, Calif.Nihon Kohden Corporation today announced the mutual agreement of acquisition of a 100% share of Neurotronics Incorporated (Headquarters: Gainesville, Florida). Neurotronics becomes a subsidiary of Nihon Kohden Corporation on December 31, 2008.

Neurotronics Incorporated was established by Dr. Jack Smith to develop sleep analysis devices and software. Neurotronics develops, sells and services a sleep data management suite of programs, including the sleep brain wave analysis program Polysmith™ DMS. Neurotronics has gained a reputation for quality products and support in the U.S. market. Nihon Kohden will strengthen its position as a leader in the neurology business with the acquisition of Neurotronics.

Fumio Suzuki, President and Chief Operating Officer of Nihon Kohden Corporation commented, “Nihon Kohden and Neurotronics have been long-standing strategic partners in the sleep-respiratory business. Through this acquisition, we can synergize Nihon Kohden’s neurology diagnostics technology and Neurotronics’ sleep analysis expertise to strengthen our products and services in this growing sleep-respiratory market. We also expect to increase both companies’ sales by leveraging Nihon Kohden’s global distribution network.”

Through the combined efforts of both companies, Nihon Kohden expects to increase world-wide sales in sleep and set a foundation for its long-term strategy in the sleep and neurodiagnostic fields, with the continuing goal of improving the quality of medical treatment.

Background

Nihon Kohden is Japan’s leading manufacturer, developer and distributor of medical electronic equipment with subsidiaries in North America, Europe and Asia and distribution in over 100 countries. For more than 50 years, healthcare providers worldwide have relied on the quality and reliability of Nihon Kohden’s comprehensive and innovative line of neurodiagnostic and monitoring instrumentation to aid in the diagnosis, and treatment of their patients.

Sleep Apnea Syndrome (SAS) is a major driver of the sleep diagnostic business. It is estimated that 20 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea and 75% million remain undiagnosed. The sleep diagnostic equipment market has shown considerable growth in the last few years and that growth is expected to continue. Nihon Kohden hopes to better serve this market by combining the expertise of Neurotronics with their brain-wave measurement technology and world-wide sales network.

Contact:

Nihon Kohden America, Inc.
Kathy Hart, Director Neurology Business Group
949-580-1555 ext.3405
Kathy_Hart@nkusa.com
www.nkusa.com

Sosei Announces Buyback of the Commercialization Rights to AD 923 from Mundipharma

2008-12-28T04:45:00.000-08:00

TOKYO, Sosei Group Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company, announces that it has re-acquired the rights for commercialization of AD 923 from Mundipharma International Corporation Ltd. ("Mundipharma").

AD 923 is an optimized, sublingual formulation of the strong opioid analgesic fentanyl for the treatment of cancer breakthrough pain. It has been specifically designed to provide rapid onset of analgesia in a device that is easy to use by either the patient or their care giver. An additional benefit is the lockout system that prevents inadvertent overdosing.

In June 2006, Sosei entered into a licence agreement with Mundipharma, under which Mundipharma were granted the right to commercialize AD 923 in Europe and other international markets, excluding North America and Japan.

In February 2008, the programme entered Phase III clinical trials in Europe. However, due to a problem concerning a supplied component in the device used to deliver the fentanyl spray, the trial was temporarily halted in March 2008.

A solution to the technical problem with the device has since been identified, but Sosei is no longer in a position financially to continue with the programme and a new partner is being sought to progress clinical development.

The buyback of the Mundipharma rights now provides Sosei with the possibility of offering commercialisation rights on a global basis. The Mundipharma rights will be re-acquired for a mutually agreed sum of pounds sterling 2m, plus an additional 20% (up to a maximum of pounds 1.5m) of net receipts if Sosei enters into a new partnership agreement involving the Mundipharma territory.

Herbalife Ltd. Announces 3rd Quarter 2008 Dividend

2008-10-30T22:14:00.000-07:00

Herbalife Ltd. reported that its board of directors approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.20 per share to shareholders of record effective November 25, 2008, payable on December 9, 2008.

The company will release its third quarter financial results Monday, November 3, 2008 after the close of trading on the NYSE. The following day, Tuesday, November 4, 2008 at 8 a.m. PT (11 a.m. ET), Herbalife's senior management team will host an investor conference call to discuss its third quarter 2008 financial results and provide an update on current business trends.

The dial-in number for this conference call for domestic callers is (866) 219-5268 and (703) 639-1120 for international callers. Live audio of the conference call will be simultaneously webcast in the Investor Relations section of the company’s Web site at http://ir.herbalife.com.

An audio replay will be available following the completion of the conference call in MP3 format or by dialing (866) 837-8032 (domestic callers) and (703) 925-2474 (international callers) and entering access code 611271. The webcast of the teleconference will be archived and available on Herbalife’s Web site.

About Herbalife Ltd.

Herbalife Ltd. is a global network marketing company that sells weight-management, nutrition, and personal care products intended to support a healthy lifestyle. Herbalife products are sold in 69 countries through a network of more than 1.8 million independent distributors. The company supports the Herbalife Family Foundation and its Casa Herbalife program to bring good nutrition to children. Please visit Herbalife Investor Relations for additional financial information.

Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release are “forward-looking statements.” All statements other than statements of historical fact are “forward-looking statements” for purposes of federal and state securities laws, including any projections of earnings, revenue or other financial items; any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning proposed new services or developments; any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; any statements of belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Forward-looking statements may include the words, “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “intend,” “continue,” “believe,” “expect,” or “anticipate” and any other similar words.

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in any of our forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results could differ materially from those projected or assumed in any of our forward-looking statements. Our future financial condition and results of operations, as well as any forward-looking statements, are subject to change and to inherent risks and uncertainties, such as those disclosed or incorporated by reference in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Important factors that could cause our actual results, performance and achievements, or industry results to differ materially from estimates or projections contained in our forward-looking statements include, among others, the following:

* adverse publicity associated with our products or network marketing organization;
* uncertainties relating to interpretation and enforcement of recently enacted legislation in China governing direct selling;
* our inability to obtain the necessary licenses to expand our direct selling business in China;
* adverse changes in the Chinese economy, Chinese legal system or Chinese governmental policies;
* improper action by our employees or international distributors in violation of applicable law;
* changing consumer preferences and demands;
* loss or departure of any member of our senior management team which could negatively impact our distributor relations and operating results;
* the competitive nature of our business;
* regulatory matters governing our products, including potential governmental or regulatory actions concerning the safety or efficacy of our products, and network marketing program including the direct selling market in which we operate;
* risks associated with operating internationally, including foreign exchange and devaluation risks;
* our dependence on increased penetration of existing markets;
* contractual limitations on our ability to expand our business;
* our reliance on our information technology infrastructure and outside manufacturers;
* the sufficiency of trademarks and other intellectual property rights;
* product concentration;
* our reliance on our management team;
* uncertainties relating to the application of transfer pricing, duties, value added taxes and similar tax regulations;
* taxation relating to our distributors;
* product liability claims;
* any collateral impact resulting from the ongoing worldwide financial “crisis”, including the availability of liquidity to Herbalife, its customers and its suppliers or the willingness of Herbalife’s customers to purchase products in a recessionary economic environment; and
* whether we will purchase any of our shares in the open markets or otherwise.

Contact:

Herbalife Ltd.
Media Contact:
Barbara Henderson, SVP, Worldwide Corp. Comm.
310-203-2436
or
Investor Contact:
Andrew L. Speller, VP, Investor Relations
310-203-2462

Source: Herbalife Ltd.

AMERIGROUP Corporation Named One of Best Places to Work in Healthcare

2008-10-30T22:13:00.000-07:00

AMERIGROUP Corporation has been named one of America's Best Places to Work In Healthcare -- and the best among the country's health insurers -- in a survey conducted by Modern Healthcare magazine.

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

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

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

About AMERIGROUP Corporation

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

CONTACTS:
Investors: Julie Loftus Trudell
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations
AMERIGROUP Corporation
(757) 321-3597

News Media: Kent Jenkins Jr.
Senior Vice President, External Communications
AMERIGROUP Corporation
(757) 769-7859

Source: AMERIGROUP Corporation

Noven Announces 2008 Third Quarter Earnings Release Date

2008-10-30T22:12:00.000-07:00

Noven Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced its 2008 third quarter earnings release date.

On November 6, 2008, before the U.S. market opens, Noven is scheduled to issue a press release announcing its financial results for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2008. At 11:00 a.m. ET the same day, a conference call with management is scheduled to be webcast live at www.noven.com, and thereafter a rebroadcast will be available at the same site for at least two weeks. A taped replay of the call will be available beginning November 6 through November 8 by calling 877-660-6853 (from within the U.S.) or 201-612-7415 (from outside the U.S.) and entering the access code 286 and conference ID number 299214.

About Noven

Noven Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the research, development, manufacture, marketing and sale of prescription pharmaceutical products. Noven’s business and operations are focused in three principal areas – transdermal drug delivery, the Novogyne joint venture, and Noven Therapeutics, Noven’s specialty pharmaceutical unit. For more information about Noven Pharmaceuticals, visit www.noven.com.

Contact:

Noven Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Miami
Alina Bowman, Investor Relations Coordinator
305-253-1916

Source: Noven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Timothy I. Still Appointed CEO at Accumetrics

2008-10-30T22:11:00.000-07:00

Accumetrics, Inc. has appointed Timothy I. Still to the additional position of Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Still has been serving in the capacity of President and Chief Operating Officer for the company since earlier this year.

"Tim has the right combination of industry, management, and startup experience for our Board," says Tony Arnerich, General Partner of Arnerich & Massena and Executive Chairman of the Board at Accumetrics. "His commercialization expertise and diagnostic market experience will be invaluable as we build key partnerships and move forward with the commercialization of our technology."

Mr. Still's background includes over 18 years of sales, marketing and business development experience in healthcare and medical diagnostics. He has extensive experience in designing and implementing highly focused sales and marketing strategies within both large and small companies.

Prior to Accumetrics, Mr. Still was Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for HemoSense, a medical diagnostic company located in San Jose, California. He was instrumental in building HemoSense into a rapidly growing, publicly traded company which was acquired by Inverness Medical in November 2007.

Before joining HemoSense, Mr. Still served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Cholestech Corporation, and served in a variety of sales, marketing and business development roles for Boehringer Mannheim Corporation (now Roche Diagnostics).

Mr. Still received a B.S. degree (with Honors) in Biological Sciences from the University of California at Davis, and an MBA (Deans Scholar) in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California.

About Accumetrics (http://www.accumetrics.com):

Accumetrics is committed to advancing medical understanding of platelet function and enhancing quality of care for patients receiving antiplatelet therapies by providing industry-leading and widely accessible diagnostic tests for rapid platelet function assessment.

VerifyNow is the first simple and rapid system for measuring the individual response to multiple antiplatelet agents. Addressing every major antiplatelet drug, including FDA-cleared products for aspirin, Plavix®, ReoPro®, and Integrilin®, the VerifyNow system provides a valuable tool to help physicians make informed treatment decisions.

The Accumetrics logo and VerifyNow are registered trademarks of Accumetrics, Inc., ReoPro is a registered trademark of Centocor, Inc. Integrilin is a registered trademark of Millennium Pharmaceuticals. Plavix is a registered trademark of Sanofi-Aventis.

CONTACT: Jules Abraham
Lippert Heilshorn & Associates
212-838-3777
jabraham@lhai.com

Source: Accumetrics, Inc.

Know Your L-Dex(TM)' (Lymphedema Index) Awareness Campaign Attracts Large Numbers of Breast Cancer Survivors at Komen Race for the Cure(R) Events

2008-10-30T22:09:00.001-07:00

A large number of breast cancer survivors received complimentary L-Dex readings as part of the "Know Your L-Dex" awareness campaign activities at recent Komen Race for the Cure® events in Houston and Dallas.

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

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

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

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

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

Additional "Know Your L-Dex" activities are scheduled for November at the Komen San Diego Race for the Cure® and the Breast Cancer Network of Strength's Life in Balance: Breast Cancer Survivorship Forum in Chicago.

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

About Lymphedema

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

About ImpediMed

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

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

Media Contacts: Wendy Lau or Bianca Molina
Russo Partners
(212) 845-4272 office
wendy.lau@russopartnersllc.com
bianca.molina@russopartnersllc.com

Source: ImpediMed Ltd.

US STOCKS-Wall St rallies on rate cuts, bargain hunting

2008-10-30T22:01:00.000-07:00

* Optimism about global interest-rate cuts buoy sentiment

* Low levels tempt investors to pick up bargains

* GDP data shows U.S. economy shrank less than expected

* Colgate-Palmolive, Exxon Mobil top profit estimates

* Dow up 2.1 pct, S&P 500 up 2.6 pct, Nasdaq up 2.5 pct (Updates to close)

By Leah Schnurr

U.S. stocks climbed on Thursday as investors snapped up shares trading near their lowest levels in five years on optimism that aggressive rate cuts by global central banks, including the Federal Reserve, will help cushion a worldwide economic downturn.

Investors also found support in signs that efforts to loosen up clogged credit markets were taking hold as the rate that banks charge to lend dollars to each other fell, freeing up cash needed to avert a sharp slowdown.

With just a day left in October, stocks are on course to post their biggest one-month loss since the 1987 crash.

In the latest batch of earnings results, Colgate-Palmolive Co (CL.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) rose 7.1 percent to $64.23 on the New York Stock Exchange after the consumer products maker posted quarterly profit that beat estimates. For details, see [ID:nN30326612].

Although data showed the U.S. economy experienced its sharpest contraction in seven years in the third quarter, the reading on gross domestic product was slightly better than expected.

"Is it going to be perhaps shallower than we were all fearing or is it something that's going to build like a snowball?" said Matt Kaufler, portfolio manager and equity analyst at Clover Capital Management in Rochester, New York.

"There's perhaps more room for optimism today that we can get through this than there was perhaps two weeks ago."

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI rose 189.73 points, or 2.11 percent, to 9,180.69. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX gained 24.00 points, or 2.58 percent, to 954.09. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC was up 41.31 points, or 2.49 percent, at 1,698.52.

On Nasdaq, shares of Apple Inc (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), maker of the iPhone and the iPod, rose 6.2 percent to $111.04, while Intel (INTC.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) shot up 8.2 percent to $16.17.

Technology is among the sectors that analysts see poised to be the biggest beneficiaries of an economic revival.

Office Depot Inc (ODP.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) leaped 48.6 percent to $3.12 and ranked near the top of the NYSE's biggest percentage gainers on the day after it said it would delay opening new stores in a weak economy.

Rival Staples Inc (SPLS.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) ran up 15.6 percent to $18.42 after the world's largest office products retailer said its third-quarter adjusted profit would beat estimates.

The market's gains came a day after the Fed cut its benchmark fed funds rate for overnight bank loans by 50 basis points, or a half-percentage point, to 1 percent. The move was followed by rate cuts in Taiwan, Hong Kong and China.

Japan is expected to cut rates on Friday, while the European Central Bank, the central bank of Australia and the Bank of England are expected to cut rates next week.

But investors remain concerned that the efforts to shore up the economy might take longer to yield sustainable results and brighten the profit picture.

The price of oil fell more that 2 percent to settle under $66 a barrel as the U.S. economic data prompted worries that demand could be further dampened.

Airlines' shares jumped on the sharp drop in U.S. crude futures CLc1 prices. The Airline Index .XAL surged 10.7 percent.

Exxon Mobil (XOM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) reversed course in afternoon trading and edged up 0.5 percent to $75.05 after the major oil company's profit exceeded expectations. Exxon, however, said its quarterly oil output fell.

Shares of Hartford Financial Services Group Inc (HIG.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) sank 51.6 percent to $9.62 after the property and life insurer reported a surprisingly large quarterly loss, raising concern that it may need to raise more capital. [ID:nN30172795] The insurer's stock was the biggest percentage loser on the Big Board.

Prudential Financial Inc (PRU.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) shed 18.1 percent to $28.87 the day after it swung to a quarterly loss that marginally missed the Street's expectations.

Trading was moderate on the New York Stock Exchange, with about 1.38 billion shares changing hands, below last year's estimated daily average of roughly 1.90 billion, while on Nasdaq, about 2.54 billion shares traded, above last year's daily average of 2.17 billion.

Advancing stocks outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by about 4 to 1, while on the Nasdaq, about three stocks rose for every one that fell.

(Editing by Jan Paschal)

Wall Street rallies on rate cuts, bargain hunting

2008-10-30T21:58:00.000-07:00

Stocks climbed on Thursday as investors snapped up shares trading near their lowest levels in five years on optimism that aggressive rate cuts by global central banks, including the Federal Reserve, will help cushion a worldwide economic downturn.

Investors also found support in signs that efforts to loosen up clogged credit markets were taking hold as the rate that banks charge to lend dollars to each other fell, freeing up cash needed to avert a sharp slowdown.

With just a day left in October, stocks are on course to post their biggest one-month loss since the 1987 crash.

In the latest batch of earnings results, Colgate-Palmolive Co rose 7.1 percent to $64.23 on the New York Stock Exchange after the consumer products maker posted quarterly profit that beat estimates.

Although data showed the U.S. economy experienced its sharpest contraction in seven years in the third quarter, the reading on gross domestic product was slightly better than expected.

"Is it going to be perhaps shallower than we were all fearing or is it something that's going to build like a snowball?" said Matt Kaufler, portfolio manager and equity analyst at Clover Capital Management in Rochester, New York.

"There's perhaps more room for optimism today that we can get through this than there was perhaps two weeks ago."

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 189.73 points, or 2.11 percent, to 9,180.69. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 24.00 points, or 2.58 percent, to 954.09. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 41.31 points, or 2.49 percent, at 1,698.52.

On Nasdaq, shares of Apple Inc, maker of the iPhone and the iPod, rose 6.2 percent to $111.04, while Intel shot up 8.2 percent to $16.17.

Technology is among the sectors that analysts see poised to be the biggest beneficiaries of an economic revival.

Office Depot Inc eaped 48.6 percent to $3.12 and ranked near the top of the NYSE's biggest percentage gainers on the day after it said it would delay opening new stores in a weak economy.

Rival Staples Inc ran up 15.6 percent to $18.42 after the world's largest office products retailer said its third-quarter adjusted profit would beat estimates.

The market's gains came a day after the Fed cut its benchmark fed funds rate for overnight bank loans by 50 basis points, or a half-percentage point, to 1 percent. The move was followed by rate cuts in Taiwan, Hong Kong and China.

Japan is expected to cut rates on Friday, while the European Central Bank, the central bank of Australia and the Bank of England are expected to cut rates next week.

But investors remain concerned that the efforts to shore up the economy might take longer to yield sustainable results and brighten the profit picture.

The price of oil fell more that 2 percent to settle under $66 a barrel as the U.S. economic data prompted worries that demand could be further dampened.

Airlines' shares jumped on the sharp drop in U.S. crude futures prices. The Airline Index surged 10.7 percent.

Exxon Mobil reversed course in afternoon trading and edged up 0.5 percent to $75.05 after the major oil company's profit exceeded expectations. Exxon, however, said its quarterly oil output fell.

Shares of Hartford Financial Services Group Inc sank 51.6 percent to $9.62 after the property and life insurer reported a surprisingly large quarterly loss, raising concern that it may need to raise more capital. The insurer's stock was the biggest percentage loser on the Big Board.

Prudential Financial Inc shed 18.1 percent to $28.87 the day after it swung to a quarterly loss that marginally missed the Street's expectations.

Trading was moderate on the New York Stock Exchange, with about 1.38 billion shares changing hands, below last year's estimated daily average of roughly 1.90 billion, while on Nasdaq, about 2.54 billion shares traded, above last year's daily average of 2.17 billion.

Advancing stocks outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by about 4 to 1, while on the Nasdaq, about three stocks rose for every one that fell.

(Editing by Jan Paschal)

AMN Healthcare Announces Third Quarter 2008 Results and Updates Full Year Guidance

2008-10-30T21:55:00.000-07:00

AMN Healthcare Services, Inc. announced operating results for the third quarter of 2008. Highlights include:

-- Revenue of $315 million, up 5% over last year and 1% over last quarter
but slightly below Company guidance.
-- Revenue growth primarily driven by year-over-year volume increases in
the Company's two largest segments, Nurse & Allied and Locum Tenens.
-- EPS of $0.28, up 12% over last quarter, down 20% from last year,
primarily due to certain non-recurring expenses and a tax adjustment
during this quarter. These results were $0.03 below guidance.
-- Free cash flow of $19 million as days sales outstanding improved by 2
days from last quarter to 56 days in the third quarter. Cash flow from
operations was $21 million.

"While the healthcare staffing industry is not insulated from the impact of our nation's economic uncertainties, we do believe our industry leadership position and our diversified strategy is enabling AMN to deliver solid results that will translate into an even stronger market position in the future. While we are disappointed to be reporting operating performance slightly below our previous higher growth expectations, we do believe these results are more than respectable given the worsening financial and employment environment and the lower patient admissions and procedures reported by the healthcare industry," said Susan R. Nowakowski, President and Chief Executive Officer of AMN Healthcare. "We were especially pleased with our largest business line of travel nurse staffing, where we experienced year-over-year and sequential revenue growth and likely the most significant market share gains we have seen in several quarters. The lower than expected overall results came primarily from our allied business and certain specialties within our locum tenens division."

For the third quarter of 2008, revenue for the Nurse and Allied staffing segment was $217.1 million, an increase of 6.4% from the same quarter last year. The Locum Tenens staffing segment generated revenue of $85.3 million, an increase of 2.8% from the same quarter last year, and the Physician Permanent Placement segment provided revenue of $12.6 million, decreasing from $13.2 million reported the same quarter last year.

Gross profit for the third quarter of 2008 was $81.1 million, an increase of 1.7% from the same quarter last year. Gross margin this quarter decreased to 25.7% from 26.6% in the same quarter last year mainly reflecting lower gross profit contribution from higher margin business lines such as international nursing and physician permanent placement and a shift in the mix of specialties within our locum tenens staffing segment.

Selling, general and administrative ("SG&A") expenses increased to 19.1% of revenue in the third quarter of 2008 from 18.6% in the same quarter last year due primarily to restructuring and legal expenses associated with the Company's pharmacy staffing business which included a change in management, certain headcount reductions, and other non-recurring expenses. Excluding these costs, SG&A expenses would have been 18.6% of revenue, consistent with the same quarter last year.

Income tax expense was 34.4% of taxable income in the third quarter of 2008 as compared to 32.9% in the same quarter last year. During this quarter, the Company identified a tax matter that impacts the travel healthcare staffing industry. Since nearly the inception of the industry over two decades ago, it has been common industry practice for companies to offer lodging per diem payments; however, we recently became aware that a portion of these per diem payments may not be fully deductible for income tax purposes. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements reflect this uncertain tax position under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Earnings per share was $0.28 in the third quarter which included $0.03 for the restructuring charge and legal expenses, $0.01 for a sales allowance adjustment lowering revenue in the permanent placement segment, offset with $0.04 for the income tax benefit. These results came in $0.03 lower than the low end of guidance due mainly to lower than expected volumes in both nurse and allied and locum tenens segments, along with higher income taxes before recognizing the tax benefit mentioned above.

Revenue and Earnings Guidance for Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2008

In light of the current uncertain economic conditions and the potential effect on the healthcare staffing industry on both demand and supply for flexible healthcare staffing, the Company revised its projected full-year 2008 revenue to $1.22 billion and its fourth quarter 2008 revenue to a range from $295 million to $300 million. Fourth quarter and full-year EPS are estimated to be negatively impacted by $0.03 and $0.04, respectively, as a result of the income tax matter. Fourth quarter EPS is expected to range from $0.20 to $0.23, including an estimated $0.02 negative income tax adjustment, and full year EPS is now expected to range from $0.99 to $1.02. Pro forma EPS for the full year excluding an estimated $0.03 negative effect of the income tax adjustment, $0.03 impact of the restructuring and legal expense and the $0.01 impact of the sales allowance would range from $1.06 to $1.09.

Nowakowski added, "Despite the recent short-term challenges, the long-term fundamentals of our business opportunity have not changed. The demand for clinicians will continue to rise as the population ages and the shortages of physicians, nurses and allied professionals become more severe. We do expect to continue to see an impact from the current uncertain economic and political environment, which limits our short-term growth opportunities. During these times we have rededicated ourselves to focus on three key aspects of our strategy: Continuing to (1) capture more market share, (2) capture efficiency and productivity gains which should drive reductions in our cost structure, and (3) expand and diversify our business to respond to changing modes of healthcare delivery. Two good examples of such expansion are the recent launch of AMN's Recruitment Process Outsourcing and surgical center staffing service offerings. We will utilize this downturn to implement changes that can drive greater profitability through operating leverage when stability returns to the economy and the healthcare sector."

Stock Repurchase Program Update

The Company is authorized to purchase up to $38 million of its outstanding common stock in the open market through March 31, 2009. Since June 2008, the Company has repurchased 1,554,600 shares of its common stock for approximately $28.4 million. Diluted shares outstanding at September 30, 2008 were approximately 33.9 million.

Company Summary

AMN Healthcare Services, Inc. is the largest healthcare staffing company in the United States and the largest nationwide provider in all three of its business segments: travel nurse and allied staffing, locum tenens staffing (temporary physician staffing), and physician permanent placement services. AMN Healthcare recruits healthcare professionals both nationally and internationally and places them on variable lengths of assignments and in permanent positions at acute-care hospitals, physician practice groups and other healthcare settings throughout the United States. For more information, visit http://www.amnhealthcare.com.

Conference Call on October 30, 2008

AMN Healthcare Services, Inc.'s third quarter 2008 conference call will be held on Thursday, October 30, 2008, at 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time. A live webcast of the call can be accessed through AMN Healthcare's website at http://www.amnhealthcare.com/investors. Please log in at least 10 minutes prior to the conference call in order to download the applicable audio software. Interested parties may participate live via telephone by dialing (888) 428-4479 in the U.S. or (651) 291-5254 internationally. Following the conclusion of the call, a replay of the webcast will be available at the Company's website. Alternatively, a telephonic replay of the call will be available at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on October 30, 2008, and can be accessed until November 13, 2008 at midnight Eastern Time, by calling (800) 475-6701 in the U.S. or (320) 365-3844 internationally, with access code 962588.

This earnings release contains certain non-GAAP financial information. These measures are not in accordance with, or an alternative to, generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP"), and may be different from non-GAAP measures reported by other companies. From time to time, additional information regarding non-GAAP financial measures may be made available on the Company's website at http://www.amnhealthcare.com/investors.

DEALTALK-Stronger U.S. dollar only small factor in deals

2008-10-30T21:52:00.000-07:00

(For more Reuters DEALTALKS, click [DEALTALK/])

By Jessica Hall

While the strengthening U.S. dollar may give corporations more buying power as they look for international acquisitions, the global gloom will overshadow any benefits.

For much of this year, the weak dollar gave international companies some leverage in making acquisitions of U.S. companies by making assets relatively cheap to acquire.

The timing of the dollar's rebound, however, will likely prevent the reverse trend from happening since U.S. corporations may be reluctant to part with cash during the economic crisis, investment bankers and analysts said.

"The dollar is strengthening this time because the U.S. is a source of strength at a time of great tumult. You have to put the dollar's rebound in context -- it's coming at a time of indescribable global chaos," said Herald Ritch, president and co-chief executive officer of investment bank Sagent Advisers.

"Strategic deal-doers don't wake up and look at the currency spreads and say 'Let's do a deal.' That's not where things start. On the margins, does it factor in to many decisions? Yes. But currency doesn't dictate deals," Ritch said.

WEAK DOLLAR HAD PUT U.S. ON SALE

So far this year, international deals involving U.S. companies totaled $365.2 billion, down 40 percent from a year ago, according to Thomson Reuters data. Yet the volume of deals in which a U.S. company had been the target had dropped by only 28.5 percent, the data showed.

Some major U.S. companies to fall into foreign hands this year included beer brewer Anheuser-Busch Cos Inc (BUD.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), which is being bought for $52 billion by InBev NV (INTB.BR: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz); and eye care company Alcon Inc (ACL.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), which is being bought by Switzerland's Novartis AG (NOVN.VX: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) for about $27.7 billion.

While some investment bankers said U.S. companies became more attractive targets earlier this year due in part to the weak dollar, the greenback's recent rebound will not be enough to offset the global financial crisis.

So far this year, the euro has lost about 11 percent of its value against the U.S. dollar, while sterling has fallen more than 17 percent against the greenback.

"Currency exchange should be a minor factor in doing a deal," said Phil Stamatakos, a partner specializing in mergers and acquisitions with law firm Jones Day.

"It may play a role for some companies, but M&A decisions ought to be based on the fundamentals of the deal and the assets you're buying," Stamatakos said.

WHERE CURRENCY CHANGES MIGHT HURT

Some international deals could be affected by currency fluctuations if a buyer needs to borrow significant funds to finance the purchase or has offered a foreign stock as currency in the deal, investment bankers said.

When drugmaker Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) made its $43.7 billion offer in July to buy the 44 percent of Genentech Inc (DNA.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) it does not already own, it cited the weak dollar as an attractive incentive.

Since then, the more than 10 percent increase in the value of the U.S. dollar versus the Swiss franc has prompted some analysts to question whether the deal has become too costly for Roche to pursue. The stronger dollar would make it more expensive to raise funds for the deal.

Genentech has rejected the $89 per share offer, saying it undervalued the company. Roche said earlier this month it remained committed to its offer and aimed to reach a negotiated deal.

Until the overall economic gloom lifts, the strengthening U.S. dollar should have minimal affect on dealmaking, analysts and investment bankers said.

"Strategic and financial buyers shouldn't be making purchasing decisions based on a currency play. If they have that much foresight into currency, they should be in forex (foreign exchange) arbitrage, not M&A," Stamatakos said. (Reporting by Jessica Hall, editing by Matthew Lewis) (For more M&A news and our DealZone blog, go to here).

Robbins & Myers to Present at Sidoti & Company Investor Conference on November 10, 2008

2008-10-30T21:51:00.000-07:00

Robbins & Myers, Inc. announced that it will present at an investor conference hosted by Sidoti & Company on November 10th at 11:35 a.m. (Eastern) at The Peninsula Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. Peter C. Wallace, President and Chief Executive Officer and Christopher M. Hix, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will represent the Company. A copy of the presentation will be made available on the Company's website at www.robn.com.

Robbins & Myers, Inc. is a leading supplier of engineered equipment and systems for critical applications in global energy, industrial, chemical and pharmaceutical markets.

Source: Robbins & Myers, Inc.

ERBITUX(R) Supplemental Biologics License Application for First-Line Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer Accepted for Priority Review by U.S.

2008-10-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

ImClone Systems Incorporated and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing and review the companies’ supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) to broaden the indication for ERBITUX® (cetuximab) to include use in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). The companies also announced today that, as requested, the application has been granted a priority review designation by the FDA. Priority review status indicates that the FDA will aim to complete its review of the sBLA within six months.

The sBLA submission is based on data from the randomized Phase 3 EXTREME (ERBITUX in first-line Treatment of REcurrent or MEtastatic head and neck cancer) study1 investigating the efficacy of ERBITUX in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy in the first-line treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic SCCHN. The study was conducted by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, the partner of ImClone for ERBITUX outside of North America, and showed that ERBITUX, in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy, resulted in a statistically significant improvement in median overall survival time compared with chemotherapy alone.

If approved, this will be the third U.S. indication for ERBITUX in head and neck cancer. ERBITUX was initially approved to treat locally or regionally advanced SCCHN in combination with radiation therapy, and as a single agent for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic SCCHN for whom prior platinum-based therapy has failed, in March 2006. At that time, the FDA noted that ERBITUX was the first drug approved for head and neck cancer since the 1950’s, and that the data showed a survival benefit for ERBITUX in combination with radiation compared with radiation alone in locally or regionally advanced SCCHN.1 ERBITUX remains the first and only monoclonal antibody to be approved by the FDA for this type of cancer.

“There is a significant need for new therapeutic options in the first-line treatment of patients with head and neck cancer,” said Eric K. Rowinsky, M.D., Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President of ImClone. “The granting of a priority review for this sBLA by the FDA underscores this unmet need and is a designation given to drugs that potentially offer a significant therapeutic advance over currently available treatments for serious diseases.”

The EXTREME study randomized 442 patients with previously untreated recurrent or metastatic SCCHN to receive treatment with either ERBITUX plus platinum-based chemotherapy (cisplatin or carboplatin plus infusional 5-fluorouracil [5-FU]) or platinum-based chemotherapy alone, for a maximum of 6 cycles.2 ERBITUX was administered at a 400 mg/m2 initial dose, followed by a 250 mg/m2 weekly dose in combination with chemotherapy. After completing chemotherapy plus ERBITUX, patients were able to continue on a 250 mg/m2 weekly dose of ERBITUX. Results showed that patients who received ERBITUX plus platinum-based chemotherapy experienced a statistically significant increase in the primary endpoint of median overall survival compared to patients who received chemotherapy alone (10.1 months vs. 7.4 months, respectively; Hazard Ratio [HR]=0.80; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]=0.64-0.99; p = 0.04).1 Patients who received ERBITUX plus platinum-based chemotherapy also showed a significant increase in median progression-free survival (5.6 months vs. 3.3 months, respectively; HR=0.54; 95% CI=0.43-0.67; p<0.001) and a significantly higher tumor response rate (36% vs. 20%, respectively; p<0.001) compared to those that received chemotherapy alone. Both were secondary endpoints of the study. Grade 3 or 4 adverse events occurring in >5% of patients in either treatment group included: neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, skin reactions, hypokalemia, cardiac events, asthenia, and dyspnea.

Findings from the EXTREME study were recently published in the September 11, 2008 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Also, as previously announced, Merck KGaA submitted an application to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) in June 2008 to broaden the use of ERBITUX to include first-line treatment of patients with recurrent and/or metastatic SCCHN.3

About Head and Neck Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, 87,290 Americans will be diagnosed with head and neck cancer in 2008, including cancers of the tongue, the rest of the mouth, the salivary glands and inside the throat, the voice box, eye and orbit, thyroid and the lymph nodes in the upper neck. In addition, it is estimated that more than 13,090 Americans will die from this disease this year. Head and neck cancer most often affects people over the age of 50, and men are twice as likely to be diagnosed as women. The most common risk factors are tobacco and excessive alcohol use.

About ERBITUX® (Cetuximab)

ERBITUX (cetuximab) is a monoclonal antibody (IgG1 Mab) designed to inhibit the function of a molecular structure expressed on the surface of normal and tumor cells called the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR, HER1, c-ErbB-1). In vitro assays and in vivo animal studies have shown that binding of ERBITUX to the EGFR blocks phosphorylation and activation of receptor-associated kinases, resulting in inhibition of cell growth, induction of apoptosis, and decreased matrix metalloproteinase and vascular endothelial growth factor production. In vitro, ERBITUX can mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) against certain human tumor types. In vitro assays and in vivo animal studies have shown that ERBITUX inhibits the growth and survival of tumor cells that express the EGFR. No anti-tumor effects of ERBITUX were observed in human tumor xenografts lacking EGFR expression.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck (SCCHN)

ERBITUX, in combination with radiation therapy, is indicated for the initial treatment of locally or regionally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

ERBITUX, as a single agent, is indicated for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck for whom prior platinum-based therapy has failed.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Infusion Reactions

-- Grade 3/4 infusion reactions occurred in approximately 3% of patients receiving ERBITUX(R) (cetuximab) in clinical trials, with fatal outcome reported in less than 1 in 1000

-- Serious infusion reactions, requiring medical intervention and immediate, permanent discontinuation of ERBITUX, included rapid onset of airway obstruction (bronchospasm, stridor, hoarseness), hypotension, shock, loss of consciousness, myocardial infarction, and/or cardiac arrest

-- Most (90%) of the severe infusion reactions were associated with the first infusion of ERBITUX despite premedication with antihistamines

-- Caution must be exercised with every ERBITUX infusion, as there were patients who experienced their first severe infusion reaction during later infusions

-- Monitor patients for 1 hour following ERBITUX infusions in a setting with resuscitation equipment and other agents necessary to treat anaphylaxis (eg, epinephrine, corticosteroids, intravenous antihistamines, bronchodilators, and oxygen). Longer observation periods may be required in patients who require treatment for infusion reactions

Cardiopulmonary Arrest

-- Cardiopulmonary arrest and/or sudden death occurred in 4 (2%) of 208 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated with radiation therapy and ERBITUX, as compared to none of 212 patients treated with radiation therapy alone. Fatal events occurred within 1 to 43 days after the last ERBITUX treatment

-- Carefully consider the use of ERBITUX in combination with radiation therapy in head and neck cancer patients with a history of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure or arrhythmias in light of these risks

-- Closely monitor serum electrolytes including serum magnesium, potassium, and calcium during and after ERBITUX therapy

Pulmonary Toxicity
-- Interstitial lung disease (ILD), which was fatal in one case, occurred in 4 of 1570 (0.5%) patients receiving ERBITUX in clinical trials. Interrupt ERBITUX for acute onset or worsening of pulmonary symptoms. Permanently discontinue ERBITUX where ILD is confirmed

Dermatologic Toxicities

-- In clinical studies of ERBITUX, dermatologic toxicities, including acneform rash, skin drying and fissuring, paronychial inflammation, infectious sequelae (eg, S. aureus sepsis, abscess formation, cellulitis, blepharitis, conjunctivitis, keratitis, cheilitis), and hypertrichosis, occurred in patients receiving ERBITUX therapy. Acneform rash occurred in 76-88% of 1373 patients receiving ERBITUX in clinical trials. Severe acneform rash occurred in 1-17% of patients
-- Acneform rash usually developed within the first two weeks of therapy and resolved in a majority of the patients after cessation of treatment, although in nearly half, the event continued beyond 28 days
-- Monitor patients receiving ERBITUX for dermatologic toxicities and infectious sequelae
-- Sun exposure may exacerbate these effects

ERBITUX Plus Radiation Therapy and Cisplatin

-- The safety of ERBITUX in combination with radiation therapy and cisplatin has not been established
-- Death and serious cardiotoxicity were observed in a single-arm trial with ERBITUX, radiation therapy, and cisplatin (100 mg/m(2)) in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck
-- Two of 21 patients died, one as a result of pneumonia and one of an unknown cause
-- Four patients discontinued treatment due to adverse events. Two of these discontinuations were due to cardiac events

Electrolyte Depletion

-- Hypomagnesemia occurred in 55% (199/365) of patients receiving ERBITUX and was severe (NCI CTC grades 3 & 4) in 6-17%. The onset of hypomagnesemia and accompanying electrolyte abnormalities occurred days to months after initiation of ERBITUX therapy
-- Monitor patients periodically for hypomagnesemia, hypocalcemia and hypokalemia, during, and for at least 8 weeks following the completion of, ERBITUX therapy
-- Replete electrolytes as necessary

Late Radiation Toxicities

-- The overall incidence of late radiation toxicities (any grade) was higher with ERBITUX in combination with radiation therapy compared with radiation therapy alone. The following sites were affected: salivary glands (65%/56%), larynx (52%/36%), subcutaneous tissue (49%/45%), mucous membranes (48%/39%), esophagus (44%/35%), and skin (42%/33%) in the ERBITUX and radiation versus radiation alone arms, respectively
-- The incidence of grade 3 or 4 late radiation toxicities were similar between the radiation therapy alone and the ERBITUX plus radiation therapy arms

Pregnancy

-- In women of childbearing potential, appropriate contraceptive measures must be used during treatment with ERBITUX and for 6 months following the last dose of ERBITUX. ERBITUX should only be used during pregnancy if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus

Adverse Events

-- The most serious adverse reactions associated with ERBITUX across all studies were infusion reactions, cardiopulmonary arrest, dermatologic toxicity and radiation dermatitis, sepsis, renal failure, interstitial lung disease, and pulmonary embolus

-- The most common adverse reactions associated with ERBITUX (incidence (>=)25%) are cutaneous adverse reactions (including rash, pruritus, and nail changes), headache, diarrhea, and infection

-- The most frequent adverse events seen in patients with carcinomas of the head and neck receiving ERBITUX in combination with radiation therapy (n=208) versus radiation alone (n=212) (incidence >=50%) were acneform rash (87%/10%), radiation dermatitis (86%/90%), weight loss (84%/72%), and asthenia (56%/49%). The most common grade 3/4 adverse events for ERBITUX in combination with radiation therapy ((>=)10%) included: radiation dermatitis (23%), acneform rash (17%), and weight loss (11%)

About ImClone Systems

ImClone Systems Incorporated is a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company committed to advancing oncology care by developing and commercializing a portfolio of targeted biologic treatments designed to address the medical needs of patients with a variety of cancers. The Company’s research and development programs include growth factor blockers and angiogenesis inhibitors. ImClone Systems’ headquarters and research operations are located in New York City, with additional administration and manufacturing facilities in Branchburg, New Jersey. For more information about ImClone Systems, please visit the Company’s web site at http://www.imclone.com.

ERBITUX® is a registered trademark of ImClone Systems Incorporated.

Certain matters discussed in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and the Federal securities laws. Although the company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently expected. Many of these factors are beyond the company's ability to control or predict. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and could impact the company and the statements contained in this news release can be found in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly those factors identified as “risk factors” in the Company’s most recent annual report of Form 10-K and in its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. For forward-looking statements in this news release, the company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The company assumes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb

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

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding product development. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, and could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from current expectations. Among other risks, there can be no guarantee that the supplemental application will be approved. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect Bristol-Myers Squibb's business, particularly those identified in the cautionary factors discussion in Bristol-Myers Squibb's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our Current Reports on Form 8-K. Bristol-Myers Squibb undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

(1) FDA News, FDA Approves First Head & Neck Cancer Treatment in 45 Years; Data Shows Treatment with Erbitux Extends Survival. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2006/new01329.html. Accessed October 14, 2008.

(2) Vermoken JB, Mesia R, Rivera F, et al. Platinum-based chemotherapy plus cetuximab in head and neck cancer. N Engl J Med. 2008; 358:116-1127.

(3) News Release. Merck Applies to Extend Use of Erbitux for First-Line Head and Neck Cancer in Europe. http://news.merck.de/emd/cc/newsrelease.nsf/d6db9bdc0c08af7ec 1257243005130ee/13d501339b5c59f7c125746d00358437?OpenDocument. Accessed October 14, 2008. (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.)

Contact:

Media and Investor:
ImClone Systems Incorporated
Tracy Henrikson, 908-243-9945
Corporate Communications
Tracy.Henrikson@imclone.com
or
ImClone Systems Incorporated
Rebecca Gregory, 646-638-5058
Corporate Communications
Rebecca.Gregory@imclone.com
or
Media:
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Brian Henry, 609-252-3337
Brian.Henry@bms.com
or
Investors:
Bristol-Myers Squibb
John Elicker, 212-546-3775
John.Elicker@bms.com

Source: Bristol-Myers Squibb

UPDATE 1-Express Scripts 3rd-quarter profit up, tops Street

2008-10-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

* Express Scripts Q3 EPS $0.81, tops Street View

* Raises low end of 2008 earnings forecast

* Generic utilization increased to 66.2 pct

Pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts Inc (ESRX.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) reported better-than-expected third-quarter profit and revenue on Thursday, helped by increased use of more profitable generic drugs.

The company, which administers prescription drug benefits for employers and health plans, posted a net profit of $201.9 million, or 81 cents per share, compared with a profit of $143 million, or 56 cents per share, a year ago.

That topped analysts' average expectations by three cents, according to Reuters Estimates.

The St. Louis-based company said the economic slowdown has made its ability to negotiate lower health care costs for its customers even more attractive.

Express said its generic utilization rate increased to 66.2 percent from 62.2 percent in the year-ago quarter. Cheaper generic medicines have a higher profit margin than more expensive branded drugs.

Total revenue for the quarter rose to $5.45 billion from $5.36 billion and topped Wall Street estimates of $4.65 billion.

"In the current economic environment, plan sponsors need us more than ever to help lower their pharmacy spend," Chief Executive George Paz said in a statement.

Express raised the low end of its full-year earnings forecast by 4 cents and now expects $3.07 to $3.10 per share.

For 2009, the company expects generic usage, its home delivery business and specialty pharmacy management to grow. It also sees lower drug purchasing costs. As a result, Express is forecasting earnings to rise to $3.63 to $3.73 per share.

Analysts polled by Reuters Estimates are looking for 2009 earnings of $3.63 per share.

Express Scripts shares were relatively unchanged in extended trading after climbing 12.7 percent to $57.57 on Nasdaq during the day. (Reporting by Bill Berkrot; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)

Arcadia Resources Announces Webcast of its FY2009 Second Quarter Conference Call

2008-10-30T21:43:00.000-07:00

Arcadia Resources, Inc. which provides innovative consumer health care services under the trade name Arcadia HealthCareSM, will issue its financial results for fiscal 2009 second quarter, prior to the opening of the U.S. financial markets on Thursday, November 6, 2008.

Arcadia will conduct a conference call and simultaneous Internet webcast to review these financial results on Thursday, November 6, 2008, at 11:00 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time). Marvin R. Richardson, Arcadia HealthCare’s President and Chief Executive Officer, will host the call. Also participating will be Matthew R. Middendorf, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer.

To access the webcast, visit the Company’s website at www.arcadiahealthcare.com, 5-10 minutes prior to the start time and click on the webcast link. The webcast will also be accessible on www.investorcalendar.com. The Company’s press release, which will contain financial and statistical information to be discussed in the presentation, will also be available on the Company’s website.

The conference call also may be accessed by telephone by dialing 1-866-524-3160 (for US-based callers) or 1-412-317-6760 (for international callers).

A replay of the webcast will be available approximately one hour after the completion of the call and will be accessible on www.investorcalendar.com for 90 days following the call. A telephone replay will be available by dialing 1-877-344-7529 (for US-based callers) or 1-412-317-0088 (for international callers). For the replay, callers must use the Conference ID number 425023. The telephone replay will be available until November 21, 2008.

About Arcadia HealthCareSM

Arcadia HealthCareSM is a service mark of Arcadia Resources, Inc. and is a leading provider of home health care / medical staffing; respiratory / home health equipment and specialty pharmacy services under its proprietary DailyMed™ program.

DailyMed™ transfers a patient’s prescriptions, over-the-counter medications and vitamins, and organizes them into pre-sorted packets clearly marked with the date and time they should be taken. The entire 30-day supply is delivered directly to a patient’s home in a convenient dispensing box - with “peace of mind” a pharmacist has reviewed the entire medication profile for that month’s supply. This consumer product is aimed at reducing medication errors, improving medication compliance and ultimately lowering the cost of care, and is available at www.DailyMedRx.com.

Additionally, Arcadia extends its health care offerings through affiliated and managed locations on a fee for service basis.

The Company, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, has grown to 92 locations in 22 states, and currently services over 50,000 homes annually through its 5,000 full and part-time associates. Arcadia HealthCare’s comprehensive solutions and business strategies support the Company’s overall vision of “Keeping People at Home and Healthier Longer.”

The Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2008, the quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended June 30, 2008 and September 30, 2008 and the current reports filed from time to time on Form 8-K are available on the Company’s website (http://www.arcadiahealthcare.com) and the SEC website (http://www.sec.gov).

Contact:

Arcadia HealthCare
Michelle M. Molin, 317-569-8234 x109
Executive Vice President & General Counsel
mmolin@arcadiahealthcare.com

Source: Arcadia HealthCare

Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc. Invites You to Join Its Fiscal 2008 Fourth Quarter and Year End Earnings Webcast

2008-10-30T21:40:00.000-07:00

Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc.'s, fiscal 2008 fourth quarter and year end earnings release will be issued Monday, November 10, 2008. You are invited to participate in a webcast the following morning on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 8 a.m. EST.

Earnings Release: Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc.'s Fiscal 2008 Fourth Quarter and Year End Earnings Release for the quarter and year ended September 30, 2008 will be released to the public after the NYSE close on Monday, November 10, 2008. The release will also be available on the Hill-Rom website at http://ir.hill-rom.com/releases.cfm .

Webcast: A webcast hosted by management will be held Tuesday, November 11, 2008 starting at 8 a.m. EST / 7 a.m. CST / 6 a.m. MST / 5 a.m. PST. The webcast will last approximately one hour. To join the live webcast with audio on November 11, 2008, go to http://ir.hill-rom.com/events.cfm or http://ir.hill-rom.com/eventdetail.cfm?eventid=61082 .

The call will be available for telephone replay through November 18, 2008 domestically at 888-203-1112 and internationally at 719-457-0820. For the replay, callers will need to use confirmation code 9788491. If you are unable to listen to the live webcast or the replay, the call will be archived at http://ir.hill-rom.com/events.cfm through November 10, 2009.

ABOUT HILL-ROM HOLDINGS, INC.

Hill-Rom is a leading worldwide manufacturer and provider of medical technologies and related services for the health care industry, including patient support systems, safe mobility and handling solutions, non-invasive therapeutic products for a variety of acute and chronic medical conditions, medical equipment rentals, and information technology solutions. Hill-Rom's comprehensive product and service offerings are used by health care providers across the health care continuum in hospitals, extended care facilities and home care settings to enhance the safety and quality of patient care.

Hill-Rom ... enhancing outcomes for patients and their caregivers.

www.hill-rom.com

Source: Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc.

Almost Family, Inc. to Report Third Quarter 2008 Financial Results

2008-10-30T21:38:00.000-07:00

- Conference Call Scheduled Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. ET -

Almost Family, Inc. a leading regional provider of home health nursing services, announced that it will report results for its third quarter 2008 ended September 30, 2008 on Wednesday, November 5, 2008, before the market open.

A conference call to review the results will begin at 11:00 a.m. ET on November 5, 2008 and will be hosted by William B. Yarmuth, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Steve Guenthner, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

To participate in the conference call, please dial 1-800-762-8779 (USA) or 1-480-248-5081 (International). In addition, a dial-up replay of the conference call will be available beginning November 5, 2008 at 12:00 p.m. ET and ending on November 19, 2008. The replay telephone number is 1-800-406-7325 (USA) or 1-303-590-3030 (International). Account Number: 3055 and Passcode: 3938754.

A live web cast of the call will also be available from the Investor Relations section on the corporate web site at http://www.almostfamily.com. A web cast replay can be accessed on the corporate web site beginning November 5, 2008 at approximately 12:00 p.m. ET and will remain available until December 5, 2008.

About Almost Family

Almost Family, Inc., founded in 1976, is a leading regional provider of home health nursing services, with branch locations in Florida, Kentucky, Connecticut, New Jersey, Ohio, Massachusetts, Alabama, Missouri, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Indiana (in order of revenue significance). Almost Family, Inc. and its subsidiaries operate a Medicare-certified segment and a personal care segment. Altogether, Almost Family operates over 90 branch locations in 11 U.S. states.

Source: Almost Family, Inc.

Health Care REIT, Inc. Declares Third Quarter Dividend

2008-10-30T21:36:00.000-07:00

Health Care REIT, Inc. announced that its Board of Directors declared a dividend for the quarter ended September 30, 2008 of $0.68 per share as compared to the prior year rate of $0.66 per share. The dividend will be the company's 150th consecutive quarterly payment, payable November 20, 2008, to stockholders of record on November 10, 2008.

Health Care REIT, Inc., with headquarters in Toledo, Ohio, is a real estate investment trust that invests across the full spectrum of senior housing and health care real estate. The company also provides a full array of property management and development services. As of September 30, 2008, the company’s broadly diversified portfolio consisted of 641 properties in 39 states. More information is available on the Internet at www.hcreit.com.

Contact:

Health Care REIT, Inc.
Scott Estes, 419-247-2800
or
Mike Crabtree, 419-247-2800

Source: Health Care REIT, Inc.

Medical Staffing Network Announces Realignment of Its Business Model

2008-10-30T21:35:00.000-07:00

Medical Staffing Network Holdings, Inc. announced that it is realigning its per diem branch network. The Company will be increasingly focused on expanding its local contract business. Local contract staffing is assignments that range two weeks in length or longer and are filled through a local branch. Over the past few months, the Company has increased its local contract staffing to approximately 25% of the per diem division’s revenue.

In addition, the Company’s actions are in response to recent successes in its vendor management services (VMS) operations. The VMS group has been awarded six contracts during 2008, which further reduces its dependency on daily transactional business. The success of the VMS division together with the focus on local contract staffing has enabled the Company to increase the visibility of its revenue stream. As a result, on October 28, 2008, the Company decided to consolidate its national branch footprint by closing 20 per diem locations where local contract and VMS business opportunities were less evident.

Through technological advancements and focusing on local contract business, a majority of these closed branch locations will be serviced either from a nearby location or from a “virtual” office setting from the Company’s corporate location. The Company anticipates that the loss of the closed locations’ income from operations will be entirely offset by a reduction in salaries and related expenses for operations and corporate personnel. The Company expects to incur a charge of approximately $6.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2008. The charge will be comprised of approximately $1.0 million relating to severance costs and lease termination and approximately $5.7 million in non-cash goodwill impairment relating to the closure of the branches.

Commenting on the action plan, Robert Adamson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “While the current environment of the temporary nurse staffing industry remains difficult, our third quarter AEBITDA will be sequentially higher than that of the second quarter. Over the past few quarters, we have considered fine tuning our per diem division’s business plan model as we believe local contract staffing and VMS arrangements provide more visibility to the Company’s revenue stream as well as more stability to a local healthcare professional’s work week. We expect that this realignment to the per diem division’s business model in conjunction with the recent VMS wins will increase the quality of our future earnings as well as allow us to focus more of our attention on increasing local contract staffing and our other product lines.”

Company Summary

Medical Staffing Network Holdings, Inc. is the third largest diversified healthcare staffing company in the United States as measured by revenues. The Company is the leading provider of per diem nurse staffing services and is also a leading provider of travel, allied health and vendor managed services.

Discussion of AEBITDA

AEBITDA consists of net income (loss) before income taxes, interest, loss on early extinguishment of debt, depreciation and amortization, restructuring and other charges, outsourcing implementation costs and non-cash impairment of goodwill, which might not be calculated in the same manner as, and thus might not be comparable to, similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

This press release includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include all statements other than those made solely with respect to historical fact. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the registrant’s actual results and performance to be materially different from any future results or performance expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These factors include our ability to recognize the benefits of the realignment of our per diem branch network, the amount of costs, expenses, and charges related to the realignment of our per diem branch network, and other factors, which can be found in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 30, 2007 and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated in light of these important factors. Although the registrant believes that these statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, the registrant cannot provide any assurances regarding future results. The registrant undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact:

Medical Staffing Network Holdings, Inc.
Jeff Yesner, Chief Accounting Officer, 561-322-1303

Source: Medical Staffing Network Holdings, Inc.

'The Age Factor' on the Campaign Trail: When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Keep Moving

2008-10-30T21:31:00.000-07:00

New Survey Reports Sore Joints Won't Keep Seniors on the Sidelines

Political pundits studying the Presidential candidates' every move on the campaign trail may ponder the impact of "the age factor," but seniors say sore joints won't keep America's aging population on the sidelines, according to a recent survey of men and women age 50+ from Schiff Nutrition International, makers of Move Free® Advanced, a daily dietary supplement for joint health that starts comforting sore joints in less than seven days.(1) In fact, these mature adults report they are more determined than ever to make staying active a part of their daily wellness routine.

Americans 50 and older are determined to outpace their advancing years, the Move Free® Advanced Make Your Move...with Freedom online survey(2) found. Though 69 percent of this age group say they experience body aches and discomfort at least weekly, and 59 percent say they suffer joint discomfort just as frequently, older Americans are defying these issues on a daily basis with a can-do attitude and a strong ethic of staying active and involved.

Staying Active - Their Primary Concern

Despite the frequency with which they experience aches and discomfort, Americans 50 and over responded that they worry more about not being able to keep doing the things they want to do (62%) than about dealing with increasing physical discomfort as they age (48%). Even in today's uncertain economy, they report that they are more concerned about continuing to do the things they love than being able to afford a comfortable lifestyle (54%) or proper healthcare (48%) as they get older.

True Grit

Among surveyed Americans 50 and older who have experienced joint discomfort, 59 percent say it has rarely interfered with their quality of life or their ability to be productive. More men make this claim than women (64% vs. 55%). And when joint discomfort does interfere with their lives, nearly four in ten (39%) of those who experience it say their first reaction is a gritty resolve to persevere.

From Senator John McCain to the average citizen, America's mature population shows a special determination not to give up important parts of their lives as they age. Among those surveyed, these include family activities (77%), doing chores and gardening around the home (71%) and continuing to go to work (43%).

In Red States and Blue, Supplements Win

When it comes to aging gracefully, the respondents in the Make Your Move...with Freedom online survey vote for supplements so they can continue to live healthy and full lives, particularly as a way to manage their joint discomfort. They reported that taking vitamin supplements is the one preferred way of managing joint discomfort among those who deal with it.

Glucosamine plus Chondroitin is cited as the top choice for older Americans in the survey with joint discomfort who have tried natural remedies (66%); fish oil comes in second (56%).

How Move Free® Advanced is Different

Move Free® Advanced is the joint care supplement that combines Glucosamine and Chondroitin with two ingredients - Uniflex® and Joint Fluid. Uniflex® protects your joints; Joint Fluid replenishes your joints, and Glucosamine and Chondroitin help to rebuild your joints. Move Free® Advanced starts comforting sore joints in less than seven days(1) vs. 4 to 6 weeks for Glucosamine and Chondroitin alone. And Move Free Advanced has been clinically tested.

For more information, please visit http://www.MakeYourMoveWithFreedom.com.

About Schiff Nutrition International and Move Free® Advanced

Move Free® Advanced is a dietary supplement for joint health from Salt Lake City-based Schiff®, one of the most trusted and respected brands in the nutritional supplement industry, having provided consumers with pure and high quality nutrition products for more than 70 years. Schiff® guarantees the purity and potency of its products with stringent quality controls at every point throughout the sourcing, manufacturing, packaging and distribution processes. For more information, visit www.schiffvitamins.com.

(1) Independent human clinical study (Los Angeles, 2008).

(2) The Move Free® Advanced Make Your Move...With Freedom survey was sponsored by Schiff Nutrition International and conducted online by Kelton Research in July 2008.

THE STATEMENTS IN THIS PRESS RELEASE HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD & DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THESE PRODUCTS ARE NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT DISEASE.

Patients should always consult their physicians and pharmacists with questions regarding drug interactions.

Source: Schiff

Extendicare REIT Calls Lawsuit Claims Baseless

2008-10-30T21:29:00.000-07:00

Extendicare Real Estate Investment Trust ("Extendicare REIT") said claims made in a class action lawsuit filed in United States District Court, District of Minnesota, in Minneapolis against Extendicare Health Services, Inc. and Extendicare Homes, Inc. (collectively "Extendicare"), two wholly owned U.S. based subsidiaries of Extendicare REIT, are incorrect and misleading. Extendicare will vigorously defend against the lawsuit in court. The lawsuit is brought as a class action under Minnesota's Prevention of Consumer Fraud Act; Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

"We have just received the lawsuit and have not had sufficient time to fully evaluate the complaint. However, based on the information we have seen, this is a duplicate of the lawsuit that was recently filed in the state of Washington, and those same law firms are involved as co-counsel with this Minnesota firm. It would appear that Extendicare is the latest in a long list of nursing home providers targeted by the same lawyer who previously filed a series of similar class-action style lawsuits in other states," said Tim Lukenda, President and CEO of Extendicare REIT. "Those lawsuits also alleged that nursing home providers falsely advertised the quality of care they provided to residents. This lawyer has not been successful in proving such allegations in a court of law. Many providers have undoubtedly been forced to settle these cases out of court rather than fight the allegations and prove them to be false because of the costs of litigation," Lukenda said.

"We intend to vigorously and successfully defend this lawsuit. The allegations being made are incorrect and misleading, and clearly designed to maximize the recovery of attorney's fees rather than benefit residents," said Lukenda.

Extendicare says it is remains committed to continuing to provide quality care and services to its residents as it defends the inflammatory allegations in this baseless lawsuit.

About Us

Extendicare REIT, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, is a major provider of short and long-term care services for seniors in North America. We operate 268 nursing and assisted living facilities in North America, with capacity for approximately 30,300 residents. As well, we offer medical specialty services such as subacute care and rehabilitative therapy services in the United States, and home health care services in Canada, and employ approximately 38,100 people in North America.

Extendicare facilities have won numerous awards for quality over the years, including four facilities that were recently recognized for quality achievement by receiving the Step 1 National Quality Award presented by the American Health Care Association. These awards are modeled after the criteria of the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award.

Contact:

Contacts:
Extendicare Real Estate Investment Trust
Holly Gould
Executive Director of Communications and Consumer Relations
(414) 908-8147
(414) 908-8111 (FAX)
Email: hgould@extendicare.com
Visit Extendicare's Website at http://www.extendicare.com

Source: Extendicare REIT

UPDATE 1-Biogen, Genentech developing new blood cancer drug

2008-10-30T21:28:00.000-07:00

* Biogen, Genentech broaden cancer-drug relationship

* To pay Genentech $31.5 mln upfront to co-develop drug

* Says drug in early stages of testing

* Shares unchanged after hours at $40.30

Biogen Idec (BIIB.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said on Thursday it would help Genentech Inc (DNA.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) develop an experimental cancer treatment that works through a similar mechanism as their shared blockbuster Rituxan treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

Genentech recently acquired U.S. rights to the new medicine, called GA101, from Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the Swiss drugmaker that has a majority stake in Genentech and is attempting to acquire its remaining shares.

Biogen said it opted to help develop GA101 pursuant to terms of its ongoing Rituxan collaboration with Genentech, and will make an upfront payment of $31.5 million to its larger partner and record it as a fourth-quarter charge.

The companies will share operating profits and losses in the United States, Biogen said, while Roche retains rights in other markets. Additional terms were not disclosed.

Like Rituxan, GA101 works by targeting immune system cells known as CD20-positive B cells. It is being studied in early-stage trials for non-Hodgkins lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, another type of blood cancer, Biogen said.

Biogen said Roche would provide an update on Phase 1 data for the new medicine at a medical meeting in December, Biogen said.

Biogen shares closed down 3.9 percent at $40.30 on Thursday. (Reporting by Ransdell Pierson)

Business Leaders Join Fight Against Illegal Drugs by Donating CDEX Meth Scanner(TM) to Local Law Enforcement

2008-10-30T21:25:00.000-07:00

CDEX Inc. announces that a subsidiary of BHP Billiton, the world’s largest mining company, donated a CDEX ID2 Meth Scanner™ to the Globe, Arizona Police Department for use in its battle against illegal drugs. The ID2 Meth Scanner™ is a hand-held, battery operated device that detects trace quantities of methamphetamine while scanning surfaces.

Francis McAllister, Finance Manager of the BHP Billiton Base Metals Group, which owns the Pinto Valley mine located near Globe, stated, “BHP Billiton is committed to the communities where we operate and we support their efforts to educate people about the harmful effects of drugs and to fight drug abuse. To this end, we donated a Meth Scanner to the Globe Police Department to assist in their efforts to fight drugs in our community. No community is immune to the dangerous grasp meth has taken and we will continue to support the community in the battle against this non-discriminating, devastating drug.”

Steve Schmidt, Vice-President of CDEX’s Security Division, thanked BHP Billiton for their leadership, activism and concern for the Miami-Globe community. “We are grateful for the exemplary participation of this community-minded company,” Schmidt said. “CDEX is honored to have its Meth Scanner selected as the tool to assist police in their fight against drug use and trafficking.

“CDEX pledges to work closely with Police Chief Lt. David Mullin, Sgt. James Durnan and local law enforcement to use the Meth Scanner to its maximum potential in the field,” Schmidt continued. “The devastating and growing impact of methamphetamine on our communities demands that we provide better weapons to law enforcement and Child Protective Service agencies to fight this war. We are inspired by the actions of BHP Billiton management and are pleased that CDEX can assist with their efforts to make this community a safer place to live and work.”

BHP Billiton, headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, is the world’s largest mining company and one of the world’s top producers of copper, silver, lead, uranium and zinc. BHP Billiton owns and operates the large Pinto Valley copper mine in the heart of Arizona’s Globe-Miami Mining District located about 90 miles east of metro Phoenix.

CDEX is a technology development company, currently manufacturing and globally distributing chemical detection products in the medication safety and security markets. The Valimed™ product line provides life-saving validation of high-risk medications and returned narcotics. The ID2™ product line is a revolutionary new tool in the global battle against abuse of illegal drugs such as methamphetamine. CDEX expects to advance its patented technologies to serve additional markets and applications. For more information, visit www.cdexinc.com or contact Dale Jahr, Director of Investor Relations, (djahr@cdex-inc.com) at (605) 431-7106.

Any non-historical statements are forward-looking, as defined in federal securities laws, and generally can be identified by words such as "expects," "plans, " "may," "anticipates," "believes," "should," "intends," "estimates," and other similar words. These statements pose risks and uncertainties that cannot be predicted or quantified and, consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the effectiveness, profitability and marketability of products, the protection of intellectual property and proprietary information, and other risks such as those detailed from time-to-time in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. There is no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements.

MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5818717

Contact:

CDEX Inc.
Dale Jahr, Director of Investor Relations, 605-431-7106
djahr@cdex-inc.com

Source: CDEX Inc.

UPDATE 1-Thoratec Q3 beats Street, raises '08 view; shares jump

2008-10-30T21:24:00.000-07:00

* Q3 non-GAAP EPS $0.17, revenue $80.8 mln

* Raises 2008 outlook

* Shares rise 10 pct

Cardiac device maker Thoratec Corp (THOR.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) posted quarterly results that topped market estimates, helped by strength in its heart device HeartMate II LVAS, and raised its full-year outlook for the second time in less than three months. [ID:nWNAB5369]

Shares of the company rose 10 percent to $24 in trading after the bell. They closed at $21.85 Thursday on Nasdaq.

The company said its implanted heart pump HeartMate II LVAS helped generate a 68 percent rise in revenue at its cardiovascular division, and it added 17 new HeartMate II centres in the quarter. [ID:nPnAQTH065]

Last week, the company's shares had lost more than half of their value after it said wear and fatigue related to HeartMate II LVAS may require surgical replacement that could potentially be fatal. [ID:nBNG396083]

Looking ahead, the company now sees earnings of 54 cents to 59 cents a share and revenue of $302 million to $308 million for fiscal 2008.

In August, it had raised its full-year outlook and had forecast earnings of 47 cents to 52 cents a share, before items, on revenue of $285 million to $295 million. (Reporting by Vidya L Nathan in Bangalore; Editing by Deepak Kannan)

Type-1 Diabetes Not So Much Bad Genes as Good Genes Behaving Badly, Stanford Research Shows

2008-10-30T21:22:00.000-07:00

Investigators combing the genome in the hope of finding genetic variants responsible for triggering early-onset diabetes may be looking in the wrong place, new research at the Stanford University School of Medicine suggests.

Early-onset diabetes, also known as type-1 diabetes, is an autoimmune disease, caused when the immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in a person’s pancreas.

What triggers that immune response apparently has less to do with having a distinct set of gene variants than how the behavior of genes may differ in people with the disease. That is the finding of a study published in the November issue of Clinical Immunology, by Garry Fathman, MD, professor of immunology and rheumatology, and his colleagues.

The paper builds upon the knowledge that particular immune-system-related gene variants confer type-1 diabetes susceptibility. Many people have those genes, but only a fraction actually develop the disease. This has led many investigators to conduct exhaustive searches of the genome for other elusive genes that, when defective, may predispose someone to type-1 diabetes. Fathman suggests they may be on the wrong track.

Fathman explained it this way: “Take a pair of identical twins, with one having type-1 diabetes. Although both have precisely the same genes, roughly half the time the other twin doesn’t get the disease.” The same holds true for other autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, he added.

The situation, Fathman said, is reminiscent of the 1988 movie “Twins,” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. They may have started out identical, but something diverged, somewhere. Fathman set out to find out what it was seven years ago, in what he described, tongue-in cheek, as “an interesting study that started at the dawn of history.”

Rather than try to implicate a faulty gene, Fathman’s team looked for genes in the diabetic twin that act differently from the same genes in the other twin who doesn’t get diabetes.

To do this, the Stanford researchers used two types of bioengineered mice that share a common genome, with just one key difference. So-called NOD mice (the acronym stands for “non-obese diabetic”) are extremely likely to get type-1 diabetes and have an immune-related gene variant closely resembling the one predisposing humans to the disease. The other strain of mice, known as NOD.B10, has had its chromosomal segment containing the troublesome gene variant replaced with another, harmless version. NOD.B10 mice never get type-1 diabetes.

The Stanford team compared the activity level (“gene-expression,” in scientific parlance) of each of the NOD mouse’s genes—all 35,000 of them— with that of its counterpart in the NOD.B10 animals. To make these comparisons as meaningful as possible, the researchers assembled the mice into groups of three to 10 and took samples from various tissues from each group at 10 days of age, then four, eight, 12, 16 and 20 weeks, always comparing like tissues from one mouse strain to the next at the same stage of life. This required the use of a sophisticated but increasingly commonplace hybrid between a microscope slide and a computer chip—called a microarray—that can emit fluorescent signals corresponding to the activity levels of each of the mouse’s genes.

By comparing the strength of the signal from any given gene from a particular tissue from NOD mice of a specific age to the corresponding gene in the NOD.B10 mice, it was possible to see which genes’ activity levels were turned up, or dialed down, throughout the course of disease progression including the earliest stages. The NOD.B1O mice served as controls; by monitoring their tissues, scientists could determine any changes in gene expression that were merely a matter of aging (20 weeks is a long time in the life of a mouse) or that merely reflected characteristics of different tissues were ignored in the analysis.

The results, said Fathman, were surprising. Most genes in any given tissue of the diabetes-prone NOD mice at any given time showed about the same activity levels as their disease-free NOD.B10 counterparts. But in each tissue the scientists monitored, certain clusters of genes in NOD-mice—including many genes never previously identified as germane to the disease process—seemed to participate in coordinated zigzags of swooping and soaring expression over time, when compared with their healthy NOD-B10 “twins.” These patterns varied from one tissue to the next and from time to time. But in any given tissue at any given time, they were remarkably consistent.

These time-dependent gene-expression “signatures” could be observed in the NOD mice’s peripheral blood, for example, well before the mice began to show characteristic signs of diabetes such as hyperglycemia. Fathman said preliminary work done in his lab indicates an exquisite similarity to the gene-expression signatures found in the blood of humans with type-1 diabetes well before the onset of symptoms.

This finding may provide an early warning for pre-diabetics, Fathman said. “We need to know that people are on their way to diabetes before they get hyperglycemic or, better, even before their insulin-producing pancreas cells have taken a hit.” Plus, the newly identified genes in these clusters with orchestrated, disease-associated activity changes may, in their own right, point the way to new therapies, he said.

One matter still unresolved is exactly why a diabetic identical twin’s genes began acting differently from the non-diabetic twin’s in the first place. Fathman believes this may be due to random differences in exactly which part of some invading or internal pathogen the immune system responds to, with one response setting off the diabetes-causing gene-activity cascade while another doesn’t. His group is focused on unraveling this mystery.

Other study co-authors from the Fathman group are postdoctoral researchers Keiichi Kodama, MD, PhD; Hideyuki Iwai, MD, PhD; Luis Soares, PhD, (now in Brazil); and Deqiao Shen, PhD (now associate professor and vice president, Three Gorges University, China); and research associate Remi Creusot, PhD. Additional co-authors are Atul Butte, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine and of pediatrics, and Mark Hartnett PhD, of Agilent Technologies, who provided microarray support. The work was funded by the National Institutes of Health, as a part of the Cooperative Study Group for Autoimmune Disease Prevention.

Stanford University Medical Center integrates research, medical education and patient care at its three institutions — Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. For more information, please visit the Web site of the medical center’s Office of Communication & Public Affairs at http://mednews.stanford.edu.

Contact:

Stanford University Medical Center
PRINT MEDIA:
Bruce Goldman, 650-725-2106
goldmanb@stanford.edu
or
BROADCAST MEDIA:
M.A. Malone, 650-723-6912
mamalone@stanford.edu

Source: Stanford University Medical Center

UPDATE 1-Bare Escentuals Q3 trails Street; 2008 outlook cut

2008-10-30T21:21:00.000-07:00

* Q3 EPS 25 cents trails Street by 1 cent

* Q3 sales $130.2 mln lags est. $143.1 mln

* 2008 outlook cut on challenging consumer environment

* Shares down 24 pct
Cosmetics maker Bare Escentuals Inc (BARE.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) posted lower-than-expected third-quarter results and cut its 2008 outlook, citing a weak consumer environment and business trends, sending its shares down 24 percent. [ID:nWNAB5356]

The company, which sells skin care and body care products under the bareMinerals, RareMinerals and its namesake brands, expects sales and earnings growth of about 10 percent for fiscal-year 2008, including charges. [ID:nBw306170a]

The company reported earnings of 95 cents a share on revenue of $511.0 million in the 2007 financial year.

The San Francisco-based company had earlier forecast sales growth of 15 percent to 20 percent and earnings of about $1.13 to $1.18 a share for the current fiscal year.

Bare Escentuals, which competes with Elizabeth Arden Inc (RDEN.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and larger rivals like Estee Lauder Cos Inc (EL.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), posted net income of $22.9 million for the third quarter, compared with $20.5 million a year earlier.

Shares of the company were down at $5.25 in extended-hours trade, after closing at $6.87 Thursday on Nasdaq. (Reporting by Dilipp S Nag in Bangalore; Editing by Pratish Narayanan)

Fitness Equipment Guru Launches New Fitness Equipment Site

2008-10-30T21:16:00.000-07:00

Fitness Equipment Guru (www.FitnessEquipmentGuru.com), an eCommerce company that provides fitness equipment, nutritional products, customer reviews and content tailored to individuals over the age of forty, announced the launch of their site.

Fitness Equipment Guru provides various types of home fitness equipment at discount prices. In addition, customers are provided with a forum to review the equipment, allowing them to share feedback and collaborate with other buyers. Finally, the company also provides customized fitness and diet-related articles, tips and blog entries for the over 40 crowd.

The founder of Fitness Equipment Guru, Richard Spillane, noticed a need while looking for fitness programs and equipment tailored to him. “Our research indicates more and more people over 40 are working out and are looking to purchase fitness equipment for their home,” Spillane stated. “Many of them can’t find a one-stop site that offers fitness content tailored to their needs as well as fitness equipment. In addition, we want to provide a forum where they can connect with like-minded people while focusing on performance towards their personal health goals.”

“We not only provide excellent products for customers over 40, but we also provide an experience and educational content tailored to the older athlete.” Spillane goes on to say, “We noticed a gap in the marketplace for this crowd and believe we’re well-positioned to become the leading 'go to' site for their fitness-related equipment and questions.”

About Fitness Equipment Guru

FitnessEquipmentGuru.com provides fitness equipment products, targeted, unique content and nutritional solutions. FitnessEquipmentGuru.com is a resource for people over the age of 40 that are looking for state-of-the-art cardio and weight training equipment.

Contact:

Fitness Equipment Guru
David Jones, 877-535-5575
info@fitnessequipmentguru.com

Source: Fitness Equipment Guru

Schering-Plough to Appeal Jury Decision in Missouri Reimbursement Case

2008-10-30T21:12:00.000-07:00

Schering-Plough Corporation said that it strongly believes that the decision reached by a jury in Missouri related to reimbursement by Missouri's Medicaid program of certain products sold by Warrick Pharmaceuticals, the company's former generics subsidiary, was incorrect. The company said it will appeal and continues to maintain that it complied with all applicable laws and regulations governing reimbursement rules in Missouri.

The company has prevailed in two other reimbursement cases.

In November 2007, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts found no liability for Warrick Pharmaceuticals in a class action lawsuit involving several pharmaceutical companies and the setting of average wholesale prices (AWPs) for prescription products. In that case, the Court issued favorable rulings for the company and dismissed all claims relating to Schering-Plough's branded pharmaceutical products and Warrick's generic albuterol sulfate solution. The Court entered judgment in favor of Schering-Plough based on its ruling that Schering's AWP were not inflated and entered judgment in favor of Warrick based on its findings that Warrick's AWP had no effect on Medicare reimbursement and resulted in no damages to class plaintiffs.

In December 2005, a West Virginia jury ruled in favor of the company in a trial related to reimbursement by West Virginia's Medicaid program of certain asthma products sold by Warrick Pharmaceuticals. In the favorable verdict, the jury agreed with the company's position that in connection with reporting AWP the company complied with all applicable laws and regulations governing the reimbursement rules in West Virginia.

Schering-Plough is an innovation-driven, science-centered global health care company. Through its own biopharmaceutical research and collaborations with partners, Schering-Plough creates therapies that help save and improve lives around the world. The company applies its research-and-development platform to human prescription and consumer products as well as to animal health products. Schering-Plough's vision is to "Earn Trust, Every Day" with the doctors, patients, customers and other stakeholders served by its colleagues around the world. The company is based in Kenilworth, N.J., and its Web site is www.schering-plough.com.

Source: Schering-Plough Corporation

American HomePatient Reports Financial Results for the Third Quarter and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2008

2008-10-30T21:02:00.000-07:00

American HomePatient, Inc.one of the nation’s largest home health care providers, announced its financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2008.

Revenues for the third quarter of 2008 were $65.6 million compared to $71.3 million for the third quarter of 2007, representing a decrease of $5.7 million, or 8.0%. Revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 were $199.0 million compared to $221.6 million for the same period in 2007, representing a decrease of $22.6 million, or 10.2%. The revenue decreases for the third quarter and nine months were primarily attributable to a change in inhalation drug product mix and the Company’s de-emphasis of less profitable product lines such as non-respiratory durable medical equipment and infusion therapy.

Operating expenses declined in the third quarter of 2008 compared to the third quarter of 2007 by approximately $2.3 million, or 6.7%. Operating expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 compared to the same period in 2007 declined by $4.0 million, or 3.9%. The decreases in operating expenses for the third quarter and nine months were primarily the result of improved operating efficiencies associated with the Company’s branches and billing centers, resulting in reduced operating costs. Areas of focus have included centralization of certain customer service functions, consolidation of branches and branch functions, improved routing and delivery systems, and more effective utilization of leased space.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) is a non-GAAP financial measurement that is calculated as net income excluding interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA (EBITDA excluding discontinued operations and change of control expense) was $12.8 million, or 19.5% of net revenue, for the third quarter of 2008 compared to $13.1 million, or 18.4% of net revenue, for the same period of 2007. Adjusted EBITDA was $37.3 million, or 18.7% of net revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 compared to $39.0 million, or 17.6% of net revenue, for the same period of 2007. The decline in adjusted EBITDA in the current year is primarily the result of the aforementioned revenue decreases partially offset by reductions in operating expenses resulting from improved operating efficiencies and reduced bad debt expense attributable to improvements made in the Company’s accounts receivable collection processes. The current year increase in adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of net revenue is primarily attributable to improved operating efficiencies.

Net income for the third quarter of 2008 was $0.6 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, compared to net income of $0.1 million, or $0.01 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2007. Net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 was $(1.0) million, or $(0.06) per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $(5.2) million, or $(0.29) per diluted share, for the same period of 2007. The comparison of net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 to the same period in 2007 was affected by the recording in 2007 of a change of control expense of $5.6 million, partially offset by a gain on discontinued operations of $2.1 million.

American HomePatient, Inc. is one of the nation’s largest home health care providers with operations in 33 states. Its product and service offerings include respiratory services, infusion therapy, parenteral and enteral nutrition, and medical equipment for patients in their home. American HomePatient, Inc.’s common stock is currently traded in the over-the-counter market or, on application by broker-dealers, in the NASD’s Electronic Bulletin Board under the symbol AHOM or AHOM.OB.

American HomePatient, Inc. prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). American HomePatient, Inc. also provides information related to non-GAAP financial measurements such as EBITDA, and from time to time, other non-GAAP financial measurements that adjust for certain items outside of the ordinary course of its business. To enable interested parties to reconcile non-GAAP measures to the Company’s GAAP financial statements, the Company clearly defines EBITDA and quantifies all other adjustments to GAAP measurements (see Schedule B). The Company provides EBITDA information, a widely used non-GAAP financial measurement, as a performance measure to assist in analyzing the Company’s operations and in comparing the Company to its competitors. The Company provides other non-GAAP financial measurements that adjust for certain items outside of the ordinary course of business in order to assist in comparing the Company’s current operating performance to its historical performance. These adjustments typically reflect non-recurring items but sometimes reflect items, such as dispositions of assets and restructuring charges that are not technically non-recurring but are outside of the ordinary course of operations. Investors should note that such measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies, and investors are encouraged to use this information only in connection with the information contained in the Company’s GAAP financial statements.

Certain statements made in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and include known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which the Company is unable to predict or control, that may cause the Company’s actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties regarding the upcoming maturity of the Company’s secured debt, current and future reimbursement rates, and reimbursement reductions and the Company’s ability to mitigate the impact of the reductions. These risks and uncertainties are in addition to risks, uncertainties, and other factors detailed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements made by the Company are not necessarily indicative of future performance. The Company is not responsible for updating the information contained in this press release beyond the published date, or for changes made to this document by wire services or Internet services.

Contact:

American HomePatient, Inc.
Stephen L. Clanton, 615-221-8884
Executive VP & CFO
(Primary Contact)
or
Joseph F. Furlong, 615-221-8884
President and CEO

Source: American HomePatient, Inc

Centene Corporation to Present at Oppenheimer 19th Annual Health Care Conference

2008-10-30T20:59:00.000-07:00

Centene Corporation announced that it will present at the forthcoming Oppenheimer 19th Annual Health Care Conference, to be held November 3-5, 2008, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.

Edmund E. Kroll, Jr., Centene’s Senior Vice President, Finance and Investor Relations, will present Tuesday, November 4th at noon (Eastern Time). Investors may listen to a live, audio web cast of Centene’s presentation at the following link: http://www.veracast.com/webcasts/opco/healthcare08/47207322.cfm. The web cast replay of the presentation can be accessed via the company’s website at www.centene.com under the Investors section.

About Centene Corporation

Centene Corporation is a leading multi-line healthcare enterprise that provides programs and related services to individuals receiving benefits under Medicaid, including the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), Foster Care, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicare (Special Needs Plans). The Company operates health plans in Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin. In addition, the Company contracts with other healthcare and commercial organizations to provide specialty services including behavioral health, life and health management, long-term care, managed vision, nurse triage, pharmacy benefits management and treatment compliance. Information regarding Centene is available via the Internet at www.centene.com.

Contact:

Centene Corporation
Edmund E. Kroll, 212-759-0382
Senior Vice President, Finance & Investor Relations

Source: Centene Corporation

The First Years True Fit C630 Convertible Car Seat Recieves Highest Given Rating From the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

2008-10-30T20:56:00.000-07:00

Learning Curve Brands, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of RC2 Corporation; http://www.learningcurve.com), was recently recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), giving The First Years True Fit C630 Convertible Car Seat a four-star Ease of Use rating. The C360 was the only seat to earn a four-star rating in both the rear and front facing positions out of the 22 convertible car seats tested.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080401/AQTU175LOGO)

The First Years True Fit C630 Convertible Car Seat was rated four stars by NHTSA for its ease of use pertaining to instructions, installation features, labels, and securing the child. To see the convertible seat ratings, visit http://www.nhtsa.gov/.

NHTSA is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government making it part of the Department of Transportation. Its mission is to "save lives, prevent injuries and reduce economic costs due to road traffic crashes, through education, research, safety standards and enforcement activity." All car seats rated by NHTSA meet Federal Safety Standards & strict crash performance standards, but differ in their ease of use. NHTSA believes "an easy to use child restraint can result in more children being properly restrained," according to agency documents.

"The four-star rating from the NHTSA proves Learning Curve is dedicated to making quality products that make parenting easier," states Pete Henseler, President of Learning Curve Brands, Inc. "We are proud that our C630 Convertible Car Seat earned the highest Ease of Use ratings given to a convertible car seat. It joins our B510 Booster Seat which earned the highest Ease of Use rating earlier this year, making both seats easy-to-use restraints that can help keep children safe."

For more information on The First Years True Fit C630 visit: http://www.learningcurve.com/truefit

About Learning Curve Brands, Inc.

Learning Curve Brands, Inc. (http://www.learningcurve.com) is a wholly owned subsidiary of RC2 Corporation (NASDAQ: RCRC, http://www.rc2.com) and is a leading designer, producer and marketer of innovative, high-quality toys, collectibles, and infant and toddler products. Learning Curve Brands, Inc. markets its infant, toddler and preschool products under its Learning Curve® family of brands which includes The First Years® by Learning Curve and Lamaze brands as well as popular and classic licensed properties such as Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder, Winnie the Pooh, John Deere, Nickelodeon and Sesame Street. The Company's youth and adult products are marketed under the Johnny Lightning® (http://www.johnnylightning.com) and Ertl®, (http://www.ertl.com) brands. Learning Curve Brands, Inc. reaches its target consumers through multiple channels of distribution supporting more than 25,000 retail outlets throughout North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia Pacific.

Source: Learning Curve Brands, Inc.

UPDATE 2-Gen-Probe 3nd-quarter profit rises 68 percent

2008-10-30T20:54:00.000-07:00

* Net profit rises 68 pct to $29.1 mln

* Revenue rises to $121.2 mln from $101.7 mln

* Shares unchanged after hours (Adds earnings details, outlook, updates stock price)

said on Thursday its third-quarter profit rose 68 percent on higher sales of its clinical diagnostics products and blood screening tests.

Gen-Probe raised its outlook for full-year 2008 earnings and its shares fell slightly in after-hours trading.

The company said net income increased to $29.1 million, or 53 cents per share, from $17.3 million, or 31 cents per share, in the same 2007 period.

Analysts, on average, expected a profit of 46 cents a share, according to Reuters Estimates.

Product sales rose 11 percent to $108.3 million, while total revenue rose to $121.2 million from $101.7 million.

Gen-Probe raised its full-year earnings forecast to between $1.91 and $1.93 per share from a previous range of $1.83 to $1.87. The average analyst estimate for full-year earnings was $1.86 per share.

Gen-Probe shares were unchanged in extended trading after closing up 41 cents at $45.88 during the regular session. (Reporting by Deena Beasley; Editing by Andre Grenon)

NO on Prop 8 Campaign Releases Statement by 300 California Pediatricians

2008-10-30T20:52:00.000-07:00

The NO on Prop 8 campaign released a statement signed by more than 300 leading California pediatricians announcing their joint opposition to Prop 8 and concluding that the physician who signed the Prop 8 ballot statement, Jane Anderson, MD, in no way represents the majority of pediatricians on this issue.

The pediatrician statement took issue with Dr. Anderson, who identifies herself as a Fellow of the American College of Pediatricians. According to that organization's Web site, the American College of Pediatricians believes homosexuality is "preventable and changeable" and that "spanking can be an effective component of discipline." (See: http://www.acpeds.org)

The pediatrician's full statement against Prop 8 reads as follows:

"As pediatricians who care for children and families of California, we are writing to publicly deny any implication from the recently mailed "2008 California Voter" Guide that pediatricians support Prop 8. In the Guide, a rebuttal to the argument against Proposition 8 is signed by a pediatrician who is self-identified as a Fellow of the American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds). We wish to clarify that the ACPeds is an organization that does not in any way represent the majority of pediatricians' opinions regarding this initiative.

"The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), not the ACPeds, is the national organization with over 60,000 members that represents American pediatricians. The Board of Directors of the national office of the AAP commissioned a review of the relevant literature regarding child health in the context of same sex unions. The report was authored by a diverse panel of twelve experts from around the country and was published in the AAP's journal Pediatrics in 2006. It concludes,

'Civil marriage is a legal status that promotes healthy families by conferring a powerful set of rights, benefits, and protections that cannot be obtained by other means. Civil marriage can help foster financial and legal security, psychosocial stability, and an augmented sense of societal acceptance and support. Children who are raised by civilly married parents benefit from the legal status granted to their parents.

'Gay and lesbian people have been raising children for many years and will continue to do so in the future; the issue is whether these children will be raised by parents who have the rights, benefits, and protections of civil marriage.

'There is ample evidence to show that children raised by same-gender parents fare as well as those raised by heterosexual parents. More than 25 years of research has documented that there is no relationship between parents' sexual orientation and any measure of a child's emotional, psychosocial, and behavioral adjustment... Conscientious and nurturing adults, whether they are men or women, heterosexual or homosexual, can be excellent parents. The rights, benefits, and protections of civil marriage can further strengthen these families.'

"As physicians who care for society's most vulnerable members, we are committed to supporting what is best for our patients. In our clinical experience, supporting loving families supports children. Supporting the union and legal right of parents who care for our patients is not only the right thing for us to do; it is the professional thing to do.

"Please join us in protecting our patients and vote against Proposition 8 on November 4."

The statement and the full list of pediatricians who signed it is posted online at http://www.noonprop8.com

Source: NO on Prop 8

ACE Vision Group, Inc. Announces New Global Medical Director, Dr. Marguerite McDonald

2008-10-30T20:50:00.000-07:00

ACE Vision Group, Inc. announced the appointment of Marguerite McDonald, M.D. as Global Medical Director. Dr. McDonald is a cornea/refractive/anterior segment specialist for Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island, Lynbrook, NY. She is presently a Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at New York University (NYU) in Manhattan and an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans.

Dr. McDonald is a staff physician at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital in New York City, as well as at the Island Eye Center in Carle Place, New York. Dr. McDonald received her medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, followed by an internship at Lenox Hill Hospital and ophthalmology residency at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital/Cornell, both in New York City, and a fellowship in corneal and external diseases with Dr. Herbert E. Kaufman at the LSU Eye Center in New Orleans.

Well known in the field of refractive surgery, Dr. McDonald has published 497 abstracts, 79 books and book chapters, 49 interviews/panel discussions/CD ROMs/videos, and 180 peer reviewed and 294 non-peer reviewed articles on various refractive topics. Dr. McDonald has been the principal investigator of three National Eye Institute grants for the study of refractive surgery. In New Orleans, Dr. McDonald headed the research team investigating the use of the excimer laser for the correction of optical error, and in 1987, performed the world's first excimer laser treatment to eliminate or reduce the need for glasses and contact lenses. In 1993, she performed the world's first excimer laser surgeries for farsightedness.

Dr. McDonald has been honored by selection to the editorial boards of several publications, including the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and Refractive and Corneal Surgery. In 1997 she was elected to the Executive Committee of the prestigious American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), and was elected its first female president for the 2002-2003 term. Dr. McDonald is the president for the 2008-2010 term of the International Society of Refractive Surgery of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the largest refractive surgery society in the world; she is the first female president of this organization.

ACE Vision Group, Inc. President & CEO Patrick H. Witham stated: "In Dr. McDonald, ACE is adding a highly-skilled, top-notch industry leader to further strengthen our clinical team. It is her unprecedented level of expertise that makes her an ideal fit for ACE Vision Group as we work diligently to successfully advance this technology through clinical development and toward the market."

ACE Vision Group, Inc. Chief Scientific Officer Dr. AnnMarie Hipsley commented: "Marguerite has an amazing wealth of knowledge and depth of experience as a liaison between the FDA and companies delivering innovative technology. I am confident that her participation will be a catalyst to the great success that lays ahead for AVG."

About ACE Vision Group, Inc.

Headquartered in Silver Lake, Ohio, and a branch office in Eugene, Oregon, ACE Vision Group Inc. is an ophthalmic medical device company that was established in 2006 to develop and market proprietary technology to restore dynamic accommodation in an aging eye for patients seeking to reduce or eliminate their dependency on reading glasses. More information: http://www.acevisiongroup.com.

*(LOGO 72dpi: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/08-1030-AceVis_72dpi.jpg)

For more information about ACE Vision Group, Inc. call AVG Public Relations at (866) 596-2188 or email: info@acevisiongroup.com.

This release was issued on behalf of the above organization by Send2Press®, a unit of Neotrope®. http://www.Send2Press.com

Source: ACE Vision Group, Inc.

Institute for OneWorld Health Announces New Chief Executive Officer

2008-10-30T20:38:00.000-07:00

The Institute for OneWorld Health, the US-based non-profit pharmaceutical company that develops drugs for people with neglected infectious diseases in the developing world, announced the appointment of Richard Chin, M.D., as its new Chief Executive Officer.

“We are excited to bring a scientist of Dr. Chin’s caliber to lead OneWorld Health into its next phase of growth and development,” said Herbert Montgomery, Board member and Co-Chair of OneWorld Health's Search Committee of the Board of Directors.

“I am delighted to join OneWorld Health and I look forward to working with its leadership, partners and supporters to develop safe, effective and affordable drugs for the world's most impoverished patients,” said Dr. Chin. “I've long admired OneWorld Health's groundbreaking, compelling approach toward addressing global health challenges and I look forward to helping advance their mission.”

Dr. Chin is a Harvard trained, Board Certified Internist, with extensive expertise in drug development. Dr. Chin has overseen over 40 Investigational New Drug (IND) Applications for new molecular entities and new indications, as well as eight New Drug Applications (NDAs)/Biologic License Applications (BLAs), and has authored a major textbook on clinical trial medicine. Dr. Chin joins OneWorld Health from OXiGENE, where he served as President and Chief Executive Officer. Prior to OXiGENE, Dr. Chin served as Senior Vice President and Head of Global Development for Elan Corporation, where he had worldwide responsibility for Clinical Development, Regulatory, Biostatistics, CMC, QA/Compliance, Safety and Medical Affairs. Dr. Chin has also held various clinical and scientific roles for Genentech, Inc. including Head of Clinical Research for the Biotherapeutics Unit, overseeing approximately half of the drugs at Genentech, and began his career at Procter and Gamble Pharmaceuticals, where he served as Associate Medical Director.

Dr. Chin holds a Medical Degree from Harvard Medical School, received a Masters degree and Bachelor of Arts degree in Law with honors from Oxford University in England under a Rhodes Scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology, magna cum laude, from Harvard University. Dr. Chin is a Diplomate, American Board of Internal Medicine and is licensed to practice medicine in California. He previously served on the Adjunct Clinical Faculty of Stanford University School of Medicine and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Genmedica, located in Barcelona, Spain.

Dr. Chin succeeds Ahvie Herskowitz, M.D., co-Founder and current CEO.

About the Institute for OneWorld Health

The Institute for OneWorld Health, the first US nonprofit pharmaceutical company, develops safe, effective and affordable medicines for people with neglected diseases of the developing world. The Institute for OneWorld Health, headquartered in San Francisco, California, USA, is a tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) US corporation. (http://www.oneworldhealth.org/). Media resources are available at http://www.oneworldhealth.org/media/index.php/.

Contact:

Institute for OneWorld Health
Deborah Schneider, (1) 415-277-6973 (US)
dschneider@prandcompany.com

Source: Institute for OneWorld Health

Gentiva(R) Health Services to Present at November Investment Conferences Hosted by Oppenheimer, Credit Suisse and Stephens

2008-10-30T20:33:00.000-07:00

Gentiva Health Services, Inc. a leading provider of comprehensive home health services, announced that it plans to present at November investment conferences hosted by Oppenheimer & Co., Credit Suisse and Stephens Inc.

The Company is scheduled to present from:

* 1:20 p.m. to 1:55 p.m. ET, Monday, November 3, 2008 at the Oppenheimer & Co. 19th Annual Healthcare Conference in New York.
* 4:30 p.m. to 4:55 p.m. MT, Wednesday, November 12, at the 2008 Credit Suisse Healthcare Conference in Phoenix.
* 10 a.m. to 10:25 a.m. ET, Tuesday, November 18, at the Stephens Inc. Fall Investment Conference in New York.

The Oppenheimer and Stephens presentations will be available to the public via live audio web casts, which may be accessed by visiting http://investors.gentiva.com/events.cfm to register for the live events or listen to the archived versions. Visitors to this site will also be able to request advance notifications of these and other upcoming Gentiva events.

Gentiva executives will give attendees an overview of the Company's operations and strategic priorities, and review opportunities for growth as the U.S. home health industry provides more services to an aging population.

About Gentiva Health Services, Inc.

Gentiva Health Services, Inc. is a leading provider of comprehensive home health services, delivering innovative, high quality care to patients across the United States. Gentiva is a single source for skilled nursing; physical, occupational, speech and neurorehabilitation services; hospice services; social work; nutrition; disease management education; help with daily living activities; respiratory therapy and home medical equipment; infusion therapy services; and other therapies and services. For more information, visit Gentiva's web site, http://www.gentiva.com, and its investor relations section at http://investors.gentiva.com. GTIV-G

Financial and Investor Contact:
John R. Potapchuk
631-501-7035
john.potapchuk@gentiva.com

Media Contact:
David Fluhrer
631-501-7102
516-589-0778
david.fluhrer@gentiva.com

Source: Gentiva Health Services, Inc.

TriWest Celebrates the Service of Camp Pendleton's 1st Medical Battalion with $20,000 Gift to Birthday Ball

2008-10-30T20:32:00.000-07:00

Members of Camp Pendleton’s 1st Medical Battalion will put on their dress uniforms and gather for an enjoyable evening to commemorate the founding of the Marine Corps at the annual Birthday Ball.

The Birthday Ball, made possible through a $20,000 contribution from TriWest Healthcare Alliance, is Sunday, Nov. 2, at Pechanga Resort in Temecula, Calif. The event consists of a social hour, dinner, cutting of a ceremonial cake and dancing.

“President Ronald Reagan said, ‘Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But the Marines don’t have that problem.’ The 1st Medical Battalion is just one example of those making a difference in the world,” said TriWest President and CEO David J. McIntyre, Jr. “This contribution celebrates their commitment to providing expert medical care in the field and at home for our service members, while recognizing the birthday of this fine military organization.”

The 1st Medical Battalion provides emergency treatment, temporary hospitalization, specialized surgery and evacuation of those injured in battle. The battalion has deployed three times.

TriWest’s contribution is part of its support of the Department of Defense’s November Warrior Care Month campaign. For more on TriWest’s community outreach programs, please visit www.triwest.com.

About TriWest

TriWest Healthcare Alliance partners with the Department of Defense to do "Whatever It Takes" to support the health care needs of 2.7 million members of America's military family. A Phoenix-based corporation, TriWest is URAC accredited, without deficiencies, in Networks, Utilization Management, Disease Management, and Case Management. TriWest provides access to cost-effective, high-quality health care in the 21-state TRICARE West Region and is the 2007 TRICARE Region of the year. TriWest is a proud Corporate Team Member of America Supports You. Visit www.triwest.com for more information.

Contact:

TriWest Healthcare Alliance
Elizabeth Perrine, 602-644-8356
eperrine@triwest.com

Source: TriWest Healthcare Alliance

Artes Medical Defeats Efforts by Dissident Stockholders in Court: Dissident Stockholders Refuse to Appear at Annual Meeting after Losing in Federal Co

2008-10-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

Artes Medical, Inc. a medical aesthetics company, announced that it temporarily adjourned its annual meeting of stockholders until November 13, 2008. The annual meeting will be reconvened at 10:00 a.m. at the Company’s corporate offices located at 5870 Pacific Center Blvd., San Diego, California 92121.

The temporary adjournment of the annual meeting follows on the heels of two victories by the Company in Federal Court on October 29, 2008 in cases brought by dissident stockholders. In one case, a dissident stockholder, Barry Rubin, sought to disenfranchise the stockholders who had invested in the Company’s recent private placement by asking the Federal Court to prevent these shares from being voted at the annual meeting. The Federal Court ruled against Rubin, clearing the way for these stockholders to participate at the annual meeting.

In the other case, dissident stockholder H. Michael Shack sought an order that effectively would require the Company to put before the stockholders his slate of directors and bylaw and other governance changes. On August 29, 2008, the Company issued its preliminary proxy statement which explained that Shack’s nominations and proposals would not be put before the stockholders because he had failed to comply with the corporate governance provisions contained in the Company’s stockholder-approved bylaws. At the hearing yesterday, the Federal Court ruled against Shack and denied his application for a temporary restraining order.

Having lost in Federal Court, Shack failed to appear at the annual meeting or deliver the proxies he had collected. The Company has been informed that had Shack appeared or delivered the proxies, a quorum would have been present, and the Company’s director nominees would have been successfully elected. Shack had represented in the proxy materials he filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in his court pleadings that he intended to attend the annual meeting and vote the shares he represented by proxy.

As a result of the temporary adjournment, under the laws of Delaware and the Company’s bylaws, John Costantino and Christopher J. Reinhard will continue to serve as directors on the Company’s board.

“It is ironic that while the dissident proxy organizer Shack and his group have been very vocal about their voting rights, after they lost in Federal Court, they refused to participate in the Annual Meeting in what appears to be a calculated attempt to prevent the Company from achieving a quorum, which prevented other shareholders from voting their shares today,” noted Christopher J. Reinhard, the Company’s Executive Chairman. “The result of this delay will be to needlessly increase the Company’s expenses at time that Shack knows the Company can ill afford it. As we have stated in our public filings, Shack and his group are attempting to establish their control over the Company without paying the Company’s stockholders an adequate and fair acquisition price or a control premium. We remain open to any proposal involving a strategic alternative that would maximize value for our stockholders, including a potential change of control transaction, and we encourage Shack, Rubin and others to consider this course of action , rather than seeking to circumvent the orderly affairs and processes of the Company, if they wish to obtain control over the direction of Artes.”

About Artes Medical, Inc.

Artes Medical is a medical aesthetics company focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing a new category of aesthetic injectable products for the dermatology and plastic surgery markets. The Company’s flagship product, ArteFill, is being marketed to men and women as a treatment option for the correction of nasolabial folds. Additional information about Artes Medical and ArteFill is available at www.artesmedical.com and www.artefill.com.

Important Additional Information

On September 30, 2008, the Company filed a definitive proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in connection with the solicitation of proxies for its 2008 annual meeting of stockholders (the “Proxy Statement”). The Company has mailed the Proxy Statement to its stockholders. The Proxy Statement contains important information about the Company and the annual meeting. The Company’s stockholders are urged to read the Proxy Statement carefully. Stockholders can obtain a copy of the Proxy Statement and other documents filed by the Company with the SEC in connection with its 2008 annual meeting of stockholders at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or at the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.artesmedical.com. The Company, its directors and its executive officers are deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies from stockholders in connection with the Company’s 2008 annual meeting of stockholders. The contents of the websites referenced above are not deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Proxy Statement.

Artes Medical® and ArteFill® are registered trademarks of Artes Medical, Inc.

Contact:

Corporate Media:
Manning, Selvage and Lee
Kate Wilkinson, 323-866-6025
Kate.wilkinson@mslworldwide.com
or
Investor Relations:
Artes Medical
Cheryl Monblatt Allen, 858-550-9999
callen@artesmedical.com

Source: Artes Medical, Inc.

Kindred Healthcare Reports Third Quarter Results

2008-10-30T20:23:00.000-07:00

Kindred Healthcare, Inc. (the “Company” or “Kindred”) announced its operating results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2008.

Third Quarter Summary:

* Consolidated revenues exceeded $1 billion
o Excluding the institutional pharmacy business that was spun off in July 2007, revenues grew 6% compared to the third quarter of 2007

* Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations reported at $0.02
o Results included a negative impact of $0.06 per diluted share from certain items
o The results are consistent with the range provided by the Company on October 21, 2008

* Despite higher admissions, hospital results were hampered by declines in length of stay, higher costs and the Gulf hurricanes
o Reported hospital admissions grew 6% compared to last year’s third quarter
o Same-store aggregate admissions grew 4%; non-government admissions grew 12%
o Operating margins were pressured by a 4% decline in commercial insurance length of stay and related higher costs per patient day
o Hurricanes reduced hospital operating income by approximately $6 million in the quarter

* Continued improvement in nursing center results
o Third quarter revenues and operating income were each up 5% over last year’s same period
o Revenue quality mix improved to 56.4% from 55.8% in the third quarter of 2007

* Continued revenue and contract growth in Peoplefirst rehabilitation services
o Quarterly revenues were up 21% from last year’s third quarter
o 49 new external contracts added in the first nine months of 2008

Continuing Operations

Consolidated revenues for the third quarter of 2008 rose 1% from last year’s third quarter to $1.0 billion. Excluding the institutional pharmacy business that was spun off in the third quarter of 2007 (the “Spin-off”), revenues increased by approximately 6% in the third quarter compared to the same period in 2007. Income from continuing operations for the third quarter of 2008 totaled $0.8 million or $0.02 per diluted share compared to a loss of $7.8 million or $0.20 per diluted share in the third quarter of last year. For accounting purposes, the Spin-off was not treated as a discontinued operation. Accordingly, the Company’s historical consolidated results of operations have not been retroactively restated to reflect the Spin-off.

Operating results for the third quarter of 2008 included certain items that, in the aggregate, reduced net income by $2.3 million or $0.06 per diluted share. These items included approximately $5.7 million of pretax direct costs and operating declines compared to last year in the Company’s Louisiana and southern Texas hospital operations resulting from the Gulf hurricanes, a $0.9 million pretax write-down in the Company’s investment portfolio related to a failed financial institution and a favorable income tax adjustment of approximately $1.8 million.

Operating results for the third quarter of 2007 included certain items that, in the aggregate, reduced net income by approximately $16.0 million or $0.40 per diluted share.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2008, consolidated revenues totaled $3.1 billion compared to $3.2 billion for the same period in 2007. Income from continuing operations totaled $37.1 million or $0.95 per diluted share for the first nine months of 2008 compared to $20.0 million or $0.49 per diluted share in the same period in 2007.

Consolidated operating results for the first nine months of 2008 included certain items that, in the aggregate, increased net income by approximately $2.8 million or $0.07 per diluted share. Operating results for the first nine months of 2007 included certain items that, in the aggregate, reduced net income by approximately $21.8 million or $0.54 per diluted share.

Discontinued Operations

During the third quarter of 2008, the Company discontinued the operations of three unprofitable hospitals. For accounting purposes, the historical operating results of these businesses and losses associated with these operations have been classified as discontinued operations in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations for all historical periods.

In the third quarter of 2008, the Company reported break-even results from discontinued operations compared to a loss of $1.3 million or $0.03 per diluted share in the third quarter of 2007.

For the first nine months of 2008, the Company reported a loss from discontinued operations of $2.7 million or $0.07 per diluted share compared to a loss of $6.2 million or $0.15 per diluted share in the first nine months of 2007.

In the third quarter of 2008, the Company recorded a loss of $22.1 million or $0.56 per diluted share related to the previously announced closure of a hospital. Losses on the divestiture of discontinued operations totaled $19.3 million or $0.49 per diluted share for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 compared to $77.0 million or $1.90 per diluted share for the same period in 2007.

Management Commentary

“Our consolidated third quarter results were negatively impacted by weaker than expected hospital operations,” commented Paul J. Diaz, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kindred. “While we expected seasonally lower volumes in the third quarter, the decline in length of stay, particularly for commercial insurance patients, resulted in further revenue and margin pressure. At the same time, we did not effectively manage our costs based on our volume of patient days in the quarter. In addition, the operational disruptions caused by this year’s Gulf hurricanes further reduced our hospital operating results. As a result of these issues, our third quarter hospital operating income declined to $65 million compared to $83 million in the third quarter last year.”

Mr. Diaz continued, “Our skilled nursing centers continued to perform well in the third quarter as we benefited from higher overall occupancy levels, improved employee retention rates, and lower professional liability and workers compensation costs. We also are continuing to grow our rehabilitation therapy business, adding 49 new external contracts so far this year. In the third quarter, Peoplefirst rehabilitation services reported strong revenue growth and improved therapist retention rates compared to the same period last year.”

Commenting on the Company’s ongoing development activities, Mr. Diaz noted, “During the third quarter, we opened a new 70-bed hospital in West Palm Beach, Florida. Looking forward, we are excited about the continued development of five hospital projects that should be completed over the next two years.”

Earnings Guidance – Continuing Operations

The Company maintained its 2008 earnings guidance for continuing operations. The Company expects consolidated revenues for 2008 to approximate $4.2 billion. Operating income, or earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization and rent, is expected to range from $560 million to $567 million. Rent expense is expected to approximate $346 million, while depreciation, amortization and net interest expense are expected to approximate $128 million. Income from continuing operations for 2008 is expected to approximate $51 million to $55 million or $1.30 to $1.40 per diluted share (based upon diluted shares of 39 million).

The Company also maintained its earnings outlook for the fourth quarter of 2008, estimating earnings per common share from continuing operations between $0.35 to $0.45.

The Company anticipates that routine capital spending in 2008 will approximate $120 million to $125 million and hospital development capital spending should approximate $50 million to $55 million. Management expects that most of these expenditures will be financed through internal resources.

The Company also provided its initial earnings guidance for 2009. Consolidated revenues are expected to approximate $4.4 billion. Operating income is expected to range from $583 million to $593 million. Rent expense is expected to approximate $361 million, while depreciation, amortization and net interest expense are expected to approximate $133 million. Income from continuing operations for 2009 is expected to approximate $52 million to $57 million or $1.30 to $1.45 per diluted share (based upon diluted shares of 39.5 million).

The Company anticipates that routine capital spending in 2009 will approximate $100 million to $110 million and hospital development capital spending should approximate $50 million to $60 million. Management expects that most of these expenditures will be financed through internal sources.

The earnings guidance reflects the estimated impact of a final rule issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on July 31, 2008 related to the re-weighting of payments under the prospective payment system for long-term acute care (“LTAC”) hospitals. The Company also indicated that the earnings guidance does not reflect any other changes in government reimbursement, any material acquisitions or divestitures or any repurchases of common stock.

Mr. Diaz noted, “As we approach the end of 2008, we believe that there are additional opportunities to improve the operations in each of our operating divisions. While challenges remain, our continued focus on our employees, patients, residents and customers will drive our business results. In addition, we expect to generate significant operating cash flows in the fourth quarter of 2008 through improved accounts receivable collections. While continuing to fund our routine capital spending needs and our ongoing hospital development program, we expect that the Company will be financially well positioned going into 2009.”

Webcast of Conference Call

As previously announced, investors and the general public can access a live webcast of the third quarter 2008 conference call through a link on Kindred’s website at www.kindredhealthcare.com. The conference call will be held October 31, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

A telephone replay of the conference call will be available at approximately 1:00 p.m. on October 31 by dialing (719) 457-0820, access code: 4490589. The replay will be available through November 7.
About Kindred Healthcare

Kindred Healthcare, Inc. is a healthcare services company, based in Louisville, Kentucky, with annual revenues of over $4 billion and approximately 54,300 employees in 40 states. At September 30, 2008, Kindred through its subsidiaries provided healthcare services in 658 locations, including 82 long-term acute care hospitals, 228 skilled nursing centers and a contract rehabilitation services business, Peoplefirst rehabilitation services, which served 348 non-affiliated facilities. Kindred’s mission is to promote healing, provide hope, preserve dignity and produce value for each patient, resident, family member, customer, employee and shareholder we serve. For more information, go to www.kindredhealthcare.com.
Contact:

Kindred Healthcare, Inc.
Richard A. Lechleiter
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
502-596-7734

Source: Kindred Healthcare, Inc

The Ensign Group, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2008 Earnings; Reaffirms 2008 Guidance

2008-10-30T20:16:00.000-07:00

Conference Call and Webcast Scheduled for October 31, 2008 at 11:30 am ET
The Ensign Group, Inc. the parent company of the Ensign(TM) group of skilled nursing, rehabilitative care services and assisted living companies, today reported record results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2008.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071213/LATH168LOGO)

Third Quarter Highlights Include:

-- Total revenue was a record $116.3 million, up 11.8% over the third
quarter of 2007; and organic revenue was $113.5 million, up 9.8% over
the prior year;

-- Skilled revenue for the quarter increased 24.6% over the prior year to
$51.4 million, as skilled mix improved 460 basis points to 46.3%;

-- EBITDA improved 45.6% in the quarter to $14.2 million, compared to
$9.7 million in 2007;

-- Consolidated net income for the quarter was a record $6.8 million,
compared to $4.5 million the year before, an overall improvement of
52.2%; and

-- The Company had $56.4 million in cash at quarter end, which included
$35.6 million in year-to-date cash flow from operations, a 224.0%
increase over cash flow from operations for the first nine months of
2007 of $11.0 million.

Operating Results

Commenting on the results, Ensign President and Chief Executive Officer Christopher Christensen said, "Despite the economic downturn, we are pleased to report that we have quickly adjusted to achieve the highest revenue and earnings in the third quarter we've ever posted."

He noted that the record third quarter performance builds on record first and second quarters, adding, "We believe that these results graphically reconfirm the fundamental strength in our basic business model. As our outstanding facility leaders and their teams continue market-by-market to improve clinical quality, serve more skilled residents, adjust quickly to changes on the ground and lead previously-underperforming facilities to higher levels, Ensign continues to perform in spite of economic conditions."

Chief Financial Officer Alan Norman reported that revenue was also impacted by the recent California budget delay. "Because of the late budget California, which accounts for about half of our operational beds, has not yet finalized its 2009 Medi-Cal rate increase which should have gone into effect August 1, and so no increase was booked during the period in our California facilities." He noted that if the final rate resulted only in a 2.0% increase, the assumption used to develop management's previously-issued guidance, total revenue would have climbed to $116.7 million, additional an additional $0.01 in earnings per fully diluted share for the quarter. "We expect the rate to be finalized soon, and we will pick up any retroactive reimbursement increase in the 4th quarter," he added.

Christensen also discussed Ensign's industry-low debt ratio and the strength in its balance sheet. "We have been steadily building this balance sheet to prepare for both difficult economic cycles as well as compelling acquisition opportunities, and we believe that we are seeing the convergence of both of these events now and in the coming months," he said. "We believe we are well-positioned to perform and grow during the current economic downturn."

Year-to-date EBITDAR improved 20.5% to $52.4 million, compared to $43.5 million in the first nine months of 2007. Year-to-date EBITDA improved 32.9% to $41.2 million, compared to $31.0 million in the first nine months of 2007. A discussion of the company's use of these non-GAAP financial measures is set forth below, and a reconciliation of net income to EBITDAR and EBITDA appears in the financial data portion of this release.

Year-to-date consolidated net income was $19.7 million compared to $14.3 million the year before, an overall improvement of 37.4%. Net cash from operations grew by more than 224% year-to-date, to $35.6 million.

Fully diluted net earnings per share was $0.33 for the quarter, compared to $0.21 per share in the prior year taking into account the effects of the November 2007 issuance of 4,000,000 additional shares at Ensign's initial public offering, and to $0.26 per share on a GAAP basis.

More complete information is contained in the Company's 10-Q, which was filed with the SEC today and can be viewed on the Company's website at http://www.ensigngroup.net.

2008 Guidance Reaffirmed

Management reaffirmed 2008 annual guidance, which was raised following the second quarter of 2008, projecting consolidated revenue of $463 million to $467 million for 2008, up from the previous range of $454 million to $458 million, and fully diluted net earnings per share for 2008 of $1.30 to $1.35, up from the previous range of $1.27 to $1.32. This guidance is based upon diluted weighted average common shares outstanding of 21,000,000 shares and assumes, among other things, no additional acquisitions or dispositions and a continued stable Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement environment.

Recent Highlights

During the quarter the company licensed, certified and opened the newly-completed 32-bed rehabilitation wing at Park Manor Rehabilitation Center, its outstanding skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility in Walla Walla, Washington. The new $3.2 million addition brings the total number of licensed and operating beds at Park Manor to 109, with 10 new private rooms and 11 new semi-private rooms. The rest of the facility is now being updated and remodeled, and two three-bed wards in the existing building have been reconfigured to more comfortably serve two patients each, for a net gain of 30 new operational beds during the quarter. With the project's completion, eight existing beds which had been listed as non-operational during the construction project are back in service as well.

Ensign won the right to build the additional beds in 2006 after successfully navigating Washington's certificate of need process, including several appeals. Proceeds of Ensign's initial public offering were used to complete the construction.

Other Developments

On October 28, 2008 Ensign subsidiaries acquired the assets of four skilled nursing facilities in Texas and California for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $10.4 million. The four facilities include 426 skilled nursing beds. Ensign operating subsidiaries have been operating the three Texas facilities since 1999 and the California facility since 2001. The operating subsidiaries will continue to operate their facilities under new long-term leases with the acquiring entities. The prior lease agreements did not contain purchase options.

Proceeds of Ensign's recent IPO were used to fund the transactions. Management expects the acquisitions to be immediately accretive to earnings.

With the Texas and California acquisitions the Company operates 62 facilities in six Western states, owns 32 of its facilities and operates the other 30 facilities under long-term lease arrangements, with options to purchase eight of those 30 leased facilities.

Conference Call

A live webcast will be held on Friday, October 31, 2008, at 8:30 a.m. Pacific Time (11:30 a.m. Eastern Time) to discuss Ensign's third quarter fiscal year 2008 financial results. To listen to the webcast, or to view any financial or other statistical information required by SEC Regulation G, please visit the Investors section of the Ensign website at http://investor.ensigngroup.net. The webcast will be recorded, and will be available for replay via the website until 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) on Friday, November 7, 2008.

About Ensign(TM)

The Ensign Group, Inc.'s operating subsidiaries provide a broad spectrum of skilled nursing and assisted living services, physical, occupational and speech therapies, and other rehabilitative and healthcare services for both long-term residents and short-stay rehabilitation patients, at 62 facilities located in California, Arizona, Texas, Washington, Utah and Idaho. Each of these facilities is operated by a separate, wholly-owned independent operating subsidiary that has its own management, employees and assets. References herein to the consolidated "Company" and "its" assets and activities, as well as the use of the terms "we," "us," "our" and similar verbiage are not meant to imply that The Ensign Group, Inc. has direct operating assets, employees or revenue, or that any of the facilities, the Service Center or the captive insurance subsidiary are operated by the same entity. More information about Ensign is available at http://www.ensigngroup.net.

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

This press release contains, and the related conference call and webcast will include, forward-looking statements that are based on management's current expectations, assumptions and beliefs about our business, financial performance, operating results, the industry in which we operate and other future events. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our growth prospects, future operating and financial performance, are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause our actual results to materially and adversely differ from those expressed in any forward-looking statement.

These risks and uncertainties relate to our business, our industry and our common stock and include: reduced prices and reimbursement rates for our services; our ability to acquire, develop, manage or improve facilities, our ability to manage our increasing borrowing costs as we incur additional indebtedness to fund the acquisition and development of facilities; our ability to access capital on a cost-effective basis to continue to successfully implement our growth strategy; our operating margins and profitability could suffer if we are unable to grow and manage effectively our increasing number of facilities; competition from other companies in the acquisition, development and operation of facilities; and the application of existing or proposed government regulations, or the adoption of new laws and regulations, that could limit our business operations, require us to incur significant expenditures or limit our ability to relocate our facilities if necessary. Readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements and are encouraged to review our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Form 10-Q, which was filed today, for a more complete discussion of the risks and other factors that could affect Ensign's business, prospects and any forward-looking statements. Except as required by the federal securities laws, Ensign does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changing circumstances or any other reason after the date of this press release.

Discussion of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

EBITDA consists of net income before (a) interest expense, net, (b) provisions for income taxes, and (c) depreciation and amortization. EBITDAR consists of EBITDA before facility rent-cost of services. The Company believes that the presentation of EBITDA and EBITDAR provides important supplemental information to management and investors to evaluate the Company's operating performance. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be relied upon to the exclusion of GAAP financial measures. For further information regarding why the Company believes that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information to investors, the manner in which management uses these measures, and some of the limitations associated with the use of these measures, please refer to the Company's Report on Form 10-Q filed today with the SEC. The Form 10-Q is available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov or under the "Financial Information" link of the Investor Relations section of Ensign's website at http://www.ensigngroup.net.

Source: The Ensign Group, Inc.

Roche Receives FDA Approval for Hepatitis C Viral Load Test on Its Fully Automated Real-Time PCR Platform

2008-10-30T20:14:00.000-07:00

- Improved laboratory efficiencies and standardization to personalize
patient care

Roche Molecular Diagnostics announced that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the COBAS® AmpliPrep / COBAS® TaqMan® HCV Test for use in the United States. The test uses Roche's proprietary real-time PCR technology to quantify the amount of Hepatitis C RNA in a patient's blood. Physicians use Hepatitis C viral load testing results to establish a baseline level of hepatitis C infection and to serially monitor viral load levels and treatment effectiveness in patients on therapy.

"This new Roche test enables laboratories to deliver reliable healthcare information with ease and allows physicians to more efficiently monitor their patients and improve treatment outcomes," said Daniel O'Day, President and CEO of Roche Molecular Diagnostics. "We are pleased to offer this new solution for laboratories and physicians to optimize their turnaround time, workflow and patient care with simultaneous processing of HIV and HCV patient samples."

The new test offers a broad dynamic range from high levels of virus in a patients blood to the "undetectable" low levels of viremia -- the goal of therapy. To ensure accurate quantification, the test has been calibrated to World Health Organization (WHO) traceable standards and can detect down to 18 IU/mL with 100% certainty. In a 1,281 patient clinical trial, the COBAS® AmpliPrep / COBAS® TaqMan® HCV Test confirmed the importance of viral load testing to personalize Hepatitis C patient care by accurately predicting treatment response, from onset of therapy through end of treatment.

About the COBAS® AmpliPrep/COBAS® TaqMan® System

The COBAS® AmpliPrep / COBAS® TaqMan® HCV Viral Load Test is designed for use on the first fully automated, FDA approved, real-time PCR platform, providing sample-in/results-out capability. The platform is flexible and customizable to meet the space and workflow needs of any laboratory. In the United States, more than 130 laboratories already utilize this fully automated platform for HIV testing.

The COBAS® AmpliPrep / COBAS® TaqMan® HCV Test is the third Roche COBAS® TaqMan® real-time PCR test approved by the FDA in the last eighteen months. The COBAS® AmpliPrep / COBAS® TaqMan® System menu includes an FDA approved HIV viral load test, with continuous loading of samples in addition to parallel processing of HIV and HCV tests. In September 2008, Roche received FDA approval of the COBAS® TaqMan® HBV Test to monitor Hepatitis B viral load in patients on therapy.

About Hepatitis C

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year in the U.S. approximately 8,000-10,000 people die from hepatitis C-related liver disease.

An estimated 3.2 million persons in the United States have chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Most people do not know they are infected because they don't look or feel sick. However, approximately 75%-85% of people who become infected with hepatitis C virus develop chronic infection. (1)

Hepatitis C infections can range in severity from a mild or "acute" illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong or "chronic" illness. For most people, acute infection leads to chronic infection. Chronic hepatitis C infection is a serious disease that can result in long-term health problems, including liver damage, liver failure, liver cancer, or even death. Hepatitis C is the leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer and the most common reason for liver transplantation in the United States.

Hepatitis C virus is passed from person to person when infected blood enters the body of someone who is not infected. Different ways people can be infected with the hepatitis C virus include sharing contaminated needles, high risk sex with an infected partner, and from an infected mother to her infant during pregnancy and childbirth.

About Roche and the Roche Diagnostics Division

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world's leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As the world's biggest biotech company and an innovator of products and services for the early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people's health and quality of life. Roche is the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics and drugs for cancer and transplantation, and is a market leader in virology. It is also active in other major therapeutic areas such as autoimmune diseases, inflammatory and metabolic disorders and diseases of the central nervous system. In 2007 sales by the Pharmaceuticals Division totaled 36.8 billion Swiss francs, and the Diagnostics Division posted sales of 9.3 billion francs. Roche has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai, and invested over 8 billion Swiss francs in R&D in 2007. Worldwide, the Group employs about 80,000 people. Additional information is available on the Internet at http://www.roche.com.

All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are legally protected by law.

(1) U.S. Centers for Disease Control. http://www.cdc.gov

For further information please contact:
Jessica E. Brillant
Molecular Diagnostics Communications
+1-925-730-8503

Melinda Baker
Molecular Diagnostics Communications
+1-925-730-8379

Source: Roche Molecular Diagnostics

Malaria deaths in Gambia drop steeply-study

2008-10-30T20:13:00.000-07:00

By Michael Kahn

Providing pregnant women and children with insecticide-treated bed nets has sharply cut malaria deaths in the West African nation of Gambia, according to a study published on Friday.

The findings suggest health officials in other parts of Africa could eliminate the disease as a public health problem in a region where malaria kills a child every 30 seconds, David Conway and colleagues at the Medical Research Council UK reported in the journal Lancet.

"We have seen that it has gone down and stayed down," Conway said. "There is no evidence of an upsurge but we are aware that with an infectious disease you can never know for sure."

The World Health Organization estimates malaria killed 881,000 people and infected 247 million people worldwide in 2006, the latest year for which figures were available. Some malaria experts say those numbers underestimate the problem.

The disease -- caused by a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes -- has become resistant to some drugs and work on a vaccine has been slow. One effective treatment is Novartis AG's (NOVN.VX: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) Coartem.

A separate study published in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Pathogens said Dutch researchers have worked out the characteristics of a large number of parasite proteins that may prove useful in developing a vaccine.

In their study, Conway and his team analyzed health records covering nine years from five hospitals and health clinics in the western part of the country to track people who died of or were treated for malaria.

Since 2003 cases of malaria and deaths dropped dramatically after funding was provided for insecticide-treated bed nets from private and public donors, Conway said.

Hospital admissions representing thousands of cases fell by as much as 74 percent in the four years while the number of deaths at the two hospitals with the most complete records went from 29 in 2003 to just one in 2007, Conway said in a telephone interview.

While far fewer children are dying from the disease, he cautioned that officials had not yet eradicated the condition and probably never will.

But the case of Gambia shows that governments and charitable organizations can make a difference attacking the problem with solutions as simple as bed nets, he added.

"The incidence of malaria, whether it is mild or severe, has gone down by a very large relative percentage," he said. "The gains are good but there is still malaria and children are still dying of it." (Reporting by Michael Kahn; Editing by Maggie Fox)

American Shared Hospital Services Third Quarter 2008 Earnings Conference Call

2008-10-30T20:10:00.000-07:00

American Shared Hospital Services, a leading provider of turnkey technology solutions for advanced radiosurgical and radiation therapy solutions, will hold its quarterly conference call to discuss third quarter 2008 results on Tuesday, November 4 at 3:00 PM Eastern time. Third quarter 2008 results will be released the morning of Tuesday, November 4.
Date/Time

Tuesday, November 4 at 3:00 PM ET/12:00 PM PT

Teleconference and Webcast Information

To participate, please call 888-895-5479 at least 5 minutes prior to the start of the call. A live, on-demand webcast of the call will be provided by Thomson Reuters and posted at www.ashs.com and www.earnings.com.

The webcast is also being distributed over Thomson Reuters’ Investor Distribution Network to both institutional and individual investors. Individual investors can listen to the call Thomson Reuters’ individual investor center at www.earnings.com or by visiting any of the investor sites in Thomson Reuters’ Individual Investor Network. Institutional investors can access the call via Thomson Reuters’ password-protected event management site, StreetEvents (www.streetevents.com).

About AMS

American Shared Hospital Services provides turnkey technology solutions for advanced radiosurgical and radiation therapy services. AMS is the world leader in providing Gamma Knife radiosurgery services, a non-invasive treatment for malignant and benign brain tumors, vascular malformations and trigeminal neuralgia (facial pain). The Company also offers the latest IGRT and IMRT systems, as well as its proprietary Operating Room for the 21st Century7 concept. Through its preferred stock investment in Still River Systems, AMS also plans to complement these services with the Monarch 250TM proton beam radiation therapy (PBRT) system, which has not yet been approved by the FDA.

Contact:

American Shared Hospital Services
Chairman and CEO
Ernest A. Bates, M.D., 415-788-5300
eabates@ashs.com
or
Berkman Associates
President
Neil Berkman, 310-826-5051
info@berkmanassociates.com

Source: American Shared Hospital Services

Cardiac Network, Inc. Announces Retirement of 51 Million Shares of Common Stock

2008-10-30T20:07:00.000-07:00

Cardiac Network, Inc.announced that it will retire 51 million shares of common stock as part of a capital restructuring in which founders and early stage investors agreed to make voluntary downward adjustments in their respective holdings.

The restructuring plan was undertaken in anticipation of, and to facilitate, capital structure requirements from funding partners. Michael C. Swartzburg, President and CEO, stated, "This is just one of many positive steps we are taking towards executing on our short and long-term financial strategies that we believe will benefit all of Cardiac Network's shareholders."

Cardiac Network has only one class of common and no preferred stock in issue. Prior to the restructuring, the Company had issued and outstanding 105,179,006 shares. In the voluntary restructuring, the founders and early investor groups agreed to surrender a total of 51,331,669 shares. These actions will reduce the shares outstanding number to 53,847,337 shares of common stock. All other shares, including free trading shares currently traded on the Pink Sheets, will remain unaffected.

About Cardiac Network, Inc.

Cardiac Network, Inc. is a medical technology company providing cardiac monitoring and diagnostic services to general practitioners and specialist physicians, for the investigation of patients with abnormal cardiac rhythm and function. The service uses unique transtelephonic (by telephone) cardiac recorders that monitor and provide diagnostic information to physicians and their patients. Cardiac Network also offers detection services to individuals which helps them quickly determine if they are having severe heart rhythm abnormalities so they can obtain immediately needed medical treatment. Learn more about Cardiac Network, Inc. by visiting, www.cardiacnetwork.net.

Contact:

Contact:

Cardiac Network, Inc.
Michael Swartzburg
415-362-2020
Email Contact

Source: Cardiac Network, Inc.

Health Market Science, Inc. Ranked Number 17 in Deloitte's Fast 50 Program for Greater Philadelphia

2008-10-30T20:05:00.000-07:00

Attributes Innovation to its 385 Percent Revenue Growth

Health Market Science, Inc. has been named to Deloitte's prestigious Fast 50 Program for Greater Philadelphia, a ranking of the 50 fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications and life sciences companies in the area by Deloitte LLP, one of the nation's leading professional services organizations. Rankings are based on the percentage revenue growth over five years from 2003 to 2007. This is Health Market Science's second time on the Fast 50 list.
Health Market Science's CEO Matt Reichert credits innovation and customer focus with the company's 385 percent revenue growth from 2003 to 2007. Health Market Science's increase in revenues of 385 percent from 2003 to 2007 resulted in a 17th ranking in the Fast 50 for Greater Philadelphia.

The Greater Philadelphia Fast 50 program is presented by Deloitte and sponsored by Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP, The Judge Group, and UK Trade & Investment.

To qualify for the Fast 50, companies must have had operating revenues of at least $50,000 in 2003 and $5,000,000 in 2007, be headquartered in North America, and be a company that owns proprietary technology or proprietary intellectual property that contributes to a significant portion of the company's operating revenues; or devotes a significant proportion of revenues to the research and development of technology. Using other companies' technology or intellectual property in a unique way does not qualify.

Winners of the regional Fast 50 programs in the United States and Canada are automatically entered in Deloitte's Fast 500 program, which ranks North America's top 500 fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, and life sciences companies. For more information on Deloitte's Fast 50 or Fast 500 programs, visit www.fast500.com.

About Health Market Science

Health Market Science is the leading source for innovative healthcare provider data and advanced analytics in the United States. Health Market Science has developed unique technology and expertise to continuously acquire, analyze, and integrate over 2,500 distinct data sources to create and maintain the single most comprehensive and accurate source of healthcare provider information available today. The HMS MasterFile(TM) includes detailed reference information for over 4.5 million individual providers and 1.0 million healthcare organizations.

Serving all segments of healthcare, including pharmaceutical manufacturers, biotechs, device manufacturers, payers, providers, and pharmacy chains, Health Market Science is the only company that offers claims information, advanced analytics and the reference data that powers them. This unique combination results in dramatically higher data accuracy and reliability, enabling clients to increase revenues, drive operational efficiencies, achieve regulatory compliance, and maximize market opportunities.

Recognized on the Inc. 500 as one of the fastest growing private companies in the United States and 10th on Deloitte's Technology Fast 50 Program for Greater Philadelphia, our more than 200 customers include 20 of the top 20 pharmaceutical manufacturers, 10 of the 15 largest device manufacturers, and 3 of the top 5 pharmacy chains. Health Market Science is a privately held company located in King of Prussia, PA. For more information, visit www.healthmarketscience.com.

About Deloitte

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, a Swiss Verein, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see www.deloitte.com/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and its member firms. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries.

Source: Health Market Science, Inc.

InterCare DX, Inc. Will File Form 15, Deregistering Common Stock

2008-10-30T20:03:00.000-07:00

InterCare DX, Inc. announced that it plans to file a Form 15 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) within the next 30 days, to deregister its common stock and suspend its reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. InterCare DX expects that the deregistration will become effective 90 days after the filing with the SEC.

To address shareholders' concerns, additional details concerning this corporate action may be found in an 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and on the company's web site at www.intercare.com.

Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-looking statements in this release are based on information available to the Company as of the date of this release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and the Company's actual results may differ from management's expectations. Risks and uncertainties associated with forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the Company's ability to obtain the funding necessary to maintain business operations; the Company's ability to hire and/or retain qualified management and operational personnel; and the Company's ability to continue executing its business plan. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. InterCare DX, Inc. assumes no obligations to provide updates related to any forward-looking information.

Contact:

InterCare DX, Inc.
Telephone: 310-242-5634

Source: InterCare DX, Inc.

GSK Believes There Is No Liver Safety Issue With AVANDIA; Responds to Public Citizen Petition

2008-10-30T20:00:00.001-07:00

GlaxoSmithKline issued the following response to a petition filed by Public Citizen to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on AVANDIA® (rosiglitazone maleate), a highly effective therapy for treating type 2 diabetes when used in the appropriate patient population.
The safety of patients using our medicine is very important to us. On a continual basis, an external Hepatic Safety Board reviews any adverse event report received by GSK of liver failure, liver-related deaths and liver transplants for possible relationship to AVANDIA. As recently as July 2008, this panel of experts continued to endorse a favorable hepatic safety profile for AVANDIA.

Patients being treated with AVANDIA or other medicines to control blood sugar levels should remain on therapy, unless their doctor advises a different course of action.

AVANDIA has been shown to be a safe and highly effective treatment for type 2 diabetes for the appropriate patient. GSK strongly supports the safety and efficacy of AVANDIA based on extensive clinical trial experience and widespread post-marketing use. The record of safety and effectiveness of AVANDIA is backed by one of the largest clinical trial programs (including 52,000 patients) ever undertaken for any medicine.

Data from long-term clinical trials, which offer the most rigorous scientific measurement of safety and efficacy, provide substantial evidence to assess the benefit-risk of AVANDIA in treating patients with diabetes. Importantly, the Public Citizen petition did not include data from the current Prescribing Information for AVANDIA regarding ADOPT (A Diabetes Outcomes Progression Trial). ADOPT, the largest head-to-head diabetes trial, showed that AVANDIA sustained glycemic control longer than metformin or sulfonylurea, for up to five years. Additionally, outcomes from five long-term clinical studies did not demonstrate an increased risk of total mortality for AVANDIA compared to other commonly used oral diabetes medicines on the market. The current FDA-approved label for AVANDIA states that the available data are inconclusive on the risk of myocardial ischemia.

Important Safety Information about AVANDIA® (rosiglitazone maleate)

Prescription AVANDIA, along with diet and exercise, helps improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Taking AVANDIA with insulin or nitrates is not recommended.

AVANDIA can cause or worsen heart failure. If you have severe heart failure (very poor pumping ability of the heart) you cannot be started on AVANDIA. AVANDIA is also not recommended if you have heart failure with symptoms (such as shortness of breath or swelling) even if these symptoms are not severe.

AVANDIA may increase your risk of other heart problems that occur when there is reduced blood flow to the heart, such as chest pain (angina) or heart attack (myocardial infarction). This risk appeared higher in patients taking medicines called nitrates or insulin.

If you have chest pain or a feeling of chest pressure, you should seek immediate medical attention, regardless of what diabetes medicines you are taking. If you take AVANDIA tell your doctor right away if you: have swollen legs or ankles, a rapid increase in weight or difficulty breathing, or unusual tiredness; experience changes in vision; become pregnant.

Before taking AVANDIA, review your medical history and tell your doctor if you:

* Have heart failure or other heart problems, or are on any medicines for high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart failure, or for prevention of heart disease or stroke.
* Take insulin or nitrate medicines.
* Have a type of diabetic eye disease called macular edema.
* Have liver problems or had liver problems while taking REZULIN® (troglitazone).
* Are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
* Are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed.

Women taking AVANDIA should know that AVANDIA may increase the risk of pregnancy. More fractures have been observed in women taking AVANDIA. Other possible side effects of AVANDIA include anemia and hypoglycemia. Your doctor should do blood tests to check your liver before you start AVANDIA and during treatment as needed.

For more information about AVANDIA, please see Medication Guide. For further information on AVANDIA, please see full Prescribing Information at www.AVANDIA.com.

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

Enquiries:
US Media enquiries: Mary Anne Rhyne (919) 483 2839
Jeff McLaughlin (215) 751 7709
US Analyst/ Investor enquiries: Tom Curry (215) 751 5419

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements

Under the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Factors that may affect GSK's operations are described under 'Risk Factors' in the 'Business Review' in the company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2007.

Registered in England & Wales:
No. 3888792

Registered Office:
980 Great West Road
Brentford, Middlesex
TW8 9GS

Source: GlaxoSmithKline

New NO on Prop 8 Ad Calls Upon Californians to Reject Discrimination

2008-10-30T19:50:00.000-07:00

Ad is Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson

The NO on Prop 8 campaign today announced a dramatic new television ad, narrated by actor Samuel L. Jackson. The ad calls upon Californians to reject discrimination, and Vote NO on Prop 8.

The full text of the ad follows:

"It wasn't that long ago that discrimination was legal in California.

"Japanese Americans were confined in internment camps.

"Armenians couldn't buy a house in the Central Valley.

"Latinos and African Americans were told who they could and could not marry.

"It was a sorry time in our history.

"Today the sponsors of Prop 8 want to eliminate fundamental rights.

"We have an obligation to pass along to our children a more tolerant, more decent society.

"Vote No on Prop 8 it's unfair and it's wrong."

The ad places Prop 8 in its appropriate historical context as a measure that would discriminate against certain Californians and treat people differently under the law.

"We believe it is important in the final days of an unfair initiative attacking individual rights, to remind voters that there have been other times in our history when we stood at this threshold of fairness," said Patrick Guerriero, NO on 8 Campaign Director. "We know that most California voters do not want to wake up Wednesday morning to learn that we've taken a step back to a darker time. That's why we believe on Tuesday, voters will resoundingly reject Prop 8."

"Proposition 8 would take away fundamental individual rights, and I believe the historical analogies presented by the NO on Prop 8 campaign are completely appropriate," said Congressman Mike Honda (D-Campbell). "I am opposed to Prop 8, and I hope my fellow Californians will reject it."

"California used to ban people of different races from getting married under the law. It was wrong then and it's wrong now," said Fabian Nunez, Former Speaker of the California Assembly. "Proposition 8 is a lot like that unfair ban on interracial marriage. And even though people may feel differently about marriage, everyone ought to agree unequal treatment under the law is a bad thing."

"Proposition 8 eliminates equal rights for one segment of the population while continuing to grant that right to others," said Maria Armoudian, an Armenian-American radio personality on KPFK in Los Angeles. "We Armenians have had to endure a century of discrimination. Let us now stand together calling for an end to discrimination for all people. Vote NO on Prop 8."

Using historical footage, the ad reminds voters of three particularly bleak periods in state history:

-- Japanese American Internment: Authorized by President Roosevelt in 1942, the Army ordered all people of Japanese descent, whether citizens or non-citizens, living in CA to be interned in permanent "relocation centers." Those centers remained operational until the end of the war. Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, who was California Attorney General at that time, later wrote that the internment was "not in keeping with our American concepts of freedoms and rights of citizens."

-- California's Ban on Interracial Marriage: In 1948, California became the first state in the nation to wipe away a state law banning interracial marriages. In the 1967 case of Loving vs. Virginia dealing with the remaining state bans, the United State Supreme Court ruled that: [T]he freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men. Marriage is one of the 'basic civil rights of man,' fundamental to our very existence and survival."

-- Racially Restrictive Covenants: These covenants were widely enforced in the early 20th century to discriminate against African Americans, Jews and other ethnic groups by prohibiting the lease or sale of property. The covenants were widely used in the Central Valley against Armenians. They were declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1948.

In 2007, on the 40th anniversary of the Loving vs. Virginia decision, Mildred Loving wrote: "I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard's and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That's what Loving and loving, are all about."

The ad can be viewed at http://www.noonprop8.com.

Source: NO on Prop 8

WorldHeart Announces Effectiveness of Reverse Stock Split

2008-10-29T21:24:00.000-07:00

World Heart Corporation (WorldHeart or the Company), effected a reverse stock split of 30-to-1 after filing of articles of amendment with Industry Canada under the Canada Business Corporations Act and commenced trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market on a post-consolidation basis on October 28, 2008. The Corporation's shareholders approved the proposal for a reverse stock split at a Special Meeting of Shareholders held on October 9, 2008 and the Board of Directors determined to implement the reverse stock split at a 30-to-1 ratio. Completion of the reverse split is intended to allow WorldHeart to keep its listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market, subject to continued compliance with all of the other listing requirements.
The Company's common shares began trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market on a post-consolidation basis (every thirty common shares of WorldHeart combined into one common share) as of the opening of trading on October 28, 2008 under the symbol "WHRTD" and under a new CUSIP number 980905400. The symbol "WHRTD" will remain in effect until November 25, 2008 and subsequently will resume trading under the symbol "WHRT". The reverse stock split will not affect the ownership of option and warrant holders. Upon the exercise of any options or warrants, resulting shares issued will be issued on a post-consolidation basis. No scrip or fractional certificates will be issued in connection with the reverse stock split. Shareholders who otherwise would be entitled to receive fractional shares because they hold a number of common shares not evenly divisible by thirty will not be entitled to cash compensation and such holders will lose any entitlement to such fractional shares upon surrender of certificate(s) representing such shares.

Registered shareholders of WorldHeart who hold existing physical stock certificates will receive a letter of transmittal from WorldHeart's transfer agent, CIBC Mellon Trust Company, containing instructions on how to receive new share certificates. Shareholders whose certificates are held in "street name" or on deposit with their brokerage firm will need to take no further action.

UPDATE 2-Biogen reports another Tysabri brain disease case

2008-10-29T21:23:00.002-07:00

(Adds analyst comments, background, byline, updates share price)

By Deena Beasley

Biogen Idec Inc (BIIB.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said on Wednesday that it has notified regulators of a new case of a potentially deadly brain disease in a multiple sclerosis patient being treated with Tysabri in the United States.

The company's shares fell about 12 percent in after-hours trading.

"This creates a further overhang on the stock. It's inevitably going to worry investors about what's around the corner and it's just too early to know what the true rate is for PML with Tysabri in commercial use," said Jim Birchenough, an analyst at Barclays Capital.

Biogen and marketing partner Elan Corp Plc (ELN.I: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said in July that two new cases of the brain infection, known as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), had emerged in Europe.

They were the first PML cases to be announced since Tysabri was withdrawn from the market in 2005 after three patients developed the brain infection.

The drug returned to the market in 2006 with warnings after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration decided MS patients willing to accept the risks should be able to have access to the drug's potential benefits.

"Since the last two cases were disclosed we've had about 3,000 patients on the drug -- about 1,000 a month ... I think every case that comes along next will have minimal impact as long as that rate stays about 1 in 1,000," said Cowen & Co analyst Eric Schmidt.

But Birchenough said Tysabri sales trends are sensitive to even a single case of PML and there is concern that physicians may hesitate to start new patients on the drug.

"The problem for Biogen is this is their only growth driver," he said.

Biogen said last week that 35,000 patients worldwide were being treated with Tysabri and it continued to expect that 100,000 patients will be taking the drug by 2010.

Tysabri also won U.S. approval this year to treat adults with moderate to severe Crohn's disease who have had a poor response to, or cannot take, other therapies.

Shares of Biogen, which fell 41 cents to close at $41.94 on Nasdaq, were lower at $37.00 after hours. (Additional reporting by Bill Berkrot; Editing by Bernard Orr)

UPDATE 1-Varian Q4 earnings beat estimates; to cut 35 jobs

2008-10-29T21:23:00.001-07:00

* To cut 35 jobs in Europe, take related charge

* Q4 results beat estimates

* FY09 outlook almost in-line with analysts' view (Adds job-cuts, other details)

Oct 29 (Reuters) - Varian Inc (VARI.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), a maker of scientific equipment, posted better-than-expected quarterly results, helped by strong sales growth and an extra week, and said it would cut about 35 jobs and take a related charge in the first half of 2009.

The company plans to reduce the jobs mainly in Europe to cut operating costs and increase margins. It will also take pretax restructuring and other related costs of $2.5 million to $3.5 million, Varian said in a regulatory filing.

The cost-cut measures are expected to save $2 million to $3 million annually, to be realized by the second half of fiscal 2009, Varian said.

Sales in its scientific instruments segment grew 14 percent to $236.5 million, and revenue from vacuum technologies segment rose 20 percent to $46.0 million. [ID:nPnAQW123a] [ID:nWNAB4275] .

Varian expects to be helped by strong orders, new products gaining traction and a sound backlog in the fiscal year 2009.

Shares of the company closed up 7 percent at $31.68 Wednesday on Nasdaq. (Reporting by Vidya L Nathan in Bangalore; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)

No Halloween Hangover Hell at the Playboy Mansion

2008-10-29T21:21:00.000-07:00

'Blotto in the Grotto' Party Guests to Enjoy 'Hangover Free' Cocktails

Hollywood will get its first taste of remorseless revelry tomorrow night at the Playboy Mansion, thanks to a new functional shot-mixer that promises to prevent hangovers before they start by naturally lowering alcohol toxicity.
Guests will be served specialty ‘hangover free Cheerzaritas’ featuring Cheerz® IntelliShot™ at 97.1 Free FM’s ‘Blotto in the Grotto’ Halloween party. The Adam Carolla show will be on hand to tape the festivities for broadcast on Friday morning.

The 1.5-ounce, lemon lime IntelliShot can be taken straight or as a functional cocktail mixer. Approved for sale as a nutritional supplement by the FDA, the product contains potent natural immune system boosters and super antioxidants including succinate, N-Acetyl Cysteine, and Milk Thistle, to help the liver process alcohol more effectively.

The company says the product works biologically to naturally slow and reduce the metabolism of alcohol into acetaldehyde, helping to speed its conversion into harmless acetic acid. Acetaldehyde, dubbed “the hangover gene” by a recent Japanese study, is produced as the liver breaks down alcohol, and is believed to be 30 times more toxic than alcohol itself, according to a study at King’s College in London.

“Cheerz has significant beneficial biological effects in assisting the liver in the metabolism of alcohol,” says Dr. Dirk P. Slaker, M.D., a hepatologist and former resident at St. John’s Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis. “It is remarkably effective in reducing the symptomatic effects of alcohol toxicity with responsible social use.”

According to Eli Shayotovich of the Southern Colorado Beer Examiner blog, “I drank a hoary host of top-notch craft beers with the intent to bust this sucker wide open and expose it as a fraud. I was stunned by how effective it was in staving off the ungodly pain of Mr. Hangover. Bottom line: it worked.”

A study published in the March 2006 edition of the Oxford Medical Journal found that 90 percent of patients with alcohol related liver disease were social drinkers, employed, and involved in a stable relationship.

Cheerz USA CEO Patrick Cochrane says IntelliShot promotes responsibility, pointing to growing evidence linking alcohol toxicity to cravings that can lead to abuse and even dependence. “The fact is, the overwhelming majority of hangover sufferers are social drinkers, not gutter drunks,” he says. “Preventing hangovers before the damage is done eliminates the need for ‘hair of the dog,’ or prolonged drinking to avoid the inevitable crash.”

The product does not affect inebriation, absorb alcohol or lower blood alcohol content. A single Intellishot is effective for up to three standard drinks and costs about $3.00. The product is available online at www.CheerzHangover.com.

For more information about ‘Blotto in the Grotto,’ visit www.971FreeFM.com.

Contact:

Cheerz USA, Las Vegas
Patrick Cochrane, 702-990-3933
CheerzTeam@CheerzHangover.com
http://www.CheerzHangover.com

Source: Cheerz USA

Genmab Announces Results for the First Nine Months of 2008

2008-10-29T21:18:00.000-07:00

Summary: Genmab Reports Results for the Nine Month Period Ended September 30, 2008

Genmab A/S (OMX: GEN) announced today results for the nine month period ended September 30, 2008. During this period, Genmab reported the following results:

- Genmab's revenues were DKK 667 million (USD 128 million) for
the nine month period ended September 30, 2008. In the same period of
2007, Genmab recognized revenues of DKK 356 million (USD 68 million).

- An operating loss of DKK 508 million (USD 97 million). This
compares to an operating loss of DKK 309 million (USD 59 million)
reported for the corresponding period of 2007. The larger operating
loss was driven by the increased level of pre-clinical and clinical
activities associated with the advancement of our product pipeline.

- Net financial income for the nine month period ended
September 30, 2008 reflected a net loss of DKK 18 million (USD 4
million), compared to a net income of DKK 48 million (USD 9 million)
in the same period of 2007. The net financial income reflects a
combination of interest income and fair market value adjustments on
our portfolio of marketable securities and unrealized foreign exchange
adjustments. Our net financial income was negatively impacted by the
continued international financial credit crisis.

- A net loss of DKK 526 million (USD 101 million) compared to a
net loss of DKK 261 million (USD 50 million) for the same period in
2007. The net loss per share was DKK 11.81 (USD 2.26) for the first
nine months of 2008 compared to DKK 5.97 (USD 1.14) in the first nine
months of 2007.

- Genmab ended the nine month period with cash and marketable
securities of DKK 2.1 billion (USD 402 million), which is a decrease
of DKK 1.6 billion (USD 306 million) from the end of 2007. The
decrease primarily arises from the DKK 1.2 billion (USD 240 million at
the date of acquisition) acquisition of the manufacturing facility in
March 2008.

Highlights

During the third quarter of 2008, Genmab achieved a number of business and scientific milestones, as follows:

- We announced positive top-line results from a Phase III
pivotal study evaluating ofatumumab (HuMax-CD20®) in two groups
of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). The study met
the primary endpoint in both patient populations and the results
from the secondary endpoints also supported the primary endpoint.
This event also marked the achievement of a DKK 233 million milestone
under the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) collaboration agreement.

- We completed recruitment in a second pivotal ofatumumab
study in refractory non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) patients and in two
Phase II studies. Data from all three are expected in 2009.

- We announced plans to begin four studies with ofatumumab
this year:

1) Phase III CLL front line chlorambucil combination study.

2) Phase II CLL ofatumumab retreatment and maintenance
treatment study for patients who have participated in the ongoing Phase
III CLL study.

3) Phase II NHL ofatumumab retreatment and maintenance study
for patients who have participated in the ongoing Phase III NHL study.

4) Phase I study in Japan. In September we received a
milestone payment of DKK 29 million for this study.

Subsequent to the balance sheet date:

- We announced the outcome of a portfolio and organizational review. We conducted this review in order to bring greater focus to creating the most potential value for patients and shareholders and to build a sustainable business. As a result of the review, we plan to concentrate on development of cancer therapeutics and will focus on a less broad, but higher potential portfolio. Consequently, key decisions from the review include discontinuing the zanolimumab program, moving to out-license three pre-clinical programs and reducing head count by approximately 100 employees, or 15%.

- We announced data showing that rheumatoid arthritis patients
who participated in the ofatumumab Phase II study achieved long
lasting results at the 48 week follow up period.

Outlook

Genmab is maintaining its 2008 financial guidance with a net loss in the range of DKK 800 to 900 million and projects that the operating loss will be at the lower end of the prior guidance of DKK 850 to 950 million.

The revenue is also anticipated to be at, or slightly below, the range indicated in the prior guidance of DKK 850 to 900 million due to a slight change in the timing of some anticipated milestone events. However, savings driven by reductions in our research and development costs resulting from our efforts to focus on the most critical programs in our portfolio in the most efficient manner, more than offset the change in revenue and lower net financial income.

We expect that the net financial income will be lower than the previous guided income of DKK 40 to 50 million due to the impact of the turbulent credit markets on the fair market values of our marketable securities.

As of December 31, 2007, Genmab had cash, cash equivalents and short-term marketable securities of DKK 3.7 billion. For 2008, we project that our operations together with the DKK 1.2 billion acquisition of the manufacturing facility in Minnesota will lead to a year end cash position of DKK 1.7 to 1.8 billion, unchanged from previous guidance.

Pre-clinical Program Overview

During tomorrow's conference call, Genmab will provide an overview of some of its pre-clinical programs. Genmab is working very actively on multiple pre-clinical cancer programs including antibodies directed to the clinically validated targets Her-2 and VEGF as well as antibodies to two novel targets, Tissue Factor and a target expressed on cancer stem cells.

Conference Call

Genmab will hold a conference call to discuss the results for the first nine months of 2008 tomorrow, Thursday, October 30, 2008, at

2:00 pm CET
1:00 pm GMT
9:00 am EDT

The conference call will be held in English.
The dial in numbers are as follows:
+1-800-304-7079 (in the US) and ask for the Genmab conference call
+1-706-634-5694 (outside the US) and ask for the Genmab conference call
Please provide the following conference ID number: 69561922.

A live webcast of the call and relevant slides will be available at http://www.genmab.com. The webcast will also be archived on Genmab's website.
About Genmab A/S

Genmab is a leading international biotechnology company focused on developing fully human antibody therapeutics for the potential treatment of cancer. Genmab's world class discovery, development and manufacturing teams are using cutting-edge technology to create and develop products to address unmet medical needs. Our primary goal is to improve the lives of patients who are in urgent need of new treatment options. For more information on Genmab's products and technology, visit http://www.genmab.com.

This press release contains forward looking statements. The words "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend" and "plan" and similar expressions identify forward looking statements. Actual results or performance may differ materially from any future results or performance expressed or implied by such statements. The important factors that could cause our actual results or performance to differ materially include, among others, risks associated with product discovery and development, uncertainties related to the outcome and conduct of clinical trials including unforeseen safety issues, uncertainties related to product manufacturing, the lack of market acceptance of our products, our inability to manage growth, the competitive environment in relation to our business area and markets, our inability to attract and retain suitably qualified personnel, the unenforceability or lack of protection of our patents and proprietary rights, our relationships with affiliated entities, changes and developments in technology which may render our products obsolete, and other factors. For a further discussion of these risks, please refer to the section "Risk Management" in Genmab's Annual Report, which is available on http://www.genmab.com. Genmab does not undertake any obligation to update or revise forward looking statements in this press release nor to confirm such statements in relation to actual results, unless required by law.

Genmab®; the Y-shaped Genmab logo®; HuMax®; HuMax-CD4®, HuMax-CD20®; HuMax-EGFr(TM); HuMax-IL8(TM); HuMax-TAC(TM); HuMax-HepC(TM); HuMax-CD38(TM); HuMax-CD32b(TM) and UniBody® are all trademarks of Genmab A/S.

Contact: Helle Husted, Sr. Director, Investor Relations, T: +45-33-44-77-30, M: +45-25-27-47-13; E: hth@genmab.com

Source: Genmab A/S

Jenny Craig Announces Finalists for the 2008 Ideal Size Contest

2008-10-29T21:17:00.002-07:00

Grand Prize winner to appear in nationally-aired commercial with Jenny Craig celebrity client, Valerie Bertinelli

Jenny Craig is pleased to announce the three grand finalists of their Ideal Size Challenge. Washington's Debbie Heyer and Massachusetts natives Elaina Faustino and Sara Hennessy are the three women vying for the chance to appear in a national TV commercial with Jenny Craig star client, Valerie Bertinelli, and share their Ideal Size with the country.

Unlike the conventional view of size, Jenny Craig developed the Ideal Size Challenge to inspire women and men to stop looking at size as a number on the scale or a dress size, and to start seeing their Ideal Size as a significant achievement relating to how they would feel once they achieved their weight loss goal. Examples are "Size Healthier" or "Size Loving Life".

"Ideal Size is as much about how you feel on the inside. It represents the complete transformation that weight loss can bring--improved health, energy, confidence and well-being," says Scott Parker, Vice President of Marketing for Jenny Craig. "We want women and men to start defining size as something that's unique and personal to them."

Jenny Craig star client, and the face of the Ideal Size campaign, Valerie Bertinelli, has defined herself as a "Size Confident" urging more women to banish the numbers and start doing what feels right to them. "I am so thrilled to see how far these women have come, and I know that their hard work and candor will inspire many others to throw out their antiquated ideas and stereotypes of beauty and body image," says Valerie.

The Finalists:

Just like Valerie, the three finalists have coined monikers that best represents how they categorize themselves after their weight loss efforts.

Debbie Heyer, a "Size Fit and Fabulous" has lost over 200 pounds on the Jenny Craig plan and is thrilled to be able to shop in any clothing store she wants to and has the freedom to travel without having to worry about being able to fit into an airplane seat. She now wakes up energized to run four miles, whereas in the past she dreaded climbing a flight of stairs.

Elaina Faustino, a "Size Noticeable" has tossed away the unhealthy mentality that she needed to starve herself and log hours on the treadmill in order to lose weight. Her weight loss on the Jenny Craig plan has caught the attention of her friends and family! They see her eating healthy well proportioned meals, volumizing her meals with vegetables, and getting her body moving, and the kudos keep on coming.

Sara Hennessy, our third finalist is a "Size Excellent." She has almost reached her goal weight and celebrates all of the small victories she has experienced along the way, like standing front and center in her holiday picture instead of hiding behind her four children, or cutting her long hair that she felt "hid her fat" and donating it to Locks of Love for cancer patients.

About Jenny Craig:

Since 1983, Jenny Craig's comprehensive food/body/mind approach to safe, effective weight management has helped millions of people worldwide learn how to create a healthy relationship with food, build an active lifestyle, and develop a balanced approach to living. With its individually tailored weight loss program, personal consultants provide clients with one-on-one support, tips and motivation, and Jenny's Cuisine(TM) help them learn proper portion sizes and mindful eating.

Based in Carlsbad, CA, Jenny Craig, Inc. is one of the world's largest weight management companies, with 687 company-owned and franchised Centres in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico.

Source: Jenny Craig

Given a Choice, Kids Make Smart Choices

2008-10-29T21:17:00.001-07:00

Healthy Treats Trump Candy at Green Halloween Festival
"We were delighted and surprised when children, given the choice of healthy vs. candy treats, overwhelmingly chose healthy Halloween treats such as small pre-packaged carrots or trail mix, string cheese, yogurt sticks and cheese/cracker snacks rather than candy," said volunteer dentist Kimberly Santiago.

On Saturday, Oct. 25, more than 500 costumed elementary school children and their parents attended the family-friendly Green Halloween Festival in Issaquah organized by Issaquah Highlands Council. Kids enjoyed pony-and-wagon rides, carnival games, face painting, ghost stories, mad science, a hay maze and the choice of healthy vs. candy treats.

View a video about this event at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEXEHoLf71U

Kids who visited the Washington State Dental Association's Oral Health Foundation booth during the Festival got to choose from healthy or candy treats, while volunteer dentists observed how kids respond when given the choice to eat healthy snacks as a Halloween treat.

While many parents try to instill healthy habits in their kids throughout the year, the dental group demonstrated that kids will choose healthy when given the choice.

"Nearly every child, without coaching from a parent, first reached for a dairy treat, a bag of carrots, or one of the prizes that were offered. The string cheese sticks, yogurt and trail mix bars, donated by the Dairy Farmers of Washington were the first to go, followed by seashells and shiny rocks, carrots, and apples," Sandy Hardymon, Executive Director of the Washington Oral Health Foundation for the Washington State Dental Association said.

According to volunteer Dr. Jed Santiago, "We are encouraging people to offer healthy treats or earth-friendly surprises this Halloween, and reminding them that whatever the treat, everyone should brush and floss before going to bed."

Dr. Kimberly Santiago and Sandy Hardymon are available for interviews on this important topic in advance of Halloween.

Source: Dairy Farmers of Washington

UPDATE 1-US objects to Amgen kidney disease drug promotion

2008-10-29T21:15:00.000-07:00

Amgen Inc (AMGN.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) used a misleading brochure to tout its kidney disease drug Sensipar to patients, U.S. health officials said in a letter released on Wednesday.

"This piece is false or misleading because it omits and minimizes the risks associated with the use of Sensipar and broadens the indication," the Food and Drug Administration said in a letter to Amgen.

The agency asked Amgen to immediately stop using the brochure.

The approved uses of Sensipar include treatment of secondary hyperparathryoidism, or excessive production of the parathyroid hormone, in patients undergoing dialysis for chronic kidney disease.

Amgen said it is working closely with the FDA to address their concerns about the Sensipar patient education brochure.

"We immediately ceased distribution of the brochure. Amgen is committed to responsible marketing that reflects the benefits and risks of our medicines," the company said in a statement.

The FDA letter was posted on the agency's Website here

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine and Deena Beasley; Editing by Bernard Orr)

Stanford Blood Center to Honor Elite Group of Blood Donors at Breakfast

2008-10-29T21:14:00.000-07:00

On Oct. 30, the Stanford Blood Center will honor more than 400 donors who have made 100 or more blood donations. “This is not your typical Silicon Valley business breakfast. This amazing group of people has helped save countless lives and their commitment to our community is remarkable,” said center spokesperson Michele Hyndman.
Between 7:30 and 9 a.m., donors and staff will gather at the Sheraton Hotel, 625 El Camino Real in Palo Alto, to enjoy a buffet breakfast. Two of the special guests will be donors who have reached 500 donations. Donors who attend the event are encouraged to wear the shirt they receive when they reach a milestone in increments of 100 donations.

“It’s the highlight of my year,” said blood donor Dennis Briskin. “This is one place I can go to rub elbows with the most dedicated, public health-oriented people I know. To put my shirt on and see others in their shirts, it’s such a special event unlike anything I do throughout the year.

“These donors share the value with me that no matter what else is going on in their lives, they take time to help patients who will never be able to thank us,” he added.

Currently, the blood center is below minimum inventory in seven out of eight blood types. “In addition to celebrating our most dedicated donors, we hope this event inspires others in our community to donate blood. The need for blood continues to rise, and Stanford Blood Center needs new people to make the commitment to save lives,” said Hyndman.

The blood center serves patients at Stanford Hospital & Clinics, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Palo Alto Medical Foundation Clinic, El Camino Hospital, O'Connor Hospital, the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, the Livermore Veterans Affairs Hospital and three freestanding local surgery centers.

Donors can call (650) 723-7831 or toll-free (888) 723-7831 to make an appointment and get directions. Donors should be in good health with no cold or flu symptoms. They must eat well prior to donation, drink fluids and present photo identification at the time of donation. The process takes about an hour. For more information or to schedule an appointment online, please visit http://bloodcenter.stanford.edu.

Stanford University Medical Center integrates research, medical education and patient care at its three institutions — Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. For more information, please visit the Web site of the medical center’s Office of Communication & Public Affairs at http://mednews.stanford.edu.

Contact:

Stanford University Medical Center
Michele Hyndman, 650-799-9885
mhyndman@stanford.edu

Source: Stanford University Medical Center

UPDATE 3-Adrenalina may go hostile on PacSun buyout offer

2008-10-29T21:13:00.000-07:00

Recasts; adds Adrenalina CEO's comments)

By Shivani Singh

BANGALORE, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Adrenalina (AENA.OB: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said it may take its buyout proposal for rival athletic-clothing retailer Pacific Sunwear of California Inc (PSUN.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) directly to the company's shareholders, after PacSun rejected a sweetened buyout offer of $5 a share.

"We believe the PacSun board of directors has rejected our acquisition proposal hastily and without full consideration," Adrenalina Chief Executive Ilia Lekach said in an email to Reuters.

"Therefore, our next option is to present our proposal directly to PacSun's shareholders at a shareholders meeting," Lekach said.

PacSun was not immediately available for comment.

Adrenalina had earlier on Wednesday raised its offer to buy its larger rival by more than 11 percent, about a week after its previous offer of $4.50 per share in cash and stock was rejected.

Miami-based Adrenalina's latest offer valued PacSun at about $329 million, and is 67 percent more than PacSun's stock closing price of $3.00 on Tuesday. The struggling teen retailer's shares had hit a 52-week low of $2.54 earlier that day.

PacSun's shares closed up 6 percent at $3.18 Wednesday on the Nasdaq.

PacSun's shares had declined 20 percent in value since the day prior to Adrenalina's original offer, Adrenalina's Lekach had said in a statement announcing the latest bid.

Adrenalina said it has identified "strategic partners, wealthy individuals and institutional investors" ready to provide funding for the deal. (Additional reporting by Nivedita Bhattacharjee; Editing by Pratish Narayanan)

Boston Sci. chairman forced to sell more stock

2008-10-29T21:12:00.000-07:00

Boston Scientific Corp (BSX.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) Chairman and co-founder Peter Nicholas sold $29.2 million of the company's stock, or more than 4 million shares that were previously pledged to collateralize loans.

The sale came after Nicholas and John Abele, another co-founder, were forced to sell 13 million of the medical device maker's shares earlier this month following the collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc (LEHMQ.PK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz).

Four of the six sales reported in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Wednesday were made to satisfy margin calls on loans. The other two sales were involuntary sales of shares previously pledged to collateralize loans.

A margin call occurs when the value of shares in an investor's portfolio falls, and he or she has to put up more cash as collateral or liquidate part of the portfolio to pay back the loan.

Some executives borrow against their portfolios to access cash without having to sell shares, while others use money borrowed against their portfolio to add to their holdings. (Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)

Cadence Pharmaceuticals to Host Conference Call and Webcast to Discuss Third Quarter 2008 Financial Results and Provide a Clinical Program Update on N

2008-10-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on in-licensing, developing and commercializing proprietary product candidates principally for use in the hospital setting, announced that it will release its third quarter financial results after the market closes on Thursday, November 6, 2008.
Cadence management will host a conference call and live webcast to discuss the financial results and provide a clinical program update on Thursday, November 6, 2008 at 1:30 pm Pacific Time (4:30 pm Eastern Time). Interested investors may participate in the conference call by dialing 866-816-1982 (domestic) or 816-581-1712 (international). To access the webcast, please visit the company's website at http://www.cadencepharm.com and go to the Investor Relations page. A replay of the webcast will be available approximately two hours after the call and remain available on the company's website until the next quarterly financial results call.

About Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Cadence Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on in-licensing, developing and commercializing proprietary product candidates principally for use in the hospital setting. The company currently has two Phase III product candidates in development, Acetavance(TM) (intravenous acetaminophen) for the treatment of acute pain and fever, and Omigard(TM) (omiganan pentahydrochloride 1% topical gel) for the prevention of catheter-related infections. For more information about Cadence's pipeline, visit http://www.cadencepharm.com.

Cadence(TM), Acetavance(TM) and Omigard(TM) are trademarks of Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Contacts: William R. LaRue
SVP & Chief Financial Officer
Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
858-436-1400

Anna Gralinska
Director, Investor Relations
Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
858-436-1452

Source: Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

MannKind Corporation to Hold Third Quarter Financial Results Conference Call on November 5, 2008

2008-10-29T21:09:00.000-07:00

MannKind Corporation will release its 2008 third quarter financial results on Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 8:00 a.m. EST.
Management of the Company will host a conference call to discuss the third quarter financial results, clinical progress and other Company developments at 9:00 a.m. EST on November 5, 2008. Presenting from the Company will be its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Alfred Mann; President and Chief Operating Officer, Hakan Edstrom; Corporate Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Matthew Pfeffer and Corporate Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Peter Richardson.

To participate in the live call by telephone, please dial (888) 677-5721 or (210) 839-8507. Those interested in listening to the conference call live via the Internet may do so by visiting the Company's website at http://www.mannkindcorp.com.

A telephone replay of the call will be accessible for approximately fourteen days following completion of the call by dialing (866) 411-1707 or (202) 369-0654. A replay will also be available on MannKind's website for fourteen days.

About MannKind Corporation

MannKind Corporation focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutic products for patients with diseases such as diabetes and cancer. Its pipeline includes AFRESA(TM), which has completed Phase 3 clinical trials, and MKC253, which is currently in phase 1 clinical trials. Both of these investigational products are being evaluated for their safety and efficacy in the treatment of diabetes. For more information on MannKind Corporation and its technology, visit http://www.mannkindcorp.com.

Source: MannKind Corporation

CORRECTING and REPLACING Clean Power Systems, Envision Solar, Inc. and Kyocera Solar, Inc. "Plant" a Solar Grove(TM) at St. Mary Medical Center to Cul

2008-10-29T21:07:00.000-07:00

Medical Facility Focused on Wellness Helps to Heal the Environment

Last paragraph should read About Clean Power Systems, Inc. (sted Clean Power Partners, Inc.).

The corrected release reads:

CLEAN POWER SYSTEMS, ENVISION SOLAR, INC. AND KYOCERA SOLAR, INC. “PLANT” A SOLAR GROVE™ AT ST. MARY MEDICAL CENTER TO CULTIVATE CLEAN ENERGY AND SHADE
Medical Facility Focused on Wellness Helps to Heal the Environment

Clean Power Systems, Envision Solar, Inc. and Kyocera Solar, Inc. announced today that the companies have supplied St. Mary Medical Center with a Solar Grove™, an array of three “Solar Rows™” that converts a 104-vehicle parking lot into a 230-kilowatt (kW) solar electric generating system. St. Mary Medical Center, known for its health and wellness programs, initiated the project to focus on a new type of healing experience, one that benefits the environment and its employees.

The Solar Grove™ is comprised of custom steel frame shade structures that support a canopy of 1,150 Kyocera KC 200GT photovoltaic modules. These “Solar Rows™” convert sunlight into clean energy. By transforming its parking area into a Solar Grove™, St. Mary Medical Center has taken an active role in reducing the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that it will emit into the atmosphere by offsetting the electrical load of the hospital. The Solar Grove™ has a peak rated output of about 333,400 kWh per year.

While most solar panels sit on a rooftop, the Solar Grove™ at St. Mary Medical Center utilizes a large open space on the property, its parking lot, to capture the region’s ample sunlight so that the same panels that capture the sun will also offer shaded parking, a valuable commodity in the High Desert that will make employees a bit more comfortable when they re-enter their vehicles after working a shift at the hospital.

Envision Solar created the trademarked design that features Kyocera’s solar panels. Kyocera, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of photovoltaic modules, inaugurated the first Solar Grove™ at its North American headquarters in San Diego, California. Kyocera Solar, Inc. President Steve Hill sees a growing trend in high-visibility solar power systems. “We have seen an increase in worldwide demand for solar power,” stated Hill. “As a result, we are expanding our Tijuana facility – a move that will contribute to the increase in Kyocera’s global manufacturing output from 207 megawatts (MW) in 2007 to 650 MW by March 2012.”

The Solar Grove™ structures, which add a sculptural landscape to parking lots, were designed by Envision Solar, the La Jolla, California-based firm that specializes in site integrated photovoltaic systems. Envision Solar CEO and founder Robert Noble commented, “As sustainable architects we find solar panels to be iconic, a beautiful building material that we use to integrate clean energy into the design of the site.”

The new parking shade structures, which comprise the community’s most visible solar power installation, will administer a healing dose of environmental benefits to the planet in a way that promotes the hospital’s fiscal health, without any capital outlay.

The St. Mary Medical Center Solar Grove™ was installed by Clean Power Systems, a San Diego solar integrator that brought to the medical center a creative financing solution through Solar Power Partners. Solar Power Partners provided financing for the project at no cost to the hospital through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). The hospital signed the PPA, a financing instrument that allows St. Mary Medical Center to host rather than own the solar power system. The facility agrees to purchase the power produced by the Solar Grove™ at roughly the same price at which it buys power from the local utility company during peak hours of the day when the sun is shining. Kirk Mulligan, CEO of Clean Power Systems, added, “St. Mary Medical Center was looking for a way to install shade structures for its employees, and the arrangement provided by the Power Purchase Agreement includes this as part of the solar power system, with no out of pocket costs.”

Bob Diehl, VP of Strategic Planning at St. Mary Medical Center who initiated the solar project, notes that, “This was an exciting project! Not only did the Solar Grove™ generate a lot of 'buzz' among our staff, but we also heard from other organizations that would like to explore similar solar power systems at their own facilities.” Diehl adds, “We hope that the Solar Grove™ at St. Mary Medical Center will embolden other healthcare facilities to try new ways to contribute actively to the health of the community.”

About St. Mary Medical Center: As a community-based and focused not-for-profit medical center, Saint Mary Medical Center takes very seriously the opportunity to benefit the Victor Valley, with a strong connection to the core values of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange and the Brothers of St. John of God. Its core values of Hospitality, Dignity, Justice, Service and Excellence define this High Desert hospital as an extraordinary place. For more information please visit us at www.stmaryapplevalley.com.

About Kyocera, Inc.: Kyocera Solar, Inc. (www.kyocerasolar.com) is a world-leading supplier of environmentally sound, solar electric energy solutions. With operating headquarters in Scottsdale, Ariz. and regional sales centers in the U.S., Brazil and Australia, Kyocera Solar, Inc. serves thousands of customers in both developed and developing regions. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kyocera International, Inc. of San Diego, the North American headquarters and holding company for Kyoto, Japan-based Kyocera Corporation.

About Envision Solar International, Inc.: Envision Solar International, Inc., based in La Jolla, CA, is a privately held, solar integrated building system developer. Envision Solar was founded by a group of visionary architects, builders and engineers with a mission to provide aesthetically pleasing photovoltaic systems to increase the worldwide use of renewable energy. For more information, please visit www.envisionsolar.com.

About Clean Power Systems, Inc.: Clean Power Systems is a leader in the solar marketplace, providing and installing residential and commercial solar panels in Southern California. Utilizing the most efficient solar energy panels, Clean Power Systems enables its customers to realize immediate and long-term saving while generating their own clean, renewable power. For more information, please visit www.CleanPowerSystems.com.

MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5817441

Contact:

Envision Solar International, Inc.
Pamela Stevens, LEED AP
EVP Commercial Development and COO
858-866-7579
pstevens@envisionsolar.com

Source: Envision Solar International, Inc.

Hot flushes may predict breast cancer drug success

2008-10-29T21:04:00.000-07:00

By Michael Kahn

Hot flushes, night sweats or painful joints may be good news for women taking hormone-based drugs for breast cancer -- it may mean their tumours are less likely to return, researchers said on Thursday.

Women with any of these menopause-like symptoms after taking AstraZeneca's (AZN.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) breast cancer drug Arimidex or generic tamoxifen were 30 percent less likely to have their cancer return over the next nine years, they found.

"The treatment is designed to starve potential cancers of oestrogen and these symptoms mean that there are lower levels of oestrogen in the body," said Jack Cuzick, an epidemiologist at Cancer Research UK, who led the study published in the journal Lancet Oncology.

"But it is too early to say whether having these symptoms is essential for the treatment to be effective. At the moment all we can say is that the symptoms indicate the likely success of the treatment."

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide, according to the American Cancer Society. The group estimates about 465,000 women died of breast cancer globally in 2007, and 1.3 million new cases were diagnosed.

Declining death rates from breast cancer in developed countries have been attributed to early detection through mammography screening and to improved treatment.

The researchers looked at some 4,000 post-menopausal women treated with either Arimidex, known generically as anastrozole, or the older cancer drug tamoxifen. Arimidex is one of a newer class of drugs called aromatase inhibitors that cannot be taken by women not yet through menopause.

Women who reported hot flushes, night sweats or painful joints within three months of treatment were more likely to remain free of their cancer and these early side effects may also help doctors more effectively target future treatment.

"Our main message is: No pain, no gain," Ivana Sestak, a Cancer Research UK researcher who worked on the study, said in a telephone interview.

Sestak added the researchers do not know why some women responded differently but believe genetics is the likely explanation because every person metabolizes the drugs that cause a drop in oestrogen differently. (Reporting by Michael Kahn; Editing by Maggie Fox and Louise Ireland)

US STOCKS-Dow, S&P 500 fall on profit worry, GE outlook report

2008-10-29T21:01:00.000-07:00

* Dow, S&P slip on reported GE comments in last-minute drop * Credit market shows signs of further thawing * Energy stocks up on higher oil; airlines and P&G lower * Dow off 0.8 pct, S&P 500 down 1.1 pct, Nasdaq up 0.5 pct (Updates with Dow Jones correction of GE story)

By Kristina Cooke

U.S. stocks fell on Wednesday as a big rally faltered in the last minutes of trading on worry about the weakening corporate profit picture after a news report raised questions about General Electric's earnings outlook.

In a move that has been the trademark of the market's volatility ever since Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy filing in mid-September, the Dow plunged more than 300 points in the last 12 minutes, dashing prospects for the first back-to-back gains in a month.

Aside from the GE news, reported by Dow Jones with less than 15 minutes left in the session, traders said hedge funds and mutual funds were dumping stocks to raise cash to repay clients and lenders, while other investors were eager to lock in some profit from Tuesday's huge rally.

General Electric's stock fell 4 percent in the last minutes of trading, only to end down 1.5 percent at $19.20.

Dow Jones reported that General Electric's Chief Executive Jeffrey Immelt said GE aims at keeping 2009 profits at the same level as this year, even if revenue drops 10 percent to 15 percent.

But after the closing bell, Dow Jones corrected their story, saying that GE Chief Executive Jeff Immelt had not forecast 2009 profit to be flat.

The news service said Immelt had been speaking hypothetically when he told a business group in Spain that he would ask his managers to maintain profits even if revenues at their businesses fell as much as 10 percent to 15 percent.

"People are blaming Immelt for this last-minute drop," said Eric Kuby, chief investment officer at North Star Investment Management Corp in Chicago. "But it's also what we've been seeing for the past few weeks -- the end-of-day hedge and mutual fund liquidations."

Trading was volatile after the Federal Reserve slashed interest rates by half a percentage point, the latest in the series of moves to keep the credit crisis from triggering a deep recession. Some traders had been speculating there would be a deeper cut.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI fell 74.16 points, or 0.82 percent, to close at 8,990.96. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX declined 10.42 points, or 1.11 percent, to 930.09. But the Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC rose 7.74 points, or 0.47 percent, to 1,657.21.

In contrast, at about 3:30 p.m. EDT, all three indexes were rallying near session highs: The Dow was up over 230 points, or about 2.6 percent, at 9,299 and the S&P 500 was up over 20 points, or about 2.6 percent, at 964, while the Nasdaq was up about 46 points, or about 2.8 percent, at 1,695.

By 3:58 p.m., the rally was over, with both the Dow and the S&P turning negative.

Health-care company Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), down 4.1 percent at $61.53, was the top drag on the Dow after J.P. Morgan Securities downgraded the stock.

But there were some bright spots. The costs for banks to borrow dollars from each other over three months fell for a 14th straight day, suggesting that confidence was returning in the credit markets.
GM shares rose 8.2 percent to $6.76 after sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that General Motors (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management have resolved "major issues" in a proposed GM-Chrysler merger.

Shares of energy companies headed higher as U.S. front-month crude CLc1 gained $4.77 to settle at $67.50 a barrel. An S&P index of energy stocks rose 2.26 percent.

Boeing (BA.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) climbed 1.8 percent to $49.80, making it one of the Dow's top advancers, after government data showed surging demand for aircraft drove an unexpected increase in September for new orders for long-lasting manufactured goods, also known as durable goods.

The Nasdaq got its biggest lift from Apple Inc (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), up 4.6 percent at $104.55, after a Sanford Bernstein analyst said the maker of iPhones, Mac computers and iPods is in an excellent position to launch a "substantial" stock-buyback program.

Trading was moderate on the New York Stock Exchange, with about 1.62 billion shares changing hands, below last year's estimated daily average of roughly 1.90 billion, while on Nasdaq, about 2.79 billion shares traded, above last year's daily average of 2.17 billion.

Advancing stocks outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by nearly 2 to 1 and on the Nasdaq, by about 4 to 3. (Reporting by Kristina Cooke; Editing by Jan Paschal and Carol Bishopric)

Dow and S&P 500 fall on profit worry, GE outlook report

2008-10-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

By Kristina Cooke

U.S. stocks fell on Wednesday as a big rally faltered in the last minutes of trading on worry about the weakening corporate profit picture after a news report raised questions about General Electric's earnings outlook.
In a move that has been the trademark of the market's volatility ever since Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy filing in mid-September, the Dow plunged more than 300 points in the last 12 minutes, dashing prospects for the first back-to-back gains in a month.

Aside from the GE news, reported by Dow Jones with less than 15 minutes left in the session, traders said hedge funds and mutual funds were dumping stocks to raise cash to repay clients and lenders, while other investors were eager to lock in some profit from Tuesday's huge rally.

General Electric's stock fell 4 percent in the last minutes of trading, only to end down 1.5 percent at $19.20.

Dow Jones reported that General Electric's Chief Executive Jeffrey Immelt said GE aims at keeping 2009 profits at the same level as this year, even if revenue drops 10 percent to 15 percent.

But after the closing bell, Dow Jones corrected their story, saying that GE Chief Executive Jeff Immelt had not forecast 2009 profit to be flat.

The news service said Immelt had been speaking hypothetically when he told a business group in Spain that he would ask his managers to maintain profits even if revenues at their businesses fell as much as 10 percent to 15 percent.

"People are blaming Immelt for this last-minute drop," said Eric Kuby, chief investment officer at North Star Investment Management Corp in Chicago. "But it's also what we've been seeing for the past few weeks -- the end-of-day hedge and mutual fund liquidations."

Trading was volatile after the Federal Reserve slashed interest rates by half a percentage point, the latest in the series of moves to keep the credit crisis from triggering a deep recession. Some traders had been speculating there would be a deeper cut.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 74.16 points, or 0.82 percent, to close at 8,990.96. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index declined 10.42 points, or 1.11 percent, to 930.09. But the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 7.74 points, or 0.47 percent, to 1,657.21.

In contrast, at about 3:30 p.m. EDT, all three indexes were rallying near session highs: The Dow was up over 230 points, or about 2.6 percent, at 9,299 and the S&P 500 was up over 20 points, or about 2.6 percent, at 964, while the Nasdaq was up about 46 points, or about 2.8 percent, at 1,695.

By 3:58 p.m., the rally was over, with both the Dow and the S&P turning negative.

Health-care company Johnson & Johnson, down 4.1 percent at $61.53, was the top drag on the Dow after J.P. Morgan Securities downgraded the stock.

But there were some bright spots. The costs for banks to borrow dollars from each other over three months fell for a 14th straight day, suggesting that confidence was returning in the credit markets.

GM shares rose 8.2 percent to $6.76 after sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that General Motors and private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management have resolved "major issues" in a proposed GM-Chrysler merger.

Shares of energy companies headed higher as U.S. front-month crude gained $4.77 to settle at $67.50 a barrel. An S&P index of energy stocks rose 2.26 percent.

Boeing climbed 1.8 percent to $49.80, making it one of the Dow's top advancers, after government data showed surging demand for aircraft drove an unexpected increase in September for new orders for long-lasting manufactured goods, also known as durable goods.

The Nasdaq got its biggest lift from Apple Inc, up 4.6 percent at $104.55, after a Sanford Bernstein analyst said the maker of iPhones, Mac computers and iPods is in an excellent position to launch a "substantial" stock-buyback program.

Trading was moderate on the New York Stock Exchange, with about 1.62 billion shares changing hands, below last year's estimated daily average of roughly 1.90 billion, while on Nasdaq, about 2.79 billion shares traded, above last year's daily average of 2.17 billion.

Advancing stocks outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by nearly 2 to 1 and on the Nasdaq, by about 4 to 3.

(Reporting by Kristina Cooke; Editing by Jan Paschal and Carol Bishopric)

GlaxoSmithKline to Acquire Genelabs Technologies to Increase Focus on Novel Small Molecule Therapies for Hepatitis C

2008-10-29T20:56:00.000-07:00

GlaxoSmithKline and Genelabs Technologies, Inc. announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which GSK will acquire Genelabs for approximately $57 million (pounds Sterling 35 million) through a tender offer of $1.30 per share in cash. This strategic acquisition will strengthen GSK's effort to develop and deliver novel therapies against the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Under the terms of the agreement, a subsidiary of GSK will commence a tender offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Genelabs common stock. The board of directors of Genelabs has unanimously recommended that shareholders tender their shares in the offer.

"Genelabs has demonstrated a strong track record in HCV drug discovery and identified numerous novel classes of inhibitors that target unprecedented mechanisms in the virus's life cycle," stated Zhi Hong, SVP of the Infectious Diseases Centre for Excellence in Drug Discovery (ID CEDD) at GSK. "This arrangement, combined with our other collaborations, will give GSK a broad HCV drug discovery platform addressing novel targets and innovative therapeutic approaches."

Genelabs will become part of GSK's Drug Discovery organization and its HCV programs will be consolidated into the broad therapeutic approaches already underway internally and through external collaborations. This acquisition continues GSK's strategy of pursuing the best science, internally or externally, to bring new medicines to patients and value to the GSK pipeline.

Fred Driscoll, President & CEO of Genelabs said, "This transaction provides our shareholders with certain value at a substantial premium to our stock price. Through the efforts of our experienced scientific staff and other employees, we have generated highly differentiated compounds with the potential to address unmet medical needs of people with the HCV infection. GSK's world-class research and development organization will allow us to accelerate our strategic vision of providing novel treatments that deliver tremendous value for patients."

There is a high unmet need for new drugs to treat HCV infection. The current gold standard therapy comprises pegylated-alpha interferon (IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV). The efficacy rate of this combination is relatively low (approximately 50%) and both drugs are associated with significant side effects that often lead to treatment discontinuation. Several new antiviral drugs targeting multiple virus and host targets are currently in development. Rapidly emerging drug resistance suggest that combination therapies with multiple classes of drugs will be required to achieve sustained virological response.

The tender offer is subject to customary conditions and is expected to close in December 2008.

GlaxoSmithKline - one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies - is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For further information please visit www.gsk.com

About the ID CEDD

The ID CEDD is a global research unit within GSK Drug Discovery dedicated to discovering therapies for infectious diseases. It is designed to integrate and better coordinate the progression of infectious diseases medicines from therapeutic hypothesis to clinical proof of concept. While drawing from the broader resources of GSK's R&D organization, the ID CEDD bridges the conventional gap between discovery and development, brings scientists and physicians together in an entrepreneurial environment and size of small biotechnology companies. The ID CEDD currently consists of three discovery units for antivirals, antibacterials and medicines against diseases of the developing world. It focuses on building an innovative pipeline through both internal efforts and external alliances with other companies and research institutions. Its Infectious Diseases Centre of Excellence for External Drug Discovery (ID CEEDD) will focus on 'virtualising' a portion of the infectious diseases pipeline by forming multiple risk-sharing/reward-sharing alliances.

About Genelabs Technologies

Genelabs is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel compounds for infectious diseases. In addition to a late- stage drug candidate for hepatitis E partnered with GSK, the company is advancing multiple partnered and proprietary compounds designed to selectively inhibit replication of the hepatitis C virus. For more information, please visit www.genelabs.com.

Cowen and Company was the exclusive financial advisor to Genelabs in this transaction.

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements

Under the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Factors that may affect GSK' s operations are described under 'Risk Factors' in the 'Business Review' in the company' s Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2007.

Important additional information will be filed with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC).

This press release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell shares of Genelabs. The tender offer for shares of Genelabs' stock described in this press release has not yet been commenced.

At the time the tender offer is commenced, a subsidiary of GSK intends to file with the SEC and mail to Genelabs' stockholders a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO and related exhibits, including the offer to purchase, letter of transmittal and other related documents, and Genelabs intends to file with the SEC and mail to its stockholders a Tender Offer Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 in connection with the transaction. These will contain important information about GSK, Genelabs, the transaction and other related matters. Investors and security holders are urged to read each of these documents carefully when they are available.

Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the Tender Offer Statement, the Tender Offer Solicitation/Recommendation Statement and other documents filed with the SEC by GSK and Genelabs through the web site maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of these documents by contacting the Investor Relations departments of GSK or Genelabs.

Source: GlaxoSmithKline

Understand Consumers' Consumption and Expenditure Patterns with Oral Hygiene in South Korea to 2011

2008-10-29T20:53:00.000-07:00

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f281e9/oral_hygiene_in_so) has announced the addition of the "Oral Hygiene in South Korea to 2011" report to their offering.

This databook is a detailed information resource covering all the key data points on Oral Hygiene in South Korea. It includes comprehensive value volume segmentation and market share data. The databook supplies actual data to 2006 and full forecasts to 2011.

Scope

- Contains information on 5 categories: Toothpaste, Toothbrushes, Mouthwash, Dental floss and Denture care

- Provides market value, volume, expenditure and consumption data by market, segment and subsegment

- Includes company and brand share data by categories

Highlights of this title

The market for Oral Hygiene in South Korea increased between 2001-2006, growing at an average annual rate of 8.4%.

The leading company in the market in 2006 was LG Corp. The second-largest player was Procter & Gamble Company, The with Pacific Corporation in third place.

Key reasons to purchase this title

- Discover the major quantitative trends affecting the Oral Hygiene markets

- Understand the future direction of the market with reliable historical data and full five year forecasting

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Chapter 2 INTRODUCTION

Chapter 3 MARKET OVERVIEW

Chapter 4 LEADING COMPANY PROFILES

Chapter 5 CATEGORY ANALYSIS - DENTAL FLOSS

Chapter 6 CATEGORY ANALYSIS - DENTURE CARE

Chapter 7 CATEGORY ANALYSIS - MOUTHWASH

Chapter 8 CATEGORY ANALYSIS - TOOTHBRUSHES

Chapter 9 CATEGORY ANALYSIS - TOOTHPASTE

Chapter 10 COUNTRY COMPARISON

Chapter 11 NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Chapter 12 SOUTH KOREA SOCIOECONOMIC PROFILE

Chapter 13 SOUTH KOREA MACROECONOMIC PROFILE

Chapter 14 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Chapter 15 APPENDIX

LIST OF FIGURES

LIST OF TABLES

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f281e9/oral_hygiene_in_so

Source: Datamonitor

Contact:

Research and Markets
Laura Wood, Senior Manager
Fax from USA: 646-607-1907
Fax from rest of the world: +353-1-481-1716
press@researchandmarkets.com

Source: Research and Markets

BioMed Realty Trust Reports Third Quarter 2008 Financial Results

2008-10-29T20:46:00.000-07:00

BioMed Realty Trust, Inc., a real estate investment trust focused on providing real estate to the life science industry, announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2008.

Highlights:

-- Quarterly total revenues increased 24.6% to $80.8 million from
$64.8 million in the third quarter 2007

-- Completed delivery of the 84,000 square foot build-to-suit laboratory
and office facility at our Towne Centre Drive campus in San Diego to
our tenant, Illumina, Inc.

-- Continued delivery of space to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,
Inc. at the Center for Life Science | Boston, bringing total occupancy
at the building to nearly 80% at the end of the quarter

-- Executed leasing transactions during the quarter representing nearly
200,000 square feet:

o Six new leases totaling approximately 52,000 square feet, including
an approximately 28,000 square foot lease with Nteryx, Inc. at our
Ardenwood Boulevard property in the Fremont/Newark submarket of the
San Francisco Bay Area

o Seven leases amended to extend their terms totaling approximately
147,000 square feet, including a 15-year extension on approximately
91,000 square feet leased to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,
expanding Regeneron's long-term commitment at our Landmark at
Eastview property in New York to over 348,000 square feet

-- Funds from operations (FFO) for the quarter increased 15.5% from the
third quarter 2007 to $35.6 million, or $0.48 per diluted share

"Our continued successes on the operating front, combined with our conservative approach to our capital structure, have enabled us to maintain our focus throughout these extremely turbulent, challenging times, and position us well to take advantage of the opportunities we see in our business. We remain confident in the fundamental long-term demand drivers for the life science industry, and in turn for life science real estate," commented Alan D. Gold, President and Chief Executive Officer of BioMed Realty Trust.

Third Quarter 2008 Financial Results

Rental revenues for the quarter were $59.4 million, representing a 20.2% increase versus the third quarter of 2007. Same property net operating income increased 7.3% on a cash basis for the third quarter of 2008 compared to the third quarter of 2007.

Total revenues for the quarter were $80.8 million, compared to $64.8 million in the third quarter of 2007. Net income available to common stockholders for the quarter was $13.0 million, or $0.18 per diluted share, compared to $12.2 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2007.

FFO during the quarter was $35.6 million, representing a 15.5% increase versus the third quarter of 2007. FFO per diluted share was $0.48 for the third quarter of 2008 versus $0.45 in the third quarter of 2007.

FFO is a supplemental non-GAAP financial measure used in the real estate industry to measure and compare the operating performance of real estate companies. A complete reconciliation containing adjustments from GAAP net income available to common stockholders to FFO and a definition of FFO are included at the end of this release.

Financing Activity

As of September 30, 2008, the company's consolidated debt included fixed-rate mortgage indebtedness with an aggregate outstanding principal amount of $354.8 million, including $9.3 million of debt premium, and a weighted-average effective interest rate of 5.5% at quarter-end; the company's $250 million secured term loan, with a weighted-average effective interest rate of 4.1% at quarter-end; $175 million aggregate principal amount of 4.50% exchangeable senior notes due 2026; $266.7 million in outstanding borrowings under the company's $600 million unsecured revolving line of credit, with a weighted-average effective interest rate of 3.8% at quarter-end; and $501.0 million in outstanding borrowings under the company's acquisition and construction loan secured by the Center for Life Science | Boston property, with a weighted-average effective interest rate of 4.4% at quarter-end. The company's debt to total capitalization ratio was 41.0% at September 30, 2008.

After the quarter ended, on October 6, 2008, the company completed the sale of 8,625,000 shares of common stock, raising net proceeds of approximately $212.4 million after deducting underwriter discounts and commissions and estimated expenses. The net proceeds were utilized to repay a portion of the outstanding borrowings on our $600 million unsecured line of credit and for other general corporate and working capital purposes.

"We have maintained our consistently conservative approach to managing our balance sheet and we were pleased to be able to further fortify our balance sheet through our October 2008 common stock offering. We appreciate the consistent support we have received from our shareholders and lenders," commented Kent Griffin, Chief Financial Officer of BioMed Realty Trust.

Portfolio Update

As of September 30, 2008, BioMed Realty Trust owned or had interests in 112 buildings, located predominantly in the major U.S. life science markets of Boston, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York/New Jersey. The company's portfolio was comprised of the following, with its operating portfolio 89.0% leased to 115 tenants, as of September 30, 2008.
Following the end of the quarter, on October 3, 2008, a portion of the parking spaces at the garage located on the company's Center for Life Science | Boston property were sold for approximately $29.0 million pursuant to an agreement assumed by the company in connection with its acquisition of the property in November 2006.

On October 14, 2008, the company acquired the minority interest in the entity that owns the 530 Fairview Avenue property in Seattle for approximately $2.6 million; as a result, the company owns 100% of the property.

Quarterly Distributions

BioMed Realty Trust's board of directors previously declared a third quarter 2008 dividend of $0.335 per share of common stock, and a dividend of $0.46094 per share of the company's 7.375% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock for the period from July 16, 2008 through October 15, 2008.

Earnings Guidance

Having reported results for the first nine months of 2008, the company has narrowed its 2008 earnings guidance. The company has also adjusted its earnings guidance to reflect the impact of the October 2008 common stock offering. The company's revised 2008 guidance for net income per diluted share and FFO per diluted share is set forth and reconciled below.
Consistent with the 2008 guidance, the company's 2009 guidance does not include the impact of future acquisition activities. In addition, the company's 2009 guidance includes the estimated impact of the change in accounting for its exchangeable senior notes, the company's October 2008 common stock offering and higher anticipated financing costs.

The foregoing estimates are forward-looking and reflect management's view of current and future market conditions, including certain assumptions with respect to leasing activity, rental rates, occupancy levels, financing transactions, interest rates, and the amount and timing of development and redevelopment activities. The company's actual results may differ materially from these estimates.

Supplemental Information

Supplemental operating and financial data are available in the Investor Relations section of the company's web site at http://www.biomedrealty.com.

Teleconference and Web Cast

BioMed Realty Trust will conduct a conference call and audio web cast at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time (1:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on Thursday, October 30, 2008 to discuss the company's financial results and operations for the quarter. The call will be open to all interested investors either through a live audio web cast at the Investor Relations section of the company's web site at http://www.biomedrealty.com and http://www.earnings.com, or live by calling (866) 314-5050 (domestic) or (617) 213-8051 (international) with call ID number 52610625. The call will be archived for 30 days on both web sites. A telephone playback of the conference call will also be available from 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursday, October 30, 2008 through midnight Pacific Time on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 by calling (888) 286-8010 (domestic) or (617) 801-6888 (international) and using access code 61247789.

About BioMed Realty Trust

BioMed Realty Trust, Inc. is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on Providing Real Estate to the Life Science Industry®. The company's tenants primarily include biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, scientific research institutions, government agencies and other entities involved in the life science industry. BioMed Realty Trust owns or has interests in 69 properties, representing 112 buildings with approximately 10.4 million rentable square feet, including approximately 1.4 million square feet of development in progress. The company also owns undeveloped land parcels adjacent to existing properties that it estimates can support up to 1.4 million rentable square feet. The company's properties are located predominantly in the major U.S. life science markets of Boston, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York/New Jersey, which have well-established reputations as centers for scientific research. Additional information is available at http://www.biomedrealty.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: general risks affecting the real estate industry (including, without limitation, the inability to enter into or renew leases, dependence on tenants' financial condition, and competition from other developers, owners and operators of real estate); adverse economic or real estate developments in the life science industry or the company's target markets; risks associated with the availability and terms of financing and the use of debt to fund acquisitions and developments; failure to manage effectively the company's growth and expansion into new markets, or to complete or integrate acquisitions and developments successfully; risks and uncertainties affecting property development and construction; risks associated with downturns in the national and local economies, increases in interest rates, and volatility in the securities markets; potential liability for uninsured losses and environmental contamination; risks associated with the company's potential failure to qualify as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and possible adverse changes in tax and environmental laws; and risks associated with the company's dependence on key personnel whose continued service is not guaranteed. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
We present funds from operations, or FFO, available to common shares and partnership and LTIP units because we consider it an important supplemental measure of our operating performance and believe it is frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of REITs, many of which present FFO when reporting their results. FFO is intended to exclude GAAP historical cost depreciation and amortization of real estate and related assets, which assumes that the value of real estate assets diminishes ratably over time. Historically, however, real estate values have risen or fallen with market conditions. Because FFO excludes depreciation and amortization unique to real estate, gains and losses from property dispositions and extraordinary items, it provides a performance measure that, when compared year over year, reflects the impact to operations from trends in occupancy rates, rental rates, operating costs, development activities and interest costs, providing perspective not immediately apparent from net income. We compute FFO in accordance with standards established by the Board of Governors of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, or NAREIT, in its March 1995 White Paper (as amended in November 1999 and April 2002). As defined by NAREIT, FFO represents net income (computed in accordance with GAAP), excluding gains (or losses) from sales of property, plus real estate related depreciation and amortization (excluding amortization of loan origination costs) and after adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures. Our computation may differ from the methodology for calculating FFO utilized by other equity REITs and, accordingly, may not be comparable to such other REITs. Further, FFO does not represent amounts available for management's discretionary use because of needed capital replacement or expansion, debt service obligations, or other commitments and uncertainties. FFO should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss) (computed in accordance with GAAP) as an indicator of our financial performance or to cash flow from operating activities (computed in accordance with GAAP) as an indicator of our liquidity, nor is it indicative of funds available to fund our cash needs, including our ability to pay dividends or make distributions.

Source: BioMed Realty Trust, Inc.

New International Study Shows Women With Symptomatic Fibroids Delaying Treatment Despite Substantial Burden on Quality of Life

2008-10-29T20:43:00.000-07:00

One in five women suffer from fibroid symptoms at least 5 years before seeking treatment.

At the annual meeting of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL), ETHICON Women's Health & Urology announced results of a seven-country study measuring the effects of uterine fibroids and associated symptoms on quality of life (QoL). Researchers found that one in five women suffer with symptomatic fibroids for more than 5 years before getting medical treatment. Further, despite diagnosis, more than one-third of women remain untreated -- either surgically or medically -- for their fibroids, which means that many women continue to experience symptoms severe enough to affect QoL.

Uterine fibroids are benign tumors made up of fibrous and muscular tissue in the uterine wall. They occur in one third of women over age thirty and are a major reason for hysterectomy worldwide. Women who have uterine fibroids may experience debilitating symptoms such as abnormal bleeding, pain, pressure in the pelvic region, painful intercourse, frequent urination or infertility.

The CHASM (Cross-Sectional Survey of HRQoL And Symptoms of Myoma) study was sponsored by ETHICON and designed to quantify the fibroid burden on a woman's QoL and to better understand current management of symptomatic fibroids. More than 2,500 adult women experiencing fibroid symptoms with a self-reported physician diagnosis or previous treatment for uterine fibroids were surveyed in the United States, Canada and five European countries. Researchers found that:

* Overall, 22% of women who have been diagnosed with uterine fibroids waited at least five years before getting treatment.
* A substantial percentage of women (almost 45% of those diagnosed and almost 70% of those with symptoms) have not sought any treatment in the past year
* Of those who have sought medical care and been diagnosed, more than 36% have not received surgical or medical treatment, despite reporting symptoms that interfere with their quality of life
* Women who have opted for surgical treatment report a better quality of life outcome than those who have used medication

ETHICON Women's Health & Urology currently is recruiting for two clinical trials to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Doppler guided Uterine Artery Occlusion (D-UAO) as treatment for the reduction of fibroid-associated bleeding (in the US) and as a treatment for the reduction of fibroid-associated symptoms (in the EU). Details about both studies can be found at: www.clinicaltrials.gov, keyword "doppler guided uterine artery occlusion".

Results of the CHASM study will be presented on October 30, 2008 as part of Plenary Session 7, Management of Myomas, at AAGL's annual meeting. Details about the session can be found at http://www.aagl.org/annual-meeting.

About Ethicon Women's Health and Urology

ETHICON Women's Health & Urology offers treatment solutions for a range of common, female pelvic health disorders. The technologies are marketed under the GYNECARE family of brands and include treatments for menorrhagia (heavy periods), fibroids, stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. ETHICON Women's Health & Urology is a division of ETHICON, Inc, a Johnson & Johnson company. For more information visit www.gynecare.com.

Source: ETHICON Women?s Health & Urology

Economic Update: You Should Invest (in Your Appearance)

2008-10-29T20:41:00.000-07:00

Unless you're portraying a wizened gunslinger in a gritty western, those creases, lines and pores may very well be holding you back, in ways that you may not even realize. Perhaps the boss decides you are not conveying enough vim and vitality, so he sends you on a bogus errand to keep you out of a key sales meeting with an important client. Your mate complains that you appear angry and depressed all of the time, and begins eyeing greener pastures, which could lead you to become -- well, angry and depressed.
The old adage that you never get a second chance to make a good first impression has never been truer than today, in our iconic, hi-def world. And although most of us will never do the 'princess wave' wearing a tiara -- we are, nevertheless, competing for career opportunities, social status, and mating privileges, in a very youth-oriented, image-driven society. Fortunately for many of us, we've just entered an era where medical and surgical correction is no longer just the stuff of Hollywood stars, the privileged elite and presidential candidates.

According to Jeffrey Adelglass, M.D., F.A.C.S., Medical Director and Chief of Surgery of SKINTASTIC Medical and Surgical Rejuvenation Center of Plano, Texas, "We live in an amazing time. Until several short years ago, all the beauty world really had to offer was makeup to cover-up the truth, cold-cream, soaps and astringents to remove the makeup prior to re-application, and an abundance of 'snake-oil' cellulite 'cures.' Decade after decade, women faithfully lined up at the corner drug store to slather on the latest miracle creams and dreams of beauty, only to find each promise of renewed youth to be as empty as the one before it. Recently, however, the mountain of science technology has begun erupting with medical breakthrough discoveries, some of which have found their way to medical rejuvenation applications. The rest, my dear, is history."

Dr. Adelglass' passion has been searching out and incorporating the most dynamic and effective medical technologies and pharmaceutical products for his medical spa, SKINTASTIC. He continues, "At SKINTASTIC, we offer a number of minimally- and non-invasive, little and even no-downtime treatments that really can take 10 to 20 years off of a patient's appearance -- many treatments take an hour or less. For some patients, it's like taking on an entirely new identity. I am thrilled to a part of that transformation; I truly love what I do."

In recent weeks, the economy has fluctuated. A lot of people are wondering where to invest, and ways to protect their financial investments. Dr. Adelglass says, "Don't forget to invest in your personal appearance, because appearance strongly influences earning potential and can help open doors to other opportunities. Whether you are a man or a woman, maintaining an attractive, youthful appearance may help you to stay in your career longer, and may help you to be more successful in it."

Experience counts. Dr. Adelglass was the first Texas physician to recently achieve simultaneous Diamond pinnacle-level status as a Botox® injector and Triple-Platinum status with Medicis, the makers of Restylane® and Perlane® injectable H.A. fillers. Dr. Adelglass is a member of the Star Program -- a select group of cosmetic physicians specially-trained to work with new Evolence® collagen filler, and is a Radiesse® medical education panel member. He serves on the scientific advisory boards of most, if not all U.S. dermal filler companies, and on the National Education Foundation for Allergan, instructing other cosmetic physicians to safely administer Botox® using his well-honed injection techniques. Dr. Adelglass is also an official training instructor for SmartLipo(TM) laser body sculpting, the DOT Fractional CO2 skin resurfacing laser, ArteFill® non-resorbable, and Juvederm® fillers. With his level of experience, it's no wonder that many of the representatives of these companies, with all their available options, select Dr. Adelglass as their own cosmetic physician of choice.

SKINTASTIC(TM) 'INVEST IN YOURSELF' FILLER REBATE OFFER:

Receive a $50.00 rebate with the purchase of 1 syringe, or $100.00 with the purchase of 2 syringes of Restylane® or Perlane® dermal filler, or a $75 rebate with the purchase of 2 syringes of Juvederm®. Offer ends 10/31/2008; call SKINTASTIC(TM) for complete offer details.

SKINTASTIC Medical and Surgical Rejuvenation Center is located at 6020 W. Parker Road, Suite 400 in the Presbyterian Plano Center for Diagnostics and Surgery, in Plano, Texas. Any questions or comments should be directed to Pamela Fox, Director of Communications, at 972-620-3223 or emailed to skintastic@skintastic.com.

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

Source: SKINTASTIC Medical and Surgical Rejuvenation Center

Living With Asperger's Syndrome -- A Candid Memoir About a Woman Who Would Not Give Up On Her Son's Condition

2008-10-29T20:39:00.000-07:00

Many people already know about autism. But it is not so well known that autism belongs to a wider class of conditions called autism spectrum disorders. One such manifestation is called Asperger's Syndrome (Savant) which also causes learning disabilities, developmental problems, and difficulties with social interaction. Some unfortunate youngsters, in fact, may be labeled as ``unteachable.'' Judy Creel's son had this syndrome but she refused to believe that there was no hope for him. Read a touching story about a mother's love and determination in Life with an Angel and a Fight with the Devil.

This is an inspirational true story about faith, love, and challenges of life in raising a child with Asperger's Syndrome (Savant). With the author's family moving some 28 times in 33 years, it touches on the many adventures -- the good times and the bad -- they had along the way. Life with an Angel and a Fight with the Devil is a candid book that also discusses the spiritual dimension of their journey. It is a must read for anyone who has an afflicted person to care for, those who want to know more about autism, and will encourage and inspire those who are in a similar situation.

It also addresses the problem and challenge of educating children and adults with special needs. In this case, the author and her husband found it necessary and rewarding to go outside the public school system to find help for their son. They also drew upon a deep well of faith to sustain them. This part really enters the spiritual realm and... well, you just have to read the story to see.

Get a copy now! For more information, log on to http://www.Xlibris.com or http://www.lifewithanangel.net.

About the Author

Judy Creel has had a love for Literature since she began reading as a young girl. She graduated with honors from high school, majoring in English and Literature. Much of her literary readings were of a spiritual content, including books of the Christian Bible as a regular, daily activity. Her real education was when she began teaching her son. She taught herself in all areas of education in order to be prepared to bring her son's education to the college level. This is an accomplishment to be proud of as an early and incorrect diagnosis of her son put him in the category of those with a low IQ and considered to be, ``unteachable.'' She persevered until her goal was accomplished in spite of the difficulties of a somewhat unusual life of being married to a Contract Engineer whose job required that he move a lot from one area of the country to another.

Life with an Angel and a Fight with the Devil * by Judy V. Creel
Publication Date: 09/11/2008
Trade Paperback; $19.99; 217 pages; 978-1-4363-5618-3
Cloth Hardback; $29.99; 217 pages; 978-1-4363-5619-0

To request a complimentary paperback review copy, contact the publisher at (888) 795-4274 x. 7479. Tear sheets may be sent by regular or electronic mail to Marketing Services. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (610) 915-0294 or call (888) 795-4274 x.7876.

Xlibris books can be purchased at Xlibris bookstore. For more information, contact Xlibris at (888) 795-4274 or on the web at http://www.Xlibris.com or http://www.lifewithanangel.net.

Contact:

Xlibris
Marketing Services
(888) 795-4274 x. 7876
MarketingServices@Xlibris.com

Source: Xlibris

HealthStream Announces Third Quarter 2008 Results

2008-10-29T01:11:00.000-07:00

HealthStream, Inc., a leading provider of learning and research solutions for the healthcare industry, announced today results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2008.

Highlights:

* Revenues of $13.7 million in the third quarter of 2008, up 16% over the third quarter of 2007
* Net income of $609,000, compared to $739,000 in the third quarter of 2007; annual customer Summit costs of $720,000 incurred in third quarter of 2008 versus second quarter of 2007
* Adjusted EBITDA of $1.9 million in the third quarter of 2008, compared to $2.1 million in the third quarter of 2007
* 1,692,000 healthcare professional subscribers fully implemented on our Internet-based learning network at September 30, 2008, up from 1,457,000 at September 30, 2007
* $3 million stock repurchase plan completed resulting in 1,119,900 shares purchased at average price of $2.68 per share

Financial Results:

Third Quarter 2008 Compared to Third Quarter 2007

Revenues for the third quarter of 2008 increased $1.9 million, or 16 percent, to $13.7 million, compared to $11.8 million for the third quarter of 2007. The Company’s revenue mix during the third quarter of 2008 was comprised of 62 percent of revenues from HealthStream Learning and 38 percent of revenues from HealthStream Research. This compares to 58 percent from HealthStream Learning and 42 percent from HealthStream Research during the third quarter of 2007.

Revenues from HealthStream Learning increased by $1.7 million when compared to the third quarter of 2007. Of this increase, $1.8 million was derived from our Internet-based subscription learning products, which includes revenue increases from the HealthStream Learning Center® (HLC) of $883,000 and from courseware subscriptions and online training services of $874,000. Revenues from these products increased 32 percent over the prior year quarter and approximated $7.3 million for the third quarter of 2008. This increase in revenues was partially offset by a decrease in revenues from live events, study guides, and association activities, which collectively declined $333,000 compared to the prior year quarter.

Revenues from HealthStream Research increased by $187,000 when compared to the third quarter of 2007. HealthStream Research provides four survey product lines: patient, physician, employee and community. Revenue mix changes over the prior year quarter included increases of $601,000 in the patient and community product lines and decreases of approximately $493,000 in the physician and employee product lines. The decrease in the physician product line is partly attributable to the loss of one customer contract.

Gross margin, which we define as revenues less cost of revenues (excluding depreciation and amortization) divided by revenues, approximated 62 percent for the third quarter of 2008 and 63 percent for the third quarter of 2007. In HealthStream Research, we experienced lower gross margins as a result of lower revenues from physician and employee surveys, which have higher gross margins than patient and community surveys. In HealthStream Learning, gross margins improved slightly compared to the prior year quarter due to the increase in HLC revenues, but were somewhat offset by increased personnel expenses and increased royalties paid by us associated with increased revenues from a portion of our courseware subscription products.

Product development, sales and marketing, and other general and administrative expenses all increased over the prior year quarter. Product development grew by $366,000, which was primarily associated with maintenance and support of our HealthStream Learning products, as well as a redesignation of personnel to product development from general and administrative expenses within HealthStream Research. Sales and marketing expenses increased by $828,000 over the prior year quarter, of which $550,000 resulted from marketing expenses in conjunction with our annual Summit. For comparative purposes, this event was held during the second quarter of the prior year. Additions of sales personnel to both HealthStream Learning and HealthStream Research accounted for the remaining increases in sales and marketing expenses. Depreciation and amortization decreased $142,000 compared to the prior year quarter. Other general and administrative categories increased $124,000 over the prior year quarter.

Net income for the third quarter of 2008 was $609,000, or $0.03 per share (diluted), compared to $739,000, or $0.03 per share (diluted), for the third quarter of 2007. The decline in net income is consistent with the factors mentioned above.

Adjusted EBITDA (which we define as net income before interest, income taxes, share-based compensation, and depreciation and amortization) was $1.9 million for the third quarter of 2008, compared to $2.1 million for the third quarter of 2007. This result is consistent with the factors mentioned above, including the expense for our annual Summit of approximately $720,000. Our reconciliation of this calculation to measures under generally accepted accounting principles is attached in the Summary Financial Data.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2008, revenues grew by 19.2 percent from $32.0 million to $38.1 million. Operating income for the same period increased by $312,000 from $1.0 million to $1.3 million or 29.8 percent. Net income grew from $1.2 million to $1.4 million, or 17 percent, for the comparable nine month periods.

Other Financial Indicators

At September 30, 2008, the Company had cash and related interest receivable of $3.0 million, compared to $5.8 million at June 30, 2008. The decrease in cash primarily resulted from $1.9 million of cash used during the quarter to repurchase shares of our common stock pursuant to our previously announced stock repurchase plan and to slower cash receipts from customers. Capital expenditures and capitalized feature enhancement development totaled approximately $0.7 million for the third quarter of 2008.

Our days sales outstanding, which we calculate by dividing the accounts receivable balance, excluding unbilled and other receivables, by average daily revenues for the quarter, approximated 63 days for the third quarter of 2008 compared to 60 days for the third quarter of 2007 and 48 days for the second quarter of 2008. The increase over the prior year quarter and the prior quarter is associated with slower collections from customers during the quarter.

Stock Repurchase Plan Update

During the third quarter of 2008, we concluded our $3 million stock repurchase program that we announced in September 2007. During the third quarter ended September 30, 2008, we purchased 768,700 shares for $1.9 million, for an average price of approximately $2.50 per share. Pursuant to this repurchase plan, since September 2007, we purchased an aggregate 1,119,900 shares for approximately $3 million, yielding an overall average purchase of $2.68 per share.

HealthStream Learning Update

HealthStream supports healthcare organizations in delivering quality patient care, creating safer hospitals, meeting regulatory training requirements, and developing professional skills through our innovative learning solutions. To this end, we provide a range of learning solutions that include: the HLC—our Internet-based learning platform, a wide range of professional, clinical, and regulatory content subscriptions, an online authoring/self-publishing tool, and learning activities for healthcare professionals sponsored by pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

At September 30, 2008, approximately 1,692,000 healthcare professionals were fully implemented to use our Internet-based HLC for training and education. This number is up from approximately 1,639,000 at June 30, 2008. The total number of contracted subscribers at September 30, 2008 was approximately 1,762,000, up from 1,614,000 at September 30, 2007. “Contracted subscribers” include both those already implemented (1,692,000) and those in the process of implementation (70,000). Revenue recognition commences when a contract is fully implemented.

Customers representing approximately 82 percent of subscribers that were up for renewal did renew in the third quarter of 2008, while our renewal rate based on the annual contract value was approximately 89 percent. The renewal rates for the third quarter of 2008 compare to a subscriber renewal rate of 100 percent and an annual contract value renewal rate of 110 percent during the third quarter of 2007. During the third quarter of 2008, quarterly renewal rates were negatively impacted by the non-renewal of two customers which accounted for 12,000 subscribers.

HealthStream Research Update

We support healthcare organizations with research solutions that provide valuable insight about patients’ experiences, workforce engagement, physician relations, and community perceptions of hospital services. This insight, in turn, provides data-driven roadmaps for organizational and workforce development—which can be achieved through HealthStream’s learning solutions. Our primary research solutions include physician, employee, patient, and community surveys that deliver insight, analyses, and industry benchmarks to healthcare organizations.

During the third quarter of 2008, HealthStream Research added several new healthcare organization customers, including Decatur Memorial Hospital, Jacobi Medical Center, and McAlester Regional Health Center. Among our existing research customers, 52 renewed their contracts for multiple survey products, while 60 chose to contract for more research services in the third quarter to add to their current services received from HealthStream Research.

HealthStream Summit 2008

On September 2nd – 5th, 2008, we welcomed approximately 670 of our learning and research customers from across the nation to our Summit 2008, held in Nashville. At this annual event, workshops, sessions, and presentations focused on the sharing of best practices for developing the healthcare workforce and on improving healthcare organizations. In addition, the Summit provided us with another venue to connect with our customers to learn more about their learning and research needs, while offering one-on-one time to explore new opportunities to support their organizations.

Financial Expectations

Revenues for the fourth quarter of 2008 are expected to range between $13.0 and $13.5 million, an increase of approximately $1.0 to $1.5 million, or 8 to 12 percent, over the same quarter in the prior year. We expect revenues from HealthStream Learning to increase between 9 and 11 percent over the fourth quarter of the prior year resulting from continued growth in our HLC subscriber base and courseware subscriptions, which we anticipate will be partially offset by continued declines in several of our project-based products. We expect revenues from HealthStream Research to increase between 10 and 12 percent, compared to the fourth quarter of 2007.

We anticipate gross margins for the fourth quarter of 2008 to be up slightly compared to the same quarter in the prior year, but be comparable to the third quarter of 2008. Product development expenses are expected to increase in amount and as a percentage of revenue compared to the prior year fourth quarter, but be comparable to the third quarter of 2008. Sales and marketing expenses are expected to increase in amount and as a percentage of revenue compared to the prior year fourth quarter, but decrease in amount and as a percentage of revenue compared to the third quarter of 2008. Depreciation and amortization are expected to increase compared to both the prior year fourth quarter and the third quarter of 2008 as a result of capital expenditures incurred during the second half of 2008. General and administrative expenses are expected to increase slightly in amount but decrease as a percentage of revenues compared to the prior year fourth quarter. We expect net income for the fourth quarter of 2008 to range between $0.04 and $0.06 per diluted share.

We are revising our full year 2008 revenue growth expectation to range between 16 and 18 percent over 2007, and net income per diluted share for the full year of 2008 to be in the range between $0.10 and $0.12. Our estimates for the fourth quarter and full year of 2008 do not reflect any income tax benefit associated with the realization of additional deferred tax assets. We will continue to evaluate the need for a valuation allowance on our remaining deferred tax assets based on whether they will more likely than not be realized in the future.

Capital expenditures are expected to approximate $3.5 million in 2008.

“During the third quarter, we were delighted to welcome approximately 670 of our hospital customers to our annual Summit in Nashville,” said Robert A. Frist, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer. “At this event, we announced several new partnerships and courseware offerings for our customers, including Laerdal’s HeartCode™ ACLS Web-based program and Essential Learning’s Behavioral Health Library. Partnerships with Knowledge Factor and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) were announced, with course offerings from each anticipated in 2009. We are excited to deliver these new products to our customers—and we look forward to working with our new partners.”

A conference call with Robert A. Frist, Jr, chairman and chief executive officer, Gerard M. Hayden, Jr., senior vice president and chief financial officer, and Mollie Condra, senior director of communications, research, and investor relations will be held on Wednesday, October 29th, at 9:00 a.m. (Eastern). To listen to the conference, please dial 877-719-9791 (no passcode needed) if you are calling within the domestic U.S. or Canada. If you are an international caller, please dial 719-325-4803 (no passcode needed). The conference may also be accessed by going to http://ir.healthstream.com/events.cfm for the simultaneous Webcast of the call, which will subsequently be available for replay. The replay telephone numbers are 888-203-1112 (passcode #1594888) for U.S. and Canadian callers and 719-457-0820 (passcode #1594888) for international callers.

About HealthStream

HealthStream is a leading provider of research and learning solutions for the healthcare industry, transforming insight into action to deliver outcomes-based results for healthcare organizations. Through HealthStream’s learning solutions—which have been contracted by approximately 1.8 million hospital-based healthcare professionals—healthcare organizations create safer environments for patients, increase clinical competencies of their workforces, and facilitate the rapid transfer of the latest knowledge and technologies. Through our research products, executives from healthcare organizations gain valuable insight about patients’ experiences, workforce challenges, physician relations, and community perceptions of their services. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, HealthStream has two satellite offices. For more information about HealthStream’s learning and research solutions, visit www.healthstream.com or call us at 800-933-9293.

Contact:

HealthStream, Inc.
Gerard M. Hayden, Jr.
Chief Financial Officer
615-301-3163
ir@healthstream.com
or
Media:
Mollie Elizabeth Condra
Senior Director, Communications,
Research and Investor Relations
615-301-3237
Mollie.Condra@healthstream.com

Source: HealthStream, Inc.

Professional Healthcare Ranked Among the Top 25 Percent of Home Health Care Providers in the Country for 2008

2008-10-29T01:04:00.000-07:00

Professional Healthcare Resources, Inc., one of the largest proprietary Medicare certified home healthcare agencies based in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, is proud to announce that it has been named to the 2008 Homecare Elite. The selection was made by Outcomes Concepts Systems, Inc. (OCS) a Seattle, WA based healthcare information agency and Decision Health(TM), a Rockville, MD based healthcare publisher.
This annual review identifies the top 25 percent of home healthcare agencies nation-wide, ranked by an analysis of performance measures in quality outcomes, quality improvement and financial performance. The data used for this analysis was compiled from publicly available information on Medicare's Home Health Compare and CMS Cost Reports.

The 2008 HomeCare Elite also indicates those providers who are included in the Top 100 and Top 500 providers nationwide. Our Washington, DC branch made the list for the third year in a row and was picked as one of the Top 500 agencies in the country. All our Virginia branches (located in Annandale, Richmond, Roanoke, and Norfolk) and our Lanham, MD branch were ranked in the Top 25 Percent list. In 2007, Professional Healthcare Resources had 6 branches on the HomeCare Elite list, and repeated that performance in 2008.

"The 2008 HomeCare Elite winners exemplify a commitment to providing their patients with optimum care while performing at the highest level", said Nancy Buller, Senior Director of Marketing Communications at OCS, Inc. "We congratulate Professional Healthcare on being one of the Top home care agencies in the country."

Ron DeCesare, CEO of Professional Healthcare said "I am proud to be part of a team that has been a HomeCare Elite winner for three years in a row, every year it has been awarded. Our clinical teams work hard to provide the best possible healthcare for the patients we serve, and it shows in our patient care outcomes."

About Professional Healthcare Resources

Founded in 1994, Professional Healthcare is a locally owned and operated home healthcare company that provides skilled nursing care, therapy/rehabilitative services, personal care, and medical social services in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, and hospice services in Maryland. With a continuum of healthcare services, and eight branches in the DC Metro region and Southern Virginia, Professional Healthcare can meet the changing needs of home care patients. For more information please visit www.professionalhealthcare.com or call 1-866-243-1234.

About OCS

OCS is the market leader in healthcare information solutions. By collecting, evaluating and interpreting healthcare information, we empower leaders with data-driven insight that helps optimize mission-critical decision making. OCS combines the richness of the nation's most comprehensive post- acute data warehouse with cutting-edge analysis tools, consulting services and custom technology solutions. Our information-based solutions facilitate providers, payors, industry analysts, consultants, Federal and state governments, medical products and pharmaceutical companies with advancing their missions using objective, independent information that is not available from other sources. Learn more at www.ocsys.com or call 888.325.3396.

About DecisionHealth

DecisionHealth® serves the clinical, business and regulatory needs of health care practitioners, providers and their administrative staff nationwide, including home health agencies. For more than 20 years, DecisionHealth has served as the industry's leading source for news, analysis and instructional guidance with brand names such as Home Health Line, Home Care Outcomes, the Complete Home Health ICD-9-CM Diagnosis Coding Manual, Private Duty Insider and Diagnosis Coding Pro for Home Health. Our unique blend of award-winning information specialists, in-house journalists and unmatched access to health care executives, providers and their staffs results in news, analysis and solutions that have captured the attention of nearly 100,000 healthcare readers. For more information, please visit www.DecisionHealth.com or call 877.602.3835.

Source: Professional Healthcare Resources, Inc.