Vodafone and Exco InTouch partner to develop a Patient Reported Outcomes solution that will transform patient engagement in clinical trials

(26 June 2012) Vodafone, one of the world's largest mobile communications companies, announced today that it has signed an agreement with Exco InTouch, a leading provider of compliant, interactive mobile patient management solutions.

Together they will deliver Vodafone Patient Reported Outcomes (Vodafone PRO), a solution which has the potential to radically improve patient compliance and data quality in clinical research.

Vodafone PRO enables high quality data to be gathered as trial participants can report their experiences quickly and easily using their own mobile phone.  The service will be available on a global scale, benefiting from Vodafone’s international footprint and in-depth mobile and consumer insight, along with Exco InTouch’s extensive background in patient engagement. As more than 85% of the world’s population now own a mobile phone, the solution is using accessible technology that is firmly embedded in many people’s lives.

Exco InTouch’s solutions have been chosen by Vodafone as they provide simple, non-intrusive and compliant channels of communication. This enables sponsors and Contract Research Organisations to find and retain the right patients through engaging interactions and improved patient experience as well as offering customisable solutions to facilitate the collection of high quality patient data.

Axel Nemetz, Head of mHealth Solutions for Vodafone, said. “With this collaboration, Vodafone is confident that we can offer our clients the most innovative and effective clinical research solutions available in the global market. Our involvement will enable sponsors to choose our services for entire therapeutic areas around the world.” The initiative supports Vodafone’s strategy to expand its global and scalable healthcare services.

Tim Davis, CEO, Exco InTouch, comments: “Exco InTouch is delighted to enter into this complementary agreement with Vodafone. It demonstrates the extent to which mobile phone technology is increasingly being recognised by large pharmaceutical companies as an effective tool for the collection of clinical trial data. As a result of the partnership, research sponsors will be able to monitor safety and manage compliance in real time. This will make clinical trials easier and safer for patients, while enabling researchers to collect and process data quickly, accurately and reliably.”

Vodafone PRO can be configured for different study protocols in all phases of clinical research to collect crucial patient reported end point data. This scalable solution allows large volumes of high quality patient data to be securely transferred, validated and analysed in clinical trials. Vodafone PRO will make it easier for sponsors to retain and track people participating in trials and, through the patient-centred approach, is designed to improve the quality of data captured.

To learn more about this new partnership agreement, visit the Exco InTouch booth (#3201) at the DIA Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, 24-28 June, 2012.

For further information on the Exco InTouch range of solutions, please call +44 1279 709 040 or +1 877 327 5777 or visit www.excointouch.co.uk.

For further information on Vodafone mHealth Solutions, visit http://mhealth.vodafone.com.

-ENDS-

For further press information please contact: Michelle Valentine, The Scott Partnership, 1 Whiteside, Station Road, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire CW4 8AA Tel: +44 1477 539539 Fax: +44 1477 539540 e-mail: exco@scottpr.com

About Exco InTouch

Exco InTouch is the trusted global innovator of regulatory compliant, mobile patient engagement solutions for life sciences and healthcare companies involved in clinical, late phase and mHealth research. Using a combination of patented software and services delivered in a cloud environment, Exco’s solutions can be utilised on any electronic device. This safe, secure platform facilitates compliant patient communication across the clinical development process from early phase development right through to long term studies and mHealth. As a result, Exco can help its customers to improve clinical outcomes by putting the patient at the heart of a study and enhancing the overall patient experience.

Exco’s solutions are currently being used by hundreds of thousands of patients in over seventy countries, delivered in the local language and are fully compliant with HIPAA regulations, FDA CFR 21 Part 11 and all electronic communication privacy directives.

About Vodafone

Vodafone is one of the world's largest mobile communications companies by revenue with approximately 404 million customers in its controlled and jointly controlled markets as at 31 March 2012. Vodafone currently has equity interests in over 30 countries across five continents and more than 40 partner networks worldwide. For more information, please visit www.vodafone.com.

Microsaic Systems Appoints The Scott Partnership to Support Growth Strategy

Consultancy Appointed to Lead Strategic PR Campaign Aimed at Raising Brand Awareness and Engaging Stakeholders

Cheshire, UK (26 June 2012) - The Scott Partnership, a leading global business-to-business PR and marketing communications agency, has been appointed by Microsaic Systems to raise company and brand awareness. The agency was selected for its ethos and track-record for delivering effective, results-driven communications strategies to a number of global organisations in the life sciences sector, which was imperative to Microsaic System’s decision.

The Scott Partnership will support Microsaic System’s growth in the UK and US and increase the visibility of its innovative technology; the Microsaic 3500 MiD, the world’s first chip based mass spectrometer. A versatile and portable solution for bench chemists in medicinal chemist laboratories, it has been developed in collaboration with three major pharmaceutical companies and is simple and intuitive to use. It is 90% smaller than conventional mass spectrometers with fewer infrastructure requirements and can be configured and ready to use in one hour. The extremely robust system has a drastically reduced footprint, making it the ideal mass spectrometer for the modern laboratory.

Microsaic Systems is at a very exciting time in its development. It has revolutionised mass spectrometry by integrating key miniaturised components onto patented chip technologies called ionchip®, spraychip®, and vac-chip. The core technologies are chip-scaled versions of traditional mass spectrometry components which can be interchanged rapidly by the user, enabling greater adaptability and speed of use. The Scott Partnership will engage stakeholders around this innovation, raising awareness of and demand for the technology.

“The Scott Partnership has a proven track record for delivering successful results-driven communications campaigns in the life sciences markets globally and they will be able to raise awareness of the world’s first chip-based mass spectrometer and support our continuing growth,” said Professor Eric Yeatman, Acting CEO of Microsaic Systems. “We want to spread the message that mass spectrometry is now more accessible to more laboratories than ever before.”

Kath Darlington, CEO at The Scott Partnership, adds: “Our expertise and specialist knowledge of the industry will enable us to provide a PR campaign that raises awareness of Microsaic’s innovative technologies and strengthens its position in the marketplace as an industry leader. Microsaic is a key account win for the business in 2012 and will provide an excellent complement to our existing clients.”

This latest addition to The Scott Partnership’s client portfolio is a further step in the company’s on-going expansion, strengthening its customer base. Located near Manchester, UK, it was set up in 1996 as a specialist business-to-business PR consultancy for scientific and technology industries. Due to its expertise, specialisation and commitment to building strong and long-lasting relationships with clients and media, it has become one of the leading life sciences and technology communications consultancies with clients in the US, UK, mainland Europe and Asia.

About Microsaic Systems plc

Microsaic Systems plc is a high technology company developing and marketing next generation mass spectrometry (MS) instruments for the analysis of gaseous, liquid and solid samples. Microsaic has successfully miniaturised mass spectrometry by integrating the key MS components onto patented chip technologies called ionchip®, spraychip® and vac-chip. Microsaic’s MS products retain the speed and sensitivity of larger, conventional MS systems but are substantially smaller, lighter, consume less energy and have lower running costs. The Company’s first product, the Microsaic 3500 MiD®, was launched in January 2011 and is the world’s smallest MS system.

Microsaic Systems plc was established in 2001 to develop miniaturized MS instruments based on Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) originating at the highly regarded Optical and Semiconductor Devices Group at Imperial College London. Microsaic has subsequently established a large portfolio of 88 patents, of which 36 are granted. The Company has been based at headquarters in Woking, UK since September 2004 and was admitted to AIM, a market of the London Stock Exchange, in April 2011 (ticker: MSYS).

For further press information please contact: Sarah Evans, The Scott Partnership, 1 Whiteside, Station Road, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire. CW4 8AA, United Kingdom Tel: + 44 1477 539539  Fax: +44  1477 539540  mail to: pr@scottpr.com

About The Scott Partnership

Based near Manchester, UK, The Scott Partnership is a specialist business-to-business PR and marketing communications agency for the healthcare, life sciences, technology, environmental and chemical industries, which has grown to become one of the leading communications consultancies in Europe. Founded in 1996, the company’s accelerated growth plan has seen it establish offices in Boston and Shanghai in the past three years as well as recent acquisitions of life science agencies Kapler Communications Ltd and Phoenix Marcom Communications Ltd. It is soon to establish a base in India. In 2012, it entered PR Week’s Top 150 PR Consultancies league table.

For more information on The Scott Partnership, please call +44 (0)1477 539 539. Alternatively e-mail business@scottpr.com or visit www.scottpr.com.

Greenphire Signs Enterprise Agreement with Top 20 Biopharmaceutical Company

KING of PRUSSIA, PA (June 25, 2012) – Greenphire, the leading provider of clinical payment technology and service solutions to Biopharmaceutical and medical device companies, today announced it has signed a 5-year enterprise agreement with a top 20 Biopharmaceutical Sponsor for its eClinicalGPS solution.

The eClinicalGPS solution will allow the Sponsor to fully automate the calculation, approval and execution of payments to clinical research sites in over 200 countries in local currency.  The solution will be deployed across all new and existing studies.  Beyond the immediate need to more effectively manage the payment process, improve efficiency, reduce costs and provide a single source for clinical financial analytics, the solution also provides the platform on which to aggregate all site payment in preparation for the compliance requirements of the Sunshine Act and related international transparency regulation.

Greenphire Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Sam Whitaker, commented, “this agreement represents the beginning of a significant change in the way Sponsors think about the payment process within the clinical trial environment. Our vision of applying well designed, automated and scalable technology to a process which has historically relied on manual processes is driving positive change. We are reducing administrative burden, reducing payment cycle times and improving accuracy.”

About Greenphire:

Greenphire is the industry’s leading provider of clinical payment technology, designed to change the way research professionals work. The company leverages proprietary workflow automation and advanced web‐based payment technologies to enable users to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, mitigate regulatory risks, increase subject retention and compliance, and produce quantifiable results that improve clinical operations and strategic planning. For additional information about the company, please visit www.greenphire.com.

Exco InTouch is Named Microsoft Managed Partner within Life Sciences

Strengthened Partnership Facilitates Advancements in Patient Engagement Solutions

(25 June 2012) Exco InTouch, the leading provider of mobile patient engagement, data collection and communication solutions for the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, today announced that it has been named a Microsoft Managed Partner. Exco has been recognized by Microsoft’s Life Science team for the company’s unparalleled expertise in managing patients in regulatory and late phase clinical trials, as well as in the emerging mHealth space for marketed drugs.

Exco InTouch was selected based on a number of criteria, including the company’s established track record of providing unique solutions using cutting-edge technologies, in addition to revenue potential and growth. Exco InTouch is a global provider of regulatory compliant, simple and non-intrusive mobile patient communication solutions for clinical, late phase and mHealth studies. This enables sponsors and CROs to find and retain the right patients through engaging interactions and improved patient experience. The Managed Partner program will provide Exco InTouch with valuable resources to accelerate the adoption of its solutions in the life sciences market. 

Tim Davis of Exco InTouch said, “Exco InTouch is delighted to be included in the elite group of Microsoft Managed Partners. The early access we will receive to emerging Microsoft technologies, information, tools and support will enable us to develop the most advanced patient engagement solutions to date and our customers can look forward to experiencing these benefits as our partnership with Microsoft continues.”

“As the life sciences industry continues to adapt to increased regulatory standards and a higher volume of patients, new technology solutions have the potential to revolutionize the way we manage these processes, ” said Andrea McGonigle, managing director, Microsoft Life Sciences. “Exco InTouch is an example of a partner that can help companies deliver reliable data throughout their clinical and late phase studies in an accessible and user friendly way.”

For further information on the Exco InTouch range of solutions, please call +44 1279 709 040 or +1 877 327 5777 or visit www.excointouch.com.

-ENDS-

For further press information please contact: Michelle Valentine, The Scott Partnership, 1 Whiteside, Station Road, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire CW4 8AA Tel: +44 1477 539539 Fax: +44 1477 539540 e-mail: exco@scottpr.com

About Exco InTouch

Exco InTouch is the trusted global innovator of regulatory compliant, mobile patient engagement solutions for life sciences and healthcare companies involved in clinical, late phase and mHealth research. Using a combination of patented software and services delivered in a cloud environment, Exco’s solutions can be utilised on any electronic device. This safe, secure platform facilitates compliant patient communication across the clinical development process from early phase development right through to long term studies and mHealth. As a result, Exco can help its customers to improve clinical outcomes by putting the patient at the heart of a study and enhancing the overall patient experience.

Exco’s solutions are currently being used by hundreds of thousands of patients in over seventy countries, delivered in the local language and are fully compliant with HIPAA regulations, FDA CFR 21 Part 11 and all electronic communication privacy directives.

Patient care increasingly at risk unless NHS changes the way it provides services

As the annual NHS Confederation conference and exhibition gets underway, chief executive Mike Farrar warns that the NHS must win public backing for long-term radical changes to healthcare services or the care of patients will be put at risk. As the leading supplier of health and social care workers to the public sector, HCL Workforce Solutions is attending the conference and exhibition, showcasing HCL Clarity

HCL Clarity, a managed service for modern staffing solutions, demonstrates HCL’s commitment to supporting the NHS at this time of austerity and financial turbulence.

At the event, Mr. Farrar will publish the results of a major survey of NHS leaders highlighting growing fears about the impact of financial pressures on the quality of care.

Storm clouds gathering

In a statement published ahead of the conference, Mr. Farrar said: “Despite huge efforts to maintain standards of patient care in the current financial year, healthcare leaders are deeply concerned about the storm clouds that are gathering around the NHS,”

“Our survey shows that many NHS leaders see finances getting worse and that this is already having a growing impact on their patients. In response, they are cutting costs in the short-term but they know that much more radical solutions are the only answer in the long run.”

Survey findings

Headline findings from the NHS Confederation's member survey of chief executives and chairs show:

• Healthcare chiefs believe the financial position the NHS is facing is very serious
• The pressure on the NHS is greater than 12 months ago and is set to increase further
• Many NHS leaders say care in their organisation has been affected, particularly the experience of patients, and they expect to see the impact on care spread over the next year
• There is serious concern about the outlook for patient care nationally
• Cuts to local authority funding have added to the pressure facing the NHS
• Confidence varies in the readiness of parts of the new NHS system
• There is strong consensus that radical long-term action for the NHS is necessary
• Healthcare leaders want the Government to back them in addressing long-term challenges facing the NHS

See the survey findings in full.

Read a summary.

Annual conference and exhibition

The NHS Confederation annual conference and exhibition (22 to 22 June) will be the first time the NHS has come together nationally since the passing of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Watch the main speakers live. Key speakers include:

• Health secretary Andrew Lansley
• NHS chief executive David Nicholson
• Health Select Committee chair Stephen Dorrell

Ends.

For any further information, contact HCL Communications and PR Manager Laura Ackland on +44 (0) 207 451 1448.

About HCL plc

HCL plc, headquartered in London, was formed in 2003 and is a leading provider of staffing solutions in the health and social care sectors. HCL supplies over 2,000 temporary and permanent doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, qualified social workers and administration & clerical staff to public and private sectors every week. We are an international company with offices in UK and Australia and recruitment drives in Europe. For more information please visit our website at www.hclplc.com, view our facebook page or follow us on Twitter @HCLplc.

Microsaic Systems Wins R&D 100 Award for the World’s Most Compact Mass Spectrometer

(Woking, June 21st 2012) - Microsaic Systems plc, the high technology company developing next generation mass spectrometry instruments, is proud to announce that its 3500 MiD mass spectrometer has been chosen as an R&D 100 award winner by an independent judging panel and the editors of R&D Magazine. The award recognises the 3500 MiD as one of the most technologically significant products to enter the marketplace in 2011. Microsaic is the first and only company to have commercialised MS (mass spectrometry) technology on a chip. The instrument distinguished itself among other entries as the chips allow production of MS detectors that are smaller, lighter, consume less energy, are easier to maintain and cheaper to run than conventional MS systems. 

MS is widely accepted as one of the most reliable methods for identifying chemicals, and MS systems are used to accurately identify the chemicals that make up gaseous, liquid and solid samples.  MS is used across a range of sectors including government, energy, utilities, pharmaceuticals, environmental, food & drink, healthcare and industrial chemicals.  Although fast and sensitive, typical MS systems are large, heavy, energy intensive, expensive and complex to use, as a result, MS systems tend to be shared, central facilities. The 3500 MiD represents a step change in the ease of use and footprint of mass spectrometry.

Most revolutionary is the fact that the 3500 MiD, uniquely, is fully self contained, making it highly portable. All other commercial mass spectrometers have external vacuum pumps, which typically sit on the floor and connect to the instrument with vacuum hoses. The 3500 MiD’s small size – about one third that of the main unit of typical competitors - means it can be easily incorporated within a stack or cluster of instruments on a particular chemist’s work space – it is even small enough to sit inside a fume hood. This results in greater workplace productivity, by giving chemists access to immediate results, offering economic benefit in areas such as drug discovery and synthesis. It will also bring the accuracy and reliability of mass spectrometry to on-site analysis applications such as sports forensics, food & beverage quality, and oil and gas exploration.

“The awards have long been a benchmark of excellence so we are delighted to have been selected for the R&D 100 award - the competition has been strong this year so it is a great achievement to be acknowledged by industry leaders as one of the most valuable and significant products released to the market,” said Professor Eric Yeatman, CEO of Microsaic Systems. “The 3500 MiD is the culmination of over a decade of research, bringing together two high tech fields – chemical analysis and silicon micro-engineering – to make possible a transformative capability in detection. Its low operating cost and small footprint make the 3500 MiD deployable in a wide range of applications where mass spectrometry has not been able to reach until now – a true innovation.”

For more information about the Microsaic 3500 MiD system, please call +44 1483 751 577, email media@microsaic.com or visit www.microsaic.com

About Microsaic Systems plc

Microsaic Systems plc is a high technology company developing and marketing next generation mass spectrometry (MS) instruments for the analysis of gaseous, liquid and solid samples. Microsaic has successfully miniaturised mass spectrometry by integrating the key MS components onto patented chip technologies called ionchip®, spraychip® and vac-chip. Microsaic’s MS products retain the speed and sensitivity of larger, conventional MS systems but are substantially smaller, lighter, consume less energy and have lower running costs. The Company’s first product, the Microsaic 3500 MiD®, was launched in January 2011 and is the world’s smallest MS system.

Microsaic Systems plc was established in 2001 to develop miniaturized MS instruments based on Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) originating at the highly regarded Optical and Semiconductor Devices Group at Imperial College London. Microsaic has subsequently established a large portfolio of 88 patents, of which 36 are granted. The Company has been based at headquarters in Woking, UK since September 2004 and was admitted to AIM, a market of the London Stock Exchange, in April 2011 (ticker: MSYS).

For further press information please contact: Sarah Evans, The Scott Partnership, 1 Whiteside, Station Road, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire. CW4 8AA, United Kingdom Tel: + 44 1477 539539  Fax: +44  1477 539540  mail to: pr@scottpr.com

Wyatt Technology Introduces New DynaPro Plate Reader II with On-Board Camera Delivering Invaluable Insight into Sample Results

(SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA - June 20 2012) - Wyatt Technology Corporation, the world leader in absolute macromolecular characterization instrumentation and software, today announced the launch of an all-new version of its DynaPro Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) Plate Reader. The DynaPro Plate Reader II is an evolution of the first system, but with the significant addition of an on-board camera capable of acquiring images of each well. The camera enables the collection of clean and easily interpretable images, as well as providing valuable insights into the optimal conditions for each sample. The new system also offers an expanded temperature range, enabling measurements from 4°C up to 85°C for greater flexibility in protein melting and aggregation analyses. The DynaPro Plate Reader II has been designed to provide unparalleled levels of ease-of-use, productivity, reproducibility and flexibility for the most demanding applications in the fields of formulation, stability, crystallography, vaccine development, compound aggregation, nanoparticle characterization, and any field in which determination of molecular or particle size and size distributions is valuable. Finally, the DynaPro Plate Reader II continues to be compatible with hundreds of industry-standard well plates in 96,384 or 1536 well formats.

For more than 30 years, conventional batch DLS was performed in the same, mind-numbing and labor-intensive way, which required analysts to stand or sit next to an instrument for hours, manually measuring samples one after another. The first DynaPro Plate Reader automated this entire process and has broken through the “one-at-a-time” barrier, allowing for the collection of more data in less time, with less effort and greater accuracy.  

Automated DLS also provides a totally new level of repeatability, reproducibility and stability for classical, kinetic and thermal studies. The DynaPro Plate Reader II contains a stable, temperature-controlled enclosure that is free from dust, providing the ideal environment for performing the most exacting and reliable DLS measurements. Offering an expanded temperature range from 4°C up to 85°C, the new system enables more rapid and accurate response. In addition, the system can be fully operational and efficient even when not all of the wells of a plate are filled. The same samples can also be analyzed multiple times without having to empty and refill the wells, allowing for significant time savings.

Equipped with inexpensive disposable well plates, the DynaPro Plate Reader eliminates the need for cleaning costly quartz cuvettes following each sample analysis to prevent contamination. Thousands of samples and solution conditions can be measured within a single plate for an unprecedented level of comprehensive and non-invasive biophysical characterization. Coupled with liquid handling robots, the DynaPro Plate Reader can also perform unattended for days, saving time in the lab.

For more information on the new Wyatt Technology DynaPro Plate Reader II, please visit www.wyatt.com or email info@wyatt.com

About Wyatt

Based in Santa Barbara, California, Wyatt Technology is the world’s leading provider of instruments for absolute macromolecular characterization. With over 40 years’ experience developing multi-angle light scattering detectors, working with customers in the biotechnology, chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, academic and government arenas, Wyatt prides itself on its entrepreneurial spirit, and the uniqueness of its offerings. The Company’s groundbreaking technology and uncompromising levels of customer care make Wyatt the global hallmark in its field. For more information, please visit www.wyatt.com

For further press information please contact: Laura Browne, The Scott Partnership, 1, Whiteside, Station Road, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, CW4 8AA, United Kingdom Tel: + 44 1477 539539  Fax: +44  1477 539540   email to:wyatt@scottpr.com

Win a Trip to ACS Spring 2013 Meeting & Exposition With Optibrium

Enter the StarDrop application note competition to be in with a chance

CAMBRIDGE, UK, 11 June 2012 – Optibrium, developer of software solutions for drug discovery, today announces the launch of its application note competition offering StarDrop users the opportunity to win a trip to the American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring National Meeting & Exposition 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. For a chance to win, StarDrop users who use the software in their drug discovery projects are invited to submit an application note demonstrating their innovative use of StarDrop. Optibrium is also providing temporary one-month licences during the competition period to enable those not currently using StarDrop to enter the competition alongside current users.

StarDrop helps to guide decisions on the selection and design of compounds in drug discovery, dramatically reducing the time taken to find effective leads and then transform them into candidate drugs with a high probability of success downstream. StarDrop targets chemistries with a good balance of properties using a unique multi-parameter optimisation approach, chemical space visualisation and intuitive data analysis. Furthermore, StarDrop’s interactive designer with Glowing Molecule™ visualisation guides the exploration of compound design strategies with instant feedback on the impact of changes on a compound’s predicted properties. These core features can be extended with plug-in modules to predict key ADME properties and P450 metabolism, build and validate robust QSAR models of in-house compounds and data, and automatically generate new, relevant compound ideas. The new FieldAlign module, recently introduced in StarDrop 5.2, adds a powerful 3D view of compound interactions that will complement StarDrop’s existing 2D QSAR models. As StarDrop is used throughout the drug discovery process, the competition will attract entries across a number of different applications.

Users can enter the competition by submitting application notes which will then be passed to a panel of experts for judging. Compound structures and data used in the note may be anonymised or omitted for confidentiality. The material judged to demonstrate the most innovative use of StarDrop will gain the author an expenses paid trip to ACS Spring 2013. Full competition guidelines and terms and conditions are available online at http://www.optibrium.com/news/competition.php. Entries to the competition must be received by 31st October 2012.

The ACS National Meeting & Exposition offers attendees the opportunity to deepen their understanding of chemistry and its role in global health, economy and safety, in addition to providing the opportunity to exchange ideas with some of the leading experts in the industry. Each meeting includes over 7,000 presentations highlighting innovative techniques and technological advances whilst the expositions provide attendees with a platform to witness new technologies in use. The competition will allow one innovative StarDrop user to benefit from all the events that the ACS Spring Meeting 2013 promises.

Optibrium will keep its twitter followers abreast of the launch and progress of the competition throughout its duration, so make sure to keep an eye on Optibrium’s Twitter page at https://twitter.com/#!/Optibrium.

About Optibrium Ltd

Optibrium (www.optibrium.com) is dedicated to providing software to guide decisions involving complex, uncertain data in an intuitive way. Based in Cambridge, UK, Optibrium has a global customer base ranging from top-ten pharmaceutical companies to small biotechs and academic groups. Our mission is to continue to develop new technologies that will optimise project strategy, reduce wasted molecules and experiments, shorten timelines and improve the quality of candidate compounds for our clients. Optibrium’s primary product, StarDrop, is focused on the drug discovery industry, helping guide scientists to make decisions in the design and selection of high quality drug candidates. Visit the online community at http://www.optibrium.com/community/ for further discussions on improving the productivity of drug discovery. 

For further press information please contact: Sarah Evans, The Scott Partnership, 1 Whiteside, Station Road, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire CW4 8AA, UK Tel: + 44 1477 539539 Fax: +44 1477 539 540 E-mail: optibrium@scottpr.com.

Brecon Pharmaceuticals and Anderson Packaging Realign Businesses to Form Full Service Global Pharmaceutical Packaging Company, AndersonBrecon

AndersonBrecon to offer more integrated, seamless approach for the global launch of pharmaceutical products.

Powys, UK (June 6, 2012) - Brecon Pharmaceuticals, a leading supplier of pharmaceutical commercial packaging solutions in the UK, and Anderson Packaging, one of the fastest growing pharmaceutical clinical and commercial contract packagers in the United States, today announced they are further aligning their businesses to become a global end-to-end pharmaceutical packaging company. Both part of the AmerisourceBergen Corporation, the companies will provide innovative and differentiated packaging solutions under the name AndersonBrecon.

AndersonBrecon will feature 12 facilities across two continents, and more than 1,500 dedicated associates who will work to provide lifesaving medications to patients in more than 100 countries around the world. Though Brecon Pharmaceuticals and Anderson Packaging have been working together since 2006, the repositioning will enable both to better respond to the evolving pharmaceutical marketplace and provide efficient and more competitive solutions to meet customers’ global needs.

“Over the last four years, the Brecon and Anderson teams have worked together to build the foundation for a truly global healthcare packaging partner, and have demonstrated we understand our customers and can provide comprehensive, seamless solutions,” said Peyton Howell, President of AmerisourceBergen Consulting Services. “Moving to a more global organisation will better position us to offer our customers a more integrated approach for the global launch of pharmaceutical products, helping to accelerate speed-to-market and product success – and achieve an unparalleled level of customer service in the industry.”

Peter Belden, Managing Director of AndersonBrecon UK comments: “We are delighted to announce that we are realigning Brecon Pharmaceuticals and Anderson Packaging to become a single, full-service pharmaceutical packaging company. These new developments mean that we can offer our customers in Europe and beyond true global reach, with enhanced capacity and global service capabilities that enable us to support every stage of the product lifecycle, from research and development through to commercialisation and long-term supply.”

As part of the repositioning effort, AndersonBrecon has become a component of AmerisourceBergen Consulting Services (ABCS), a business unit of AmerisourceBergen that is comprised of market leading consulting companies including Xcenda, Lash Group, TheraCom and Premier Source. ABCS partners with manufacturers to prove product value and expand market access. The organisation offers unparalleled commercialisation support by integrating outcomes research, health policy analysis, managed markets agency services, reimbursement strategy, contract field staffing – and now, packaging and clinical services through AndersonBrecon.

For more information on AndersonBrecon and its services, please visit www.andersonbrecon.com or follow them on Twitter at www.twitter.com/andersonbrecon.

About AndersonBreconAndersonBrecon, a business unit of AmerisourceBergen Consulting Services, a subsidiary of AmerisourceBergen Corporation, is a leading provider of contract packaging services to the global healthcare market. With facilities in North America and Europe, AndersonBrecon supports pharmaceutical and biotech companies with products destined for more than 100 countries around the world. AndersonBrecon provides services for each stage of the product lifecycle – from early Phase I through commercial launch and long-term supply – and partners with customers to provide key insight and expertise in enabling successful commercialization and bringing lifesaving medications to patients. For more information, go to www.andersonbrecon.com.

About AmerisourceBergenAmerisourceBergen is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical services companies serving the United States, Canada and selected global markets. Servicing both healthcare providers and pharmaceutical manufacturers in the pharmaceutical supply channel, the Company provides drug distribution and related services designed to reduce costs and improve patient outcomes. AmerisourceBergen's service solutions range from niche premium logistics and pharmaceutical packaging to reimbursement and pharmaceutical consulting services. With more than $80 billion in annual revenue, AmerisourceBergen is headquartered in Valley Forge, PA, and employs approximately 13,000 people. AmerisourceBergen is ranked #29 on the Fortune 500 list. For more information, go to www.amerisourcebergen.com.