Cardinal Health PTS is Renamed Catalent Cardinal Health Pharmaceutical Technologies and Services is now Catalent Pharma Solutions. The Catalent name was created to combine the ideas embodied by the words “catalyst” and “talent.” Catalent serves as a catalyst for success for its customers, enabling them to ensure product supply and improve product effectiveness, while “talent” underscores the company’s breadth and depth of scientific, technical, and local market expertise around the world. “Catalent intimately understands the global challenges our customers face while developing and commercializing life-enhancing and life-saving drugs or innovative consumer health products,” says John Lowry, president and CEO of Catalent Pharma Solutions. Catalent is a provider of advanced technologies, as well as development, manufacturing, and packaging solutions for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and consumer healthcare companies in almost 100 countries. Catalent provides advanced technologies and consistent product supply across almost every major dose form type. Catalent commercializes softgel capsule technology and Liqui-Gel formulations, and created the “fast dissolve” oral tablet category with Zydis, and introduced the vegetable-based capsule VegiCaps Soft. Catalent is known for its child-resistant, senior-friendly, and compliance-enhancing packaging designs. CommonHealth Launches Agency Dedicated to Environmental Health Communications Earthborn is a first among healthcare communications networks, providing communications programs built around the connection between the environment and human health. CommonHealth’s new agency, Earthborn, offers clients a range of services, including advertising, education, and event marketing, to reach multiple internal or external audiences. The agency includes experts in communications, environmental medicine, and public health, delivering ideas from national awareness campaigns to local community initiatives. Earthborn was conceived based on the recognition that the planet’s health and human health are intrinsically connected. “‘Healthcare’ and ‘earthcare’ go hand in hand, and we are all stakeholders,” says Matt Giegerich, president and CEO of CommonHealth. “Earthborn was created to generate and communicate ideas that will help our clients have a positive impact on the environment — and also as a way to express their shared concern for this issue, which will ultimately generate a healthier connection with their customers. With the planet’s health at risk, we believe businesses that add environmentalism to their fundamental principles will be rewarded with genuine competitive advantages — inspired employees, loyal customers, and greater market share.” The CommonHealth organization itself was the industry’s first fully integrated healthcare-communications network. With more than 36 years of experience in marketing services across nearly every discipline, CommonHealth brings both experience in communications and scientific credibility to this emerging social concern. “The idea is a natural extension of years of changing behaviors related to healthcare. With Earthborn, our success will be measured by the people inspired to take better care of the planet — and the brand loyalty that will be built among our clients’ customers,” says Stacey Singer, managing partner of CommonHealth and president of Earthborn. “This is an idea whose time has come, and no one is better suited to fill the need than CommonHealth.” In this time of increasing concern over global environmental issues, clients demand ideas that spark real change and build real economic value for the brands and corporation that support them, says Stacey Singer, Managing Partner of CommonHealth and President of Earthborn. What’s New September 2007 Healthcare Marketing Associations Combine Forces To better serve the needs of healthcare marketing, communication, and education professionals in the manufacturing and service sector, three major players have consolidated their respective resources into one national organization — the Healthcare Communication and Marketing Association (HCMA). The associations of Healthcare Marketing and Communications Council (HMC), Medical Marketing Association (MMA), and Midwest Healthcare Marketing Association (MHMA) span the nation. The MMA is predominantly a West Coast-based organization, the HMC is primarily an East Coast group, and the MHMA represents the Midwest. Combining the strengths, members, and resources of the three groups, the HCMA provides: • A comprehensive offering of educational resources (programs/services) across all career phases.; • Standardized training and accredited programs; • Greater networking and mentoring opportunities; • National recognition of excellence in marketing, communications, and education. Potentially, the HCMA will serve 2,000 members across the country, individuals whose primary responsibility is to market to and/or educate healthcare practitioners, consumers, and other key groups about the benefits that pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics, and biotech products bring to the public. Recognizing that healthcare communication and marketing professionals need a central resource for career development and enhancement, the HCMA has built a comprehensive model that starts with programs aimed at students entering the healthcare marketing field and continues with opportunities for professional development from early-career to post-career phases. Additionally, an accredited certification program is in development to ensure consistent, credible education for product managers, account executives, and other critical communication and marketing professionals, thus positioning the HCMA as a comprehensive career resource for healthcare marketing, communications, and education professionals. Kaplan EduNeering Introduces Inspections and Enforcement Curriculum Kaplan EduNeering has released a 45-course FDA Inspections and Enforcement Curriculum. The curriculum was codeveloped by Kaplan EduNeering and the FDA under the organizations’ cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA). Under the CRADA, EduNeering provides the online training, documentation, and technology-enabled management system used by the agency’s inspectors and investigators. The curriculum is organized into five functional areas, including basics of inspection; import operations; quality system regulations; risk management; and validation and Part 11 compliance. “This curriculum provides the necessary knowledge for life-science companies to work with FDA in advance of, during, and following an inspection,” says Denise Queffelec, Kaplan EduNeering’s life-science practice leader. Around the Globe Clinsys Clinical Research has expanded its U.S. and European operations, opening offices in Raleigh, N.C., Düsseldorf, Germany, and Gent, Belgium. The expansions allow Clinsys to offer a full range of clinical-trial services in support of global as well as local clinical trials. For more information, visit clinsyscro.com. CommonHealth has expanded its global presence with a second European office. CommonHealth London joins the previously established CommonHealth Paris. CommonHealth London is directed by general manager Julian Greene and serves as a hub office, continuing to coordinate with long-standing WPP partner Ogilvy Healthworld to provide local points of presence throughout the rest of Europe and newly emerging markets in Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America. For more information, visit commonhealth.com. Criterium has extended its worldwide clinical trials capabilities in Russia, opening a regional office in St. Petersburg. In the St. Petersburg office, Criterium offers global full-service contract-research resources in conjunction with regional regulatory support, site selection, translation of protocol and other trial-related forms, medical writing, and trial drug importation and storage. For more information, visit criteriuminc.com. Octagon Research Solutions has expanded its European presence with the recruitment of two regulatory professionals and a business development director to support its European operations. Rohit Malhotra has been appointed to the position of director, regulatory affairs. Amanda Keller has been appointed to the position of senior manager, regulatory operations, and Samantha Weston has joined the team as director, business development for European operations. Ms. Weston is responsible for directing and managing the company’s business development activities, as well as spearheading initiatives to expand Octagon’s European business and client base. For more information, visit octagonresearch.com. To effectively leverage its global footprint to better meet growing worldwide client demand, Parexel international has opened an office in Hyderabad, India. Through this location, Parexel offers its clients a wide range of clinical research and data management services while deepening its long-term commitment in India. The office is staffed by locally based key management and a team of highly skilled experts with extensive knowledge of India’s regulatory process. For more information, visit parexel.com. PharmaNet has opened a Phase I clinic in Toronto, Canada, and offices in Brussels, Belgium, and Milan, Italy. In addition, the company has relocated its Zurich, Switzerland, office to allow for future growth of its staff. The clinical facility in Toronto is about 40,000 square feet and contains four clinical units that can accommodate a total of 160 beds. The offices in Brussels, Milan, and Zurich are located to provide support to clients conducting late-stage clinical development programs in these regions. The Brussels office initially houses a staff of five. The Milan office currently accommodates nine office-based employees and supports a number of field-based regional staff. The larger location in Zurich currently accommodates 26 employees. For more information, visit pharmanet.com. Quintiles plans to build an office near Edinburgh that will be the Scotland home for its product development business, including Quintiles Laboratories and its NovaQuest group. The 112,000-square-foot structure will be built in Livingston, West Lothian, near Quintiles’ present laboratory. The building will make available about 80,000 square feet of space for the laboratory business. In a separate release, Quintiles has formed an alliance with Thebe Healthcare (Pty) ltd., a Black Economic Empowerment company in South Africa. As part of the agreement, Thebe has purchased a 30% share of Quintiles’ South African commercial division, Innovex (Pty) Ltd., making Quintiles one of the first multinational healthcare companies in South Africa to enter into a direct equity transaction with a local Black Economic Empowerment partner. For more information, visit quintiles.com. For more information, visit thebemedicare.co.za. StayinFront has expanded into India, opening an office in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The expansion provides further support to global customers and intensifies the company’s existing presence in the Asia Pacific region. For more information, visit stayinfront.com. Sundia MediTech and United PharmaTech have merged, a first for China’s young CRO industry. Sundia CEO Dr. Wang Xiaochuan and United PharmaTech CEO Dr. Shi Xiongwei have signed a letter of intent agreeing to combine their two companies. Dr. Wang is the company’s chairman and CEO, while Dr. Shi holds the positions of director and executive VP. Under the terms of the merger, both United PharmaTech and Sundia MediTech become subsidiaries of Sundia Investment Group, which currently owns Sundia MediTech. Part of the reason for the merger is that it combines United PharmaTech’s and Sundia’s technical expertise in different fields. For more information, visit sundia.com. For more information, visit unitedpharmatech.com. Stinson Opens Idaho Division Stinson’s latest GEM division in Boise, Idaho, focuses on delivering brand experiences through groups, events, and media, under the direction of Michelle Travis. Ms. Travis is responsible for managing the logistics of group meetings, researching, and creating event ideas, developing experiential marketing ideas for clients, as well as planning and placing media. “Our GEM division is bringing together an expert team of media and event planners to support our other brand innovation activities,” says Mark Stinson, president of Stinson Brand Innovation. BBK Establishes Global Mobilization Team BBK Worldwide has inaugurated its Global Mobilization Team, a division specializing in operational strategy, planning, deployment of resources, and implementation of large-scale, multinational clinical trial patient recruitment campaigns. The addition prepares the company to better anticipate and fulfill the needs of a clinical development landscape in which longer-term trials, requiring greater numbers of patients and conducted in dozens of countries, are becoming the norm. Some of the team’s key, multidisciplinary capabilities include in-country professionals trained in patient recruitment and other local resources, a Web-based communication infrastructure through TCN e-Systems’ TrialCentralNet, critical path analysis and timeframe management, and immediate access to the data needed to implement mid-course corrections. Although every trial has its challenges, gearing up for a 20- to 40-country study involving thousands of patients and complicated or companion protocols requires sophisticated operational knowledge, says Bonnie A. Brescia, BBK Founding Principal. Boston Life Sciences Changes Name Boston Life Sciences is now Alseres Pharmaceuticals. The name change is part of the company’s transformation from a life-sciences company into a CNS focused biopharmaceutical company. Alseres is derived from a Latin term meaning ‘to grow together, to take root, to become established’ and builds an image for the company’s growing pipeline, scientific expertise, management, and culture. “We have made excellent progress transforming the company from a life-sciences company into a biopharmaceutical company with late-stage product candidates in clinical development for central nervous system disorders,” says Peter G. Savas, Alseres Pharmaceuticals Chairman and CEO. New Patient Recruitment Agency, Argonauta, Starts Operations Ann Kottcamp, former CEO of Pharmaceutical Research Plus (PRP), has launched Argonauta Communications. The company offers clinical-trial recruitment and direct marketing services but with an enhanced approach the agency leaders are calling “Message, Method, Mix.” This strategy draws on years of experience to develop the right advertising message, the right mix of advertising vehicles, and a uniquely targeted method of placing media.A major goal of the company is to focus on diversity initiatives with respect to advertising, marketing, and outreach. Many diseases have varied effects on different ethnicities, and pharmaceutical companies and the FDA are showing increasing interest in learning about these differences. The challenge is effectively reaching these populations to gain their trust, confidence, and interest in participating in research. “The team is taking a fresh look at patient recruitment methods, the challenges these methods present, and how best to address those challenges,” Ms. Kottcamp says. SAS Forms Life-Sciences Global Practice SAS has extended its commitment to the life-sciences industry by forming the SAS Health and Life Sciences Global Practice. This division within SAS has been established to serve the growing need for technology and solutions that contribute to the convergence of healthcare providers, health plans, and biopharmaceutical companies. By introducing a broader portfolio of solutions encompassing the health and life-sciences enterprise and tighter alignment and coordination across SAS functions, the division will improve the quality and affordability of patient care through scientific and business insights driven by focused industry expertise and sales support. Pivot, a Healthcare Agency, Launches Pivot Healthcare Communications LLC has launched to provide independent thinking to pharmaceutical advertising. Pivot is comprised of a group of marketing veterans led by Cindy Schermerhorn as president and CEO. The other partners are Kerry Cavender, senior VP, director client services, Anthony Cannon, chief financial officer, and Adele Penza, VP, account group supervisor. The partners bring a range of experience to the organization with a repertoire of clients they have worked with, from big pharma to specialty and biotech companies. The partners have a history of growing brands in primary care as well as specialty areas in numerous therapeutic categories. “Pivot offers clients an independent agency made up of highly dedicated people with the autonomy to excel at what we love to do — partner with them to deliver brand success,” Ms. Schermerhorn says. Founding Partners Anthony Cannon, Adele Penza, Kerry Cavender, and Cindy Schermerhorn believe barriers only exist in the absence of the thinking to overcome them. New Healthcare Agency is Established Former Torre Lazur McCann Healthcare chief creative director Mike Lazur and Commonhealth’s Noesis veterans Christian Hoyvald and Steven Goldstein have formed a new agency, Lazur Hoyvald Goldstein Partners. The three managing partners see brand building as their principle goal and believe they have a nice mix of experience. Mr. Lazur started out as an art director and has been a creative director for most of his more than 30 years in the industry. Mr. Hoyvald joined Noesis, ultimately serving as its executive VP, director of client services. Mr. Goldstein was senior VP, creative director at Noesis and a member of the CommonHealth Management committee. He has worked on several award-winning campaigns throughout his 20-year career. Of the four clients currently signed on with Lazur Hoyvald Goldstein, one is a large chain of diagnostic radiology centers, one is a manufacturer of globally marketed oral specimen collection and diagnostic devices, and another is a long-established manufacturer of prescription dermatological and surgical products. INC Research has implemented its Trusted Process in all of its current clinical trial programs. The Trusted Process is a series of phases that proactively lead customers through their drug and device development programs with repeatable and measurable methods. INC Research minimizes trial risk factors, and customers experience a high level of confidence to make informed decisions with their study data and analysis. The standardized process features four phases to guide customers through their trials. Built in are more than 130 discrete variables and that are tracked and measured throughout the process. AMA Publishes Disaster Journal The American Medical Association (AMA) has unveiled its most recent publication, Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. The quarterly, peer-reviewed journal is the first comprehensive publication emphasizing public health preparedness and disaster response for all healthcare professionals. The inaugural issue covers many vital topics from recent disasters, including Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami in Indonesia, and the Oklahoma City bombing. Highlighted studies include Excess Mortality in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina: A Preliminary Report and Characteristics of Physician Relocation Following Hurricane Katrina. The journal was created by the AMA to promote public health preparedness and the science of disaster medicine. The journal will serve as a unifying resource for all healthcare and public health professionals, the emergency management community, and others in the public and private sector who are essential to emergency planning and response. Our Trusted Process is more than just adding names to the steps of a trial. For us, it is the way we do business, says Jim Ogle, CEO, INC Research. LLNS Relaunches as LyonHeart Recognizing the need for fresh directions in the healthcare advertising industry, Lyons Lavey Nickel Swift (LLNS) has relaunched as Lyonheart after applying the TBWA disruption process to its own operations. The agency, a division of TBWA, purchased space on outdoor kiosks, provided free papers wrapped in the launch story, placed client-directed magazine feature stories, and sent viral e-mails to drive viewers to the new Website. TBWA’s disruption process identifies a service, mind-set, and methodology that create ideas and deliver connections between brands and audiences, trading in the currency of the audience. Shrinking marketing teams and budgets, monumental sales expectations, and increasingly competitive therapeutic categories necessitate that we approach marketing in provocative ways, says Anne Devereux, CEO of LyonHeart. M&A Activity Biotechnology company, Genzyme Corp., Cambridge, Mass., has agreed to acquire Bioenvision Inc. in an all-cash transaction valued at about $345 million. With this transaction, Genzyme enhances its existing oncology business by gaining worldwide rights to clofarabine. Bioenvision and Genzyme codeveloped clofarabine in Europe where Bioenvision currently markets the product for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in relapsed and refractory pediatric patients. Clofarabine also is being developed by Genzyme and Bioenvision for significantly larger indications, including use as a first-line therapy for the treatment of adult acute myeloid leukemia. Clofarabine is branded as Clolar in the United States and Canada, where it is marketed by Genzyme for relapsed and refractory pediatric ALL patients. For more information, visit genzyme.com. Private equity manager group, ICICI Venture, Mumbai, India, has acquired Radiant Research, Bellevue, Wash., a CRO. ICICI is a subsidiary of ICICI Bank. Radiant continues to provide development, study conduct, and centralized patient recruitment services to the biopharmaceutical, nutrition, and medical device industry. For more information, visit iciciventure.com. For more information, visit radiantresearch.com. InVentiv Health, Somerset, N.J., has made a series of acquisitions as it seeks to enhance its offerings in complementary services to the global pharmaceutical, life-sciences, and biotechnology industries. The company has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Innovative Health Strategies Inc. and the related AWAC.MD business (collectively known as AWAC), a provider of proprietary IT-driven cost containment and medical consulting solutions to third party administrators, ERISA self-funded plans, fully insured plans, employer groups, managing general underwriters, and insurance carriers. Under the terms of the agreement, inVentiv acquires AWAC for $75 million in cash and stock, plus earn-out payments for exceeding specified financial targets. Upon the close of the transaction, AWAC will become a wholly owned subsidiary of inVentiv Health. In another move, inVentiv Health has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Chandler Chicco Agency, a privately held healthcare public relations firm. CCA will operate within the inVentiv Communications division, which provides a full suite of integrated healthcare marketing and communications solutions. Under the terms of the agreement, inVentiv will acquire CCA for $65 million in cash and stock, plus earn-out payments for exceeding specified financial targets. Operating within the inVentiv Communications division is Addison Whitney, another acquisition by inVentiv. Addison Whitney is a full-service global brand identity and consulting firm. For more information, visit inventivhealth.com. McKesson Specialty, Scottsdale, Ariz., a business unit of McKesson Corp., has acquired Mosaic Health Care Consultants, which specializes in healthcare reimbursement management technology for physician practices as well as reimbursement consultation, health economics, and outcomes research. The acquisition strengthens McKesson Specialty’s portfolio of physician practice management technology solutions. For more information, visit mckesson.com. Roche’s diagnostic division, Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, has completed its acquisition of BioVeris. Roche signed a merger agreement with BioVeris valued at about $600 million. Roche Diagnostics now owns the patents for electrochemiluminescence (ECL) technology and can expand its immunochemistry business from the human diagnostics field into market segments such as life-sciences research, life-sciences development, patient self-testing, veterinary testing, drug discovery, drug development, and clinical trials. In another move, Roche has agreed to acquire Ventana Medical Systems Inc. for about $3 billion. The acquisition of Ventana, a histopathology (tissue-based diagnostics) company, allows Roche to broaden its diagnostic offerings and complements its vitro diagnostic systems and oncology therapies. Roche will operate Ventana as a dedicated business within the Roche Diagnostics Division and will retain Ventana’s headquarters in Tucson, Ariz. For more information, visit roche.us. Pharmaceutical company, Sciele Pharma Inc., Atlanta, has agreed to acquire Alliant Pharmaceuticals Inc., a privately held pediatric specialty pharmaceutical company for $122 million in cash. Sciele specializes in sales, marketing, and development of branded prescription products focused on cardiovascular/diabetes and women’s health and expects the acquisition of Alliant to provide diversification and strategic expansion into pediatrics. For more information, visit sciele.com. Wolters Kluwer Law & Business has acquired MediRegs. The company’s healthcare research database services and compliance software will become part of the unit’s business compliance group. Wolters Kluwer Law & Business, Riverwoods, Ill., is a provider of specialized healthcare compliance and reimbursement research products and workflow tools under the CCH brand name. For more information, visit wolterskluwer.com. PDI Unveils Talent Acquisition Business Unit Recruiting Services, part of PDI Inc.’s On Demand Suite, has launched its Talent Acquisition business unit that offers stand-alone solutions to backfill openings or to expand a pharmaceutical company’s internal salesforce. The team is accountable for providing highly qualified pharmaceutical sales talent to enable PDI’s clients to meet their strategic goals. The talent acquisition services are part of the company’s newly established PDI On Demand platform, a portfolio of innovative and flexible sales solutions to address the challenges pharmaceutical companies are facing in today’s marketplace. Leading the business unit as VP of talent management is Susanne P. Reilly, Ph.D. Before joining PDI, Dr. Reilly was a senior consultant with Applied Research Corp., a human resources consulting firm. Having the best talent in place is critical to a company’s success, says Michael Marquard, PDI’s CEO. Wolters Kluwer Launches Patient Journal Published under the Wolters Kluwer Health Adis brand, The Patient is an international medical journal using scientific methods for accessing patient perspectives of therapy and medical technology. Published on a quarterly basis, the journal offers insight into patient-centered medicine. There has been exponential growth in the number of studies focusing on patient preferences in medicine in the last decade, according to John F.P. Bridges, Ph.D., who serves as editor. The journal will be available globally beginning in late 2007. Follow up Alseres Pharmaceuticals Inc., Hopkinton, Mass., previously Boston Life Sciences Inc., is a biotechnology company engaged in the research and clinical development of diagnostic and therapeutic products for central nervous system (CNS) disorders. For more information, visit alseres.com. The American Medical Association (AMA), Chicago, advocates on issues vital to the nation’s health and promotes the art and science of medicine, and the betterment of public health. For more information, visit ama-assn.org. Argonauta Communications, Annapolis, Md., specializes in leading patients to treatment options by offering a variety of direct marketing services in the healthcare field, specifically clinical trial recruitment support. For more information, visit argonautacommunications.com. BBK Worldwide, Newton, Mass., is a patient recruitment and e-business solution company for the clinical R&D and product marketing segments of the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries. For more information, visit bbkworldwide.com. Catalent Pharma Solutions, Somerset, N.J., formerly Cardinal Health Pharmaceutical Technologies and Services, is an independent company that provides advanced technologies, development, manufacturing, and packaging services for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and consumer healthcare companies. For more information, visit catalent.com. CommonHealth, Parsippany, N.J., a WPP Group company, is a healthcare- communications company. For more information, visit commonhealth.com. Healthcare Communication & Marketing Association (HCMA), Bethlemhem, Pa., serves a national constituency and provides educational resources, standardized training and accredited programs, and networking and mentoring opportunities. For more information, visit thehcma.org. INC Research, Raleigh, N.C., is a therapeutically focused CRO that conducts global clinical development programs. For more information, visit incresearch.com. Kaplan EduNeering, Princeton, N.J., part of Kaplan Inc., develops technology-enabled knowledge solutions for improving business performance and assuring regulatory compliance. For more information, visit kaplaneduneering.com. Lazur Hoyvald Goldstein Partners, Bridgewater, N.J., is a healthcare brand- building agency. For more information, visit lhgpartners.com. LyonHeart, New York, is part of TBWAWorldHealth, part of the Omnicom network that integrates professional pharmaceutical and healthcare agencies with the brand management of consumer agencies. For more information, visit lyon-heart.com. PDI Inc., Saddle River, N.J., is a diversified sales and marketing services provider to the biopharmaceutical industry. For more information, visit pdi-inc.com. Pivot Healthcare Communications LLC, Parsippany, N.J., is an independent, full-service advertising agency with expertise in pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, and OTC brands. For more information, visit pivothealthcare.com. SAS Health and Life Sciences Global Practice, Cary, N.C., is a division of the SAS Institute Inc., a business intelligence and analytical software and services company.For more information, visit sas.com. Stinson Brand Innovation Inc., Chicago, is a health, science, and technology brand consultancy. For more information, visit stinsonbrandinnovation.com. Wolters Kluwer Health, Conshohocken, Pa., a division of Wolters Kluwer, Amsterdam, provides information for professionals and students in medicine, nursing, allied health, pharmacy, and the pharmaceutical industry. For more information, visit wkhealth.com.
