Des Plaines, Illinois — Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced today it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the TECNIS® Multifocal 1-Piece intraocular lens (IOL) for cataract patients with and without presbyopia.

Intraocular lenses are implanted in a patient's eye after the removal of the natural lens that has become clouded by a cataract. Conventional monofocal IOLs are designed to focus primarily at one distance and do not correct presbyopia, an age-related change in vision that occurs when the eye's natural lens can no longer adjust its focal length to allow clear vision at different distances.

The TECNIS lens has also received presbyopia-correcting IOL status by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), providing Medicare beneficiaries with the option to receive a TECNIS Multifocal 1-Piece lens for an additional fee as part of cataract surgery.

"With this approval, Medicare cataract patients have a new opportunity to enjoy near, intermediate and distance vision without needing glasses, with nearly 9 out of 10 patients reporting that they never wear glasses following surgery," said Jim Mazzo, senior vice president, Abbott Medical Optics. "As an added benefit, surgeons now have the clinical benefits and high patient satisfaction rates they have come to expect with the TECNIS Multifocal 3-Piece IOL in a next-generation, easy to insert, one-piece design."

The TECNIS Multifocal 1-Piece IOL is a pupil-independent, full diffractive presbyopia-correcting lens designed for optimal image quality at all distances under any lighting condition. Its unique optic design gives patients superior near vision and reading speed compared to other presbyopia-correcting IOLs.

Other features/benefits include:

* Patented wavefront-designed aspheric anterior surface designed to reduce average spherical aberration to essentially zero
* Reduction of chromatic aberration for better image quality
* Next-generation, easy-to-insert one-piece design

"I look forward to incorporating the TECNIS Multifocal 1-Piece IOL into my practice for patients who desire spectacle independence," said Kerry Assil, M.D. "I've been extremely pleased with the pupil-independent performance of the prior design and anticipate the same inherent benefits will be demonstrated by the TECNIS Multifocal optic lens on the one-piece platform."

TECNIS multifocal IOLs are indicated for primary implantation for the visual correction of adult patients with and without presbyopia in whom a cataractous lens has been removed and who desire near, intermediate, and distance vision with increased spectacle independence. The intraocular lenses are intended to be placed in the capsular bag. Abbott has begun shipping TECNIS Multifocal 1-Piece IOLs in select markets and plans for full commercial shipments to begin in April 2010.

Additional information about TECNIS multifocal IOLs, including important safety information, is available at www.abbottmedicaloptics.com.
About Abbott

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs approximately 83,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.

— WebWireID113980 —

This prestigious designation is reflective of Dr. Elliott's 30 years of experience and excellent results in the diagnosis and treatment of various skin diseases and disorders including acne, psoriasis, and eczema, as well as her ability to effectively diagnose and surgically remove skin cancers (melanoma) and other unwanted growths of the skin.

A third generation Washingtonian, Dr. Elliott attended the Holton-Arms School and graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. She earned M.S. (Biochemistry) and M.D. degrees at George Washington University, where she was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society and valedictorian of the medical school class of 1976. Dr. Elliott completed her internship and residency at the University of Oregon (UOHSC), and is board certified by the American Academy of Dermatology.

Congratulations to Dr. Elliott and all the Washington, DC area doctors who received this recognition of medical excellence.

About The Center for Laser Surgery

The Center for Laser Surgery was founded in 1995 by the renowned dermatologist and laser surgeon Dr. Robert M. Adrian. It is now one of the largest full-service cosmetic and laser surgery centers in the Maryland, Virginia and DC region. The Center for Laser Surgery offers cosmetic procedures and dermatology services (http://www.lasersurgery.com/dermatology/) including Botox (http://www.lasersurgery.com/botox/), tattoo removal, laser hair removal, skin resurfacing and related treatments. Visit http://www.lasersurgery.com for more information.

— WebWireID113972 —

NDT has long marketed Fujifilm's medical products, such as X-ray films, to medical institutions across Brazil. In recent years, amidst the tide of digitization in the field of medical imaging, the company has provided comprehensive solutions incorporating the digital X-ray imaging and diagnostic system "FCR"*1 and the medical-use picture archiving and communications system "SYNAPSE"*2 to create fresh demand. In the autumn of last year, the Sao Paolo government chose "SYNAPSE" for its medical project SEDI*3 in recognition of the system's advanced stability and high image quality as well as NDT's ability to facilitate system introduction and provide maintenance services. NDT is expected to make continued contribution to Brazil's medical frontline.

In Brazil, where the medical field is expected to undergo greater digitization and market expansion*4 on the back of strong economic growth, Fujifilm will integrally and swiftly deploy its global strategy under the direct marketing system through NDT. Marketing and sales activities that closely addresses diverse market needs will lead to future expansion of the company's medical business.

* *1 Fuji Computed Radiography, or FCR is Fujifilm's medical-use digital X-ray imaging and diagnostic system with top global market share, originally introduced in 1983 ahead of world competitors. It reads X-ray image information recorded on the Imaging Plate (IP) and performs optimum digital image processing according to diagnostic purposes.
* *2 The brand name of Fujifilm's radiology PACS (Picture Archiving and Communications System, i.e. a medical image information system that electronically archives, searches, and analyzes images from medical image diagnosis systems such as CT, MRI and CR). With its exceptional stability and high image quality, the product boasts top market share in Japan, and has been introduced to approx. 2,800 medical institutions around the world.
* *3 A large-scale medical project by the state government of Sao Paolo. It uses IT to concentrate the diagnostic imaging function for higher diagnostic productivity, and incorporates private hospitals' management know-how to streamline the management of public hospitals. The project aims at performing 2 million tests per year at 20 facilities by the end of 2010.
* *4 Digitization is in progress in the area of X-ray diagnostics in Central and South Americas. The demand for CR (Computed Radiography) has shown a strong increase at around 20% per year.

Overview of NDT
Business description:
Sales and maintenance services for medical products such as X-ray films, medical diagnostic imaging devices and medical-use image information systems, as well as the materials and equipment for nondestructive tests
Capital 6,875,000 reals
Headquarters Sao Paolo, Brazil
Establishment 1981
Number of employees 147

— WebWireID113967 —

Hamburg, Germany - Evotec AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, TecDAX) today announced two positive aspects that strengthen its integrated product development in treatment-resistant depression in its strategic alliance with Roche.

Evotec AG completed the clinical part of the first Phase I study with its NR2B-selective NMDA receptor antagonist EVT 103. EVT 103 is a small molecule drug candidate intended for oral use in conditions such as treatment-resistant depression, but potentially also other CNS indications.

The first-in-human Phase I study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised ascending dose study in 72 healthy young male subjects. The endpoints of the study were safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic profile after oral single and multiple dose administration. In addition, the effect of food on the pharmacokinetics of EVT 103 was investigated. The compound was safe and very well tolerated, with excellent bioavailability and only a minimal effect of food on the kinetic profile.

In addition, for its NMDA receptor antagonist EVT 101, which is the lead compound in the strategic alliance with Roche in treatment-resistant depression, the FDA has allowed Evotec to proceed with the initiation of a Proof-of-Concept study. The study will start recruiting patients in Q2.

"We are glad that we received positive feedback from the FDA regarding the toxicology and safety aspects of the planned Proof-of-Concept study with EVT 101. In addition, the Phase I results of EVT 103 now make this a very strong programme for a clinical product development in treatment-resistant depression", said Dr Werner Lanthaler, Chief Executive Officer of Evotec.

Forward-looking statements
Information set forth in this press release contains forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our expectations and assumptions concerning our strategic collaborations, our regulatory, clinical and business strategies, the progress of our clinical development programmes and management's plans, objectives and strategies. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. In particular, the risks and uncertainties include, among other things: risks that product candidates may fail in the clinic or may not be successfully marketed or manufactured; the risk that we will not achieve the anticipated benefits of our collaborations, partnerships and acquisitions in the timeframes expected, or at all; risks relating to our ability to advance the development of product candidates currently in the pipeline or in clinical trials; our inability to further identify, develop and achieve commercial success for new products and technologies; the risk that competing products may be more successful; our inability to interest potential partners in our technologies and products; our inability to achieve commercial success for our products and technologies; our inability to protect our intellectual property and the cost of enforcing or defending our intellectual property rights; our failure to comply with regulations relating to our products and product candidates, including FDA requirements; the risk that the FDA may interpret the results of our studies differently than we have; the risk that clinical trials may not result in marketable products; the risk that we may be unable to successfully secure regulatory approval of and market our drug candidates; and risks of new, changing and competitive technologies and regulations in the U.S. and internationally.

The list of risks above is not exhaustive. Our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and other documents filed with, or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission, contain additional factors that could impact our businesses and financial performance. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

— WebWireID113962 —

* USD 2 billion 1.900% Notes due April 24, 2013
* USD 2 billion 2.900% Notes due April 24, 2015
* USD 1 billion 4.400% Notes due April 24, 2020

These notes are registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under an automatic shelf registration statement filed by Novartis in 2008. All three tranches are issued by Novartis Capital Corporation, a U.S. subsidiary, and are unconditionally guaranteed by Novartis AG, which is incorporated in Switzerland and is the ultimate parent company of Novartis Capital Corporation.

Proceeds will be used for intercompany refinancing purposes in connection with the pending Alcon acquisition, as well as for general corporate purposes.

Novartis AG is rated Aa2 (negative outlook) by Moody's and AA- (stable outlook) by Standard & Poor's. Goldman Sachs & Co., J.P. Morgan, Barclays Capital, BofA Merrill Lynch, Citi and Morgan Stanley were joint book-runners.

A copy of the prospectus relating to this offering can be obtained on the EDGAR website operated by the SEC or by contacting the underwriters through Goldman Sachs & Co., Prospectus Department, 85 Broad Street, New York, New York, 10004, Tel: +1-866-471-2526, Fax: +1-212-902-9316, or by e-mailing prospectus-ny@ny.email.gs.com; or through J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Tel: +1-212-834-4533.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the notes in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

Disclaimer

This release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to the Novartis Group's business, which can be identified by terminology such as "will," or similar expressions, or by express or implied discussions regarding the potential value of the notes described in this release, the Novartis Group's ability to repay all or any part of the notes, potential future sales or earnings of the Novartis Group or any of its divisions or business units; or regarding the potential acquisition of, and merger with, Alcon; or by discussions of strategy, plans, expectations or intentions. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of Novartis Group management regarding future events, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. There can be no guarantee that the notes will have any particular value or can be sold or re-sold for any particular value. Nor can there be any guarantee that the Novartis Group will be able to repay all or any part of the notes, or that the Novartis Group, or any of its divisions or business units, will achieve any particular financial results. There can be no guarantee that the proposed acquisition of, and merger with, Alcon will be completed in the expected form or within the expected time frame or at all. Nor can there be any guarantee that Novartis will be able to realize any of the potential synergies, strategic benefits or opportunities as a result of the proposed acquisition. In particular, management's expectations could be affected by, among other things, whether or not a market develops for the notes; whether or not we issue additional secured or unsecured debt in the future; whether we decide to redeem the notes; unexpected clinical trial results, including additional analysis of existing clinical data or unexpected new clinical data; unexpected regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; the Novartis Group's ability to obtain or maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual property protection; uncertainties regarding actual or potential legal proceedings, including, among others, product liability litigation, litigation regarding sales and marketing practices, government investigations and intellectual property disputes; competition in general; government, industry, and general public pricing and other political pressures; uncertainties regarding the after-effects of the recent global financial and economic crisis; uncertainties regarding future global exchange rates and uncertainties regarding future demand for Novartis products; uncertainties involved in the development of new pharmaceutical products; the impact that the foregoing factors could have on the values attributed to the Novartis Group's assets and liabilities as recorded in the Novartis Group's consolidated balance sheet; and other risks and factors referred to in the Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement for the notes, and in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Novartis is providing the information in these materials as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

— WebWireID113959 —

PHILADELPHIA – Obese patients with colon cancer are at greater risk for death or recurrent disease compared to those who are within a normal weight range, according to a report in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

'Obesity has long been established as a risk factor for cancer, but our study in colon cancer patients shows that obesity predicts a poorer prognosis after the cancer is surgically removed,' said Frank A. Sinicrope, M.D., professor of medicine and oncology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

There are approximately 150,000 new cases of colon cancer diagnosed each year in the United States, and colon cancer tends to affect men and women equally, said James Abbruzzese, M.D., chairman of the Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and an editorial board member of Clinical Cancer Research.

'More studies are now demonstrating that obesity plays a role as an independent risk factor for poorer patient prognosis that is unrelated to stroke or heart disease,' said Abbruzzese.

Remarkably though, many patients remain unaware of the risk associated between obesity and cancer. Results of a recent survey from the American Institute for Cancer Research showed that only 51 percent of the participants knew about the link between obesity and cancer, compared with 94 percent who were aware of the increased cancer risk associated with tobacco use, and 87 percent who knew of the increased cancer risk associated with sun exposure.

For the current study, Sinicrope and colleagues evaluated 4,381 patients with stage II or stage III colon cancer who had received adjuvant chemotherapy in clinical trials. Of these patients, 20 percent were obese.

Obesity was significantly linked with poorer overall survival and was independent of other variables analyzed. The prognostic impact was stronger in men than in women, and men in the highest body mass index category for obesity had a 35 percent increased risk of death compared to normal weight patients. The weaker effect in women is consistent with studies that have shown a lower risk of developing colon cancer in obese women compared to obese men.

'We do not know if this is due to biology or the way we measure obesity,' said Sinicrope. 'Body mass index is a limited measure and there is evidence that abdominal fat may be a better predictor of colon cancer risk and perhaps prognosis in men than in women. There is also the potential influence of menopausal status and hormone replacement therapy in women.'

# # #

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, AACR is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 30,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and nearly 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowship and career development awards. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 16,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

— WebWireID113945 —

Smoking currently claims around 106,000 lives in the UK each year due to a plethora of smoking related diseases such as cancer, heart disease and emphysema.

Treatment for illnesses caused or aggravated by smoking costs the NHS £5 billion annually.

Life insurance comparison website – Quoteboffin.co.uk – are calling for smokers to embrace No Smoking Day as the perfect time to ditch their addiction.

A QuoteBoffin spokesperson said, 'For years smoking has been recognised as something that's bad for us although it would appear it takes more than just health risks to encourage some people to stop.

Last year No Smoking Day was the catalyst for 1 in 10 people kicking the habit; that's the equivalent of 900,000 people who will now enjoy improved health and increased life expectancy through one simple lifestyle change.'

Aside from the health benefits, quitting smoking could also save individuals a bundle on their life and health insurance premium.

On average, life insurance premiums for smokers can be more than three times higher than non-smoker premiums; boasting a saving of thousands of pounds for those who are willing to quit.

QuoteBoffin.co.uk point out the kind of extra expenditures smokers unwittingly make: 'The cost of smoking doesn't just stop at the cigarettes. Smokers depreciate the value of their cars and homes with the smell of cigarette smoke and damage caused by falling ash. Home owners can also expect to pay more for their home insurance since cigarettes cause house fires.

Life insurance provider Aviva recently conducted some research into insurance premiums for smokers. They found that a 25-year-old male smoker will pay £1,800 more over the course of 30 years for £125,000 of cover than his non-smoking counterpart. With smoking causing a massive strain on an individual's physical and financial well being, the real test comes down to will power; something the No Smoking Day charity are there to help with.'

More information and support for smokers looking to quit can be found at: http://www.nosmokingday.org.uk/index.htm

About QuoteBoffin:

Quoteboffin.co.uk is an online insurance comparison website offering life insurance comparison tools that allow users to search the market and procure the best life insurance policies and quotes.

QuoteBoffin.co.uk was launched in February 2010 and is a trading style of David and Co Consultants Limited.

Contact:
QuoteBoffin.co.uk
MMT Centre
Severn Bridge
Aust
Bristol
BS35 4BL
email: enquiries@quoteboffin.co.uk

— WebWireID113922 —

Dr. Daniel Goldberg uses the Visian Phakic IOL lens to treat moderate to severe myopia (nearsightedness), this is an excellent option for New Jersey residents who are not candidates for LASIK. The Visian ICL procedure gives the eye another focusing lens that provides the same quality and definition as that of a normal healthy eye. By placing the Visian phakic IOL micro lens behind a patient's cornea and under the iris, Dr. Goldberg, an experienced Visian ICL surgeon, is able to alter the configuration of the eye to correct moderate to severe nearsightedness. The Verisyse™ lens improves a patient's distance vision, with the goal of eliminating glasses and contact lenses.

'Phakic IOLs are like embedded contact lenses,' explains Dr. Goldberg. 'Phakic IOL implantation differs from laser refractive procedures such as LASEK and LASIK because it involves implanting an IOL in the eye, not reshaping the cornea.'

Advantages of Phakic IOLs include high levels of correction, excellent quality of vision and preservation of accommodation. Dr Goldberg provides Phakic IOLs for the correction of high degrees of nearsightedness with the Visian ICL. The Staar Visian ICL™ is an implantable collamer lens that is permanently implanted behind the natural lens of the eye to improve vision in nearsighted individuals. The implantable collamer contact lenses work by bending the light rays that pass through the natural lens to achieve sharper focus on the retina.

The main difference between implantable contact lenses and traditional IOLs is the fact that an ICL works in conjunction with the eye's crystalline lens and an IOL replaces the eye's natural lens. More information on these procedures can be found at http://www.goldberg4lasik.com/phakic-iol/

Typically, IOLs are used to treat cataracts and, in some cases, presbyopia. Implantable contact lenses treat myopia, myopia with astigmatism, and hyperopia (farsightedness). Dr Goldberg is the first cornea surgeon in NJ to bring these advancements to his patients.

More information about Dr. Daniel Goldberg is available online at http://www.goldberg4lasik.com/about-dr-goldberg/

About Dr. Goldberg

Dr. Daniel B Goldberg is a comprehensive refractive surgeon - both a pioneer of LASIK surgery in the U.S. and an accomplished corneal and cataract surgeon. Dr. Goldberg specializes in comprehensive refractive surgery including LASIK eye surgery and refractive intraocular lens and cataract surgery. With 30 years of experience in refractive surgery, Dr. Goldberg has performed over 10,000 LASIK eye surgery procedures. Based in Monmouth County, New Jersey, Dr. Goldberg has performed LASIK on patients worldwide and was a member of the elite team of doctors who performed clinical trials of LASIK in its early stages. This research led to FDA approval of LASIK.

— WebWireID113938 —

The Harley Medical Group, the UK's largest cosmetic surgery provider, is reporting increased enquiries into non-surgical eyebrow lifts of around 39%, as women across the UK try to emulate the look of the stars.

A spokesperson at The Harley Medical Group commented: "The non-surgical side of the business has seen real growth over the past year and our non-surgical specialists are seeing an increase in 'combination treatments', which offer affordable and effective solutions for lines and wrinkles. The eyebrow lift is a safe, lunchtime treatment, with the striking effect of reducing lines and opening up the area around the eye."

According to staff at The Harley Medical Group clinics across the country, the increase in enquiries has been noticeable, with Angelina Jolie as the star possessing the looks which most women want their eyebrows to imitate. This impact on enquiries has been felt most within the London area, where the greatest increase in enquiries has been experienced.

Dr Nick Milojevic, Cosmetic doctor at The Harley Medical Group, commented, "The eyebrow lift is achieved with a combination of Botox and dermal fillers. The resulting effect gives a smooth, wrinkle free brow and helps make eyes appear larger and more open."

Brows can be non-surgically lifted with a combination of Botox into the brow area, followed by an injection of dermal fillers into the arch of the eyebrow. The treatment is most effective if patients have an injection of Botox initially and then have the fillers treatment two weeks later. The Botox helps even out wrinkles and tighten the skin, while fillers add volume to plump and smooth creases. Results last for six to nine months.

About The Harley Medical Group
The Harley Medical Group is the UK's largest cosmetic surgery provider, performing more procedures and with more clinics than any other cosmetic surgery provider. It has been established for more than 26 years and is one of the most highly-regarded cosmetic surgery groups operating in the UK. It has treated more than 450,000 patients to date including popular procedures such as laser hair removal and liposuction.

The Harley Medical Group works tirelessly to maintain the highest standards in the industry for the benefits all cosmetic surgery and non surgical patients. We are currently at the forefront of the campaign to ensure that the government continues to regulate the use of certain laser types used in cosmetic surgery and non surgical treatments so that patients are protected from rogue practitioners.

PR Contact:
Hannah Walsh
Rain UK
2 Greycoat Place
London
SW1P 1SB
020 7222 4345
www.harleymedical.co.uk

— WebWireID113924 —

iomart Hosting the managed hosting and cloud computing services company, is pleased to announce the recent signing of three new managed hosting contracts which are expected to generate total revenues of approximately £1.6m ($2.4M) over the next three years.

These complex hosting contracts, with both public and private sector organisations, reflect the emerging and fast growing trend among companies to outsource all or part of their IT services to the cloud.

Examples of cloud managed service contracts won recently include a three year deal to host and manage the web and email platforms for Doctors.net.uk. This is the largest, most active online medical network in the U.K., currently supporting 160,000 registered doctors,

The company has also won the contract to manage and host the server infrastructure for new media company Tilllate Media, the world's largest online nightlife community and guide. This website currently supports two million members worldwide and covers 14 country specific sites and is accessible in nine languages. The contract also required the team at iomart Hosting to develop and manage a complex migration plan.

In addition iomart Hosting is pleased to have been awarded the contract to host SocialGo™, Aim listed Bright Things plc's social networking venture. SocialGo provides thousands of customers with the ability to create fully featured social networking site easily and quickly.

iomart has also recently signed a number of managed service contracts within the education sector. iomart's fully hosted web based security service is being deployed on up to 270,000 laptops to be issued to underprivileged children under the UK Government's Universal Home Access (UHA) project managed by BECTA. iomart has also won a three year managed services deal with learndirect's operators Ufi Ltd to deliver Disaster Recovery for its main IT services.

Angus MacSween, CEO of iomart commented:

'We are delighted to be announcing these contract wins which are in line with our strategy of focusing on delivering services from within every layer of the cloud based hosting model, from the core infrastructure service layer to the complex application hosting layer at the top.

'These contracts were won through our ability to deliver highly resilient solutions while demonstrating superior levels of industry knowledge and technical experience.

'As a result of these qualities iomart is becoming an increasingly trusted and respected provider within the new cloud hosting arena and this is reflected in our healthy pipeline of new business opportunities.'

— WebWireID113923 —

ABBOTT PARK, Ill., and REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — Abbott (NYSE: ABT) and Facet Biotech Corporation (Nasdaq: FACT) announced today a definitive agreement for Abbott to acquire Facet, enhancing Abbott's early- and mid-stage pharmaceutical pipeline. Abbott will acquire Facet for $27 per share in cash for a net transaction value of approximately $450 million, which includes a purchase price of approximately $722 million less Facet's projected cash and marketable securities at closing of approximately $272 million.

The acquisition brings access to biologics in two key therapeutic areas, immunology and oncology. The compounds include daclizumab – a Phase II investigational biologic intended to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) that is expected to move into Phase III development in the second quarter 2010 – and oncology compounds in early- to mid-stage development. Daclizumab is being developed in collaboration with Biogen Idec and certain oncology compounds are being developed in collaboration with other parties.

"This acquisition will further strengthen Abbott's biologics capabilities and pharmaceutical pipeline," said John Leonard, M.D., senior vice president, global pharmaceutical research and development, Abbott. "Daclizumab is a promising treatment for multiple sclerosis, a disease that has a significant unmet medical need, and has the potential to become an important treatment option for patients. We continue to explore multiple mechanisms to treat autoimmune diseases and cancer with both biologic and small molecule approaches."

"We believe this transaction provides full and fair value for our stockholders and validates the potential of Facet's clinical and technology assets, all of which has resulted from the effort and dedication of our employees," said Faheem Hasnain, president and chief executive officer, Facet Biotech. "Abbott's depth of expertise in immunology and oncology makes it an excellent organization to maximize the full potential of these promising clinical programs and technologies."

Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system affecting more than 1 million people worldwide, and is characterized by lesions in the brain and spinal cord. Daclizumab is a humanized antibody that binds to the high affinity IL-2 receptor and selectively inhibits this receptor on activated T cells. Studies to date have shown that daclizumab may reduce the inflammatory lesions associated with MS and has the potential to offer enhanced efficacy over many existing MS therapies along with a favorable safety profile.

Facet's oncology collaborations include early- and mid-stage compounds that are being studied to treat different types of cancer, including multiple myeloma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

These novel compounds in development complement Abbott's leading-edge research in oncology, which includes three compounds in mid- to late-stage trials: ABT-263, a Bcl-2 family protein antagonist; ABT-888, a PARP inhibitor; and ABT-869, a multi-targeted kinase inhibitor.

Abbott is also advancing treatments for conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, hepatitis C and pain.

Under the terms of the agreement, Abbott will promptly commence a tender offer to purchase all outstanding shares of Facet Biotech at $27 per share. The closing of the tender offer is conditioned on the tender of a majority of the outstanding shares of Facet's common stock on a fully diluted basis and the satisfaction of regulatory and other customary conditions. The transaction has been approved on behalf of the boards of directors of Facet and Abbott. Approval of the transaction by Abbott's shareholders is not required.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2010. Abbott would expect to incur one-time specified charges following the closing of the acquisition, which will be defined at a later date. This transaction does not impact Abbott's previously issued ongoing earnings-per-share guidance for 2010.

Centerview Partners served as financial advisor to Facet Biotech and rendered a fairness opinion to Facet Biotech's board of directors in connection with the transaction.
About Facet Biotech

Facet Biotech is a biotechnology company dedicated to advancing its pipeline of five clinical-stage products focused in multiple sclerosis and oncology, leveraging its research and development capabilities to identify and develop new oncology drugs and applying its proprietary next-generation protein engineering technologies to potentially improve the clinical performance of protein therapeutics. Facet Biotech has development collaborations with Biogen Idec, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Trubion Pharmaceuticals. For additional information about the company, please visit www.facetbiotech.com.
About Abbott

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs approximately 83,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.
Additional Information

The tender offer for shares of Facet Biotech Corporation described in this press release has not yet commenced. This press release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell securities. At the time the tender offer is commenced, Abbott will file a tender offer statement (including an offer to purchase, letter of transmittal and related tender offer documents) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Facet Biotech will file with the SEC a solicitation/recommendation statement with respect to the offer. Stockholders of Facet Biotech are strongly advised to read the tender offer statement and the related solicitation/recommendation statement, because they will contain important information that stockholders should consider before making any decision regarding tendering their shares. The tender offer statement and certain other offer documents, as well as the solicitation/recommendation statement, will be made available to all stockholders of Facet Biotech at no expense to them. These documents will be available at no charge on the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov.
Facet Biotech Forward Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements of Facet Biotech that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "anticipate," "expect," "suggest," "plan," "believe," "intend," "estimate," "target," "project," "could," "should," "may," "will," "would," "continue," "forecast," and other similar expressions. Each of these forward-looking statements involves risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those, express or implied, in these forward-looking statements. Various factors may cause differences between current expectations and actual results. The factors include risks and uncertainties associated with the tender offer, including uncertainties as to the timing of the tender offer and merger, uncertainties as to how many of Facet Biotech's stockholders will tender their shares in the offer, the risk that competing offers will be made, and the possibility that various closing conditions for the transaction may not be satisfied or waived. Other factors that may cause Facet Biotech's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements in this press release are discussed in Facet Biotech's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the "Risk Factors" sections of the Company's periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filed with the SEC. Copies of Facet Biotech's filings with the SEC may be obtained at the "Investor" section of Facet Biotech's website at www.facetbiotech.com. Facet Biotech expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Facet Biotech's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based for any reason, except as required by law, even as new information becomes available or other events occur in the future. All forward-looking statements in this press release are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
Abbott Forward Looking Statement

Some statements in this news release, including statements regarding the anticipated closing of the above transaction and the effect on Abbott's financial performance, may be forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Abbott cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Among other things, these factors include the risk that the acquisition will not be completed because the tender offer did not proceed as anticipated or closing conditions to the acquisition were not satisfied. Economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect Abbott's operations are discussed in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," to Abbott's Annual Report on Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2009, and are incorporated by reference. Abbott undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments. To the extent that Abbott's statements refer to the prospects of Facet Biotech's business, such statements are qualified by Facet Biotech's forward looking statement language appearing above.

— WebWireID113894 —

About the Doctor:

The doctor is currently involved with administrative duties at a hospital in Atlanta and formerly had a prominent Atlanta OB/GYN practice. In the past he has practiced privately in Mobile and Atlanta, taught as a clinical assistant professor at Emory, lectured at the University of Georgia School Of Pharmacy, and acted as a division chief of obstetrics and gynecology departments at hospitals.

Additionally, he has served his country at an Army medical center and did research and clinical fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Having first obtained a bachelor's degree in pharmacy at the University of Georgia, he completed medical school at Medical College of Georgia and internship and residency at Army facilities in Texas and Kentucky. The doctor practiced actively for over 30 years.

About the Nurses:

Buddenhagen says 'We will continue offering nursing review for obstetrical and gynecological cases.'

The firm's registered nurse reviewers include a clinically active Certified Nurse Midwife with 35 years nursing experience and Buddenhagen with 30 years nursing experience.

The nurse midwife has clinical experience in all OB/GYN areas: ante partum, intrapartum, postpartum care of women as well as well women gynecological services and care of peri- and post-menopausal women. Additionally, she has taught as a childbirth educator, holds a master's degree in nursing (MSN) and taught nursing students at a major state university. She has served on a state board of nursing (BON) and has been certified in inpatient obstetric nursing.

Buddenhagen reviews OB/GYN cases as well, having recent clinical experience working on a surgical gynecology and urology unit of a hospital. The patients included women with ectopic pregnancies, threatened abortions, fetal demise, pregnant women with medical-surgical issues, vaginal and abdominal hysterectomies, pregnant women with hyper emesis, pelvic inflammatory disease, fibroids, cancer, endometriosis and many other OB/GYN issues that required working closely with the labor and delivery, neonatal intensive care unit and maternity or family care unit as well as the emergency department, operating room and post anesthesia recovery.

In the past, the Atlanta legal nurse consultant has cared for patients in a neonatal intensive care (NICU) providing direct care to neonates and their families, attending high risk vaginal deliveries and C-sections in the labor and delivery department.

About the firm:

Buddenhagen & Associates provides top notch obstetrical and gynecological review to assist Atlanta attorneys with these important cases and invites you to get acquainted. Atlanta legal nurse consultant Liz Buddenhagen, RN, CLNC, is proud to expand these services. To learn more, contact the firm at 770-725-2997; view the website at www.Legal-Nurse-Consultant-LNC.com or email at Liz@BuddenhagenLNC.com.

— WebWireID113876 —

Timo Veromaa, President and CEO of Biotie, said "In this research collaboration with Pfizer we have succeeded in finding innovative molecules for the treatment of schizophrenia, a disease area which has seen very few advances, especially in new mechanisms such as PDE10, over the last few decades. We believe this partnership provides further validation of our PDE platform technology"

PDE10 is a novel CNS drug target for schizophrenia treatments. Biotie, in collaboration with Pfizer, has demonstrated that inhibitors of PDE10 are active in experimental models relevant for schizophrenia. Data from these studies were recently presented at the American Chemical Society Fall National Meeting in Washington DC (August 2009) and at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL (October 2009).

Biotie Therapies Corp.

Biotie is a drug discovery and development company focused on central nervous system and inflammatory diseases. It has a broad range of innovative small molecule and biological drug candidates at different stages of clinical and pre-clinical development. Biotie's products address diseases with high unmet medical need and significant market potential, including addiction and psychotic disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The most advanced product, nalmefene for alcohol dependence, is currently in phase III clinical development by licensing partner H. Lundbeck A/S.

The commercial value of the pipeline has been demonstrated through existing alliances with top-tier global pharmaceutical companies such as Lundbeck, Roche and Pfizer. Biotie has operations in Turku, Finland and Radebeul, Germany.

Biotie shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd.

For more information, please refer to www.biotie.com

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe and disabling disorder of the central nervous system affecting up to one percent of the population. The disease is characterized by hallucinations, social withdrawal, and deficits in cognition and memory. Current treatments are mostly efficacious in the treatment of hallucinations but have insufficient efficacy for social withdrawal and may have intolerable side effects including weight gain, diabetes, movement disorders and anxiety disorders.

— WebWireID113869 —

The hospital also reduced 'code blue' conditions — patients requiring resuscitation after a cardiac arrest or respiratory arrest — outside of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) by 76.5 percent.

The Rapid Response Team at Parrish, known as its Critical Assessment Team (CAT), utilized CareFocus as part of its Six Sigma quality improvement project to reduce hospital mortality and code blue conditions outside the ICU.

'The fewer people you have coding on the floors the better you can take care of them in the ICU,' said Frank Corcoran, RN, BSN, director of ICU / RT / Hemodialysis / Infection Control at Parrish Medical Center. 'Our current reduction in mortality, trended out over a one-year period, will equate to about sixty-three extra lives saved.'

The CAT used the real-time surveillance capability of CareFocus to develop clinical profiles that monitor select patient data such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and other critical values. Patients who meet a profile's criteria — indicating they are at risk — are included on a list accessible to ICU staff, charge nurses, clinical coordinators, administrative supervisors and nurse managers, directors and vice presidents.

Four times each day — twice during the day and twice over night — a team of CAT personnel and nurses meet to review the status of patients on the list. The team then determines if the patients can be stabilized or if they should be sent to the ICU for further treatment.

'CareFocus identifies the at-risk patients for us. And because the information is easily accessible by the team, we're now able to review the patient's information beforehand and come to these meetings better prepared to make treatment recommendations,' said Corcoran.

'Our clinicians began using CareFocus in late August 2009. In just a short period of time it's helped them make a significant improvement in clinical quality and patient safety,' said Bill Moore, chief information officer at Parrish Medical Center. 'We're looking forward to expanding its use to other clinicians throughout the hospital to achieve equally impressive improvements.'

CareFocus enables hospital clinicians to build profiles that identify high-risk inpatients based on an ongoing, automated review of their medications, laboratory and radiology results, vital signs, diagnoses, active orders, demographics, and other clinical data. Patients who meet a profile's criteria are segmented into lists that are delivered to a clinician's smartphone and a Web portal. By identifying these high-risk patients early, hospitals can significantly improve clinical outcomes while reducing mortality, complications, and length of stay.

About Parrish Medical Center
Parrish Medical Center is a 210-bed, not-for-profit public medical center serving Florida's Space Coast for 50 years. Located at 951 N. Washington Avenue in Titusville, Parrish Medical Center is a nationally recognized industry leader having earned a number of prestigious recognitions, including America's #1 Healing Hospital for three consecutive years; JD Power & Associates Distinguished Hospital Award for Outstanding Patient Experiences, Health Grades® Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ and Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence Award™, Modern Healthcare Magazine's Top 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare and Spirit of Excellence Awards; Hospital of Choice Award; National Spirit of Women Premier Hospital; and nine Joint Commission disease-specific Gold Seal® certifications (more than all but two other hospital in Florida). For more information, visit parrishmed.com or call 321-268-6110.

Thomson Reuters
Thomson Reuters is the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial, legal, tax and accounting, healthcare and science and media markets, powered by the world's most trusted news organization. With headquarters in New York and major operations in London and Eagan, Minnesota, Thomson Reuters employs more than 50,000 people and operates in over 100 countries. Thomson Reuters shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: TRI) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: TRI). For more information, go to www.thomsonreuters.com.

— WebWireID113861 —

Paris, France and Whitehouse Station, NJ. - Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) and Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) announced today that sanofi-aventis has exercised its option to combine Merial with Intervet/Schering-Plough, Merck's Animal Health business, to create a global leader in Animal Health.

The new joint venture will be equally-owned by Merck and sanofi-aventis. The formation of this new animal health joint venture is subject to execution of final agreements, antitrust review in the United States, Europe and other countries and other customary closing conditions. The completion of the transaction is expected to occur in approximately the next 12 months.

'The upcoming combination of Merial and Intervet/Schering-Plough is an exciting opportunity for sanofi-aventis to create with Merck a leading company in the Animal Health strategic and growing sector', said Christopher A. Viehbacher, Chief Executive Officer of sanofi-aventis. 'I am convinced that, together, we will create strong value in bringing broader and improved offerings in both pet and production animal segments. This transaction represents another consistent milestone in our diversification strategy to bring sustainable growth to sanofi-aventis.'

"Merck has been in the animal health business for well over six decades and through this new joint venture, we will bolster our diverse portfolio and create a new global competitor poised for growth," said Richard T. Clark, Merck Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "This new joint venture delivers on Merck's commitment to customer focus by creating one of the broadest portfolios of animal health products and services in pharmaceuticals and biologics for millions of customers who include farmers, veterinarians and pet owners. The planned joint venture will have an attractive geographical network of global technology and expertise to provide health solutions based on customers' needs, which often vary regionally."

The entreprise value of Merial has been fixed at $8 billion and the entreprise value of Intervet/Schering-Plough at $8.5 billion, leading to a true-up payment of $ 250 million to Merck to establish a 50/50 joint venture. An additional amount of $750 million will be paid by sanofi-aventis, as per the terms of the agreement signed on July 29, 2009. All payments, including adjustments for debt and certain other liabilities will be made upon closing of the transaction. This new joint venture will offer a broader portfolio of animal health products and services in pharmaceuticals and biologics, as well as the ability to capitalize on growth opportunities in all fields and countries around the world.

The worldwide animal health market reached $19 billion in 2008. Products for companion animals accounted for 40 percent of total sales while products for production animals accounted for the remaining 60 percent of total sales. This market is expected to grow at around 5 percent per year over the next 5 years, driven by a growing demand for animal proteins, as well as a strong consumer needs for companion animal health care.

The companies said that both Merial and Intervet/Schering-Plough will continue to operate independently until the closing of the transaction.

About Merck
Today's Merck is working to help the world be well. Through our medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer and animal products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to health care through far-reaching programs that donate and deliver our products to the people who need them. Merck. Be Well. For more information, visit www.merck.com.

About sanofi-aventis
Sanofi-aventis, a leading global pharmaceutical company, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions to improve the lives of everyone. Sanofi-aventis is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).

About Intervet/Schering-Plough
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, based in Boxmeer, the Netherlands, is focused on the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of animal health products. The company offers customers one of the broadest, most innovative animal health portfolios, spanning products to support performance and to prevent, treat and control disease in all major farm and companion animal species. Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health is a fully owned business unit of Merck & Co., Inc., based in Whitehouse Station NJ, USA. For more information about Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health visit: www.intervet.com and www.merck.com.

About Merial
Merial is a world-leading, innovation-driven animal health company, providing a comprehensive range of products to enhance the health, well-being and performance of a wide range of animals. Merial employs approximately 5,700 people and operates in more than 150 countries worldwide. Formed in 1997, Merial is a leading animal health company that was a 50/50 joint venture between Merck and sanofi-aventis and is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of sanofi-aventis, after Sanofi-aventis acquired Merck's interest in Merial for a cash consideration of $4 billion (US) in 2009. For more information, please see www.merial.com.

Forward Looking Statements by Merck
This news release includes 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the merger between Merck and Schering-Plough, including future financial and operating results, the combined company's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Merck's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: the possibility that the expected synergies from the merger of Merck and Schering-Plough will not be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period, due to, among other things, the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and pending legislation that could affect the pharmaceutical industry; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; disruption from the merger making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships; Merck's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; dependence on the effectiveness of Merck's patents and other protections for innovative products; the risk of new and changing regulation and health policies in the U.S. and internationally and the exposure to litigation and/or regulatory actions.

Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in Merck's 2009 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC's Internet site (www.sec.gov).

Forward Looking Statements by sanofi-aventis
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations, services, product development and potential and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words 'expects,' 'anticipates,' 'believes,' 'intends,' 'estimates,' 'plans' and similar expressions. Although sanofi-aventis' management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of sanofi-aventis, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, including post marketing, decisions by regulatory authorities, such as the FDA or the EMA, regarding whether and when to approve any drug, device or biological application that may be filed for any such product candidates as well as their decisions regarding labelling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of such products candidates, the absence of guarantee that the products candidates if approved will be commercially successful, the future approval and commercial success of therapeutic alternatives, the Group's ability to benefit from external growth opportunities as well as those discussed or identified in the public filings with the SEC and the AMF made by sanofi-aventis, including those listed under 'Risk Factors' and 'Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements' in sanofi-aventis' annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2008. Other than as required by applicable law, sanofi-aventis does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements.

TUESDAY MARCH 9, 2010 - CONFERENCE CALL & WEBCAST

Sanofi-aventis and Merck will host a conference call today, Tuesday March 9, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. CET (8:00 a.m. EST)

Call-in numbers:
France: +33 (0)1 72 00 15 29
UK: +44 (0) 203 367 94 59
USA: +1 866 907 59 28

Replay:
France: +33 (0)1 72 00 15 00
UK: +44 (0) 203 367 94 60
USA: +1 877 642 30 18
Access code: 269754#
Replay available until March 19, 2010

The presentation and a webcast of the conference call will be available on the websites www.sanofi-aventis.com. and www.merck.com.

The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.

— WebWireID113857 —

In recent years a new type of treatment called artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACTs) has transformed the treatment of malaria, but if not used properly the medicine could become ineffective.
Guidelines emphasize testing

The Guidelines for the Treatment of Malaria (second edition) provide evidence-based and current recommendations for countries on malaria diagnosis and treatment. The main changes from the first edition of the guidelines (published in 2006) are the emphasis on testing before treating and the addition of a new ACT to the list of recommended treatments.

"The world now has the means to rapidly diagnose malaria and treat it effectively' said Dr Robert Newman, Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme (GMP). "WHO now recommends diagnostic testing in all cases of suspected malaria. Treatment based on clinical symptoms alone should be reserved for settings where diagnostic tests are not available," he added.

In 2008, just 22% of suspected malaria cases were tested in 18 of 35 African countries reporting. Until now, most clinics had to rely on microscopy, but the recent development of quality-assured Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) using a dip stick and a drop of blood means a policy change is possible. The tests can reliably demonstrate the presence or absence of malaria parasites in the blood and can be performed at all levels of the health system, including community settings.
Universal diagnostic testing

The move towards universal diagnostic testing of malaria is a critical step forward in the fight against malaria as it will allow for the targeted use of ACTs for those who actually have malaria. The aim is to reduce the emergence and spread of drug resistance and to help identify patients who have fever, but do not have malaria, so that alternative diagnoses can be made and appropriate treatment provided. Therefore, better management of malaria has a positive impact on management of other childhood illness and overall child survival.

WHO is supporting malaria endemic countries to improve the quality of their diagnostic services using both microscopy and RDTs, and urging the manufacturers of RDTs to continue improving the accuracy and quality of these critically important diagnostic tests.

WHO estimates that 80 countries have adopted ACTs for first-line treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria. In the guidelines, WHO emphasizes the importance of treating this deadliest form of the disease with artemisinin-based combination therapies. WHO has now added a fifth ACT - dihydroartemisinin plus piperaquine - to the previous list of recommended medicines.
Preventing drug resistance

WHO recommends oral artemisinin-based monotherapy should be removed from the market because their use will hasten the development of parasite resistance. Countries need to ensure that patients are diagnosed properly and take the full dose of ACTs to prevent the development of drug resistance.
Procurement quality

The first ever guidelines on Good procurement practices for artemisinin-based antimalarial medicines are based on the newest stringent internationally agreed production and procurement quality standards. This manual aims to improve the capacities of national and international procurement officers in the understanding of key quality elements and required documentation. The content is presented as a practical and concise 16-step practical checklist to guide the selection and procurement of safe and effective medicines meeting international quality standards.

"Pharmaceutical markets in malaria endemic countries are often unregulated and national authorities need practical help to assess the quality of malaria medicines before they buy them" says Dr Andrea Bosman, Coordinator of the Medicines and Diagnostics Unit at GMP. "Procurement channels are highly fragmented and so there are too many antimalarials of varying quality on the market."

Poor-quality medicines affect the health and lives of patients, damage the credibility of health services and, by generating sub-therapeutic drug levels in malaria patients, help develop resistance to this important life-saving class of pharmaceuticals.

"These guidelines will help countries select and procure effective medicines of good quality and save lives by improving the way patients are diagnosed and treated," says Dr. George Ki-Zerbo, Malaria Programme Manager at the WHO Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville.

Half of the world's population is at risk from malaria. Each year almost 250 million cases occur, causing 860 000 deaths. Approximately 85% of these deaths are among children, and most occur in Africa.

— WebWireID113855 —

Led by Hugh S. Taylor, M.D., professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at Yale, the study is the first to show that BPA exposure permanently affects sensitivity to estrogen.

Taylor and his team used two groups of mice, one exposed to BPA as a fetus during pregnancy and another exposed to a placebo. They examined gene expression and the amount of DNA modification in the uterus. They found that the mice exposed to BPA as a fetus had an exaggerated response to estrogens as adults, long after the exposure to BPA. The genes were permanently programmed to respond excessively to estrogen.
'The DNA in the uterus was modified by loss of methyl groups so that it responded abnormally in adulthood,' said Taylor. 'The gene expression was permanently epigenetically altered and the uterus became hyper-responsive to estrogens.'

Taylor said that exposure to BPA as a fetus is carried throughout adulthood. 'What our mothers were exposed to in pregnancy may influence the rest of our lives. We need to better identify the effect of environmental contaminants on not just crude measures such as birth defects, but also their effect in causing more subtle developmental errors.'

Citation: The FASEB Journal (Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology) Vol. 24, Issue 3 (March 2010)

— WebWireID113842 —

Aberrant DNA methylation is likely to be caused by a variety of environmental influences and is a molecular marker in multiple pathological processes such as cancer. Bisulfite modification of genomic DNA, followed by PCR amplification, cloning, and sequencing of individual PCR amplimers yields vital information on the methylation states of individual cytosines on individual DNA molecules.

With the BisulFlash(TM) technology, Epigentek makes a remarkable improvement over currently used DNA sodium bisulfite tools. Scientists at Epigentek have developed a proprietary means to effectively and simultaneously perform DNA denaturation and bisulfite conversion, contrary to traditional methods in which the two processes were performed separately. This breakthrough approach enables the DNA conversion process to not only be immensely faster but also achieve higher conversion efficiency and accuracy. Additionally, a unique protection reagent prevents over 90% of DNA loss, preserving important DNA recovery.

In just 30 minutes, converted DNA eluate can be obtained for use in MS-PCR, real time MS-PCR, methylation microarray, and especially next generation methylation sequencing and pyrosequencing. Other commercial kits on the market can take anywhere from 2 to 7 hours to complete a procedure with homebrew methods even taking up to 16 hours.

DNA methylation-related products are a large part of the world market of epigenetics which will reach $18.2bn by 2015 according to a 2010 report by Global Industry Analysts. By introducing the next generation BisulFlash(TM) method, Epigentek remains a key player in the research market. Back in 2007, Epigentek formed a strategic partnership with Sigma-Aldrich to provide its epigenetic technologies, including DNA methylation and ChIP, to the St. Louis company and to further the studies of epigenetics.

About Epigentek Group Inc.
Epigentek Group Inc. is a leading biotechnology company that focuses on developing and providing innovative technology and products as a complete and systematic solution for epigenetics-related research and drug discovery. Visit our website at www.epigentek.com

— WebWireID113802 —

v-Fluence Interactive CEO Jay Byrne points to company research showing the fast growth of healthcare mobile 'apps' available for portable devices and the increasing use of these mobile apps by consumers, as an area health organization strategists should consider when developing their monitoring, marketing and related regulatory compliance plans.

As of January 2010, there were more than 1,700 medical applications available for the iPhone, iTouch and other mobile devices. For example, i-Tunes' broad Health & Fitness or Medical categories now features more than 6,000 apps for iPhones, including hundreds of applications that reference virtually every major pharmaceutical brand name, offering services from basic prescribing data to "cost-saving" generic or over-the-counter alternative options. These applications been developed by medical publishers, pharmacies, payers, hospitals, advocacy groups, alternative health promoters, health care professionals, litigators, government agencies and others. Virtually every therapeutic area is already represented with a daily growing list of offerings for disease management.

At the same time, the percentage of the public using mobile devices to access medical and pharmaceutical information has grown considerably. For instance, iTunes' reports their Health & Fitness or Medical applications have been downloaded by more than 1 million users and the public appetite for information via mobile devices continues to grow:

• 80% of physicians say they are more likely to base a clinical decision on information they access via a Smartphone versus information they've read in a journal
• 37% of all consumers currently use mobile devices for online activities – and 25% use mobile devices as source of daily news
• More than 10 million Americans have used cell phones or smart devices to look up health information

'The growing rise in mobile healthcare apps, and their use by the public, should have brand strategists asking such questions as: 'Are you appropriately monitoring these spaces and the dozens of third-party application review spaces?'' questions v-Fluence President Jay Byrne. 'If your company has plans to launch a mobile app, have you determined how you plan to track user reviews and related content? How will you manage content that includes reportable adverse events and/or content that creates product promotion challenges and concerns among regulators?'

Fortunately, v-Fluence's team includes therapeutic-area dedicated analysts who are fully trained in drug safety reporting and promotional marketing restrictions and policies. Additionally, senior v-Fluence counselors track tactics used by industry players and relevant influencers, while staying up to date with influential policies and practices for spaces like iTunes, Facebook, Twitter and other emerging new media channels.

'v-Fluence's strength is, and always has been, our ability to turn in-depth online analytics and intelligence into easy to understand, measurable, and proactive positioning for our clients,' Byrne points out, 'With therapeutic and healthy policy dedicated analysts, our team of senior counsels are positioned to deliver strategic intelligence and corresponding best practice execution support for mobile health related spaces.'

A full version of this report and references is available at: http://www.v-fluence.com/blog/459/healthcare-apps-exploding-in-mobile-are-you-ready

About v-Fluence:
v-Fluence Interactive is a fast-growing agency with an established track record of positively shaping the online environments for multinational corporations, major brands and organizations. v-Fluence's online marketing and public relations practice areas focus on health, wellness and quality of life marketplaces in which consumers and stakeholders are more than interested—they are passionate and often vocal about the brands, products and issues that surround them. v-Fluence's success in these challenging environments flows from our analytics-rich approach to client work and our team of online analysts and senior-level topic-specific experts who are dedicated to excellence, integrity and innovation and recognized nationally for trend-setting online campaigns and client successes.

Web resources:
http://www.v-fluence.com
http://twitter.com/vFluence
http://www.facebook.com/vFluence

— WebWireID113803 —

The study, based on a database of more than 200,000 Quebec residents aged 65 and older, showed statistical relationships between a diagnosis of cataracts or cataract surgery and the class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), as well as between cataracts and specific drugs within that class.

Published online today in the journal Ophthalmology, the study does not prove causation but only reveals an association between the use of SSRIs and the development of cataracts. The study could not account for the possibility of smoking – which is a risk factor for cataracts – and additional population-based studies are needed to confirm these findings, the researchers say.

This study of statistical relationships is the first to establish a link between this class of drugs and cataracts in humans. Previous studies in animal models had demonstrated that SSRIs could increase the likelihood of developing the condition.

'When you look at the trade-offs of these drugs, the benefits of treating depression – which can be life-threatening – still outweigh the risk of

developing cataracts, which are treatable and relatively benign,' says Dr. Mahyar Etminan, lead author of the article, a scientist and clinical pharmacist at the Centre for Clinical Epidemiology at Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and an assistant professor in the Dept. of Medicine at UBC.

Researchers found patients taking SSRIs were overall 15 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with cataracts or to have cataract surgery.

The degree of risk among specific and different types of SSRIs varied considerably. Taking fluvoxamine (Luvox) led to a 51 per cent higher chance of having cataract surgery, and venlafaxine (Effexor) carried a 34 per cent higher risk. No connection could be made between fluoxetine (Prozac), citalopram (Celexa), and sertraline (Zoloft) and having cataract surgery.

Co-author Dr. Frederick S. Mikelberg, professor and head of the Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at UBC and head of the Dept. of Ophthalmology at Vancouver General Hospital, notes that the average time to develop cataracts while taking SSRIs was almost two years.

'While these results are surprising, and might inform the choices of psychiatrists when prescribing SSRIs for their patients, they should not be cause for alarm among people taking these medications,' Mikelberg says.

SSRIs, the third most prescribed class of drugs in the world, block the uptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin by neurons in the brain, thereby stimulating more impulses between neurons. Cataracts, a clouding of the eye's lens that usually occurs in older people, are routinely treated through surgery. More than 1.5 million people undergo surgery for the condition every year in North America, according to the Canadian Ophthalmological Society.

Co-author Dr. James M. Brophy, of the McGill University Dept. of Medicine, provided the database used for the study. The research was supported in part by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, with Dr. Brophy receiving financial support from the Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du Québec.

The UBC Faculty of Medicine provides innovative programs in the health and life sciences, teaching students at the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels, and generates more than $200 million in research funding each year. In 2008/09, out of the total UBC research endeavour, 49 per cent or $233 million, came from academic and clinical teams in the Faculty of Medicine. For more information, visit www.med.ubc.ca.

Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) is the research body of Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, which includes BC's largest academic and teaching health sciences centres: VGH, UBC Hospital, and GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre. In academic partnership with the University of British Columbia, VCHRI brings innovation and discovery to patient care, advancing healthier lives in healthy communities across British Columbia, Canada, and beyond. www.vchri.ca.

— WebWireID113796 —