The following statement is being issued by Branstetter, Stranch & Jennings, PLLC regarding In re Prograf Antitrust Litigation.
A lawsuit is currently pending claiming that Astellas Pharma US, Inc. (“Astellas” or “Defendant”) violated state antitrust, unfair competition, consumer protection, and unjust enrichment laws of certain states by delaying the availability of a less expensive generic version of the immunosuppressant prescription drug Prograf® (known as tacrolimus). Plaintiffs allege that Defendant’s conduct caused some consumers and third party payors to pay too much for Prograf in certain states from September 3, 2008 to December 31, 2010 (also referred to as the “Class Damage Period”). This lawsuit does not claim that Prograf is unsafe or ineffective. Astellas denies any wrongdoing.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7933851-prograf-antitrust-class-action-settlement/
Ascensia Diabetes Care today announced the availability of the CONTOUR®NEXT ONE blood glucose monitoring system (BGMS) in the United Kingdom, one of the next steps in the evolution of self-monitoring of blood glucose. As part of the system, the CONTOUR®NEXT ONE meter and CONTOUR®DIABETES app seamlessly connect, which makes capturing blood glucose results effortless for people with diabetes. The system enables patterns and trends to be revealed that can help people understand their diabetes, and may help to improve diabetes management.
The system features an easy-to-use wireless-enabled smart meter that links to a smart mobile device via Bluetooth® connectivity. The CONTOUR®NEXT ONE meter gives immediate feedback and also seamlessly connects to the CONTOUR®DIABETES app, which collects, stores and analyses patient blood glucose results received from the meter. The app combines these results with other data recorded by the user, to provide detailed information about their condition that can help them understand how their everyday lives may impact their blood glucose readings, including alerts for critical high or critical low readings. Through the app, meter users can also share with their healthcare professional the reports of their blood glucose results and patterns, either in advance or on the day of their appointment, helping to create more informed discussions.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7954951-contour-next-one-bgms-ascensia/
Going on the offensive against one of the most daunting challenges in cancer, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) today announced the launch of a groundbreaking, collaborative clinical trial for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a deadly disease which has seen few improvements in treatments in more than 40 years.
Beat AML was announced yesterday by Vice President Biden, along with many new, Moonshot inspired initiatives across industry, non-profit and government.
AML is the most lethal of the blood cancers, which together are the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.; AML is responsible for more than 10,000 deaths each year. Despite advances in treating other blood cancers, the standard of treatment for AML – a combination of toxic chemotherapies – has remained the same for more than 40 years. Overall prognosis remains poor, with a five-year survival rate below 20 percent for patients over age 60.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7554854-lls-beat-aml-acute-myeloid-leukemia/
Breast cancer now represents one in four of all cancers in women worldwide and touches lives every day. While experiences with the disease may vary, the desire to defeat breast cancer is universal. This year, in honor of a shared vision for a world without this disease, The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA) Campaign celebrates the power of global solidarity by encouraging people around the world to “Take Action Together to Defeat Breast Cancer.” The 2016 BCA Campaign invites women, men and families to draw inspiration from one another and unite in action on BCAcampaign.com and social media, while supporting lifesaving breast cancer research.
Over the past two decades, The Estée Lauder Companies’ BCA Campaign, launched by the late Evelyn H. Lauder, co-creator of the Pink Ribbon and founder of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF), has been a leading voice for breast cancer awareness around the world, igniting a global movement that has helped save millions of lives and fund innovative breast cancer research. Today, The BCA Campaign is active in more than 70 countries and has raised more than $65 million to support global research, education and medical services, with more than $50 million funding 200 BCRF medical research grants worldwide over the past 22 years. These funds help accelerate critical research across wide-ranging areas such as tumor biology, heredity and ethnicity, lifestyle and prevention, treatment, survivorship and metastasis. Around the world, The BCA Campaign partners with more than 60 breast cancer organizations focused on breast cancer research, education and medical services. This year, The BCA Campaign is committed to raising $6 million in support of its mission to defeat breast cancer through education and medical research.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7935851-estee-lauder-bca-campaign-2016/
Orbis, the international nonprofit that unites the world in the fight against blindness, is proud to land its new, state-of-the-art Flying Eye Hospital in Shenyang, China this week to commence its first training program, running from September 5 - 23. Six years in the making, the third-generation Flying Eye Hospital is the world’s only mobile ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft, donated by FedEx. Hundreds of experts have come together to combine the latest in avionics, hospital engineering, technology and clinical expertise to make the new Flying Eye Hospital a reality. It features modular design, 3D technology and live broadcast capabilities, which enables Orbis and their expert Volunteer Faculty to train more doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals—ultimately treating more people and restoring their sight.
“Today, I am incredibly proud that our Flying Eye Hospital can get to work on its first program,” Bob Ranck, Orbis CEO and President, said. “It is a testament to the hundreds of volunteers, global corporate partners, governments and other individuals who have worked tirelessly to make this unique aircraft a reality, and we thank them one and all. Our mission at Orbis is to bring the world together to fight blindness, and the Flying Eye Hospital is an important tool for achieving this. It is an equal-parts teacher, envoy and advocate for the right to sight. We are excited to start this new chapter in Orbis history here in Shenyang, China.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7316251-orbis-flying-eye-hospital/
The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) announces the launch of the “Step Up for Blue” Campaign for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. The campaign honors the millions of men and their families touched by prostate cancer worldwide.
“Step Up for Blue” focuses on elevating critical issues to inspire, energize, and accelerate actions that lead to greater awareness, new therapies, and fewer deaths from prostate cancer. It will run through the duration of September.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7729253-pcf-step-up-for-blue-prostate-cancer/
Northwestern Medicine’s Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute is celebrating the success of its transcatheter valve program, a pioneering technology that replaces or repairs leaky heart valves without open-heart surgery. On August 25, 2016, more than 50 former transcatheter valve replacement patients and their family members celebrated the life-saving procedure that has extended both their lives and their ability to enjoy them.
The Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute hit the milestone of being the first hospital in Illinois to perform the 500th TAVR, or transcatheter aortic valve replacement, since the program’s inception in 2008. Charles J. Davidson, MD, performed the 500th procedure on July 23, 2016.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7049452-northwestern-medicine-transcatheter-valve/
USANA Health Sciences is pleased to announce an innovative technological advancement: its U.S. patent-pending USANA InCelligence Technology™. This exclusive cell-signaling technology—now found in various USANA® products—is designed to help your body’s cells renew and protect themselves in unique and powerful ways, representing a monumental leap forward in cellular nutrition and overall wellness.*
“USANA continues to build a reputation as an innovator in the science of cellular health and nutritional supplementation,” says USANA Founder Dr. Myron Wentz. “With USANA’s InCelligence Technology, we are ensuring that our company remains on the cutting-edge of nutritional supplementation.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7736551-usana-incelligence-technology/
Seqirus is now shipping its complete portfolio of seasonal influenza vaccines to customers in the US market for the 2016-2017 season. Seqirus is the only influenza vaccine manufacturer to produce influenza vaccines using both egg-based and cell culture technologies, and the only provider in the US that offers both quadrivalent and trivalent influenza vaccines, as well as the only adjuvanted seasonal influenza vaccine.
Seqirus is now shipping to the US all influenza vaccines in its portfolio, including Fluad™ (Influenza Vaccine, Adjuvanted), Flucelvax Quadrivalent™ (Influenza Vaccine), Afluria® (Influenza Vaccine), and Fluvirin® (Influenza Virus Vaccine) in advance of the peak of influenza season.
“Seqirus is proud to be a major contributor to the prevention and control of influenza by offering healthcare providers and pharmacists with a range of clinically proven, innovative vaccination options that help protect people against the debilitating effects of the disease,” said Brent MacGregor, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations. “We are committed to being an early and reliable supplier of our influenza vaccines to help ensure that appropriate patients have plenty of time to get their annual immunization.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7902351-seqirus-franchise-shipment/
Today, WebMD released Path to a Breakthrough, a five-part original video series developed in partnership with Robin Roberts and her independent production company, Rock’n Robin Productions. Through compelling patient stories and insights from medical experts, Path to a Breakthrough sheds light on how medical innovations, including Precision Medicine, Immunotherapy, and Biologics, are providing doctors with powerful new tools to treat disease, alleviate symptoms, and in some cases, reverse the course of debilitating illness.
In this extraordinary new series, WebMD and Roberts share the stories of Cara, a 4-year-old girl who lost, then regained her ability to walk from the clues hidden in her genetic makeup; Trevor, a man diagnosed with stage IV Lymphoma in the prime of his life, and the doctor who helped him harness his own immune system for a nontoxic cancer treatment; Kevin, whose pain from dirt bike racing injuries was nothing compared to the excruciating pain of Rheumatoid Arthritis; Falisha, whose life-changing diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis was alleviated by biologics; and Rebecca, whose debilitating Psoriasis led to blindness.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7579754-webmd-path-to-a-breakthrough/
Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) launched its presence at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) 2016 Clinical Lab Expo today by featuring several next-generation diagnostic testing platforms and a new virtual reality experience that gives attendees an “under the hood” look at a lab of the future and an innovative concept Roche calls the “Roche connected lab.”
The virtual reality theater will enable attendees to view samples moving through a virtual lab equipped with various configurations of Roche automation, chemistry/immunoassay platforms and molecular diagnostics systems, as well as connections to third-party platforms. The actual Roche systems that are part of the connected lab concept will also be on display in the booth.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7889151-roche-aacc-2016/
Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), announced today that its first doses of Fluzone® (Influenza Vaccine) for the 2016-2017 influenza (“flu”) season have been released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for shipment. This represents the first of more than 65 million total doses of seasonal influenza vaccine manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur that will be delivered to U.S. health care providers and pharmacies beginning in July and continuing throughout the remainder of the year. Sanofi Pasteur plans to increase its supply to respond to the shifting pediatric public health needs.
Seasonal influenza activity typically occurs between October and May and peaks between December and February. However, influenza activity peaked noticeably late last season occurring in early March 2016.1 Influenza seasons are always unpredictable as new influenza strains emerge and strain activity fluctuates throughout the year, making timely vaccination even more important to help protect against the virus, especially for seniors, young children and infants six months of age and older.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7842051-sanofi-pasteur-influenza-vaccine/
