UBC Announcements
UBC Premiers New Health Research Digest
United BioSource Corporation (UBC) is pleased to announce the launch of Health Research Digest™ - a quarterly clinical trials listing directory complete with consumer-friendly articles. The Digest was created to accelerate clinical program enrollment and is being distributed in partnership with the Medco RapidRx® network, a concierge program for high-volume practices. These physicians were included for their desire to bring clinical research into discussions with their patients and it is through our connection with the RapidRx® practice that your research opportunities will reach these patients. By placing information about your study in the hands of patients at a time when they have trusted advice on hand, the Digest is sparking a new wave of conversations about medical research among doctors and patients and providing an unparalleled source of motivated, potential volunteers for trials.
In order to further broaden the reach of this publication, Health Research Digest™ has also partnered with CenterWatch, a leading source of clinical trials information for both clinical research professionals and patients. As a result, every clinical study advertised in the Digest will be added to the CenterWatch's web listing during that quarter.
The first edition is scheduled to launch on October 1, 2012, to a nationwide distribution network with special focus on the following cities: Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Baltimore-Washington, D.C., Phoenix, and Pittsburgh. Clinical studies advertised in this publication can reach up to 7.5 million patients and every ad purchased includes IVR call routing as well as basic screening services.
For more information and to access a media kit, please visit www.healthresearchdigest.com.
Proherant Joins United BioSource Corporation
UBC is excited to officially announce our comprehensive product-to-patient support solutions, providing an industry-leading suite of services that offers distinct advantages for all of our clients.
In early 2011, United BioSource Corporation began managing and integrating Proherant Health, Inc., a company focused on providing a unique portfolio of integrated patient and healthcare provider support services for manufacturers of biopharmaceuticals and medical devices, into UBC's business. The addition of these capabilities, combined with UBC's already existing patient and physician services and strong scientific and operational excellence, has allowed UBC to strengthen the overall portfolio of services available to our clients. Our newly expanded organization offers end-to-end solutions that include reimbursement services, clinical call centers, site-of-care solutions, clinical liaison programs, patient assistance program administration, and Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) - all of which adds up to better access to innovative products for patients.
With this offering, UBC can serve as a strategic partner to manufacturers, providing an integrated patient support model that helps to:
- Increase product awareness
- Provide access to needed specialty medications or products
- Encourage patient adherence to the appropriate regimen
Ultimately, these comprehensive services can help ensure that healthcare providers and patients have the support they need to correctly administer the specialty therapies that may enhance or save patient lives.
To learn more about these services, please visit unitedbiosource.com/scientific/product-patient/.
Bracket acquires Arrowhead Electronic Healthcare
Wayne, PA—18 July, 2011—Bracket and Arrowhead Electronic Healthcare are excited to announce that on Friday, July 8 2011, Bracket completed the acquisition of Arrowhead, a global provider of electronic Patient-Reported Outcome (ePRO) technologies. Bracket is United BioSource Corporation’s pre-approval specialty services division serving pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device sponsors, as well as contract research organizations (CROs) worldwide.
Bracket is committed to leveraging the integration of science, technology and operational excellence to provide sponsors with unique, effective solutions that allow them to achieve greater precision and accurate outcomes in their clinical trials. The suite of ePRO solutions provided by Arrowhead will be integrated into Bracket's existing portfolio of eClinical tools, including IVRS, IWRS, and eLearning platforms thereby creating a robust, mature ePRO platform to simplify the planning, management, and data quality processes for global clinical trials with complex data collection needs.
"By joining Bracket, we will be able to increase our global operations capability with a proven leader in the specialty clinical trials industry," said Jeff Albrecht, Founder and President of Arrowhead. Arrowhead's ePRO solutions are uniquely engineered to optimally capture the patient experience in both pre- and post-approval clinical studies so trial sponsors can focus on making more accurate, efficient, and effective drug development decisions.
"Successful ePRO solutions require the sophisticated integration of science, technology and timely delivery of devices and Internet-based software worldwide—requirements which leverage Bracket’s expertise and can readily benefit from UBC’s outcomes research and post-marketing expertise," commented Cathe Spear, division head for Bracket.
For further information on Bracket, please visit www.bracketglobal.com.
UBC and DIA offer Three-Part Pharmacovigilance Webinar Series
This webinar series will provide attendees with a better understanding of operational implications of the new European pharmacovigilance legislation, safety signaling and confirmatory studies, and phamacovigilance for co-marketed products.
Part 1 – Out with the Old, In with the New: Operational Implications for the New European Pharmacovigilance Legislation
October 19, 2011
Part 2 – Pharmacovigilance for Co-marketed Products: Identifying and Overcoming Potential Obstacles
October 26, 2011
Part 3 – Closing the Gap between Safety Signaling and Confirmatory Studies
November 2, 2011
You can see more details and registration information here.
You can see the complete current schedule of UBC webinars and register here.
Unable to attend? Listen to archived webinars on-demand here.
UBC Introduces Bracket, A Specialty Services Provider
United BioSource Corporation is pleased to introduce Bracket, a Specialty Services provider dedicated to helping pharmaceutical sponsors and contract research organizations (CROs) achieve greater certainty and accurate outcomes in their clinical trials. Bracket combines two existing UBC businesses: UBC's Clinical Technologies Group and Specialty Clinical Services business. Our goal in operating these formerly distinct business units as one cohesive business is to leverage the seamless integration of science, technology and operational excellence and expand our portfolio of specialty products so we can best help you optimize your research and development activities.
Bracket will continue to offer our industry-leading pre-approval specialty solutions, including e-Clinical Technologies such as IVRS, ePRO, and eLearning as well as comprehensive Endpoint Reliability Solutions that incorporate Rater Training, Endpoint Adjudication, Ratings Surveillance, and Computerized Cognitive Testing.
The alignment of this unique breadth of capability is designed to address the new paradigm in clinical development: one that demands tools and analytics to optimize decision-making and ultimately provide greater precision. Although operating under a new and distinct public brand, Bracket will remain a UBC company.
Warmest Regards,
Bracket Leadership Team
Catherine Spear
Hugh Levaux, PhD
David Daniel, MD
For more information, please visit: www.BracketGlobal.com
UBC Book Highlights Thought Leader Perspectives on Global Industry Challenges
June 2011
UBC has published "evidence matters: Solution-Driven Approaches to Scientific, Regulatory & Commercial Challenges Facing the Biopharmaceutical Industry." This book offers a scientific, strategic and operational framework around current and future biopharmaceutical development. This multidisciplinary offering assembles critical insights from leaders within UBC that support a broad range of topics that affect aspects of product development and commercialization. We appreciate the opportunity to share our thinking with you, and hope you find utility within this book to drive you, your product and your organization forward.
UBC clients and representatives from pharmaceutical and medical device companies may request a copy of the book here.
New Webinar Series Highlights UBC Scientific Excellence
April 2011
UBC experts are speaking during a year-long series of 25 webinars on cutting edge developments in the science and business of drug development & commercialization. These one-hour webinars are complimentary for UBC customers.
You can see the current schedule and register here.
Unable to attend? Listen to archived webinars here.
Medco Foundation Donates $100,000 to Red Cross for Japanese Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Relief
March 2011
FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., Mar 24, 2011 -- The Medco Foundation, a charitable organization established by Medco Health Solutions Inc., (NYSE: MHS), has donated $100,000 to the U.S. Red Cross to assist in the global humanitarian relief effort for victims of the devastating earthquake in Japan and the Pacific tsunami. Medco is also encouraging its employees to contribute financially to the relief effort.
“Japan is being battered by both natural and man-made disasters. The suffering is extensive and it’s heartbreaking,” said David B. Snow Jr., Medco chairman and CEO. “There is a time to look on in sympathy and there is a time to lend active support. The time for the latter is now and we hope that our assistance helps to advance a sustained recovery.”
Medco is one of the nation’s largest pharmacies and parent company of United BioSource Corporation, a global scientific and medical affairs organization that has employees based in Tokyo.
The American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund will help meet the immediate needs of victims of the recent earthquake and Pacific tsunami by distributing relief items, clearing debris and by providing emotional support and medical transportation to the Japanese people as they begin to rebuild their lives. Others interested in helping may donate online at www.redcross.org, call 1-800 RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 mobile donation.
About Medco
Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MHS) is pioneering the world’s most advanced pharmacy® and its clinical research and innovations are part of Medco making medicine smarter™ for approximately 65 million members.
With more than 20,000 employees worldwide dedicated to improving patient health and reducing costs for a wide range of public and private sector clients, and 2010 revenues of nearly $66 billion, Medco ranks 35th on the Fortune 500 list and is named among the world’s most innovative, most admired and most trustworthy companies.
For more information, go to www.medcohealth.com.
About the Medco Foundation
The Medco Foundation was established with the generous support of Medco Health Solutions, Inc. The Foundation focuses on supporting activities aimed at educating and informing the general public about health, wellness and medicine safety issues; providing low income, disadvantaged and other distressed populations and communities with access to medicine and information about medicine; providing support to people and communities impacted by catastrophes and disaster; and fostering and promoting opportunities for volunteerism and civic engagement generally. The Medco Foundation is a 501(c)(3) corporation.
For more information, go to www.medcohealth.com.
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual results may differ materially from those projected. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the risks and uncertainties that affect our business, particularly those mentioned in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
UBC acquires Concordant Rater Systems (CRS)
December 2010
United BioSource Corporation (UBC) recently acquired Concordant Rater Systems (CRS), a privately held Boston-based technology and research company, an acquisition that will further expand UBC’s clinical research capabilities. Founded in 2001, CRS develops and manages technology that provides drug developers with validated systems for monitoring the reliability, accuracy, and competency of clinical investigators and research sites on a real-time basis. The patented methodologies also enhance measurement precision of subjective endpoints in clinical trials.
“CRS technology is a perfect complement to UBC’s data quality solutions, which include real-time surveillance of clinical data to maximize the efficiency and integrity of clinical research,” said Catherine Spear, Senior Vice President, UBC. “The integration of the CRS application with our rater training, data quality, and computerized cognitive testing services provides sponsors with an unmatched portfolio of products designed to improve measurement precision in clinical trials.”
Quality of life assessments are subjective research endpoints provided by patients that are, by nature, more difficult to measure precisely. The ability to provide precise assessments and ensure clinical consistency across multi-site, global development programs that include subjective endpoints is particularly relevant for studies of therapies that target the central nervous system (CNS). This includes therapies for Alzheimer’s Disease, depression, Parkinson’s Disease, as well as drugs to treat pain, sedatives, and anticonvulsants.
CRS provides a cost-effective and scalable platform that enables many users to enroll clinical trial participants and assess variability across clinical investigators and study sites. This cutting edge technology addresses critical challenges in the drug development process and expands both organizations’ ability to provide the safest, most effective therapies for patients.
Concordant Rater Systems founder Gary Sachs, M.D. noted that the transaction will help accelerate product development initiatives and global expansion, as well as increase the empirical science needed to improve clinical research. “We have collaborated with UBC on projects and appreciate first-hand the symmetry in our methodologies, science, and commitment to client service,” said Sachs, “We look forward to integrating the CRS product suite with UBC and providing sponsors with effective solutions for standardizing the administration of clinically subjective outcome measures.”
