La FDA accorde une troisième autorisation pour un produit révolutionnaire de Simbionix

La FDA accorde une troisième autorisation pour un produit révolutionnaire de Simbionix

CLEVELAND, March 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Simbionix USA Corporation, le plus important fournisseur mondial de solutions d'enseignement médical et de formations par simulation, a reçu une autorisation de la FDA pour l'application TEVAR (réparation de l'anévrisme endovasculaire thoracique) de sa solution PROcedure Rehearsal Studio™ (PRS). Cette application est la troisième de la gamme PRS, après l'intervention carotidienne et les procédures EVAR (réparation de l'anévrisme endovasculaire), dont la commercialisation est autorisée.

     (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120502/529202-a )

TEVAR est une nouvelle technique qui a rapidement remporté l'adhésion des cliniciens traitant les pathologies de l'aorte thoracique. Cette méthode est beaucoup moins invasive que la chirurgie ouverte. En outre, la disponibilité et la facilité relative d'application avec TEVAR a permis de changer et d'élargir les options de traitement des pathologies de l'aorte thoracique, y compris chez les patients considérés comme ne pouvant pas être opérés. L'exécution d'une procédure TEVAR nécessite une formation spécifique car les chirurgiens doivent acquérir les capacités leur permettant de maîtriser les considérables demandes perceptuelles, cognitives et psychomotrices associées à cette opération.

Le système PROcedure Rehearsal Studio est basé sur une technologie révolutionnaire mise au point par Simbionix grâce à laquelle les médecins peuvent répéter une procédure endovasculaire complète sur un modèle anatomique 3D, en utilisant les données tomographiques spécifiques du patient. Le modèle virtuel peut ensuite être utilisé afin de simuler, analyser et évaluer les options de traitement chirurgical préopératoires, avant l'exécution de la procédure proprement dite, ce qui peut contribuer à augmenter la confiance du médecin dans l'opération. Une fois que le modèle 3D a été exporté dans l'environnement de simulation du Simbionix ANGIO Mentor™, le médecin peut s'entraîner de nombreuses fois afin d'évaluer les différentes techniques tout en utilisant des outils et des endogreffes réels.

La Society of Vascular Surgery suggère que les chirurgiens effectuent au minimum 100 diagnostics, 50 interventions et 10 procédures TEVAR avant d'être certifiés. Grâce à cette application innovante, les médecins peuvent suivre une formation pratique pour les procédures TEVAR, y compris le déploiement précis de greffes de stents uniques et multiples et d'endoprothèses expansibles par ballon, avant d'opérer sur un vrai patient. Le PRS simplifie la planification et représente une solution complète pour la formation et la simulation de procédures spécifiques en vue d'améliorer le niveau de professionnalisme des médecins expérimentés et novices.

D'après le Dr Yael Friedman , directeur des affaires réglementaires pour Simbionix, les antécédents de la société en matière d'outils de simulation innovants à l'intention du secteur médical constituent la base d'un produit qui est, une fois de plus, une réussite. « La réparation de l'anévrisme endovasculaire thoracique est une des procédures les plus sophistiquées que les chirurgiens endovasculaires doivent effectuer. Simbionix se réjouit d'avoir obtenu l'autorisation de la FDA et est fière de la nouvelle application TEVAR de PROcedure Rehearsal Studio qui va aider les cliniciens à analyser et évaluer les options préopératoires de traitement chirurgical. »

Simbionix USA Corporation est le plus grand fournisseur mondial de produits de simulation, de formation et d'enseignement pour les professionnels du milieu médical et l'industrie de la santé. Les missions de la société sont d'offrir des produits de haute qualité, de faire progresser les performances cliniques et d'optimiser les résultats des interventions.

Veuillez consulter : http://www.simbionix.com   Facebook, Twitter et LinkedIn.

Contact : Rebecca Levy , directrice des communications de marketing, rebecca@simbionix.com, +1-216-2292040

 

SOURCE Simbionix USA Corporation

Source: www.prnewswire.com

Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) Translates Educational Brochure into Spanish

Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) Translates Educational Brochure into Spanish

MALVERN, Pa., March 30, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) announces that its latest patient education brochure on the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers, "Take the Pressure Off!" has been translated into Spanish.

The Public Awareness Task Force of the AAWC has developed four educational brochures for the care of skin and the prevention and treatment of wounds. Widely used by clinicians as a resource for patients and their caregivers, all four brochures are now available in English and Spanish.

The AAWC's objective is to continue with the development of brochures, spanning several types of skin care topics and wound disorders. Currently, the association has available the following brochures (please note these titles link to a PDF version of the brochure described):

The brochures are invaluable, containing useful information for healthcare professionals and people who have wounds. Many clinics and hospitals display them within their facilities. While the brochures can be purchased from AAWC online store at modest prices, the materials are also available as PDF files within the professional and patient resource centers on the AAWC website. As long as the use is educational, anyone may download and print them on their own, free of charge and without permission.

AAWC Executive Director, Tina Thomas explains, "We allow these brochures to be accessible to the public from our website, because we want to ensure their wide-spread usage. AAWC highly recommends all healthcare providers utilize these clear and concise documents, which break down the latest science into easy-to-read language."

AAWC uses its content-validated, evidence-based clinical guidelines, which are developed using the most current literature, as a basis for its reader-friendly brochures. Thomas continues, "The AAWC Guidelines Committee is currently creating guidelines for wound infection and diabetic foot ulcers. As such, it is envisioned that quick reference and reader-friendly brochures on these same topics will follow after the guidelines have been completed."

In line with its inter-professional and inclusive nature, AAWC is a membership organization that is open to everyone involved in the care of wounds, including people who have wounds and their lay-caregivers. AAWC provides a wealth of useful, educational information for professionals and the lay-public. There are numerous ways that those interested in the care of wounds can contribute their time and talents while making a difference at AAWC. If you would like to become involved or simply support the cause, please consider joining as a professional or discover our patient/lay-caregiver advocate network and join for free.

ABOUT AAWC – As the leader in interdisciplinary wound healing and tissue preservation, AAWC is the largest, not-for-profit, multi-specialty organization in the United States dedicated to the research and clinical application of evidence-based wound care. AAWC offers membership to everyone involved in wound care, including healthcare professionals, people with wounds, lay-caregivers, clinics/facilities, corporations, students, retirees, and advocates. Learn more and become a supporter today at www.aawconline.org.

SOURCE Association for the Advancement of Wound Care

RELATED LINKS
http://www.aawconline.org

Source: www.prnewswire.com

What Is A Probiotic?

What Is A Probiotic?

What is a probiotic? What makes a good probiotic supplement? And, what role do probiotics play in digestive health?

Probiotics are "friendly" bacteria that include several species of lactobacillis such as acidophilus and bifidophilus. They aid in the digestion of proteins and the absorption of nutrients, especially the B vitamins. They have antifungal and detoxifying properties, and are very important to the immune system.

The intestinal flora of a healthy human colon should have a thriving colony of about 85 percent lactobacilli and 15 percent coliform bateria (Balch). Unfortunately, modern diets, lifestyles and pollution have these numbers reversed in a vast majority of the human population.

An imbalance in the intestinal flora can cause consumed food to be improperly digested, which then leads to a toxic buildup of fecal matter and gas in the colon. If not quickly moved through the bowel, these toxins then leak into the blood and other areas of the body. Toxins in the blood and organs present themselves as various symptoms, and if not caught in the beginning, lead to a domino, chain reaction of health problems.

An unhealthy intestinal flora can lead to:

• Intestinal gas and bloating
• Heart burn/acid reflux
• Intestinal toxicity
• Immune system deficiency
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Crohn's Disease
• Colitis
• Diverticulitis
• Allergies
• Leaky Gut Syndrome
• Systemic Toxicity
• Constipation and diarrhea
• Nutritional Deficiencies
• Yeast infections
• Rashes (even diaper rash and cradle cap)
• Itching
• Pancreatitis
• Cold sores
• Diabetes
• Hypoglycemia
• Hormone Imbalance
• Fibromyalgia
• Celiac Disease
• Cancer
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Lupus
• Fungal infections (such as athlete's foot, jock itch)
• Anorexia
• and more

To support the balance of friendly bacteria in the intestinal system, supplements called probiotics are highly beneficial. However, not all probiotics are created equal. It's important to know and have confidence in the manufacturing practices of the brand of probiotic you use.

A probiotic supplement needs to have viable, living strains of bacteria in order for it to be of benefit. 1 billion organisms per gram are advisable. Also, a non-dairy formula may be best for some people with food allergies, as dairy is a common food allergen.

At high temperatures, probiotics lose their viability as the friendly bacteria die. Thus, it's important to keep probiotics in a cool, dry place such as in a refrigerator.

Antibiotics are especially damaging to friendly bacteria as they not only kill harmful bacteria, but they destroy the beneficial ones as well. So, it is very important to support and rebuild the balance of beneficial bacteria in the intestinal system after antibiotics are finished. If balance is not regained, digestion problems may ensue. This then leads to toxicity in the body and other health problems.

It may be hard to acknowledge that some bacteria are our "friends", and that we need to nurture and protect them. However, it is vital that we do.

From time to time, we need to add more bacteria "friends" to our intestinal party to keep the "thugs" from taking over and stealing our health. On these occasions, a high quality probiotic supplement can get our digestive system back in check and stop a health crisis in it's tracks.

If you no longer have to ask the question, "what is a probiotic?" you're one step closer to having a whole host of happy "friends".

Resource:Balch, Phyllis A., et al, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Second Edition, (1997): 56.

For educational purposes only, not intended to diagnose or prescribe.

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Vitiligo Does Not Discriminate: It Affects All Races And Ages

Vitiligo Does Not Discriminate: It Affects All Races And Ages
Loss of skin color, known as Vitiligo, happens across the board to all races. Anyone can have white patches suddenly appear on the skin. It's not as uncommon as most people might believe.
Source: EzineArticles.com

Winter Recovery for Skin

Winter Recovery for Skin
Even though it is still chilly outside, it is technically spring! Winter is over and it's time to think about helping your skin recover from the cold, dry weather. Winter weather can dry out your skin- not just because it's so cold, but because we spend so much time inside in the dry central heating.
Source: EzineArticles.com

Does contaminated Vitamin E cause cancer?

Does contaminated Vitamin E cause cancer?
Elana44 asks…There is a lot of buzz going on around tocopheryl acetate and it being cancerogenic because it can be contaminated with hydroquinone. My question is, is there any recent study showing it? Is there any way to check if tocopheryl acetate in my cream is contaminated. The Beauty Brains respond: Before we answer this [...]

Elana44 asks…There is a lot of buzz going on around tocopheryl acetate and it being cancerogenic because it can be contaminated with hydroquinone. My question is, is there any recent study showing it? Is there any way to check if tocopheryl acetate in my cream is contaminated.

The Beauty Brains respond:

Before we answer this question let’s do a quick mini-lesson on tocopheryl acetate chemistry.

How tocopheryl acetate is made

Tocopheryl acetate (an ester version of Vitamin E, let’s call it TA for short) is available in two forms. One is called the “d” form and the other the “l” form. When TA is isolated from naturally occurring sources like vegetable oils you get the pure “d” form; when it is created synthetically (using isophytol and methylquinone) you get a mixture of the “d” and “l” forms. So, natural TA is designated d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate and synthetic TA is dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate. Because the dl version is made using methylquinone, it can contain trace amounts of hydroquinone.

Natural is really better

As we’ve said many times in the past, natural ingredients are not always better than synthetic.  But in the case of TA, natural is better! That’s because our bodies use the natural form more efficiently (the natural form is about twice as biologically active, which makes sense since the synthetic version is a 50/50 blend of the d and dl types.) The Wikipedia entry gives several good references if you want to track this down further.

Also, the natural version is free of hydroquinone which should alleviate your cancer concerns.  This doesn’t mean there’s evidence that the synthetic form is BAD. According to a study published in 2002 in the International Journal of Toxicology , “Because methylhydroquinone is used in the chemical synthesis of Tocopherol, there was concern that hydroquinone may be present as an impurity. In such cases, residual levels of hydroquinone would be expected to be limited to those achieved by good manufacturing practices.”  As we know, the dose makes the poison. If hydroquinone is present as a trace contaminant it’s probably at the part per million level. By comparison, skin lightening creams use 5% or more of hydroquinone. AND you only have a small amount of tocopheryl acetate in most finished products. That means the actual amount of hydroquinone you’re exposed to is extremely low. We’re not  toxicologists, but we find it hard to believe that such low levels would present an elevated risk. (Certainly exposure to such small amounts of this ingredient presents a much lower cancer risk than smoking or drinking!)

Safe but not without issues

That doesn’t mean TA is without issues. Truth in Aging provides a nice review citing studies that show TA can be a skin sensitizer and that it can cause some other problems when ingested at high doses. Still, it seems the antioxidant and skin conditioning benefits outweigh these potential issues.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

According to the toxicologist experts, this vitamin E derivative is safe for use in skin care. If you’re really worried about cancer risk from contaminated TA, you could check to ensure the manufacturer is using d-alpha tocopheryl acetate.

Image credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/

Source: thebeautybrains.com

China Nepstar Chain Drugstore Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2012 Financial Results

China Nepstar Chain Drugstore Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2012 Financial Results

SHENZHEN, China, March 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- China Nepstar Chain Drugstore Ltd. (NYSE: NPD) ("Nepstar" or the "Company"), the largest retail drugstore chain in China based on the number of directly operated stores, today announced its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2012.

Fourth Quarter Financial Highlights

For the quarter ended December 31, 2012:

• Same store sales increased by 11.6% as compared to the same period in 2011
• Revenue increased by 2.1% to RMB671.9 million (US$107.8 million), compared to RMB658.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2011
• Net income increased to RMB78.8 million (US$12.6 million), compared to RMB17.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2011  
• Income from disposal of an equity method investee was RMB68.4 million (US$11.0 million) from the gain of the disposal of the Company's 40% equity interests in Yunnan Jianzhijia Chain Drugstore Ltd. ("JZJ")
• Basic and diluted earnings per ADS were RMB0.80 (US$0.13) compared to RMB0.17 in the fourth quarter of 2011

Full Year 2012 Financial Highlights

For the year ended December 31, 2012:

• Same store sales increased by 9.1% compared to 2011
• Revenue increased by 2.4 % to RMB2,549.9 million (US$409.3 million) compared to RMB2,491.3 million in 2011
• Net income was RMB90.1 million (US$14.5 million), compared to RMB35.9 million in 2011
• Income from disposal of an equity method investee was RMB68.4 million (US$11.0 million) from the gain of the disposal of the Company's 40% equity interests in JZJ
• Basic and diluted earnings per ADS were RMB0.90 (US$0.14) compared to RMB0.35 in 2011

Mr. Fuxiang Zhang, Chief Executive Officer, commented, "As anticipated, we closed out 2012 with a solid performance in the fourth quarter, highlighted by double digit same store sales growth. Seasonal demand, our continued efforts to further diversify and optimize our product mix and our strengthening marketing efforts all contributed to our top line growth in the fourth quarter, while our focus on store performance helped increase the number of transactions per store. We continue to see opportunities in the over-the-counter ("OTC") drugs and convenience product categories. Cost control measures are starting to reduce our operating expenses and with continued improvements in same store performance and the efforts of our management team, we are expecting a better performance in 2013."

Fourth Quarter Results

During the fourth quarter of 2012, the Company opened 22 new stores and closed 81 stores.  

Revenue for the fourth quarter of 2012 increased by 2.1% to RMB671.9 million (US$107.8 million), compared to RMB658.0 million for the same period in 2011. Same store sales (for 2,009 stores opened before December 31, 2010) for the fourth quarter of 2012 increased by 11.6% compared to the same period in 2011. The increase in same store sales was mainly due to the closure of underperforming stores and management's efforts in promotion also contributed to the increase.

Fourth quarter revenue contribution from prescription drugs was 21.6%, OTC drugs was 40.1%, nutritional supplements was 13.3%, herbal products was 4.3% and convenience and other products was 20.7%.

Fourth quarter gross profit was RMB308.6 million (US$49.5 million), compared to RMB314.6 million in the same period of 2011. Gross margin in the fourth quarter of 2012 was 45.9%, compared to 47.8% in the same period of 2011. The decrease in gross margin was mainly due to mandatory price cuts on certain pharmaceuticals by Chinese government and changes in product mix as the Company introduced more convenience products with lower gross margin.

The Company's portfolio of private label products included 2,019 products as of December 31, 2012. Sales of private label products represented approximately 24.7% of the revenue and 34.1% of the gross profit for the fourth quarter of 2012.

Sales, marketing and other operating expenses as a percentage of revenue in the fourth quarter of 2012 decreased to 37.6%, compared to 38.0% in the same period of 2011. This decrease from the same period of last year was primarily due to the increase in same store sales.

General and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenue in the fourth quarter of 2012 was 3.4%, compared to 5.4% for the same period of 2011. The decrease was mainly due to the facts that the Company continued to implement cost management across the entire organization and the Company has written off certain long-aged payables due to those discontinued suppliers.

Impairment loss of RMB4.7 million (US$0.8 million) was recognized in the fourth quarter of 2012, which represents the reduction of the carrying amount of the property and equipment of certain underperforming stores. Impairment loss recognized in the fourth quarter of 2011 was RMB13.2 million.

Income from operations in the fourth quarter of 2012 was RMB30.2 million (US$4.9 million), compared to RMB15.6 million in the same period of 2011.

Interest income for the fourth quarter of 2012 was RMB3.5 million (US$0.6 million), compared to RMB6.6 million in the same period of 2011. Interest income decreased as a result of reduced cash balance after distribution of a special dividend in the second quarter of 2012.

Equity in income of an equity method investee was RMB1.3 million (US$0.2 million), compared to RMB1.6 million in the same quarter of 2011. The decrease was mainly due to weak performance of JZJ in the fourth quarter of 2012. The Company had 40% of equity interests in JZJ. On December 28^th, the Company completed the sales of its 40% equity interests in JZJ to Yunnan Jianzhijia Holding Co., Ltd. ("JZJ Holding") for a total cash consideration of RMB 81.48 million. A gain of RMB68.4 million (US$11.0 million) was recognized in income upon completion of the sales. 

The Company's effective tax rate was 23.9% for the fourth quarter, compared to 25.6% for the same period in 2011.

Net income in the fourth quarter of 2012 was RMB78.8 million (US$12.6 million), which represented RMB0.80 (US$0.13) basic and diluted earnings per American depositary share ("ADS"). This compares to net income of RMB17.7 million, which represented RMB0.17 basic and diluted earnings per ADS in the same period of 2011.

In the fourth quarter of 2012, net cash-flows from operating activities was RMB21.4 million (US$3.5 million) compared to net cash outflow of RMB30.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Fiscal Year 2012 Financial Results

In fiscal year 2012, the Company opened 56 new stores and closed 319 stores. As of December 31, 2012, Nepstar had a total of 2,132 stores in operation.

Total revenue for 2012 increased to RMB2,549.9 million (US$409.3 million) from RMB2,491.3 million for 2011. Same store sales (for 2,009 stores opened before December 31, 2010) for 2012 increased by 9.1% compared to 2011. The increase in revenue and same store sales was driven by constant optimization of the merchandise portfolio through diversification into non-pharmaceutical categories and the closure of underperforming stores and also the management efforts in promotion.

In 2012, revenue contribution from prescription drugs was 20.4%, OTC drugs was 39.1%, nutritional supplements was 15.7%, traditional Chinese herbal products was 3.9% and convenience and other products was 20.9%. Private label products accounted for 26.8% of total revenue and 38.0% of gross profit, respectively, compared to 30.0% of revenue contribution and 41.3% of gross profit contribution in 2011.

Gross profit was RMB1,180.5 million (US$189.5 million) for 2012, compared to RMB1,188.6 million for 2011. Gross margin was 46.3% in 2012, compared to 47.7% in 2011. The decrease in gross margin was mainly due to changes in product mix and negative impact from the mandatory price cuts on pharmaceuticals by the Chinese government.

Total operating expenses accounted for 44.2 % of total revenue in 2012, as compared to 45.6% in 2011. Income from operations was RMB46.9 million (US$7.5 million) for 2012, compared to RMB38.6 million for 2011.

Interest income for 2012 was RMB16.4 million (US$2.6 million), compared to RMB23.2 million in 2011. Dividend income from cost method investments was RMB4.5 million (US$0.7 million) for 2012, compared to RMB3.6 million in 2011. Equity in income of an equity method investee was RMB1.3 million (US$0.2 million), compared to that of RMB1.6 million in 2011. The decrease in equity in income of an equity method investee was mainly due to the weak performance of the JZJ in 2012.

The Company's effective tax rate was 34.6% in 2012, compared to 46.3% in 2011. The decrease in effective tax rate was mainly attributable to the reversal of deferred tax liabilities arising from equity method investment of RMB6.3 million as a result of dividends distributed from JZJ and the utilization of tax losses carryforwards of which valuation allowance of RMB7.0 million was previously provided for as a result of the disposal of the Company's 40% equity interest in JZJ. 

Net income was RMB90.1 million (US$14.5 million) for 2012, compared to RMB35.9 million for 2011. The Company reported RMB0.90 (US$0.14) basic and diluted earnings per ADS for 2012, compared to RMB0.35 basic and diluted earnings per ADS for 2011.

Net cash-flows from operating activities was RMB52.6 million (US$8.4million) for 2012, compared to RMB108.2 million for 2011.

The total number of outstanding ordinary shares of the Company as of December 31, 2012 was 197.4 million. The weighted average number of ordinary shares in 2012 was 199.2 million. Each ADS represents two ordinary shares of the Company.

As of December 31, 2012, the Company's total cash, cash equivalents, bank deposits and restricted cash were RMB664.4 million (US$106.6 million) and its shareholders' equity was RMB1.03 billion (US$164.7 million).

On April 27, 2012, the Company announced a special cash dividend of US$0.60 per ADS. Approximately US$60.0 million was subsequently paid to shareholders.

Business Outlook  

"We remain cautiously optimistic about the rest of 2013," concluded Mr. Zhang. "We believe the strategic changes we have implemented to drive sales, control costs and improve store efficiencies will help us remain competitive."

Conference Call Information

The Company will host a conference call, to be simultaneously webcasted, on Thursday, March 28, 2013 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time / 8:00 p.m. Beijing Time. Interested parties may participate in the conference call by dialing +1-877-407-9210 (North America) or +1-201-689-8049 (International) approximately five minutes before the call start time. A live web cast of the conference call will be available on the China Nepstar website at www.nepstar.cn.

A replay of the call will be available shortly after the conclusion of the conference call through April 4, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time or April 5, 2013 at 11:59 a.m. Beijing Time. An archived Web cast of the conference call will be available on the China Nepstar website at http://www.nepstar.cn. Interested parties may access the replay by dialing +1-877-660-6853 (North America) or +1-201-612-7415 (International) and entering conference ID number 409876.

About China Nepstar Chain Drugstore Ltd.  

China Nepstar Chain Drugstore Ltd. (NYSE: NPD) is China's largest retail drugstore chain based on the number of directly operated stores. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 2,132 stores across 73 cities, one headquarter distribution center and 16 regional distribution centers in China. Nepstar uses directly operated stores, centralized procurement and a network of distribution centers to provide its customers with high-quality, professional and convenient pharmacy services and a wide variety of other merchandise, including OTC drugs, nutritional supplements, herbal products, personal care products, family care products, and convenience products including consumables. Nepstar's strategy of centralized procurement, competitive pricing, customer loyalty programs and private label offerings has enabled it to capitalize on the continuing economic growth in China and to take advantage of the demographic trend in China to achieve a strong brand and leading market position. For further information, please go to http://www.nepstar.cn.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the quotations from management in this press release and the Company's strategic operational plans and business outlook, contain forward-looking statements. Such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable law.

Exchange Rate Information

The United States dollar (US$) amounts disclosed in this press release are presented solely for the convenience of the reader. Translations of amounts from RMB into United States dollars were calculated at the certified exchange rate of  US$1.00 = RMB6.2301 on December 31, 2012 as set forth in the H.10 weekly statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board. No representation is made that the RMB amounts could have been, or could be, converted into US$ at that rate on December 31, 2012, or at any other date. The percentages stated are calculated based on RMB amounts.

Contacts

Zixin Shao, CFO
China Nepstar Chain Drugstore Ltd.
Chief Financial Officer
+86-755-2641-4065
ir@nepstar.cn

Dixon Chen
Grayling
Investor Relations
+1-646-284-9403
dixon.chen@grayling.com

Ivette Almeida
Grayling
Media Relations
+1-646-284-9455
ivette.almeida@grayling.com

Tables Follow

 

China Nepstar Chain Drugstore Ltd.
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income
(amounts in thousands – except per-share data)
	Three-month period ended				Year ended
	December 31,				December 31,
	2011	2012	2012		2011	2012	2012
	RMB	RMB	USD		RMB	RMB	USD
Revenue	657,982	671,863	107,841		2,491,290	2,549,856	409,280
Cost of goods sold	(343,395)	(363,305)	(58,314)		(1,302,653)	(1,369,312)	(219,790)
Gross profit	314,587	308,558	49,527		1,188,637	1,180,544	189,490
Sales, marketing and other operating expenses	(250,273)	(252,562)	(40,539)		(1,015,165)	(1,011,695)	(162,388)
General and administrative expenses	(35,546)	(22,573)	(3,623)		(120,671)	(115,734)	(18,577)
Impairment losses of property and equipment	(13,152)	(4,693)	(753)		(14,164)	(7,649)	(1,228)
Other income	-	1,480	238		-	1,480	238
Income from operations	15,616	30,210	4,850		38,637	46,946	7,535
Interest income	6,564	3,496	561		23,154	16,435	2,638
Dividend income from cost method investments	-	-	-		3,616	4,528	727
Equity in income of an equity method investee	1,553	1,289	207		1,552	1,337	215
Income from disposal of an equity method investee	-	68,440	10,985		-	68,440	10,985
Income before income tax expense	23,733	103,435	16,603		66,959	137,686	22,100
Income tax expense	(6,068)	(24,678)	(3,962)		(31,026)	(47,594)	(7,639)
Net income	17,665	78,757	12,641		35,933	90,092	14,461
Basic earnings per ordinary share	0.09	0.40	0.06		0.17	0.45	0.07
Basic earnings per ADS	0.17	0.80	0.13		0.35	0.90	0.14
Diluted earnings per ordinary share	0.09	0.40	0.06		0.17	0.45	0.07
Diluted earnings per ADS	0.17	0.80	0.13		0.35	0.90	0.14
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(386)	372	60		430	(555)	(89)
Comprehensive income attributable to China Nepstar Chain Drugstore Ltd.	17,279	79,129	12,701		36,363	89,537	14,372

 

China Nepstar Chain Drugstore Ltd.
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(amounts in thousands)
	As of		As of
	December 31,		December 31,
	2011		2012
	RMB		RMB		USD
ASSETS
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	767,885		371,256		59,591
Short-term bank time deposits	43,000		237,100		38,057
Restricted cash	-		36,000		5,778
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	102,937		114,601		18,395
Amounts due from related parties	4,649		8,254		1,325
Prepaid expenses, deposits and other current assets	122,831		147,252		23,634
Inventories	437,058		478,483		76,802
Deferred tax assets	2,009		1,704		274
Total current assets	1,480,369		1,394,650		223,856
Non-current assets
Long-term bank time deposits	169,000		20,000		3,210
Property and equipment, net	141,817		120,237		19,299
Rental deposits	39,559		38,236		6,137
Cost method investments	12,638		12,638		2,029
Equity method investment	36,703		-		-
Intangible assets, net	3,087		2,868		460
Goodwill	51,819		51,819		8,318
Deferred tax assets	3,151		3,056		491
Deposits for acquisition	1,000		-		-
Accrued interest income	3,054		507		81
Total non-current assets	461,828		249,361		40,025
Total Assets	1,942,197		1,644,011		263,881
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	352,386		356,095		57,157
Bills payable	-		20,534		3,296
Amounts due to related parties	18,169		18,381		2,950
Accrued expenses and other payables	118,121		105,503		16,935
Income tax payable	28,480		40.967		6,575
Deferred Income	10,662		14,327		2,300
Total current liabilities	527,818		555,807		89,213
Non-current liabilities
Deferred income	17,078		18,365		2,948
Deferred tax liabilities	12,032		7,499		1,204
Other non-current liabilities	31,015		36,237		5,816
Total non-current liabilities	60,125		62,101		9,968
Total liabilities	587,943		617,908		99,181
Shareholders' equity
Share capital	161		158		25
Treasury stock	(1,736)		-		-
Additional paid-in capital	1,252,232		832,811		133,675
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(41,133)		(41,688)		(6,691)
Retained earnings	144,730		234,822		37,691
Total shareholders' equity	1,354,254		1,026,103		164,700
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	1,942,197		1,644,011		263,881

 

SOURCE China Nepstar Chain Drugstore Ltd.

RELATED LINKS
http://www.nepstar.cn

Source: www.prnewswire.com

IOM Panel Raises Concerns About Lowering Medicare Pay For High Spending Areas

IOM Panel Raises Concerns About Lowering Medicare Pay For High Spending Areas

An Institute of Medicine panel on Friday panned an idea that has been raised in Congress to pay Medicare providers in some areas of the country less if their regions are heavy users of medical services.

The idea is an outgrowth of decades of research into why Medicare spends more per beneficiary in some places such as New York City, Florida and McAllen, Texas, and significantly less in parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Much of those spending totals—20 to 30 percent by some estimates—cannot be explained by the age or health of residents, leading some analysts to surmise the extra spending is due to unnecessary services and waste.

At the request of members of Congress from lower spending areas, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius in 2010 asked the IOM to look into the issue. While not overtly giving advice to lawmakers, the panel's 30-page interim report identified many downsides to adjusting Medicare payments to hospitals, doctors and other providers based on region. Such a practice, it suggested, "would likely mischaracterize the actual value of services" and result "in unfair payments" to physicians and institutions that were careful in using Medicare services but were located in regions marked by heavy spending.

The panel studied hospital-referral regions, which lump together all providers into 306 areas. Those regions, devised by the Dartmouth Atlas, can have as few as two hospitals and as many as 87.

The IOM researchers noted that spending varied significantly even within regions. For instance, the panel looked at Manhattan, one of the highest-spending hospital-referral regions, and Albuquerque, N.M., one of the lowest-spending regions. Within the Manhattan area, there are geographic subsections that spend less than a quarter of what is spent in some of the areas within Albuquerque. And within those smaller areas, there is substantial variation between neighboring hospitals.

The quality of care also varies substantially within hospital referral regions, the report noted.

"Areas don't make decisions. Physicians and hospitals and delivery systems make decisions on how patients are treated," said Dr. Joseph Newhouse, a Harvard Medical School researcher who headed the panel, in an interview. "The incentives really need to go to the decision makers."

The panel said the health law's payment reforms that target doctors and hospitals make more sense, although those efforts are so new there isn't evidence of whether they are effective in encouraging higher quality, more cost-conscious care. Those programs include several that have already begun—one paying hospitals based on quality and the other penalizing more than 2,200 with excess readmissions—as well as another set to launch in 2015 to pay large physician groups based on quality.

The panel affirmed a conclusion of the Dartmouth Atlas: that the wide variations of spending between regions cannot be explained completely by the differences in the health and age of the populations. The panel did note that the use of services after a hospital stay, including skilled nursing home, home health and hospice care—"strongly influenced" the total spending in areas, accounting for 40 percent of the difference. As an example, the IOM researchers pointed out that 2 percent of Medicare beneficiaries in LaCrosse, Wis., used home health services, while 38 percent of beneficiaries in the Dallas-Fort Worth area used those services.

Many of the trends identified in the report have been noted before by the Atlas and the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.

Some of the IOM research delves deeper. For instance, the panel found that regional summaries of the quality of care could mask the fact that "a region that provides good quality cardiac care is no more likely to provide good quality cancer care than some other region," said Dr. Peter Bach, an epidemiologist at Memorial-Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and one of the panel members.

"The notion that there's a region that promotes [overall] high quality care doesn't hold up to testing," Bach said.

The report was embraced initially by people on both sides of the debate about whether high-spending regions should be penalized financially through what is known as a "geographic value index."

"What we've tried to point out all along is that geographic variation is real, but it raises more questions than answers," said Atul Grover, chief public policy officer of the American Association of Medical Colleges. "People have this gut reaction that 30 percent of all health care spending is wasted, but if that conclusion is based on studies of geographic variation, then the IOM report probably indicates that conclusion isn’t warranted."

U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., who represents one of the low-spending areas, said the panel's work will help lawmakers move the health system away from paying providers for services and toward reimbursing for results.

"What the IOM is doing is helpful, it's producing great reports and access to data we've never had before," Kind said in an interview. "It's clear that the variation is there, you can't attribute it to the population is being served. There are too many tests, too many procedures being done. Ultimately the goal here is to figure out a way to kill fee-for-service."

Data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services provided to the panel shows that even after higher wages and special payments for teaching residents are taken into account, 17 regions of the country spent more than $11,000 per beneficiary in 2011, and 26 areas of the country spent below $7,000. 

The report did not evaluate geographic variation in spending for people who are insured by a private company, through the private Medicare Advantage Plans or Medicaid. Those will be studied in a future report that will be released this summer.

A previous IOM report, issued last September, estimated the health system wasted $750 billion in 2009 through unnecessary services, inefficient delivery of care, needless administrative costs, inflated prices, fraud and prevention failures.

This article was produced by Kaiser Health News with support from The SCAN Foundation.

Source: feeds.kaiserhealthnews.org

What Is Laser Hair Removal And What Are Its Benefits?

Has shaving got you down? Are you sick and tired of waxing all the time? I bet you wish there was a better way to remove unwanted hair. Source

Neurocrine Biosciences Announces the Start of Phase IIb Study of Elagolix in Uterine Fibroids

Neurocrine Biosciences Announces the Start of Phase IIb Study of Elagolix in Uterine Fibroids

SAN DIEGO, March 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: NBIX) today announced that a Phase IIb clinical trial to evaluate elagolix for the treatment of uterine fibroids has been initiated. Elagolix is an oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist, in development by AbbVie for the treatment of uterine fibroids and endometriosis. Neurocrine and AbbVie entered into a collaboration and license agreement for elagolix during 2010.

"Based on the positive data from the uterine fibroids Phase IIa trial, AbbVie has progressed elagolix into Phase IIb for uterine fibroids," said Kevin C. Gorman , President and Chief Executive Officer of Neurocrine Biosciences. "We are pleased with this advancement, as well as the ongoing Phase III program in endometriosis, and look forward to the continued development of elagolix in these two disease states which both have high unmet medical needs."

The Phase IIb uterine fibroids study is a randomized, parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating elagolix in women with heavy uterine bleeding associated with uterine fibroids. This study will evaluate 280 subjects over a six-month placebo-controlled dosing period. The primary efficacy endpoint of the study is an assessment of the change in menstrual blood loss utilizing the alkaline hematin method comparing baseline to month six. Additional secondary efficacy endpoints will be evaluated including assessing the change in fibroid volume and hemoglobin. Bone mineral density will be assessed via DXA scan at baseline, the conclusion of dosing, and six months post-dosing.

About Uterine Fibroids

Uterine fibroids are benign hormonally responsive tumors that form in the wall of the utervus. They are the most common type of abnormal growth found in a woman's pelvis and are most frequent in women aged 30–50 years.  Uterine fibroids can cause pelvic pain, reproductive problems, and severe bleeding that can lead to anemia. Due to the severity of symptoms, treatment sometimes includes a variety of surgical interventions. Uterine fibroids is a leading indication for hysterectomy in the United States, with approximately 250,000 hysterectomies performed each year related to uterine fibroids.

About Neurocrine Biosciences

Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on neurological and endocrine diseases and disorders. Our product candidates address some of the largest pharmaceutical markets in the world, including endometriosis, tardive dyskinesia, uterine fibroids, stress-related disorders, pain, diabetes, insomnia, and other neurological and endocrine-related diseases and disorders. Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. news releases are available through the Company's website via the internet at http://www.neurocrine.com.

In addition to historical facts, this press release may contain forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements are risks and uncertainties associated with Neurocrine's business and finances in general, as well as risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's GnRH program and Company overall. Specifically, the risks and uncertainties the Company faces with respect to the Company's GnRH program include, but are not limited to, risk that elagolix will not proceed to later stage clinical trials for uterine fibroids; risk that the elagolix clinical trials will fail to demonstrate that elagolix is safe and effective for the treatment of uterine fibroids; risk that elagolix Phase III clinical trials will be delayed or not successfully initiated; risk that elagolix Phase III clinical trials will fail to demonstrate that elagolix is safe and effective for the treatment of endometriosis; risk associated with the Company's dependence on corporate collaborators for clinical development, commercial manufacturing and marketing and sales activities. With respect to its pipeline overall, the Company faces risk that it will be unable to raise additional funding required to complete development of all of its product candidates; risk relating to the Company's dependence on contract manufacturers for clinical drug supply; risks associated with the Company's dependence on corporate collaborators for commercial manufacturing and marketing and sales activities; uncertainties relating to patent protection and intellectual property rights of third parties; risks and uncertainties relating to competitive products and technological changes that may limit demand for the Company's products; and the other risks described in the Company's report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. Neurocrine undertakes no obligation to update the statements contained in this press release after the date hereof.

SOURCE Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.

RELATED LINKS
http://www.neurocrine.com

Source: www.prnewswire.com