WAYNE, N.J., Jan. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Berlex, Inc., a U.S. affiliate of Schering AG Germany , today announced that the company has extended and enhanced their contract with Amerinet, Inc. to provide discounted pricing on contrast media for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and for X-ray use. In addition to Magnevist (gadopentetate dimeglumine) injection, the contract will allow Ultravist (iopromide) injection to be available to members of the Amerinet network.
Amerinet, a health care group purchasing organization, understands how important a healthy operating margin is for each health care provider. Amerinet partners with all types of providers to create new revenue streams and reduce expenses. The more than 1,900 hospitals and 33,000 non-acute care facilities that partner with Amerinet improve their financial and operational performance with group purchasing, supply chain management, clinical consulting, revenue cycle management, information and education.
“We are pleased Amerinet has extended its relationship with Berlex, and are excited to offer Ultravist, in addition to Magnevist, to the Amerinet network and their patient community,” said Robert Milos, Vice President and General Manager, Diagnostic Imaging, Berlex.
The contract extension, effective January 1, 2006, offers significant cost savings to Amerinet customers. The renewal extends the contract for three years.
ABOUT MAGNEVIST
Magnevist is the leading MRI contrast agent with the broadest range of adult and pediatric clinical indications. The product received FDA approval in 1988, and extended the power of MRI to help diagnose disease. Since its introduction, Magnevist has been used in more than 60 million procedures worldwide.
As with all paramagnetic agents, caution should be exercised in patients with deoxygenated sickle erythrocytes and renal insufficiency with or without hepatic impairment. As with all contrast media, the possibility of a reaction, including serious, life-threatening, fatal, anaphylactoid or cardiovascular reactions or other idiosyncratic reactions should always be considered. As with various other injectable products, cases of phlebitis and thrombophlebitis have been reported. Caution must be used in patients with a predisposition to the development of thrombotic syndromes, since, in very rare cases, thrombosis with fasciitis and surgical intervention of the dosed limb have been reported.
Safety and efficacy in children under the age of 2 years have not been established.
ABOUT ULTRAVIST
Ultravist is a nonionic, iodinated, low osmolar radiological contrast agent for intravascular administration. Introduced in Europe in 1985, and in the US in 1995, Ultravist is being used today in over 100 countries worldwide.
All nonionic, iodinated contrast media currently available inhibit blood coagulation in vitro less than ionic contrast media. Therefore, meticulous intravascular administration technique is necessary to minimize thromboembolic events. As with all iodinated contrast agents, serious or fatal reactions have been associated with their use. Ultravist injection is not indicated for intrathecal use.
ABOUT BERLEX
Berlex is committed to addressing unmet medical needs through research and development in the areas of oncology, gastroenterology, women’s health, diagnostics and neurology. Berlex also markets diagnostic imaging agents, innovative treatments in the areas of female health care and oncology, as well as specialized therapeutics for life-threatening and disabling diseases of the central nervous system and cardiovascular system. Berlex has business operations in New Jersey, California and Washington. For more information, please visit www.berlex.com.
Certain statements in this press release that are neither reported financial results nor other historical information are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to, statements that are predictions of or indicate future events, trends, plans or objectives. Undue reliance should not be placed on such statements because, by their nature, they are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and can be affected by other factors that could cause actual results and Berlex’s plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Berlex, Inc. undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any of these forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new information or future events or circumstances or otherwise.
Berlex, Inc.
CONTACT: Heather Levis, Public Relations, Berlex, +1-973-305-5313,heather_levis@berlex.com, or Joanne Marion, Investor Relations, ScheringBerlin, Inc., +1-973-487-2164, joanne_marion@berlex.com
Web site: http://www.berlex.com/
