PRINCETON, N.J., July 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Derma Sciences, Inc. , a provider of advanced wound care products, announced that it has reached a two year distribution agreement for its MEDIHONEY(TM) line with Irving, TX-based Novation, the leading health care contracting services company, serving more than 2,500 members of VHA Inc. and the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC), two national health care alliances and nearly 13,000 members of Provista, LLC. The 24-month agreement runs through June 2010.
“This is our third key group purchasing organization (GPO) agreement for MEDIHONEY, and we continue to be encouraged that Novation and other organizations seek to provide access to this important new technology to their members,” said Edward Quilty, Chairman and CEO of Derma Sciences. “We are particularly fortunate to be able to partner with Novation, which is a leading top-tier GPO. Its members are noted for their outcomes-oriented approach to clinical improvements, and are consistently seeking cutting-edge technologies. We are confident that MEDIHONEY, with the clinical benefits it provides above and beyond those of other advanced wound care dressings, will be a great fit for the members of Novation. Access to the thousands of new customers, through our new technology agreement with Novation, presents a significant and growth opportunity for Derma Sciences.”
The MEDIHONEY line of dressings, containing Active Leptospermum Honey, is used for managing a wide variety of wounds and burns. In July, the FDA gave its initial clearance of MEDIHONEY, and the product was launched last fall. Two additional clearances for line extensions have been granted since that time. Sales have increased rapidly, and over 20 clinical abstracts on the use of the product have been accepted at various professional conferences so far in 2008.
Novation defines new medical technology as a new device or product that offers an incremental patient care or safety benefit over devices or products currently available and that are used to diagnose or treat a patient by a clinician. In addition, a new device or product may be the first of its kind in the market or an improvement over existing technology within the same product class or category.
About Novation(R)
Founded in 1998, Novation is the leading health care contracting services company for more than 2,500 members of VHA Inc. and the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC), two national health care alliances and nearly 13,000 members of Provista, LLC. Novation offers its customers contract development and management, supply chain data and measurement, and industry knowledge and advocacy. Based in Irving, Texas, Novation develops and manages competitive contracts with more than 500 suppliers. VHA, UHC and Provista members used Novation contracts to purchase more than $33.1 billion in 2007. For more information on Novation, visit http://www.novationco.com.
About Derma Sciences
Derma Sciences is a global manufacturer and marketer of advanced wound- care products. Its key product, MEDIHONEY, is sold throughout the world by Derma Sciences and Comvita New Zealand -- the licensor of the patented honey- based technology -- and is the leading brand of honey-based dressings for the management of wounds and burns. The product has been shown to be effective in a variety of wounds and burns, and was recently the focus of a large-scale randomized controlled trial on leg ulcers. Derma has two products in development: the BIOGUARD(TM) line of barrier gauze dressings, and DSC127, the company’s novel angiotensin analog for accelerated wound healing and scar reduction. The barrier technology was licensed from Quick-Med in Q1 of 2007 and is pending its initial FDA marketing clearance. DSC127 was licensed from The University of Southern California in Q4 of 2007 and is entering into a Phase II study, with anticipated initial patient enrollment to begin in Q3 of 2008. For more information about Derma Sciences, Inc., visit its home page on the Internet at http://www.dermasciences.com.
CONTACT: Edward J. Quilty, Chairman and CEO of Derma Sciences, Inc.,
+1-609-514-4744, equilty@dermasciences.com; or US Investors, Rudy Barrio,
r.barrio@allencaron.com, or media, Brian Kennedy, +1-212-691-8087,
brian@allencaron.com, both of Allen & Caron Inc, for Derma Sciences
Web site: http://www.dermasciences.com/
