“We show in this pilot study that ECP is effective in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) that have previously failed the strongest therapies we currently have,” explains Maria Abreu, MD, Associate Professor in The Henry D. Janowitz Division of Gastroenterology and in the Center for Immunobiology at The Mount Sinai Medical Center. ECP is believed to bolster tolerance in the immune system, which may be important in immune-mediated diseases such as Crohn’s. In contrast, most patients with inflammatory bowel disease are currently treated with medicines that suppress the immune system. Unlike ECP, those medications can have many serious side effects.

The 28 patient trial studied the safety and efficacy of ECP in patients with a Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (CDAI) of at least 220 and less than 450 indicating that at least moderately active symptomatic CD was present. Clinical response was defined as a CDAI decrease of 100 or greater from baseline and/or a CDAI of less than 150 at week 12. Patients received two treatments of ECP weekly from weeks 0-4 and two treatments every other week from weeks 6-12 with no infectious complications reported.

“The findings of our study suggest that Crohn’s disease patients who have not responded to other therapies may benefit from ECP,” concludes Dr. Abreu.

About Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP)
During ECP treatment, a small portion of the patient’s white blood cells are collected and treated with 8-methoxypsoralen, a drug that belongs to a class of naturally occurring compounds known as psoralens. Once activated by exposure to UVA (ultraviolet-A) light, the activated 8-methoxypsoralen induces apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in the white blood cells, which are then promptly returned to the patient. In this way the patient is only exposed to minute amounts of drug. ECP is usually performed on an outpatient basis over several treatment visits.

The Therakos UVAR instrument, in conjunction with 8-methoxypsoralen, is the only ECP system approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the palliative treatment of the skin manifestations of Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma that is unresponsive to other forms of treatment. The UVAR is also the only device in Europe that is CE marked for ECP.

ECP as performed on UVAR systems has an established safety profile and more than 500,000 treatments have been conducted since 1987. The most common side effects are transient non-serious hypotensive episodes and mild transient decreases in hematocrit and hemoglobin.

STK/EOIR was developed by Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL), an AGI business partner and industry leader in electro-optical and infrared sensor systems. For more than 50 years, SDL has designed, fabricated, tested and deployed sensors for customers including NASA, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.

“STK/EOIR gives systems engineers access to radiometric performance models with a level of detail matched to their needs. It also complements sensor engineers’ complex models by serving as a fast, accurate screening tool for trade studies. And it integrates sensor and mission modeling in one package, helping engineers quickly arrive at optimal system designs,” says Kevin Flood, AGI’s vice president of product management and support.

For further information on STK/EOIR, go to the product page or register for a live webinar to be held on January 28.

Orteq, with headquarters in London, UK, created Actifit®, a biocompatible synthetic meniscal scaffold offering sports medicine surgeons a new arthroscopic option for the treatment of irreparable partial meniscal tears.  Orteq expects to receive FDA approval to start its Actifit® clinical trial in the U.S. in 2011.  Actifit® received its CE Mark approval in 2008 and is currently available throughout Europe.

The FDA approval of the U.S. clinical trial will trigger an additional $1 million investment in Orteq, which will, on a cumulative basis, total approximately $5 million which includes the exclusive worldwide manufacturing rights and represents an approximate 10% ownership in Orteq.

Under the terms of the manufacturing agreement, Kensey Nash will receive a transfer price and royalties.  Other terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“Kensey Nash is very pleased to work with the talented and innovative Orteq team and its world-renowned clinicians who have generated outstanding clinical evidence,” commented Joseph W. Kaufmann, President and CEO of Kensey Nash.  ”We believe Orteq’s Actifit meniscus repair product can provide a safe and effective repair that will address over a $1 billion target market potential in sports medicine.  We look forward to a successful and long term relationship,” he concluded.

“We are delighted that Kensey Nash Corporation has made an investment in Orteq.  The Kensey Nash team brings us world-class expertise to manufacturing and developing safe, effective and innovative medical devices for our customers, sports medicine surgeons,” commented Dianne Blanco, CEO of Orteq.

“Our new MS Specialty Program will benefit the more than 400,000 people living with MS and their families on a local, regional and national basis,” said Dan Connors, Chief Executive Officer, Physiotherapy Associates. “The program will include education as well as physical therapy, health and wellness services customized for people living with MS, and will be available at more than 600 of our clinic locations from highly-qualified, licensed physical therapists in a wide range of local communities. Our MS Specialty Program is one aspect of Physiotherapy Associates’ commitment to people with MS. This goes hand-in-hand with our recent announcement that we have identified the National Multiple Sclerosis Society as our national community service partner.”

The more than 1,300 clinicians involved in the MS Specialty Program include outpatient physical/occupational therapists, as well as orthotics and prosthetics clinicians that provide services to MS patients who need physical/occupational therapy, custom orthotics or custom-fabricated prosthetic devices.

Physiotherapy Associates’ COO Pete Grabaskas, PT, stated, “We know physical therapy is an integral part of helping MS patients overcome pain, fatigue and muscle spasticity. Our clinicians who practice one-on-one care will help patients improve their daily functions through the MS Specialty Program. This program allows us to take a structured approach to delivering positive outcomes for our MS patients. We are well-suited to give MS patients the care they need and provide the outcomes they deserve, no matter where they live.”

“This trade agreement will spotlight U.S. products and encourage the acceptance of American technology, which is good for our country, our company and our Korean allies,” says AGI CEO Paul Graziani. “Our hope is that our commercial software products will help Korea ramp up quickly in the global space race and allow them to interoperate with the broader international space community.”

Founded in 1989, AGI has been exporting since the mid- to late-1990s, but only recently began emphasizing exports as a part of its strategic plan.  Today, AGI has grown to 12 foreign markets. A small-to-mid-size business, AGI works closely with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Export Assistance Center, building an expanding network of software reseller partners, including KCEI Co., Ltd. based in Seoul, Korea. This trade agreement will allow AGI to bring even more value to the Korean space sector.

If that sales increase is realized, it could potentially bring up to $11 million more a year to support the Lottery-funded programs that protect older Pennsylvanians’ independence, preserve their health and improve the quality of their lives.

“When I became Governor, one of my first priorities was to direct the Lottery to grow its retail network to maximize sales and profits,” Governor Rendell said. “We wanted the Pennsylvania Lottery to operate more like a business, and it is.

“After courting Wawa for nearly two decades, a self-service sales model developed by the Pennsylvania Lottery finally attracted the partnership of the Pennsylvania-based company that never partnered with a lottery until this year,” the Governor said. “The Lottery’s industry-leading technology and innovation combined with a sales model designed to fit Wawa’s needs created a terrific new partnership between two Pennsylvania institutions.”

In June, Wawa began a pilot program in 20 locations to test customers’ receptiveness to self-service Lottery sales in its stores. In October, after Lottery sales proved successful in all pilot locations, Wawa approved expanding Lottery sales to all 210 Pennsylvania Wawa stores by springtime 2011.

Wawa President and CEO Howard Stoeckel joined Rendell for today’s announcement at a Wawa store in Philadelphia’s Chinatown neighborhood.

“Wawa has always embraced change and innovation as a way of continually simplifying our customers’ lives,” said Stoeckel. “I’m excited to introduce our latest innovation, self-serve Play Central Terminals from the Pennsylvania Lottery, which will give our customers the added convenience of purchasing lottery games and tickets at Pennsylvania Wawa stores.”

Today, Lottery tickets are available in 68 Wawa stores, and by the end of December, 89 Wawa stores in the greater Philadelphia area, Lehigh Valley, Poconos and northeast Pennsylvania will be selling tickets for instant and terminal-based Lottery games.

In 2004, Pennsylvania became the first U.S. lottery to offer touch-screen, self-service terminals that sell instant, numbers and lotto-style games. Today there are more than 1,000 self-service terminals located at retailers statewide. The sales model developed specifically for Wawa incorporates these terminals and back-office accounting mechanisms tailored to Wawa’s needs.

“This partnership is great news for Wawa, for the Pennsylvania Lottery and for customers and players who will soon be able to buy their Lottery tickets at Wawa stores,” said Governor Rendell.  ”But even better news is that 210 new Wawa stores as Lottery retailers have the potential to increase Lottery sales by as much as $37 million annually and contribute approximately $11 million more a year to support programs benefiting older Pennsylvanians.

“The Pennsylvania Lottery has grown – despite challenging economic times – to become the fifth-most-profitable lottery in the nation. And that growth translates into real, everyday benefits for the hundreds of thousands of older Pennsylvanians who rely on the free rides, hot meals, senior centers, reduced-cost prescriptions, property tax relief and long-term living services the Lottery funds.”

Since Governor Rendell took office in 2003, the Lottery has grown its retail network by 24 percent, or more than 1,700 locations. Lottery sales have grown by more than $1.1 billion, or 59 percent, since fiscal year 2001-02, and last year, the Lottery generated more than $915 million in profits, an increase of 22 percent from fiscal year 2001-02.

This fiscal year, revenue collections in every month but September have been within less than one-half of one percent of the estimates certified by the Budget Office and Department of Revenue.

“This proves the incredible accuracy of our revenue estimate for the current fiscal year as developed by the Budget Office and Department of Revenue,” Governor Rendell said. “Budget Secretary Mary Soderberg and Revenue Secretary Dan Hassell, and their staffs, have done an outstanding job.”

Through Nov. 30, fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections were $14 million, or 0.2 percent, above estimates; in October collections were $18.5 million, or 0.2 percent, above estimate; in September collections were $75.8 million, or 1.3 percent, above estimate; in August collections were $6 million, or 0.2 percent, above estimate.

Both the percent of CKD-ND patients treated with ESAs and the mean hemoglobin at initiation of ESAs have decreased significantly compared to last year. While in prior years, the vast majority of IV iron treated patients were on ESAs, this year, those numbers have decreased. There are a number of patient characteristics that distinguish ESA treated vs. non-treated patients; a higher percent of treated patients have hypertension, type 2 diabetes and congestive heart failure, to name a few. Despite treatment, close to one-third of patients are not managed to goal (have hemoglobin levels less than 10g/dL). ESA dose tends to increase as kidney disease worsens but average monthly dose for epoetin alfa (Centocor Ortho-Biotech’s Procrit, Amgen’s Epogen) has declined compared to the prior year.

In terms of IV iron, nephrologists tend to over-report the percent of their CKD-ND patients that are treated, although compared to last year, there is an increasing trend in the percent of stage 4 and 5 patients that are on IV iron. The majority of patients treated with IV iron tend to graduate from oral iron. Lack of testing appears to be an issue that may be preventing increased use of IV iron; while almost all patients have a hemoglobin in their record, a much smaller percent have a TSAT or ferritin level in their chart. Hemoglobin levels are also measured more frequently than iron studies. While nephrologists report initiating IV iron at a TSAT of 19 percent, the audited TSAT at IV iron initiation is in fact lower. From a brand perspective, the percent of patients on AMAG’s Feraheme has increased significantly compared to last year, although American Regent’s Venofer remains the market share leader.

“We appreciate the insight that motorists were able to provide through this survey,” said PennDOT Secretary Allen D. Biehler, P.E. “We’re pleased that most of their answers reflect safe driving behaviors, but we want to make sure that all drivers are making smart choices each time they get behind the wheel.”

Nearly 80 percent of motorists reported that within the past 60 days they did not drive within two hours after drinking alcohol. Ninety-one percent of drivers also indicated they used a seat belt all or most of the time.

More than half of respondents said they rarely thought someone would be arrested or cited for impaired driving or not wearing a seatbelt.

However, the perceived risk of a ticket increased when related to speeding as 55 percent of drivers thought they would be cited most or half of the time. Despite the perceived risk, nearly half of respondents admitted to speeding, with 44 percent saying they drive faster than 70 miles per hour in a 65-mph zone most or half of the time.

On driving while distracted – one of the leading highway safety concerns – 81 percent indicated that they never or rarely talk on a handheld phone. Ninety-two percent said they do not text or e-mail while driving.

Seventy-seven percent of the 500 motorcycle riders who responded said they wore helmets or other protective gear always or most of the time. Ninety-two percent said they never drink and ride, while 72 percent said they never or rarely travel more than 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requires states to conduct this survey annually. Survey respondents were 55 percent male and 45 percent female.

The new contracts include projects to be completed for Merritt College, Springfield Police Department, Johnson Controls, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Connecticut State Police, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Bergen County Police Department, Monmouth County Police Department, Camden City Police Department, New Brunswick Police Department, Rutgers University, Crown Castle, PT Access Networks, City of Sarasota, Amgen, Enumclaw Hospital, Graphic Packaging and DNV Global Energy Concepts. In addition, international contracts have been obtained for projects to be completed for Mooloolaba Water Police, Ormiston Station, Bray Park Station, Rockhampton Airport, Xavier Catholic College, Pacific Lutheran College, Mackay Post Office and the Aspley Hornets Football Club.

Jeffrey Voacolo, Executive Vice President of WPCS commented, “WPCS has added many new customers through these contract awards. Expanding our customer base is a key element to increasing our repeat business. In addition, we are seeing solid growth potential in our Australian Operations. Our focus continues to be on developing high growth opportunities in healthcare, energy and public services.”

About WPCS International Incorporated:

WPCS is a design-build engineering company that focuses on the implementation requirements of communications infrastructure. The company provides its engineering capabilities including wireless communication, specialty construction and electrical power to the public services, healthcare, energy and corporate enterprise markets worldwide. For more information, please visit www.wpcs.com