Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Quintiles and Quest Diagnostics to Form Joint Venture to Provide Global Clinical Trials Laboratory Services


RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. & MADISON, N.J - Tuesday, March 31st 2015 [ME NewsWire]
    Combines the complementary strengths and scale of leading biopharmaceutical services and diagnostic information services providers
    New entity creates superior value proposition through the depth and scale of its capabilities, services and expertise
    Business to help biopharmaceutical customers bring new drug therapies to market and support precision medicine
    Joint venture would have generated approximately $575 million in revenues in 2014
    Quintiles will own 60% and Quest Diagnostics will own 40% of the joint venture
    Investor teleconference scheduled for March 31 at 8:30 a.m. ET

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Quintiles and Quest Diagnostics today announced a definitive agreement to form a global clinical trials laboratory services business. By combining the clinical trials laboratory operations of two industry leaders, the new entity will provide customers with the depth of capabilities and end-to-end clinical trial laboratory services required to succeed in the increasingly complex biopharmaceutical industry. The new entity will offer a compelling value proposition to solidify its position as the second-largest central laboratory services company in the world.

The joint venture would have generated approximately $575 million in revenues in 2014, and will offer a superior breadth of services and an industry-leading test menu to its customers across all segments of the biopharmaceutical industry – a group that includes all of the top-20 largest biopharmaceutical companies. Upon closing of the transaction, Quintiles will own 60% and Quest Diagnostics will own 40% of the new joint venture.

Quintiles’ scale, clinical trial expertise, and diverse therapeutic experience coupled with Quest Diagnostics’ operational, scientific and quality excellence, supply chain network and informatics promise greater innovation, quality and value for biopharmaceutical customers. In addition, customers will benefit from a globally scaled and agile business model that is singularly focused on delivering top-quality laboratory services informed by deep medical and clinical knowledge.

Clinical, scientific and statistical excellence is becoming increasingly important for successful laboratory work as part of the regulatory approval process. To meet these needs, the entity will draw upon the deep scientific, medical and data expertise of Quintiles and Quest Diagnostics, which together have a team of approximately 3,500 medical doctors, Ph.D.s and biostatisticians as well as cutting-edge experience, expertise and capabilities in the areas of genomics and precision medicine.

The new entity also will leverage a number of additional resources from the broader Quintiles and Quest Diagnostics organizations, including the award-winning Quintiles Infosario®technology platform and Quest Diagnostics’ robust data analytics capabilities. Both companies are bioinformatics leaders in their respective fields – positions that have been built upon and honed from diverse experience and data access. Quest Diagnostics draws from 20 billion test results, and Quintiles’ assets include electronic health records representing more than 60 million patient lives and a network of 250,000 clinical investigators.

“This joint venture builds upon the best of Quintiles’ and Quest Diagnostics’ strengths, creating top-quality services for customers,” said Tom Pike, CEO, Quintiles. “It will join together the scale, expertise and end-to-end capabilities of the broader Quintiles and Quest Diagnostics organizations with a laser-like focus on providing world-class laboratory services that will help improve customers’ probability of success. Quintiles and Quest Diagnostics are already industry leaders with complementary offerings, capabilities and visions to improve patient outcomes and human health. We’re excited about the opportunities ahead of us and the benefits we can provide customers.”

The joint venture will be led by an experienced global management team appointed from Quintiles and Quest Diagnostics. Built upon the strong histories and foundations of quality delivery of its parent organizations, the new entity will provide customers with a variety of advanced testing capabilities and services. These will enable end-to-end companion diagnostic development with regulatory, reimbursement and commercial strategies, to help biopharmaceutical customers’ precision medicine efforts. It also will help enhance quality and efficiency by leveraging Quest Diagnostics’ supply chain that serves approximately half of the physicians and hospitals in the U.S. and includes 2,200 service centers, 3,000 couriers and connectivity solutions used by 250,000 healthcare providers.

“We’re thrilled to partner with the world’s leading biopharmaceutical services provider to help customers succeed with their clinical trials and support the pursuit of precision medicine,” said Steve Rusckowski, CEO, Quest Diagnostics. “For Quest Diagnostics, the joint venture model will enable us to generate growth and value from our clinical trials assets while simultaneously strengthening our focus on our core diagnostic information services business.”

Beyond the immediate opportunity in laboratory services support for clinical trials, Quintiles and Quest Diagnostics expect to benefit from opportunities to collaborate in other areas. These include new ways to enhance patient recruiting and retention for clinical trials; speed the validation, development and commercialization of companion diagnostics; enhance support of real-world late phase studies; and develop new population-health analytics and tools.

The transaction, which is subject to standard and customary closing conditions, is anticipated to close in the third quarter of 2015. Additional details and financial terms of this transaction are not being disclosed at this time.

An investor teleconference has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 31, at 8:30 a.m. ET. The conference call will be accessible, live via webcast, on the Investor Relations section of the Quintiles website at www.Quintiles.com/investors or on the Investor Relations section of the Quest Diagnostics website at www.QuestDiagnostics.com/investor. To participate via telephone, please dial +1 855-710-5091 in the United States or +1 706-902-0591 outside the United States, approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled start of the call. The conference ID is 15324767.

About Quintiles

Quintiles (NYSE: Q), a Fortune 500 company, is the world’s largest provider of biopharmaceutical development and commercial outsourcing services. With a network of more than 32,000 employees conducting business in approximately 100 countries, we helped develop or commercialize all of 2013’s top-100 best-selling drugs on the market. Quintiles applies the breadth and depth of our service offerings along with extensive therapeutic, scientific and analytics expertise to help our customers navigate an increasingly complex healthcare environment as they seek to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of better healthcare outcomes. To learn more about Quintiles, please visit www.quintiles.com.

About Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), a Fortune 500 company, is the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services needed to make better healthcare decisions. The company offers the broadest access to diagnostic information services through its network of laboratories and patient service centers, and provides interpretive consultation through its extensive medical and scientific staff. Quest Diagnostics is a pioneer in developing innovative diagnostic tests and advanced healthcare information technology solutions that help improve patient care. Additional information is available at www.QuestDiagnostics.com. Follow us at Facebook.com/QuestDiagnostics and Twitter.com/QuestDX.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements in this press release which are not historical facts, including with respect to the joint venture, may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements reflect, among other things, current expectations and anticipated results of operations by Quintiles and Quest Diagnostics, all of which are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements, market trends, or industry results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Therefore, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date that they are made. Without limiting the foregoing, the words “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “projects,” “should,” “targets,” “will” and the negative thereof and similar words and expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but are not limited to, the ability to complete, integrate and achieve the intended objectives with respect to the joint venture, the competitive environment, lawsuits or private actions, adverse results from pending or future government investigations, and other factors discussed in the periodic filings with the SEC by Quintiles and Quest Diagnostics, including those described under the section entitled "Risk Factors" in (i) Quintiles’ Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on February 12, 2015 and (ii) Quest Diagnostics’ 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on February 24, 2015, as such factors may be updated from time to time in the periodic filings with the SEC by the respective companies, which are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this press release and in the filings by Quintiles and Quest Diagnostics with the SEC. Unless legally required, Quintiles and Quest Diagnostics assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking information to reflect actual results or changes in the factors affecting such forward-looking information.

Click here to subscribe to Mobile Alerts for Quintiles.

Contacts

Quintiles Contacts:

Phil Bridges, +1-919-457-6347

Media Relations

phil.bridges@quintiles.com



or

Karl Deonanan, +1-919-998-2789

Investor Relations

InvestorRelations@quintiles.com



or

Quest Diagnostics Contacts:

Media:

Wendy Bost, +1-973-520-2800



or

Investors:

Dan Haemmerle, +1-973-520-2900



Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/14168/en

كاماك إنيرجي تختتم عمليات استكمال بئر "أويو-8" على استعداد لبدء إنتاج النفط

هيوستن - يوم الثُّلَاثاء 31 مارس 2015 [ME NewsWire]

 (بزنيس واير): أعلنت اليوم شركة "كاماك إنيرجي" (المشار إليها فيما يلي باسم "كاماك" أو "الشركة") و(المدرجة في بورصة "نيويورك إم كي تي" تحت الرمز: NYSE MKT:CAK) أنها أنهت عمليات الاستكمال في البئر "أويو-8"، الذي يقع قبالة سواحل نيجيريا وأنها على استعداد الآن لبدء إنتاج النفط.

وتجدر الإشارة إلى أن بئر  "أويو-8" موصول بسفينة عائمة للإنتاج والتخزين والتفريغ (إف بي إس أو) "أرمادا بيردانا" التي تملكها شركة "بومي أرمادا بيرهاد" (المشار إليها فيما يلي باسم "بومي"). ومع ذلك، فقد قامت "بومي" بإبلاغ "كاماك" أن السفينة ليست على استعداد لاستقبال إنتاج النفط من البئر بسبب عمليات التفتيش الخاصة بتصنيف خطوط مراسي السفينة التي تجرى من قبل المكتب الأمريكي للشحن ("إيه بي إس"). وتقدر "بومي" أن تكتمل عمليات التفتيش هذه في غضون أسبوعين، وعندها سيسمح لبئر "أويو-8" بالإنتاج إلى داخل السفينة.

وفي تلك الأثناء، تقوم "كاماك" بتسريح منصة الحفر "سيدكو إكسبريس" من موقع "أويو-8" وستنتقل المنصة بعد ذلك إلى موقع البئر "أويو-6" من أجل إكمال عملياتها المخطط لها في حقل "أويو". ولا تتوقع الشركة تغييرات أخرى على الجدول الزمني للمشروع الخاص بالبئر "أويو-7" نتيجة للتأخير في تفتيش السفينة.

وفي هذا الصدد، قال كايس لاوال، رئيس مجلس الإدارة والرئيس التنفيذي للشركة: "يشكل نجاح عمليات استكمال الآبار في موقع ’أويو-8‘ واستعدادنا لبدء إنتاج النفط إنجازات مهمة لخلق القيمة للمساهمين على المدى الطويل. ويعتبر التأخير في بدء الإنتاج بسبب عملية الموافقة من ’إيه بي إس‘ على السفينة عائمة للإنتاج والتخزين والتفريغ أمراً مؤسفاً للغاية؛ إلا أننا واثقون من أن ’بومي‘ تقوم باتخاذ الخطوات اللازمة لإتمام العملية في أسرع وقت ممكن".

لمحة عن "كاماك إنيرجي"

"كاماك إنيرجي" شركة مستقلة تعمل في التنقيب عن وإنتاج النفط والغاز، حيث تركز على مصادر الطاقة في أفريقيا جنوب الصحراء الكبرى. وتتألف حافظة أصول الشركة من تسعة تراخيص موزّعة على أربع دول تمتد على مساحة 10 مليون فدان، متضمنة عمليات الإنتاج الحالية ومشاريع التنقيب الأخرى قبالة سواحل نيجيريا، إلى جانب تراخيص التنقيب قبالة سواحل غانا وكينيا وغامبيا، وعلى البر في كينيا. وتتخذ "كاماك إنيرجي" من هيوستن، في تكساس مقراً لها. للمزيد من المعلومات حول "كاماك إنيرجي"، يرجى زيارة الموقع الإلكتروني التالي: www.camacenergy.com

البيانات التطلعية

يحتوي هذا الإصدار الصحفي على "بيانات تطلعية" بالمعنى المشار إليه في الفقرة "27 إيه" من قانون الأوراق المالية لعام 1933، والفقرة "21 إي" من قانون بورصة الأوراق المالية لعام 1934. كما أن جميع البيانات، باستثناء الحقائق التاريخية، والمتعلقة بالنشاطات أو الأحداث أو التطورات التي تتوقعها الشركة أو تعتقد أو تنتظر حصولها أو إمكانية حصولها في المستقبل، هي بيانات تطلعية. وبالرغم من اعتقاد الشركة بأن التوقعات التي تعكسها هذه البيانات التطلعية هي توقعات منطقية، إلا أنها تشتمل على افتراضات ومخاطر وشكوك، وقد تثبت عدم صحة هذه التوقعات. وقد تختلف النتائج الفعلية للشركة بشكل ملموس عن النتائج المتوقعة أو المضمنة في هذه البيانات التطلعية وذلك بسبب عدد من العوامل، بما في ذلك مقدرة الشركة على النجاح في تمويل وحفر وتطوير المواقع المحتملة المحددة في هذا البيان الصحفي والمخاطر وعوامل المخاطر الأخرى المناقشة في التقارير الدورية للشركة والمدرجة لدى لجنة الأوراق المالية والبورصة. وتعتبر جميع البيانات التطلعية مقيدة بشكل صريح في كليتها في هذا البيان التحذيري. ولا يجب التعويل على مثل هذه البيانات التطلعية التي تعتبر صالحة فقط في تاريخ صدورها على التوالي. وتتنصل الشركة من أي مسؤولية عن تحديث هذه البيانات التطلعية.

إنّ نصّ اللغة الأصلية لهذا البيان هو النسخة الرسمية المعتمدة. أمّا الترجمة فقد قدِمتْ للمساعدة فقط، ويجب الرجوع لنصّ اللغة الأصلية الذي يمثّل النسخة الوحيدة ذات  التأثير القانوني.

Contacts

شركة "كاماك إنيرجي"

لاتصالات المستثمرين:

كريس هيث

+1 713 797 2945

البريد الإلكتروني: chris.heath@camacenergy.com



لاتصالات الإعلام:

ليونيل ماكبي

 +1 713 797 2960

البريد الإلكتروني: lionel.mcbee@camacenergy.com







Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/ar/news/14170/ar

CAMAC Energy Concludes Oyo-8 Completion Operations

Ready to Commence Oil Production

HOUSTON - Tuesday, March 31st 2015 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- CAMAC Energy Inc. (“CAMAC” or “the Company”) (NYSE MKT:CAK) announced today it has finished completion operations on the Oyo-8 well, located offshore Nigeria, and is now ready to commence oil production.

Oyo-8 is hooked up to the FPSO Armada Perdana owned by Bumi Armada Berhad (“Bumi”). However, CAMAC has been informed by Bumi that the FPSO is not ready to receive oil production from the well due to class certification inspections of the vessel’s mooring lines being conducted by the American Bureau of Shipping (“ABS”). Bumi estimates these inspections to be completed within two weeks, at which time Oyo-8 will be allowed to produce into the FPSO.

In the meantime, CAMAC is demobilizing the Sedco Express drilling rig from the Oyo-8 location and the rig will then mobilize to the Oyo-6 well location to continue its planned Oyo field operations. The Company does not anticipate further changes to the project schedule of the Oyo-7 well as a result of the FPSO inspection delays.

Kase Lawal, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented: “The successful well completion operations on Oyo-8 and our readiness to commence oil production are significant milestones for creating long-term shareholder value. The delay in commencing production due to the ABS certification process on the FPSO is very unfortunate; however, we are confident that Bumi is taking all necessary steps to complete the process as quickly as possible.”

About CAMAC Energy

CAMAC Energy is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on energy resources in sub-Saharan Africa. Its asset portfolio consists of nine licenses across four countries covering an area of 10 million net acres, including current production and other exploration projects offshore Nigeria, as well as exploration licenses offshore Ghana, Kenya, and Gambia, and onshore Kenya. CAMAC Energy is headquartered in Houston, Texas. For more information about CAMAC Energy, please visitwww.camacenergy.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, concerning activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated or implied in these forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including the Company’s ability to successfully finance, drill and develop the wells and prospects identified in this release, delays in the class certification process for the Armada Perdana FPSO and risks and other risk factors discussed in the Company’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their respective dates. The Company undertakes no duty to update these forward-looking statements.

Contacts

CAMAC Energy Inc.

Investors:

Chris Heath, +1 713 797 2945

chris.heath@camacenergy.com



Media:

Lionel McBee, +1 713 797 2960

lionel.mcbee@camacenergy.com







Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/14170/en

شرطة أم القيوين: بلاغات السرقات محدودة

أبوظبي، الإمارات العربية المتحدة - يوم الثُّلَاثاء 31 مارس 2015 [ME NewsWire]
أكد العقيد محمد إبراهيم البيرق، مدير عام العمليات الشرطية في القيادة العامة لشرطة أم القيوين، أن البلاغات المسجلة عن السرقات بصفة عامة في مراكز الشرطة كافة محدودة للغاية لم تتجاوز 10 بلاغات بسيطة لسرقات منازل؛ خلال الفترة من بداية عام 2015 وحتى نهاية شهر مارس الحالي.
وحذرت القيادة العامة لشرطة أم القيوين من بث الشائعات، ونشر الأخبار غير الموثوقة لما تحدثه من بلبلة، وانعكاسات سلبية على نواحٍ أمنية واجتماعية وثقافية واقتصادية، وتؤكد أن ما يتم تداوله بين الناس في إمارة أم القيوين حول موضوع السرقات في الإمارة في هذه الأيام هو محض إشاعة؛ ليس لها أساس من الصحة، وتؤدي إلى بلبلة بين المواطنين والمقيمين على أرض الدولة.
 ودعا العقيد البيرق المواطنين والمقيمين إلى عدم تداول المعلومات والإشاعات غير موثوقة المصدر، مطمئناً أفراد المجتمع بأن الأجهزة الشرطية والأمنية تبذل جهوداً كبيرة في متابعة بلاغات السرقة للقبض على كل من تسوّل له نفسه المساس بأمن الوطن واستقراره.
 وناشد المواطنين والمقيمين ضرورة التأكد من المعلومات من مصادرها الموثوقة، والتعاون مع الجهات الشرطية والأمنية؛ والإبلاغ عن أية حالات قد تثير الشك والريبة، والاتصال مباشرة على رقم الطوارئ 999 وهواتف القيادة التالية: 067062000 -067062999 .
وثمّن دور وسائل الإعلام في تثقيف وتوعية أفراد المجتمع؛ من خلال نشر الحقائق والوقائع الحقيقية المدعمة بالأرقام؛ والابتعاد عن الإشاعات الكاذبة، وما يترتب عليها من عقوبات على الأشخاص مروجي الإشاعات.
للمزيد من المعلومات عن:
وزارة الداخلية، الرجاء النقر هنا
شرطة أبوظبي، الرجاء النقر هنا
يمكنكم متابعتنا والاطلاع على آخر أخبارنا على مواقع التواصل الإجتماعي على: يوتيوب، فيسبوك، تويتر

Contacts


الأمانة العامة لمكتب سمو وزير داخلية دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة، إدارة الشؤون الفنية والإعلام الأمني
القيادة العامة لشرطة أبوظبي - الإعلام ألأمني


الصحافة العربية:
شرف الدين الطاهر  00971503196353
نبيـل عويـدات 00971509992139
مجدي الكساب 00971506625470


تنسيق التغطيات الصحفية:
سمير خميس 00971508242353




Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/ar/news/14167/ar

Umm Al Quwain Police: Theft Reports are Limited

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - Tuesday, March 31st 2015 [ME NewsWire]

Colonel Mohammed Ibrahim Al Bairaq, Director General of Police Operations at Umm Al Quwain Police General Headquarters (GHQ) indicated that reports of theft across all police stations are generally very limited. During the period between the beginning of 2015 and the end of March, no more than 10 reports were received; with most reports due to minor theft in homes.

The Umm Al Quwain Police GHQ warned against spreading false rumors and any unreliable news that can be disruptive and negatively impact social, cultural, economic, and security levels. The Umm Al Quwain Police GHQ additionally emphasized that the gossip that has been circulating amongst the people of Umm Al Quwain regarding thefts in the emirate is based purely on rumors, and only confuses citizens and residents in the country. 

Colonel Al Bairaq also called upon residents and citizens not to spread unreliable information and rumors. Reassuring community members, he said: “The police and security authorities are exerting significant efforts in following-up on reports regarding thefts. We will arrest anyone who attempts to violate the security and stability of the country.”

He called upon citizens and residents to ensure that they receive their information from reliable sources only, to cooperate with police and security authorities, and to report any situation that may raise suspicion or mistrust. Reports may be made by directly contacting the emergency number 999 or by calling the following numbers: 067062000, 067062999.

Moreover, he praised the role of the media in educating and raising awareness amongst community members; and for their role in disseminating the actual facts and figures regarding the incidents. He concluded by urging everyone to “abstain from spreading false rumors. Those who spread such rumors will subsequently face penalties.”

For more information about:

The Ministry of Interior, please click HERE

Abu Dhabi Police, please click HERE

Follow us and check our Social Media feeds on: YouTube, Facebook and Twitter

The Arabic-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the Arabic-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.

Contacts

The UAE Minister of Interior's General Secretariat, Tactical Affairs and Security Media Department

Abu Dhabi Police GHQ - Security Media

Chris Cron +971-(0)-50-987-1317

E-mail: cron.media@hotmail.com









Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/14167/en