There is a great deal of unmet need in the effective treatment of numerous types of cancer, as long-term survival rates are still rather poor for a number of cancers. There is a strong need for more effective therapies that will extend survival, with potential for new immunostimulatory therapies and other biologics to stabilize cancer and prevent metastasis.

There have so far only been three cancer vaccines approved by the FDA, and many others are now nearing the end of their clinical trials. Two of these were vaccines for HPV, which is responsible for 70% of cervical cancer. The most recent, and most exciting is the approval of Provenge last year, which is a vaccine for Prostate Cancer by Dendreon.

With a successful pathway through the commercialization and regulatory process now mapped out, companies are really starting to increase their work in this field to ensure success in clinical trials.

SMi’s inaugural conference on Cancer Vaccines will provide attendees with a complete view of the cancer immunotherapy field, focusing on the discovery of new vaccines, developments in target identification and vaccine delivery strategies, this informative event will bring together key opinion leaders in the field to provide attendees with an in depth look into current advances in cancer vaccines.

Key benefits of attending Consider novel combination therapies in cancer vaccine development Understand effective process development strategies Evaluate developments in cell based immunotherapeutics Discover strategies to improve success and overcome current issues in clinical trials Learn about clinical and regulatory design of immunotherapy programs Hear from the industry on updates on the most recent successful candidates in Phase III Develop monitoring immunotherapy outcomes Network and learn from key opinion leaders from industry and academia

For those who care for a person with Alzheimer’s, one of the most stressful aspect is coping with aggression – a common symptom.

But there may be hope.

In March 2008 Bob Hylton’s Father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s – and by August 2011 his Father was mentally in a really dark place: he was unresponsive – he didn’t want to get out of bed – he lost his appetite – and worst of all he had become aggressive.

He was sleeping during the day, and wandering around the house during the night; waking Bob frequently – with the added stress of dealing with his Father’s aggression, he was desperate to find a solution, so both of us could get a good night’s sleep.

With his Father’s Doctor’s OK, Bob tried him on a herbal sleeping pill, Kalms Night – the effect was remarkable – his aggression eased away and he became much happier and contented.

It’s now over 6 months since Bob started giving him one tablet a night and his Father is now eating properly – his humour is back – he gives Bob the thumbs up when asked if he’s OK – he says please and thank you again; all of which makes Bob’s life as his carer more endurable.

The active ingredient in Kalms is Valerian Root, a traditional herbal medicinal plant. Valerian Root is also the main ingredient in other similar herbal medicinal products.

The positive effect that Valerian Root has had on Bob’s Father has motivated Bob to produce a video of his experience:

‘Alzheimer’s and aggression – can Valerian Root help?’

And Bob has hosted the video on YouTube.

Bob said: “It was hard decision if to produce the video and an agonizing process to find the right words and images, but I believe that the positive effect Valerian Root has had on my Father’s happiness and contentment is too important not to share.”

Fundraising4change understands that due to the internet, bad press or negative feedback from disgruntled customers can spread rapidly to millions of people. Fundraising4change is also aware that there are plenty of things you can do to limit the damage, and shares what they feel will benefit others in this situation.

Try to understand where the potential for bad publicity may lie in your business and do what you can to resolve issues before they become a problem. For example, this might involve sending poor quality products back to a supplier, introducing stricter health and safety procedures or dealing with unhappy staff.

Be aware of the phenomenal speed at which information spreads, especially via social networking sites, and take quick action to counter bad publicity. For example, if a glitch in the software you market becomes apparent, don’t wait for user complaints to spread virally but use online forums to alert them and explain what you are doing to tackle the problem.

Don’t be afraid to counteract inaccuracies. For example, if you are aware of a Twitter campaign against you, tweet your version of the story. Contact editors if incorrect information has been published, and use your own website and social media presence to dispel misconceptions.
To say you are sorry does not amount in law to an admission of guilt. However, it can show customers, suppliers and other stakeholders that you take your responsibilities seriously and defuse a situation before it gets out of hand.

“No comments”, however, usually imply you are hiding something. Designate one person who is authorised to speak to journalists and ensure all your staff are told that they should direct media enquiries to that person. You may want to consider some level of media training for them.
Answer media questions fully and factually, offering background briefings where necessary. If there are reasons why this is not possible – for example, if you are asked to give confidential customer details or you are waiting for the outcome of an enquiry, explain why you are withholding information.
At times you may feel it is better to offer a written statement. Ask what deadlines journalists face and try at least to offer a holding statement until a fuller explanation is ready.
Understand the media’s need for a story. You may be able to deflect bad publicity by pointing out a bigger story elsewhere. You could also counterbalance bad publicity by pointing out, for example, how many satisfied customers you have.
Review all incidents and consider ways you could have acted differently which would have led to a better outcome.

Finally, rebuild your firm’s reputation by generating good PR- for example, through supporting a charity or promoting positive news stories. Build relations with journalists, so if there is a “next time” they will have some prior understanding of you and your business.

Fundraising4change realises that the bigger the brand, or the larger your target audience, then the bigger the potential for a few disgruntled people; you can’t please everybody all of the time. Fundraising4change looked at huge brands like Virgin, who are a massive brand with a phenomenal reputation, and that’s not through luck, there have been at times when Richard Branson and his products or business beliefs have come under scrutiny and received bad press. Fundraising4change looked at how they handled negative PR.
So crucial is the continued high profile of Virgin that Mr. Branson says his highest paid and most important employee is Will Whitehorn, his public relations and communications director ” I suspect in most companies, the public relations person is down at number 20 in the pecking order, ” Mr Branson says. ” but here he is fighting incredibly important battles. If a negative story starts running away with itself in the press and it’s not dealt with fast, it can badly damage the brand, and so we put enormous weight on public relations people”.
Fundraising4change accepts the importance of positive PR, and realises the importance of being pro active in the ensuring a positive brand reputation, and advises the following:

Act speedily to confront and counteract bad publicity
Turn to experts such as lawyers and PR professionals when necessary
Learn from your mistakes
Don’t ignore the power of individuals using Social media to destroy reputations
Don’t be tempted to lie to journalists
And finally don’t assume it is best to keep a low profile after an incident

A bitter-sweet play about living with the condition of dementia, is to take place at The Public in West Bromwich this June. ‘An Evening with Dementia’, a heart warming and touching production by ex-Royal Shakespeare Company actor, Trevor T. Smith, dares to deal in depth with an issue theatre often ignores. Taking its audience on an illuminating and at times very funny adventure into the mind of an old actor who has been cut loose from society by a fading memory, the poignant play brings to life the rarely seen struggle the little understood condition bestows. As the nameless man sits, he tells the audience his secrets on how to avoid the true extent of his confusion being discovered, how he has fooled his social workers and his irritation at being constantly asked questions. The causes of dementia remain a mystery. Science seeks a cure for it with research into its physicality, but Trevor T. Smith achieves in his play a different understanding to the heart-rending problem which affects almost a million people in the UK. Respected amongst the medical profession; doctors, nurses and carers have all applauded the award-winning show.

When it was reviewed in The British Medical Journal, Lawrence C. Kaplan. a consultant in neurodisabilities at Great Ormond Street Hospital wrote, “An Evening with Dementia is able to teach both clinicians and non-clinicians alike about dementia in ways I have rarely seen achieved in the classroom or in the clinical setting, let alone the professional theatre. More than a play, it is a powerful lesson. It enlightens, inspires, and most important, teaches what the individual with advanced dementia might want others to understand if he could be the teacher. Here is a theatrical production that takes on a compelling subject in a ways that are both informative and thoroughly entertaining at the same time.”

The play will be followed by a short Q&A session.

Linda Saunders, Managing Director of The Public said,

“An Evening with Dementia allows us to empathise with the constant problems of a condition that so many of us are touched by. After receiving rave reviews since debuting in 2010, the engaging and thought provoking play is filled with humour, yet also allows the audience to pause for thought and reflect.”

‘An Evening with Dementia’ takes place at The Public on Saturday 16 June at 7.45pm. Tickets are £10 (£8 concession) and are available by calling 0121 533 7161 or visiting www.thepublic.com. For further information about events at The Public please call 0121 533 7161 or visit www.thepublic.com.
ENDS

For further information contact David Wright, Marketing and Communications Co-ordinator at The Public on 0121 533 7147.

The Public, New Street, West Bromwich, B70 7PG
Telephone: 0121 533 7147 Facsimile: 0121 525 6975 Email: david_wright@sandwell.gov.uk

The Public is a versatile public space and community arts centre, designed by architects Will Alsop and Julian Flannery and funded by contributions from: Sandwell MBC, European Regional Development Fund, Advantage West Midlands, Arts Council England and New Deal For Communities.

Lake Falconer, Partner at PEM Corporate Finance, explains…

While the new and much publicised Government National Loan Guarantee Scheme (NLGS) was trumpeted by George Osborne as the delivery of a promise to help small businesses with financing, the reality appears to evade the issue, says Lake Falconer:

The scheme misses the point completely by providing a small reduction in borrowing costs when the real issue is access to finance, not the cost of finance. From my discussions with local business owners, there is also confusion with the Government’s earlier, and slightly more helpful, Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme (EFG), which is still in place. But while the EFG is better than the new scheme, it’s still not as helpful as it might be, and there’s a huge amount of Government spin and press misreporting around this area.

So what’s the difference between these schemes and how is it best to proceed in order to raise bank finance?

The new National Loan Guarantee Scheme (NLGS)
On the face of it, this sounds good. The scheme aims to help businesses access cheaper finance by reducing the cost of bank loans under the scheme by one percentage point. A business will be eligible to apply for an NLGS loan if it has an annual turnover of less than £50 million. The loan will be taken out from a participating bank (currently Barclays, Bank of Scotland, Lloyds TSB, NatWest, RBS and Santander), and the discount is available on new-term loans as well as new hire-purchase and leasing agreements. NLGS funding is not available for overdrafts, invoice finance, or for revolving credit facilities or credit cards. The scheme is quite flexible and there is no minimum or maximum amount that businesses can borrow under the scheme – nor is there any fixed repayment term for the borrowing other than the minimum of a one-year term. The loans are not available to all businesses – the European Commission State Aid rules apply differently to firms in certain industries, including agriculture, fisheries, road freight transport and primary products so companies in these sectors may not qualify. If you are in one of these industries you will need to study the small print. This scheme works by the Government providing bulk guarantees to the banks to allow them to borrow more cheaply in the wholesale market. The bank pays a fee to the Government and is required to pass on the discount. However, HSBC, which has robust funding of its own and less need for this type of guarantee, has already declined to participate in the scheme saying that it is not commercially viable for it to offer the loans. The real problem with the scheme is that a saving of one percentage point on borrowing costs is unlikely to help UK SMEs when the problem is access to finance not its cost. Steward Baird, founder of Stone Venture Partners, put it succinctly, saying: “Cheap money will not spark the economy, money in the right places will spark the economy. Instead, companies need finance full stop, not just cheaper finance”. One commentator even described the NLGS as “so irrelevant that the banks had to be arm-twisted into joining”.

Enterprise Finance Guarantee In theory the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) – originally introduced by the then Chancellor, Alastair Darling, in March 2009 is better designed to address the supply of finance to SMEs. Under the EFG the Government provides a guarantee for 75% of the loan balances advanced by banks to SMEs in return for a guaranted premium of 2% paid by the borrower. Unlike the macro guarantees provided by the Government to the banks under the new NLGS, these guarantees are loan specific, and the guarantee is linked to the individual borrower’s default.

EFG loans should be provided by the banks to companies that look like a good lending proposition in all respects other than that they are unable to provide adequate security for the loan. So a company without bricks and mortar security or fundable debtors would be an ideal candidate, provided it was profitable, and therefore likely to be able to service the debt. EFG loans are available to businesses with turnover up to £41m, but are restricted to loans between £1,000 and £1m. The EFG can be used to support term loans. On a positive note, unlike NLGS loans the EFG is also available to support borrowing in the form of overdraft and invoice discounting.

The EFG is, in many respects, like a turbo-charged version of the old Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme. Introduced in 1981, this was a much more limited scheme providing 75% guarantees on loans of up to £250,000 and for businesses with turnover up to £5.6m. It was also quite restrictive on the purposes that the loan money could be used for. In 2007 the total loans under the scheme were only £207m.

So far so good. Like its predecessor, SFLGS, the EFG aims to support provision of loans that would otherwise not be advanced to businesses that are viable but have limited track records and collateral. So on the face of it, Alastair Darling’s effort beats George Osborne’s hands down.

However, it’s not as good as it sounds. The 75% guarantee is available to the banks on an individual loan basis but – and it’s a big but – the guarantee is only provided up to 9.75% of the banks’ EFG debt portfolio. So, if a single loan of £100,000 were to go bad, the Government would meet 75% of it or £75,000. This means that if a portfolio of ten £100,000 loans were to go bad, the maximum the Government would meet would be £97,500 or 9.75% of the portfolio. Of course, this should more than cover the bad debts to be expected from sensible lending activity. So don’t be too hard on the banks if it looks like they are rather less gung-ho about lending than you would expect from someone with a 75% Government guarantee. In reality it’s a 9.75% guarantee cleverly spun by the Government as a 75% guarantee.

How to source borrowing
It cannot be good for business or for ‘UK plc’ that viable businesses have their growth constrained through lack of funds for expansion. But the reality is that bad lending proposals will struggle to get funded, and as shareholders in the banks – via the Government or via our pension funds – we should be glad. At the other end of the spectrum, we know from experience that really good proposals will induce a feeding frenzy amongst lenders. In the middle, reasonably good lending proposals sadly stand a good chance of not succeeding unless they are well presented, and this means selling it to the bank in terms they can understand, but not overselling it either. Beyond that, the chances of success are greatly increased if you can approach an individual banker with a track record of succeeding in getting lending deals done within their organisation. It’s probably worth teaming up with an advisor who will know the best bankers to approach, can help you present the opportunity in the best light, and lend their own personal credibility with the bank to help oil the wheels. Finally, don’t rely on one bank to deliver. You do need to spread a safety net and talk to more than one bank in case your preferred candidate fails to deliver. However, don’t talk to too many – you’ll use up your valuable time managing them, and it’s only fair to give those you’re working with a fair chance of your business. It takes a considerable amount of effort to get credit approval for a loan, and bankers will be reluctant to put that time in for you if it’s pretty clear that you’ve touted the deal to everyone in town. The way forward…
In summary, beware of snake-oil salesmen and Government ministers peddling loan schemes to help SMEs. Work up a solid banking proposition, and get help in presenting to the bankers who are most likely to deliver for you. If your proposition is just not bankable – accept that reality and raise equity finance, which is a whole new topic in itself. Alternatively, go to work on your business model instead and see if you can do things differently or change your business to make it more bankable.
ENDS

Note to Editors

PEM Corporate Finance (PEMCF) is part of Peters Elworthy & Moore, a full service award-winning accounting and tax practice with 12 partners and over 130 staff also based in Cambridge. Visit www.pemcf.com PEMCF works primarily with owner managed businesses in East Anglia, the Home Counties and London, advising on all aspects of corporate finance transactions, from mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and company sales to management buy-outs (MBOs).
Lake Falconer is available for interview.

Media contact: Hellena Barnes / Faye Darcy Mobas PR
E: hellena.barnes@mobas.com / faye.darcy@mobas.com
T: 01223 841699 M: 07808 789689

The pharmaceutical generics industry is a fast moving and is a consistently expanding one. With the much referenced patent cliff rapidly approaching, all businesses are looking to generics for a source of additional revenue.

With less than a month away, SMi is pleased to invite you to attend its Generics, Supergenerics and Patent Strategies conference that is to be held in London. It will provide you with an excellent overview of the industry and where it stands, along with case studies from the big players in the market showing how they have handled issues and how they see the industry moving forward. We will also be covering some of the current regulatory issues and evaluating big Pharma perspective of their movements in the generic field.

Benefits of attending include:

Discuss how successful branded generics and supergenerics value for money and how they actually perform in the market Evaluate the state of the European markets as well at the emerging markets of the MENA regions.
Hear how some large Pharma companies are making moves into generics production in order to compensate for the lack of upcoming blockbuster drugs.
Gain knowledge of current regulatory issues both from industrial representatives and from the regulatory bodies themselves.
Consider the effects of Asian companies entering the European market
Learn about recent patent litigation and the effect it will have on future trials, as well as recent developments in supplementary patent certificates. For further information visit http://www.smi-online.co.uk/goto/generic-pharma70.asp
or alternatively contact Lewis Garfield on tel 44 0207 827 6186 or email on lgarfield@smi-online.co.uk

UK medical breath monitoring manufacturer Bedfont Scientific Ltd has agreed the acquisition of Logan Research Ltd in a deal to move the company into a new area of scientific applications for breath research.

Bedfont Scientific Ltd, established in 1976, research, development and manufacture a range of breath analysis monitors for medical applications, including smoking cessation, gastrointestinal disorders, inhaled nitric oxide therapy and asthma.

Logan Research Ltd, established in 1994, are real pioneers in the development and manufacture of real-time trace gas analysis equipment, namely the well-known LR2000 and mass spectrometry for measuring airway inflammation in the medical area of asthma. This was the first clinical system for airway inflammation available and is still regarded as a ‘Gold Standard’ method today, cited in many clinical research papers worldwide. Trevor Smith, MD of Bedfont Scientific Ltd said, “Having worked with Logan Research Ltd for many years now we value greatly their expertise and wealth of knowledge in the area of breath monitoring for scientific research applications. Bringing them into the Bedfont family is of great strategic importance to us, enabling us to further increase our rapid growth in this area and enter new research based activities, paving the way for future breath analysis developments.”

Ron Logan-Sinclair, MD of Logan Research Ltd said, “I look forward to our new relationship in becoming part of the Bedfont team and will work toward providing a vehicle in which to turn all their innovative and potentially lifesaving ideas and aspirations into a reality.”

Following the Launch of the GastroCH4ECK Gastrolyzer breath Hydrogen and Methane monitor for the diagnosis of gastroitestinal disorders. Clinicians across the UK are getting to grips with how easy it is now to diagnose and montor a patients condition with a simple breath test.

One such clinician Lynne Smith, Clinical Manager at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield, has said:

“We purchased the GastroCH4ECK Gastrolyzer in February 2012 to replace portable hydrogen monitors. The equipment is helping us to address an increase in referrals and importantly to test our patients for both Methane and Hydrogen levels. The equipment is reliable and easy to use. The calibration method requires less time and so consequently uses less calibration gas. Disposable breath bags allow tests to be performed on patients with mobility problems and the optional direct sampling method utilises disposable mouth pieces with a one-way valve for infection control purposes.

Overall we are finding the GastroCH4ECK to be quick and easy to use, reliable and cost effective compared to our previous system.”

The manufacturer of the GastroCH4ECK, Bedfont Scientific Ltd are sure this product is destined for great things worldwide.

Kent based, Bedfont Scientific, manufacturer of breath gas analysis equipment for use in the worldwide medical market recently launched a limited edition pink PiCO+ Smokerlyzer (breath monitor which measures levels of carbon monoxide in a smokers breath). 500 monitors were produced and sold, with a donation of £5 from every sale going to the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.

The pink breath CO monitor proved very popular and a total of £2,500 was raised for the charity, which are the only UK based charity who are dedicated to the defeat of lung cancer. They fund lung cancer research, provide support, help people to quit smoking and give a voice to all those affected by lung cancer through their campaigning.

Jason Smith, UK Sales & Marketing Manager for Bedfont Scientific, who presented the cheque to Emma Gunby on Friday 20th April at the charity’s headquarters in Liverpool, said “our piCO+ Smokerlyzer is specifically designed for use in smoking cessation clinics, helping people to give up smoking, one of the leading causes of lung cancer. It seemed a natural choice to raise money for this worthy charity whose work is invaluable for anyone affected by this terrible disease.”

For more information on the Smokerlyzer, visit www.bedfont.com and for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, visit www.roycastle.org

SMi invites you to their inaugural ADC Summit held on the 23rd & 24th May 2012 in London. It will focus on the current ADC pipeline and present attendees with an in-depth view into novel innovations, developments and utilities of antibody-drug conjugates. The 2012 speaker line up, with key experts from all sectors of the industry will provide attendees with a unique insight into latest technological and scientific developments and will be the perfect platform for debate and problem-solving discussion.

Key benefits of attending:

• Learn about and consider solutions to the issues within the current ADC pipeline from companies such as Seattle Genetics and Immunogen
• Evaluate Genentech’s and GSK’s innovative strategies to ensure success in effective payload delivery • Hear about bioanalytical developments from the FDA, Pfizer and Agensys
• Consider novel linker strategy techniques to increase efficacy of ADC products
• Discuss the most important factors in developing a successful antibody-drug conjugate in an industry led panel discussion
• Understand from case studies the key challenges in ADC design
• Network with key industry professionals For more information visit http://www.smi-online.co.uk/goto/adcsummit57.asp
Alternatively contact Fateja Begum on fbegum@smi-online.co.uk or tel. +44 0207 827 6184