Rimini Street Closes New $125 Million Financing Round Led by Colbeck

 Financing fuels accelerating global growth and expansion of leading independent enterprise software support services

LAS VEGAS - Tuesday, June 28th 2016 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rimini Street, Inc., the leading independent provider of enterprise software support services for SAP SE’s (NYSE:SAP) Business Suite, BusinessObjects and HANA Database software and Oracle Corporation’s (NYSE:ORCL) Siebel, PeopleSoft, JD Edwards, E-Business Suite, Oracle Database, Oracle Middleware, Hyperion, Oracle Retail and Oracle Agile PLM software, today announced that it recently closed a new $125 million financing that will be used to accelerate the Company’s next phase of global growth and product portfolio expansion. The new financing round was led by Colbeck and includes a syndicate of lenders.

New Financing Will Fuel Accelerated Growth and Expansion

Rimini Street is the leading global provider of independent enterprise software support with more than 10 years of delivery experience and over 1,400 signed clients to date, including more than 130 Fortune 500 and Global 100 organizations. The Company’s annual revenue has been growing at an average rate of 36% since 2010, which has accelerated to an average rate of 39% since 2012. At the close of its fiscal Q1 ending March 31, 2016, the Company reported an annual run-rate revenue approaching $150 million and marked its 41st consecutive quarter of growth. In addition, in Q1 2016, Rimini Street’s employee count and total signed clients grew 36% and 31% year over year, respectively. In January 2016, Rimini Street announced that it had achieved the significant market milestone of saving Oracle and SAP clients more than $1 billion in total maintenance costs since the Company’s inception.

“We have been watching Rimini Street lead a very large, multi-billion dollar global market opportunity for independent enterprise software maintenance with their vision, industry leadership, and impressive execution and growth,” said Jason Colodne, managing partner, Colbeck. “Rimini Street delivers an extremely high value service with a strong, unparalleled reputation for quality support, deliverables and client satisfaction. This new financing package will help the Company more fully capitalize on the accelerating demand for their enterprise software support solutions around the world.”

“Rimini Street continues to execute its global business plan, delivering its award-winning premium support service with excellent and consistent client satisfaction, success rates and financial results. We are pleased to welcome our new financial partners who will help us take advantage of the opportunities created by accelerating global demand in our next phase of growth,” said Seth Ravin, chief executive offer and chairman of the board, Rimini Street. “As organizations around the world switch from vendor support to Rimini Street support at a rapidly growing rate, we are increasing our investments in the service programs that will help our clients fully realize the value of their SAP and Oracle enterprise software spend. Clients can save up to 90 percent in total operating costs and enable needed innovation through the re-allocation of budget and resources. Rimini Street has engineered its support model from the ground up to help our clients achieve the maximum ROI from their existing IT investments – this was our mission when we launched Rimini Street in 2005, and remains our passionate mission today.”

To learn more, follow @riministreet on Twitter and find Rimini Street on Facebook and LinkedIn.

About Rimini Street, Inc.

Rimini Street is the global leader in providing independent enterprise software support services. The company has redefined enterprise support services since 2005 with an innovative, award-winning program that enables Oracle and SAP licensees to save up to 90 percent on total support costs. Clients can remain on their current software release without any required upgrades for at least 15 years. Over 1,400 global, Fortune 500, midmarket, and public sector organizations from a broad range of industries have selected Rimini Street as their trusted, independent support provider. To learn more, please visit http://www.riministreet.com.

About Colbeck

Founded in 2009 by Jason Colodne and Jason Beckman, Colbeck manages private equity-style direct lending funds and has a core focus of investing and advising on strategic finance solutions. Colbeck also provides strategic and operational advisory services.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “plan,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and are based on various assumptions. If the risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. Rimini Street assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or information, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

Rimini Street and the Rimini Street logo are trademarks of Rimini Street, Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright © 2016. All rights reserved.    

Contacts

Rimini Street, Inc.

Michelle McGlocklin, +1 925-523-8414

mmcglocklin@riministreet.com









Permalink: http://www.me-newswire.net/news/18257/en

GSMA Initiative to Drive Global Adoption of Universal Profile for Rich Communications Services Gains Momentum

Universal RCS Profile Backed by 57 Mobile Operators and Leading Handset Manufacturers; Service Will Deliver Enhanced Communications Experiences to Customers Globally

SHANGHAI - Tuesday, June 28th 2016 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The GSMA today announced that AIS, Axiata Group, Beeline, Bell Mobility, China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, Claro Brazil, Claro Colombia, Indosat Ooredoo, M1, Megafon, MTS, Optus, Personal Argentina, Personal Paraguay, Reliance Jio, Rogers Communications, Singtel, StarHub, Telcel Mexico, Tele2, Telefónica, Telkomsel, Telus and T-Mobile US are the latest operators to support a mobile industry initiative for a universal Rich Communications Services (RCS) profile worldwide. These operators are joined by leading handset manufacturers Alcatel, ASUS, General Mobile, HTC, Intex Technologies, Lava International Ltd., LG Electronics, Lenovo/Motorola, Samsung Electronics and ZTE, as well as mobile OS providers Google and Microsoft, who are also committed to bringing universal profile handsets to market. The initiative, which is defining a common, open and universal RCS profile, is now backed by 57 global operators and manufacturers.

“This global initiative aims to provide the mobile industry with a common universal profile that enables mobile operators to deploy an interoperable RCS implementation with a core feature set and configuration,” said Alex Sinclair, Chief Technology Officer, GSMA. “A universal profile will drive the global adoption of RCS services and make it easier for consumers to enjoy rich, consistent and interoperable messaging experiences regardless of device or network.”

A universal RCS profile will greatly enhance existing operator messaging services by providing users with a consistent user experience, global interoperability and a primary, uniform feature set that includes group chat, photo sharing and pre-call messaging. Pre-call messaging is a new addition to the RCS experience that recently launched in a number of markets. The profile will also act as a global platform for operators and partners, helping them to launch differentiated value-added services such as payment services, chatbots and conversational commerce. The profile will work on all supported devices and operating systems and across all operator networks, offering consumers access to innovative features.

The universal RCS profile will reduce cost and time-to-market for OEMs by allowing them to deliver a rich messaging experience with a standard set of protocols worldwide as well as use the same client for both operator customers and open market devices. The profile will also simplify the process for operators who want consistency across devices and for OEMs who are expected to keep up with ever-changing standards. The universal profile will also be supported by a formal GSMA accreditation process.

In addition to the operators announced today, the Universal Profile has already received support from América Móvil, Bharti Airtel Ltd., Deutsche Telekom, Etisalat, Globe Telecom, Google, KPN, Millicom, MTN, Orange, PLAY, Smart Communications, Sprint, Telenor Group, Telia Company, Telstra, TIM, Turkcell, VimpelCom and Vodafone. RCS is currently offered by 48 operators in 35 countries and is available on 156 devices.

GSMA Network 2020 Summit @ Mobile World Congress Shanghai 2016

The GSMA is also hosting the Network 2020 Summit today at Mobile World Congress Shanghai. The programme will include a number of seminars and interactive debates covering topics such as how 5G can create social and economic value and how RCS can be monetised, as well as the journey to an all-IP network.

For more information on the GSMA’s work with mobile operators and RCS, please go to: www.gsma.com/network2020/all-ip-news/.

Get Involved at Mobile World Congress Shanghai 2016

For more information on the 2016 Mobile World Congress Shanghai, visit www.mwcshanghai.com. Follow developments and updates on Mobile World Congress Shanghai through our social media channels – follow us on Twitter at @GSMA and use #MWCS16, get regular updates through our LinkedIn Showcase Page at www.linkedin.com/company/mobile-world-congress-shanghai, and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mwcshanghai. In China, you can follow us on Sina Weibo http://weibo.com/mwcshanghai or on the GSMA account on WeChat. For additional information on GSMA social channels, visit www.mwcshanghai.com/register-plan/networking/social-media.

-ENDS-

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with almost 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai and the Mobile 360 Series conferences.

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.    

Contacts

Media:

Ava Lau, +852-2533 9928

alau@webershandwick.com



Charlie Meredith-Hardy, +44 7917 298428

CMeredith-Hardy@webershandwick.com



GSMA Press Office

pressoffice@gsma.com





Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/18261/en

Telemedicine Industry Leader GlobalMed Establishes Base of Operations for Africa

The Mbaoua Group Signs on as Exclusive Manager of African Operations for GlobalMed Telemedicine Solutions

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. & ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire - Tuesday, June 28th 2016 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- As a sign of the growing importance of the African market to the world economy, GlobalMed® – the worldwide industry leader in telemedicine delivery systems – has chosen The Mbaoua Group in Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) to oversee opportunities and deployments in Africa. Yaya Mbaoua, the company’s CEO, will leverage his multicultural business experience in Europe, North America and Africa to build an effective bridge for technology transfer to the emerging nations in Africa.

“Facebook plans to use satellites, lasers and drones by the end of the year to get the next billion people around the world online,” said GlobalMed Founder and CEO Joel E. Barthelemy. “Coupled with Google’s Project Loon, the balloon-based floating internet system, telemedicine will be able to reach regions that have never had it before.”

Mbaoua was first introduced to GlobalMed at the American Telemedicine Association’s Annual Conference in Los Angeles. “I knew immediately that GlobalMed was unique in the telemedicine market when compared to other Solutions. Having a proprietary and vertically integrated product offering will allow me to quickly implement world-class solutions that are tailored to the unique requirements of Africa. This is a huge competitive advantage for GlobalMed and requisite for success throughout the African regions.”

Mbaoua has spent nearly 20 years in technology product and business development in telecom, advertising, and most recently in healthcare as the Vice-President of International Sales and Business Development for Med1 and Healthcare and Vice-President of Product Management for Rally Health. While at Med1, Mbaoua forged relationships with public health systems throughout Africa and the Caribbean.

“Telemedicine will play a critical role in positively impacting Africa’s health care problems,” said Mbaoua. “My commitment to better my continent, along with GlobalMed’s mission of improving access to care globally, provides an incredible opportunity to connect doctors with millions of Africans.”

About GlobalMed

GlobalMed’s mission is to transform healthcare globally though quality, timely care for all. GlobalMed is recognized as the leading provider of integrated telemedicine solutions serving top medical institutions, corporations and government organizations worldwide. For more information, visit www.globalmed.com.

Copyright 2002-2016 GlobalMedia Group, LLC. All rights reserved.    

Contacts

GlobalMed

Yaya Mbaoua, +225.87.75.06.65

yaya@globalmed.com









Permalink: http://www.me-newswire.net/news/18259/en

Quintiles Introduces Continuous Glucose Monitoring Services to Improve Diabetes Outcomes

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. - Monday, June 27th 2016 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Quintiles today announced the launch of its new Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) service offering. This new solution combines innovative, wearable technology with Quintiles’ deep therapeutic and analytical expertise to help enhance the efficiency and quality of diabetes-focused clinical trials.

When used in clinical research, the new CGM offering will provide investigators with access to a myriad of customized data analytics and performance reports through its award-winning Quintiles Infosario® technology platform. These optimized glycemic data sets can be analyzed more efficiently to uncover trends such as non-compliance and potential safety triggers faster than traditional diabetes monitoring models. In addition, Quintiles experts from the company’s Diabetes Center of Excellence will provide dedicated support for the offering – combining data and therapeutic expertise to drive smarter protocol design and enhance patient safety and compliance.

“According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), every six seconds, a person dies from diabetes-related causes and almost half of those deaths are people under the age of 60,” said Margaret Keegan, president of Data Sciences, Safety and Regulatory Services at Quintiles. “With diabetes diagnoses on the rise, the need for innovative and accessible treatments also increases. CGM can provide a variety of in-depth measures from diabetes patients – information that can be used to enhance the way patients are treated for diabetes and why this new offering is so critical.”

Through the offering, continuous glucose measurements will be captured by a wearable sensor and wirelessly sent to a receiver, recording readings throughout the day. In the clinical trial setting, this comprehensive and timely glucose visibility has the potential to improve patient safety, accelerate clinical development and provide a basis for differentiated claims.

“We are excited to bring this new CGM offering to the market as a complement to Quintiles’ technology integration strategy,” said Sam Osman, head of Cardiac Safety Services at Quintiles. “We believe this new technology solution incorporating biosensors and wearables, which can be used across all drug development phases, will improve the way the industry tracks and improves diabetes care for patients worldwide.”

To learn more about Quintiles Continuous Glucose Monitoring, visit quintiles.com/cgm.

About Quintiles

Quintiles (NYSE: Q) helps biopharma and other healthcare companies improve their probability of success by connecting insights from our deep scientific, therapeutic and analytics expertise with superior delivery for better outcomes. From advisory through operations, Quintiles is the world’s largest provider of product development and integrated healthcare services, including commercial and observational solutions. Conducting operations in approximately 100 countries, Quintiles is a member of the FORTUNE 500 and has been named to FORTUNE’s list of the “World’s Most Admired Companies.” To learn more, visit www.quintiles.com.

Click here to subscribe to Mobile Alerts for Quintiles.

Contacts

Quintiles

Media Relations

Phil Bridges

Office: + 1-919-998-1653

Mobile: + 1-919-457-6347

phil.bridges@quintiles.com



or

Investor Relations

Todd Kasper

+1-919-998-2590

InvestorRelations@quintiles.com







Permalink: http://www.me-newswire.net/news/18256/en

Tegan & Sara, JR JR Lit Up the Stage with Hilton HHonors in Canada

Private Concert Spotlighted Member Benefits and Introduced Hilton World Tour Sweepstakes

MCLEAN, Va. - Monday, June 27th 2016 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Without a doubt, Tegan & Sara know how to rock Canada. Headlining after Indie Pop Duo JR JR this past Saturday, June 25, the Canada-born band helped fans and members of Hilton HHonors, the loyalty program for Hilton’s 13 distinct brands, celebrate the unique benefits of the free-to-join membership program. The concert, which took place at Hilton Toronto, is part of the 2016 Hilton Concert Series – and was the series’ first Canada concert.

From the pre-concert reception menu, which featured locally-inspired fare, to two intimate performances, Saturday’s event provided 400+ attendees with an exclusive experience that only Hilton HHonors members can enjoy. To extend those unforgettable moments to more Hilton HHonors members this summer, Hilton introduced the Hilton World Tour sweepstakes. Now through August 31, 2016, Hilton HHonors members in Canada, the US and UK, who book directly with Hilton, have a chance to win two tickets to any Live Nation concert around the world. The three Grand Prize Winners (1 in each region) will also enjoy complimentary flights and a two-night stay at a nearby hotel within the Hilton portfolio. To participate and for alternate methods of entry, members can visit www.HiltonWorldTour.com prior to booking travel. No purchase necessary. Restrictions apply.**

“While the 2016 Hilton Concert Series continues to rock on, we’re excited to provide our Hilton HHonors members with another excuse to stop and play – with the Hilton World Tour sweepstakes,” said Mark Weinstein, senior vice president and global head of customer engagement, partnerships and loyalty, Hilton Worldwide. “We know our guests and loyalty members appreciate personalized experiences, and so we designed this customizable sweepstakes, allowing the winners to choose their own concert, creating their own incredible, once-in-a-lifetime trip."

The Perks of Loyalty

In addition to entering the Hilton World Tour sweepstakes, Hilton HHonors members who book direct will save time and money, and gain instant access to benefits like free wi-fi and upgrades, when available. To book direct, travelers are encouraged to schedule their travel on any of Hilton’s 13 brand websites, the Hilton HHonors mobile app and reservation call centers, via Room Key or through preferred corporate travel partners and approved travel agents. Other highlighted perks of booking direct include:

    Exclusive Member Rate: Members of Hilton HHonors can take advantage of an exclusive member rate at thousands of hotels around the world.
    Instant Benefits: Hilton HHonors offers instant benefits to members, such as free Wi-Fi, digital tools like digital check-in with room selection and Digital Key, as well as the ability to earn and redeem Hilton HHonors Points for free nights.
    Unforgettable Experiences: Booking direct opens the door to unique events, like private concerts, such last weekend’s Tegan & Sara show, exclusive dining experiences and one-of-a-kind travel adventures.
    Loyalty Rewarded with More Personalized Service: Hilton HHonors members can better share their preferences with the hotel for a stay tailored to their requests.

Groupies Wanted: The 2016 Hilton Concert Series

As some of the many benefits of Hilton HHonors, Hilton has introduced members to some of the music industry’s most buzz-worthy artists through the Hilton HHonors Artist Connections and Concert Series. Hilton HHonors members can redeem Points for these events at HHonors.com/auctions. Following last weekend’s Tegan & Sara concert, the final concerts of this year’s series include:

    Producer and singer/songwriter Grimes at Hilton Berlin in Berlin, Germany on July 19
    Country music singer/songwriter Kip Moore at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Nashville Downtown in Nashville, Tenn., on August 31
    GRAMMY-Award winner Gary Clark Jr at Hilton Austin in Austin, Tex., on October 28

For more information on Hilton HHonors, visit HHonors.com. To attend future events, visit HHonors.com/auctions. To participate in the sweepstakes, visit HiltonWorldTour.com.

**Abbreviated Hilton World Tour Terms & Conditions

Ends August 31, 2016. Void where prohibited. Hilton World Tour Sweepstakes. No purch nec. To enter and for rules go to www.HiltonWorldTour.com/en/us/rules. Hilton World Tour Canada Sweepstakes. No purchase necessary. To enter and for rules go to www.HiltonWorldTour.com/en/ca/rules. Aucun achat requis. Se termine le 31 août 2016. Pour vous inscrire et pour consulter le règlement, visitez le www.HiltonWorldTour.com/fr/ca/rules. Nul là où la loi l’interdit. Hilton World Tour Great Britain Sweepstakes. Open to Hilton HHonors® members, who are GB resident and aged 18+. Terms apply, see www.Hiltonworldtour.com/en/uk/rules.

About Hilton Worldwide

Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company, comprising more than 4,660 managed, franchised, owned and leased hotels and timeshare properties with nearly 765,000 rooms in 102 countries and territories. For 96 years, Hilton Worldwide has been dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences. The company's portfolio of 13 world-class global brands includes Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Curio - A Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton, Tru by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages an award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton HHonors®. Hilton HHonors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to benefits including exclusive member rates, free standard Wi-Fi, as well as digital amenities that are available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton HHonors app, where HHonors members can check-in, choose their room, and access their room using a Digital Key. Visit news.hiltonworldwide.com for more information and connect with Hilton Worldwide on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn and Instagram.

About Hilton HHonors

Hilton HHonors is the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton Worldwide’s 13 distinct hotel brands, spanning more than 4,660 hotels, resorts and timeshare properties across 102 countries and territories. Hilton HHonors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including an exclusive member rate that can’t be found anywhere else, free standard Wi-Fi and popular digital tools available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton HHonors mobile app, where HHonors members can check-in, choose their room, and access their room using a Digital Key. With more than 54 million members, HHonors offers hundreds of ways to earn and redeem Points. Members can redeem their Points for free nights, premium merchandise, charitable contributions, or unique events through the HHonors auction platform (hhonors.com/auctions), such as exclusive artist experiences and hotel concert events with Live Nation® or a race experience with the McLaren-Honda Formula 1 team. HHonors members’ loyalty is also rewarded with more personalized service. There is no cost to join, and travelers may enroll online by visiting www.HiltonHHonors.com or connect with Hilton HHonors at news.hiltonhhonors.com.

About Tegan And Sara

Born in Calgary, Alberta and now residing in Vancouver, BC, Tegan and Sara recently released their eighth studio album, Love You to Death. The group’s career numbers are impressive, boasting over 1 million albums sold on the way to collecting 7 Gold certifications and 1 Double Platinum certification. They have been honoured with 3 Juno Awards, 2 Polaris Prize nominations, and a Grammy nomination.

About JR JR

Based in Detroit, MI the duo of Joshua Epstein and Daniel Zott came together in 2009. Working out of a basement studio, the pair worked to create a sound that was danceable without sacrificing anything in the songwriting department, merging intricate and airy melodies with solid programmed beats and synth atmospherics. Their hard work bore fruit in 2010 when they released their first debut EP, Horse Power. That same year the pair was also tapped to do a remix of Moby’s “Wait For Me”. In 2011, the duo released their full-length debut It’s a Corporate World. In 2013, they returned with the Patterns EP before releasing their sophomore full-length The Speed of Things later that year. In 2015, Epstein and Zott released the album JR JR to critical acclaim. The hit single “Gone” reached the Billboard Alternative top ten.





View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160627005050/en/

Contacts

Colleen Hart

Hilton Worldwide

+1 703 883 6616

Colleen.Hart@Hilton.com

news.hiltonworldwide.com









Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/18250/en

EuroMena III Successfully Concludes Its Third Deal by Investing in Credit Libanais, One of the Leading Banks in Lebanon

Beirut, Lebanon - Monday, June 27th 2016 [ME NewsWire]

The EuroMena Fund is pleased to announce the investment of USD 20m in the capital of Credit Libanais SAL, one of the Lebanese leading Alpha Banks.  EuroMena III took part of a sale arranged by Credit Libanais Investment Bank (CLIB) of 9.41 million shares held by EFG-Hermes, the exiting majority shareholder. On June 3rd, 2016 the Central Bank of Lebanon officially approved the transaction.

Established in 1961, Credit Libanais SAL is a provider of a full range of banking products and services. It has an extensive network of 69 branches in Lebanon and is present in 5 other countries serving more than 300,000 customers. In 2009, Credit Libanais obtained a license to operate in 8 countries in the West Africa Region, the targeted countries are Ivory Coast, Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo where the Lebanese Diaspora is well established. Credit Libanais opened its 1st branch in Dakar in 2011 and its 2nd branch in 2015.

 The Bank’s principal activities include retail banking, investment banking, treasury, capital markets, private banking and asset management, corporate banking, e-banking services, Islamic banking, and other innovative services. Furthermore, it was the first Lebanese bank to introduce e-banking activities through point-of-sale and ATM networks. Currently, Credit Libanais has one of the largest electronic POS networks in the country with 9,800 electronic POS and 150,000 banking cards distributed.

Thanks to the close oversight of the Lebanese Central Bank, the banking sector is financially sound and stable.  It is also well known for its strong resilience to the fast changing environments.

Romen Mathieu, Managing Partner of The EuroMena Funds, mentioned on the occasion “We are confident that the Bank’s extensive network and experienced management team as well as our knowledge in the sector and region will bear its fruits in terms of activity and geographical expansion”

EuroMena has a substantive experience in the Lebanese banking sector. In 2008, it invested in Intercontinental Bank of Lebanon (IBL) bank and successfully exited it in 2011 with a high return to its shareholders. EuroMena II also invested in First National Bank (FNB) and is still to date one of its prominent shareholders.  In line with its strategy, EuroMena III will assist the top management of Credit Libanais in its growth and development in the Middle East and Africa, where the Fund enjoys a wide network and important market knowledge.

This transaction constitutes the third investment of EuroMena III after its recent investment in Elephant in Nigeria and Jasmin in Tunisia signalling the solid investment momentum of EuroMena III following its second and final closing that took place on May 31st, 2016 for a total of USD 150 million.

Contacts

Grey Doha

Denise Yamine, 00974 33318761

Denise.yamine@greydoha.com









Permalink: http://www.me-newswire.net/news/18254/en

New analysis of INPULSIS® trials demonstrates efficacy of OFEV® (nintedanib) across a range of IPF patients using broader diagnostic criteria

INGELHEIM, Germany - Monday, June 27th 2016 [ME NewsWire]

    For the first time the analysis shows that disease progression is similar in IPF patients identified using a broader diagnostic definition compared with the current diagnostic guidelines
    OFEV® is effective in slowing disease progression in both diagnostic subgroups which confirms the efficacy of OFEV® across a broad range of IPF patients
    Analysis has implications on criteria used to diagnose IPF in clinical practice as well as in future clinical trials design

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- New analysis of the INPULSIS® trials show for the first time that disease progression is similar in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients identified using a broader diagnostic definition compared with the current diagnostic guidelines. The post-hoc analysis of these 1,061 patients has now been published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

IPF is a devastating and fatal condition. Physicians use an imaging technique called high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) to help them identify the presence of scarring (fibrosis) and specifically the presence of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern in the lungs to ensure an accurate diagnosis of IPF. Radiological changes called “honeycombing” are a key indicator for lung fibrosis and a feature of the UIP pattern visible on HRCT. However, it can be challenging to confirm that scarring in the absence of honeycombing on HRCT meets the strict guideline criteria for a definitive diagnosis of IPF. For a large group of patients who do not receive a confirmed diagnosis of IPF according to guidelines, including those not eligible for surgical lung biopsy, the clinical course of their condition and the effectiveness of IPF treatment remains unknown. Investigations into the behaviour of the disease across diagnostic subgroups is therefore crucial.

The INPULSIS® trials included patients with a classic diagnosis of IPF but also those patients with a clinical diagnosis of IPF who, in the absence of a surgical lung biopsy and honeycombing on HRCT, had a possible UIP pattern and the presence of traction bronchiectasis. Traction bronchiectasis is recognised as one of the most relevant CT signs of lung fibrosis. The analysis also shows that OFEV® is effective in slowing disease progression in both diagnostic subgroups which confirms the efficacy of OFEV® across a broad range of IPF patient types studied in Phase III and may be applicable to patients seen in clinical practice.

“In clinical practice achieving a confident diagnosis of IPF is complex. While the accuracy of IPF diagnosis is increased by discussions among experts from multi-disciplinary services at regional centres with expertise in interstitial lung diseases, community physicians may more often make a diagnosis of IPF that does not always meet the criteria laid down by international guidelines” said Ganesh Raghu, M.D., Professor of Medicine, University of Washington in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and Director of Center for Interstitial Lung Diseases at University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA. “This analysis confirms for the first time that disease progression and effect of treatment in a subgroup of patients not fully meeting the diagnostic criteria is similar to those meeting the current criteria, as defined in the 2011 international guidelines for diagnosis of IPF. This has implications to consider accepting the modified criteria, as used in this study for making a diagnosis of IPF that includes presence of possible UIP pattern and traction bronchiectasis in lower lobes (despite the absence of definite honeycombing on HRCT and surgical lung biopsy), in an appropriate clinical setting and in future clinical trials.”

The subgroup analysis showed that:

    In patients with confirmed UIP pattern, including honeycombing and/or biopsy, the adjusted annual rate of decline in FVC was −108.7 mL/year in the nintedanib group and -225.7 mL/year in the placebo group (difference versus placebo of 117.0 mL/year).
    In patients with HRCT features of possible UIP pattern, with no honeycombing and no biopsy but the presence of traction bronchiectasis, the adjusted annual rate of decline in FVC was −122.0 mL/year in the nintedanib group and -221.0 mL/year in the placebo (difference versus placebo of 98.9 mL/year).
    The treatment-by-subgroup interaction p-value was not significant (p=0.8139), indicating that the treatment effect of nintedanib was not different between the subgroups.
    The treatment effect in both subgroups was also consistent with the treatment effect in the overall pooled population.
    Adverse events were similar between subgroups.

For more information on the current international guidelines and diagnostic criteria please visit: http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.2009-040GL#.VyMb-fkrLIU

~ ENDS ~

Please click on the link below for ‘Notes to Editors’ and ‘References’:

http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/ipf-ofev-inpulsis-broader-diagnostic-criteria



Intended audiences:

This press release is issued from our Corporate Headquarters in Ingelheim, Germany and is intended to provide information about our global business. Please be aware that information relating to the approval status and labels of approved products may vary from country to country, and a country-specific press release on this topic may have been issued in the countries where we do business.    

Contacts

Boehringer Ingelheim

Corporate Communications

Media + PR

Anja Konschak

Phone: +49 6132 – 77 182415

Fax: +49 6132 – 77 6601

Email: press@boehringer-ingelheim.com









Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/18253/en