Press Releases

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f2f787/advertising_via_th) has announced the addition of the "Advertising via the Mobile Channel" report to their offering.

The current economic downturn creates both barriers and opportunities for the mobile advertising industry. Major brands and ad-agencies may be reluctant to commit their advertising budgets to experiment with a new channel. Consumers however, faced with economic pressures, may be more likely to shop around for affordable entertainment services and willing to accept relevant advertising messages in exchange for tangible benefits thus increasing the attractiveness of the mobile channel to advertisers. MNOs, faced with increasing competition and regulation eroding core voice revenues, need mobile advertising as a revenue stream, but must balance this need against the risk of losing trust and alienating consumers by using (and selling) the information they hold for promotional purposes and devaluing their customers' mobile experience by bombarding them with unsolicited advertising.

This report explores the different roles MNOs need to fulfil and the strategies leading operators have deployed to successfully exploit the potential for mobile advertising to generate new revenues without compromising relationships with the customer through examination of a series of advanced mobile advertising initiatives, including ad-banners and search services deployed across Vodafone live! portals in Australia and South Africa and the highly successful 'Tone & Win' opt-in service from Turkcell. A series of recommendations aimed at helping MNOs maximise the benefits of this new revenue opportunity conclude the report.

Key Topics Covered:

OVERVIEW

INTRODUCTION

    --  Background to the Report
    --  Report Content
    --  Exchange Rates

MOBILE ADVERTISING MARKET OVERVIEW

    --  Service Models
    --  Market Evolution
    --  MNOs' Multi-Faceted Role & Positioning

MOBILE BANNERS & SEARCH

    --  Vodacom's Mobile Media in South Africa
    --  Vodafone Advertising Division Australia

AD-FUNDED CONTENT & VAS

    --  Ad-funded Services by Vodacom South Africa

BUILDING VALUABLE OPT-IN DATABASES

    --  Mobile Advertising Innovation From Turkcell
    --  Orange's 'Promo Tonos' Service

CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f2f787/advertising_via_th

    Source: Research and Markets

GOTHENBURG, Sweden, December 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Pharmasurgics AB - part of the Karolinska Development dermatology and wound healing company "Pergamum" - today announced that Pharmasurgics has received approval from the Swedish Medical Products Agency to begin a Phase II clinical trial. The trial will begin in December 2009 and will monitor the safety and efficacy of PharmaSurgics' novel candidate drug for the prevention of post-surgical adhesions in patients undergoing hand surgery. Post-surgical adhesions are bands of scar tissue connecting anatomic sites in the body that should not normally be connected. These develop after almost every type of surgery and can cause severe symptoms. PXL01 is based on an endogenous human peptide with pronounced anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. It is formulated in a gel that provides a burst of the active pharmaceutical ingredient directly after application combined with slow release during the healing period.

PharmaSurgics' Managing Director, Margit Mahlapuu, said, "Entering Phase II development is an important milestone for the company. It follows a strong preclinical program and good safety and tolerability results from the Phase I trial. Current treatment options for preventing post-surgical adhesions are all based on physical barriers and have failed to meet the efficacy levels demanded by surgeons. PXL01 has the potential to deliver improved efficacy and to become the first anti-adhesion product on the market based on pharmaceutical properties."

Jorgen Thorball, Pergamum's Chairman, commented, "PharmaSurgics has developed an extremely interesting and novel approach in a market with significant unmet medical needs. Success in the Phase II proof-of-concept study will enable the development of similar treatments for a very broad range of surgical procedures. Considering the substantial costs that post-surgical adhesions represent in today's healthcare systems there is tremendous market potential for new, more efficacious treatments."

The Phase II clinical trial will monitor the safety and document the efficacy of PXL01 in reducing adhesion formation following flexor tendon repair surgery. This indication allows for measurement of objective endpoints, rather than subjective measurements of pain. The objective of the efficacy part of the study is to see an improvement in finger strength and mobility compared to placebo following surgery. The prospective, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial will be conducted at three of Sweden's leading hand surgery clinics and will include approximately 140 patients.

Conny Bogentoft, CEO of Karolinska Development, said, "PharmaSurgics is making excellent progress. It also provides a good example of how Karolinska Development's business model is able to take a scientific concept from bench to clinical development extremely quickly and efficiently. Our overall portfolio, and particularly the Pergamum group, continues to go from strength to strength as more companies reach Phase II."

About PharmaSurgics

PharmaSurgics in Sweden AB is a biotech company that develops and commercializes novel treatments for the prevention of harmful scarring and promotion of wound healing after surgery. PharmaSurgics' product concept is based on proprietary synthetic peptides which have strong anti-inflammatory and anti-infectious properties. The company is located in Gothenburg, Sweden and was founded in 2005 based on extensive research by Dr. Inger Mattsby-Baltzer and Professor Kjell Olmarker at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden. PharmaSurgics is part of the Pergamum group of companies.

http://www.pharmasurgics.se

About Pergamum

Pergamum AB is a new kind of biopharmaceutical company focusing solely on dermatology and wound healing markets. The company currently has four Operating Units, which it supports with strategic management, business development, drug development and operational assistance as required. Pergamum is a Karolinska Development AB company.

http://www.pergamum.com

About Karolinska Development

Karolinska Development manages one of the largest portfolios of life science companies in Europe. Using a unique, highly cost-efficient business model, the management team guides the commercialization of world-class life science innovations, helping to shape the next-generation pharma industry. Since 2003, Karolinska Development has built a portfolio of some 40 companies; among the company's projects 12 compounds are undergoing clinical trials. The portfolio also includes a total of 19 potential first-in-class products.

    http://www.karolinskadevelopment.com

    For further information, please contact:

    Margit Mahlapuu, CSO, Managing Director, PharmaSurgics in Sweden AB
    Phone: +46(0)31-762-29-02 / Mobile: +46(0)706-310-109
    E-mail: margit.mahlapuu@pharmasurgics.se

    Jorgen Thorball, Chairman, Pergamum AB
    Phone: +45(0)307-786-27
    E-mail: jorgen.thorball@pergamum.com

    Conny Bogentoft, CEO, Karolinska Development AB
    Phone: +46(0)70-668-61-43
    E-mail: conny.bogentoft@karolinskadevelopment.com

SOURCE PharmaSurgics AB

Study reveals worryingly low awareness of the latest solution to consumer debt

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- 33% of UK consumers don't know what a pre-paid card is, despite efforts to promote them as a solution to both debt and card fraud. New research released by TNS and VRL today also reveals that more than a fifth (23%) of people who are aware of them do not actually understand how they work.

Although there are more than 25 types of pre-paid cards on the market in Britain, only 12% of people have actually purchased one for their own or family use, and half of these people purchased it more than six months ago. Those who are using them mainly acquired the card to make online purchases (45%). In line with industry attempts to provide a safer alternative to debit and credit cards, others use the cards to budget more easily (24%), spend money abroad (20%) and to manage the money they give to their children (8%).

"It's surprising that although the two biggest issues in the financial industry are debt and fraud, pre-paid cards are not being promoted as a simple solution to help combat both issues," said Waheed Aslam, Vice President Global Financial Services at TNS. "Because pre-paid cards have no direct link to your bank account and do not rely on credit (only the money you have topped up with) the pre-paid card is an excellent way of paying for goods more safely and without fear of overspending, especially online. A lack of awareness in the UK could also be due to the popularity of debit cards, and to the 'credit' culture we have got ourselves into, where we use credit to buy what we want, then pay back only what we can afford - prepaid cards have the power to reverse this situation."

With so many firms looking to enter the personal finance market including mobile phone and retail firms, who arguably have a larger installed base of customers, it will be interesting to see the role that pre pay finance could play and how innovative their strategies really are."

Although many of the pre-paid cards either have an initial fee or a monthly fee, most UK consumers are also unaware of these costs. Of those surveyed who hadn't purchased a pre-paid card, just under half (46%) did not know what the standard charges were and a quarter (26%) assumed there were no monthly fees attached. More surprisingly, of those who had purchased a pre-paid card, nearly a fifth of people didn't know what their monthly fees are costing them and 40% weren't aware of paying any monthly fees.

The study, which is the largest ever undertaken on UK consumer awareness and usage of pre-paid cards, was presented at VRL's European Prepaid Cards Summit, held in Rome from 12-13 November 2009. "Prepaid cards have become one of the world's most dynamic and competitive payments markets", said Hugh Fasken, Editorial Director at VRL. "While regulatory and cultural forces mean individual countries are at different stages of penetration, interest in prepaid across the world is booming."

Now in its fifth year, Prepaid Cards Summit Europe provides analysis and intelligence on the European prepaid market. This year's conference also featured speakers and case studies from across Europe, including Mattia Adani, Senior Adviser - Counsel of Experts, from the Italian Department of the Treasury. No more than 33 percent of registered delegates came from one country and globally 28 countries were represented.

For more information about VRL's Prepaid Cards Summit conferences in Europe, India and the Middle East, please visit www.vrl-financial-news.com.

Notes to editors:

TNS and VRL PrePaid Card Usage and Awareness Study:

UK: The online study surveyed 3000 people nationally representative by age, gender and geographic area. The fieldwork was carried out in July to September 2009.

About TNS

TNS, who recently merged with Research International, is the world's largest custom research agency delivering actionable insights and research-based business advice to its clients so they can make more effective business decisions. TNS offers comprehensive industry knowledge within the Consumer, Technology, Finance, Automotive and Political & Social sectors, supported by a unique product offering that stretches across the entire range of marketing and business issues, specializing in product development & innovation, brand & communication, stakeholder management, retail & shopper, and qualitative research. Delivering best-in-class service across more than 75 countries, TNS is part of Kantar, the world's largest research, insight and consultancy network. Please visit www.tnsglobal.com for more information.

The Kantar Group

The Kantar Group is one of the world's largest research, insight and consultancy networks. By uniting the diverse talents of more than 20 specialist companies - including the recently-acquired TNS - the group aims to become the pre-eminent provider of compelling and actionable insights for the global business community. Its 26,500 employees work across 80 countries and across the whole spectrum of research and consultancy disciplines, enabling the group to offer clients business insights at each and every point of the consumer cycle. The group's services are employed by over half of the Fortune Top 500 companies. The Kantar Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of WPP Group plc. For further information, please visit www.kantargrouptns.com

About VRL

VRL is a modern cutting edge media publishing company delivering up-to-the minute news, analysis, in-depth reports, surveys and conferences. A well-known and trusted source to the finance services market, VRL constantly strives to deliver best-in-class content that challenges the status quo, enabling its readership to stay ahead of the game, keeping customers armed with knowledge and information. The organisation has a long established track record in delivering quality journals - in fact one of its publications 'The Accountant' was established in 1875 and is the profession's oldest news source. Publications in its portfolio include: Cards International, Retail Banker International, Electronic Payments International, Life Insurance International, Private Banker International, The Accountant, International Accounting Bulletin, Leasing Life and Motor Finance.

    Source: VRL

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/c0f184/delivering_perform) has announced the addition of Woodhead Publishing Ltd's new report "Delivering Performance in Food Supply Chains" to their offering.

Food and drink supply chains are complex, continually changing systems, involving many participants. They present stakeholders across the food and drinks industries with considerable challenges. Delivering performance in food supply chains offers expert perspectives to help practitioners and academics to improve their supply chain operations.

The Editors have identified six key challenges in managing food and drinks supply chains. Each section of the book focuses on one of these important issues. The first chapters consider the fundamental role of relationship management in supply chains. The next section discusses another significant issue: aligning supply and demand. Part three considers five different approaches to effective and efficient process management, while quality and safety management, an issue food companies need to take very seriously, is subject of the next section. Parts five and six review issues which are currently driving change in food supply chains: the effective use of new technologies and the desire to deliver food sustainably and responsibly.

With expert contributions from leaders in their fields, Delivering performance in food supply chains will help practitioners and academics to understand different approaches in supply chain management, explore alternative methods and develop more effective systems.

Key Topics Covered:

    --  Delivering performance in food supply chains: an introduction

PART 1 MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS IN THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN

    --  Living with power imbalance in the food supply chain
    --  Supplier safety assessment in the food supply chain and the role of
        standards
    --  Understanding innovation in food supply chains

PART 2 ALIGNING SUPPLY AND DEMAND IN FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS

    --  Sales and operations planning for the food supply chain: case study
    --  Food supply chain planning, auditing and performance analysis
    --  Aligning marketing and sourcing strategies for competitive advantage in
        the food industry

PART 3 MANAGING PROCESSES EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN

    --  Value chain analysis of the food sector
    --  Improving responsiveness in food supply chains
    --  Reducing product losses across the food supply chain
    --  Methods for assessing time and cost in a food supply chain
    --  Improving food distribution performance through integration and
        collaboration in the supply chain

PART 4 MAINTAINING QUALITY AND SAFETY IN FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS

    --  Enhancing consumer confidence in food supply chains
    --  Quality and safety standards in food supply chains
    --  Developments in quality management systems for food production chains

PART 5 USING TECHNOLOGY EFFECTIVELY IN FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS

    --  The role of diagnostic packaging in food supply chain management
    --  Advances in the cold chain to improve food safety, food quality and the
        food supply chain
    --  Transport
    --  Simulation modelling for food supply chain redesign
    --  The adoption of e-business solutions in food supply chains
    --  Radio frequency identification (RFID) as a catalyst for improvements in
        food supply chain operations

PART 6 DELIVERING FOOD SUSTAINABLY AND RESPONSIBLY

    --  Reducing the external costs of food distribution in the United Kingdom
    --  Fair trade and beyond: voluntary standards and sustainable food supply
        chains
    --  Trends in food supply chain management

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/c0f184/delivering_perform

    Source: Research and Markets

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Synergy Resources Corporation (OTCBB: SYRG), today announced plans for its 2009/2010 winter drilling program. This program, scheduled to commence in January 2009, consists of drilling a planned 24 wells in the Wattenberg Field in the D-J Basin. All 24 wells have been permitted by the State of Colorado. The commencement of the drilling program is subject to the success of Synergy's funding from the private sale of securities and/or joint venture partners.

In September 2009 Synergy began a seven well drilling program with the Meyer #8 well being drilled to a total depth of 7,580 feet. The well exhibited four strong pay zones with the Codell and Niobrara formations the primary target. Synergy continued to drill the next six wells with similar success. Three of the seven wells also showed a fifth pay zone in the J Sand formation at approximately 8,100 feet. The seven well drilling program was completed in October 2009 with production casing set on all seven wells. These wells will be stimulated and placed in production in December 2009. Synergy is the operator for the wells and has a working interest varying from 62.5% to 31.25% (47% to 23% net revenue interest) in the wells.

As of the end of November 2009, Synergy also drilled an additional 4 wells on the Wiedeman prospect. Three of the wells exhibited four strong pay zones with the Codell and Niobrara formations remaining as the primary target. One of the three wells has five pay zones with the J Sand formation at 7,552 Feet. The fourth well in this prospect has also been drilled to the J Sand and will be logged the first week in December by Halliburton. These wells will also be stimulated and placed in production in December 2009 and January 2010. Synergy is the operator of these additional 4 wells of which they have a 62.5% working interest with a 46.875% net revenue interest.

Synergy Chairman Ed Holloway stated that, "We believe that Synergy has assembled a valuable collection of oil and gas properties and is well positioned to take advantage of many of the compelling opportunities that exist in the D-J Basin."

As of November 2009, Synergy had interests in oil and gas leases covering 6,670 net acres.

About Synergy Resources Corporation

Synergy Resources Corporation is a development stage domestic oil and natural gas exploration and production company. Synergy's core area of operations is in the Denver-Julesburg Basin, which encompasses Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, and Nebraska. The Wattenberg field in the D-J Basin ranks as the 7th largest field in the U.S. in terms of proved gas reserves and 9th in production. Synergy has corporate offices in Platteville, Colorado and on 17th Street in downtown Denver. More company news and information is available at www.SYRGinfo.com.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. The actual results could differ materially from a conclusion, forecast or projection in the forward-looking information. Certain material factors or assumptions were applied in drawing a conclusion or making a forecast or projection as reflected in the forward-looking information.

    Source: Synergy Resources Corporation