Experts Present Data From Benchmark Report,
Discuss Novel Disease Management Program
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Scios Inc. (Nasdaq: SCIO) today announced that more than 350 principal
investigators and research coordinators attended the 2003 National ADHERE
Registry Meeting just prior to National Heart Failure Awareness Week, which
began this week. During the meeting, leading heart failure experts presented
data from The ADHERE Registry third quarter 2002 benchmark report and
discussed their intent to develop the ADHERE Critical Pathways and Heart
Failure Management Program.
"Data from the ADHERE Registry demonstrate that the use of evidence-based
therapies and patient education remain well below ideal levels," said Gregg C.
Fonarow, M.D., Director, Ahmanson -- UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center, Associate
Professor of Medicine, UCLA Division of Cardiology UCLA School of Medicine and
member of the scientific advisory committee for ADHERE. "Many readmissions
occur because of inadequate treatment during initial hospitalizations as
approximately one-third of patients remain symptomatic at time of discharge as
reported in The ADHERE Registry Database."
ADHERE (Acute Decompensated Heart Failure National Registry) is a
first-of-its-kind national registry that prospectively collects observational
data designed to track and study the medical management of patients
hospitalized with acute heart failure across the United States. This second
annual meeting marked an important milestone as the first full year of
enrollment has been completed. Uptake and interest has exceeded expectations
and 2002 year-end goals were surpassed in just the first six months.
According to the third quarter 2002 ADHERE benchmark report, data has already
been collected from 231 hospitals and 27,645 patients have been enrolled in
The ADHERE Registry.
Presentations made by other experts highlighted how the ADHERE Registry
continues to provide important insight into the current management and
outcomes of heart failure patients. Other presentations included:
-- Liquid, Mechanical, Gene or Organ Therapy -- How Best to Achieve a
Change in Heart?, John C. Burnett Jr., M.D., Professor of Medicine and
Physiology, Mayo Clinic Medical School
-- Acute Heart Failure: Decongesting the Patient, Decongesting the
Hospital -- Can We Do Both?, J. Thomas Heywood, M.D., Professor of
Medicine, Loma Linda University Hospital
-- Optimal Approach to the Treatment of the Acute Heart Failure Patient:
Clinical Trials vs. Observations -- Point/Counterpoint by Maria Rosa
Costanzo, M.D., Midwest Heart Specialist and Hector O. Ventura, M.D.
Professor of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine
-- Lessons from ADHERE: The Role of the Emergency Department by Charles
L. Emerman, M.D. Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Case
Western Reserve University
-- Heart Failure Management in African Americans -- Same or Different by
Clyde W. Yancy, M.D. Associate Medicine of Internal Medicine and
Cardiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
-- Management of the Severe CHF Patient: Case Presentations moderated by
Kirkwood F. Adams Jr., M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine and
Radiology, University of North Carolina with presentations on
Outpatient Setting by Maria Rosa Costanzo, M.D.; Renal Insufficiency by
John C. Burnett Jr., M.D.; and Diastolic Dysfunction by Clyde W. Yancy,
M.D.
ADHERE Critical Pathways and Heart Failure Management Program
Experts also announced and outlined the ADHERE Critical Pathways and Heart
Failure Management Program, which is designed to improve the quality of heart
failure care nationwide. This comprehensive hospital-based process-of-care
improvement program will include educational materials and resources developed
by the ADHERE Scientific Advisory Committee. The program will encourage
hospital teams to work collaboratively to apply critical pathways and tools to
improve heart failure management.
"The overall goal of ADHERE Critical Pathways Program is to help
individual hospitals improve outcomes among patients with heart failure by
implementing comprehensive and effective critical pathways for the management
of acute decompensated congestive heart failure -- from hospital admission
through patient discharge that is consistent with best practices. We believe
some of the best practice evidence has already been provided by the ADHERE
Registry, which has quickly become one of the largest databases of these
patients in the world."
"The ADHERE Critical Pathways Program promises to improve and reshape the
standard of care in heart failure, increase the use of evidence based
therapies, improve patient care, and potentially reduce costs," Fonarow added.
About ADHERE
The ADHERE Registry Core Module was launched in October 2001. It is a
phase IV, multicenter, observational, open-label registry of the management of
patients treated in the hospital for acute decompensated congestive heart
failure. The Registry is a large clinical database that utilizes information
collected from acute care hospitals across the United States. This
first-of-its-kind registry is designed to help the medical community better
understand acute congestive heart failure, improve its management and enhance
quality of care. Data regarding current management and treatment trends is
collected from the Registry and analyzed on a quarterly basis. This data and
insight can be used by individual hospitals to develop guidelines and
protocols and increase the use of evidence-based therapies to improve the
standard of care among heart failure patients, and, potentially reduce costs
through reduced admissions, length of stay and readmissions.
The ADHERE Registry is sponsored by Scios and overseen by an independent
scientific advisory committee of nationally recognized heart failure experts.
To learn more about it, call 1-866-616-2993, or e-mail
adhereinfo@sciosinc.com, or visit http://www.adhereregistry.com.
About Acute Heart Failure
An estimated 5 million Americans suffer from congestive heart failure,
with 550,000 new cases diagnosed annually. More than 1 million
hospitalizations, with a cost to the health-care system of $15 billion, occur
in the United States each year as a result of acute congestive heart failure.
Another 2 million Americans are hospitalized annually with acute congestive
heart failure as a secondary diagnosis. Congestive heart failure accounts for
the greatest number of hospitalizations of patients over the age of 65.
During an episode of acute heart failure, the heart's inability to
circulate blood adequately throughout the body worsens to the point where
hospitalization is necessary to stabilize the patient's condition. A sudden
increase in salt in a person's diet, a patient's failure to take prescribed
oral medications or the development of a new heart problem can cause these
acute episodes. Virtually all congestive heart failure patients will
experience at least one acute episode, in which the symptoms become so severe
that only intravenous medications administered in the hospital can improve a
patient's condition.
Scios Inc.
Scios is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel treatments for
cardiovascular and inflammatory disease. The Company's disease-based
technology platform integrates expertise in protein biology with computational
and medicinal chemistry to identify novel targets and rationally design small
molecule compounds for large markets with unmet medical needs. To request
copies of press releases or other company reports, those interested can call
the Company's investor relations information line at 877-8IR-SCIOS (7246) or
send an e-mail to investor_relations@sciosinc.com.
Forward-Looking Safe Harbor Statement
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. We generally identify such forward-looking statements
using words like "estimate," "believe," "intend," "expect," "may," "should,"
"plan," "project," "contemplate," "anticipate" or similar statements.
Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements based
on current assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and
uncertainties may include the sales penetration and success of Natrecor, the
success of clinical trials of Natrecor and our pipeline products, including
SCIO-469 and inhibitors to TGF-beta, as well as other risks detailed from time
to time in the reports filed by Scios with the SEC, including the Company's
quarterly reports and annual report on Form 10-K. Actual results, performance
or achievements of Scios may differ significantly from those described in
these forward-looking statements. Scios disclaims any intention or obligation
to update or revise any financial projections or forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
SOURCE Scios, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.sciosinc.com
CONTACT:
Media and Investors, Suzanne Beveridge of
Scios, Inc. +1-408-616-2947; or Media, Jim Weiss of WeissCom
Partners, Inc., +1-415-260-1274, for Scios, Inc.; or Investors,
Fern Lazar or Sara Moorin, both of Lazar Partners Ltd.,
+1-212-867-1762, for Scios, Inc.
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