Global Leader in Pharmaceutical Information Services Partners with Swiss
Information Services Company
LONDON, Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- IMS HEALTH (NYSE: RX) and Institut fur
Marktanalysen AG (IHA) today announced the formation of a 50/50 joint venture,
to be called IHA.IMS HEALTH GmbH. The new company will provide healthcare
market research and sales management information services, designed to support
sales and marketing activities of pharmaceutical companies in Switzerland.
"IHA's comprehensive coverage of Switzerland, combined with the global
product suite of IMS HEALTH, significantly enhances services for both our
Swiss and multi-national pharmaceutical customers," said Victoria R. Fash,
President and Chief Operating Officer of IMS HEALTH. "Consistent with our
stated acquisition strategy, the transaction augments IMS HEALTH's global
position in our core markets."
Peter Hofer, General Manager of IHA, will serve as Managing Director of
IHA.IMS HEALTH. Mr. Hofer has over 20 years of experience in Swiss
pharmaceutical and consumer market research.
"Partnering with IMS HEALTH positions us to provide a much more
comprehensive portfolio of information solutions for our customers," said Mr.
Hofer. "Today's announcement underscores our commitment to integrate services
across market research, sales management and over-the-counter to meet our
clients' evolving needs, now and in the future."
Elisabeth Beck, General Manager, IMS HEALTH Switzerland, will serve as
General Manager of IHA.IMS HEALTH, reporting to Mr. Hofer. Ms. Beck was
General Manager of IMS Switzerland, and previously spent 17 years with IMS
Germany in a variety of executive positions.
IHA and IMS HEALTH will each contribute all of their Swiss pharmaceutical
market research assets to the venture and IMS HEALTH will make a nominal cash
payment to IHA. The transaction is expected to be earnings neutral in 1998
and nominally accretive in 1999 to IMS HEALTH.
Based in Hergiswil, Switzerland, IHA is the Swiss market specialist in
healthcare market research, household panel information, electronic media and
ad hoc research. Additional information (in German language) is available at
http://www.ihagfm.ch.
IMS HEALTH is the world's leading provider of information solutions to the
pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. With more than $1 billion in 1997
revenue, IMS HEALTH operates in over 90 countries. IMS HEALTH is the largest
pharmaceutical manufacturer information partner, with over 40 years'
experience in the industry. Key products and services integral to customer
day-to-day operations include: market research for prescription and
over-the-counter pharmaceutical products; sales management information to
optimize sales force productivity; technology enabled selling solutions for
sales and marketing decision-making; and technology systems and information
services that support managed care organizations. Additional information is
available at http://www.imshealth.com.
This press release includes statements which may constitute
forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although IMS HEALTH
believes the expectations contained in such forward-looking statements are
reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove
correct. This information may involve risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results of IMS HEALTH to differ materially from the
forward-looking statements. Factors which could cause or contribute to such
differences include, but are not limited to (i) the risks associated with
operating on a global basis, including fluctuations in the value of foreign
currencies relative to the U.S. dollar, and the ability to successfully hedge
such risks, (ii) the extent in which IMS HEALTH seeks growth through
acquisitions, and the ability to identify and consummate acquisitions on
satisfactory terms, (iii) the ability to develop new or advanced technologies
and systems for it's businesses on a cost-effective basis, (iv) regulatory and
legislative initiatives, particularly in the area of medical privacy, and (v)
deterioration in economic conditions, particularly in the pharmaceutical,
healthcare, information technology or other industries in which IMS HEALTH's
customers operate.
SOURCE IMS Health
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Related links:
http://www.ihagfm.ch
Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com or
fax, 800-758-5804, ext. 115785
CONTACT:
Michael Gury of IMS Health, 44-171-393-5864
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