Salix Pharmaceuticals Brings Colorectal Screening Outreach to Consumers in Partnership with Walgreens and The Colon Cancer Alliance
Annual National Program Aims to Break Down Barriers That Can Contribute to Low Screening Rates
RALEIGH, NC, March 4, 2008 – As a result of measurable success last year, Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. (NASDAQ: SLXP) is again partnering with Walgreens (NYSE, NASDAQ: WAG) and the Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA) to raise awareness and increase screenings for colorectal cancer during Colorectal
Cancer Awareness Month.
The organizations will launch a comprehensive patient education campaign during the months of March and April to address early detection and prevention
of colorectal cancer (CRC) in Walgreens locations across the country and online. This campaign includes printed brochures in English and Spanish, store posters and print, electronic, radio and T.V. advertisements in select markets.
At the same time, the Colon Cancer Alliance will staff a toll–free helpline available to answer questions from those looking for more information
on CRC and have program materials to distribute. Salix will use their sales force to communicate with the healthcare providers and organizations they
call upon to raise awareness about the campaign and address any questions.
Through an unrestricted educational grant provided by Salix, the program will also offer a continuing education component to the more than 20,000 Walgreens
pharmacists, allowing them to better serve consumers who have questions about screening and prevention of CRC, as well as disease management. Last year more than 6,000 Walgreens pharmacists and pharmacy technicians participated in the continuing education portion of the program, better equipping
them to counsel patients and families about screening and prevention.
While screening for colorectal cancer often leads to early detection and saves lives, national statistics suggest that fewer than 50 percent of those who
should get screened actually undergo the screening.
"This program provides consumers with a local, trusted source for information about a topic many of us would honestly rather put off – but it's one
that can save lives. By increasing awareness and educating consumers on how to talk with their health care providers about screening, this program
enables consumers to make more educated decisions concerning their health," said Carolyn Logan, President and CEO, Salix Pharmaceuticals. "Salix
is proud to repeat this program through its partnership with Walgreens and the Colon Cancer Alliance to bring the best of our respective networks together
to inform the public and save lives."
Walgreens drugstores serve 5 million customers each day in 49 states and Puerto Rico. In addition, all pharmacy staff received pocket–sized guidelines
for colonoscopy procedures endorsed by the major patient advocacy and professional organizations.
"Feedback from both our pharmacists – who are among the most accessible health care professionals – and our customers tells us this program
played a major role in educating the public last year," said Nimesh Jhaveri, Walgreens director of pharmacy services. "We know that the public counts
on our pharmacists for health care information, and we are proud to continue our efforts to enhance the ability of our pharmacists to make a real
difference in peoples' lives."
Two separate recent polls support the goals of this awareness campaign. One indicates that pharmacists are among the most trusted professionals in the
nation1 and the other notes that patients who hold discussions with health care professionals about cancer topics are more knowledgeable about their
condition and the extent and availability of treatment options than those who did not2.
"We are hopeful these efforts will encourage more people to get screened for colorectal cancer. Arming people with information is the best weapon in the
fight against this preventable disease," added Logan. "Salix is dedicated to consumer education as well as providing gastroenterologists with tools
to make the screening process a more tolerable experience for all patients."
Salix is a leading gastroenterology pharmaceutical company with a significant market share voice; Walgreens is the nation's largest drugstore chain in sales; and The Colon Cancer Alliance is the nation's largest non–profit colorectal cancer organization with nearly 100 chapters spread throughout
the U.S.
The Facts
Despite being treatable and preventable, colorectal cancer is the second–leading cause of death from cancer in the U.S. Every four minutes a person
is diagnosed with colorectal cancer, equaling 154,000 Americans annually. Every nine minutes someone dies from the disease, translating to 55,000
Americans each year. In 2003, the U.S. spent over $6.5 billion treating the disease.
Few Americans know how preventable colorectal cancer really is. "So many people are missing a life–saving opportunity because they aren't getting
screened. That's why we are working with Salix and Walgreens on a national and community level to change this," said Timothy Turnham, CEO, Colon Cancer Alliance.
Less than 50 percent of eligible Americans have undergone screening, and more than 45 percent of patients are diagnosed at a time when the cancer is incurable.
If detected early, survival rates are near 90 percent.
"We are pleased to be a part of a successful ongoing campaign that works to educate the public taking important steps to prevent colorectal cancer. Our
hotline received more than 2,000 calls during the first half of the program last year and we're hopeful it will generate more calls in 2008," added
Turnham.
For more information visit www.walgreens.com/crc or call the CCA's toll free helpline at 877–422–2030.
More About the Partners
The Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA) is the largest national nonprofit colorectal cancer organization and includes nearly 100 chapters nationwide.
The CCA is dedicated to ending the suffering caused by colorectal cancer through patient support, education, research and advocacy. The CCA website (www.ccalliance.org)
includes information about screening, treatment, clinical trials, quality of life, financial issues and much more. The CCA produces a variety
of awareness and educational campaigns and provides support services for patients and their loved ones through a national conference, community–based
seminars, a toll free helpline (1–877–422–2030), chat forum and Buddy Program, which provides both survivors and caregivers
with a chance to connect with someone who has gone through a similar experience. All of CCA's campaigns, programs and services can be accessed
through the helpline or website.
Walgreens is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2007 sales of $53.8 billion. The company operates 6,237 stores in 49 states and Puerto Rico.
Walgreens is expanding its patient–first health care services beyond traditional pharmacy through Walgreens Health Services, its managed care
division, and Take Care Health Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary that manages 147 convenient care clinics at drugstores. Walgreens Health Services
assists pharmacy patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health Initiatives Inc. (a pharmacy benefit manager), Walgreens
Mail Service Inc., Walgreens Home Care Inc. and Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy LLC. More information about Walgreens is available at Walgreens.com
Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, develops and markets prescription pharmaceutical products for the treatment of gastrointestinal
diseases. Salix's strategy is to in–license late–stage or marketed proprietary therapeutic drugs, complete any required
development and regulatory submission of these products, and market them through the Company's gastroenterology specialty sales and marketing team.
Salix markets COLAZAL® (balsalazide disodium), XIFAXAN® (rifaximin), OSMOPREP™ (sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate,
USP, and sodium phosphate dibasic anhydrous, USP), MOVIPREP®
(PEG 3350, sodium sulfate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium ascorbate and ascorbic acid for oral solution), VISICOL®
(sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate, USP, sodium phosphate dibasic anhydrous, USP),
AZASAN® (azathioprine tablets, USP), PEPCID® (famotide), ANUSOL–HC® (hydrocortisone cream, 2.5%)
(hydrocortisone acetate suppository, 25 mg) and PROCTOCORT® (hydrocortisone cream, 1%) (hydrocortisone acetate suppository, 30 mg).
Further product information may be found at www.salix.com. Current
development projects include balsalazide tablet, metoclopramide–Zydis®, encapsulated mesalamine granules, vapreotide acetate,
and rifaximin for additional indications.
For full prescribing information on Salix products, please visit www.salix.com.
Salix trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol "SLXP".
For more information please visit our web site at www.salix.com or contact the Company at 919–862–1000. Information on our web site is not incorporated
in our SEC filings.
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COLAZAL® (balsalazide disodium) Capsules 750 mg are indicated for the treatment of mildly to moderately active Ulcerative Colitis in patients 5 years of age and older.
COLAZAL does not relieve symptoms in all patients; your patients' results may vary. In four well-controlled clinical trials, patients receiving a COLAZAL dose of 6.75g/day most frequently reported the following events
(reporting frequency > 3%): headache (8%), abdominal pain (6%), diarrhea (5%), nausea (5%), vomiting (4%), respiratory infection (4%), and arthralgia (4%). Withdrawal from therapy due to adverse events was comparable to
placebo. In the pediatric trial, patients most frequently reported the following adverse events: headache (15%), abdominal pain upper (13%), abdominal pain (12%), vomiting (10%), diarrhea (9%), colitis ulcerative (6%),
nasopharyngitis (6%) and, pyrexia (6%). COLAZAL is contraindicated in patients with a hypersensitivity to salicylates or the components of COLAZAL capsules or balsalazide metabolites. The safety and effectiveness of
COLAZAL beyond 8 weeks in children (ages 5-17 years) and 12 weeks in adults have not been established.
Consult with your physician to see if this product is right for you.
For complete Prescribing Information, please click here.
Xifaxan® (rifaximin) Tablets are indicated for the treatment of patients (≥12 years of age) with travelers' diarrhea caused by non-invasive strains of
Escherichia coli. Xifaxan should not be used in patients with diarrhea complicated by fever or blood in the stool or diarrhea due to pathogens other than Escherichia coli. Xifaxan should be
discontinued if diarrhea symptoms get worse or persist more than 24-48 hours and alternative antibiotic therapy should be considered.
In clinical trials, Xifaxan was generally well tolerated. The most common side effects (vs. placebo) were flatulence 11.3% (vs. 19.7%), headache 9.7% (vs. 9.2%), abdominal pain 7.2% (vs. 10.1 %), rectal tenesmus 7.2%
(vs. 8.8%), defecation urgency 5.9% (vs. 9.2%) and nausea 5.3% (vs. 8.3%).
Consult with your physician to see if this product is right for you.
For complete Prescribing Information, please click here.
MoviPrep® (PEG-3350, sodium sulfate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium ascorbate and ascorbic acid for oral solution) is indicated for cleansing of the
colon as a preparation for colonoscopy in adults 18 years of age or older. MoviPrep is contraindicated in patients who have had a severe hypersensitivity reaction
to any of its components. MoviPrep should be used with caution in patients using concomitant medications that increase the risk of electrolyte abnormalities, in patients with known or suspected hyponatremia,
severe ulcerative colitis, ileus, gastrointestinal obstruction or perforation, gastric retention, toxic colitis, toxic megacolon, or glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. In clinical trials, abdominal
distention, anal discomfort, thirst, nausea, and abdominal pain were the most common adverse reactions to MoviPrep administration. MoviPrep contains a maximum of 2.33 mg of phenylalanine per treatment.
Consult with your physician to see if this product is right for you.
For complete Prescribing Information, please click here.
OsmoPrep® (sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate, USP, and sodium phosphate dibasic anhydrous, USP) Tablets are indicated for cleansing of the colon as a preparation for colonoscopy
in adults 18 years of age or older. Considerable caution should be advised before OsmoPrep is used in patients with severe renal insufficiency, congestive heart failure, ascites, unstable angina, gastric
retention, ileus, acute obstruction or pseudo-obstruction of the bowel, severe chronic constipation, bowel perforation, acute colitis, toxic megacolon, gastric bypass or stapling surgery, or hypomotility syndrome.
Use with caution in patients with impaired renal function, patients with a history of acute phosphate nephropathy, patients with a history of seizures or at higher risk of seizure, patients with higher risk of cardiac
arrhythmias, known or suspected electrolyte disturbances (such as dehydration), or people taking drugs that affect electrolyte levels. Patients with electrolyte abnormalities such as hypernatremia, hyperphosphatemia,
hypokalemia, or hypocalcemia should have their electrolytes corrected before treatment with OsmoPrep. OsmoPrep is contraindicated in patients with a known allergy or hypersensitivity to sodium phosphate salts or any of
its ingredients. In clinical trials, the most commonly reported adverse reactions (reporting frequency >3%) were abdominal bloating, nausea, abdominal pain, and vomiting. It is recommended that patients receiving
OsmoPrep be advised to adequately hydrate before, during, and after the use of OsmoPrep.
Consult with your physician to see if this product is right for you.
For complete Prescribing Information, please click here.