A Medical Device Daily

Home Diagnostics (Fort. Lauderdale, Florida), a manufacturer of diabetes testing supplies, selected Parago (Lewisville, Texas) to design, implement and manage rebate programs that will provide consumers the best customer experience possible and incentives on diabetes supplies.

Part of the marketing mix, rebates have long been used to attract new customers and provide great discounts on products.

Home Diagnostics sought to improve that experience, understanding that the rebate transaction was a critical touch point and the beginning of a long-term relationship with consumers.

With the Parago rebate program, Home Diagnostics aims to incent consumers to trial its diabetic testing products long-term.

“The data is clear: Parago's rebate programs offer high customer satisfaction rates and the ability to quickly and efficiently reward customers. With Home Diagnostics' prior fulfillment company, we were receiving a significant volume of calls into headquarters – with Parago, we have seen more than a 90% drop in calls to headquarters,“ said a Home Diagnostics spokesperson.

“We selected Parago because of its exceptional customer service and inclusion of a web portal that allows us to effortlessly review and track rebates fulfilled.

This rebate program has already demonstrated great results; both enticing new customers and pleasing our loyal existing customer base.“

Parago is now providing rebates for Home Diagnostics' TRUEresult, TRUE2go and TRUEtrack products, found in Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid, as well as many regional and independent pharmacies and mail service providers.

In other agreements/contracts news:

• Abbott (Abbott Park, Illinois) has entered into an agreement with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK; London) to develop a molecular diagnostic test intended for use as an aid in selecting patients who may benefit from a skin cancer treatment in development by GSK.

GSK's MAGE-A3 Antigen-Specific Cancer Immunotherapeutic candidate is currently being evaluated as an adjuvant treatment in melanoma biopsy specimens in the phase III clinical study DERMA.

Abbott, in conjunction with GSK, will develop and commercialize a polymerase chain reaction test for use on the Abbott m2000 automated molecular instrument system.

The test will be designed to detect MAGE-A3, a tumor-specific antigen that is expressed in skin cancer and a wide variety of other cancers, but not in normal cells.

In July 2009, both companies reported a similar collaboration and phase III investigation for the MAGE-A3 marker in non-small-cell lung cancer.

Currently, there are no nucleic acid-based tests approved by the FDA for use in identifying patients who may derive treatment benefits from targeted skin cancer therapies.

Abbott, in collaboration with GSK, will seek regulatory approval for the test in several markets, including the U.S. and Europe.

• BSD Medical (Salt Lake City) has retained Financial Profiles (Los Angeles) to direct a comprehensive investor relations program.

“We are making solid progress expanding our product lines to offer a range of thermal systems in the U.S. and around the world for the treatment of cancer, including both hyperthermia and ablation treatment systems,“ said Harold Wolcott, president of BSD.

“It is time to communicate our progress and goals to a wider audience. Consistent with the addition of highly respected and accomplished executives to our management team in recent months, we have retained Financial Profiles to lead a proactive investor communications campaign.“

•Biomoda (Albuquerque, New Mexico) and Advanced Medical Imaging and Genetics (Los Vegas) reported their intent to collaborate on a variety of projects to advance technology for the early detection of lung and other cancers.

The two companies will pursue initiatives that complement their businesses. Biomoda is seeking FDA approval of its cytology-based screening technology as a Class III medical device. Multisite phase III trials, the final step before FDA approval, are scheduled to begin in 2010.