Helsinn promotes the use of mobile technology in cancer supportive care through mobile health

Lugano, Switzerland (ots) - The pharmaceutical group in Ticino,
global leader in cancer supportive care, supports the International
Conference on mobile technology dedicated to improve the quality of
life of people with cancer in collaboration with SDA Bocconi and
CERGAS Bocconi.

The combination of medicine and mobile technology to improve the
quality of life of people with a disease like cancer is called mobile
health (mHealth). This is a real innovation in cancer supportive
care, which Helsinn, multinational pharmaceutical company
headquartered in Lugano, promotes via the International Conference
"mHealth - Improve cancer supportive care" (Milan, April 4th)
organized in collaboration with SDA Bocconi and CERGAS Bocconi of the
Bocconi University of Milan, Italy.

"As a pharmaceutical group leader in cancer supportive care,
Helsinn seeks innovative treatments dedicated to satisfy the unmet
needs of patients and their caregivers, in order to improve their
quality of life, now in the present" says Riccardo Braglia, CEO of
the Helsinn Group. In fact, supportive therapies must not only ease
the pain and the other side effects of chemotherapy, like nausea and
cachexia, they also must help patients and their families to
understand the effects of the treatments and give them the chance to
participate in the decision-making process of their care pathway.

Specially in this area, mobile health (the use of mobile devices
like mobile phones, patient monitoring devices, Personal Digital
Assistants (PDA) and other wireless devices) in medicine and public
health - as defined by World Health Organization - can give a valid
contribution in disease management and meet the needs of cancer
patients. Patient monitoring devices enable to register biomedical
parameters of the patient and forward them immediately to doctors and
healthcare professionals with multiple benefits: remote monitoring
allows patients to live at home rather than in an hospital; the
collaboration and sharing of information between doctors is
strengthened and this leads to better communication with patients and
better understanding of their condition. Moreover mHealth allows to
identify and promptly treat acute symptoms, avoiding complications
and preventing readmissions to hospital.

The conference promoted by Helsinn has the main goal of
understanding how mobile technology is changing cancer supportive
care under the medical, economic and policy standpoint and how the
interaction of the different stakeholder as doctors, policy-maker,
industry, and patients may work.

"Helsinn's support to this initiative endorses the commitment of
our company in consolidating its position as a leader and innovator
in cancer supportive care , with great attention to the quality of
life of each cancer patient" continues Braglia. "From a family
business, in more than 35 years we are now a multinational company
with offices and industrial plants in Switzerland, Ireland, U.S. and
a representative office in China. Our peculiar and unique business
model is focused on the strong collaboration with our partners - 69
around the world -and the healthcare professionals. However, in 35
years our goals have not changed: we are always committed in
developing new drugs for patients with a special attention to the
person" concludes Braglia.

The launch of an App Award, sponsored by Helsinn Group, will be
announced during the event. The best mobile applications able to
improve the quality of life of people with cancer will be awarded a
prize amounting to EUR 50.000.

About the Helsinn Group

Helsinn is a privately owned pharmaceutical group with
headquarters in Lugano, Switzerland, and operating subsidiaries in
Ireland, the United States and a representative office in China.
Helsinn's business model is focused on the licensing of
pharmaceuticals, medical devices and nutritional supplement products
in therapeutic niche areas. Helsinn is an important player in cancer
supportive care. Helsinn Group in-licenses early-to-late stage new
chemical entities, completes their development through the
performance of pre-clinical/clinical studies and Chemistry,
Manufacturing, and Control (CMC) development, and files and attains
their market approvals worldwide. Helsinn's products are out-licensed
to its network of local marketing and commercial partners, selected
for their deep in-market knowledge and know-how whom Helsinn assists
and supports by providing a full range of product and scientific
management services, including commercial, regulatory, and medical
marketing advice. The active pharmaceutical ingredients and the
finished products are manufactured according to the highest quality,
safety, and environmental standards at Helsinn's GMP facilities in
Switzerland and Ireland and supplied worldwide to its customers.

Further information on Helsinn Group is available at
www.helsinn.com.

Contact:
Contact Person:

Helsinn Group
Paola Bonvicini
tel. +41 919852121
email info-hhc@helsinn.com

HealthCom Consulting
Diego Freri
mob. +39 335 8378332
email diego.freri@hcc-milano.com

Laura Fezzigna
mob. +39 347 4226427
email laura.fezzigna@hcc-milano.com

Carlotta Freri
email carlotta.freri@hcc-milano.com