Ignite Health Acquires Syndicated Methods

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ignite Health, an inVentiv Health company and a new breed of healthcare agency combining best-in-class branding with first-in-class digital innovation, today announced the acquisition of Syndicated Methods, a San Diego-based mobile development firm. The acquisition rapidly expands Ignite Health's digital leadership into the exploding mobile health space.

"This acquisition allows Ignite Health to immediately absorb the technology, talent and years of mobile development experience that will turbocharge our ability to deliver cutting-edge mobile solutions in the healthcare space," said Matt Brown, Ignite Health President.

As part of the acquisition, Michael Smallwood, the founder and CEO of Syndicated Methods, will become Ignite Health's Vice President of Mobile and Technology. He will be based in Ignite Health's headquarters in Irvine, Calif.

"Bringing Michael Smallwood into the Ignite lineup is a huge win," said Brown. "His highly regarded reputation in the mobile software industry and his personal commitment to driving innovation through technology makes him a perfect match for our team and for our clients."

Smallwood has more than 15 years of software consulting and management experience with expertise in both computer science and business development, resulting in client relationships with such companies as MyHeritage, Priority Travel Group, Consensus Interactive, Apple, Google and Microsoft.

Also with the acquisition, Ignite Health will acquire an innovative technology called MobilePipes, an enterprise software framework that allows developers to quickly create, track and manage mobile software services and application integrations across multiple devices.

"Smartphone and tablet devices are completely transforming the way people interact with healthcare information and brands," said Fabio Gratton, Ignite Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer. "The transformation has been so significant that Ignite Health is now developing strategies and building campaigns through a customer-centered, mobile-first lens."

According to market research firm Parks Associates, U.S. revenues from digital health technology solutions are expected to grow by more than 27 percent between 2010 and 2015 to $5.7 billion, driven primarily by growth in mobile.

About Ignite Health

Ignite Health ranks among the top 20 healthcare agencies and was a finalist in 2011 for MedAdNews' Agency of the Year. With offices in Irvine, Calif., and New York City, Ignite Health offers clients a broad range of fundamental best practices and digital excellence to create unstoppable momentum for brand success across the continuum of a brand's lifecycle. Ignite Health is an inVentiv Health company. For more information, visit http://www.ignitehealth.com.

About inVentiv Health

inVentiv Health, Inc. is a leading global provider of best-in-class clinical, commercial and consulting services to companies seeking to accelerate performance. inVentiv's client roster includes more than 550 pharmaceutical, biotech and life sciences companies. With 13,000 employees in 40 countries, inVentiv rapidly transforms promising ideas into commercial reality. inVentiv Health, Inc. is privately owned by inVentiv Group Holdings Inc., an organization sponsored by affiliates of Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P., Liberty Lane Partners and members of the inVentiv management team. For more information, visit http://www.inventivhealth.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks that may cause inVentiv Health's performance to differ materially. Such risks include, without limitation: our ability to sufficiently increase our revenues and maintain or decrease expenses and cash capital expenditures to permit us to fund our operations; our ability to continue to comply with the covenants and terms of our credit facility and to access sufficient capital to fund our operations; our ability to grow our existing client relationships, obtain new clients and cross-sell our services; our ability to successfully operate new lines of business; our ability to manage our infrastructure and resources to support our growth; our ability to successfully identify new businesses to acquire, conclude acquisition negotiations and integrate the acquired businesses, including the acquisitions of i3 and PharmaNet Development Group, Inc., into our operations; any disruptions, impairments, or malfunctions affecting software as well as excessive costs or delays that may adversely impact our continued investment in and development of software; the potential impact of government regulation on us and on our clients base; our ability to comply with all applicable laws as well as our ability to successfully implement from a timing and cost perspective any changes in applicable laws; our ability to recruit, motivate and retain qualified personnel, including sales representatives; the actual impact of the adoption of certain accounting standards; our ability to maintain technological advantages in a variety of functional areas, including sales force automation, electronic claims surveillance and patient compliance; and changes in trends in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries or in pharmaceutical outsourcing. Readers of this press release are referred to documents filed from time to time by inVentiv Health Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission for further discussion of these and other factors.

SOURCE Ignite Health