London, 05 January 2010 – The Department of Health (DH) has published plans today proposing the possible introduction of Automatic Generic Substitution to allow pharmacists to dispense generic medicines, even if the prescribing doctor or nurse has written a prescription for a brand. This means compulsory switches for patients to cheaper medicines, in an effort to cut costs.

The DH has issued a public consultation on the proposals, open until 30th March, which is welcome news to many who have serious concerns about Automatic Generic Substitution, due to the potential harm to patient safety, the impact on the management of disease, together with unnecessary restrictions on prescribing freedom and choice for prescribers.

However, it seems the patient safety aspect has not been properly examined in the DH’s consultation or the impact assessment.  No formal assessment has been presented in the Consultation or the Impact Assessment, merely a set of optimistic assumptions that favour the DH’s preferred strategy.

Norgine believes there has also been an underestimation of the costs the scheme favoured by the Department of Health will have on patients and prescribers. It is unclear what the exact cost will be, though it has been estimated to be in the region of £25m over a period of 4 years. Therefore it is difficult to predict whether it will bring about the estimated cost savings, especially considering the potential for additional treatment for side effects, loss of disease control and extra visits to the prescriber that may be needed. Stakeholders who were consulted prior to the development of the document raised doubts over whether Automatic Generic Substitution would achieve anything.

Norgine COO, Peter Martin, said: “This consultation is welcomed not only by Norgine but also by many stakeholders who have petitioned the DH to go public on the proposal to ensure that the practical impact of generic substitution upon patients’ outcomes, as well as safety, concordance and the NHS medicines’ bill, is considered. We urge people to respond to the document to ensure the DH do not introduce their preferred strategy of restricting prescribing freedom at the potential cost of patients’ safety and health.”

The consultation document and the reply forms can be found at: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_110517

Please visit www.genericsubstitution.com for more information on Automatic Generic Substitution.
 

- ENDS -

AGS/10/1850 

Contact details:
For further information please contact:

Peter Martin
Norgine
Chaplin House
Widewater Place
Moorhall Road
Harefield
Uxbridge
Middlesex UB9 6NS, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1895 453744
Mobile: +44 (0) 7799 078744

Christine Baldwin
Burson-Marsteller
Office: +44 (0) 207 300 6337
Email: Christine.baldwin@bm.com

Notes to editors:
Norgine
Norgine is an independent, successful European specialty pharmaceutical company that has been established for over 100 years and has a direct presence in all the major European markets.  Norgine employs over 1,000 people.

Norgine’s focus is the development and marketing of pharmaceutical products that address significant unmet clinical needs in areas such as gastroenterology, hepatology and pain management.  The company currently markets a range of products in its key therapeutic areas such as MOVICOL® for the treatment of constipation and faecal impaction, MOVIPREP® a new generation of bowel cleansing preparation and KLEAN-PREP® for bowel preparation prior to colonoscopy.

Norgine is active in research and development and currently has products in various stages of clinical development.  Norgine manufactures most of its own products in Hengoed in Wales and Dreux in France.

Norgine’s web site www.norgine.com

 

On the last day of her visit to Copenhagen, the world’s most environmentally friendly ship, the Viking Lady, impressed mayors of the world with her significant reductions of harmful carbon and NOx emissions. Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group was equally impressed by the Viking Lady when he toured the vessel yesterday, and encouraged politicians to set targets for the transportation industries. The consortium behind the Viking Lady confirms that technology to significantly reduce emissions from shipping is already available, and say they welcome tighter regulation of the industry.

Copenhagen, 17 December 2009 - The world’s most environmentally friendly ship, the Viking Lady, continued to impress international decision makers on the last day of her visit to Copenhagen. Earlier today, the Norwegian supply ship, ordinarily in operation in the North Sea, set out on a Copenhagen cruise to showcase cutting edge environmental technology to a group of mayors from major international cities. The mayors are currently visiting the Copenhagen Climate Summit for Mayors. The mayors’ cruise, hosted by Copenhagen’s Lord Mayor Ritt Bjerregaard, took place less than 24 hours after Virgin Group founder Richard Branson encouraged politicians to decide on targets for the transportation industries. The consortium behind the ship welcomes the idea of tighter regulation.

“We don’t need a new moon landing to be able to cut emissions from shipping considerably. What the industry needs are regulatory incentives to implement new, environmentally friendly technology. Actually the considerable growth that is expected in shipping over the next 40 years can be achieved without additional CO₂ emissions - by using technology already available. Add to that the likelihood that new technologies will be invented during that time, and shipping can actually continue its expected growth and still cut emissions to half its current level,” said Per Wiggo Richardsen from FellowSHIP, the consortium behind the Viking Lady.

Shipping is by far the most cost and environmentally effective means of transportation of goods, and currently transports 85% of the world’s trade. The CO₂ emissions from shipping total 3% of the world’s total CO₂ emissions. The Viking Lady’s advanced technology cuts CO₂ emissions by 20% and reduces harmful NOx emissions by amounts equal to the emissions from 22,000 cars in a year. Environmentally friendlier ships also consume less fuel and hence contribute to cut operational costs.

“Seeing that it is indeed possible for the shipping industry to reduce air pollution so significantly, is good news for major ports and coastal cities like Copenhagen. Air pollution is a major concern in cities all over the world, and eliminating emissions from ships will impact significantly on air quality and public health. Add to that the benefits to our global climate, and there is no doubt that we should place stricter requirements on which ships we allow near our cities and what they are allowed to emit,” said Ritt Bjerregaard, Lord Mayor of Copenhagen.

After her visit to Copenhagen, the Viking Lady will return to active duty in the North Sea.

More information and downloadable photos + TV footage: www.vikinglady.no

Press contact:

For all inquiries regarding the Viking Lady, please contact:

Per Wiggo Richardsen
press@vikinglady.no
Mobile: +47 90 77 78 29

For all inquiries regarding Copenhagen Climate Summit for Mayors, please contact:

Mette Margrethe Elf, Lord Mayor’s Secretary
Mobile: +45 28 80 01 19

About FellowSHIP:

«FellowSHIP» is a joint industry R&D project with the objective to answer a growing call for sustainable energy generation for marine and offshore use. The project was initiated with the goal to develop and demonstrate maritime fuel cell power packs. The FellowSHIP partners are the shipowner Eidesvik, ship designers/power electronics developer Wärtsilä and the classifier Det norske Veritas (DNV). The FellowSHIP project is supported by the Research Council of Norway, Innovation Norway and the Eureka network, incl. the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. More information: www.vikinglady.no

24th September 2009. Teva and Lundbeck announce that the results of the ADAGIO trial were published online today by the New England Journal of Medicine. Patients who received Azilect® (rasagiline) 1mg/day at the start of the study (early-start group) experienced significantly superior benefit over time compared with those who started treatment with Azilect® 1mg/day nine months later (delayed-start group). 1

Professor Olivier Rascol, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital, Toulouse, France and ADAGIO co-principal investigator, stated, “The results of the ADAGIO study provide novel data to support the use of AZILECT® 1mg daily as initial treatment of patients with Parkinson’s disease. The ADAGIO study, which utilized a novel trial design with three primary endpoints, suggests that the drug has a positive impact on slowing the progression of patients’ disability, beyond its already known symptomatic benefit.”

The New England Journal of Medicine is the world’s most influential medical journal, recognised for the high scientific standards, novelty and importance of its content. Every year it receives over 5,000 scientific articles of which only a small minority are selected for publication.

Azilect® is the first and only Parkinson’s disease treatment to succeed in a prospective delayed-start study, a trial design specifically developed to test for disease-modifying effects. The results from the ADAGIO study also reconfirm the previously demonstrated symptomatic efficacy of Azilect®.2 The good safety profile of Azilect® seen in the ADAGIO study was in line with previous clinical experience with Azilect®.2

The primary analysis of the ADAGIO study included three hierarchical endpoints based on Total-UPDRS (Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale) scores. Azilect® 1 mg/day early-start met all endpoints of the primary analysis. Rasagiline 2 mg/day early-start did not meet the second step of the primary analysis as there was no significant difference in UPDRS score between baseline and week 72. Based on the hypothesis that there may have been a masking of the disease-modifying effect with the 2mg dose in patients with milder impairment, the authors conducted a post-hoc analysis on the sub-group of patients with highest baseline UPDRS – the upper quartile. This analysis showed significant results for the 2 mg dose as well as for the 1mg dose for all three primary endpoints.

As Parkinson’s disease is a chronic progressive illness, it is important to have a long-term perspective of a treatment’s impact on its evolution. The authors of the New England Journal of Medicine article address this aspect by concluding that it will be important to see if the benefits seen after 18 months will endure and translate into reduced cumulative disability. An extension of the ADAGIO study is presently underway to address this need.

About the ADAGIO study
ADAGIO was an 18-month randomised, multi-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study prospectively examining rasagiline’s potential disease-modifying effects in 1,176 patients with early, untreated Parkinson’s disease. Patients from 129 centres in 14 countries were randomised to early-start treatment (72 weeks rasagiline 1 or 2 mg once daily) or delayed-start treatment (36 weeks placebo followed by 36 weeks rasagiline 1 or 2 mg once daily). The primary analysis of the trial was based on change in total UPDRS (Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale - the most commonly used rating scale to assess Parkinson’s disease status) and included three hierarchal endpoints: slope superiority of rasagiline over placebo in the placebo-controlled phase, change from baseline to week 72, and non-inferiority of early-start vs. delayed-start slopes during weeks 48-72 of the active treatment phase. Rasagiline 1mg met all 3 primary endpoints: less deterioration in UPDRS points/week in early start than placebo between weeks 12 and 36 (early-start=0.09±0.02, placebo= 0.14±0.01; P=0.01); less worsening of early start than delayed-start in UPDRS score between baseline and week 72 (early-start=2.82±0.53, delayed-start=4.50±0.56; P=0.02), and non-inferiority of early start to delayed-start in deterioration in UPDRS points/week between weeks 48 and 72 (early-start=0.085±0.02, delayed-start=0.085±0.02; P<0.001).

ADAGIO is one of the largest studies ever conducted in Parkinson’s disease. It used the delayed-start design to distinguish between the symptomatic and disease-modifying effects of Azilect®. ADAGIO is the first study in PD to utilize slope analysis, which is the gold standard for measuring the longitudinal effects of a drug. With a mean disease duration of 4.5 (SD 4.6) months and baseline UPDRS-Total score of 20.4 (SD 8.5), the ADAGIO patient population is one of the earliest Parkinson’s disease stages ever to be studied in a large randomised controlled trial.3

About Azilect®
Azilect® (rasagiline) 1mg tablets are indicated for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease both as initial therapy alone and to be added to levodopa later in the disease. Azilect® is currently available in 37 countries, including the US, Canada, Israel, Mexico, and all of the EU countries, where it is marketed by Teva and Lundbeck as part of a long-term strategic alliance between the two companies.

About Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease is an age-related degenerative disorder of the brain. Symptoms may include: tremor, stiffness, slowness of movement and impaired balance. An estimated four million people worldwide suffer from the disease, which usually affects people over the age of 60.

References
1. Olanow CW et al. A double-blind delayed start trial of rasagiline in Parkinson’s disease. N Engl J Med 2009;361:1268-78
2. Parkinson Study Group. A controlled trial of rasagiline in early Parkinson’s disease. Arch Neurol 2002;59:1937-1943
3. Olanow CW et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, delayed start study to assess rasagiline as a disease modifying therapy in Parkinson’s disease (the ADAGIO study): rationale, design, and baseline characteristics. Mov Disord 2008;23:2194-2201

Notes to editors:

Additional resources:
For broadcast-standard video supporting this press release, please visit www.thenewsmarket.com/Lundbeck.  If you are a first-time user, please take a moment to register. In case you have any questions, please email journalisthelp@thenewsmarket.com.

Media contact:
Serena Thomson, Burson-Marsteller, London
Serena.thomson@bm.com
+44 20 7300 6411

Florence, Italy, 14th September 2009. Lundbeck and Teva today announce the launch of www.myPDinfo.com to provide answers to common questions following a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. Designed for people with Parkinson’s, their families and carers, the new site provides information on the disease itself, as well as many aspects of treatment and practical disease management such as medication, surgery, diet, exercise/physiotherapy, and emotional support.

Parkinson’s is the second most common degenerative disorder of the central nervous system and often impairs the patient’s motor skills and speech. In 2008, there were approximately 3.16 million people with Parkinson’s across the US, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK and the number of people affected is set to rise as the population ages.

Maintaining a full and active life is an important part of living with PD therefore www.myPDinfo.com is focused on promoting independence and helping people with Parkinson’s to make the most of each day. There’s a section on daily living, hints and tips to help with communication, plus a number of useful tools such as downloadable medication guides and symptom diaries and links to other helpful online resources.

“The internet is fast becoming one of the most important information sources on health issues, not only for people with Parkinson’s, but also for their friends, families and the general public. Websites that contain information on all aspects of life affected by Parkinson’s are such invaluable resources, helping people remain active and therefore able to live as fulfilled a life as possible” commented Colleen, a person with Parkinson’s living in the UK.

The easy-to-navigate website is designed as a one-stop online resource for people with Parkinson’s, their families and carers, and anyone else looking for detailed, up-to-date information about the disease. The website content was developed in cooperation with the European Parkinson’s Disease Association (EPDA) multidisciplinary review panel.

www.myPDinfo.com is produced by H. Lundbeck A/S and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. The advice and support of the EPDA is gratefully acknowledged.

### ends ###

Notes to Editors:

For broadcast-standard video supporting this press release, please visit www.thenewsmarket.com/Lundbeck. If you are a first-time user, please take a moment to register. In case you have any questions, please email journalisthelp@thenewsmarket.com.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NASDAQ: TEVA), headquartered in Israel, is among the top 20 pharmaceutical companies in the world and is the leading generic pharmaceutical company. It develops, manufactures and markets generic and innovative human pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Over 80 percent of Teva’s sales are in North America and Western Europe. For more information, please visit www.tevapharm.com.

H. Lundbeck A/S (LUN.CO, LUN DC, HLUKY) is an international pharmaceutical company highly committed to improve the quality of life for people suffering from central nervous system (CNS) disorders. For this purpose Lundbeck is engaged in the research and development, production, marketing and sale of pharmaceuticals across the world, targeted at disorders like depression and anxiety, schizophrenia, insomnia, Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Lundbeck was founded in 1915 by Hans Lundbeck in Copenhagen, Denmark, and today employs over 5.500 people worldwide. Lundbeck is one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies working with CNS disorders. In 2008, the company’s revenue was DKK 11.3 billion (approximately EUR 1.5 billion or USD 2.2 billion). For more information, please visit www.lundbeck.com.

Media enquiries:
Burson-Marsteller (UK):
Serena Thomson
+44 20 7300 6411
Serena.Thomson@bm.com

Oslo, 2. september 2009 – Sony Ericsson lanserer i høst XPERIA X2 med operativ­systemet Windows Mobile 6.5, som gjør telefonen lettere å bruke både for nye og mer erfarne brukere. XPERIA X2 har stor skjerm og fullt QWERTY-tastatur i en mobiltelefon av normal størrelse. Dermed er det lett å få jobben unna når du er på farten – uten å måtte skru på PCen. 

Med XPERIA X2 er det også enkelt å dele bilder og presentasjoner med andre – både på jobb og privat. Telefonen er utstyrt med 8,1-megapiksel kamera og TV ut-funksjonalitet som gjør det mulig å vise presentasjoner på stor skjerm – uten å ha med seg PCen. 

– For svært mange av oss er mobiltelefonen i dag en forlengelse av kontorpulten. XPERIA X2, med Windows Mobile 6.5, stor skjerm, fullt tastatur, godt kamera og TV ut-funksjonalitet, løser de fleste kontoroppgaver – uten at du trenger å slå på PCen, sier Anniken Amdam, markedssjef for Sony Ericsson i Norge. 

Som forgjengeren XPERIA X1, navigerer XPERIA X2 med interaktive paneler, som gir snarveier til hyppig brukte funksjoner og løpende oversikt over ubesvart aktivitet. Et bredt utvalg forhåndsinnstilte og nedlastbare paneler gjør det svært enkelt å holde seg oppdatert på det en er interessert i. 

XPERIA X2 er samtidig en komplett underholdningstelefon for musikk, foto, e-post, video og spill. På den 3,2-tommers, høyoppløselige berøringsskjermen kan man se film i DVD-kvalitet, publisere bilder direkte på Facebook, eller prate med venner verden over via Skype. 

Sony Ericsson tilbyr også XPERIA Services, en enestående servicepakke, skreddersydd for å hjelpe brukeren å få maksimalt ut av mobiltelefonen. Et ekspertteam av teknikere står klare til å bistå travle brukere med alt fra feilsøk til tilgang til favorittnettsteder. Om telefonen skulle gå i stå mens brukeren er i utlandet, kan erstatningstelefon sikres ved å ringe XPERIA Services. 

XPERIA™ X2
·         Windows Mobile® 6.5 – gjør det enklere å jobbe mens man er på farten
·         Fleksible desktoppaneler kategorisert som kommunikasjon og moro, multimedia, arbeid og Internett
·         Øyeblikkelig synkronisering av e-post og kalender, med fullt QWERTY-tastatur og Windows Mobile
·         Panelløsningen SlideView – rask tilgang til mye brukte aktiviteter og oversikt over ubesvarte anrop og meldinger
·         Presentasjon av dokumenter på storskjerm – med TV ut-kabel
·         XPERIA eksklusiv reiseforsikring
·         Multimedia av høy kvalitet på 3,2-tommers høyoppløselig berøringsskjerm i DVD-kvalitet
·         8,1-megapikselkamera med Photo light – enkel opplasting av bilder til webalbum
·         3D-panel som styrer 3D-effekter, zoom og musikkavspillingsfunksjoner 

For XPERIA X2 anbefales også billaderen AN300, som lader 40 prosent raskere enn de fleste billadere.  XPERIA™ X2 støtter GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 og UMTS/HSPA 850/900/2100.

XPERIA X2 blir tilgjengelig tidlig i fjerde kvartal i fargene Elegant Black og Modern Silver.

Sony Ericsson er en verdensledende mobiltelefonprodusent som i 2008 solgte over 97 millioner mobiltelefoner. Mangfold er et av selskapets fremste styrker. Sony Ericsson er representert i mer enn 80 land. Selskapet har produksjon i Kina og forsknings- og utviklingsfasiliteter i Kina, Europa, India, Japan og Nord-Amerika. Sony Ericsson ble etablert i oktober 2001 av Sony og Ericsson som et 50:50 joint venture-selskap. Selskapets hovedkontor ligger i London. Mer informasjon på www.sonyericsson.com  

For mer informasjon, vennligst kontakt: 
Erik Sandsmark, National Account Manager, Norge
Telefon: +47 900 20 630,
e-post: erik.sandsmark@sonyericsson.com 

Anniken Amdam, markedssjef, Norge
Telefon: +47 918 18 328
e-post: anniken.amdam@sonyericsson.com  
 

Sony Ericsson XPERIA™ X2  

  Legal 1) Facts and features may vary depending on local variant. 2) Talk and standby times are affected by network preferences, type of SIM card, connected accessories and various activities e.g. games. Kit contents and colour options may differ from market to market. The full range of accessories may not be available in every market.  © Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB, 2009. The Liquid Identity logo, PlayNow and TrackID and are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB. Sony is a trademark or registered trademark of Sony Corporation. Ericsson is a trademark of Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson.The Bluetooth word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks bySony Ericsson is under licence. TrackID is powered by Gracenote Mobile MusicID. Gracenote and Gracenote Mobile MusicID are trademarks or registered trademarks of Gracenote, Inc.Google, Google Maps and YouTube are trademarks or registered trademarks of Google, Inc. Wi-Fi is a trademark or registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. microSD is a trademark or registered trademark of SanDisk Corporation. XHTML is a registered trademark of the W3C.Microsoft, Windows, Windows Mobile, Excel, PowerPoint, Windows Live, Outlook, Internet Explorer, Windows Media and ActiveSync are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.Adobe and Flash Lite are trademarks or registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. SyncML is a trademark or registered trademark of Open Mobile Alliance Ltd.Java and all Java based trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries.Facebook is a trademark or registered trademark of Facebook, Inc.Skype is a trademark or registered trademark of Skype Limited. CNN is a trademark or registered trademark of Cable News Network, LLP.All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.  

Ricoh will be taking full advantage of its sponsorship at the Ricoh Women’s British Open, which begins on 30 July this year. At the event Ricoh will be unveiling its new brand strategy for Europe to its customers and partners. Under the themed umbrella ‘Moving Ideas Forward‘ Ricoh is communicating its innovation, expertise and commitment to sustainability through a number of activities.

GIFT
Prior to the tournament starting, Ricoh is partnering with the Ricoh Women’s British Open to launch Green Initiatives for Tomorrow (GIFT). Visitors to its website will be encouraged to reduce their carbon footprint by pledging to opt for public transport and use water more efficiently for example. Ricoh has pledged to plant a tree for every ten visitors that take part in the initiative and in addition all participants will be entered into a free prize draw to attend the Open and plant a tree with golfer Paula Creamer - who entered into a commercial endorsement contract with Ricoh in September 2008 - at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club.

Seeds for Africa
GIFT builds upon the environmental projects that Ricoh supports around the world including Seeds for Africa, which works with communities in Africa to develop sustainable farming programmes. In support of the charity’s Plant a Tree for Africa campaign, at this year’s Ricoh Women’s British Open, Ricoh will once again plant one tree for every birdie scored, five trees for an eagle and 1,000 trees for an albatross. In 2008 the funds raised from the sales of promotional items, plus the total number of points equated to over 4,000 trees being planted in Africa.

Such initiatives demonstrate how sustainability is a part of Ricoh’s DNA. Impact reduction targets are applied to all areas of the business which include manufacturing, business sites, product distribution and recycling of parts, consumables and products. In 2008, Ricoh was listed as one of the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World, for the fifth year in a row. It also won two Ruban d’Honneur accolades at the European Business Awards 2009 for its environmental and CSR activity.

Business leader working with sporting leaders
In addition to being the title sponsor, Ricoh is the official office solutions provider behind the scenes, supporting the build-up and planning of the Ricoh British Women’s Open with document solutions used for a wide range of tasks. During the tournament, the press centre is also fully equipped with Ricoh products, to support journalists with their printing, scanning, faxing and copying needs.

Javier Diez-Aguirre, Director Corporate Communications, Ricoh Europe PLC says, “Behind every sporting or business success there is a team making every achievement possible. Winning takes commitment, insight and a real team effort. This is why as sponsors of the Ricoh Women’s British Open, we’re helping the teams of today and tomorrow move their game forward just as we work closely with our customers to move their ideas forward.”

London, UK - July 13, 2009 - Get the best music experience and your favourite radio channels with Walkman™ player, FM radio and TrackID™ music recognition on the W205. The W205 has been created for people who want the iconic Walkman™ phone experience but have never had the chance before. Aimed at music lovers everywhere, the W205 is being supported by international Hed Kandi DJ, Sam Cannon.

“I grew up knowing the Walkman™ brand but this was the first time I have had a chance to try out a Walkman™ mobile phone. I was really looking forward to listening to my music on the move. The W205 is perfect for those who want great audio and have never experienced music on the go through a mobile phone before. Listening to your music is hassle-free and the Walkman™ player means that you can access your favourite songs at just a touch of a button,” said Sam.

This new Walkman™ phone offers a complete entertainment package with the ability to set up individual music playlists, and has up to 13 hours of music playback time and up to nine of talk time, which means the entertainment just keeps on going. It is also fantastic for sharing, with a multiple phonebook feature, which allows up to four users to create their own personalised book of contacts. Users can therefore share their W205 with family and friends but keep their phone lists separate.

“You can get the best music experience on the W205 and the integrated FM radio at a very competitive price,” said Suyan Huang, designer of the W205. “It has great functionality and high quality features that you’d expect from a Walkman™ phone plus fantastic sound that I believe you won’t find with other handsets at this price point.”

Want to catch up on all the latest news, music, sport commentary and talk shows? Tune into the FM radio. Heard something you like? Use TrackID™ to name the song and artist, or record a sample of a song from the radio to use as your new ringtone.

“The W205 is a stylish slider phone that allows you to enjoy your music wherever you are - whether it’s on the bus, at college or chilling in the park,” said Timo Maassmann, Marketing business manager at Sony Ericsson. “You can also share more than music with the 1.3 megapixel camera. Capture the action in stills or video and send them to friends via MMS or via Bluetooth™.  The multiple phonebook function is an added bonus - share your phone with your family but keep your contacts separate from theirs.”

The W205
Love your music revolution with the following features:

Multiple phonebook - keep your contacts in order and share your mobile phone with your family

If you want to hear your music even louder the Sony Ericsson Snap-on Speaker Stand MS410 is the accessory for you. Don’t let its size fool you - the speaker features amazing stereo sound, and is the perfect companion for the W205.

Snap-on Speaker Stand MS410

The W205 Walkman™ phone supports GSM/GPRS/900/1800 and W205a supports GSM/GPRS 850/1900. W205 Walkman™ phone is available in the colour Ambient Black.

- ENDS -

Legal

1) Facts and features may vary depending on local variant.
2) Talk and standby times are affected by network preferences, type of SIM card, connected accessories and various activities e.g. games. Kit contents and colour options may differ from market to market. The full range of accessories may not be available in every market.

© Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB, 2009.

The liquid identity, TrackID and PlayNow are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB. Sony, Walkman, Mega Bass and Smile Shutter are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Corporation.
Ericsson is the trademark or registered trademark of Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson.
TrackID is powered by Gracenote Mobile MusicID. Gracenote and Gracenote Mobile MusicID are trademarks of Gracenote, Inc.
Bluetooth is a trademark or registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG Inc.
Microsoft and Exchange ActiveSync are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Any rights not expressly granted herein are reserved. Subject to change without prior notice.

Sony Ericsson is a top, global industry player with sales of around 97 million phones in 2008. Diversity is one of the core strengths of the company, with operations in over 80 countries including manufacturing in China and R&D sites in China, Europe, India, Japan and North America. Sony Ericsson was established as a 50:50 joint venture by Sony and Ericsson in October 2001, with global corporate functions located in London.  For more information about Sony Ericsson please visit www.sonyericsson.com.             

FOR MEDIA INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Sony Ericsson Global Communications & PR
Mattias Holm: +44 208 762 6065
General Press: +44 208 762 5858
E-mail: press.global@SonyEricsson.com
Product images: www.sonyericsson.com/press

In the film, the seven-time Formula One^TM World Champion has his famous driving skills put to the test by a series of bizarre challenges that mimic how alcohol makes it harder to drive safely by causing lack of concentration, impaired vision and slower reaction times.

Michael had to:

• Drive while three professional opera singers distract him by squeezing into his car and singing ‘O sole mio’
• Navigate around a skid pan and cones with mud smeared on the windscreen
• Switch from high performance car to a Fiat Panda which significantly slowed his progress around the course

“It was great fun to be part of this film. I hope it will convey in a humorous way that drinking and driving don’t mix - you simply cannot control a car safely,” said Michael Schumacher. “I want to remind people that if they go out and have a drink, they should designate a driver, use public transport or take a taxi to get home safely.”

It was filmed at the Ascari Race Resort in Spain last month [see pictures attached]. Bacardi Limited hosted an event at the resort where Michael was the designated driver for 30 international competition winners, rewarding them for supporting the message that Drinking and Driving Don’t Mix.

For more information about the Champions Drink Responsibly^TM campaign, go to www.championsdrinkresponsibly.com/. This forms part of the award-winning Champions Drink Responsibly^TM campaign, which began in April 2008 and has touched millions of adults worldwide.

FULL PRESS RELEASE TEXT BELOW

SEE ON THE RIGHT: IMAGES, INFORMATION ON WINNING STUDENT DESIGNS, BIOGRAPHIES AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION

VIDEOGRAPHY TO FOLLOW BY 08:00 AM UK TIME 18 JUNE 2009

London, UK – June 17, 2009 – Just a week before Wimbledon, tennis superstar, fashion icon and Sony Ericsson global brand ambassador Maria Sharapova took a break from training to unveil exclusive London College of Fashion (LCF) student designs in the window of internationally renowned London design store Liberty.

Over a term-long project, Sony Ericsson worked with the School of Fashion Design and Technology at London College of Fashion to explore the relationship between technology and fashion.  Students were briefed by the Sony Ericsson design team and Maria, who sent a personal message of support to the students, to help inspire future designs and ideas.  

Sony Ericsson and LCF
The Sony Ericsson LCF collaboration has involved more than 80 students from four degree courses, three year groups and countries across the world – all competing for a chance for their designs to be displayed in the window of Liberty, the opportunity to meet Maria and receive a prize from Sony Ericsson. 

The winner was picked from a shortlist of 25 entries by a panel of judges including Maria, Sony Ericsson designer Tina Lekeberg, London College of Fashion Designers in Residence Boudicca and senior academics from the School of Fashion Design and Technology. The winner and two runners-up were revealed by Maria to international media today.

Known for her style on and off the court, fashion is one of Maria’s passions, and she played an integral part in the development of the course module and the student design judging panel.

LCF Winning Design
The winning design came from British student Georgie Davies, 20, a second year student studying for a BA in Fashion Design and Development.

Georgie wanted to find a way to alert a person when their mobile phone rings in a noisy bar, club or venue. She created a cocktail dress made up of interactive scales, inspired by butterfly wings. When the phone rings, the dress subtly lights up, alerting you to the call.

“I’m thrilled to be involved in such an innovative project that encourages creativity and pushes the boundaries of fashion,” said Maria Sharapova. “Georgie’s winning design presented a completely different look at how fashion interacts with technology. Everyone has shown such creative flair and I am really impressed with all the designs. My partnership with Sony Ericsson has given me the opportunity to be involved in so many fantastic projects and has enabled me to explore one of my passions – style.”

Sony Ericsson and Design
Over the past year Sony Ericsson has worked closely with Maria on various projects. The successful Maria Sharapova Design Collection was launched in 2008 – a range of mobile phone accessories, to compliment any woman’s outfit.  The Sony Ericsson and London College of Fashion collaboration was created to encourage students to look in-depth at how technology and fashion can compliment and influence each other to create on-trend and forward-thinking designs.

“We have a fantastic international design team at Sony Ericsson who develop cutting edge technology designs by keeping ahead of style trends and working closely with leading institutions like the London College of Fashion,” said Aldo Liguori, Corporate VP and head of global communications and PR from Sony Ericsson. “By investing in fashion, it enables us to gain insight from future fashion stars as well as providing the students with a chance to get noticed on the world stage with our global brand ambassador Maria Sharapova, whose fashion knowledge has been integral to this project.”

London College of Fashion
Colin Renfrew, Dean of the School of Fashion Design and Technology, said: “The Sony Ericsson collaboration is a fantastic example of how London College of Fashion strives to form meaningful and innovative industry partnerships. The open and creative brief allowed our students free reign to develop design ideas that are forward thinking.

“Having Maria involved in this project has really helped the students identify with Sony Ericsson and has enabled the winning design to be showcased worldwide – really highlighting the breadth of talent at London College of Fashion.”

Winner, Georgie said: “Winning the Sony Ericsson competition has been wonderful; it’s given me real confidence in my work.  It was fascinating to work conceptuality with the idea of technology and how to incorporate it into fashion.”

Georgie received two tickets to London Fashion Week, two tickets to the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Club and entry to the Sony Ericsson WTA Pre-Wimbledon Party, in association with Ralph Lauren. The two runners-up, Lova Moller from Sweden and Cecilia Ku from Hong Kong, also had their designs showcased with Maria and received a Sony Ericsson T707 mobile phone, two tickets to London Fashion Weekend and Liberty of London accessories. 

Lova’s design took the concept of online ‘status’ updates and took it one step further by concealing cameras in a garment that continuously record the wearer’s surroundings and wirelessly transmit video updates to the mobile phone, which can be uploaded from a handset to the internet. Cecilia designed a metal bag that is a power source to charge items, such as a mobile phone, when on the move. Sony Ericsson phone designs and Cecilia’s love of clean lines interact well to create a stylish accessory.

Liberty
Liberty, situated on world-renowned Carnaby Street and in the heart of shopping paradise Oxford Circus, has always been synonymous with distinctive chic and eclectic but cool style statements – a perfect venue for Maria Sharapova and Sony Ericsson.

“We were delighted to host Maria and the London College of Fashion designers,” said Maxine Groucutt, Head of Visual Identity at Liberty. “Sony Ericsson approached us with a concept that supports the burgeoning British fashion industry – we were very excited to be involved!”

Note to Editors:

About Maria Sharapova and Sony Ericsson
Maria Sharapova has been Sony Ericsson’s Global Brand Ambassador since October 2007. As a leading personality not just on the tennis court, but also in the world of style and fashion, Maria Sharapova brings a wealth of fashion knowledge and glamour, by working closely with Sony Ericsson to create and work on exciting and aspirational fashion projects. 

Sony Ericsson is a top, global industry player with sales of around 97 million phones in 2008. Diversity is one of the core strengths of the company, with operations in over 80 countries including manufacturing in China and R&D sites in China, Europe, India, Japan and North America. Sony Ericsson was established as a 50:50 joint venture by Sony and Ericsson in October 2001, with global corporate functions located in London.  For more information about Sony Ericsson please visit www.sonyericsson.com.

© Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB, 2009.

About London College of Fashion
London College of Fashion has an international reputation as a leading provider of fashion education research and consultancy. The unique portfolio of specialist courses range in level from Foundation to Postgraduate. The subject range corresponds to the process of the creation, production and promotion of fashion and the management and marketing of those activities. Many of the College’s courses are unique to the UK and offer students an experience unmatched by even a handful of specialist colleges worldwide.

Alumni include Jimmy Choo (shoe designer), Harold Tillman (Chairman of British Fashion Council), Joseph Azagury (shoe designer), Jacques Azagury (fashion designer), Linda Bennett (LK Bennett), Angela Buttolph (journalist and TV presenter), Linda Cierach (fashion designer), Patrick Cox (shoe designer), Sarah Harris (journalist), Emma Hope (shoe designer), Ashley Isham (fashion designer) and Andrew Ramroop (tailor).

London College of Fashion was established in 1906 and currently has more than 4,000 students, one third of whom come from overseas.

About Liberty
Liberty, one of London’s best loved and completely unique retail emporiums, embarked on a dramatic ‘Retail Renaissance’ with a sharp new look and a global initiative debuting in spring 2009. The original luxury concept store had its own fashion makeover with a dynamic, more expansive offering along with an innovative and curated new layout at the centre of the store’s transformation. From February 2009, Liberty staked its claim as the preferred destination for avant garde fashion and design in London.

At the heart of these transformations are the best designer products in the world, brought together within the new space to create an irresistible retail destination. Nowhere else in the world is such a sharply edited range of designer pieces on offer.

FOR MEDIA INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Sony Ericsson Global Communications & PR
Lisa Canning: +44 208 762 6064
General Press: +44 208 762 5858
E-mail: press.global@SonyEricsson.com
Product images: www.sonyericsson.com/press