New York, NY July 22, 2008 – MediZine LLC, a leading consumer health education company, has acquired the assets of University Health Publishing Group (UHPG). With its 24-year history of consumer health information and education in collaboration with two of the most esteemed universities in the country – Johns Hopkins University and the University of California, Berkeley, UHPG provides millions of readers worldwide with a variety of print and online subscription-based products. Terms were not disclosed.
The Jordan, Edmiston Group, Inc., the leading provider of independent investment banking services for media, information, marketing services and related technologies represented UHPG in this transaction and acted as its exclusive financial advisor.
“For many years, we have discussed the possibility of joining forces with UHPG in our mutual goal to educate consumers about their health needs,” said Traver Hutchins, CEO & President of MediZine LLC, a portfolio company of Veronis Suhler Stevenson. “With this acquisition, we are now able to build on UHPG’s impressive heritage to reach more consumers with extensive research-based health content. This complements MediZine’s current programs reaching more than 100 million consumers each year.” He added, “Stuart Jordan, UHPG Chief Operating Officer, has done a tremendous job developing the company’s assets, which will be a growth catalyst for MediZine, as we continue to build out our multi-media and integrated health education platform.”
“Everyone at UHPG is excited by the prospect of expanding our existing consumer health brands and creating new products, which will now be possible thanks to the completion of this deal,” said Jordan. “I am personally happy to be joining the MediZine team which shares the same mission to further the consumer health information experience.”
MediZine’s proven expertise in how to reach proactive, health-concerned consumers – when and where they seek solutions – in pharmacies, in doctors’ offices and in home and online, will provide novel opportunities to grow the subscriber base for UHPG’s portfolio of publications, including John Hopkins Health After 50 and the University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter newsletters.
“We look forward to significantly expanding the readership of our collaborative Wellness Letter through our new partnership with MediZine,” explained Stephen M. Shortell, Ph.D., Dean, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley. “Touching the lives of as many people as possible with health information that can be trusted is increasingly important, given the rapid changes occurring in medical and health care discoveries.”
“Our much-valued and long relationship with UHPG, and our partnership in the Health After 50 enterprises, play an important part in our efforts to inform the public about advances in biomedical research and health care,” said Edward D. Miller, M.D. Dean/CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine. “UHPG’s contributions to consumer education have been impressive. Now, with access to MediZine’s resources and expertise, we are looking forward to expanding our reach.”
About MediZine LLC
MediZine, a leader in consumer health education, reaches millions of health-conscious consumers with research-based information that enables them to make better health decisions and lead healthier lives. As the pioneer in the use of Point-of-Care consumer health education programs in pharmacies, in doctors’ offices, in home and online, MediZine continues to innovate consumer health education programs through its vast integrated, cross-platform channels.
Major brands include: MediZine’s Healthy Living, the nation’s largest consumer health magazine; REMEDY, the nation’s third largest consumer health magazine; Diabetes Focus and Diabetes Focus Español, the largest magazines for diabetes patients and their caregivers; MDminute, condition-specific health magazines; REMEDYLife.com, condition-specific interactive educational platform; and REMEDYDirect, one of the largest opt-in health databases of its kind. MediZine is a privately-held company based in New York in partnership with the private equity firm Veronis Suhler Stevenson (VSS).
About University Health Publishing Group
As the publisher of two of the most-respected consumer health information brands for more than two decades, University Health Publishing Group LLC has improved the health and well-being of millions of readers worldwide, to whom it supplies essential health information through a variety of products delivered in print and online.
UHPG publishes products in conjunction with Johns Hopkins Medicine and the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health, two of the country’s most prestigious teaching and research institutions in health and medicine. The Johns Hopkins products include the monthly Johns Hopkins Health After 50 newsletter, the Johns Hopkins White Papers (annual reports on 15 major disorders and ailments), the Johns Hopkins Bulletins (five quarterly ailment-specific publications that provide in-depth consultations with the leading authoritative experts), and the Johns Hopkins Health Alerts web site. The University of California Berkeley products include the monthly University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter, the University of California Berkeley Wellness Reports (four annual reports covering key areas of preventive health care), and the WellnessLetter.com web site.
About Veronis Suhler Stevenson
Veronis Suhler Stevenson is a private equity buyout and structured capital fund management company dedicated to investing in the media, information and education industries in North America and Europe. VSS provides capital for buyouts, recapitalizations, growth financings and strategic acquisitions to companies and management teams with a goal to build companies both organically and through a focused add-on acquisition program. To date, VSS equity and structured capital funds have invested in 62 platform companies, which have in turn completed over 255 add-on acquisitions resulting in a portfolio with realized and unrealized enterprise values totaling approximately $14.1 billion.
About JEGI
The Jordan, Edmiston Group, Inc. (JEGI) of New York, NY is the leading provider of independent investment banking services for media, information, marketing services and related technologies. Since being founded in 1987, JEGI has completed nearly 500 high-profile M&A transactions for global media, information, marketing services and related technology companies; entrepreneurial owners; and private equity and venture capital funds. JEGI has established an impeccable reputation in the marketplace, which reflects its superior performance on behalf of its clients. The firm’s executive team of investment bankers has over 200 years of combined experience across the media, information, marketing services and related technology sectors that JEGI serves. For more information, visit www.jegi.com.
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