Mentor Announces Collaboration Agreement With Valeant Pharmaceuticals

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., July 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Mentor Worldwide LLC ("Mentor"), the U.S. market leader in breast aesthetics, today announced that it has entered into a Collaboration Agreement ("agreement") with Valeant's Medicis division ("Medicis"), a leader in facial injectables and professional skin care. Per the terms of the agreement, Mentor and Medicis will form a joint physician loyalty program called the M²VP Program (Medicis-Mentor Valued Partner Program), which will include the MENTOR^® line of breast implant products for the aesthetics (non-reimbursed) market and Medicis non-reimbursed facial aesthetics products, including neurotoxin, fillers and skin care. The agreement has a five-year term and is for the U.S., subject to any geographical expansion that may be agreed upon by the parties.

"We believe the creation of a combined loyalty program allows both organizations to deliver more value and choice to plastic surgeons operating in an increasingly competitive market," said David J. Wilson, Worldwide President, Mentor Worldwide LLC. "By incorporating the best features of other programs, we've created a premier loyalty program that includes Mentor's leading breast implant products – and provides product savings and benefits to our customers."

"This will be an extremely valuable program for me," said Dr. Tracy Hankins, a board certified plastic surgeon in Nevada. "I have utilized products from both companies for years, and now I can earn valuable rebates and rewards in one easy to understand loyalty program."

The M²VP program rewards utilization of various products across the Mentor and Medicis portfolios. The M²VP program allows participating members to earn points, which establish status within the program and can be redeemed for product purchases. In designing the program, Mentor and Medicis sought to address many of the issues that physicians believe exist with other programs.

About M²VP (Medicis-Mentor Valued Partner) Program 
For more information, physicians can visit www.mentordirect.com, contact their local Mentor sales representative or contact Mentor Customer Service by calling 1-800-235-5731.

About Mentor Worldwide LLC
Founded in 1969, Mentor Worldwide LLC is a leading supplier of medical products for the global aesthetic market. The company develops, manufactures, and markets innovative, science-based products for surgical and non-surgical medical procedures that allow patients to improve their quality of life. The company is focused on three strategic areas: breast, body and facial aesthetics and is the only manufacturer whose breast implants are made in the U.S.A. Mentor joined the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies in 2009 and is part of its Global Surgery Group. For more information about Mentor visit: www.mentorwwllc.com or either of our two breast aesthetic websites: www.LoveYourLook.com or www.YourBreastOptions.com.

Dr. Hankins is compensated for his services as a member of the company's LEAD^™ advisory board.

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Mentor Worldwide LLC and/or Johnson & Johnson.  Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; economic factors, such as interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approvals; challenges to patents; changes in behavior and spending patterns or financial distress of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to governmental laws and regulations and domestic and foreign health care reforms; trends toward health care cost containment; and increased scrutiny of the health care industry by government agencies. A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Exhibit 99 of Johnson & Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2012.  Copies of this Form 10-K, as well as subsequent filings, are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson. Neither Mentor Worldwide LLC nor Johnson & Johnson undertake to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events or developments.

Contact:
Francesca M. DeMartino
Director, Worldwide Communications
Mentor Worldwide LLC
(805) 879-6335
[email protected]

SOURCE Mentor Worldwide LLC