2002

PA Consulting Group instrumental in Queen's Award for The Female Health Company, developer of state-of-the-art female contraceptive, FEMIDOM® - 01 May 2002

The Female Health Company was established in the mid 1990s on the strength of world product rights to develop FEMIDOM® - a highly effective, state-of-the-art female condom. It has received a Queen's Award for Enterprise in recognition of the product's contribution to International Trade, an achievement in which PA Consulting Group, the leading international management, systems and technology consultancy, was key.

The Award recognizes The Female Health Company's achievement in developing, producing and marketing a product which has resulted in substantial and sustained growth in the company's overseas sales, (84% over the last three years). PA helped the company take FEMIDOM®, from small scale 'hand fabrication' to high volume manufacture and 100% testing in a 40,000 sq ft facility located in Park Royal, London.

PA's unique blend of medical device industry knowledge and innovative product and process development, enabled the company to design and develop bespoke manufacturing, assembly and testing equipment for such a state-of-the art product.

Ian Rhodes, Partner in Product and Process Engineering at PA's Cambridge Technology Centre and FEMIDOM® team leader, comments:

"This revolutionary product required an equally revolutionary manufacturing process and associated automation. It had to be taken from the production level of 'a few hundred a day' for clinical trial evaluation to '500,000 units a week' - a challenge requiring a highly experienced development team".

Michael Pope, General Manager of The Female Health Company comments:

"PA assessed the initial product design and materials for manufacturing development, and undertook a machine design study to assess different automation concepts. Over a 3 year period, PA assisted us with a number of key tasks including: the recruitment of senior manufacturing staff; the specification and procurement of equipment to operate at unrivalled levels of integrity and speed; equipment testing and assembly; the establishment of current good manufacturing practice (cGMP); and full equipment validation to enable FDA approval at the first attempt".

FEMIDOM is currently available in over 70 countries around the world.

-Ends-

For more information, please contact:

Beverley Adams PA Consulting Group Cambridge Technology Centre Melbourn Royston SG8 6DP Tel: +44 1763 285260 E-mail: beverley.adams@paconsulting.com

Ian Rhodes PA Consulting Group Cambridge Technology Centre Melbourn Royston SG8 6DP Tel: +44 1763 267612 E-mail: ian.rhodes@paconsulting.com

Notes to editors
1) PA Consulting Group is a leading management, systems and technology consulting firm, with a unique combination of these capabilities. Established almost 60 years ago, and operating world-wide from over 40 offices in more than 20 countries, PA draws on the knowledge and experience of around 4,000 people, whose skills span the initial generation of ideas and insights all the way through to detailed implementation.

PA builds strategies for the creation and capture of shareholder and customer value, and helps clients accelerate business growth through innovation and the application of technology. PA works with clients to improve performance, mobilize human resources and deliver change effectively, including managing major projects, and designing and implementing enterprise-wide systems and full e-business solutions.

PA focuses on creating benefits for clients rather than merely proposing them, and this focus is supported by an outstanding implementation track record in every major industry and for governments around the world. PA also develops leading-edge technology both for its clients and within its own portfolio of venture companies in areas ranging from software to wireless technology to life sciences.

PA distinguishes itself from its competitors through the range and quality of its people, the depth of its industry insight, its development and use of technology, and also its independence and culture of respect, collaboration and flexibility in working with clients.

We are proud that our clients say "PA makes it happen".

2) The Female Health Company http://www.femalehealth.com

3) The Queen's Awards for Enterprise http://www.queensawards.org.uk/html/internat.htm

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