Gentiva Health Services to Acquire Odyssey HealthCare, Creating A Leading US Hospice Care Provider

- All-cash Transaction for $27 per Odyssey Share -

Gentiva Health Services, Inc. (Nasdaq:GTIV ) ("Gentiva" or "the Company") and Odyssey HealthCare, Inc. (Nasdaq:  ODSY) ("Odyssey") announced today that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement whereby Gentiva will acquire Odyssey in an all cash transaction for a price of $27 per share of Odyssey common stock, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $1.0 billion.

Founded in 1996 and based in Dallas, Texas, Odyssey is one of the leading providers of hospice care in the US in terms of both average daily patient census and number of locations.  Gentiva, which is among the leading home healthcare providers in the US, anticipates that the combination of Odyssey's and Gentiva's existing hospice operations will create a leading hospice care provider in the US, with a combined average daily patient census of approximately 14,000 and operations in 30 states.  Additionally, we anticipate the combination of the two companies will create the largest US healthcare provider focused on home health and hospice services.

Encorium Group, Inc. Announces New Business Contract Wins of $6.8 Million, Including Two Pivotal Phase III Studies for a Major Asian Technology Company

Encorium Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: ENCO), a full service multinational clinical research organization (CRO) conducting studies in over 30 countries for many of the world's leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, today announced that it has recently been awarded $6.8 million of new business awards, primarily consisting of two Phase III studies for a major Asian technology company that is diversifying its operations into the pharmaceutical industry.

Kai Lindevall, Chief Executive Officer, of the Company stated, "This is the most significant break-through to date in our business development efforts in the Asian market. We are very pleased to have been awarded these landmark studies for this major high-tech company.

Phase Forward Agrees to Be Acquired by Oracle

Phase Forward Incorporated (NASDAQ: PFWD), a leading provider of data management solutions for clinical trials and drug safety, today announced that it has agreed to be acquired by Oracle for $17.00 per share in cash, representing a valuation of approximately $685 million. The transaction is subject to stockholder and regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions and is expected to close in mid-2010.

Bob Weiler, Chairman, President & CEO of Phase Forward, said, “Deployed in over 10,000 clinical trials, Phase Forward’s software has been used successfully by hundreds of customers to accelerate innovation in drug development and patient care delivery. We look forward to combining our complementary wealth of experience with Oracle Health Sciences.”

U.S. Renal Care, Inc. Announces Definitive Agreement to Acquire Dialysis Corporation of America

U.S. Renal Care, Inc. ("USRC"), a privately-held leading provider of outpatient dialysis services, and Dialysis Corporation of America, Inc. (Nasdaq: DCAI) ("DCA"), a leading provider of outpatient kidney dialysis centers, announced today that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement for USRC to acquire DCA.

Under the terms of the agreement, USRC, through a subsidiary, will commence a tender offer for all of the outstanding common shares of DCA for $11.25 per share in cash, followed by a merger to acquire all remaining outstanding DCA shares at the same cash price paid in the tender offer. The offer price represents a premium of approximately 72 percent over yesterday's closing stock price. The transaction is valued at approximately $112 million.