TOULOUSE, France–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Regulatory News:

VEXIM (Paris:ALVXM) (FR0011072602 – ALVXM), a medical device company specializing in the minimally invasive treatment of vertebral fractures, today announces its consolidated annual results (IFRS¹) as of December 31^st, 2016².

« Our 2016 results represent a historic turning point for VEXIM. VEXIM has reached profitability and generated a positive cash flow over the second half of 2016. These excellent results validate our profitable growth strategy. This trend should continue during 2017, as we expect sales growth of 30% to 35%, and full-year profitability. We expect to launch SpineJack® in the United States – the largest market for vertebral fractures – in 2018, further generating strong sales growth. We will decide and announce our business strategy for the US, aimed at capturing market share and building shareholder value, later this year. These achievements demonstrate that VEXIM is on the right track to become a global leader in the market of spine trauma », said Vincent Gardès, CEO of VEXIM.

Strong sales increase, solid gross margin on sales and positive net income in the second half of 2016

For the first time, and in order to comply with international standards, VEXIM issues its consolidated financial statements, in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Appendixes, on page 9 of this press release, include the conversion tables from French accounting standards to IFRS for the consolidated income statements of the financial years 2015 and 2016.

2016 highlights

• New sales record in the 4^th quarter, at €5.2 million;
• Finalized patient enrollment for the international clinical trial intended to support our 510(k) submission to the FDA – announced on February 21^st, 2017;
• Initiated a medico-economic study comparing the SpineJack® to conservative orthopedic management (bracing) on 100 patients with a 1 and 2-year follow-up;
• Secured long-term cash position, thanks to a successful private placement of €10.4 million in January 2016;
• Strengthened our management team with the appointments of François Cathelineau as VP Operations, Sébastien Lemoine as VP International Sales & Market Development, followed by the appointment of Russell Powers as VP & General Manager of the US activities, in January 2017.

€18.5 million in sales: VEXIM continues to expand at a steady pace (+33%)

VEXIM’s sales for 2016 have reached €18.5 million, an increase of 33% compared to 2015. This significant growth underlines the effectiveness of the direct sales strategy implemented by the company for SpineJack® in Europe, as well as the broader adoption of the technology.

The gross margin on sales (“gross margin”) also increased by 35% compared to 2015, reaching €13.4 million (€6.3 million in the first half of 2016), representing 72.2% of sales.

The gross margin maintained itself at a high percentage due to growing sales in Europe and competitive pricing, with the support of our direct-sales strategy. The 70.9% gross margin on sales in the second half of 2016 is explained by growing sales performance in countries with indirect distribution.

Impact of gross margin and cost control: strongly reducing annual losses and generating net profit in the second half of 2016

The second half of 2016 marked a historic turning point for VEXIM, which proved its ability to achieve profitable growth and financial discipline.

Operating expenses only increased by 12% in 2016, up to €16.5 million, while sales grew 33% over the same period. Such control of operating costs contributed to further decrease the operating losses, from €4.8 million loss in 2015 to €3.2 million loss to in 2016. The net loss recorded in 2016, which includes income tax and finance costs of €0.5 million, is €2.7 million compared to €4.8 million in 2015.

For the first time since its creation in 2006, VEXIM recorded a net profit of €0.1 million in the second half of 2016. This major step is the result of the strategy followed over the past two years by VEXIM, with the aim of self-financing:

• Gained market shares in France and abroad, to drive further revenue growth;
• Used its technological advance to support competitive pricing and a high gross margin;
• Drew on productivity gains and effective cost control to maintain the beneficiary’s capacity and generate cash.

Positive cash flows in the second half of the year (+€0.3 million)

As of December 31^st, 2016, the Group’s cash position stood at €9.8 million (vs. €9.4 million as of June 30^th, 2016), boosted by a free cash flow of €0.3 million in the second half of the year. The current cash position and future cash flows should allow VEXIM to self-finance, in line with its ambitions. VEXIM plans to generate a positive free cash flow from operations over the full year in 2017.

2017 objectives: Perspectives for a strong and profitable growth

Despite an increasingly demanding “baseline” VEXIM aims to keep achieving significant sales growth in 2017, combined with full-year profitability:

• Expected strong sales growth of +30% to +35%;
• Achieve profitability on a full-year basis;
• FDA 510(k) filing in the United States during the last quarter, for an expected market launch in the first half of 2018;
• Continue to expand abroad with new partnerships in Brazil, Australia and South Korea;
• Keep on innovating in the treatment of vertebral fractures, by developing new products to extend the current portfolio.

To support VEXIM’s accelerated development, the Board of Directors has approved a “technical”³ project to transfer VEXIM’s listing from Alternext to the regulated market of Euronext Paris.

Financial reporting schedule:
1^st quarter sales: April 19^th, 2017⁴

About VEXIM, the innovative back microsurgery specialist

Based in Balma, near Toulouse (France), VEXIM is a medical device company created in February 2006. The Company has specialized in the creation and marketing of minimally invasive solutions for treating traumatic spinal pathologies. Benefitting from the financial support of it longstanding shareholder, Truffle Capital⁵, and from OSEO public subsidies, VEXIM has designed and developed the SpineJack®, a unique implant capable of repairing a fractured vertebra and restoring the balance of the spinal column. The company also developed the Masterflow^TM, an innovative solution for mixing and injecting orthopedic cement that enhances the accuracy of the injection and optimizes the overall surgical procedure. The company counts 66 employees, including its own sales teams in Europe and a network of international distributors. VEXIM has been listed on NYSE Alternext Paris since May 3^rd 2012. For further information, please visit www.vexim.com

SpineJack®⁶, an innovative implant for treating Vertebral Compression Fractures

The SpineJack® is designed to restore a fractured vertebra to its original shape, restore the spinal column’s optimal anatomy and thus remove pain and enable the patient to recover their functional capabilities. Thanks to a specialized range of instruments, inserting the implants into the vertebra is carried out by minimally invasive surgery, guided by X-ray, in approximately 30 minutes, which is intended to enable the patient to be discharged shortly after surgery. The SpineJack® range consists of 3 titanium implants with 3 different diameters, thus covering 95% of vertebral compression fractures and all patient morphologies. SpineJack® technology benefits from the support of international scientific experts in the field of spine surgery and worldwide patent protection through to 2029.

Nom : VEXIM
Code ISIN : FR0011072602
Code mnémonique : ALVXM

¹ The results have been audited and approved by the Board of Directors of Vexim on March 21^st, 2017.
² Consolidated financial statements presented in Appendix.
³ Transfer of listing with no capital raising.
⁴ Indicative date, subject to changes.
⁵ Founded in 2001 in Paris, Truffle Capital is a leading independent European private equity firm. It is dedicated to investing in and building technology leaders in the IT, life sciences and energy sectors. Truffle Capital manages €550m via FCPRs and FCPIs, the latter offering tax rebates (funds are blocked during 7 to 10 years). For further information, please visit www.truffle.fr and www.fcpi.fr.
⁶ This medical device is a regulated health product that, with regard to these regulations, bears the CE mark. Please refer to the Instructions for Use.

Appendixes

IFRS consolidated financial statements

(1) Share-based payments valued in accordance with IFRS 2 and relative to BSA and BSPCE plans. Expense allocated to each department based on the employees’ affiliation.

(2) Restatement of year 2015, regarding a project which, activated according to the French accounting standards in the previous years, does not meet all 6 criteria of IAS 38.57, namely of how the intangible fixed asset will generate probable future economic benefits.

(3) Recalculated pension liabilities as of December 31^st, 2015, to reveal actuarial gains pursuant to IAS 19.

(4) Reclassifications: depreciation on production equipment, namely mould manufacturing initially recorded under “General and administration costs”, which have been reclassified under “Cost of goods sold”.

MINNETONKA, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE: UNH) today announced that it has extended the expiration of its previously announced exchange offer for all of the outstanding shares of Surgical Care Affiliates, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCAI) (“SCA”), a leading ambulatory surgery center and surgical hospital provider. The exchange offer, which was previously scheduled to expire at 12:01 a.m., New York City time, on Tuesday, March 21, 2017, has been extended until 12:01 a.m., New York City time, on Friday, March 24, 2017, unless further extended. All other terms and conditions of the exchange offer remain unchanged.

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., the depositary for the exchange offer, has advised UnitedHealth Group that, as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 16, 2017, 13,211,520 shares of SCA common stock were tendered pursuant to the exchange offer, which represented approximately 32.5% of the outstanding shares of common stock of SCA. Stockholders who have already tendered their shares of SCA common stock do not have to re-tender their shares or take any other action as a result of the extension of the expiration date of the exchange offer.

The combination of SCA with OptumCare, the primary and urgent care delivery services business part of Optum (UnitedHealth Group’s services business), which works with more than 80 health plans, will position the combined organization as a comprehensive provider of ambulatory care services, while continuing expansion of SCA’s network of ASCs and surgical hospitals in partnership with leading health systems, medical groups and health payers. The combination builds upon the two companies’ successful ambulatory surgery center collaborations and expands OptumCare’s capabilities in outpatient surgical procedures.

In connection with the exchange offer, UnitedHealth Group has filed a registration statement on Form S-4, which includes a prospectus/offer to exchange and certain ancillary documentation, which have been be mailed to SCA stockholders, and a tender offer statement on Schedule TO and amendments thereto with the SEC. SCA has filed a solicitation/recommendation statement on Schedule 14D-9 that has also been mailed to SCA stockholders. These documents contain important information about the exchange offer that should be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the exchange offer.

Requests for copies of the prospectus/offer to exchange, the accompanying letter of transmittal and other exchange offer materials may be directed to D.F. King & Co., Inc., the information agent for the exchange offer, by phone toll-free at (800) 431-9645 or by email at UNH@dfking.com.

About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and making the health system work better for everyone. UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through two distinct platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which provides health care coverage and benefits services; and Optum, which provides information and technology-enabled health services. For more information, visit UnitedHealth Group at www.unitedhealthgroup.com or follow @UnitedHealthGrp on Twitter.

About Optum

Optum is a leading information and technology-enabled health services business dedicated to helping make the health system work better for everyone. With more than 100,000 people worldwide, Optum delivers intelligent, integrated solutions that help to modernize the health system and improve overall population health. Optum is part of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH).

About SCA

SCA (NASDAQ: SCAI), a leader in the outpatient surgery industry, strategically partners with health plans, medical groups and health systems across the country to develop and optimize surgical facilities. SCA operates 205 surgical facilities, including ambulatory surgery centers and surgical hospitals, in partnership with approximately 3,000 physicians. For more information on SCA, visit www.scasurgery.com.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This communication may contain statements that constitute “forward-looking statements,” including, for example, information related to UnitedHealth Group, SCA and the proposed acquisition of SCA by UnitedHealth Group. Generally the words “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “project,” “should” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, which generally are not historical in nature. Such statements reflect the current analysis of existing information and involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements: the possibility that various conditions to the consummation of the UnitedHealth Group exchange offer and mergers may not be satisfied or waived, including the receipt of regulatory clearances related to the mergers; uncertainty as to how many shares of SCA common stock will be tendered into the UnitedHealth Group exchange offer; the risk that the UnitedHealth Group exchange offer and mergers will not close within the anticipated time periods, or at all; the failure to complete or receive the anticipated benefits from UnitedHealth Group’s acquisition of SCA; the possibility that the parties may be unable to successfully integrate SCA’s operations into those of UnitedHealth Group; such integration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; customer loss and business disruption (including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, customers, clients, suppliers or physicians) may be greater than expected following the transaction; the retention of certain key employees at SCA may not be achieved; the parties may be unable to meet expectations regarding the timing, completion and accounting and tax treatments of the transactions; the effects of local and national economic, credit and capital market conditions; and the other risks and uncertainties relating to UnitedHealth Group and SCA described in their respective Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, and in their subsequent Current Reports on Form 8-K, all of which are filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and available at www.sec.gov.

UnitedHealth Group and SCA assume no obligation to update the information in this communication, except as otherwise required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements or information, which speak only as of the date hereof.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

This communication relates to a pending business combination transaction between UnitedHealth Group and SCA. This communication is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to sell or exchange, nor a solicitation of an offer to buy or exchange, any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, sale or exchange would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

UnitedHealth Group has filed a registration statement on Form S-4 related to the transaction with the SEC and may file amendments thereto. UnitedHealth Group and a wholly-owned subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group have filed a tender offer statement on Schedule TO (including a prospectus/offer to exchange, a related letter of transmittal and other exchange offer documents) related to the transaction with the SEC and have filed amendments thereto and may file further amendments thereto. SCA has filed a solicitation/recommendation statement on Schedule 14D-9 with the SEC and has filed amendments thereto and may file further amendments thereto. SCA and UnitedHealth Group may also file other documents with the SEC regarding the transaction. This communication is not a substitute for any registration statement, Schedule TO, Schedule 14D-9 or any other document which SCA or UnitedHealth Group has filed or may file with the SEC in connection with the transaction. Investors and security holders are urged to read the registration statement, the Schedule TO (including the prospectus/offer to exchange, related letter of transmittal and other exchange offer documents), the solicitation/recommendation statement on Schedule 14D-9 and the other relevant materials with respect to the transaction carefully and in their entirety before making any decision regarding exchanging their shares, because they contain important information about the transaction. The prospectus/offer to exchange, the related letter of transmittal and certain other exchange offer documents, as well as the solicitation/recommendation statement, will be made available to all holders of SCA’s stock at no expense to them. The exchange offer materials and the solicitation/recommendation statement are available for free at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Additional copies of the exchange offer materials and the solicitation/recommendation statement may be obtained for free by contacting UnitedHealth Group’s Investor Relations department at (800) 328-5979. Additional copies of the solicitation/recommendation statement may be obtained for free by contacting SCA’s Investor Relations department at (800) 768-0094.

In addition to the SEC filings made in connection with the transaction, each of UnitedHealth Group and SCA files annual, quarterly and current reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any reports or other such filed information at the SEC public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. UnitedHealth Group’s and SCA’s filings with the SEC are also available to the public from commercial document-retrieval services and at the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.

Click here to subscribe to Mobile Alerts for UnitedHealth Group.