Bristol-Myers Squibb and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Announce First-of-Its-Kind Collaboration to Express the Stories of People Impacted by HIV/AIDS Through Dance
– 2011 REYATAZ® (atazanavir sulfate) “Fight HIV your Way” Contest –
– call for Entries Begins on December 1, 2010 –
Princeton, NJ and New York, NY (December 2, 2010) – Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater today announced the launch of the 2011 REYATAZ® (atazanavir sulfate) “Fight HIV your Way” contest. the contest aims to help raise awareness about HIV/AIDS among the general public and inspire people impacted by the disease to continue their fight.
Now in its third year, the 2011 REYATAZ “Fight HIV your Way” contest breaks new ground, incorporating the power of dance to celebrate the inspiring stories of selected individuals across the country who are fighting HIV their way. Beginning December 1, 2010 through February 28, 2011, individuals touched by HIV and AIDS are invited to share their stories – as a photo and essay – through fightHIVyourway.com or mail in their entries*. Bristol-Myers Squibb will announce the ten first place winners in July 2011. These winning entries will be the inspiration for a new dance by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, created by a renowned choreographer selected by Artistic Director Designate Robert Battle. the work will have its world premiere during Ailey’s New York City Center season in December 2011 and be performed across the country as part of a 2012 national tour.
Despite HIV/AIDS education efforts, there are still more than one million people with HIV in the U.S. (1) and the most recent data from 2006 indicate that approximately 56,300 new infections occur each year in the U.S. alone. (2) the REYATAZ “Fight HIV your Way” contest leverages the power of words and visual arts as a platform to raise public awareness and lessen the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS.
“Today, as we open Ailey’s New York season celebrating 50 years of Alvin Ailey’s inspiring Revelations and announce the launch of the Reyataz ‘Fight HIV your Way’ contest, the poignancy of this date couldn’t be stronger: we lost our founder, Alvin Ailey, to the disease 21 years ago on December 1st, 1989,” shared Artistic Director Judith Jamison. “Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is proud to be paying homage to the thousands of individuals fighting HIV their way and look forward to unveiling this original collaboration next year.”
“Bristol-Myers Squibb and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater both have longstanding commitments to supporting the fight against HIV and AIDS. We are honored to collaborate with Ms. Jamison and the Ailey Organization, coming together and helping to continue dialogue about this disease,” said Raymond Sacchetti, senior vice president, U.S. Virology, Bristol-Myers Squibb. “The 2011 extension and evolution of the REYATAZ ‘Fight HIV your Way’ contest exemplifies Bristol-Myers Squibb’s ongoing commitment to increasing public awareness for people with HIV/AIDS.”
an expert panel of judges will evaluate the contest entries based on the impact of the photographs’ and essays’ visual and verbal expression of the fight against HIV, creativity, originality and overall artistic quality.
“Dance is a transformational visual art that has the unique power to unite diverse audiences,” said original Broadway Dreamgirl Sheryl Lee Ralph, a spokesperson for the National Minority AIDS Council and creator and producer of the HIV-inspired, awardwinning Broadway shows Divas Simply Singing! and sometimes I Cry. “Bristol-Myers Squibb’s REYATAZ ‘Fight HIV your Way’ contest provides people with a channel to express how they fight HIV their way. this year, with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s involvement, the photos and essays will, literally, move – and continue to provide courage and strength for others with HIV.”
for more information on the 2011 REYATAZ® (atazanavir sulfate) “Fight HIV your Way” contest, including official rules and guidelines, and entry forms please visit fightHIVyourway.com.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION About REYATAZ® (atazanavir sulfate) INDICATION:
REYATAZ® (atazanavir sulfate) is a prescription medicine used in combination with other medicines to treat people who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). REYATAZ® (atazanavir sulfate) has been studied in a 48-week trial in patients who have taken anti-HIV medicines and a 96-week trial in patients who have never taken anti-HIV medicines.
REYATAZ does not cure HIV or lower the chance of passing HIV to others.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION:
REYATAZ should not be taken by patients allergic to REYATAZ or to any of its ingredients.
REYATAZ should not be taken with the following medicines due to potential for serious, life-threatening side effects or death: Versed® (midazolam) when taken by mouth, Halcion® (triazolam), ergot medicines (dihydroergotamine, ergonovine, ergotamine, and methylergonovine such as Cafergot®, Migranal®, D.H.E. 45®, ergotrate maleate, Methergine®, and others), Propulsid® (cisapride), or Orap® (pimozide).
REYATAZ should not be taken with the following medicines due to potential for serious side effects: Camptosar® (irinotecan), Crixivan® (indinavir), Mevacor® (lovastatin), Zocor® (simvastatin), Uroxatral® (alfuzosin), or Revatio® (sildenafil).
REYATAZ should not be taken with the following medicines as they may lower the amount of REYATAZ in your blood, which may lead to increased HIV viral load and resistance to REYATAZ or other anti-HIV medicines: rifampin (also known as Rimactane®, Rifadin®, Rifater®, or Rifamate®), St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum)- containing products, or Viramune® (nevirapine). Serevent Diskus® (salmeterol) and Advair® (salmeterol with fluticasone) are not recommended with REYATAZ. Vfend® (voriconazole) should not be taken with REYATAZ® (atazanavir sulfate) and Norvir® (ritonavir).
the above lists of medicines are not complete. Taking REYATAZ with some other medicines may require therapy to be monitored more closely or may require a change in dose or dose schedule of REYATAZ or the other medicine. the use of all prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamin and herbal supplements, or other health preparations should be discussed with a healthcare provider.
Patients should tell their healthcare providers if they are pregnant, breast-feeding, planning to become pregnant or breast-feed, or if they have end-stage kidney disease managed with hemodialysis or severe liver dysfunction.
Patients should tell their healthcare providers right away if they have any side effects, symptoms, or conditions, including the following:
* Mild rash (redness and itching) without other symptoms sometimes occurs in patients taking REYATAZ, most often in the first few weeks after the medicine is started, and usually goes away within 2 weeks with no change in treatment.
* Severe rash has occurred in a small number of patients taking REYATAZ. this type of rash is associated with other symptoms that could be serious and potentially cause death. if rash develops with any of the following symptoms, the patient should stop using REYATAZ and call a healthcare provider right away:
– Shortness of breath – General ill-feeling or “flu-like” symptoms – Fever – Muscle or joint aches – Conjunctivitis (red or inflamed eyes, like “pink-eye”) – Blisters – Mouth sores – Swelling of your face
* Yellowing of the skin and/or eyes may occur due to increases in bilirubin levels in the blood (bilirubin is made by the liver).
* A change in the way the heart beats may occur. Patients may feel dizzy or lightheaded. These could be symptoms of a heart problem.
* Diabetes and high blood sugar may occur in patients taking protease inhibitor medicines like REYATAZ® (atazanavir sulfate). Some patients may need changes in their diabetes medicine.
* in patients with liver disease, including hepatitis B or C, it may get worse when taking anti-HIV medicines like REYATAZ.
* Kidney stones have been reported in patients taking REYATAZ. Signs or symptoms of kidney stones include pain in the side, blood in the urine, and pain when urinating.
* Some patients with hemophilia have increased bleeding problems with protease inhibitor medicines like REYATAZ.
* Changes in body fat have been seen in some patients taking anti-HIV medicines. the cause and long-term effects are not known at this time.
* Gallbladder disorders (including gallstones and gallbladder inflammation) have been reported in patients taking REYATAZ.
other common side effects of REYATAZ taken with other anti-HIV medicines include: nausea; headache; stomach pain; vomiting; diarrhea; depression; fever; dizziness; trouble sleeping; numbness, tingling, or burning of hands or feet; and muscle pain. REYATAZ® (atazanavir sulfate) should be taken once daily with food (a meal or snack). the capsules should be swallowed whole; they should not be opened. REYATAZ and other anti-HIV medicines should be taken exactly as instructed by healthcare providers.
available REYATAZ capsule strengths include 200 mg and 300 mg.
Please see accompanying Full Prescribing Information, or visit REYATAZ.com or bms.com.
About the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recognized by U.S. Congressional resolution as a vital American “Cultural Ambassador to the World,” grew from a now fabled 1958 New York performance that changed American dance. Now led by Judith Jamison, joined by artistic director designate Robert Battle, the Company has performed for an estimated 23 million people in 71 countries on 6 continents, including two historic residencies in South Africa, celebrating the African-American cultural experience and the American modern dance tradition. the Ailey Organization also includes; Ailey II (1974), a second company of young dancers and choreographers; the Ailey School (1969), extensive dance training programs; Ailey Arts in Education & Community Programs, bringing dance into classrooms and communities; and the Ailey Extension, dance and fitness classes for the general public at Ailey’s home – the Joan Weill Center for Dance in New York City – the nation’s largest building for dance. for more information, visit alvinailey.org.
About Bristol-Myers Squibb Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. for more information, please visit bms.com or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/bmsnews.
REYATAZ® is a registered trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners and not of Bristol-Myers Squibb.
* Entries can be submitted via the form on FightHIVYourWay.com or can be mailed to “2011 HIV Photo Contest,” Dept. 7372, PO Box 5010, Stacy, MN 55079-5010. Entries must be received by February 28, 2011.
(1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HIV in the United States, Fact Sheet. Accessed October 19, 2010. available at: cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/PDF/us.pdf
(2) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HIV Incidence. Accessed October 19, 2010. available at cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/incidence.htm.
PRESS CONTACTS: Bristol-Myers Squibb Media: Cristi Barnett, 609-252-6028, cristi.barnett@bms.com Investors: John Elicker, 609-252-4611, john.elicker@bms.com
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Media: Christopher Zunner, (212) 405-9028,