Euthymics Bioscience Collaborates with GlobalSign and SafeNet to provide an FDA approved Electronic Signature Solution

GlobalSign( http://www.globalsign.com.sg/), one of the longest established Certification Authorities (CA) and specialists in Digital Identities for securing PDF documents, has today announced the success of GlobalSign’s digital signature solution, DocumentSign in the pharmaceutical industry. Euthymics, a start-up biotechnology company has implemented a joint GlobalSign and SafeNet solution not only designed to meet the requirements of FDA regulated activities, but to solve Euthymics’ need for a streamlined, improved, and standardized documenting process deploying electronic signatures.

Before the introduction of digital signatures Euthymics, a biopharmaceutical company focused on neuroscience, was required to hand-sign documents and manually manage the process of distribution, storage, and retrieval of all signed records. This manual process extended project schedules and deadlines and increased cost due to the overhead of archiving, mailing, and faxing documents. Recognizing the cost and time saving advantages of using electronic signatures over hand signatures, Euthymics required a solution that automated the streamlined exchange of documents from remote locations, and critically complied with Federal Regulations for electronic signatures and electronic records (Title 21 CFR Part 11). Title 21 CFR Part 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations establishes criteria under which electronic records and electronic signatures are considered trustworthy, reliable, and equivalent to paper records.

GlobalSign is an authorized participant in Adobe’s Certified Document Services (CDS) program. Its CDS offering, branded as DocumentSign is a joint solution that incorporates a USB token or PCI crypto card manufactured by SafeNet, a global leader in information security. These hardware devices are used to protect the DocumentSign Digital ID and allow fast, secure creation of digital signatures for PDFs. The USB device is SafeNet’s industry-leading iKey™ 2032 ), a two-factor authentication token that is FIPS 140-1 level 2 certified. SafeNet iKey authenticators enable the digital signature process to meet all regulatory requirements and criteria for securing electronic information in the pharmaceutical industry. The combination of GlobalSign’s DocumentSign solution and SafeNet’s hardware allows users to add certifying and approved signatures to PDFs using the trust model incorporated into Adobe Reader 6.0+. This process is the virtual equivalent to sealing a document and adding a wet-ink signature and assuring the recipient that the document is authentic, comes from a verified source and the contents have not been tampered with since being published.

The DocumentSign solution ensures strong, two-factor authentication by combining a physical USB iKey token (something you have) with a password to protect access (something you know), “delivering both security and convenience to end users” according to Anthony McKinney, President and CEO of Euthymics. Says Mr McKinney, “having secure digital signature hardware for use on a widely supported Adobe Acrobat platform is very helpful. By using a program such as Adobe Acrobat any recipient receiving the digitally signed document can open the PDF document as they normally would and the digital signature will display the name of the signer and a timestamp.”

Reaction from both authors and recipients of electronically signed documents has been positive. Since Euthymics’ deployment of DocumentSign, it has been widely accepted and adopted both internally throughout the company and externally through third party partners. Euthymics customers, employees, and third party partners quickly adapted to the new electronic signatures due to their integration with Adobe Reader. Mr. McKinney says simply, “people understand it”. Adobe Reader is a free product that does not require the purchase of any third party applications, technical experience, or knowledge. McKinney describes Euthymics as on the “pointed end of the leading edge” in terms of implementing electronic signatures in their field. The Euthymics experience proves that other companies can transparently incorporate electronic signatures and go paperless allowing businesses to better manage documents in their workflow and across their physical boundaries.

The successful collaboration of GlobalSign and SafeNet’s solutions to deploy document based digital signatures has provided Euthymics with a streamlined portable process to expedite and improve current document sharing and security workflows. This streamlined process has significantly reduced the cost, time and complexities of existing processes, including the reduction of overheads associated with document storage, security, transportation, delivery and archiving, and reducing approval cycle times, handling and distribution of documents from remote locations.

For more information on GlobalSign Document Sign solutions, please visit :http://www.globalsign.com/document-security/adobe-cds/index.htm
For more information on SafeNet’s authentication solutions, please visit: http://www.safenet-inc.com/products/tokens/ikey.asp

About Euthymics Bioscience, Inc.
Euthymics is a private San Diego-based biopharmaceutical company focused on developing next generation treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders. Euthymics was co-founded in early 2009 by Anthony McKinney, Frank Bymaster, and Gary Tollefson.

About SafeNet and Aladdin Knowledge Systems
In 2007, SafeNet was acquired by Vector Capital, a $2 billion private equity firm specializing in the technology sector. Vector Capital acquired Aladdin in March of 2009, and placed it under common management with SafeNet. Together, these global leading companies are the third largest information security company in the world, which brings to market integrated solutions required to solve customers’ increasing security challenges. SafeNet’s encryption technology solutions protect communications, intellectual property and digital identities for enterprises and government organizations. Aladdin’s software protection, licensing and authentication solutions protect companies’ information, assets and employees from piracy and fraud. Together, SafeNet and Aladdin have a combined history of more than 50 years of security expertise in more than 100 countries around the globe. Aladdin is expected to be fully integrated into SafeNet in the future. For more information, visit www.safenet-inc.com or www.aladdin.com.

About GlobalSign
Established in 1996 and as a WebTrust accredited public certificate authority, GlobalSign offers publicly trusted SSL Certificates, EV SSL, Managed SSL Services, S/MIME email security andCode Signing for use on all platforms including mobile devices. Its Trusted Root solution uses the widely embedded GlobalSign Root CA certificates to provide immediate PKI trust forMicrosoft Certificate Services and internal PKI, eliminating the costs of using untrusted Root Certificates. Its partnership with Adobe to provide Certified Document Services (CDS) enables secure digitally signed PDF documents, certified transcripts and e-invoices. These core Digital Certificate solutions allow its thousands of authenticated customers to conduct secure online transactions, data transfer, distribution of tamper-proof code, and protection of online identitiesfor secure email and access control. The company has a history of innovation within the online security industry and has offices in the US, UK, Belgium, Japan, China and Singapore.

GMO Internet Group
GMO Internet Group is one of the most comprehensive providers of industry-leading Internet services worldwide. As well as domain registration, web hosting, ecommerce, and payment processing businesses that each hold the top share in their respective markets in Japan, services operated by the group include Internet advertising, search engine marketing and research. Global online security brand GlobalSign and major Japanese online securities brokerage, GMO CLICK Securities are also group members. In 2011 a new Social Media & Smartphone Platform segment was established bringing together group initiatives in social apps development, flash marketing and Android apps distribution. GMO Internet, Inc. (TSE: 9449) is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Please visit www.gmo.jp/en for more information.

For further details please contact:

GlobalSign Singapore
Tel: (toll-free) 800-101-2546

Established in 1996 and as a WebTrust accredited public certificate authority, GlobalSign offers publicly trusted SSL Certificates, EV SSL, Managed SSL Services, S/MIME email security andCode Signing for use on all platforms including mobile devices.

81 Victoria Street
Singapore 188065

This release was published on openPR.