BLOOMFIELD, CT, Cigna (NYSE:CI) has become a minority investor in Edington Associates, a start-up company founded by University of Michigan Professor Dee W. Edington, Ph.D. The new company will work with corporate clients to help them develop a culture of health as a business strategy to improve productivity and lower health care costs through healthy behavior change. Cigna will hold a seat on the company's board of directors.

"Dee Edington is a recognized thought leader who has advanced the industry's understanding of workplace health and wellness," said Jackie Aube, Cigna's vice president for U.S. Product. "Our investment in this new company will ultimately benefit the employers and individuals that Cigna serves. By carrying out its mission to promote health in the workplace, Edington Associates will provide new insights as Cigna continues to work with employers to implement health and productivity programs that help individuals lead healthier and fuller lives."

"It's been very gratifying working with Cigna because it's a company that's truly committed to helping its clients develop a culture of health in the workplace," Edington said. "For more than 30 years my research has focused on health improvement, and health improvement is at the core of Cigna's mission. Our philosophies are very much aligned and I'm delighted that Cigna has invested in my company."

As part of its health and wellness programs, Cigna uses a health assessment based on the one Edington and researchers developed at the University of Michigan. Cigna has exclusive rights to the Trend Management System that Edington and University of Michigan researchers developed to analyze health assessment responses and determine how likely an individual is to face health problems that could lead to high health care costs in the next few years. This exclusive arrangement was recently extended for three years, and Cigna retains the right for continuous options to renew in the future.

Cigna continues to strengthen its focus on health and wellness and has developed tools that help employers determine the best wellness programs for their employee populations based on health assessments, biometrics and other data. In many markets Cigna delivers wellness programs and provides health program management and coaching support at the employer's worksite.

Cigna's investment in Edington Associates enables the companies to work collaboratively to advance the field of workplace wellness and productivity.

About Cigna

Cigna (NYSE: CI) is a global health service and financial company dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and sense of security. Cigna Corporation's operating subsidiaries in the United States provide an integrated suite of health services, such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy and vision care benefits, as well as group life, accident and disability insurance. Cigna maintains sales capability in 30 countries and jurisdictions and has approximately 66 million customer relationships throughout the world. All products and services are provided exclusively by such operating subsidiaries and not by Cigna Corporation. Such operating subsidiaries include Life Insurance Company of North America, Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York, and Connecticut General Life Insurance Company. To learn more about Cigna, visit www.cigna.com. .