N@N

PPD Launches Expert Community for Online, Interactive Exchange of Industry Viewpoints

^{Published on 2010-05-26 13:15:26 - Market Wire}
 

WILMINGTON, N.C.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--PPD, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPDI) today announced it has launched [ Expert Community ], an online, interactive area on its corporate website, [ www.ppdi.com ], where company and other industry professionals can engage in a robust exchange of ideas and opinions regarding important clinical research topics and trends.

"The biopharmaceutical industry continues to face significant scientific, regulatory and economic challenges that require new ideas, expertise and innovation"

The online community presents concepts and insights from PPD leaders on important, timely topics such as patient safety, globalization, biologics in drug development andadvanced technologies for managing clinical trials. Experts and professionals are invited to comment on the featured topics and respond with their own views about these important industry issues.

aThe biopharmaceutical industry continues to face significant scientific, regulatory and economic challenges that require new ideas, expertise and innovation,a said Mike Wilkinson, executive vice president of clinical development for PPD. aExpert Community will foster an online exchange of viewpoints where experts can gain insights and understanding from their peers. It is an important venue for sharing forward-thinking opinions about how we can work together toward a common goal of advancing global drug discovery and development.a

Expert Community features the latest industry topics in a variety of multimedia formats through PPDa™s video portal and resource library. It also delivers comments and opinions from industry events in easy-to-follow live feeds.

Users can access Expert Community at [ http://www.ppdi.com/expert_community ]. The community includes key features such as commenting, polling, optional surveys and solicitation of new topic ideas to ensure discussion of timely, relevant topics.

PPD is a leading global contract research organization, celebrating 25 years of providing drug discovery, development and lifecycle management services. Our clients and partners include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, academic and government organizations. With offices in 41 countries and more than 10,500 professionals worldwide, PPD applies innovative technologies, therapeutic expertise and a commitment to quality to help clients and partners accelerate the delivery of safe and effective therapeutics and maximize the returns on their R&D investments. For more information, visit [ www.ppdi.com ].

Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations and assumptions about Expert Community and its value to PPD, are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Although PPD attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based. In addition, other important factors which could cause results to differ materially include the following: continued success in sales growth; loss of large contracts; increased cancellation rates; economic conditions and outsourcing trends in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, academic and government industry segments; competition within the outsourcing industry; the ability to attract and retain key personnel; risks associated with and dependence on collaborative relationships; risks associated with acquisitions and investments, such as impairments; rapid technological advances that make our products and services less competitive; risks that we may not continue our dividend policy; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in the SEC filings for PPD, copies of which are available free of charge upon request from the PPD investor relations department.