WILMINGTON, N.C., (March 28, 2011) - PPD, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPDI) today announced several of its experts will speak at the 20th Annual Partnerships in Clinical Trials Conference in Phoenix, March 30 - April 1, where they will discuss a range of topics, including global clinical trials, strategic partnerships, and mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical industry. PPD leaders will participate in the following sessions:
Wednesday, March 30
- Operational Long-Term Strategies for Profitability and Growth in Global Clinical Trials- 4:15 p.m. MT
This session will explore important factors for conducting global clinical trials, including patient availability, market access and decreased timelines. Panelists will discuss emerging markets, developments in Brazil, Russia, India and China, quality considerations and the global regulatory landscape. Paul Colvin, executive vice president of global clinical development for PPD, is presenting on this panel. Mr. Colvin has a strong background in clinical development and is responsible for providing strategic direction and oversight to PPD’s clinical development services business.
Thursday, March 31
- Sponsors & CROs Unplugged - Assess the Impact of Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) on Your Outsourcing Strategy - 11:45 a.m. MT
Participants will address best practices in rapid renegotiation strategies and how to shift control from one company to another to maximize return on investment in a post M&A environment. Panelists will discuss the future of the CRO industry and critical considerations related to mergers and acquisitions. Daniel Darazsdi, chief financial officer of PPD, will bring knowledge across finance, corporate treasury and international management to this panel.
- Evolving REMS Technologies to Address Operational Challenges - 1:30 p.m. MT
The passage of the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (FDAAA) provided the FDA expanded authority to improve patient safety, including a new authority to require Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) programs for certain products. This session presents key challenges and solutions for organizational management and explores the challenges pharmaceutical companies must address in the next five to 10 years. Frank Gallo, executive director, risk management, is presenting this session alongside Will Sweeny, technical solution specialist at Microsoft. With more than 14 years of pharmaceutical, commercial and risk management experience, Mr. Gallo is responsible for leading the development, management and implementation of REMS programs at PPD.
- Build Strategic Partnerships by Leveraging Data Management Provider Experiences to Improve Onboarding, Training, Governance, and Contracts - 3 p.m. MT
This session details a data management case study across three separate functional service provider (FSP) relationships. Panelists will highlight how this model has required FSP vendors to work collaboratively and establish joint partnership goals. Panelists will discuss how to overcome challenges associated with FSPs and examine the infrastructure required for operations and management efficiency. This panel includes George Weir, group manager, data management, who has more than 13 years of data management experience with the CRO industry and large pharma.
The Partnerships in Clinical Trials conference provides a forum for clinical operations and outsourcing leaders to discuss important issues concerning clinical trials today, including new focus areas such as emerging markets, e-clinical technologies, and quality oversight. PPD is a platinum sponsor of this year’s event.
For more information, visit PPD at booth 601 throughout the conference.
PPD is a leading global contract research organization providing drug discovery, development and lifecycle management services. Our clients and partners include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, academic and government organizations. With offices in 44 countries and more than 11,000 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.
Contacts
Media:
Sue Ann Pentecost +919 456 5890 sueann.pentecost@ppdi.com
Analysts/Investors:
Luke Heagle +910 558 7585 luke.heagle@ppdi.com
