Panel Luminaries Explore Impact of Pharmacogenetics on
Drug Development and Clinical Practice
WILMINGTON, N.C., May 29 /PRNewswire/ -- On the first anniversary of the
sequencing of the human genome, a panel of international experts will examine
the latest advances in the application of pharmacogenetics to drug development
and clinical practice at a symposium next month.
"Pharmacogenetics 2001: Drug Development in a Genetically Informed
Environment" will be held Friday, June 15 at the N.C. Biotechnology Center in
Research Triangle Park, N.C. The event is sponsored by
PPD, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPDI) in conjunction with the N.C. Biotechnology Center.
PPD is the exclusive distributor of pharmacogenetic products and services
provided by PPGx, Inc., a subsidiary of DNA Sciences, Inc. (http://www.dna.com ).
DNA Sciences has provided additional support for the symposium.
There is no charge to attend the daylong conference; however, advance
registration is required and space is limited. Interested individuals can
register online at the pharmacogenetics link at http://www.pgxsolutions.com .
The presentations will explore a number of issues related to
pharmacogenetics, including the impact of genetics on drug development and
health-care practice; ethical, legal, social and regulatory issues surrounding
pharmacogenetics; and practical issues in incorporating pharmacogenetics in
drug discovery and development.
The symposium features internationally recognized experts in genetics and
drug discovery and development, including:
-- Carol Isaacson Barash, Ph.D., Genetics, Ethics & Policy Consulting;
-- William Evans, Pharm.D., St. Jude Children's Research Hospital;
-- Bartha Maria Knoppers, Ph.D., University of Montreal and the
International Ethics Committee of the Human Genome Organization;
-- Klaus Lindpaintner, M.D., MPH, Roche Genetics, F. Hoffmann-La Roche
AG;
-- Terry Magnuson, Ph.D., University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Department of Genetics and the Carolina Center for Genome Sciences
-- Loren Miller, Ph.D., PPD Development;
-- Allen Roses, M.D., GlaxoSmithKline; and
-- Raymond White, Ph.D., DNA Sciences and the University of Utah.
"With the completion of the human genome sequencing, pharmaceutical,
biotechnology and medical professionals are striving to incorporate genetics
into the discovery and development of safer, more effective diagnostics and
therapeutics," said Fred Eshelman, CEO of PPD. "Consistent with our
commitment to genomic research, PPD hopes that this symposium will help
accelerate the pace at which drug researchers and developers employ
pharmacogenetics to improve health-care outcomes."
About PPD
PPD, Inc. is a leading global provider of discovery and development
services and products for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
With a corporate mission to provide services that maximize the return on
clients' R&D investments, PPD provides innovative technologies, therapeutic
expertise and comprehensive services for drug discovery and preclinical
programs, Phase I-IV clinical development, and post-market support. The
company has more than 3,800 professionals in 48 facilities in 20 countries
around the world. PPD is the exclusive marketer of pharmacogenetics products
and services from PPGx. For more information on PPD, visit the Web site at
http://www.ppdi.com .
About the N.C. Biotechnology Center
The North Carolina Biotechnology Center (http://www.ncbiotech.org ) is a
non-profit corporation funded by the N.C. General Assembly. Its mission is to
ensure that the state gains long-term economic benefits from development of
the biotechnology industry. The Center works toward five goals: assist
biotechnology business development; strengthen the biotechnology capabilities
of the state's universities; educate the public about biotechnology; encourage
collaborations among the state's universities, industry and government; and
strengthen the state's leadership in biotechnology.
Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations and
assumptions, including expectations and assumptions about the value of this
educational forum to PPD, contained in the foregoing are forward-looking
statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Although PPD has
used its best efforts to be accurate in making those forward-looking
statements, it is possible that the assumptions made by management may not
materialize. In addition, other important factors which could cause results
to differ materially include the following: economic conditions in the
pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries; outsourcing trends in the
pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries; dependence on collaborative
relationships; rapid technological advances that make our products and
services less competitive; loss of large contracts; competition within the
outsourcing industry; continued success in sales growth; the ability to
attract and retain key personnel; and the other risk factors set forth from
time to time in the Company's SEC filings, copies of which are available upon
request from PPD's investor relations department.
Media Contact:
Nancy Zeleniak
+919 462 4088
nancy.zeleniak@rtp.ppdi.com
SOURCE PPD, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.dna.com
http://www.pgxsolutions.com http://www.ppdi.com
http://www.ncbiotech.org
CONTACT:
Nancy Zeleniak of PPD, 919-462-4088, or
nancy.zeleniak@rtp.ppdi.com
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