MDS Pharma Services Expands Drug Discovery Capability in Asia
08 Juin 2009 - 2:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
Investment Supports and Reflects Contract Research Organization's
Recently Announced Strategic Focus on Discovery Through Phase IIa
Services KING OF PRUSSIA, PA, June 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MDS
Pharma Services, a leading provider of innovative drug discovery
and development solutions, today announced that a renovation and
expansion of its discovery pharmacology operation in Taiwan is
under way to serve the growing global demand for work performed in
Asia. The renovation and expansion, which will be completed in
2010, is aligned with the new MDS Pharma Services strategic focus
on Early Stage operations - Discovery through Phase IIa
proof-of-concept services, and its commitment to serve clients in
an important emerging market. The Taiwan facility supports both
molecular screening and profiling, as well as in vivo safety and
efficacy testing, and the renovation plan calls for significant
expansions and upgrades in each area. In vivo capacity has been
doubled, and will include dedicated space tailored to individual
client needs. Furthermore, the site's automated molecular screening
and profiling capability and efficiency will be improved with
additional robotic high-throughput screening capacity and
analytical support. "This new and expanded facility will cement our
position as the global leader in the discovery pharmacology space,
where we are one of the top two providers of molecular screening,
and a key supplier of in vivo efficacy and safety testing," said
MDS Pharma Services President David Spaight. "This investment
builds on a 40-year track record of success in this service area,
and supports our recently announced strategic focus on the
Discovery through Phase IIa Proof-of-Concept segment of the
outsourcing market." The Taiwan site is part of MDS Pharma
Services' Pharmacology/DMPK line of service, which offers
molecular, cellular, ADME/DMPK and in vivo assays for use in
identifying lead drug candidates, profiling for selectivity,
determining potential for adverse events, evaluating efficacy and
establishing proof of concept. To help speed lead optimization
earlier in the discovery phase and streamline the surest path to
the clinic, the Taiwan facility offers extensive capabilities in
molecular and cellular pharmacology, including more than 800
assays, multiple assay methodologies, high-throughput screening
with robotic automation, and expert assay development. To view the
extensive catalog of discovery assays, visit the MDS Pharma
Services' Pharmacology/DMPK Website at
http://discovery.mdsps.com/Catalog/. More Information Additional
background materials pertaining to MDS Pharma Services new
strategic focus on Early Stage Operations (Discovery through Phase
IIa) can be found on MDS Inc.'s Website at
http://www.mdsinc.com/for_media/electronic_media_kit.asp About MDS
Pharma Services MDS Pharma Services, a business unit of MDS Inc.,
is committed to delivering quality service on-time. We offer a full
spectrum of resources to meet the drug-discovery and development
needs of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. With
numerous facilities strategically located around the world, we
apply advanced scientific and technological expertise throughout
the drug discovery and development process - from lead
optimization, pre-IND research, early clinical research
(bioequivalence, Phases I-IIa) and bioanalysis through to global
clinical development (Phases IIb-IV), central lab and centralized
cardiac services. For more information, visit our website at
http://www.mdsps.com/. About MDS Inc. MDS Inc. (TSX: MDS; NYSE:
MDZ), a global life-sciences company that provides market-leading
products and services that our customers need for the development
of drugs and diagnosis and treatment of disease. We are a leading
global provider of pharmaceutical contract research, medical
isotopes for molecular imaging, radiotherapeutics, and analytical
instruments. MDS has more than 5,000 highly skilled people in 29
countries. Find out more at http://www.mdsinc.com/ or by calling
1-888-MDS-7222, 24 hours a day. DATASOURCE: MDS PHARMA SERVICES
CONTACT: MEDIA: Charlene McGrady, (610) 239-7900, ext. 231, ;
INVESTORS: Kim Lee, (905) 267-4230,
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