MDS Pharma Services Opens Largest Phase I Clinic on U.S. West Coast

New 300-bed facility in Tempe, Arizona, raises MDS capacity in the
Phoenix-area to 420 total beds

KING OF PRUSSIA, PA, Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - MDS Pharma Services
(www.mdsps.com), a leading provider of innovative drug discovery and
development solutions, has expanded its presence in the Phoenix area with a
new 300-bed Phase I facility in nearby Tempe, Arizona. The $25 million
facility more than doubles the previous MDS Phase I capacity in Phoenix to 420
total beds to meet the growing needs of its pharmaceutical and biotech
clients. Part of an extensive global network of European and North American
Phase I locations, the new facility brings the MDS Pharma Services global
total to more than 1,100 beds.
In addition to a specialized area for conducting cardiac safety trials,
the new facility also offers specialized ophthalmic capabilities, as well as a
range of other specialty Phase I services. Purpose-built from the ground up to
be a Phase I clinic, the new facility has a state-of-the art clinical lab and
secure pharmacy, comfortable accommodations for study participants and
well-appointed areas for visiting clients.
"Client needs were top-of-mind when we decided to expand in Phoenix - the
fastest growing urban area in the United States," said MDS Pharma Services
President David Spaight. "The Phoenix location offers several advantages to
our clients, including travel convenience, access to a large and varied study
participant pool, and an experienced and educated workforce to staff the new
clinic and laboratory."
The workforce for the new facility is drawn from the same experienced team
that operated the earlier MDS Pharma Services Phoenix clinic, where they
achieved a better than 97% on-time study start-up record. MDS Pharma Services
has had a Phase I operation in Phoenix for more than two decades, conducting
more than 600 clinical trials involving some 13,000 participants. Its current
Phoenix workforce of more than 150 could triple when the new facility is
running at full capacity.
About MDS Pharma Services
MDS Pharma Services is committed to delivering quality results 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 www.mdsps.com.
MDS Pharma Services is a business unit of 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 5,500 highly skilled people in
28 countries. Find out more at www.mdsinc.com or by calling 1-888-MDS-7222, 24
hours a day.
SOURCE MDS Pharma Services

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