New Strides, New Leadership: 2008-2009

January 2008 PPD expands its global central lab services into China through an exclusive agreement with Peking Union Lawke Biomedical Development, allowing PPD to provide biopharmaceutical clients its full range of highly customized central lab services in China.
February 2008 PPD signs an agreement to purchase InnoPharm, an independent contract research organization (CRO) based in Smolensk, Russia, expanding PPD's global reach with offices in both Russia and Ukraine.
December 2008 Forbes selects PPD for its Platinum 400 list of best big companies in America and as best-managed company in health care equipment and services.
December 2008 A strategic collaboration with Merck & Co. involves vaccine testing and assay development. Under the agreement, PPD acquires Merck's vaccines and biologics infrastructure, broadens its therapeutic expertise and significantly expands its existing relationship with the pharmaceutical company.
February 2009 PPD enters into an agreement to acquire AbC.R.O., a CRO operating in Central and Eastern Europe. The acquisition gains PPD immediate entry into Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Croatia with established infrastructure and expertise and bolsters PPD's existing staff and operation in Poland and Russia.
July 2009 The company announces the promotion of Fred Eshelman, founder and CEO, to executive chairman; names Ernest Mario lead independent director; and appoints David Grange chief executive officer, effective 1 July 2009.
September 2009 PPD opens a global central lab in Singapore.
October 2009 The acquisition of Excel PharmaStudies, the market leader and one of China's largest CROs, significantly expands PPD's presence in China.
October 2009 PPD announces plans to spin off its compound partnering business, resulting in two well-capitalized, highly focused, independent public companies. PPD expects to complete the transaction by mid-2010.
November 2009 In another major expansion in China, PPD acquires BioDuro, a drug discovery outsourcing company that provides a broad range of integrated services to biopharmaceutical companies. With the close of the acquisition, PPD employs almost 1,000 people in China, making it the largest CRO to offer clinical development and discovery services in the country.

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Global Reach

"Our clients are relying on our expertise and global resources to help them ensure patient safety, manage multinational trials, deliver the right data and navigate changing regulatory environments. Our global expansion in emerging regions such as Asia Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe, and Latin America enables us to keep pace with client demand."

-- William Sharbaugh

Chief Operating Officer