New therapeutic focus capitalizes on expertise in biomarkers and management of global clinical trials involving diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity and metabolic syndrome KING OF PRUSSIA, PA, July 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MDS Pharma Services, a leading provider of innovative drug discovery and development solutions, has launched a new therapeutic focus on metabolic disorders such as diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity and metabolic syndrome - a cluster of conditions that damage the cardiovascular system. Announced at the American Diabetes Association scientific sessions meeting in Washington, D.C., in June 2006, the initiative builds on the business unit's expertise in biomarkers and its experience in managing global clinical trials involving these increasingly prevalent, lifestyle-related conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of the adult population in the United States is currently obese, and more than 200 million people worldwide have diabetes. "The top pharmaceutical companies have programs in these areas, and in 2006 about a quarter of our Global Clinical Development revenue is expected to come from work associated with metabolic disorders," said MDS Pharma Services President David Spaight. "We have made a strategic decision to become a leader in this arena and have a dedicated team working in metabolic disorders. MDS Pharma Services' extensive panel of biomarkers for metabolic disorders and our expertise in this area are critical to this work." Clinical development in metabolic disorders, by definition, uses biomarkers as they are indicators of a disease state. For example, biomarkers for obesity include patient weight or body mass index, and blood cholesterol levels are biomarkers for dyslipidemia. A standard biomarker for diabetes is glycohemoglobin/hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). All nine MDS Pharma Services-owned or -affiliated Central Lab facilities have earned Level 1 certification for HbA1c testing from the National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program, which reflects the highest levels of technical precision and accuracy in assessing HbA1c test results. The Global Clinical Development division of MDS Pharma Services is currently managing more than a dozen clinical trials involving metabolic disorders. These include large cholesterol studies in North and South America, a global obesity morbidity study, and large diabetes studies in Europe and the Americas. The MDS Pharma Services Metabolic Disorders Initiative is headed by Didier Saur, an M.D. with nearly 20 years of drug development experience in the pharmaceutical and contract research industries. About MDS Pharma Services MDS Pharma Services offers 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, the company applies advanced scientific and technological expertise to each stage of the drug discovery and development process - Early Stage: lead optimization, pre-IND research, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical development, early clinical research (bioequivalence, phases I-IIa) and bioanalysis; and Late Stage: global clinical development (phases IIb-IV) and central lab. For more information, visit MDS Pharma Services' Web site at http://www.mdsps.com/. MDS Pharma Services is an integral part of MDS Inc. (TSX: MDS; NYSE: MDZ). MDS Inc. has more than 8,800 highly skilled people in 28 countries. It provides a diverse range of superior products and services to increase customers' speed, precision and productivity in the drug development and disease diagnosis processes. MDS is a global, values-driven life sciences company, recognized for its reliability and collaborative relationships that help create better outcomes in the treatment of disease. Find out more at http://www.mdsinc.com/ or by calling 1-800-MDS-7222, 24 hours a day. DATASOURCE: MDS Pharma Services CONTACT: For Investors, Sharon Mathers (416) 675-6777 ext. 4721, ; For Media, Charlene McGrady, (610) 239-7900, ext. 231.,

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