Dr. Bernard Tisserand and Dr. Jonny Salyer appointed Executive Medical Directors to provide leadership and expertise for late stage clinical studies KING OF PRUSSIA, PA, May 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MDS Pharma Services, a leading provider of innovative drug discovery and development solutions, has named two experienced medical professionals to lead its late stage clinical trial management activities related to respiratory ailments and metabolic disorders. Dr. Bernard Tisserand and Dr. Jonny L. Salyer have been named Executive Medical Directors for Respiratory Disorders and Metabolic Disorders, respectively. These therapeutic areas represent serious global public health concerns and are key areas of focus for MDS Pharma Services' customers. Respiratory disorders include conditions such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and community acquired pneumonia (CAP), while metabolic disorders include diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity and metabolic syndrome, which is defined as a cluster of conditions that damage the cardiovascular system. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of the U.S. adult population is currently obese, and more than 200 million people worldwide have diabetes. The World Health Organization estimates that 300 million people suffer from asthma, the most common chronic disease among children, and that 210 million people have COPD, which is predicted to become the fourth leading cause of death worldwide by 2030. "Pharmaceutical companies are pursuing clinical research programs to address these disorders, and we have made a strategic decision to become a leader in these key therapeutic arenas by establishing dedicated teams headed by experienced medical professionals," said MDS Pharma Services President David Spaight. "In the past 10 years, MDS Pharma Services has managed over 150 clinical projects involving respiratory conditions and metabolic disorders. With expert project teams in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America, we can offer our clients worldwide access to patients with these conditions." Dr. Tisserand has held a number of senior positions in clinical operations and project management at MDS Pharma Services. In his earlier roles, he managed teams of project directors, project leaders and clinical research associates supporting studies in asthma, allergic rhinitis, COPD, CAP and other major therapeutic areas. He earned his Doctorate in Medicine from Rene Descartes in Paris and has been with MDS Pharma Services for eighteen years. Dr. Salyer has nearly 30 years of relevant experience in research, medicine and the contract research industry. Prior to joining MDS, she worked for a leading provider of central laboratory services in Indianapolis, where she served as Director of Medical Affairs since 2001, supporting Phase I-IV clinical research. She earned her Bachelor's Degrees in Chemistry and Microbiology from Indiana University in Bloomington, and her Doctor of Medicine degree from that institution's School of Medicine in Indianapolis. In addition to respiratory and metabolic disorders, other areas of therapeutic focus for MDS Pharma Services include oncology, vaccines, and diseases of the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. About MDS Pharma Services MDS Pharma Services 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/. 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 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: For Investors: Kim Lee, (416) 213-4721, ; For Media: Charlene McGrady, (610) 239-7900 ext. 231,

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