| Chicago, IL. - Excel Life Sciences, a U.S.-based, | | | | Prior to joining Excel Life Sciences, Dr. Das was |
| India-focused provider of comprehensive trial | | | | personally responsible for establishing two major |
| management services, announces that Executive | | | | SMOs and one CRO in India. He has led large clinical |
| Director of Operations Dr. Saurendra Das has been | | | | operations teams and brought many innovations to |
| chosen as one of five finalists of the 2008 GCPj | | | | the field including strategies, systems and processes |
| Awards “Clinical Research Professional of the | | | | for faster enrollment and increased retention. Dr. |
| Year”. | | | | Das’ vast experience includes designing and |
| The GCPj Awards has been developed to recognize | | | | reviewing clinical trial related SOPs and WPDs, |
| excellence in the Clinical Trials industry. Now in its | | | | designing SOPs for Ethics Committees, budgeting for |
| second year the GCPj Awards honors and reward | | | | Clinical Trials and setting up Central Pharmacies. He |
| corporate and individual excellence and celebrates | | | | coordinated the clinical trials at the two sites that |
| innovation throughout this industry, with 12 carefully | | | | successfully passed the first US FDA audit in India. As |
| planned award categories. The GCPj Awards are | | | | an active trainer, he worked closely with faculty from |
| open to anyone working within the Clinical Trials arena | | | | Harvard Medical International developing a global |
| and will culminate in a black tie event with industry | | | | training program and has personally trained hundreds |
| leaders where the Awards will be presented. | | | | of pharma, CRO, SMO, Central Lab and Site |
| “I have had the privilege of knowing and | | | | employees in ICH-GCP. Dr Das has worked on the |
| working with Dr. Das for many years. Dr. Das is an | | | | faculty of the CDSCO, WHO and ICRI. Dr. Das holds |
| extremely valuable part of the executive team and | | | | an M.D. in clinical pharmacology from M. K. C. G. |
| our success at Excel Life Sciences. His experience in | | | | Medical College in Orissa, India. |
| the field of clinical research has helped train hundreds | | | | Other finalists in the “Clinical Research |
| of clinical research professionals in India. We are | | | | Professional of the Year” category are Dr. |
| proud of his nomination and thrilled that he has been | | | | Janice Albrecht, Vice President, Clinical Research at |
| chosen a finalist by the GCPj awards for Clinical | | | | Schering-Plough; Dr. Naida Gurshumov, Director of |
| Research Professional of the Year,” said Dr. | | | | Clinical Research at superDimension Ltd.; Dr. Gordon |
| Vijai Kumar, President and Chief Medical Officer of | | | | Kapke, Senior Director, Biomarker Services, Covance, |
| Excel Life Sciences. | | | | Inc.; and Prof. Dr. James Stegmann, Chief Medical |
| Dr. Das has over 10 years of experience in | | | | Officer, CardioVascular BioTherapeutics, Inc. |
| coordination of all phases of global and domestic | | | | About Excel Life Sciences |
| clinical trials. He is a key leader in a large movement | | | | Headquartered in Chicago, IL with offices in Boston, |
| underway to make India a premier destination for | | | | Raleigh-Durham, Washington DC, Hyderabad, Mumbai, |
| clinical research in the months and years ahead. His | | | | New Delhi and 21 other locations across India, ELS is |
| passion for clinical research and for making Excel Life | | | | one of the most experienced and fastest growing |
| Sciences and India successful is arguably one of the | | | | trial management and site support organizations in |
| most impressive in the business. He drives himself | | | | India, offering customized clinical trial solutions |
| relentlessly to help build and expand ELS and the | | | | including: regulatory consulting, preparations, |
| greater India clinical research enterprise by applying | | | | submissions and query resolution; site identification |
| an impressive work ethic, dedication to learning and | | | | and selection; patient recruitment and retention; |
| training, priority on ethical conduct of clinical trials and | | | | training of all clinical research stakeholders; technology |
| the advancement of healthcare across class and | | | | transfer; product licensing and more. |
| income lines throughout India. | | | | |