| Dec. 18, 2008, Chicago, IL - Excel Life Sciences (ELS), | | | | and contact information for the most appropriate |
| a U.S.-based, India-focused provider of | | | | investigators. Sponsors and CROs negotiate budgets |
| comprehensive trial management services announces | | | | and contracts with site personnel, make the final |
| that it has formed a partnership with Chicago-based | | | | selection decision, and remit payment directly to |
| Investigator Support Services (ISS) to help | | | | participating sites. |
| biopharmaceutcal companies and CROs identify | | | | “For 16 years, ISS has supported drug |
| investigative sites in India for their clinical research | | | | development in by matching clinical trials with qualified |
| studies. | | | | investigators. Each year we successfully place sites |
| ELS has one of the largest networks of investigative | | | | on nearly 250 studies for more than 80 sponsors and |
| sites in India with over 1,000 investigators and 700 | | | | CROs in the United States, and we are excited to |
| sites. Each site has undergone an extensive due | | | | expand our reach to India in support of global clinical |
| diligence visit and review by ELS to determine its | | | | research,” said Sarah Ebner, President, |
| experience and capabilities before they are accepted | | | | Investigator Support Services. |
| into the ELS network, enabling ELS to find the most | | | | About Excel Life Sciences |
| qualified investigative sites for customers. In three | | | | Headquartered in Chicago, IL with offices in Boston, |
| recent studies, sponsors selected 100%, 80% and | | | | Raleigh-Durham, Washington DC, Hyderabad, Mumbai, |
| 100% of sites recommended by ELS for the study. | | | | New Delhi and 21 other locations across India, ELS is |
| “We are very excited to be partnering with ISS | | | | one of the most experienced and fastest growing |
| to help their customers identify appropriate | | | | trial management and site support organizations in |
| investigative sites in India. We are confident that | | | | India, offering customized clinical trial solutions |
| together we can help more companies enter into | | | | including: regulatory consulting, preparations, |
| India and run successful, on-time clinical studies,” | | | | submissions and query resolution; site identification |
| said Dr. Vijai Kumar, President and Chief Medical | | | | and selection; patient recruitment and retention; |
| Officer, Excel Life Sciences. | | | | training of all clinical research stakeholders; technology |
| ISS represents 400 experienced sites with capabilities | | | | transfer; product licensing and more. |
| to conduct phase I-IV drug and device studies in all | | | | ELS has one of the most experienced and respected |
| medical specialties.. All sites pass a quality review prior | | | | clinical operations teams in India with over 125 years |
| to inclusion in the ISS network and are further | | | | of collective experience in conducting more than 350 |
| pre-qualified for individual studies based on protocol | | | | global and domestic trials at hundreds of sites and |
| requirements. At no cost to industry sponsors and | | | | with thousands of patients. ELS has also trained over |
| CROs, ISS quickly provides study related documents | | | | 1,500 clinical research personnel in India. |