PPD Strengthens Neuroscience Team with Appointment of Experienced Leader

Dr. Michael Gold serves as vice president of global product development

WILMINGTON, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pharmaceutical Product Development, LLC (PPD) today announced that Michael Gold, M.D., has joined PPD's neuroscience team to serve as vice president of global product development, strengthening the company's ability to help biopharmaceutical clients manage the complex world of nervous system disorders and deliver therapies more efficiently and cost-effectively.

"Mike's broad experience in the development of new medicines spans a variety of neurologic conditions, and his expertise in the field of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, is of great value to our clients, as we work together to advance treatment options for these debilitating diseases."
"Mike adds impressive depth to PPD's neuroscience medical team, which offers expertise across a range of disorders," said Rob Dow, senior vice president, global product development for PPD. "Mike's broad experience in the development of new medicines spans a variety of neurologic conditions, and his expertise in the field of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, is of great value to our clients, as we work together to advance treatment options for these debilitating diseases."

PPD has successfully managed approximately 285 trials in psychiatry, neurology, pain and ophthalmology indications across all phases of development. PPD's clinical team and medical professionals provide strong experience in disorders of the central nervous system (CNS), peripheral nervous system, sleep medicine and pain management. These clinically trained neuroscience teams are led by senior scientists and clinicians with extensive drug development experience in the areas of neurology, psychiatry, pain management, sleep research and ophthalmology.

Gold joined PPD after serving in leadership roles in major pharmaceutical and biotech companies, as well as academia. Most recently, Gold spent two years at UCB Bioscience as vice president of global therapeutic area, central nervous system. Previously, he worked for nearly three years at Allon Therapeutics as vice president and chief medical officer. From 2005 to 2011, Gold was with GSK, where he served as medicines development leader for Alzheimer's disease and vice president of neurosciences, medicines development center. Earlier in his career, he held positions of increasing responsibility within clinical research at Johnson & Johnson and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Prior to joining the pharmaceutical industry, Gold was an assistant professor at the University of South Florida College of Medicine and director of the University of South Florida Memory Disorders Clinic. He is board-certified in neurology and psychiatry and serves as an adjunct assistant professor in the department of medicine of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Gold also serves on the scientific advisory boards for several biotechnology companies and as an associate editor for Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.

About PPD

PPD is a leading global contract research organization providing drug discovery, development, lifecycle management and laboratory services. Our clients and partners include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, academic and government organizations. With offices in 46 countries and more than 14,000 professionals worldwide, PPD applies innovative technologies, therapeutic expertise and a commitment to quality to help clients and partners accelerate the delivery of safe and effective therapeutics and maximize the returns on their R&D investments. For more information, visit www.ppdi.com.

Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations and assumptions, including statements, expectations and assumptions about Dr. Michael Gold and the performance of PPD's neuroscience unit contained in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Although PPD attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based and could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Other important factors that could cause future results to differ materially include the following: the ability to attract, integrate, retain and train key personnel; competition in the outsourcing industry; PPD's ability to win new business; overall global economic conditions; economic conditions, research and development spending, and outsourcing trends in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and government-sponsored research sectors; loss, delay or modification of large contracts; higher-than-expected cancellation rates; the rate of conversion of backlog into revenue; rapid technological advances that make our services or capabilities less competitive; risks associated with and dependence on strategic relationships; risks associated with acquisitions and investments; the ability to control SG&A spending; consolidation in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries; compliance with drug development regulations; changes in the regulation of the drug development process; and actual operating performance. PPD assumes no obligation and expressly disclaims any duty to update these forward-looking statements in the future, except as required by applicable law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing PPD's estimates or views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof.

Contacts

PPD Contacts
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Elizabeth Humphrey, +1 910-558-6096
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