Eli Lilly and Company and PPD, Inc., Honored for Building Strong Clinical Research Site Partnerships at the Site Solutions Summit Annual Meeting

ELLICOTT CITY, Md., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The Site Solutions Summit, an annual conference of premier clinical research sites from around the world, voted to present their 2010 Site Solutions Summit Eagle Awards to Eli Lilly and Company, as the top pharmaceutical firm, and PPD, Inc., as the top contract research organization (CRO). The Eagle Award is presented to a Sponsor and CRO for their commitment to outstanding leadership, professionalism, integrity, passion and dedication to advancing the clinical research profession through strong site partnerships.

The awards were presented at the 2010 Site Solutions Summit Eagle Award Dinner on Saturday, October 16, 2010. The dinner capped the annual Summit, held this past weekend at the Sandpearl Resort in Clearwater Beach, Florida. The Site Solutions Summit is co-hosted by RxTrials, Inc., and the Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO).

The annual Site Solutions Summit brings together leaders from the continuum of the clinical research process, including research site executives and professionals; executives from Sponsors and CROs; and other senior-level industry representatives. In a collaborative setting, these stakeholders tackle the business challenges they face and identify best practices to meet those challenges.

More than 300 sites voted via confidential ballots to select this year's Site Solutions Summit Eagle Awards recipients. Sites were asked to evaluate companies they had worked with in the last 18 months on criteria that covered professionalism, partnership, efficiencies and financial considerations.

"Solid site partnerships are vital to maintaining quality and integrity in the clinical research process," said Christine Pierre, President and CEO of RxTrials, and founder of the Site Solutions Summit, in presenting the Eagle Awards. "Only in collaboration can we do our best. We all benefit from adhering to the highest standards as we conduct studies and bring medical advancements to benefit patients."

"We at Lilly made the decision two years ago to treat investigative sites as a customer in clinical research rather than a provider," said Jeffrey S. Kasher, Ph.D., Vice President, Clinical Development Organization, Lilly Research Laboratories. "We changed our U.S. organizational model, establishing the Clinical Development Liaison role to provide a consistent and credible point of contact for all sites. Receiving the Eagle Award based on the vote of our key customers—the investigative sites—reaffirms the path we have chosen. It is rewarding and humbling. We will continue to seek improvements in how we conduct trials, because the patients who need treatments for the diseases we pursue are counting on us!"

"PPD is committed to building and establishing strong, collaborative relationships with investigative sites across the globe, and we recognize the important role of investigators and sites in recruiting the right patients and delivering high quality data for our clients," said Martin Lee, M.D., Vice President of site and patient recruitment for PPD. "We are pleased this prestigious group has recognized our strong investigator and site expertise toward advancing our clients' drug development programs."

More information about the Site Solutions Summit and the Eagle Award can be found at www.sitesolutionssummit.com. Details about the 2011 Eagle Awards nomination process will be announced soon.

About RxTrials, Inc.

RxTrials is a network of premier Investigative Sites that conduct Phase II through Phase IV and vaccine clinical research studies, based in physician practices, clinics and hospitals. Since 1994, RxTrials has successfully completed more than 1,000 studies and is a strategic partner with leading Sponsors and CROs. RxTrials Institute, a sister company of RxTrials, provides professional training, education and consultation, and sponsors the annual Site Solutions Summit. More information can be found at www.rxtrialsinc.com or www.sitesolutionssummit.com.

About The Association of Clinical Research Organizations

ACRO represents companies who provide specialized services that are integral to the development of drugs, biologics and medical devices. ACRO provides an active voice for the global CRO industry and, through its member companies, helps to improve the quality, efficiency and safety of biomedical research. ACRO member companies employ more 66,000 people worldwide. More information can be found at www.acrohealth.org.

About PPD

PPD is a leading global contract research organization, celebrating 25 years of providing drug discovery, development and lifecycle management services. Their clients and partners include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, academic and government organizations. With offices in 42 countries and more than 10,500 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.

About Eli Lilly and Company

Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation is developing a growing portfolio of pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, IN, Lilly provides answers - through medicines and information - for some of the world's most urgent medical needs. For additional information on Lilly's patient care and disease management programs, visit http://www.lillyforbetterhealth.com.

SOURCE RxTrials