KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 17, 2005--MDS Pharma Services, a leading provider of innovative drug discovery and development solutions, has appointed Vijay Vashi, Ph.D., vice president, Clinical Pharmacology. Based out of the business's Neptune, NJ, facility, he will provide clinical, scientific and operational leadership, including clinical pharmacology expertise, to client studies and interact with MDS Pharma Services operations and scientific personnel in support of Phase I clinical studies.

"Dr. Vashi brings 14 years of clinical pharmacology and drug development experience to this position. He is an excellent addition to the team," said Dr. Jerry Merritt, senior vice president and general manager, Early Clinical Research.

Prior to joining MDS Pharma Services, Vijay was employed at Purdue Pharma LLP, where he was senior director, Clinical Pharmacology and clinical leader of one of the company's Opioid Agonist/Antagonist Programs. He also served as associate director, Clinical Pharmacology, Central Research, Groton, Connecticut, and assistant director, Clinical Pharmacology, Clinical and Scientific Affairs for Pfizer, Inc.'s New York Office. He holds Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Pharmacokinetics/Biopharmaceutics from the University of Tennessee and a B.S. (Hons.) degree from the University of London's Chelsea College (now King's College) in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Vashi has co-authored several publications and is a member of the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists and the Rho Chi Pharmacy Honor Society.

MDS Pharma Services offers 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, the company applies advanced scientific and technological expertise to each stage of the drug discovery and development process - Early Stage: lead optimization, pre-IND research, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical development, early clinical research (bioequivalence, phases I-IIa) and bioanalysis; and Late Stage: global clinical development (phases IIb-IV) and central lab. For more information, visit MDS Pharma Services' Web site at www.mdsps.com.

MDS Pharma Services is an integral part of MDS Inc. (TSX: MDS; NYSE: MDZ). MDS Inc. has more than 9,000 highly skilled people in 25 countries. We provide a diverse range of superior products and services to increase our customers' speed, precision and productivity in the drug development and disease diagnosis processes. We are a global, values-driven health and life sciences company, recognized for our reliability and collaborative relationships as we help create better outcomes in the treatment of disease. Find out more at www.mdsintl.com or by calling 1-888-MDS-7222, 24 hours a day.

MDS Pharma Services (TSX:MDS) (NYSE:MDZ)

CONTACT: MDS Pharma Services
Kim Peacock
(402) 476-2811
621 Rose Street, Lincoln, Neb.
www.mdsps.com

SOURCE: MDS Pharma Services