Viramontes To Lead PPD Clinical Operations In Mexico, Central America, And The Caribbean

PPD, Inc. recently announced the appointment of Jose Luis Viramontes, M.D., as associate director of clinical operations, to lead the company's delivery of drug development services in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Based in Mexico City, Dr. Viramontes will provide overall management of PPD clinical services in the region.

"Dr. Viramontes brings a solid understanding of the pharmaceutical industry in Mexico, extensive clinical research experience and strong leadership skills," said Wendy Buckland, senior executive director of clinical operations for Latin America. "He will play a lead role in expanding our global presence in Latin America, and we are pleased to welcome him to PPD."

A physician, Dr. Viramontes joins PPD from Merck Sharp & Dohme Mexico where he spent 14 years in roles with increasing responsibilities. Most recently, he served as clinical research associate director. In this role, he oversaw clinical trials, including site validation and selection; identified and developed clinical research preferred partners; ensured consistency of process and protocol implementation; and coordinated clinical research training. His earlier roles with Merck included market expansion manager, medical director, product manager and cardiovascular medical manager.

Dr. Viramontes earned a medical degree from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico and completed a specialty in respiratory medicine at the General Hospital of Mexico. He also holds a master in sciences certificate in medical sciences and clinical research. He earned a certificate in clinical epidemiology and health economics from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. In addition, Dr. Viramontes has a post-graduate certificate in marketing and is knowledgeable of Six Sigma methodology.

PPD is a leading global contract research organization providing discovery, development and post-approval services as well as compound partnering programs. Our clients and partners include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, academic and government organizations. With offices in 30 countries and more than 10,000 professionals worldwide, PPD applies innovative technologies, therapeutic expertise and a commitment to quality to help its clients and partners maximize returns on their R&D investments and accelerate the delivery of safe and effective therapeutics to patients. For more information, visit our Web site at www.ppdi.com.

SOURCE: PPD, Inc.