Wilmington-based Pharmaceutical Product Development LLC (PPD) has announced that the company has been recognized for excellence in clinical research by pharmaceutical and biotechnology executives surveyed for Life Science Leader magazine’s 2018 CRO Leadership Awards.

PPD earned honors for its capabilities and reliability, based on survey responses from industry executives responsible for making or influencing decisions to outsource clinical development programs to a contract research organization (CRO), according to a news release.

PPD is recognized as a leader in the CRO industry based on its reputation for operational delivery, with comprehensive services ranging from early development to all phases of clinical development, peri- and post-approval services and comprehensive and integrated laboratory services through PPD Laboratories, officials said.

“PPD’s distinctive culture reflects our commitment to earning our clients' trust by demonstrating quality delivery, integrity and a shared dedication to delivering life-changing therapies to improve health,” David Simmons, chairman and CEO of PPD, said in the release. “This industry recognition, mirroring the confidence of biopharmaceutical and biotechnology leaders in PPD, speaks to the high caliber of our global team of talented employees. They bring extraordinary expertise, a strong collaborative work ethic and an unrivaled passion for supporting client success.”

The survey for the 2018 CRO Leadership Awards, which encompassed 27 performance metrics, was conducted by Industry Standard Research, a full-service pharmaceutical market research firm, to help Life Science Leader assess the performance of CROs, officials said.