PPD, Inc. will be opening offices in the Philippines and India, as an expansion of its Phase II-IV clinical development services in response to growing demand in Asia Pacific.

According to a press release, new offices in Manila, Philippines, and Bangalore, India, will strengthen PPD's range of drug discovery and development services and continue to position the company to capitalize on the growth of the outsourcing market in Asia Pacific. The company will provide clinical management services in key therapeutic areas from both locations.

The company recently expanded in this region through its acquisitions of Excel, one of the largest contract research organizations in China, and BioDuro, a drug discovery outsourcing company.

"India is expected to conduct nearly five percent of global trials by 2010, and the opening of our Bangalore office advances our plans for expansion in India. This office provides us easy access to all of our sites across south India, which means cost savings for our clients and greater efficiencies for PPD," said Denzel Benjamin, director of clinical management in the Bangalore office.