Magellan Laboratories to Sponsor 4th International Meeting on the Photostability of Drugs and Drug Products

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC - Magellan Laboratories, provider of a fully integrated complement of pharmaceutical development services to companies around the world, is sponsoring the 4th International Meeting on the Photostability of Drugs and Drug Products (PPS '01). The meeting, held each year by the Photostability of Drugs Interest Group (PDIG), will take place at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel & Convention Center in Research Triangle Park, NC on July 16-19, 2001.

The success of this annual meeting, first held in Oslo during June 1995, can be attributed to discussions of real-world examples and lessons learned on all aspects of photostability testing. This year, as in years past, the primary objective of the PDIG annual meeting continues to be the sharing of new developments in the field of pharmaceutical photochemistry.

This year's meeting will involve the presentation of papers encompassing such topics as photobiology, the impact of ICH photostability guidelines, photostability and photoprotection of drug products, and new instrumentation for photostability studies. Keynote lecturer Dr. G.M. Beijerbergen van Henegouwen, from the University of Leiden, The Netherlands, will discuss medicinal photochemistry and immunosuppression of photoactivatable drugs.

Magellan Laboratories is excited to welcome Dr. Beijerbergen van Henegouwen, who has been conducting research in Medicinal Photochemistry since joining the Leiden Faculty of Pharmacy in 1971. An accomplished authority is his field, Dr. Beijerbergen van Henegouwen's credits include 120 published papers, 15 book chapters, two patents, and more than 100 lectures at scientific meetings. In addition to giving two lectures, PhotoToxic Drugs and Specific Immunosuppression of Photoactivatable Drugs, Dr. Beijerbergen van Henegouwen will serve as moderator during Technical Session One on Wednesday, July 18th.

Conference attendees are expected to represent a diverse group of professionals with interest in photochemistry including pharmaceutical scientists, project managers, medicinal chemists, pharmaceutics scientists and pharmaceutical industry users. The technical meeting enrollment fee, which includes a welcome reception, the North Carolina barbecue dinner hosted by Magellan Laboratories, refreshment breaks, daily continental breakfast and lunch, is $550. Anyone interested in attending should submit a registration form, along with the registration fee, through the conference website at www.pps01.org or e-mail to info@pps01.org and request a brochure.

In addition to the technical meeting on July 18-19, 2001, participants are invited to attend events planned for Monday, June 16th and Tuesday, June 17th. Monday will feature a daylong Short Course entitled, "Principles of Pharmaceutical Photostability Testing". The course will provide an overview of the fundamental background of Photochemistry and Photostability. With backgrounds in industry, academia, and regulatory agencies, presenters Drs. Baertschi, Indig, Piechocki, Spilgies, and Tønnesen will share their perspective on the previously mentioned topics. Enrollment is being handled on a first-come, first-served basis and advanced registration is required for participation. The $250 Short Course enrollment fee must be received by July 1, 2001 and includes course materials, refreshments, continental breakfast and lunch.

The Short Course will be followed on Tuesday, July 18, 2001, by a special all day Interactive Vendor Session and Exhibition on photostability chambers, lamps, instrumentation, and pharmaceutical industry requirements. The day will be devoted to discussing how to establish a single international standard source and method for radiation dosage measurement and will conclude with the welcome reception for the conference. Vendors of photostability equipment such as chambers, light source and monitors are invited to display their equipment at the conference. This event is free of charge to anyone registered for the conference.