MEDFORD, Mass., June 9, 2005 -- MetaWorks Inc., a premiere provider of evidence-based medical information, today announced that two corporate executives will present during the 41st annual Drug Information Association (DIA) meeting in Washington, D.C., June 26 to 30, 2005. MetaWorks will also be exhibiting at the conference at booths 1501 and 1503 and demonstrating its proprietary EvidenceHub.com database portal. 

On June 26th from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m., Susan Ross, MD, MetaWorks' Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder, and Matthew Reynolds, PhD, Senior Director of Risk Management and Safety Services, will discuss "Evidence-based Medicine Throughout the Clinical Drug Development Process." The tutorial session is designed for life sciences professionals in all phases of clinical trial design, epidemiology, biostatistics, regulatory affairs, medical affairs, and outcomes research. 

"The life sciences industry is increasingly exploring more cost-effective and expeditious methods for bringing new products to market," said Shubh L. Sethi, President and CEO of MetaWorks. "Many companies, however, have just begun to discover that they can more economically address scientific questions in clinical development by accessing existing evidence rather than conducting their own costly, time-consuming studies. We look forward to discussing how evidence-based resources can enhance drug development." 

Drs. Ross and Reynolds will discuss how evidence-based medicine -- the application of currently available best evidence to clinical research -- can be incorporated into drug-development processes, ranging from early-phase clinical trials through post-launch activities, to optimize decision-making.   

They will also discuss how evidence-based tools such as systematic literature reviews can lead to a better understanding of disease characteristics and progression, alternative treatments, and safety/efficacy characteristics of competitor drugs. In addition, they will identify opportunities for these tools to help determine optimal clinical trial sample size, identify trial endpoints, predict efficacy and safety outcomes, and determine new indications. 

On June 28th from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Dr. Reynolds will also discuss "Evaluation of Risk Minimization Action Plans (RiskMAPs)" as part of a clinical safety and pharmacovigilance panel discussion on risk management. The panel will review key risk-management components, including assessment, intervention, communication, and evaluation, and outline pre- and post-marketing approaches to each component.  

As part of the conference, MetaWorks will demonstrate its proprietary EvidenceHub (TM) database, which now encompasses multiple therapeutic categories, including oncology, cardiology, and rheumatoid arthritis. Derived from the systematic review of published clinical trials, EvidenceHub (TM) permits the query, exporting, and analysis of clinical trial outcomes by patient characteristics, treatment variables, and key efficacy and safety outcomes.  

The DIA meeting will feature more than 20 content-area tracks and 300 discussions by leading biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and regulatory professionals. For conference details, visit 

www.diahome.org/docs/Events/Events_search_results.cfm?Region=1


MetaWorks, Inc. is a recognized healthcare consulting company focused in clinical drug development and commercialization within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and healthcare industries.  By combining its expertise and experience in systematic reviews and meta-analysis with diverse data sources including its proprietary clinical trial database, MetaHub, MetaWorks delivers clinical evidence that drives sound decisions and supports key messages.  

MetaWorks' clients utilize evidence derived from existing published medical information to support regulatory submissions, clinical trial planning, and marketing claims. The company's 1997 designation as an Evidence-based Practice Center by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) established MetaWorks as a reliable and expert resource for evidence-based medical information. For more information, visit 


With more than 2,000 members worldwide, the Drug Information Association (DIA) is the premier member-driven organization encompassing the full continuum of disciplines in the pharmaceutical and related industries. DIA's mission is to serve and develop members by providing a neutral, global forum that promotes the exchange of information critical to professional performance and achievement. For further information, please visit 

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MetaWorks® Inc. Executives to Discuss Evidence-based Medicine’s Impact on Clinical Drug Development at Annual DIA Meeting