ERES East Resources Acquisition Company

Top 10 Global Pharmaceutical Company Awards $4.6 Million in Studies to eResearchTechnology for Cardiac Safety Monitoring and Information Distribution Services Agreements Extend Franchise Commitment PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- eResearchTechnology, Inc. (eRT), (NASDAQ:ERES), a leading provider of centralized electrocardiographic (ECG) collection and interpretation services, announced today that it has been awarded approximately $4.6 million in cardiac safety monitoring and services from a top 10 global pharmaceutical organization for one of its key drug candidates in late phase clinical trials extending the franchise agreement signed in September 2003 by $1.6 million. The award covers two Phase III studies, for which eRT will provide comprehensive support, including provision of approximately 600 units of digital 12-lead ECG equipment designed to facilitate collection of cardiac safety data that is subsequently provided to eRT for analysis. eRT will perform digital collection, measurement, interpretation, review, and distribution of cardiac safety data through its EXPeRT(R) workflow enabled data handling technology, the first solution in production that was designed explicitly to meet emerging international regulatory guidance and technical standards. "With sites distributed across five continents, the trials represented by these significant agreements illustrate industry best practice for digital collection, processing and analysis of cardiac safety data in studies involving significant target patient populations," said Scott Grisanti, senior vice president of business development and chief marketing officer at eRT. "Recent industry events concerning cardiac safety of compounds already approved for marketing are instructive as to the significant role of effective cardiac safety monitoring across all phases of clinical development." Based in Philadelphia, PA, eResearchTechnology, Inc. (http://www.ert.com/) is a provider of technology and services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries on a global basis. The company is a market leader in providing centralized core-diagnostic electrocardiographic (ECG) technology and services to evaluate cardiac safety in clinical development. The company is also a leader in providing technology and services to streamline the clinical trials process by enabling its customers to automate the collection, analysis, and distribution of clinical data in all phases of clinical development. Statements included in this release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties such as competitive factors, technological development, market demand, and the company's ability to obtain new contracts and accurately estimate net revenues due to variability in size, scope and duration of projects, and internal issues in the sponsoring client. The sponsor may cancel this agreement at its sole discretion. As a result, actual results may differ materially from any financial outlooks stated herein. Further information on potential factors that could affect the company's financial results can be found in the company's Reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. DATASOURCE: eResearchTechnology, Inc. CONTACT: Joan Sterlacci of eResearchTechnology, Inc., +1-908-203-6473; or Matt Hayden, Hayden Communications, +1-858-456-4533, for eResearchTechnology Web site: http://www.ert.com/

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