Welcome to CDS

The Center for Drug Studies (CDS) of the VCU School of Pharmacy specializes in Clinical Studies for the development of new drugs and new drug delivery systems. This emphasis usually involves pharmacokinetic, biopharmaceutic, and pharmacodynamic, and pharmacogenetic studies in healthy human volunteers or stabilized patients.

CDS is located on the Medical Campus adjacent to the VCU Medical Center. It has been in constant operation as an academic contract clinical research group for the past twenty-five years under the direction of Dr. William H. Barr and Dr. William R Garnett. It has done over 200 drug development studies for over 30 pharmaceutical companies in the USA, Canada, Europe and Japan. These studies, ranging from "first-time in man" to gastrointestinal intubation, have totaled over twenty million dollars. The Center for Drug Studies is considered to be one of the best academic contract Phase I units in the Country.

The unit has always maintained its identity as a university-based entity, but it has also learned to function and compete in the commercial sector where strict adherence is required to the protocol, budget, and timeline; and to FDA regulations, including CFR Regulations, Good Clinical Practice, ICH Guidelines, and internal Standard Operating Policies (SOPs).

The advantage of being an academic CRO is that the VCU Medical Center provides special patient populations (e.g., renal or hepatic impaired, HIV-positive patients) and diagnostic procedures (x-ray, scintigraphy, nuclear isotope preparation and detection, NMR, EEG) that have been used in sponsored studies in the CDS.

Center for Drug Studies
Virginia Commonwealth University - School of Pharmacy
410 North 12^th Street - 5^th Floor, Room 548
P.O.Box 980533
Richmond VA 23298-0533
804-828-7421