Boulder, CO, April 23, 2002 -- Dr. Brian Curtiss, Chief Technology Officer of Analytical Spectral Devices, Inc. (ASD) has been appointed to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Chemometrics, Statistical Evaluation, and Information Technology Expert Working Group of the Process Analytical Technology (PAT) advisory subcommittee. The purpose of this subcommittee is to address the opportunities and regulatory challenges associated with PAT implementation.

PAT allows pharmaceutical manufacturers to increase efficiency and improve quality control. The use of PAT is not unfamiliar to the pharmaceutical industry, however current FDA regulatory structures make it difficult for companies to apply them easily. The FDA has formed the advisory subcommittee and working groups to help guide it in facilitating implementation of these technologies.

Dr. Curtiss has over 20 years experience in imaging and non-imaging spectroscopic sensor systems. He has applied his knowledge of spectroscopy and optical imaging to a diverse range of analytical issues in the pharmaceutical industry. Most recently, Dr. Curtiss lead the development of ASD's QualitySpec TI, the first validated, on-line near infrared tablet inspection system for blister packaging machines.

Founded in 1990, Analytical Spectral Devices is a manufacturer of portable, laboratory-quality NIR analyzers. ASD's instruments perform well in a range of environmental conditions, in or outside of the laboratory, and have applications in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, analytical chemistry, and food and dairy industries.

For more information, visit www.asdi.com

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