EXHIBIT 5.1
WYRICK ROBBINS YATES & PONTON LLP
Attorneys at Law
The Summit
4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300
Raleigh, North Carolina 27607-7506
June 23, 2000
Pharmaceutical Product Development, Inc.
3151 South Seventeenth Street
Wilmington, North Carolina 28412
Re: Registration Statement on Form S-8
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Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-8 to be filed by
Pharmaceutical Product Development, Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the
"Company"), with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about the date
hereof (the "Registration Statement"), in connection with the registration under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of 750,000 shares of the Company's
Common Stock, $.10 par value per share (the "Shares"). We understand that the
Shares are to issued pursuant to the Company's Employee Stock Purchase Plan. In
our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the
authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity
with the original of all documents submitted to us as copies thereof.
As your legal counsel, we have examined the proceedings taken, and are
familiar with the proceedings proposed to be taken, by you in connection with
the sale and issuance of the Shares.
It is our opinion that, upon completion of the proceedings being taken
or contemplated by us, as your securities counsel, to be taken prior to the
issuance of the Shares, including the proceedings being taken in order to permit
such transactions to be carried out in accordance with applicable state
securities laws, the Shares, when issued in the manner referred to in the
Registration Statement and in accordance with the resolutions adopted by the
Board of Directors of the Company, will be legally and validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable.
We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement and further consent to the use of our name wherever appearing in the
Registration Statement, including the Prospectus relating thereto, and any
amendments thereto.
Very truly yours,
/s/ WYRICK ROBBINS YATES & PONTON LLP
