<PAGE>

                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.9

                            ERESEARCHTECHNOLOGY, INC.

                                 2005 BONUS PLAN

         Set forth below is a summary of the 2005 Bonus Plan approved by the
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors on February 8, 2005, to be
effective for fiscal 2005.

         The purpose of the plan is to promote the interests of the Company and
its stockholders by providing employees with financial rewards upon achievement
of specified business objectives, and to help the Company attract and retain
employees by providing attractive compensation opportunities linked to
performance results. All of the Company's employees are eligible to participate
in the plan, subject in some cases to certain waiting periods and with the
exception that certain sales personnel who participate in a separate commission
incentive plan do not participate in the plan.

         In general, awards will be based upon the extent to which a specified
combination of the following performance targets are achieved:

         o  Revenues;
         o  Net Income;
         o  Signing Targets (revenues contemplated by contracts signed during
            the relevant period with customers other than two defined customers,
            regardless of when such revenues are actually recognized);
         o  TPI Targets (revenues contemplated by contracts for Thorough Phase
            I programs signed during the relevant period with customers other
            than one defined customer, regardless of when such revenues are
            actually recognized); and
         o  Departmental or individual performance goals.

For some participants, these targets are further limited to results from the
Company's international operations. The Compensation Committee establishes the
performance targets for the Company's executive officers (which do not include
any departmental or individual performance goals), while departmental
supervisors establish the performance targets for other participants in their
respective departments.

         Each participant in the plan has a targeted bonus opportunity, and a
specified percentage of that opportunity relates to the extent to which each
performance target applicable to the participant is achieved. For each
performance target other than departmental or individual performance goals, the
plan sets forth specific levels at which 50%, 65%, 75%, 100%, 125% and 150% of
the target is achieved. A participant receives that specified percentage of the
portion of the bonus opportunity applicable to the target to the extent a
particular benchmark is achieved. Where the extent to which a target is achieved
falls between the specified percentage targets, the participant receives a pro
rated portion of the bonus opportunity. As a result of the foregoing, the
maximum bonus payable to a participant under the plan is 150% of the
participant's bonus opportunity. For departmental and individual performance
goals, the participant's departmental supervisor determines the extent to which
the goals have been achieved and any related bonus has been earned.



<PAGE>

         The bonus opportunities and the related performance targets for each of
the Companies' executive officers are as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                               PERCENTAGE OF BONUS BASED ON:
                                                                        --------------------------------------------

                                                          BONUS                       NET       SIGNING      TIP
NAME                        POSITION                   OPPORTUNITY      REVENUES     INCOME     TARGETS     TARGETS
------------------          ---------------------      -----------      --------     -------    -------     -------
<S>                         <C>                        <C>              <C>          <C>        <C>         <C>
Joseph A. Esposito          President, Chief             263,000           50%         50%           -           -
                            Executive Officer and
                            Director

Joel Morganroth, MD(1)      Chairman of the Board        111,000           50          50            -           -
                            of Directors and Chief
                            Scientist

Robert S. Brown             Senior Vice President,       129,000           10          10           40          40
                            Outsourcing
                            Partnerships

Thomas P. Devine            Senior Vice President         98,000           50          50            -           -
                            and Chief Development
                            Officer

Amy Furlong                 Senior Vice President,        75,000           50          50            -           -
                            Regulatory Compliance

Scott Grisanti              Senior Vice President,       135,000           10          10           80           -
                            Business Development
                            and Chief Marketing
                            Officer

Bruce Johnson               Senior Vice President        115,000           50          50            -           -
                            and Chief Financial
                            Officer

Jeffrey S. Litwin, MD       Senior Vice President        115,000           50          50            -           -
                            and Chief Medical
                            Officer

Anna Marie Pagliaccetti,    Senior Vice President,        75,000           50          50            -           -
Esquire                     General Counsel and
                            Secretary
</TABLE>





                                        2
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                               PERCENTAGE OF BONUS BASED ON:
                                                                        --------------------------------------------

                                                          BONUS                       NET       SIGNING      TIP
NAME                        POSITION                   OPPORTUNITY      REVENUES     INCOME     TARGETS     TARGETS
------------------          ---------------------      -----------      --------     -------    -------     -------
<S>                         <C>                        <C>              <C>          <C>        <C>         <C>
Vincent Renz                Senior Vice President,       115,000           50          50            -           -
                            Client Services and
                            Chief Technology
                            Officer

George Tiger(2)             Senior Vice President,       105,000           12.5        12.5         12.5(3)     12.5(3)
                            International
                            Operations
</TABLE>


----------

(1)  Dr. Morganroth's bonus, if any, is earned by and paid to his professional
     corporation pursuant to the management consulting agreement between Joel
     Morganroth M.D., P.C. and the Company.
(2)  Mr. Tiger's performance targets also include international revenues (25%)
     and international operating income (25%).
(3)  Applies only to international signing targets and international TIP
     targets.

         Except for Messrs. Esposito and Johnson and Dr. Morganroth, bonuses are
payable based on the extent to which the quarterly performance targets are
achieved, with the bonuses, if any, normally being paid within 45 days after the
end of the fiscal quarter in which they were earned. Any bonuses payable to
Messrs. Esposito and Johnson and Dr. Morganroth are based on the extent to which
annual performance targets are achieved, with the bonuses, if any, normally
being paid within 45 days after the end of the fiscal year in which they were
earned.

         If a contract is cancelled, completed or otherwise terminated without
the Company recognizing the revenues contemplated by a Signing Target or TPI
Target based on which a bonus has been paid, then any portion of the bonus that
would not have been paid had such unrecognized revenues not been included in the
Signing Target or TPI Target, as applicable, will be deducted from any future
bonus payable under the Plan or any future bonus plan and may, in the
alternative, be deducted from other future compensation payable to the affected
participant.

         Notwithstanding the performance targets and bonus opportunities
specified in the plan, the Compensation Committee retains the discretion to
adjust the amount of any bonus to be paid under the plan.






                                        3