Bio Screening Industry News

Conference partnering system already features an astounding 1600-plus licensing opportunities

Carlsbad, CA and Washington D.C., Oct. 22, 2007 – EBD Group and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) today announced the addition of more compelling highlights to the conference program.

BIO-Europe 2007 stands to be the most important and exciting stand-alone life sciences partnering event of the year.  With four weeks to go until the start of the conference, attending biotech companies have already listed over 1,600 partnering projects in the BIO-Europe conference partnering system.

The new content highlights include:

•     Global Drug Pricing – A Way Out of The Dilemma?

Moderated by Dr. Karen Bernstein, Chairman & Editor in Chief, BioCentury Publications Inc., this panel will feature speakers Dr. Christopher Earl, President and CEO, BIO Ventures for Global Health, Dr. Erik Tambuyzer, SVP, Corporate Affairs Europe & International, Genzyme, Boris Simkovich, President, Light Management Consulting, Wayne Critchley, Partner, Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP and David Sykes, Principal, PRMA Consulting. These business leaders will explore how the industry and individual companies should approach global drug pricing and figure out ways to maintain the profits necessary to spur R&D while being fair and equitable in the eyes of poor and middle income countries.

•     Beyond Antibodies: Building on Protein Scaffolds

Antibodies represent a turning point in the biopharmaceutical dream of finding the perfect drug: an effective disease treatment with minor side effects and a patient friendly administration. Several biotechnology companies are now working on the next generation of potential medicines based on alternative protein scaffolds such as derivatives of natural proteins or engineered proteins and are progressing in clinical trials. The pharma industry has now recognized the potential for these novel scaffolds, as illustrated by recent acquisitions and high value deals.  Led by Mike Ward, Senior Editor, BioCentury Publications Inc., this panel will include Dr. Edwin Moses, CEO, Ablynx NV, Evert J.J. Kueppers, CEO, Pieris AG, Dr. Olivier Litzka, Partner Life Sciences, Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners, Dr. Christian Zahnd, CEO, Molecular Partners AG.  They will explore opportunities and difficulties in implementing next generation antibody technologies towards fostering a better understanding of the benefits of these new techniques and how to capitalize on this emerging trend.

•     An Experts’ View on the State of the Industry

A distinguished panel of industry leaders will discuss the state of the biotech industry in the face of the state of the general healthcare industry.  Dr. Ken Noonan, Senior Partner, LEK Consulting will moderate a panel featuring Dr. Hubert Birner, General Partner, TVM Capital GmbH, Ian Nicholson, CEO, Chroma Therapeutics Ltd, James C. Greenwood, President & CEO, BIO, Dr. Siegfried Bialojan, Industry Leader Health Sciences, E&Y Germany.  These leaders will look at past successes and failures and will give some perspectives on current market challenges, as they affect the biotech industry.  Topics will include the R&D productivity gap and the role of partnering in addressing that gap, the missing IPO window for biotechs with a focus on AIM and its changing dynamic, reimbursement for novel pharmaceuticals/biopharmaceuticals, and, emerging technology/business model trends among biotech companies, “biosimilars” in the EU and U.S. and surrogate markers.

•     Innovative Partnerships for Global Health Product Development

Moderated by Dr. Christopher D. Earl, President and CEO, BIO Ventures for Global Health, this session will discuss the formation of new industry partnerships to increase discovery research for neglected diseases. Despite increased partnering and industry collaborations, the real question remains: How should incentives be used as a vehicle to benefit global health?  From generating motivation for industry investment in R&D to addressing concerns of IP and access, there are many complex issues impeding the progress from A to B.  This session will highlight some of these pioneering partnerships as well as stress the difficult questions that need answers so that millions of lives can be saved.  Session panellist will feature Jörn Aldag, President and CEO, Evotec, Dr. Ted Bianco, Director, Technology Transfer, The Wellcome Trust, Dr. Chris Hentschel, CEO, Medicins for Malaria Venture, Kate Bingham, Managing Partner, SV Life Sciences.

•     David vs. Goliath - How Can Mid-Size Pharma Compete in an Environment Dominated by Big Pharma?

As mega-mergers have made Big Pharma bigger, the mid-size pharmaceutical company faces bigger than ever challenges in differentiating and justifying itself, not to mention competing for new products. With comparatively paltry R&D budgets, are these companies too reliant on corporate alliances? A panel featuring Dr. Don Lucas, Associate Director, Licensing & Alliances, Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, Gunther Winkler, VP, Strategic Initiatives, Biogen Idec and Mr. Yoshio Tanabe, Operating Officer and Director, Corporate Planning, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., will and answer this question by exploring how selected mid-size companies can address these issues, and why certain biotech companies might find them appealing as partner candidates. The lifeblood of this industry is innovation, and with both internal and external access squeezed, it is critical that alternative ways our found for mid-size companies to survive and thrive.

•     Pharma’s Franchise View on Novel Medicines for CNS Disease

Disease franchise planning for CNS disorders requires a balance of innovation and reduction of risk associated with developing diagnostics and therapies for the complex pathophysiology of CNS disease. This session will discuss new target validation technologies, such as RNAi, that are demonstrating value and are being incorporated into discovery operations and how it may possible to leverage market pressures for novel medicines to bring the R&D and commercial leadership into new alignment, generating stronger support for innovative therapeutic and diagnostic approaches on multi-factorial CNS disease. Led by Gardiner Smith, Partner, SHI Link, this session will feature Dr. Sarah Holland, Director Global Business Development, Hoffmann-La Roche, Dr. Patrick Burke, Director Business Development, Myriad Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Christine de los Reyes, Founder and Managing Director, Biotech Partnering Solutions, and Dr. David Nicholson, Executive VP Research & Development, Organon International.

A complete list of workshops, panels and abstracts can be accessed at:

http://www.ebdgroup.com/bioeurope/program.htm

Notes to Editors:

Entry to BIO-Europe 2007 is free to the media, including full access to the partnering system, sessions, press conferences, workshops, and pre-arranged partnering meetings. . Visit the BIO-Europe conference website at http://www.ebdgroup.com/bioeurope/press_reg.htm for detailed information on this year’s conference and online registration. When you register online, please indicate in the comment field that you are requesting a complimentary press registration. Please fax a copy of your press pass to complete your complimentary media registration to fax number +49 (89) 23 88 756 55.

About BIO-Europe 2007

BIO-Europe 2007 is the preeminent stand-alone partnering event for the biotechnology industry. Delegates from all parts of the biotechnology value-chain come to BIO-Europe to efficiently identify, engage and enter into the strategic relationships that drive their business successfully forward. It is anticipated that this year’s BIO-Europe partnering event will draw 2,200 industry attendees from over 40 countries, representing more than 1,100 companies for three days of high-level networking. BIO-Europe features the industry’s most advanced Web-based partnering system that delegates will use to generate in excess of 8,000 partnering meetings. BIO-Europe features an exceptional international exhibition where companies, organizations and biotech regions can showcase their offerings. Additional networking opportunities will abound at evening and special events. BIO-Europe is co-developed by EBD Group and the Biotechnology Industry Organization, in partnership with European Biopharmaceutical Enterprises.

About EBD Group

EBD Group International, LLC is the leading partnering firm for the global biotechnology industry. Since 1993, firms in the life sciences have leveraged EBD Group’s partnering conferences, technology and services to identify business opportunities and develop strategic relationships that drive their business. EBD Group’s conferences (run in collaboration with leading industry partners and international trade associations such as the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)  include BIO-Europe (co-organized with BIO), the preeminent stand-alone or ex-U.S. partnering conference for the biotechnology industry; BIO-Europe Spring; the investor conference, BioEquity Europe (co-organized with BioCentury Publications and BIO); and the convergent medical technology partnering conference, BioDevice Partnering. EBD’s novel, web-based, partnering software system is also used at numerous third-party events around the world. Outside of the conference format, EBD Group’s consultants can provide hands-on assistance for firms seeking to in- or out-license products and technologies. EBD Group has offices in San Diego, Munich and London. For more information, visit www.ebdgroup.com

About BIO

BIO represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and 31 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the annual BIO International Convention, the global event for biotechnology. www.bio.org.