Carlsbad, CA and Washington D.C., — October 14, 2008: Only a month remains
before BIO-Europe 2008, the world’s largest stand-alone partnering
conference, takes place in Mannheim/Heidelberg, Germany, November 17-19. In
response to the continuous growth and popularity of this well established
biotechnology partnering event, EBD Group is announcing additional
conference program highlights to offer even greater insight into a variety
of important industry topics.

If you wish to learn more about any of the sessions below, please visit the
BIO-Europe 2008 Program

Maximizing Your Deal – The Business Case for Translational Medicine in
Oncology:

Led by John Freshley, Compendia Bioscience, and featuring Dr. Ganesh Iyer,
MDS Pharma; Aron Knickerbocker, Genentech; and Dr. Linda Pullan, Pullan
Consulting; this session will explore the current and future state of
translational medicine in oncology and dealmaking.

Biotech-CMO Partnerships – Ways to Create Value:

Klaus Binder, Binder Associates and Marcel Lubben, DSM Biologics; will
confront the challenges in finding the right technologies and partners to
develop and manufacture biopharmaceuticals. In addition, the panel will shed
light on how biotech/pharma companies can identify partners and technologies
to optimize resources and accelerate timelines.

Critical Issues to Consider when Entering the U.S. Market and Partnering
with U.S. Companies:

Moderator Ray Briscuso, AdvaMed 2009 and panelists Dr. Steve Bryant, Genmab;
Joe Dillon, The Mattson Jack Group; Christopher Yochim, AstraZeneca; and
Jorn Mueller, NovoNordisk. This workshop will examine how to get timely U.S.
Food and Drug Administration approval, position products for the best
reimbursement and negotiate with governments, among other critical issues.

Dealmaking in China:

This session explores the rapidly growing life science and healthcare
industry in China. Led by Dr. Ruediger Herrmann, Mayer Brown; this workshop
will feature China experts Simon Bury, ChemPartner; Dr. Darren Ji,
PharmaLegacy Laboratories; Dr. Sofie Qiao, LEAD Therapeutics; and Dr. Jimmy
Wei, Hutchinson MediPharma; in a discussion on what Western companies
entering the Chinese market need to take into account, specifically in
relation to IP issues, business development, potential collaborations and
market conditions.

Dealmaking with Japanese Companies:

Japan is in a critical situation with sales figures of several major
products about to drop dramatically. Such circumstances have made it crucial
for Japanese pharmaceutical companies to seek licensing and M&A
opportunities outside of Japan. Dr. Richard Hammel, International Business
Consultants, will lead an expert panel on what to expect when partnering
with Japanese companies.

U.S. Patent Law in Flux – Can Dealmakers Adjust?:

Patents are key assets of biotech start-ups seeking partnering deals and
their sustainable strength determines the value of a deal for both sides.
Moderated by Sven Riethmueller, Foley & Lardner; and featuring Dr. Rouget
Henschel, Foley & Lardner; and Stephen S. Yoder, MorphoSys; this panel will
focus on potential strategies for navigating converging IP issues in the
context of dealmaking in the global life science industry.

Re-invention of the Drug Industry – Case Studies and the Implications for
Future Dealmaking:

Moderator Julie Teigland, Ernst & Young; is joined by Dr. Karsten Henco,
Neurimmune; Dr. Edwin Moses, Ablynx; Dr. Holger Reithinger, Global Life
Science Ventures; and Dr. Klaus Wilgenbus, Boehringer Ingelheim; to examine
which deals and business models help successful biopharmaceutical companies
evolve into successful future dealmakers.

The Early Stage Company – Preparing for Success:

This session will provide insight into developing a sound business and legal
strategy to make a company attractive for future deals and investment.
Moderator Diane Romza-Kutz, Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg; and panelists Steve
Damon, Altea Therapeutics; Tim Edwards, Cellzome; and Dr. Peter Johann, NGN
Capital; will discuss how companies can design, implement and fund growth
strategies.

Early Stage Dealmaking – How to Build Value Instead of Giving it Away:

In the current financial environment it is even more tempting for biotechs
to strike deals early. Dr. Neill Moray Mackenzie, Roji; Guido Lanza,
Numerate; and Dr. Sarah Holland, Roche; will participate in an expert panel
confronting the pros and cons of the different strategic imperatives for
biotech and pharma in striking a deal.

What Buyers Want – Understanding What Big Pharma Expects to See in
Out-Licensing Documents:

Moderated by Ben Bonifant, Campbell Alliance; and featuring Lubor Gaal,
Bristol-Myers Squibb; Gwen Melincoff, Shire Pharmaceuticals; and Dr. Corinne
Savill, Novartis Pharma; this session provides a comprehensive cost/benefit
analysis of how to gather and deliver information that is essential to a
compelling out-licensing document.

Biomarkers – Leading the Way for Personalized Medicine and Drug Development:

The commercialization of biomarkers still faces challenges on several fronts
including regulatory framework, IP ownership, value sharing and business
models. Moderated by Dr. Albine Martin, Compugen; this session will examine
the growth and integration of biomarkers into the discovery and delivery of
new medicines.

Transformative Trends in Oncology:

The complex pathogenesis of cancer and the limitations associated with and
posed by current cancer management have led to the development of various
novel approaches such as targeted immunotherapy, angiogenesis inhibitors,
signal transduction inhibitors, novel cytotoxics, and gene therapy.
Moderated by Gardiner Smith, SHI Link; and joined by Dr. William Levine,
Izun Pharmaceuticals; and Dr. Melinda Shockley, Medarex; this session will
discuss advances in supportive care therapy and novel therapeutic approaches
to cancer, and will aim to generate a stronger support for innovative
therapeutic approaches to cancer.

Notes to Editors:

Entry to BIO-Europe 2008 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 Web site at
http://www.ebdgroup.com/bioeurope 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

BIO-Europe 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. The annual BIO-Europe partnering event draws over 2,200 industry
attendees from almost 50 countries, representing more than 1,250 companies,
for three days of high-level networking. BIO-Europe is organized by EBD
Group with the support of the Biotechnology Industry Organization and
European Biopharmaceutical Enterprises.

About EBD Group

EBD Group is the leading partnering firm for the global life science
industry. Since 1993, biotech, pharma and medical device companies have
leveraged EBD Group’s partnering conferences, technology and services to
identify business opportunities and develop strategic relationships
essential to their success.

EBD Group’s conferences are run with the support of leading corporations and
international trade associations and include:

.     BIO-Europe and BIO-Europe Spring(R), the world’s largest stand-alone
life science partnering conferences, supported by the Biotechnology Industry
Organization (BIO)

.     BioPharm America(TM), EBD Group’s North American partnering event

.     EuroMedtech(TM), EBD Group’s new partnering event for the innovative
medical technology industry

.     BioEquity Europe, the investor conference co-organized with BioCentury
Publications and BIO

EBD Group’s sophisticated Web-based partnering service, partneringONE(TM),
is used as the partnering engine at numerous third-party events around the
world. Outside of the conference format, EBD Group’s consultants provide
hands-on assistance for firms seeking to in- or out-license products and
technologies.

EBD Group has offices in the USA and Europe.

For more information please visit www.ebdgroup.com

About BIO

BIO represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies, academic
institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across
the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are
involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare,
agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also
produces the BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of
the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and
partnering meetings held around the world.