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Empresas y finanzas

2007 BIO International Convention Surpasses Records and Brings the World to Boston


    The 2007 BIO International Convention, produced by the
    Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), drew a record 22,366
    attendees, a nearly 15 percent increase from the previous year, with
    representatives from 48 states and one-third of attendees from outside
    the United States.

    "The 2007 BIO International Convention was a phenomenal success.
    With nearly 30 percent of our attendees coming from outside of the
    United States and pavilions from 39 countries or geographic regions,
    it truly was the global event for biotechnology," said BIO President
    and CEO Jim Greenwood. "I want to thank Governor Deval Patrick of
    Massachusetts and Mayor Thomas Menino of Boston, among many others,
    for welcoming the event to Boston and providing an ideal backdrop as
    one of the leading global biotech hubs."

    Event highlights included keynote addresses from Michael J. Fox,
    founder of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, and
    Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan. Fox, who appeared before a packed
    room, urged the biotechnology industry to continue to innovate and
    accelerate the translation of basic science into improved therapies
    for patients. Queen Noor discussed the opportunities presented by
    biotechnology to address global health and poverty issues.

    Today's final keynote session was entitled, "A Hopeful Future:
    Gaining the Edge with Biotechnology." Greenwood moderated a panel
    featuring Robert S. Langer of the Massachusetts Institute of
    Technology (MIT), Craig C. Mello, Ph.D., of the University of
    Massachusetts Medical School, author Virginia Postrel and Dr. Phillip
    A. Sharp of MIT. The panelists discussed their visions of the
    biotechnology industry over the next 10 to 20 years, agreeing that
    within that time drug discovery will become faster and less expensive
    than it is today. Clinical testing prior to commercialization,
    however, likely will remain expensive.

    Sharp advised that the United States has no monopoly on biotech.
    "There is science in Europe, Asia and elsewhere. I see us as having
    increasing competition ... biotech is something we have to keep
    competing at," he said.

    Mello and Postrel agreed that the cost of not treating disease has
    to be examined, perhaps as closely as the costs of treatment are
    examined today. Drug development costs, they said, should be viewed
    relative to the economic benefit of a healthy society.

    The full Convention program included four full days with more than
    200 breakout sessions covering 20 educational tracks on the most
    pressing issues in biotechnology including global health, biofuels,
    stem cell research, vaccines, investment strategies, white
    biotechnology and dozens more.

    In addition, many dignitaries and public officials attended the
    Convention, including Senator Pat Roberts (KS), Gov. Deval Patrick
    (MA), Gov. Anibal Acevedo-Vila (PR), Gov. Matt Blunt (MO), Gov. Jim
    Doyle (WI), Gov. Ernie Fletcher (KY), Gov. Mitch Daniels (IN), and
    Gov. Donald Carcieri (RI). International dignitaries included The Hon.
    Dato' Sri Mahd Najib Tun Abdul Razak, the Deputy Prime Minister of
    Malaysia, among many others.

    The BIO Exhibition featured the largest gathering of biotech
    exhibitors in history, with more than 1,900 companies and 60 domestic,
    country and regional pavilions representing every aspect of the
    biotechnology industry.

    The BIO Business Forum also set records for attendance and
    partnering meetings. More than 6,000 attendees representing 1,503
    companies participated in the Forum and held 12,103 partnering
    meetings.

    The 2007 BIO International Convention is the world's largest event
    for the biotechnology industry. The Convention ran Sunday, May 6
    through Wednesday, May 9 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition
    Center in Boston, Mass.

    The 2008 BIO International Convention will be held June 17-20 at
    the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, Calif. The day pattern
    will change to Tuesday - Friday.

    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.

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    Upcoming BIO Events

    -- BIO VentureForum-East 2007
    June 18-20, 2007
    Montreal, Canada

    -- BIO Mid-America VentureForum 2007
    Sept. 24-26, 2007
    Milwaukee, WI
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