Successful Premiere of BIOTECH CHINA in Shanghai

-- New highlight for the biotech sector in the Asian-Pacific
region

-- Combination of exhibition, innovations forum and congress

-- Event gets off to a great start with good results

-- Organizers and exhibitors extremely satisfied

-- New trade fair provides access to a market with enormous
growth potential

The present growth of the biotech industry is matched by the
growth of BIOTECHNICA. Europe's biggest biotechnology fair has
extended its international portfolio and recently celebrated the
launch of the new overseas fair "BIOTECH CHINA, International Trade
Fair & Congress For Biotechnology", which took place from 4 to 6 July
2007. The premiere of this new highlight for the biotech sector was a
tremendous success. Located in Shanghai, China's most important
business centre, the event will now take place every year.

The new BIOTECH CHINA is the result of cooperation between
existing events in China - BIOTECHNICA ASIA, BIOTECH & PHARM CHINA,
ISCL (International Scientific Instruments, Chemical Reagent and
Laboratory Equipment Expo) - as well as the top-flight scientific
congress BIO-FORUM. The decision of the organizers, Deutsche Messe
Hannover, to collaborate with the World Expo Group Shanghai Modern
International Exhibition Co. Ltd. (SMIE) as well as Shanghai
Technology Convention & Exhibition Co. Ltd. (STCEC) has laid the basis
for access to all areas of the biotech and pharmaceuticals industries.
Thus, right from the start, BIOTECH CHINA has the potential to become
the most important platform for biotechnology on the entire Asian
market.

BIOTECH CHINA confirmed all hopes by producing good results from
the very start. An impressive 134 exhibitors from 17 countries
showcased their products and innovations over the three days of the
fair. The line-up of companies included such prestigious names as
market leaders Millipore, Qiagen, Sartorius, Whatman, Varian,
PerkinElmer, Corning, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Bruker Daltonic and
Sarstedt. Most of the exhibitors came from China, followed by
contingents from the USA and Japan, but companies from as far afield
as Mexico, Germany and Switzerland were also represented.

In terms of visitor attendance the figures were also impressive.
Around 4,853 visitors from 19 countries took part in a program
comprising a combination of a three-day exhibition, an innovations
forum and a two-day congress. It proved an ideal opportunity to gain a
clear overview of individual product areas and new developments. The
venue for the new BIOTECHNICA event is the Shanghai International
Exhibition Center (INTEX), a complex that enjoys a central location.

The exhibitors were extremely satisfied with the new trade show.
Michael D. Rosenbaum, Vice President Marketing, Labnet International,
commented: "Labnet is forecasting significant growth in our China
business in the next 5-10 years. Not only was BIOTECH CHINA an
excellent opportunity to build brand recognition in this very
brand-conscious market, but we also met our distributors from China,
Taiwan, Korea, Japan and - believe it or not - Chile! Shanghai is the
perfect meeting point for conducting business in biotech."

According to Dr. Bruno Pot, Director of Business Development at
Belgian software producer Applied Maths NV: "We experienced, also in
China, that biotechnology software is needed more than ever. We ran
out of brochures and business cards before the end of the fair and we
leave a huge job for our local partner Light Ace HK Ltd. to follow up
all those leads, many of which were of high quality..."

China boasts currently the world's sixth biggest economy and is
the fourth most powerful trading nation. Alongside Japan, China is the
dominant economic force in Asia. It is also the most highly populated
country in the world - with a population of 1.3 billion it has more
inhabitants than the USA and Europe together. At present, life
expectancy for men is 70 and 74 for women. With average income growing
at an historically unprecedented rate of over 10 percent per annum for
more than twenty years, the vast majority of the population now has
access to modern medical care. An extensive health insurance and
pensions system is being developed, while a massive public program to
construct modern research establishments and medical centres of
excellence has been launched. Other areas experiencing strong growth
include the introduction of biotech processes in agriculture and
alternative sources of energy.

The world's biggest single market is not only interesting from a
sales potential - it is also a promising location for research and
production. Shanghai, like many other modern cities in China, boasts
modern biotech industrial parks where research establishments and
international biotech and pharmaceutical companies benefit from a
perfect infrastructure and ideal conditions. This represents a huge
potential for orders for biotech companies.

"Alongside BIOTECHNICA in Hannover, the decision to establish the
event in Shanghai as well was obviously the right step towards the
further successful development of BIOTECHNICA. China provides the
perfect base for gaining access to the entire Asian market. The new
BIOTECH CHINA offers exhibitors an ideal platform for new business
leads on the vibrant Chinese market. The ties to the highly successful
BIOTECHNICA also facilitate the increasing international exchange and
outreach of the biotech community", says Stephan Ph. Kuhne, member of
the Board of Deutsche Messe in Hannover.

Close cooperation with ministries, research institutes and
regional associations has further enhanced the value and appeal of
BIOTECH CHINA. Top representatives from regional government and
industry accepted the invitation to attend the opening ceremony, where
Zhang Ao from the Shanghai People's Municipal Government congratulated
the organizers for their successful efforts to launch BIOTECH CHINA.

Shanghai will host BIOTECH CHINA again next year from 28 to 30 May
2008. The German biotech industry will be present again in 2008 with a
joint display that has the support of the national government's
overseas fairs development program.

Further press releases and photos may be downloaded from
www.biotechnica.de/pressservice