Opening of EuroBiO 2006 International Congress of Biotechnologies

EuroBiO 2006 (www.eurobio2006.com) opens today, Wednesday October
25th, for three days - Wednesday 25th, Thursday 26th and Friday 27th
October, at the "Palais des Congres" conference center in Paris.

EuroBiO, international platform of the biotechnology world, is the
place where the trends and news in the bio-industry are presented and
discussed with a primary focus on European problems.

Each of the three days will deal with a specific theme via a rich
programme of conferences, symposia, round tables and plenary sessions:
Innovation day on Wednesday, Finance day on Thursday, Global Issues
day on Friday.

International experts from the fields of science, industry and
finance who will expose, debate and contribute to highlighting the
advances, needs, trends and impacts of biotechnologies in its four
main fields of use: industry, health, environment and food sectors.
They will also help us to better understand the new fields of use for
biotechnologies and the issues associated with them.

EuroBiO 2006, under the title of: Europe of Clusters - or centres
of excellence - is organised around four axes: a conference with
plenary sessions, round tables and symposia with almost 200
international contributors; a business convention that facilitates
meetings and networking amongst 500 companies; an exhibition bringing
together international centres of excellence, companies and
consultancies that are leaders in their sector; and a career fair to
make it easier for companies and jobseekers to make contact with each
other.

EuroBiO 2006 is a superb occasion to learn, meet and debate with
experts and journalists on research and innovation, finance and
industries in the field of biotechnology. What are the new energy
sources available today? How will biotechnologies help in better
protecting our environment? What are green chemistry, biomaterials,
new medicines, bio-ethics, stem cells, Jeune Entreprise Innovante
(young innovating company), sources of finance for companies,
available grants, centres of excellence? Just some of the questions
for which you can find answers at EuroBiO 2006.

EuroBiO 2006 will highlight the biotech industry's key sectors &
issues by bringing together:

-- More than 4,000 professionals from the biotechnology industry.

-- 200 international speakers

-- 500 leading companies & service providers

-- National and international bioclusters

-- Federations and industry bodies

-- Multinationals

-- International delegations from 16 countries

-- Research organizations from around the world

-- Patient associations

About EuroBiO

In 2006, the European Biotech Crossroads will take place in Paris
for its 10th anniversary and will adopt the name "EuroBiO".

EuroBiO is an international event, with a prime focus on European
issues and dedicated to biotech's four major fields of application -
industry, health, environment and food sectors.

Founded in 1997 on the initiative of the French Ministry of
Research, the European Biotech Crossroads has succeeded in bringing
together all the biotechnology actors: life science companies,
start-up projects, students, researchers, private & public-sector
research organizations, industry bodies, investors, consulting firms,
multinationals from the biotech, pharmaceutical, diagnostics, agrifood
& environmental sectors, local authorities, clusters, bioparks,
bioincubators, public authorities and regulatory bodies.

Organization of the European Biotech Crossroads was attributed to
(i) the city of Lille and the Eurasante cluster for the 2005 edition
and the odd-numbered years to come and (ii) Paris, its Regional
Economic Development Agency for Paris Ile-de-France (ARD) and their
partners for the even-numbered years from 2006 on.

For more detailed information, visit the EuroBiO 2006 web site at:
www.eurobio2006.com