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 Jorn 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.
