The leaders of the biotechnology industry will once again gather for BIO–Europe, the world´s largest stand–alone partnering conference, in Mannheim/Heidelberg, Germany, November 17–19. With biotech deal–making still the thrill in drug development markets, this year´s BIO–Europe promises to set new standards for generating quality partnering meetings and providing the information required to successfully navigate opportunities in an era of significant biotech industry change. Many of the most respected industry thought leaders and decision makers will come to the Rhein–Neckar biotech super cluster to examine the issues, new business approaches, policy trends that are vital to biotech´s successful long–term future.
A central theme to BIO–Europe 2008 is partnering in a globalizing biotechnology market, featuring interactive workshops led by renowned industry experts on important emerging topics such as understanding the critical issues upon entering the U.S. market and partnering with U.S. companies; deal–making in China; deal–making with Japanese companies; and how to adjust to changes in U.S. patent law.
Other conference highlights include the not–to–be–missed 6th annual "A Day in the Life of Experienced Deal–makers" plenary session. Led by James Watson, Managing Director and Head of Merchant Banking, Burrill & Company and including industry notables such as Andrew Gengos, Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development, Amgen; Mark McDade, Executive Vice President, UCB Pharma; Dr. Simon Moroney, Chief Executive Officer, Morphosys; John Goddard, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Strategic Planning and Business Development, AstraZeneca; Simon Turton, Managing Director, Warburg Pincus; and William Ringo, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Business Development, Pfizer; this highly popular and provocative forum promises to continue its tradition of lively and insightful debate over key issues of strategic deal–making by some of the biggest names in biotech partnering.
One of the more difficult tasks for the biopharmaceutical industry is to explain the value of new drugs to the wide variety of constituencies with which they interact, all of whom have a vested interest in minimizing the value of new drugs to the system. Successfully demonstrating value is critical if the industry is to obtain adequate reimbursement for its products, yet the environment in which the industry operates continues to put up more hurdles. In "Demonstrating the Value of New Drugs", Dr. Karen Bernstein, Chairman and Editor in Chief, BioCentury Publications will lead a panel exploring how companies can best navigate emerging challenges such as a FDA that increasingly emphasizes safety in response to political pressures; a growing emphasis on comparative efficacy and comparative effectiveness; and the possibility of a new U.S. president less friendly to the industry.
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, in partnership with European Biopharmaceutical Enterprises.
About EBD Group
EBD Group 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 are run in collaboration with leading industry players and international trade associations. They include BIO–Europe, the world´s largest stand–alone life science partnering conference (organized with the support of the Biotechnology Industry Organization, BIO); BIO–Europe Spring®; BioPharm America TM (EBD´s new North American partnering event); BioEquity Europe (co–organized with BioCentury Publications and BIO); and EuroMed Tech, the partnering event for the advanced medical technology industry.
EBD´s novel, Web–based, partnering service partneringONE TM 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 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.
