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Biotech Research Breakthroughs, Collaborations, and Economic Incentives to Be Announced at BIO 2005

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 13, 2005) – A number of state and international economic development agencies and private companies will make announcements to the press at a special venue during the BIO 2005 Annual International Convention, June 19-22 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. The press conferences will spotlight scientific advancements, new research agreements, and biotech business opportunities around the world. The schedule of press conferences, listed in chronological order, includes the following:

·              Government of India – Recent Policy Developments Will Make India a Hotbed for Biotech
Kapil Sibal, Indian Minister for Science & Technology, Amar Singh, Member of Parliament, and others will outline why India is fast emerging as a significant biotechnology hotbed in the Asia–Pacific region.
Sunday, June 19 at 10:00 am, Room 203B
Contact: Kapil Sibal, 24 64 1074

·              Queensland, Australia -- Biotechnology Breakthroughs
The Honourable Peter Beattie, MP, Premier of Queensland, will announce breakthroughs in research and development within Queensland’s biotechnology industry. His announcement will highlight R&D funding commitments, new industry partnerships, new research collaborations, and significant policy decisions, such as the Biodiscovery Bill.
Monday, June 20 at 9:00 am, Room 203B
Contact: Tina Radburn, (213) 346-0090, tina.radburn@premiers.qld.gov.au

·              BioAdvance -- Greater Philadelphia Life Sciences Study Findings
BioAdvance will announce findings of a first-ever look at the Greater Philadelphia area’s competitive position within the life sciences industry. BioAdvance will release a June 2005 Milken Institute study, titled “The Greater Philadelphia Life Sciences Cluster: An Economic and Competitive Assessment.”
Monday, June 20 at 10:00 am, Room 203B
Contact: Ellen Semple, (215) 966-6207, esemple@bioadvance.com

·              Victoria, Australia -- New Biomedical Announcements, Plus Latest Results in the Kangaroo Genomics Project
Victoria Government Premier Steve Bracks, Treasurer John Brumby and Minister for Health Bronwyn Pike will deliver major biomedical announcements and the latest results in kangaroo genomics research projects. Victoria is partnering with the US NIH on sequencing the kangaroo genome.
Monday, June 20 at 10:00 am, Room 204A
Contact: Trish Vardon, +61 (0)3 9651 9236, trish.vardon@iird.vic.gov.au

·              British Columbia -- Hot Opportunities in North America
British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell will announce economic development incentives for the biotechnology industry in Canada.
Monday, June 20 at 11:00 am, Room 203B
Contact: Linda Thorstad, (604) 761-5046, lthorstad@leadingedge.ca

·              Singapore -- The Biopolis of Asia
Singapore is dedicated to enhancing human healthcare as one of the world’s most preeminent life sciences hubs. The Singapore Economic Development Board will emphasize opportunities that currently exist in Singapore as a base for R&D investment and as a strategic location for Biomedical Sciences manufacturing.
Monday, June 20 at 12:00 pm, Room 203B
Contact: Daphne Teo, +65 6235 4495, teod@ruderfinnasia.com

·              Invitrogen -- A New System for Disease Research
Invitrogen will announce new research technologies geared toward specific disease models and pathways. Invitrogen will introduce a system that ties its technologies together to target applications and pathways.
Monday, June 20 at 2:00 pm, Room 203B
Contact: Gregory L. Geissman, (760) 476-7032, gregory.geissman@invitrogen.com

·              Wyeth & Dublin City University -- Collaboration on Advanced Technologies for Protein Expression
Wyeth and Dublin City University have entered into a collaborative research agreement, with funding support from the Science Foundation of Ireland, to investigate gene expression pathways of cultured mammalian cells relevant to their industrial use in biopharmaceutical production. The project will involve the use of genomics and proteomics technologies in the identification of genes expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells that are important in supporting outstanding cell growth and protein productivity in production bioreactor cultures.
Tuesday, June 21 at 11:00 am, Room 203B
Contact: Gerald V. Burr, (484) 865-5138, burrg@wyeth.com

·              Commonwealth of Massachusetts -- Joint Scientific Research Collaborations between Massachusetts and the Ministry Of Education, University, and Research of the Italian Republic
Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney will sign a Memorandum of Understanding designed to further the establishment of bilateral networks and partnerships and to facilitate joint scientific, medical research and biotechnology development projects in Massachusetts and Italy.
Tuesday, June 21 at 1:00 pm, Room 203B
Contact: Amy Speer, (617) 788-3636, Amy.Speer@state.ma.us

·              Biotechnology Industry Organization -- The Value of Biotech Healthcare Therapies
Amit Sachdev, BIO’s Executive Vice President, Health, and Jayson Slotnick, BIO’s Director, Medicare Reimbursement & Economic Policy, will release the results of a study on the value of biotech therapies.
Tuesday, June 21 at 2:00 pm, Room 203B
Contact: Jayson Slotnick, (202) 962-9200, jslotnick@bio.org

·              Montgomery County, Md. – Maryland Welcomes Britain’s Xceleron
Xceleron, the world’s foremost company using the nanotechnology of accelerator mass spectrometry in drug development, will announce its new North American Headquarters, to be located in Montgomery County, Maryland.  Xceleron’s technologies have been proven to speed drug development and reduce attrition rates.
Tuesday, June 21 at 3:00 pm, Room 203B
Contact: Joseph H. Shapiro, (240) 777-2000, joseph.shapiro@montgomerycountymd.gov

·              MDS Pharma Services -- Biomarker Alliance Launch
Dr. Jean W. Lee, Research Fellow, and Fred Pritchard, vice president, Drug Development Programs, of MDS Pharma Services will announce the formation of a biomarker alliance among a coalition of commercial and academic groups.
Wednesday, June 22 at 11:00 am, Room 203B
Contact: John F. Kouten, (908) 281-6099

The complete up-to-date schedule of press conferences can be viewed on BIO’s web site, at http://www.bio.org/events/2005/media/presscon.asp.

Media registration for the BIO 2005 Annual International Convention is complimentary for credentialed members of the news media. Only reporters and editors working full-time for print or broadcast news organizations may register on site with valid, current media credentials (i.e. official picture identification from the employing news organization). Everyone attending the conference must present valid photo identification to gain admittance. Without proper, approved credentials, on site media registration will be denied. Freelance journalists, college publications and Web-based publications may not register on site at the conference. Marketing, public relations executives, analysts, consultants, authors, and researchers may not register as media. BIO reserves the right to limit the number of admission approvals from the same publication or news outlet.

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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