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Senator Richard Burr Named BIO Legislator of the Year

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 14, 2006) -- The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) has named Senator Richard Burr (R, NC) as a “Legislator of the Year” for 2005-2006.

“As Chairman of the HELP Subcommittee on Bioterrorism and Public Health preparedness, Senator Burr led the Senate effort to protect our nation against the threat of bioterrorism and pandemic influenza,” BIO President and CEO Jim Greenwood stated.  Referring to Burr’s role in last year’s passage of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, Greenwood continued, “as a result of Sen. Burr’s tireless work on these important issues, many biotechnology companies are now able to aggressively focus their next-generation technology and cutting edge R&D on preparing for, and responding to, very serious threats to America’s public health security.  Our nation is, and will continue to be, safer and healthier because of Sen. Burr’s leadership.”

“Senator Burr had a long track record of able representation of life science research on behalf of North Carolinians during his 10-year tenure in the House of Representatives.  In the Senate, he has moved quickly and energetically to exert leadership in the Senate on biodefense and health care issues broadly,” stated Peter F. Young, President and CEO of AlphaVax, headquartered in Research Triangle Park, NC, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the NC Biosciences Organization (NCBIO).  “He works thoughtfully and tirelessly to ensure that new lifesaving medical products will be available to protect us from the future threat of bioterrorism or a pandemic, as well as to improve our nation’s health care system.”

“Senator Burr has demonstrated his ability to represent the great state of North Carolina and his effectiveness as a leader on health care issues,” David Stout, President of Pharmaceutical Operations at GlaxoSmithKline and BIO Board member, stated. “Beginning with the crucial role he played in creating and passing the Food and Drug Modernization Act of 1997 to his more recent work on Bioshield legislation and other health care matters before the Senate, Senator Burr has played a pivotal role in ensuring that the U.S., and North Carolina specifically, continue developing and providing state-of-the-art health care.”

Senator Burr will receive the BIO Legislator of the Year award tonight at the Willard Hotel prior to addressing more than 200 biotechnology industry representatives from 35 states, including North Carolina, participating in BIO’s Legislative Day.  Participants will meet with federal legislators in nearly 300 meetings to discuss issues critical to the biotechnology industry, including patent rights, the risk of drug importation, the Small Business Innovation Research program, and science-based standards for adventitious presence.

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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