Speakers to Address Government Policy and the Biotechnology Industry at BIO CEO & Investor Conference in February

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 19, 2005) -- Key regulatory and legislative issues will be the topic at the opening plenary session of the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s (BIO) seventh annual CEO & Investor Conference in New York on February 23 and 24, 2005.

Scott Morrison, Life Sciences Partner at Ernst & Young LLP, will moderate. The panelists, all members of BIO’s Board of Directors, include:

·              John C. Martin, PhD; President & CEO, Gilead Sciences, Inc.

·              Stephen Sherwin, MD; Chairman & CEO, Cell Genesys, Inc.

·              James C. Mullen; President & CEO, Biogen Idec, Inc.

·              Simon Best; Chairman, Ardana Bioscience Ltd.

·              Susan Desmond-Hellman, MD, MPH; President, Product Development, Genentech, Inc.

·              Michael J. Werner, Esquire, Chief of Policy at BIO, will also participate as a panelist.

The session, entitled Government Policy and the Biotechnology Industry: BIO Discusses the Key Issues and BIO’s Positions, will focus on drug safety, reimbursement, follow-on biologics, drug importation and the reform of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. It is scheduled for Wednesday, February 23, from 7:45 – 9:25 a.m.

This year’s conference will feature focused discussions and corporate presentations by over 200 companies from the U.S., Europe and Canada.  The focused panel discussions will feature clinical, financial and regulatory experts who will present their views on the most promising developments in medical biotechnology for diseases and medical conditions such as hepatitis, lupus, cancer, HIV, diabetes and eye disorders.  These industry experts will also brief participants on hot button business issues facing the industry including drug development, commercialization strategies, value creation and emerging regulations from the Food and Drug Administration as well the Securities and Exchange Commission.  In addition, the conference will feature arranged one-on-one meetings between investors and corporate management.

Sponsors are Arent Fox; AstraZeneca; Banc of America Securities; Biogen Idec Inc.; Biotech Buildings; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; Brown Raysman Millstein Felder & Steiner LLP; Cooley Godward LLP; Davis Wright Tremaine LLP; Ernst & Young LLP; Ferghana Partners; Ferskos LLC; Fortis Bank; Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co. Inc.; Gilead Sciences Inc.; Goldman Sachs & Co.; Goodwin Procter LLP; Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP; Hogan & Hartson LLP; HSBC; Johnson & Johnson; Kenyon & Kenyon LLP; Knight Trading; Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP; Latham & Watkins LLP; Lazard; Merck & Co., Inc.; Novo Nordisk; Pacific Capital Group; Pfizer Inc.; PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; Rodman & Renshaw Inc.; Stanford Group; Thompson-Venture Economics; UK Trade & Investment; and VWR International.

BIO represents more than 1,000 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations in all 50 U.S. states and 33 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of health-care, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.

For more information about BIO CEO & Investor Conference 2005 or to register on-line, please visit www.bio.org

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