Milestones 2004

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OUTREACH: INTERNATIONAL

The United States still accounts for almost three-fourths of global biotech revenues, but elsewhere the industry is growing faster, as nations target biotechnology as a core economic development engine for the future.

"Anyone who thinks biotechnology is just in San Francisco and Boston hasn't been paying attention," says Caroline Ruggieri, BIO's manager of international relations. "Biotechnology clusters are springing up everywhere, and they're growing fast."

Between 1998 and 2002, biotech revenues soared 845 percent in Europe and 193 percent in Canada, according to Ernst & Young, and countries in the Asia-Pacific region are posting annual biotech growth rates in excess of 25 percent. Already, more than 60 percent of all biotech companies are located outside the United States.

As the largest international biotechnology organization, BIO serves as a nexus for all this activity, linking member companies and associations from 33 nations through conferences and information sharing.

BIO's international programs seek to help individual biotech companies find partners and investors, while promoting the growth of biotechnology worldwide. In 2003, activities included the following:

• Hosting the world's largest biotech partnering event, BIO-Europe, which attracted more than 1,200 participants.
• Expanding outreach into the Asia-Pacific region by participating in the AusBiotech 2003 Australian biotech convention and in the BioBusiness Asia conference in Taiwan.
• Expanding the International Biotechnology Marketplace at the BIO 2003 convention to include marketplace seminars about biotechnology around the world.
• Expanding the international affiliate membership program for national-level biotechnology associations.
• Initiating country spotlight features in the BIO News member newsletter.
• Establishing a Committee on the Americas to foster business ties between the United States and Latin American countries, promote Latin American participation in BIO 2004 and discuss common issues.

BIO's plans to expand these efforts in 2004 include

• Tracking industry developments in key countries.
• Hosting the BIO-Asia Clinical Stage Partnering Conference in Tokyo.
• Conducting a member survey on international business priorities.
• Developing online country profiles with data on biotechnology assets, economic development and major research areas.