BIO Mid-America to Bring Biotech Companies and Investors Together for Partnering and Financing Opportunities</a>

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 23, 2007) – The BIO Mid-America VentureForum will bring together life science investors, CEOs, and business development executives in Milwaukee, Wis. on Sept. 24-26, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee.   The conference, hosted by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), is the only venture conference in the Midwest showcasing biotech, biofuels and medical device venture stage product and platform companies.

The conference offers executives of venture stage bioscience, biofuel and medical device companies the opportunity to network and explore funding and collaboration opportunities with angel investors, private and corporate venture capitalists, as well as with some of the leading pharmaceutical, tool and medical devices companies.

New this year, the BIO Mid-America VentureForum will offer partnering and business development opportunities for attendees to meet privately with investors and potential partners to fulfill specific pipeline or technology needs.

BIO’s proprietary partnering system includes on- and off-site database tools that help evaluate partnering opportunities and schedule one-on-one meetings at the conference. In addition, a new track will feature presentations by large-cap pharmaceutical, biotech, tool and medical device companies that seek collaborations with venture capitalists and venture stage companies.

Partners for the 2007 conference include BioOhio, Colorado Bioscience Association, Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization, Indiana Health Industry Forum, Iowa Biotechnology Association, LifeScience Alley, MichBio, Missouri Biotechnology Association, and the Wisconsin Biotechnology and Medical Device Association.

For more information on sponsorships, presentations or registration, visit http://bma.bio.org.

Advance media registration is now available through September 20, 2007.  To register in advance, please visit http://www.bio.org/news/pressreg.  Registration is complimentary for credentialed members of the news media.  Reporters and editors working full-time for print or broadcast news organizations may register onsite with valid media credentials.

About BIO

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. BIO also produces the annual BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of the biotechnology industry.

Upcoming BIO Events

BIO InvestorForum 2007
October 9-11, 2007
San Francisco, Calif.

BIO-Europe 2007 International Partnering Conference
November 12-14, 2007
Hamburg, Germany

Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy
November 14-16, 2007
Honolulu, Hawaii

2008 BIO International Convention
June 17-20, 2008
San Diego, Calif.

Visit www.bio.org for information on all upcoming events.

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