Come See, Taste and Feel Consumer Products Made with Novel Industrial Biotechnology Processes at the BIO 2006 Media Brunch

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 15, 2006) – Did you know that designer dresses made from biopolymers developed from corn are on the market? Or that you may be sleeping on polyester pillows, bedding, and blankets produced from industrial biotech processes that convert corn sugars to biodegradable polyester? That the Indy race car you’re rooting for may be running on cellulosic ethanol? Or your favorite pair of stone-washed jeans and leather jacket were made with enzymes produced by industrial biotechnology? That the yogurt, juice, bread and cheese you ate this morning were made with enzyme processing aids that were manufactured through industrial biotechnology? Or that the plastics in your recycling bin could be manufactured from grains instead of oil?

Industrial biotechnology is the enabling technology that is making these new products a reality, by revolutionizing the way consumer products are made — and allowing for the introduction of a whole new wave of consumer products that are bio-based.

Reporters registered to attend the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s (BIO) annual meeting, BIO 2006, are invited to attend the media brunch, “From Food to Fuel to Fashion: Industrial Biotech Does It All,” which will provide reporters with an opportunity to taste, use, and see products made from microbes and enzymes produced through industrial and environmental biotechnology, as well as learn how industrial biotechnology can enable energy security. Industrial biotechnology harnesses nature’s microbial workhorses to convert renewable agricultural feedstocks to fuels, plastics and chemicals. Biotechnology converts the cellulose in plant matter to sugars that can be made into fuels or industrial raw materials. From the air that we breathe to the cars that we drive, to the clothes that we wear and the crops that we farm, industrial biotechnology is creating new opportunities for greater energy security and a greener future. Highlights of the media brunch include:

· The menu will feature foods that are made with the help of enzymes manufactured through industrial biotechnology, including yogurts, breads and rolls, meats, and juices.

· All foods and beverages will be served on plates, cups and utensils that are manufactured from bioplastics.

· The media brunch will feature a fashion show with models wearing designer clothes made from polylactic acid (PLA), a compostable biopolymer made from dextrose corn sugar.

· An exhibit of products made from the biopolymers polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), including bedding products, packaging materials, and baby products.

· Overview of how industrial biotechnology can help end our “addiction to oil” and make cellulosic ethanol competitive with petroleum-based motor fuels. Cellulosic ethanol and other biofuels are expected to replace as much as half of today’s oil-based transportation fuels.

· Attendees are encouraged to visit the BIO Industrial and Environmental Pavilion on the exhibit floor, which will feature an Indianapolis 500 race car that runs on bioethanol fuel.

The media brunch will take place on Monday, April 10, 2006 from 9:45-11:30 a.m. CDT at McCormick Place in Chicago in Room S-105A, as part of the BIO 2006 Annual Conference.

A panel discussion, followed by a Q&A session, will provide overviews of how industrial biotechnology is being used to make everyday consumer products. Panelists include:

· Steen Riisgaard, president and CEO of Novozymes, will discuss the sustainable nature of industrial biotechnology and the move from a petroleum-based economy to a bio-based economy.

· Leendert Staal, CEO of DSM Pharmaceuticals, will highlight how industrial biotechnology enables the development cleaner manufacturing processes for vitamins and food additives.

· Brian Foody, president and CEO of Iogen, will discuss the development of cellulosic bioethanol through industrial biotechnology.

· Jim Barber, CEO of Metabolix, will showcase the company’s sustainable, bio-based, biodegradable natural plastics and chemicals that are a result of industrial biotechnology.

· Dennis McGrew, president and CEO of NatureWorks, will discuss the development of polymers and plastics from corn and other natural resources through industrial biotechnology.

The panel will be moderated by Brent Erickson, executive vice president of BIO’s Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology Section.

Due to limited seating, please RSVP to Deb Carstoiu, BIO, at 202-962-6660, or dcarstoiu@bio.org. Journalists must be registered for BIO 2006 to attend the Media Brunch.

Advance media registration for BIO 2006 is now available online. Registration is complimentary for credential members of the news media. To register, please visit http://www.bio.org/events/2006/reg/. Only reporters and editors working full-time for print or broadcast news organizations may register onsite with valid media credentials. All freelancers and online publications must register in advance by Friday, March 31, 2006.

BIO 2006, the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s annual convention is April 9-12, 2006 in Chicago at McCormick Place. The convention is expected to draw 18,000 CEOs, researchers, policymakers, journalists, and venture capitalists for three days of networking and learning. BIO 2006 will feature more than 180 educational sessions and workshops on finance, partnering, R&D, science and policy.

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 health-care, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.

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