SANTA CRUZ, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Over 800 delegates, from 500 companies and 27 countries joined TVG – Your Global Life Science NetworkTM and LifeSciences British Columbia at the launch of BioPartnering North AmericaTM 2011 (BPN) today at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Canada. BPN is the premier life science partnering conference in North America and a key opportunity for members of TVG’s Global Life Science Network to meet face-to-face.
This morning delegates had the opportunity to hear keynote addresses from top decision-makers at Merck, AstraZeneca and Pfizer and an in-depth market analysis from Deloitte Recap. The positive tone of the keynote addresses, a boost in delegate attendance and the record number of pharmaceutical companies involved in BPN 2011 has created an upbeat outlook for partnering in 2011.
In her keynote addresses titled, A Bridge over Troubled Waters: The Promise of Partnering and M&A, Barbara Yanni, Vice President and Chief Licensing Officer, from Merck’s world-wide licensing team, offered a positive summary of what is to come for 2011 for the biotech and pharma industry. More partnerships and merger and acquisitions are predicted to occur, with a focus on emerging markets. Ms. Yanni also announced that Merck Canada will be investing $6.8 Million in research in Quebec.
Ms. Yanni said: “Licensing is a key component of Merck's strategy for delivering a strong, robust pipeline. BioPartnering North America is a great opportunity for us to meet with the biotech community and discuss opportunities to work together in translating innovative science into novel and important medicines."
The second keynote address was given by Mr. Michael S. Johnson from Deloitte Recap. Titled What’s the deal with monoclonal antibodies?, Mr. Johnson offered recent trends and insights from analysis of deals catalogued in Deloitte Recap’s DEAL builderTM database that involved monoclonal antibody products.
Mr. Johnson commented: “Monoclonal antibody therapeutic products have become blockbuster drugs with unique utility in treating cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, infectious disease and other conditions. Deloitte Recap’s analysis suggests that monoclonal antibody products are the subject of more partnerships than other biologics, often winning terms that exceed those of small molecule deals.”
Ms. Marion E. McCourt, President & CEO from AstraZeneca Canada offered another keynote address titled, The Power of Partnering: The AstraZeneca Experience. The industry faces many challenges including established market price pressure, patent expiration and generalization and decline in R&D productivity; however, Ms. McCourt was able to address the AstraZeneca strategy for addressing these issues. She explained the importance of creating a deliberate externalization strategy, which means more than licensing, but expanding collaboration and partnerships.
“At AstraZeneca, we’re dedicated to broadening our access to the world of scientific innovation outside of our own laboratories,” Marion McCourt, President and CEO of AstraZeneca Canada, told the audience. “Building new strategic partnerships and collaborations is a long-term commitment and priority for us, and meetings like BioPartnering North America, are an excellent opportunity to establish new, and mutually beneficial collaborations that build on the strengths of each partner.”
In the final keynote address, Dr. Shane Weber, Director of Diagnostics from Molecular Medicine at Pfizer presented Ever dreamt of partnering with Pfizer? Let’s start the conversation. In his speech, Dr. Weber demonstrated how Pfizer has made a difference in patients’ lives over the past 100 years and how they are committed to continue making a difference by partnering with companies and institutions to turn ideas into opportunity and innovation.
Dr. Weber commented that meeting patient needs has never been so challenging. Moving from a more conventional way of doing things to ‘Precision Medicine’ will drive improved drug development, patient care and commercial advantage. This paradigm shift will make a huge difference in patient’s lives and Pfizer is dedicated to improving health worldwide.
Over the next few days, BPN will facilitate thousands of formal and informal face-to-face meetings between potential partners. 2,500 meetings have been pre-scheduled through biopartnering.comTM, a unique and powerful web based networking and partnering application developed by TVG to enhance conference participation before, during and after BPN.
Adding to the valuable BPN experience, delegates will also have the opportunity participate in a variety of interactive leadership sessions and workshops, including a discussion on alternative ways to fund research. The conference will showcase over 90 biotechnology companies in podium presentations, where innovative companies will introduce their products and business plans, ensuring maximum exposure for their company, and attracting attention from pharma and investors in the audience.
Because of the success and significant partnership opportunities created at BPN 2011, TVG looks forward to carrying the momentum forward into BioPartnering IndiaTM and C21 BioVenturesTM taking place in May 2011. TVG’s presenter selection committee is currently reviewing and actively recruiting private biotech companies to present at these conferences. Your company has the opportunity to benefit from a positive outlook in the biotech industry. Contact TVG for more information.
About Technology Vision Group (TVG)
Technology Vision Group LLC (TVG) is the leading networking and business development organization serving the international life sciences industry. Since 1992, TVG has been developing innovative methods to help life science and associated technology companies attract partners and investors, acquire new products and technologies, and achieve a variety of other strategic business development goals.
There are currently 5 other international conferences lined up for the remainder of 2011:
- BioPartnering IndiaTM (BPI)
- C21 BioVentures TM (C21)
- BioPartnering Latin America TM (BPL)
- BioPartnering Europe TM (BPE)
- BioPartnering China TM (BPC)
For more information visit www.techvision.com
About LifeSciences British Columbia
LifeSciences British Columbia supports and represents the biotechnology and greater lifesciences community of British Columbia through leadership, advocacy and promotion of world-class science and industry.
For more information visit www.lifesciencesbc.ca
Producers
TVG and LifeSciences British Columbia
Hosts
BioAlberta and BIOTECanada
2011 Podium Presenters and Exhibitors (As of 28 February 2011)
3M Drug Delivery Systems; Æterna Zentaris Inc.; AbGenomics International Inc.; Affibody AB; AIM Therapeutics; Alfama; Amakem NV; Amorfix; AMT Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics; Anaphore, Inc.; Antibe Therapeutics Inc.; Apotex Fermentation Inc.; Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Armour Therapeutics Inc.; Augurex Life Sciences Corp.; BellBrook Labs; biOasis Technologies Inc.; Biomedical Consulting International, Inc.; BioPartner UK; BioTalent Canada; Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd; Canadian Institutes of Health Research; Cardiome Pharma Corp.; CHS Pharma; CIRION Clinical Trial Services Inc.; Clera Inc.; Critical Outcome Technologies Inc. (COTI); Crown Bioscience Inc.; Cytochroma Inc.; DelMar Pharmaceuticals; Delphi Genetics; DSM Biologics; DSM Pharma Chemicals; Elan Corporation; Eliapharma Services Inc.; enGene, Inc.; Ensemble Therapeutics Corp.; Eurand International S.p.A.; Ezose Sciences Inc.; Fluorinov Pharma Inc.; Forma Therapeutics, Inc.; GenomeDx Biosciences Inc.; GLG Pharma, LLC; GVK Biosciences Private Limited; Hennig Arzneimittel GmbH; Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Japan Technology Group, Inc.; Korea Small & Medium Business Corporation; Life Chemicals Inc.; Lupin Limited; MedGenesis Therapeutix Inc.; Miami Mice Research Corp.; Micromyx, LLC; MingSight Pharmaceuticals; Molecular Connections, India; Nektar Therapeutics; NeuroQuest; NexMed (U.S.A.) Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Apricus Biosciences, Inc.; NKT Therapeutics; Nutrition 21; OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals Inc.; onkovis GmbH; Oxford BioMedica plc; Pfenex Inc.; Pharnext; Phoenix PharmaLabs, Inc.; Pipeline Biopharm; Piramal Healthcare; Plant Advanced Technologies; PlantForm; PolyMedix, Inc.; Prestwick Chemical, Inc.; PROOF Centre of Excellence; Resverlogix Corp.; Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Roowin SA; RXi Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Semler Research; Sernova Corp.; Sinoveda Canada, Inc.; Sirius Genomics; Somnus Therapeutics Inc.; SuperGen Inc.; SuppreMol GmbH; Teva Innovative Ventures; The University of Hong Kong Clinical Trials Centre; Therapure Biopharma Inc.; Unigene Laboratories, Inc.; Valocor Therapeutics, Inc.; Verisante Technology, Inc.; viDA Therapeutics Inc.; Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association (WBBA); Wimasis GmbH; WuXi AppTech Co., Ltd; YM Biosciences; Zalicus Inc.;
Premium Sponsor
AstraZeneca
Platinum Sponsors
British Columbia Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Investment; UBIFrance / French Trade Commission
Gold Sponsors
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; British Colombia Innovation Council; Centre For Drug Research and Development (CDRD); Genome British Columbia; Italian Trade Commission; Merck & Co., Inc.; Deloitte Recap LLC; Novartis; OncoMed Pharmaceuticals
Silver Sponsors
BC Cancer Agency; Farris, Vaughan, Willis & Murphy LLP; Fish & Richardson; Pfizer; Student Biotechnology Network (SBN)
Conference Sponsors
Cooley LLP; Nature Publishing Group (NPG); Ogilvy Renault
Conference Supporters
AusBiotech; General Biologic
Media Sponsors
Business Wire; Contact Canada; Current Agreements; Current Partnering; European BioPharmaceutical Review (EBR);
Media Supporters
BioBusiness; BioCentury; Biotechnology Focus; Bio-IT World; Cell Therapy News; Fierce Biotech; Innovaro Pharmalicensing; Pharmatching; PharmaVentures; PharmaVoice; The Scientist; Thomson Reuters
Regional Affiliates
Spanish Association of Biotech Companies (ASEBIO); BioForward; BioNJ; BioNova; Colorado BioScience Association; Georgia Bio; Indiana Health Industry Forum; Life Science Association of Manitoba; San Jose BioCenter; Queensland Clinical Trials Network (QCTN)