Leaders from the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries gathered last week for the 2nd annual BIO-Europe Spring partnering conference. The conference was held in Madrid, Spain on April 7-9. In only its second year, BIO-Europe Spring has become the second largest dedicated partnering event in the biotechnology industry. More complete coverage of the event can be found at www.ebdgroup.com/partneringnews/.
The conference drew 1,400 delegates from over 850 companies from 38 countries around the world. These delegates engaged in some 5,800 one-to-one partnering meetings featuring over 1,600 projects. In addition, there were 16 workshops and panel sessions, and 145 focused presentations by biotech companies seeking financing, licensing opportunities or partners for advancing their product development.
The conference featured a comprehensive program of panels and workshops where many leading industry figures shared insights and views on bio-pharma deal making.
During the plenary session on new R&D and Licensing Strategies, both Dr. Greg Wiederrecht, Vice President for External Scientific Affairs, Worldwide Licensing and External Research at Merck & Co. and Jules Müsing, Vice President for Licensing and Business Development at Johnson & Johnson, reported that their companies are actively seeking partners to take on programs previously developed internally. This news from the two big pharma companies promises to take deal-making to a new level.
Conference delegates also packed the session on biosimilars, also known as follow-on biologics (FOBs). After years of contentious debate, the industry view is that expedited approval pathways for FOBs will soon be established in both Europe and the United States. Even some of the most steadfast opponents of FOBs have come to the realization that their arguments of "Just Say No! or "The science isn't here yet! are no longer tenable. The panelists concluded that the market perception of the benefits of an FOB will prove critical even in cases where biosimilars are in fact "bio-superior to the original compound. The session was moderated by Dr. Ludger Wess, Managing Partner at akampion and featured Steve Usdin, Senior Editor from BioCentury Publications who has covered the policy battles in Washington. He was joined on the podium by Dr. Thomas Brennecke, Head Business Development from BioGeneriX AG and Cecil Nick, Principal Consultant with PAREXEL Consulting.
Carola Schropp, President, EBD Group, said: "BIO-Europe Spring 2008 has exceeded expectations for a large and dynamic partnering event. Conference delegates from around the world sat down together and conducted productive meetings. Successful partnering is about creating and maintaining relationships.
"BIO-Europe Spring, like all EBD Group conferences, strives to support the ˜human element' of partnering - the face-to-face contact with potential partners to discuss licensing, financing and other collaborative programs. The success of BIO-Europe Spring sets the stage for our next event, BioPharm Americaâ„¢ in Atlanta, Georgia, September 9-10, 2008.
Delegate comments:
Elias Papatheodorou, Chief Executive Officer, Novosom, said: "I have a lot of meetings here. This is a very good venue to become known in the bio-pharma industry. And because it is a highly focused event it is a great opportunity to update and refresh many contacts. There is a critical mass here, yet it is not overwhelming, and provides an environment for meaningful discussions.
Dr. Maj-Britt Kaltoft, Vice President for In-Licensing and Business Development at Nycomed, stated: "I had 80 meeting requests and there were only three that I could dismiss outright. The good news is that I was looking at 77 potential opportunities, and the only downside is that it takes time to consider and respond to that many people. I selected 20 and set up meetings with the partnering software, which works very well - it is fast and provides an overview of all the scheduling.
John Hodgson, a founder and executive with Critical I, a consulting firm specializing in the European life sciences, said: "At this meeting you have people who are getting on with their business. They are focused, they know specifically what product or service they want to take forward and they are using the partnering software to scan and meet.
About BIO-Europe Spring 2008
The BIO-Europe Spring® event brings together international decision-makers from all sectors of the biotechnology industry, and features the successful combination of one-to-one meetings, company presentations, panel discussions and a lively exhibition.
Positioned as the springtime counterpart to EBD Group's flagship conference, BIO-Europe, the BIO-Europe Spring event continues the tradition of providing life science companies with high caliber partnering opportunities. The event enables biotechnology companies to identify, meet and network with companies across the life sciences value-chain from large biotech and pharma companies to financiers and innovative start-ups.
About EBD Group
EBD Group is the leading partnering firm for the global biotechnology industry. Since 1993, firms in the life sciences have leveraged EBD Group's partnering conferences, technology and services to identify business opportunities and develop strategic relationships that drive their business. EBD Group's conferences (run in collaboration with leading industry partners and international trade associations) include BIO-Europe, the world's largest stand-alone life science partnering conference (organized with the support of the Biotechnology Industry Organization, BIO); BIO-Europe Spring®; BioPharm Americaâ„¢ (EBD's new North American partnering event) and BioEquity Europe (co-organized with BioCentury Publications and BIO). EBD's sophisticated, web-based, partnering service partneringONEâ„¢ is also used at numerous third-party events around the world. Outside of the conference format, EBD Group's consultants can provide hands-on assistance for firms seeking to in- or out-license products and technologies. EBD Group has offices in the USA and Europe.
For more information visit www.ebdgroup.com.