AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- CN Group and Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute brought together the Texas life science community at the 4th annual Southwest Bio Venture Conference & Symposium, held on December 9 & 10 at the Hyatt Regency Downtown in Houston. More than 400 life sciences entrepreneurs, researchers, professionals, venture and private equity investors were in attendance.
The programming portion of the conference highlighted both national issues in the life sciences sector and in Texas. Leading venture capitalists from across the region, including William Paiva, Chisholm Venture Partners, Chris Kersey, Cogene Biotech Ventures and Steve Banks, Techxas Ventures, along with Lloyd Bentsen, CXO Fund, provided attendees with an overview of investment activity and trends in Texas-based life sciences firms. Keynote John D. Stobo, M.D., President, University of Texas Medical Branch, provided attendees with an overview of its recent award of $48 million to establish a regional center for biodefense and its award to create a $150 million National Biocontainment Laboratory, one of two awarded in October 2003 by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. Additionally, a panel of international representatives from The Netherlands, Japan and the United Kingdom discussed issues surrounding global collaboration in the life sciences, and the potential it holds for Texas-based emerging companies.
The second day of the conference kicked-off with a keynote from Roger Wyse, Managing Director, Burrill & Company, one of the nation's leading life science venture firms, followed by investor presentations from fifteen emerging life sciences companies. The companies ranged in focus from late- stage medical device developers, including MCRI and Vidacare, to that of early stage opportunities in biopharmaceuticals, including Acclaim Biotechnology and Opexa Pharmaceuticals.
"This year's conference continued our efforts to bring together quality life science ventures and the investment community," stated David Gerhardt, Managing Director, CN Group. "We've seen progress made in terms of increasing levels of collaboration and interest in investing in the life sciences since the inception of the conference four years ago. We hope to see continued growth in life science investing in 2004."
About Capital Network Events
CN Events produces the nation's leading Venture Capital and Private Equity and Angel Investor conference bringing together growth companies with investors. Through continued growth and thought leadership, CN Events has become the de facto standard for venture and private equity conferences. CN Events is one of three distinct, synergistic businesses held by CN Group, which provides a range of services to selected growth companies. The scope of services includes:
Merger and Acquisition Advisory Corporate Management Production of Premier Private Equity and Venture Capital Conferences Raising Capital Financial Advisory For more information please visit http://www.cnevents.com/ . About Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute
The Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute (THBI) is a public policy research organization, whose members consist of biotechnology, medical device, and pharmaceutical companies, academic and private research institutions, chambers of commerce, and local and regional economic development foundations.
The mission of THBI is to research, develop and advocate policies that promote life science innovation in Texas. For more information, visit http://www.thbi.com/ .
Media Contact: Patti D. Hill BlabberMouth Public Relations (512) 528 - 0201 patti@blabbermouthPR.com
CN Group; Texas Healthcare and Bioscience InstituteCONTACT: Patti D. Hill of BlabberMouth Public Relations,+1-512-528-0201, or patti@blabbermouthPR.com , for CN Group
