Leading Biotech and Pharma Companies from Across the World to Meet in Vancouver, Canada for the 7th Annual BioPartnering North America Conference

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - January 22, 2009) - There is now less than a month to go until decision makers and executives from leading biotech, pharma and investment companies from 30 different countries meet in Vancouver, B.C., Canada for the 7th Annual BioParterning North America (BPN) Conference, including delegations from trade bodies in France, Italy, and the UK. The conference, which takes place on February 8-10, 2009, is now the largest life science partnering meeting in North America.

Register now at: http://www.techvision.com/bpn/registration/ in order to take full advantage of all BPN’s partnering opportunities.

Program Highlights

BPN offers attendees a full program of innovative sessions and panel discussions, workshops, company presentations and networking events including the opportunity to hear first hand the views and perspectives of leading executives in the international life sciences sector. Some of the highlights include:

Dr. Philippe Walker of AstraZeneca confirmed as keynote speaker

BPN organizers, Technology Vision Group LLC (TVG), are excited to present Dr. Philippe Walker, AstraZeneca’s Vice President, Discovery, R&D and head of the AstraZeneca R&D Montreal (AZRDM) research centre, to kick off BPN as the keynote speaker on Monday, February 9, 2009 at 8:15 am.

Register now to hear Dr. Philippe Walker’s message first hand.

Sink or Swim - How to Stay Afloat in a Sea of Economic Uncertainty

Sunday, February 8 at 3:30 pm

In this workshop, which is sponsored by Gowlings Lafeur Henderson LLP, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Export Development Canada, Peter Fairey (Partner, Gowlings), Ian Heine (Senior Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers) and Chin Wann Liew (Senior Account Manager at Export Development Canada) will deliver a 2-hour seminar on why the current economic environment will require companies to develop novel “access to capital” strategies.

Register now to take away strategies to remain afloat in turbulent times.

BioPartnering in China: Working Successfully With a Waking Giant

BioPartnering Leadership Session 5, Tuesday, February 10, 4:00-5:00pm

Growth of the biotech industry in China is accelerating and reaching the critical mass for a globally competitive industry. For various reasons, now is the right time to start building partnerships with Chinese entrepreneurs and life science companies.

This leadership session will explore the fascinating aspects of the Chinese “bioeconomy” including the new sources of private and Government funding, the opportunities available and how to operate successfully within the rapidly growing Chinese life science sector.

To see the full program, please click on the following link: http://www.techvision.com/bpn/program/

Success Story at BPN

During 2007 BPN, Andy Sheldon, President and CEO of Medicago, a biotechnology startup based in Quebec City, experienced entrepreneurial bliss during an impromptu meeting with two senior executives from Philip Morris International (PMI) who were seeking out “adjacent technologies” for the tobacco plant - a venture that could benefit from PMI’s decades of research, while yielding more wholesome products than a pack of Marlboros.”

This success story illustrates how BPN connects pharmaceutical and biotech companies with each other and investors.

Source: JOANNA PACHNER, Globe and Mail, December 9, 2008; & direct consent from the office of Andy Sheldon.

BIOTECanada and Technology Vision Group LLC Student Bursary Program

Monday, February 9 at 1:15 pm. Twelve winners from across Canada have been chosen for the BIOTECanada/TVG student scholarship. The students will be highlighted in the Plenary Hall at 1:15 pm on Monday, February 9.

Congratulations to the winners: Marie-France Lise, Lee-Anna Burgess, Kristina Becanovic, Meghan Azad, Joe Espina, Kenneth To, Andres Lopez, Anubha Prashad, Gigi Ho, Jennifer Wong, Nicole Noronha, Samuel Solomon.

Access the Most Advanced Partnering Platform

Register now to access the life science industry’s most advanced partnering platform and start scheduling one-to-one meetings with biotech and pharma companies from around the world through www.biopartnering.com.

Full details about BioPartnering North America online at: http://www.techvision.com/bpn

Hosts

BioAlberta, BIOTECanada, LifeSciences British Columbia

LifeSciences British Columbia supports and represents the biotechnology, medical device, and greater life sciences community of British Columbia through leadership, advocacy and promotion. BIOTECanada is the national, industry-funded association representing the broad spectrum of biotech constituents in Canada, including emerging, established and related service companies in the health, agricultural, and industrial sectors. BioAlberta is the central voice and the organizing hub for the bioindustry in Alberta. Together, they represent the breadth of annual support for BPN from Canadian life science associations on the regional and national level.

(As of January 16, 2009)

Premium Sponsors

AstraZeneca

Platinum Sponsors

BC Innovation Council; Italian Trade Commission; UBI France - French Trade Commission

Gold Sponsors

Burrill & Company; Farris, Vaughn, Willis & Murphy Barristers and Solicitors; Pfizer; Ferghana Partners Group; Cooley Godward Kronish LLP

Silver Sponsors

Bristol-Myers Squibb; Merck & Co., Inc.; Merck Frosst; Procter & Gamble Health Care; Anapharm; Roche; Crucell; Novartis; State of Illinois Canada Office; Novartis; PricewaterhouseCoopers, Export Development Canada; Ministry of Technology, Trade and Economic Development Asia Pacific

Conference Sponsors

Genome British Columbia; EFB; PharmaLegacy

Conference Supporters

Ag-West Bio Inc.; Nati; BioAtlantech; BioAlliance; OCRI Life Sciences; BioQuebec; The Biotechnology Initiative; Life Science Association of Manitoba

Media Supporters

BioBusiness; BioCentury; Biotechnology Focus; BioWorld Today; Citigate Dewe Rogerson; European Biopharmaceutical Review; FierceBiotech; Marketwire; Nature Publishing Group; Progress Research and Discovery Magazine

GBPartnership

BayBio; BIA; BioMelbourne; and Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association (WBBA), BioNova

2009 Open House Presenters

Alphora Research Inc.; Ambit Biosciences; Bend Research; Ceapro Inc.; CIRION Clinical Trial Services Inc.; Crucell N.V.; French Trade Commission; ImmunoVaccine Technologies Inc. (IVT); Inimex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Italian Trade Commission; Pharmaceutical Profiles Ltd.; Pharmatek Laboratories, Inc.; Piramal Healthcare; Prince Edward Island Business Development Inc.; QSV Biologics Ltd; Silence Therapeutics AG /plc; UK Trade & Investment

2009 Podium Presenters

AAIPharma Inc.; Advanced Life Sciences; Affibody AB; Agile Therapeutics; AIM Therapeutics Inc.; Alphora Research Inc.; Ambit Biosciences; Angiochem; Apeiron Biologics Gmbh; ApopLogic Pharmaceuticals, LLC; Apthera, Inc.; Aquinox Pharmaceuticals Inc.; ArQule, Inc.; Ascendis Pharma GmbH; Asterand plc; Avecia Limited; Bend Research; BIOBIDE S.L.; Biolex Therapeutics, Inc.; Bionor Immuno AS; Bionovo, Inc.; BioWisdom Ltd; Calgary Scientific; Calibrant Biosystems, Inc; CDG Therapeutics; CEAPRO INC; Cellzome Inc; Centre for Drug Research and Development; CIRION Clinical Trial Services Inc.; Critical Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Crucell; Cynvec; Cytopia Pty Ltd; Cytovance Biologics; Diosynth Biotechnology, Inc; Diversified Bio-Medics, Inc.; Epitomics, Inc.; Eurand, Inc.; Eureka Therapeutics, Inc; French Trade Commission; GMD PharmaSolutions; Hospira, Inc.; The Hungarian Investment and Trade Development Agency (ITD Hungary); ImmunoVaccine Technologies Inc. (IVT); Inimex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Innate Pharma; Inovio Biomedical Corporation; International Stem Cell Corporation; Italian Trade Commission; Jenrin Discovery; KAI Pharmaceuticals Inc.; KDA Triglav Systems Ltd; Lorus Therapeutics Inc.; Metabasis Therapeutics, Inc.; metanomics Health GmbH; MiCardia; Micromet, Inc; Migco Pharmaceuticals; Modigene Inc.; MolMed SpA; MP Biomedicals, LLC; Nektar Therapeutics; Neotropix, Inc.; Newron Pharmaceuticals S.p.A.; Novacta Biosystems Limited; Numerate, Inc.; Nycomed Canada Inc.; Office of Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA); OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Oncolytics Biotech Inc.; PARI Pharma; Pharmaceutical Profiles Ltd; Pharmatek Laboratories, Inc.; Piramal Healthcare; PlantForm; PolyPeptide Group; Prince Edward Island Business Development Inc.; PROOF Centre of Excellence; Protalix Biotherapeutics; Proteos, Inc.; PRUDENTAS LLC; QSV Biologics, Ltd; Redpoint Bio; Rules-Based Medicine, Inc.; Sandoz GmbH; Selvita Sp. z o.o.; SemBioSys Genetics Inc.; Signum Biosciences; Silence Therapeutics AG /plc; Sirona Biochem; SkyePharma PLC; Speciality European Pharma; Stromedix; SuppreMol GmbH; TAU Therapeutics; Transcept Pharmaceuticals; Transdel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; UK Trade & Investment; University of Manitoba; Vakzine Projekt Management GmbH; Victory Pharma, Inc.; Vifor Pharma; Viron Therapeutics Inc.; VLST Corporation; Welichem Biotech Inc.; WEX Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Xenome Ltd.; YM BioSciences Inc.; Zymeworks