Press Release
Contact: Robert Caudle |
Phone: (919) 549-7500 ext. 107 |
Biotech 2007 Highlights N.C.'s Biotech Community
800+ Life Science Leaders Attend 16th Annual Conference
May 15, 2007, Research Triangle Park, N.C. – The Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED), along with the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and the North Carolina Biosciences Organization (NCBIO), hosted the 16th annual Biotech conference on Monday and Tuesday with more than 800 people participating in total. Held at the Marriott at the Civic Center in downtown Durham, Biotech 2007 highlighted the state’s position as one of the top three biotech economies in the nation.
The conference kicked off Monday afternoon with three concurrent panel sessions addressing topics important to North Carolina’s life science economy, including medical devices, biofuels and natural biotechnology. The conference also featured remarks by Tony Hickson, head of biosciences at Imperial Innovations Ltd, on the future of technology transfer.
The evening gala dinner on Monday night featured comments from Dr. Anthony Atala, senior researcher and director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the Wake Forrest University School of Medicine, about the promise of emerging stem cell research. In addition, Congressman Bob Etheridge, Senator Gerry Hancock and Lieutenant Governor Bob Jordan received the 6th annual Charles Hamner Leadership Award in recognition of extraordinary contributions and service in the region’s life science sector.
On Tuesday, the conference included an international marquee panel session. Consisting of executives from Banc of America Securities, BioCentury Publications, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis Pharma AG, Shire Pharmaceuticals and Tranzyme Pharma, the panel discussed the emerging trends in the pharmaceutical industry of partnering, in-licensing and mergers and acquisitions with biotech companies. Four additional concurrent panel sessions gave conference attendees the opportunity to discuss topics ranging from alternative energy to stem cell research.
During his lunchtime keynote presentation on Tuesday, Senator Tom Daschle, former U.S. senator and special public policy advisor to Alston & Bird LLP, spoke about the relationship between alternative fuel sources and U.S. national and economic security.
"We all know that the Triangle’s legendary research universities have made this area’s biotech community the envy of the region," said Senator Daschle. "No one is doing more research on biofuels and alternative energy today than the Research Triangle."
About CED: The Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) is a private, non-profit organization formed in 1984 to identify, enable and promote high growth, high impact entrepreneurial companies and to accelerate the entrepreneurial culture of the Research Triangle and North Carolina. Headquartered in the Research Triangle with a divisional office in Wilmington, CED is the largest and oldest entrepreneurial support organization in the nation with more than 4,000 members representing over 1,100 entrepreneurial companies, financiers and professional firms. CED provides education, mentoring and capital formation resources to new and existing high-growth entrepreneurs through annual conferences, seminars, workshops and programs on entrepreneurial management and finance. www.cednc.org
About the North Carolina Biotechnology Center: The North Carolina Biotechnology Center is a private, non-profit corporation funded primarily by the state's General Assembly. Its mission is to provide long-term economic and societal benefits to North Carolina by supporting biotechnology research, business and education statewide. www.ncbiotech.org
About the North Carolina Biosciences Organization: NCBIO is a trade organization promoting the development of the biosciences industry in North Carolina. NCBIO provides cost-effective, organized legislative and advocacy efforts on behalf of the industry at the state and federal levels. www.ncbioscience.org
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