Business Services Industry

Media Advisory: Invitation for All BIO 2007 Registered Journalists, Interested in Business and Research in Europe

Business Wire, April 26, 2007

Press point

Life sciences and biotechnology for Europe

Monday, 07 May 2007, 10:00-11:00, EU Pavilion (stand #773) Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, Boston, MA (USA)

WASHINGTON -- BIO 2007 Boston marks the third joint presentation of the European Commission (the executive arm of the European Union), the European Patent Office (EPO) and the European Medicines Agency (EMEA). The joint EU Pavilion and several international sessions at the world's largest biotechnology fair will highlight Europe's role in supporting research and innovation in the life sciences and promote Europe as a highly competitive, knowledge-based economy with opportunities for research, partnering and business development.

Interested journalists will be able to discuss Europe's role and recent developments in the life sciences and biotechnology with the following directors from the European Commission and the European Patent Office:

* Georgette Lalis, Director of consumer goods policy at the European Commission (Enterprise DG)

* Christian Patermann, Director of biotechnology, agriculture, fisheries and food research at the European Commission (Research DG)

* Octavi Quintana Trias, Director of health research at the European Commission (Research DG)

* Andrzej Jan Rys, Director of public health and risk assessment at the European Commission (Health and Consumer Protection DG)

* Sjoerd Hoekstra, Director of biotechnology examination and opposition at the European Patent Office

More experts from the European Commission, the European Patent Office and the European Medicines Agency, speaking at the BIO convention, are available for one-on-one interviews. Please indicate your interest towards Michael.Wappelhorst@ec.europa.eu (cell phone 1-202-4132571 while at BIO).

For more information on Europe's presence at BIO 2007 please see the media fact sheet at www.ec.europa.eu/research/eu-bio2007, the session agenda on page 3 of this note or visit the EU Pavilion (#773) at the BIO convention.

What's new?

* EU strategy for life sciences and biotechnology In a recent mid-term review of the EU Strategy on Life Sciences and Biotechnology for 2002-2010, the European Commission in April 2007 proposed a refocus of actions to promote a competitive and sustainable European knowledge based Bio-Economy More info: www.ec.europa.eu/biotechnology.> * EU support for research in the life sciences Through the new Seventh Research Framework Programme (FP7, 2007-2013) the European Union annually provides about EU1 billion in European public funds for life sciences research. These funds are allocated mainly through competitive calls inviting proposals for collaborative R&D projects. More info: www.ec.europa.eu/research/fp7.> * European Technology Initiative "Innovative Medicines Initiative" By mid-May the Commission will adopt a proposal for a new European joint technology initiative (JTI), the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI). It is foreseen that the IMI JTI could take the form of a Joint Undertaking between the European Commission and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), involving a joint budget in the order of EU1-2 billions.

More information:

* More info on the European Commission: www.ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm

* More info on the European Patent Office: www.epo.org.

* More info on the European Medicines Agency (EMEA, London): www.emea.eu.int.

* FP7 (2007-2013), calls for proposals: www.cordis.europa.eu/fp7

* EU Strategy "Life Sciences & Biotechnology": www.ec.europa.eu/biotechnology

* EU Biotechnology - Food and Feed: www.ec.europa.eu/food/food/biotechnology/index_en.htm

* EU Pharmaceuticals: http://pharmacos.eudra.org

The BIO International Convention 2007 is organised by BIO. The BIO organisation represents more than 1100 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and 31 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO is widely known for the BIO International Convention, a four-day annual biotechnology showcase that draws about 20,000 attendees. More info: www.bio2007.org.