Three days in the biotech capital
Welcome to the San Francisco Bay Area, a region whose name is synonymous with innovation. Over the past 30 years a potent cocktail of talented entrepreneurs, smart venture capitalists, vibrant research institutions and dose of “can do” Californian optimism has made San Francisco into the biotech capital of the world.
Iconic industry names as Genentech, Amgen, and relative newcomer Gilead inspire legions of biotech entrepreneurs to what can be achieved given the right mix of science, talent, capital and partners applied at the right time. And in today’s restrained economy, finding this right mixture is more important than ever to biotech companies.
The BioPharm America™ partnering conference on September 16–18 at the San Francisco Marriott aims to jump start many vital and sustaining collaborations. “We are excited to host BioPharm America. As a city that pushes the forefront of biotech innovation, it is essential that we actively engage and host events such as these, to facilitate the collaboration needed for the continued strength of our biotech industry,” said Michael Cohen, Director, San Francisco Economic and Workforce Development.
“Corporate partnering is the life blood of venture backed biotech companies and critical to their survival and success,” remarked Dr Rodney A. Ferguson, Managing Director, Panorama Capital. “Strategic partnering and licensing transactions have become an essential part of the business model for privately backed biopharmaceutical companies. As a result, it is critical that companies begin to develop the appropriate set of relationships as early as possible during their development,” added James N. Topper, General Partner, Frazier Healthcare Ventures.
In addition to the top investment firms, BioPharm America provides biotechs with a tremendous opportunity to meet with the business development teams from companies such as AstraZeneca, Bayer HealthCare, Biogen Idec, Eli Lilly, Exelixis, Roche, Genentech, Gilead, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., Pfizer, Shire Takeda and UCB.
The BioPharm America conference program also features some of the most accomplished industry dealmakers and strategists offering their insights and advice on how companies can best navigate unchartered industry waters. The program kicks off with two industry all-star plenary panels:
After the Dust Settles: Does the Industry Need an Entirely New R&D Strategy?:
Led by Carolyn Buck Luce, Global Life Science Sector Leader, Ernst & Young, and featuring Dr Corey Goodman, Chair of the Board, iPierian, Limerick and PhyloTech, and Vice Chair, Evotec; Dr George Scangos, President and CEO, Exelixis; and Dr Marc Tessier-Lavigne, Executive VP, Research and CSO, Genentech, this session will examine the key issues for maintaining a robust biotech engine of innovation.
Past as Prologue: Industry Thought Leaders Discuss What Experiences of the Last 15 Years Imply for the Next Decade:
Moderator Vaughn Kailian, Managing Director, MPM Capital will probe the collective experiences of Samuel Colella, Managing Director, Versant Ventures; Dr Louis Lange (MD and PhD), Senior Advisor, Gilead Sciences; and William Ringo, Senior VP, Strategy and Business Development, Pfizer, to determine the shape of things to come in the biotech industry.
To register for the conference and join the online partnering community visit http://www.ebdgroup.com/bpa/registration.htm
