WASHINGTON, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Top business leaders, scientists and
members of the financial community will explore how the biotechnology
industry is diligently working to develop novel therapies and diagnostics
for a multitude of conditions to include heart disease, cancer, metabolic
disorders, diseases of the central nervous system and pain at the upcoming
BIO InvestorForum. The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), along
with its sponsors, will host a series of informative therapeutic workshops
to discuss these topics at the BIO InvestorForum 2006, Oct. 18-19 at The
Palace Hotel in San Francisco.
The InvestorForum provides select public and private companies, as well
as those on the "growth watch list," an opportunity to network with
investors through individual company presentations. The conference attracts
institutional investors, hedge fund managers, venture and private equity
investors, in addition to research analysts and bankers representing
leading banks in the sector.
Experts, panelists and moderators selected to participate in the
therapeutic workshops are widely considered to be leaders in their fields.
Among the featured workshops, Mike King, managing director and director of
research, with Rodman & Renshaw, will lead a metabolic panel discussion on
physiological reasons for diabetes.
The session, titled, "The Impact of Research on the Growing Diabetes
Epidemic," will focus on the link between genetics and obesity, and the
role new discoveries have on more appropriately treating patients.
According to the American Diabetes Association, 7 percent -- or 20.8
million children and adults living in the United States -- have diabetes.
While an estimated 14.6 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes,
an estimated 6.2 million are unaware that they have the disease.
"Whether you are a patient, a physician or an investor, there has never
been a better time to be involved in the diabetes space. From recent
provocative results from the DREAM study (Diabetes Reduction Assessment
with Ramipril and Rosiglitazone Medication) looking at the early use of
TZDs (thiazolidinediones) to Byetta (incretin mimetics for Type II
diabetes, made by Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Eli Lilly & Co.) and the
advent of DPP-IV (dipeptidyl peptidase) inhibitors and inhaled insulin,
there have never been so many ways to battle this worldwide pandemic. This
panel is a must-see for anyone with an interest in large and growing
markets where a sea-change in technology creates a huge opportunity," King
said.
King will be leading the discussion among panelists Paul Laikind,
Ph.D., president and CEO, Metabasis Therapeutics Inc.; Harold Van Wart,
Ph.D., president and CEO, Metabolex Inc.; Laura Shawver Ph.D., president
and CEO, Phenomix Corp.; and William Heiden, president and CEO, Elixir
Pharmaceuticals Inc. The workshop begins at 3:30 p.m., Thursday Oct. 19.
Meanwhile, in the diagnostic space, BIO and its advisors have organized
the workshop, "Molecular Diagnostics - Today and in the Future," to take an
in-depth look at advancing molecular diagnostic technologies, which enable
physicians to more accurately predict and treat diseases. Today, assessing
the field of molecular diagnostics primarily relates to early innovation in
research and clinical medicine applications ranging from diagnosis to
clinical decision-making in certain diseases.
Brook Byers, a partner with KPCB and the panel moderator, added context
to the workshop by saying, "Diagnostics are being transformed by the
revolution of molecular diagnostics in which genomic tools are being
applied to assess each individual's disease status so that personalized
treatment decisions can be made by the clinician and patient. The era of
'personalized medicine' has begun and this panel has the pioneers who will
tell how it is done."
Panelists include Pierre Cassigneul, president and CEO, XdX; David
Levinson, president and CEO, CardioDx; and Kim Popovits, president and
chief operating officer, Genomic Health Inc. The panel expert is Sunil
Badve, MD, associate professor, pathology and internal medicine, Indiana
University. The workshop begins at 8:30 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 19.
And while research into diabetes and molecular diagnostics continues to
grow, advancement in cancer research remains an area of high investor and
scientific interest.
Indeed, there are about 400 cancer products currently being developed
by biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, according to industry
experts. While breakthrough products are always welcome in the patient
community, small- to medium-sized companies, in particular, need clear,
predictable strategies for guiding their products through the clinic and
eventually to the market.
The cancer workshop, "Designing the Next Successful Cancer Drug Amidst
a Competitive Landscape," will help companies consider clinical and
marketing strategies and how they integrate competitive considerations into
the drug design, early clinical development and regulatory strategy of
their experimental cancer agents.
Session panelist Clay Siegall, Ph.D., president and CEO of Seattle
Genetics Inc., commented, "Beginning nearly a decade ago, monoclonal
antibodies and other targeted therapies began to revolutionize the
treatment of cancer. Earlier this year, data from the American Cancer
Society showed that annual cancer deaths in the United States are dropping
for the first time in more than 70 years. From the bench to the clinic,
Seattle Genetics and numerous other companies and research centers around
the world are working to substantially improve cancer patients' survival
and quality of life."
Jason Kantor, Ph.D., an analyst with RBC Capital Markets, will lead the
discussion among panelists Siegall; Daniel Swisher, president and CEO,
Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Inc.; John Orwin, vice president, marketing and
sales, BioOncology, Genentech Inc.; and James Merritt, MD., president and
chief medical officer, AdventRx Pharmaceuticals Inc. The workshop begins at
8:30 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 19.
For more details on the program, visit
http://investorforum.bio.org/opencms/bif/2006/program/.
The BIO InvestorForum host sponsor is Rodman & Renshaw; co-hosts are
Bank of America and Jefferies; supporting host sponsors are RBC Capital
Markets, CIBC World Markets, and Pacific Growth; and the sponsors are
Amgen, Aquilo Partners, BioWorld Today, BMO Capital Markets, Dorsey, Ernst
& Young, Foley & Lardner LLP, HellerEhrman LLP, Johnson & Johnson, Latham &
Watkins LLP, Merck, Pfizer, PR Newswire and VWR International.
BIO represents more than 1,100 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.
SOURCE Biotechnology Industry Organization
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Related links:
http://www.bio.org/
CONTACT:
Kim Coghill, +1-202-962-9232 or Jeff Joseph,
+1-202-962-9230, both of Biotechnology Industry Organization
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