Sixth Annual BioPartnering North America Continues to Provide Excellent Global Partnering OpportunitiesThe world's premier biopartnering conference, BioPartnering North America broke records for attendance this year. With over 1,100 delegates in attendance, the conference was at full capacity in a year where industry has been reporting declines.Conference Continues to Provide Excellent Partnering Opportunities The 7th Annual BioPartnering North America (BPN) Conference, co-hosted by LifeSciences British Columbia, and produced by Technology Vision Group LLC, had yet another successful year, providing delegates with a multitude of excellent partnering opportunities, and was the site of several major announcements. This year a record number of 3,450 partnering meetings were recorded with numerous impromptu meetings also occurring. The Conference was attended by over 1,100 delegates from 551 international biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies representing 30 countries. Now in its sixth year, BioPartnering North America takes place every February in Vancouver, BC Canada.  BPN delegates listen as industry experts present...  ...and network over lunch. Some of the major announcements made at BPN 2009, included the launch of BioPartnering China, which will enable foreign lifescience companies to explore opportunities with China, and BioPartnering @ BangaloreBio 2009, a joint collaboration to enable foreign life science companies to explore opportunities with India. Additionally, Pfizer Canada announced an increase to its initial commitment of $1 million by an additional $2 million to the "Pfizer-CDRD Innovation Fund" at the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) to fast-track the commercialization of some of B.C.’s most promising research. On Monday, February 9th at the Canada Leadership Panel, a group of top Canadian life science researchers and business executives discussed their respective stories, key Canadian achievements, and the national environment for research commercialization. Among them was Natalie Dakers, President of CDRD. Pfizer Canada made their CDRD investment announcement the same day.  The panel from the Canada Leadership Session supported by NRC-IRAP and DFAIT. Left to right: Adam Buckley, Variation Biotech; Natalie Dakers, Centre for Drug Research and Development; David Brener, Pfizer Canada; and moderator James Hatton from Farris Vaughan Wills and Murphy LLP The 2009 conference attracted a great deal of international involvement, with extensive delegations from Italy, France, the UK and Korea in attendance, and many related side events. BPN 2009 was also brimming with interesting, topical workshops and sessions investigating the key issues addressing the biotechnology industry today. Dr. Robert Lee Kilpatrick, Partner at Technology Vision Group (TVG) commented after the conference, “BioPartnering North America 2009 was a great success because it taps into the genuine need for partnership as a business survival strategy. Biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies need each other now more than ever.” LifeSciences BC was pleased to host a “Taste of BC” drinks reception for delegates on February 9th. Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP hosted the Welcome Reception on February 8th, and the BC Innovation Council hosted a gala reception at the Vancouver Art Gallery on February 9th. LifeSciences BC thanks these organizations for their generous and ongoing support of our community. Thanks also to local conference sponsors Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Genome BC, the Government of British Columbia, BC was well represented among speakers and presenters at this year’s conference. LifeSciences BC President Karimah Es Sabar and Colin Hansen, Minister of Finance and Minister Responsible for the Olympics, welcomed delegates to the conference along with Peter Brenders, President & CEO of BIOTECanada, and Robert Kilpatrick, Partner, TechVision Group.  Karimah Es Sabar, President, LifeSciences BC addresses colleagues at a special meeting of global life sciences associations Dr. Martin Gleave, Executive Director at the Prostate Centre, and Susan O'Reilly, BC Cancer Agency, were panel speakers at a workshop hosted by Pfizer Canda Inc. Speakers at the workshop, entitled Research Partnerships: Recipes for Success, provided insight on how the positive changes in policy landscape can influence biopartnering networking opportunities. Inimex Pharmaceuticals Inc. was an Open House presenter at BPN, and the following local companies made podium presentations: • AAI Pharma Inc. • Aquinox Pharmaceutical Inc. • Centre for Drug Research and Development • Diversified Bio-medics Inc. • OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals Inc. • PROOF Centre of Excellence • Vifor Pharma • Welichem Biotech In.c • WEX Phaemaceuticals • Zymeworks  B. Mario Pinto, Vice President, Research, Simon Fraser University, presents on working with India A photo gallery of the conference is available here, and a summary is available here. For more information on the conference, please see www.techvision.com/bpn/  Members of the French Delegation to BPN enjoy a reception in the Grand Foyer |
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