Biotech/Pharma Partnering Strategies Are Focus of BIO-Windhover Conference

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 20, 2004) — Creating effective collaborations, whether they are between the biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industries or within the biotech industry itself, is the focus of the BIO-Windhover 2004 Partnering Conference, which will be held April 26-28 in Washington's Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

More than 350 leading business development and R&&D executives from the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries are expected to attend the conference, which is being co-hosted by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and Windhover Information Inc.

"This meeting is about bringing biotech and pharmaceutical decisionmakers together to explore potential collaborations and partnerships and to do it in a format that is conducive to serious discussions," said Morrie Ruffin, BIO's vice president for business development. "The partnering opportunities will run the gamut from emerging companies to leading, multinational corporations."

Thirteen of the 14 leading pharmaceutical companies will be sending senior delegations to this event.

The conference applies state-of-the-art computer technology to match biotech companies with potential pharmaceutical industry partners based on business capabilities and needs.

In addition to offering exclusive partnering opportunities, BIO-Windhover will feature plenary sessions on topics such as deal-valuation strategies, mergers and acquisitions within the biotech industry, and in-licensing as a biotech business strategy.

For more information about BIO-Windhover 2004, go online at www.biowindhover.com.

BIO represents more than 1,000 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations in all 50 U.S. states and 33 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of health-care, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.