Boston Will Host BIO 2000 International Meeting

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 21, 1999) Boston will get its first opportunity to host the Biotechnology Industry Organization's (BIO) annual meeting next March. More than 7,000 biotech industry leaders and executives from more than 2,000 companies worldwide are expected to gather, showcasing the latest scientific and technical product advances.

ôBIO 2000,ö the International Biotechnology Meeting & Exhibition, will be held March 26-30 at Boston's Hynes Convention Center.

ôBoston has long been a city rich in political history, culture and education, as well as one of the leading centers of scientific and medical innovation,ö said BIO President Carl B. Feldbaum. ôCurrently and in the foreseeable future, it is also one of the world's hotbeds of biotechnology. We look forward to capturing both the local spirit and the global pulse of our industry at BIO 2000 as we work with our members to advance health care and improve agriculture, industrial and environmental conditions for individuals around the world.ö

Feldbaum added, ôThis meeting also provides a preeminent forum for examining the relationships among industry, academia, government, investors and the public that will continue to shape biotechnology in the next century.ö

The theme of the meeting, "Biotech Works," is well-reflected by the extensive biotech business in Boston and throughout Massachusetts. The state is home to more than 250 biotechnology companies employing 18,000 people. Of these, the more than 50 publicly traded companies in Massachusetts have a combined $13 billion market capitalization, and the $1 billion in R&D funding sent annually to Massachusetts leads all states in the amount of federal research dollars received per capita.

BIO's annual meeting is the world's largest exhibition of its kind. The conference will feature more than 200 special symposia and presentations including developments in medical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology; public policy updates; and business, regulatory and financial strategies. More than 700 exhibitors also will display their most advanced product innovations. Program updates are available at www.bio.org.

The CEOs of the two largest biotechnology companies in Massachusetts are steering committee co-chairs for the BIO 2000 meeting: Henri A. Termeer, chairman and CEO of Genzyme Corporation, and James L. Vincent, chairman and CEO of Biogen Inc.

Commenting on the meeting, Termeer said, ôThe biotechnology industry has had a profound impact on the lives of patients around the world and will play a critical role in shaping the future of health care. Massachusetts is a center of innovation in biomedical research, and we are extremely excited that Boston will be the host city for this very important gathering.ö

Vincent added, ôThe biotechnology industry is a significant provider of jobs requiring skilled labor, a magnet for investment capital and a developer of medical breakthroughs. The industry makes good use of resources in the state and, in return, makes significant contributions to the community.ö

Patrick Moscaritolo, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, noted, ôIn addition to highlighting Boston's unique contributions to the biotechnology industry, BIO 2000 will give participants an opportunity to experience the wealth of cultural and educational opportunities the city has to offer. The meeting also will be an important forum for new business exchanges between Massachusetts-based companies and other biotech companies worldwide, forging alliances thatwill have a positive economic impact on the state for many years.ö

BIO represents more than 850 biotechnology companies, academic institutions and state biotechnology centers in 47 states and 26 nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of health care, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.