Plenary and Business Panels to Address Growing Challenges of Small Biotech Companies at the BIO Investor Forum

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) today announces plenary sessions and roundtables planned for the Seventh Annual BIO Investor Forum that address how small biotech companies can continue to innovate and grow despite current market conditions.

“We have brought together the best minds in the industry to share creative and non-traditional approaches to business models, financing, and partnership deals that will help to insulate companies from these challenges.”

"Each session focuses on novel ways to navigate today's challenging economic landscape," said Alan Eisenberg, executive vice president, Emerging Companies & Business Development at BIO. "We have brought together the best minds in the industry to share creative and non-traditional approaches to business models, financing, and partnership deals that will help to insulate companies from these challenges.”

The BIO Investor Forum's plenary sessions and business roundtables will focus on economic and business issues facing the biotech industry, including M&A, capital access, exit strategies, technology transfer, and outsourcing among other topics. Featured plenary sessions and roundtables include:

Plenary Sessions

Capital Access 201 (Wednesday)

Experts will explore current funding options and how each approach may impact the investor's standing in the short- and long-term.

Moderator - Howard Furst, MD, Partner, Deerfield Management

Panelists - Ben Perkins, managing director of Life Sciences Group, Pacific Growth Equities, LLC; Oleg Nodelman, portfolio manager at Biotechnology Value Fund, LP; Thomas King, president & CEO of Alexza Pharmaceuticals; Luke Evnin, PhD, managing director at MPM Capital; Andrew L. Busser, principal of Symphony Capital, LLC

The Return to a Thriving Marketplace - What's It Going To Take (Friday)

Change of office, FDA reform, significant M&A, outrageously low valuations, a new investment model are all potential catalysts for change. This session will address how to offset investor concerns and reinvigorate public capital access and capital inflows into biotech again.

Moderator - George Milstein, head of investment banking of Pacific Growth Equities LLC

Panelists - Robert Rynd, director of Biotech Corporate Advisory Services, Thomson Reuters; Matthew Perry, portfolio manager at Biotechnology Value Fund, LP; David Singer, principal of Maverick Capital

Business Roundtables

Privately Thriving in the Bear Market - Insights into an emerging secondary marketplace for private investment in which management can hope to attract funding from diverse public and private sources.

One Exit Strategy Isn't Enough – Late -stage private company executives will share strategies for exploring multiple exit scenarios simultaneously to potentially enhance returns.

Beyond Classic M&A – Exploration of most intriguing options to classic M&A, including traditional big pharma with biotech; private with private; public with private; reverse mergers; spin-outs and carve outs.

To access the entire program and registration, visit http://investorforum.bio.org. Registration is complimentary for qualified investors and credentialed members of the media.

Advance media registration is now available at https://www.compusystems.com/servlet/ar?evt_uid=693&site=MEDIA.

The BIO Investor Forum is a national investor conference featuring leading private and emerging public companies. The meeting attracts sophisticated healthcare venture and private equity investors, buy-side investors and research analysts. In addition, the BIO Investor Forum draws business development executives from leading global pharmaceutical and mature biotechnology companies.

About BIO

BIO represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world's largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world.

Upcoming BIO Events

Intellectual Property Counsels' Committee Fall Conference and Meeting

October 20-22, 2008

Orlando, Fla.

BIO HR Conference 2008

October 26-28, 2008

San Diego, Calif.

BIO-LES Advanced Business Development Course

October 27-29, 2008

San Francisco, Calif.

BIO Investor Forum 2008

October 29-31, 2008