European Mediscience Awards Dinner 2009 – Sponsored by Piper Jaffray, in Association with the Bioindustry Association

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The European Mediscience Awards Dinner 2009 took place last night at the Hotel Intercontinental in London. The “house full” signs for this glittering occasion were posted long ago, and the quoted mediscience, life science and biotech community from throughout the UK and Continental Europe enjoyed a night to remember. BBC TV’s Kate Silverton took time off from her many broadcast duties to host the awards ceremony, while the after-dinner entertainment was provided by Dominic Holland (who has been described by the late Bob Monkhouse as ‘Britain’s funniest not yet famous comedian’).

“I have personally attended the Mediscience Awards Dinner 4 times over the past 6-7 years, and I am deeply impressed by the rapid development and acceleration of the European Health Science industry.”

The top award, the coveted Company of the Year award (sponsored by Piper Jaffray) was awarded to Austrian “smart” vaccine company Intercell, which received FDA approval for its Japanese Encephalitis vaccine in record time. (www.intercell.com).

The always tightly contested Chief Executive of the Year award (sponsored by Buchanan Communications) was won by Glyn Edwards, CEO of UK cancer specialist Antisoma plc (www.antisoma.com).

Glyn and his management team are responsible for the strategic direction of the group and overseeing its organic development and its acquisition strategy. Antisoma has been an ever-present at this awards dinner and its success has continued apace this year, under Glyn’s strong leadership.

Other awards winners include:

The Most Significant Contribution to the Mediscience Sector award (sponsored by Canaccord Adams) and awarded to The BioIndustry Association

Transaction of the Year award (sponsored by NASDAQ OMX) and awarded to BTG plc

Best technology award (sponsored by CMS Cameron McKenna) and awarded to Ablynx NV

Mediscience Commentator of the Year (sponsored by Corfin Communications) and awarded to Nick Hasell, Editor of Tempus at The Times

Breakthrough of the Year award (sponsored by Matrix Corporate Capital LLP) and awarded to

ImmuPharma plc

and the Best communication award (sponsored by the BioIndustry Association) and awarded to

Vectura Group plc

Commenting on these awards David Wilson, Chief Executive of Piper Jaffray, remarked “There are now 836 Mediscience companies listed throughout Europe. This is a massive increase from the equivalent figure of 503 seen last year, despite the impact that the global recession in other market areas. This provided the Voting Panel at the European Mediscience Awards Dinner with a rich and diverse range of companies from which to choose the award winners.”

Jon Salveson, Head of Investment Banking at Piper Jaffray in New York, gave the keynote speech at the awards. He said “I have personally attended the Mediscience Awards Dinner 4 times over the past 6-7 years, and I am deeply impressed by the rapid development and acceleration of the European Health Science industry.”

When presenting the Company of the Year award to Intercell, Kate Silverton commented that “Intercell is an ambitious drug development company that is developing a new breed of “smart” vaccines for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. Its first product on the market is a Japanese Encephalitis vaccine, which received FDA approval in record time, while it is also currently undertaking clinical studies of a novel, needle-free vaccine patch against Travelers’ Diarrhea, with Phase III trials due to start shortly.”

Photographs are available from the event organisers, Ford Sinclair Ltd (see below) or may be found on the event website (www.mediscience-event.co.uk).