December 2011
1 post
1 tag
BioPartnering Europe Evolves: Structure Implies...
The longest-running biopharma partnering event in Europe took place in London this past October, after 19 years of sustained success. BioPartnering Europe (BPE) was first produced in 1993 at a time when few business development professionals used email, or accessed websites, or used social networking sites. In 1993, most biopharma companies were in California, Massachusetts, and pockets of Western...
November 2011
1 post
Growing Life Science Business in the Pacific Rim:...
The Pacific Rim refers to places around the edge of the Pacific Ocean, the world’s largest. On the northeastern rim is the U.S. and Canada with their vast innovation capabilities, and natural resources. On the northwestern rim are the massive production capabilities and the expanding markets of Japan, Korea and China. These economies are also seeking to increase their global success through...
October 2011
1 post
Revolution in drug discovery
There has been a revolution in drug discovery. No longer are the forces of medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and formulation in the hands of a few powerful mega cap pharma companies and concentrated in enclaves of Europe and the USA. The touch-paper lit over a decade ago by the success of small biotech, adopting mega cap know-how to originate NCEs, has exploded by the restructuring of...
September 2011
1 post
8 tags
Europe getting jiggy with it
All across Europe right now, as funding season opens for the main European Commission funding programme FP7, companies and researchers are experiencing the hitherto undiscovered experience of getting up close and personal, quite often with complete strangers.
The mating game of the Framework Programme Seven call is a strange one for many. Academics are used to the familiar faces and routines of a...
July 2011
2 posts
16 tags
It is time for Latin America
In 2009, Robert Kilpatrick and I decided to bring the BioPartnering events to Latin America. The main objective was to create business opportunities for local life sciences companies and to expand horizons for international companies into the region. The decision proved to be right. Latin America is experiencing robust economic growth in comparison with other regions that were strongly affected...
10 tags
Ola Brazil: Latin America's BIGGEST Market...
Brazil is familiar territory to the pharmaceutical industry, which has been operating in the country for decades. Today, with its stronger economic outlook, political stability, and a public healthcare system that gives all residents access to basic treatment, Brazil offers great expansion opportunities to companies.
According to a report from Cutting Edge Information, Emerging Markets Clinical...
May 2011
1 post
5 tags
Is the Venture Capital Model a Dead End for Early...
Venture capital funding is considered to be the lifeblood of any promising biotech company but because of several years of recession and timid investing the industry has suffered. The recent PwC MoneyTree and Dow Jones VentureSource reports show some positive signs that investors are getting back in the game. While the number of deals continues to shrink, the amount of cash invested has actually...
April 2011
1 post
5 tags
Raising Capital in a Tight Market
The global financial crisis has made it challenging for the biotechnology industry to raise capital to fund innovation. Experts say venture capital money is still available, but often the VC community is looking for lower-risk, short-term projects. As a result, biotech companies are increasingly looking to alternative sources of capital. Experts say this is a natural reaction to normal business...
March 2011
1 post
5 tags
Get it ($$), while the getting is good |...
Have you heard? We’re on the upswing! Venture capital, according to PWC MoneyTree, is already higher in 2010 Q3 than it was in all of 2009. And, as we recently reported in the California Biomedical Industry 2011 Report, 53 percent of surveyed California biotech CEOs plan to add workforce to their operations this year. Another 48 percent of the respondents believe that a merger/acquisition is...
February 2011
2 posts
5 tags
Pharma-biotech partnerships: creative approaches...
Research and development partnerships between big pharma and the biotech sector are now a vital component in bringing new medicines to the market - so much so that securing the best molecules for the best price has become a core competency for big pharma companies.
The relationship between pharma and “biotech” (i.e. small, start up drug discovery companies) is now mature, and mutually...
5 tags
Exciting year ahead as Canadian Biotech leads the...
As I visited many companies throughout the past year I was struck by their dedication and candor having moved through recent economic difficulties. Used to set backs, whether regarding delays for approvals or dealing with daily regulation matters our companies are nimble and effective. It is a fact that if you invested $1 in biotech at the end of 2008, today you would have $1.60, compare that with...
January 2011
1 post
6 tags
British Columbia's Life Sciences Sector: Leading...
The perception of Canada on the international stage is often tied to its proximity to the US, its rich natural resources, and less than desirable climate. Although this may be true at least in part - the global recession has forced many countries to re-examine their competitive positions and in this regard, Canada has chosen to pursue a path which will strengthen its knowledge-based economy and...
December 2010
1 post
6 tags
China Blog Series Part 4: Questions Still Remain
This is part 4 of a 4 part blog series featuring growth, challenges and predictions for China’s emerging life science industry:
Will Novartis’ USD 1 billion investment finally shame domestic Chinese pharmaceutical companies into making real commitments to innovative R&D?
The Chinese government, via funding programs such as the 863 National High Technology Research and...
November 2010
3 posts
6 tags
China Blog Series Part 3: One billion reasons why...
This is part 3 of a 4 part blog series featuring growth, challenges and predictions for China’s emerging life science industry:
Subject to the same questions as other R&D commitments One year later, the CNIBR expansion is still unfolding. Details of exactly where and how the funding will be spent have yet to be released. As with many of the MNC R&D center efforts that have come...
6 tags
China Blog Series Part 2: More recent commitments...
This is part 2 of a 4 part blog series featuring growth, challenges and predictions for China’s emerging life science industry:
As early as 2006, AstraZeneca announced a USD 100 million commitment to create the company’s Innovation Center China (ICC) to be located in Shanghai. To be sure, the company did establish an initial lab facility in 2007; however, moving forward, it seems that...
5 tags
China Blog Series Part 1: One Billion Dollars --...
This is part 1 of a 4 part blog series featuring the growth, challenges and predictions for China’s emerging life science industry:
During his visit to China in November of 2009, Novartis Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Daniel Vasella made a stunning announcement: Novartis would commit USD 1 billion to expand and upgrade its Shanghai laboratory facilities to create the China Novartis...
September 2010
2 posts
5 tags
A Shifting Paradigm?
I’ve just returned from Brazil, where I spoke at the BioPartnering Latin America conference about the value of alliances across industry and nonprofit groups in addressing global health needs. What struck me about this meeting—and those who attended—is the increasing acceleration of interest in and commitment to partnerships in the emerging market countries by large pharma and...
5 tags
Australian Biotech Companies are Attracting...
The biotech industry globally is showing resilience despite challenging conditions, especially in accessing capital, to continue their journey through research and development to creating global solutions. Australian biotech companies are increasingly attracting attention on the world stage.
Australia’s number of listed biotech companies has grown from 30 in 1999 to 112 a decade later. In...
August 2010
2 posts
5 tags
Latin America is Now Becoming a Reality
The worldwide life science community has been witnessing the emergence of many new biobusiness hotspots and the fast movement towards a truly global biotechnology industry. In this scenario, technology, people and capital will continue to be key success factors alongside the ability to leverage strategic partnerships and alliances, without borders. Latin America is well placed to be a major player...
5 tags
What can the Old Spice Guy do for Biotech?
One of the most successful social media campaigns to date has just made its run — and Old Spice is suddenly hip again. Those hilarious Old Spice Guy YouTube videos, corresponding Tweets, and 183 personal video responses posted on YouTube in a span of three days have vigorously turned the brand around.
The campaign fueled Old Spice brand awareness with new audiences and led to a shocking...
July 2010
1 post
5 tags
Biotech Innovation Will Find a Way
As our team prepares for our Annual BioPartnering Europe conference in October, I find myself knee-deep in European biotech industry reports, BioCluster maps, newsletters, industry journals, news and analysis. Every communication piece and organization takes a slightly different angle on summing up the current state and future viability of our industry, but I am finding a common thread in each....
June 2010
1 post
5 tags
Affordable Innovation and India's Rise as a...
I was recently at the 10th anniversary Bangalore INDIA Bio (BIB) conference and Exhibition in Bangalore, India. TVG launched its BioPartnering India conference as part of the BIB conference which attracted over 700 delegates and the exhibition was visited by over 6000 people. There is a lot of energy and enthusiasm and commitment for the biotech industry in India. To give you some idea of the...
May 2010
1 post
5 tags
Making the Most of Your 15 Minutes of Fame
Having watched and helped develop biotech company presentations for many years, I can recommend some basic rules of play that can help make your presentation the one that stands out. Every company has a different story to tell but mostly the presentations are in the same format, in the same room, and to the same people. So how can you be the one who stands out in the crowd? Enthusiasm - if you...
April 2010
1 post
5 tags
BioPartnering on the Copacabana Beach
During the last week of March, I conducted a site inspection for the newest TVG Global Platform destination, BioPartnering Latin America (BPL). After 15+ hours of airtime, I landed in beautiful Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday morning. The weather was sunny and beautiful as I traveled from the airport to the amazing Sofitel Hotel located on Copacabana Beach. Upon arrival, I was greeted by friendly staff...
January 2010
3 posts
4 tags
India Offers a Bright Future for Biotech and...
TVG is strongly committed to advantage India and for the second year we are working closely with Bangalore India Bio, the largest and best showcase of the Indian life science industry. We are pleased to be collaborating with MMActiv, the Vision Group on Biotechnology, ABLE and other leaders of the Indian life science industry. On January 19th, Biocon Chairman & Managing Director Kiran...
5 tags
The World Gathers in Vancouver
Over the next month, the global spotlight will shine on Vancouver in the lead up to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, but just prior to that, we look forward to having the attention of the biotech world turned to us to mark BioPartnering North America’s (BPN) eighth year. BPN is proudly produced by TVG and Life Sciences British Columbia (LSBC), and since its inception in 2003, we have worked...
5 tags
18 Years of BioPartnering and Innovation - Happy...
On January 7th, 1992, TVG opened for business and started planning for the first BioPartnering conference in London to encourage partnering between US and European life science companies. Today, as we celebrate TVG’s 18th birthday, BioPartnering, which was merely a concept before 1992, is a truly global activity and the catalyst for growth and innovation in our industry. We have witnessed...
December 2009
2 posts
5 tags
biopartnering.com: Company Profile 101
The company profile is a research tool that helps delegates research and find companies to do business with. A company profile will leverage your presence at the conference and acts as an effective marketing tool. Your company’s success and competitiveness depends, in part, on easy access to information, insight and resources about your company. Uploading a profile and keeping it up-to-date...
5 tags
Video Blog: Global BioPartnering Platform
On October 12, 2009, TVG LLC, launched the world’s first Global BioPartnering Platform in London. This new network allows life science companies to access global innovation, raise new sources of capital, and tap into skilled workforces around the world. We have focused on six of the most important markets for life science companies, including USA/Canada, Europe, India, China, and Latin...
November 2009
1 post
5 tags
9 Top Pharma Companies Offer Insights and...
9 Leading Pharmaceutical companies —Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Genzyme, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck & Co., Inc., Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, and Takeda — presented corporate strategies and partnering opportunities at BioPartnering Europe™ 2009 (BPE).
Year after year, TVG’s customers attend BPE to network with potential partners, join interactive discussions with industry...
October 2009
2 posts
5 tags
BIOFORECASTER expert warns against Google
BIOFORECASTER, which has a panel of leading investors review the biotech scene, is arguably the most popular session at BioPartnering Europe. Delegates know they must earn their farewell drinks by listening to the experts’ predictions for the year ahead. “You cannot catch flies with vinegar,” observed Antoine Papiernik (Managing Partner, Sofinnova). Translated, that probably...
6 tags
Think Globally, Act Locally: BioPartnering Taps...
The phrase “Think Globally, Act Locally”, was originated by the French-American microbiologist and humanist Rene Jules Dubos, as an adviser to the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in 1972. In addressing the issue of ecological consciousness, he suggested that there needed to be the creation of a World Order in which “natural and social units maintain or...
September 2009
3 posts
5 tags
Innovation is Us
The term innovation refers to a new way of doing something. It may refer to incremental and emergent or radical and revolutionary changes in thinking, products, processes, or organizations. Following Schumpeter (1934), contributors to the scholarly literature on innovation typically distinguish between invention, an idea made manifest, and innovation, ideas applied successfully in practice. In...
5 tags
Everything Starts Small
Recently in London, I was able to revisit the British Museum in Bloomsbury, to view the famous cat mummies in the Egyptian collection, and to enjoy a delicious lunch in the magnificent Great Court. Upon exiting the front of the museum, I headed south down Museum Street where I discovered My Little Eye Gallery which features the artistic genius of Willard Wigan.
Willard creates the world’s...
7 tags
Being Where You Need To Be
We are now one year into a financial meltdown that was symbolized by the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008. For many of us in the technology sector, this has been an “annus horribilis”, or as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II remarked on 24 November, 1992, marking the 40th anniversary of her Accession: this “is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted...
August 2009
2 posts
6 tags
BioPartnering and Julia Child
Recently I saw the film “Julie/Julia” which is about the life of the famous chef and teacher Julia Child, and a modern woman (Julie) who commits to preparing all the recipes in the book “Mastering The Art of French Cooking, Volume One” in one year. The film is very enjoyable and I recommend it highly. Afterward, it occurred to me that partnering is a lot like cooking, in...
5 tags
Don't cut that conference budget!
Many companies are facing “hair-cuts” with their conference budgets as a way of saving money but is this the right approach? Will the cost savings help the bottom line? While cutting out conference attendance will have a few short-term benefits it will ultimately undermine your long-term growth and partnering strategy. Over the years, it has been proven that attending conferences is...