Featured Workshops*

"Innovative Start-up Funding Strategies in Today's Market"
Tuesday, April 22; 12:00 pm

A seemingly small, early step in the biotech value chain - that involves bridging the distance from academic breakthrough and tech transfer to early-stage investment - remains an enormous challenge.  So-called translational research begs for new funding and operational models.  Join a panel discussion by a successful CEO/founding CSO, seed venture investors and a leading tech transfer office executive on the latest investment models, company formation principles and the quest for capital to launch companies with a platform that is sustainable in the marketplace.

"RegenMed 2.0: Prospects for a Second Generation of Stem Cell-Based Therapeutics"
Tuesday, April 22; 5:00 pm

Early private investment in stell cell-based regenerative medicine did not translate into breakthrough clinical successes.  However, as stem cell research and technology matures, a second generation of stem cell-based therapeutics may overcome the manufacturing, delivery, safety, regulatory and commercial hurdles encountered by early participants.

Improved methods to reproducibly and irreversibly differentiate stem cells should benefit clinical trial design as well as commercial scale manufacturing and GMP regulations.  In addition, new haplotype matching technology may allow for more commercially viable allogenic therapeutics to be developed.  Will these new technologies spawn a new generation of stem cell-based company formation, or will it take a definitive commercial success to stimulate new capital commitments?  Please join us to discuss the prospects for RegenMed 2.0 with a leading stem cell venture capital investor, translational scientist, physician, and regulatory expert.

"Antibiotics: Bad Bugs - Few Drugs"
Wednesday, April 23; 8:30 am

Scores of bugs are becoming resistant to current drugs, leading to an epidemic in our hospitals.  Pharmaceutical companies have not introduced a truly novel approach to antibiotics in 20 years.  Development risks are also being compounded by FDA's shifting rules related to what constitutes an approvable new antibiotic.  This panel will discuss what the future needs will be in this space and how biotech can address those needs.

"Funding and Valuation Models for Start-Up Biotech Companies"
Wednesday, April 23; 12:00 pm

Valuation and fundraising negotiations for private company rounds can be deeply influenced by the investment environment, numerous industry and competitive factors, and historical fundraising agreements involving your investors and Board members. Learn about the variables that influence the valuation of young companies and the current trends in early-deal funding versus historical investment in start-up companies. This panel will look at how investors, senior management, bankers and Directors participate in fundraising negotiations and outcomes. From bells and whistles to valuation, and exchanges between the two, what can CEOs of emerging biotech companies learn about managing future and historical investors while building a reasonable valuation in line with short- and long-term financing and business objectives? Hear from leading venture groups that focus on early participation and two CEOS who have navigated these discussions. Providing context for this panel, an expert from E&Y will unveil a new analysis on quantitative trends that underlie biotech start-up funding over the last five years.

"RNAi, microRNA, siRNA - Fad or Future"
Wednesday, April 23; 3:30 pm

The industry for this new generation of drugs has grown to over $14 billion in market cap and M&A deals in less than two years.  A whole new support industry is being spawned around this new class of drugs, providing a novel approaches to IP, delivery systems and manufacturing techniques.  History has shown that you can make money selling picks and shovels even if you don't find gold.  This panel will debate both the short-term and long-term opportunities for RNA-based therapeutics.

*BIO is pleased to partner with Gerson Lehrman Group (GLG) for the BIO National Venture Conference Workshops. A number of the physician experts participating on these panels are members of the GLG Councils who educate and provide insight to decision makers through a wide range of consulting methods, including telephone consultations, expert surveys and seminars. For more information about GLG, please visit www.glgroup.com.