The Life Sciences Foundation – Telling the Story of Biotechnology

Posted under biotech industry, Biotechnology Industry, Blog, Business and Investments, Companies, Diagnostics, Funding, history, Life Science, Life Sciences Foundation, Medical Devices, Medical Supply, Pharmaceuticals, Startups, Universities, Videos by biotechnow@bio.org (Biotechnology Industry Organization)

By the Life Sciences Foundation

“If a man were permitted to make all the ballads, he need not care who should make the laws of a nation.”

- Scottish politician Andrew Fletcher (1653-1716)

Why History Matters

Biotechnologists are in the tomorrow business. They strive to innovate, invent, and make progress. They must; survival depends on it. Biotechnologists are future-oriented.

Yet, biotechnologists are also steeped in history. They swim in the past, and strive constantly to remember it. They must; survival depends on it. Biotechnologists are history-oriented.

Dubious? Consider this. In order to innovate, bench scientists must review technical literatures – histories of discoveries. In order to protect intellectual properties, patent attorneys must reconstruct and document histories of inventions. In order to secure funding, manage crises, and devise effective strategies for the success of life science companies, biotech executives must draw on business lessons, skills, reputations, and networks of relationships acquired over time. History matters crucially to these people.

In order to understand the present of the biotech industry and to plan for its future, participants are obliged to consider its past. The same is true for the general public, the press, and policymakers.  People can’t make good decisions about biotechnology if they don’t know its history.

The Mission of LSF

The Life Sciences Foundation (LSF) has been established to help people understand. LSF documents, preserves, and disseminates the history of the field – it tells the biotech story. The non-profit charity is headquartered in San Francisco. Regional chapters are in formation in Boston, San Diego, and other key centers of biotech research and development.

Industry leaders have recognized the pertinence and value of the project. Founding partners in LSF’s good work include Burrill & Company, Celgene, Eli Lilly & Co., Genentech, Genzyme, Merck, Millennium, Pfizer, Quintiles, and ThermoFisher.  Serving on the organization’s Executive Board are G. Steven Burrill, CEO of Burrill & Company, Joshua Boger, former Chairman and CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Dennis Gillings, Chairman and CEO of Quintiles, John Lechleiter, Chairman and CEO of Eli Lilly & Co., Henri Termeer, former Chairman and CEO of Genzyme, and Arnold Thackray, LSF President and CEO. Dr. Phillip Sharp, Institute Professor at MIT, serves as the organization’s academic advisor.

By various means (web presence, publications, archives, educational outreach programs, exhibitions, conferences, etc.), LSF seeks to raise levels of scientific and technological literacy, and to inform the public about the social, cultural, political, and economic dimensions of bioscientific progress.

The foundation’s small staff of writers, researchers, archivists, and educators has launched a highly-acclaimed, content-rich website (www.biotechhistory.org). The site features digital archives, photo and video galleries, illustrated historical timelines, articles about technologies and companies, and interviews with industry veterans. LSF is also publishing a tri-annual magazine, rescuing historical artifacts and papers, collecting oral histories from biotech pioneers, and conducting research for a major book on the origins and development of the commercial biotechnology industry – the first definitive history of the field at large.

Making History

LSF operates on the premise that history is a cultural force – but only if preserved and published.  It is an asset that must be deployed. So far, the biotech industry has not made good use of it. “See for yourself,” says Arnold Thackray, LSF President and CEO, “google ‘history of biotechnology.’ The results are fragmented, uneven, and rather paltry.”  Thackray also points out that “If you don’t write your own history, somebody else will do it for you, and they may be hostile.”

LSF Advisory Board co-Chair Joshua Boger echoes these sentiments: “Biotechnology is one of the most important drivers of progress in our time, but people generally don’t know us. They know little about what we do. They don’t know the stories. We’re looking at huge deficits in public understanding.”

Bits and pieces of the biotech story have surfaced, and some are captivating – The Billion Dollar Molecule by Barry Werth, a book about Boger’s company, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, is a fine example. But due to an overall paucity of popularizing accounts, the science remains imposing to lay audiences, and those who have made important contributions to the field remain mostly anonymous.

Informing the Public – the Importance of Biotechnology

LSF is trying to help biotechnology enhance its public profile. Mark Jones, the foundation’s Director of Research, believes the life sciences have been neglected: “Ask people on the street who was responsible for their iPhone or iPad. They’ll tell you. Millions rushed to bookstores to purchase the Steve Jobs biography. Jobs was a fascinating character, and Apple makes wonderful products, but life scientists are trying to save lives, feed the world, and solve our pressing energy problems. There is plenty of compelling drama in biotech. We intend to put it on exhibition.”

Jones explains that a big part of LSF’s mission is to ‘humanize’ the biosciences.  LSF intends to tell tales about people – scientists, inventors, entrepreneurs, managers, executives, and financiers – the men and women who work to advance scientific knowledge, generate technological innovations, secure material prosperity, and improve lives around the world.

These stories are full of color. They take place in laboratories and clinics, universities and research parks, pharmaceutical factories and chemical refineries, boardrooms and executive suites; on Sand Hill Road, Wall Street, Capitol Hill, and at the FDA; in the corn fields of Iowa, rice paddies in Asia, and African yam gardens; in the Gulf of Mexico, where genetically engineered microbes are cleaning up an oil spill, and the world’s oceans, where vast reserves of biodiversity are being mined for valuable goods.  Biotech stories are set wherever processes of life have been used to transform and enhance the human condition.

Arnold Thackray emphasizes that the message is for students, teachers, scholars, journalists, and policymakers. “There is a valuable heritage here. The life sciences will shape the course of the 21^st century. We need to preserve their history. We need to teach young people about the world in which they live.”

According to Thackray, the task is urgent; biotech industry is still young, but the founding generation is already passing away: “Records are being scattered, memories are fading, stories are disappearing. Once lost, they’re gone forever.”

How You Can Help LSF to Achieve its Mission

You will enable LSF to record history and increase public understanding of science and technology by:

• Spread the word that it is time to capture the rich heritage of biotechnology;
• Contact the foundation with information on archives, historical records and ancillary publications;
• Suggest candidates for the foundation’s oral history initiative (or develop a memoir of your own);

For more information visit the Life Sciences Foundation website. To sign up for the foundation’s newsletter or to contribute archival materials or ideas, email alicia@biotechhistory.org.

Does Biotech History Repeat?

Posted under biotech industry, Biotechnology Industry, Blog, Business and Investments, Companies, Diagnostics, Funding, industry trends, Inside BIO Industry Analysis, IPO, Medical Devices, Medical Supply, Pharmaceuticals, PUBLIC BIOTECH - Stats, PUBLIC BIOTECH - Stock performance, Startups, Universities, Videos by biotechnow@bio.org (Biotechnology Industry Organization)

According to Mark Twain, “History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme”. Little did he know that one day that would hold true for something called “Biotech”. Indeed, there seems to be a lot of rhyming going on with Biotech IPOs today with recent history.

When we compare the accumulated number of IPOs in the last IPO window (2003-2007) with the current window (2009-now), we see an amazing overlay. Not identical, but not too far from it. As of March 2012, we have 34 IPOs. That compares to 33 back in March 2006:

If this continues through 2012, we will add 12 more IPOs over the next three quarters, for a grand total of 46 IPOs since 2009. Then in 2013, we would need to see 20 more to reach the final 2007 goal of 66 IPOs.

After that, let’s hope Twain’s observations no longer hold true, and we don’t repeat 2008.

Programming Updates to the 2012 BIO International Convention

Posted under 2012 BIO International Convention, Benefits of biotech crops, BIO International Convention, biofuels, biotech industry, Biotechnology Industry, Blog, Companies, Diagnostics, Events, Funding, Health Care, Medical Devices, Medical Supply, Pharmaceuticals, Plant biotechnology, Startups, Universities, Videos by biotechnow@bio.org (Biotechnology Industry Organization)

With Convention less than four months away, things are quickly falling in to place with several programming updates to note!

A total of 115 breakout sessions have been confirmed and scheduled, including 18 international case studies.  Session organizers are currently finalizing speakers.  All session descriptions and confirmed speakers are available on myBIO.

Even after all of the session submissions work, we asked for more session ideas! We recently completed a call for “Late-Breaking” sessions in order to attract proposals with new information that was not yet known at the time of the original call for sessions in September of 2011.  A spot for one late-breaking session is reserved in eleven of the thirteen tracks.  Our tireless volunteer Program Committee will once again put their heads down and review the submissions along with our staff and selected sessions will be announced by the end of March.

New to the program this year, we will offer a professional development track during the Convention. One professional development breakout session will be offered each day during the Convention that will cover tips and tools on career advancement. Sessions in this track will provide attendees with ideas to foster collaborative innovation through professional development and educational efforts.

There will be a total of six Super Sessions on the 2012 program. Super Sessions are open to Full Convention Access, Convention Access and Education & Exhibition Access registrants.  Super Session sponsors include: Burrill & Company; Campbell Alliance; Ernst & Young; Eli Lilly and Company and MedImmune.

Beyond Borders: Ernst & Young’s Annual Biotechnology Industry Report

Sponsored by Ernst & Young

Tuesday, June 19, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Moderators: Glen Giovannetti, Partner and Global Biotechnology Leader, Ernst & Young LLP and Gautam Jaggi, Senior Manager and Editor, Beyond Borders and Progressions, Ernst & Young LLP

Burrill State-of-the-Industry Report

Sponsored by Burrill & Company

Tuesday, June 19, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Speaker: G. Steven Burrill, Chief Executive Officer, Burrill & Company

International Leaders Share Their Worldview: Scientific American’s Regional Bio-Innovation Scorecard

Tuesday, June 19, 3:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Moderator & Speaker: Fareed Zakaria, CNN host, Editor-at-Large of TIME Magazine, Washington Post columnist and New York Times bestselling author

* This Super Sessions is open to Full Convention Access, Convention Access, Education & Exhibition Access, and Exhibit Booth Personal registrants.

After the Honeymoon – Integrating the R&D Growth Engine

Sponsored by Campbell Alliance

Wednesday, June 20, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Moderated by Ben Bonifant, Practice Area Leader, Campbell Alliance and David Thomas, Director, Industry Research & Analysis, Biotechnology Industry Organization

Speaker:  Peter Greenleaf, President, MedImmune

Pre-Competitive Collaboration: Innovation of the Future?

Sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company

Wednesday, June 20, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Speaker: Jan M. Lundberg, PhD, Executive Vice President, Science & Technology and President, Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company

PDUFA V: Impact on Innovation, Patients, and Modern Medicines

Sponsored by MedImmune

Wednesday, June 20, 3:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Speaker:  Peter Greenleaf, President, MedImmune

In addition to the Super Sessions, BIO will host various co-located events and special programs. Below are highlights of these programs:

Translational Research Forum – From Bench to Bedside in a Bioeconomy: University Models that Catalyze Economic Growth and Patient Access

Sponsored by Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company

Monday, June 18, 1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Dr. Robert A. Brown, President, Boston University, will discuss the role of universities in translational medicine during the keynote at this year’s Translational Research Forum.

Leadership Summit: Harvesting the Commercial Potential of Emerging Agricultural and Industrial Biotechnologies

Sponsored by Bayer CropScience

Monday, June 18, 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

The Summit will examine the needs, risks, and strategies for financing development and commercialization of innovative agricultural and industrial biotechnology products, and discuss the role various institutions play in supporting technologies that lead to opportunities for investment and drive innovation in the marketplace.

Rare Diseases Forum:  Emerging Strategies, Challenges, and Partnerships

Sponsored by Genzyme, a Sanofi Company & Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company

Tuesday, June 19, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. & Wednesday, June 20, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

With input from the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and Centric Health Resources, the Forum will provide attendees a unique perspective on the orphan drug marketplace, regulatory considerations and much more.

8^th Annual Biotechnology Entrepreneurship Boot Camp

Sponsored by Pepper Hamilton LLP

Sunday, June 17, 8:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. & Monday, June 18, 8:15 a.m. – 6:45 p.m.

Biotechnology Entrepreneurship Boot Camp is an intensive, two-day program that walks attendees through the necessary steps and provides training for the skills needed to transform technology and invention into a viable company. Visit http://convention.bio.org/bootcamp/ for more information on this unique program.

Product Delivery Workshop: Navigating the Patch to Commercialization

Monday, June 18, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. & Tuesday, June 19, 8:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

The Workshop will provide guidance on how to navigate aggressive competition, regulatory pressures and a thin budget to get a product to market. Attendees will outline and evaluate best practices in commercialization, then practice the concepts during a competitive team simulation. Visit http://convention.bio.org/ProductDeliveryWorkshop/ for more information and to register today.

To view the complete educational line-up at the 2012 BIO International Convention visit myBIO.

Industry Outlook in Anticipation of the 2012 BIO International Convention

Posted under 2012 BIO International Convention, BIO CEO, BIO CEO & Investor Conference, Biotechnology Industry, Blog, Companies, Diagnostics, Events, Funding, Medical Devices, Medical Supply, Pharmaceuticals, Startups, Universities, Videos by biotechnow@bio.org (Biotechnology Industry Organization)

This month, BIO wrapped the 14^th Annual CEO & Investor Conference in New York City at the Waldorf=Astoria. Hosted by BIO, the event drew more than 1,200 industry leaders, featured 140 company presentations and a record breaking 1,300+ one-on-one meetings between 225 companies.

Taking the momentum from this meeting, we now look ahead to the 2012 BIO International Convention to be held June 18 – 21, 2012 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in Boston, MA. One hot topic that seemed to dominate panel conversations, many of which drew participation from company CEO’s like Pfizer and Gilead, was the increase in Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals.  In 2012 alone, four new drugs have been approved by the FDA: Bydureon for type 2 diabetes; Kalydeco for cystic fibrosis; Erivedge for basal cell carcinoma and Inlyta for renal cell carcinoma, with two more approved with companion diagnostics: Xalkori for NSCLC and Zelboraf for metastatic melanoma.

The therapeutic areas that generated the biggest buzz included oncology, hepatitis C and Alzheimer’s. Those looking to learn more about the breakthroughs and advancements in these areas should visit the Convention site to explore the more than 125 thought-provoking Breakout Sessions in the thirteen relevant tracks.

Additionally, investor optimism appears restored according to the recently released BIO Industry Analysis Survey. The survey results showed that the majority of investors believe this is a good time to invest in biotech and expect that there will be more IPOs this year compared to last year.

Looking ahead to the Convention, we anticipate these trends and investor optimism will continue to play out in Boston. Through the opportunities presented at the BIO Business Forum, from partnering meetings to hosting a company presentation, to the various networking events, now is the time for organizations to capitalize on the global reach opportunities available at the Convention.

Don’t miss out on the chance to be a part of the global event for biotechnology. To learn more about the Convention and what business development opportunities await, please visit here.