2008-07-16 23:56:12 -

www.midatlanticbio.org - Mid-Atlantic Bio 866-482-7691 info@midatlanticbio.org or Monica Welch, 301-933-1976 monicomms@comcast.net The 2008 Mid-Atlantic Bio conference (midatlanticbio.org) today announced that Kary Mullis, Ph.D., the Nobel Prize-winning chemist known for his invention of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D., will address

this year's conference, to be held October 22 through 24 at the Westfields Marriott in Dulles, Va. Dedicated to promoting the growth of biotechnology in the Mid-Atlantic region, the conference is collectively sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic's most influential bioscience and investor associations, MdBio/Tech Council of Maryland, Mid-Atlantic Venture Association (MAVA), and the Virginia Biotechnology Association (VaBIO). The conference attracts more than 800 senior executives from the life sciences industry, as well as investors, financiers, attorneys, service providers, and consultants.

Among the prominent scientific, government, and business leaders addressing the conference, Mullis and von Eschenbach join a world-class lineup of keynote speakers, including Jeremy Levin, D.Phil., senior vice president, External Science, Technology and Licensing, Bristol-Myers Squibb; and Lex Van der Ploeg, Ph.D., vice president and head of Merck's Boston/Cambridge Research Site.

"Mid-Atlantic Bio provides our region's biotechnology sector with a unique opportunity to showcase the world class innovation our companies produce and to interact with potential business partners, from our region and around the world," said H. Thomas Watkins, president and chief executive officer of Human Genome Sciences. "I have been involved in this forum as an attendee and speaker and have personally witnessed the outstanding exchange of knowledge and contacts that takes place," Watkins added.

The conference will also feature panel discussions on key areas of bioscience, company presentations for investors, and an international component to foster dialogue among companies around the globe.

About the Speakers

Jeremy Levin, D.Phil., is senior vice president of External Science, Technology and Licensing for Bristol-Myers Squibb. Prior to joining Bristol-Myers Squibb, Dr. Levin served as global head of Business Development and Strategic Alliances at the Novartis Institutes of Biomedical Research, where he and his team secured hundreds of collaborations in more than 20 countries since 2003. Prior to his tenure at Novartis, Dr. Levin held leadership positions in several biotechnology companies, including Physiome Sciences, Inc. and Cadus Pharmaceutical Corporation. He also was managing director of Perseus Capital LLC, a life sciences venture fund. He has served on the executive committees and boards of several public biosciences companies and associations.

Kary Mullis, Ph.D., received a Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1993, for his invention of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The process, which Dr. Mullis conceptualized in 1983, is hailed as one of the monumental scientific techniques of the 20th century. A method of amplifying DNA, PCR multiplies a single, microscopic strand of the genetic material billions of times within hours. The process has multiple applications in medicine, genetics, biotechnology and forensics. Dr. Mullis also worked as a DNA chemist for the Cetus Corp., where he conducted research on oligonucleotide synthesis and invented the polymerase chain reaction. He also served as director of molecular biology at Xytronyx, Inc. in San Diego, where his work was concentrated in DNA technology and photochemistry. In addition, he consulted on nucleic acid chemistry for more than a dozen corporations, including Angenics, Cytometrics, Eastman Kodak, Abbott Labs, Milligen/Biosearch and Specialty Laboratories.

Lex Van der Ploeg, Ph.D., is vice president and head of Merck's Boston/Cambridge Research Site. Since joining Merck in 1991 as director of the department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, he has carried diverse responsibilities which included the development of Merck's obesity franchise, site head for MRL San Diego and now site head for MRL Boston. Dr. Van der Ploeg has received numerous awards and grants for his research and has published more than 200 research articles. He is an inventor on more than 40 patents and patent applications. His licensing and collaboration experiences include target and technology evaluation for the development of the obesity programs and the identification of late stage clinical leads for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. He currently holds an adjunct faculty position in the department of Genetics and Development.

Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D., was sworn in as the 20th Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on December 13, 2006. As Commissioner, he leads the nation's premiere consumer protection and health agency, with regulated products that account for more than 20 percent of consumer spending. As the former Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Dr. von Eschenbach is a nationally recognized urologic surgeon and oncologist. His distinguished career as a key leader in the fight against cancer spans nearly three decades. Dr. von Eschenbach served as Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, leading a faculty of more than 1,000 cancer researchers and clinicians.

About Mid-Atlantic Bio

Mid-Atlantic Bio is the only regional event to combine components of an industry convention and investor conference under one roof. Co-hosted by MdBio/Tech Council of Maryland, the Mid-Atlantic Venture Association (MAVA), and the Virginia Biotechnology Association (VaBIO), the initiative benefits from broad regional support, including the investor and greater business communities, academic institutions, government agencies, and partnered regional associations. The event aims to bring together a critical mass of public and private stakeholders, including biotechnology and pharmaceutical senior executives, scientists and researchers, academia, policy makers, legislators, and venture capitalists to provide a premiere mid-Atlantic networking and business development forum, leverage the region's world-renowned R&D resources and opportunities, and favorably position the region's biotechnology industry in terms of its collective strengths, resources and competencies among key constituencies. For more on the Mid-Atlantic Bio Conference, program agenda and speaker information, as well as registration information, please visit www.MidAtlanticBio.org.

About MdBio/Tech Council of Maryland

MdBio/Tech Council of Maryland is a private non-profit trade association with a mission to promote the growth and quality of the life sciences and technology communities in Maryland and the region. For more information, please visit www.techcouncilmd.com.

About Mid-Atlantic Venture Association

Founded in 1986, MAVA represents the collective interests of venture capitalists investing in the mid-Atlantic, including more than 500+ venture professionals, at 125 firms, with more than $90 billion in capital under management. For more information, please visit www.mava.org.

About Virginia Biotechnology Association

Virginia Biotechnology Association (VaBIO) is the 150-member statewide trade group that promotes the considerable scientific and economic impact of the life sciences industry in the Commonwealth of Virginia. For more information, please visit www.vabio.org.

¶ Speakers to Include Nobel Laureate Kary Mullis; FDA Commissioner
Andrew C. von Eschenbach; Bristol-Myers Squibb Senior Vice President
Jeremy Levin; and Merck Research Site Head Lex Van der Ploeg