August 23 and 24: Canada Pavilion at BioWest 2006 to Showcase State-of-the-Art Research Facilities and Biotech Services.

DENVER -- Consulate General of Canada in Denver Returns to Region's Premier Bioscience Conference Introducing Promising New Canadian Technologies to Colorado's Life Science Industries

To learn more about cost-competitive options for conducting clinical trials... about a football field-sized light source that's millions of times brighter than the sun... or about leading research and development for vaccines and immunotherapeutic technologies... visit the Canada Pavilion during next week's annual BioWest conference. Hosted by the Consulate General of Canada in Denver, the Canada Pavilion will be located in booths 410 - 418, at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, during BioWest 2006 on August 23 and 24.

After a successful introduction to BioWest in 2005, the Consulate returns this year with an increased presence in order to continue facilitating commercial partnerships between Colorado life science organizations and Canada's biotech service providers. In fact, the Consulate's participation at last year's conference resulted in more than 40 bilateral leads currently being developed.

"Canada has a great deal to offer Colorado's burgeoning life sciences industry in the biotechnology, medical devices and pharmaceutical sectors. We have a dynamic and growing bioscience industry that ranks among the world's top five nations for developing new bio-technologies, and we have the second highest global concentration of biotechnology companies," said Monica Heron, consul and senior trade commissioner for the Consulate General of Canada in Denver.

"In addition, Canada provides a cost-competitive business environment to conduct clinical trials, research and development and bio-compound production," explained Heron. "On average, U.S. companies pay $800 million for clinical trials. In Canada, however, our well-established cadre of Contract Research Organizations (CRO) are able to offer similar high-quality services at a savings of more than 20 percent, which means $160 million that Colorado biotech companies could use towards other investments."

In addition to facilitating bilateral commercial ventures, this year the Consulate will also encourage academic partnerships and technology transfer during a roundtable discussion between The University of Saskatchewan and Colorado State University. The meeting will take place in Fort Collins following BioWest 2006.

"Facilitating these partnerships early in the research and development phase is important to help accelerate the commercialization of promising new technologies," explained Heron.

Canada Pavilion Participants at BioWest 2006:

--Global IQ (Edmonton, Alberta) is a world-class clinical research organization dedicated to providing pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies with the support needed to get product to market quickly and efficiently. Attendees will include Paul Braconnier, president & CEO, Robin Goldston, vice-president of business development, and Rod Szarka, manager of business development. For more information, visit www.globaliq.com. Contact: Rod Szarka, 780-423-9573, [e-mail].

--The University of Saskatchewan - Home to renowned research centres such as the Canadian Light Source synchrotron and the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, and a national leader in Genome Canada-funded projects, the University of Saskatchewan has become one of the top research-intensive universities in Canada and the biotechnology and innovation powerhouse of the world. University of Saskatchewan researchers are actively involved in all areas of biotechnology. Scientists and engineers are contributing to the base of scientific knowledge and opening future areas of biotechnology through both pure and applied research. Economists and business strategy analysts are assessing the impact of biotechnology on our institutions and market places, and are examining the keys to successful commercial performance. Social scientists and ethicists are exploring the reactions of society to biotechnical developments, and provide critiques of the performance and conduct of the industry. Legal scholars and policy analysts are attempting to define the optimal regulatory context for the operation of the industry. The new biotechnology programs at the University of Saskatchewan are unique in Canada, and offer the potential and synergistic crossovers between industry, education and research. Contact: www.usask.ca.

--Canadian Light Source (CLS) Inc. - Located at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, the Canadian Light Source (CLS) is one of only three "third-generation" synchrotrons in the world, a new state-of-the-art 2.9 GeV synchrotron light source is one of the best available internationally. CLS is Canada's national facility for synchrotron light research, which opened in October 2004, will light the way to a new era of science and innovation in Canada for academe, government and industry. The stadium-sized, $173.5-million project is Canada's biggest scientific research facility in more than 30 years. Capital and operating funding comes from federal, provincial, municipal, industrial and academic sources that came together in an unprecedented partnership. Located on the university campus in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, the CLS is wholly owned by the University of Saskatchewan. Located between the University of Saskatchewan's main campus and Innovation Place, one of North America's most successful research parks, the CLS is extremely advantageous for academic and industrial researchers. Contact: Murray McLaughlin, [e-mail].

--Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) - Located at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, VIDO is a world leader in the research and development of vaccine and immunotherapeutic technologies for livestock and humans. It is credited with five "world firsts" in animal vaccine research, and is expanding into human health applications. Current research interests include vaccines against a number of food-borne organisms, and novel vaccine delivery systems including needle-free methods. VIDO is a financially self-reliant, non-profit organization owned by the University of Saskatchewan and operates with substantial support from the governments of Alberta and Saskatchewan as well as Government of Canada and industry competitive grants. It collaborates extensively with external institutes and companies and provides a rich training environment. University contact: Rob Norris, 306-966-2428, [e-mail].

--Western Economic Diversification Canada - A department of the Government of Canada, Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) was established in 1987 under the provision of the Western Economic Diversification Act to promote the development and diversification of the economy of Western Canada and advance the interest of the West in national economic policy. WD works to improve the long-term economic competitiveness of the West and the quality of life of its citizens by supporting a wide range of initiatives targeting three inter-related strategic priorities - Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Community Economic Development. Together, these three priorities create a foundation to build the prosperity and competitiveness of the West in the 21st century. This mandate is delivered primarily through grants and contributions programs, which enable the department to contribute strongly to the productivity and competitiveness of the West. This is achieved through collaboration with partners including the private sector, other levels of government, academic and financial institutions, as well as research centres, to maximize investment in Western Canada and to create alternative sources of funding for commercial ventures. We also support the Western Canada Business Service Network, which provides over 100 points of service to assist new and existing entrepreneurs in cities and rural communities to create and grow their businesses. Contact: Mark Nicholson, 306-975-4926, [e-mail].

BioWest 2006 conference attendees who want to participate in this international partnering event should contact Stephen Davis, trade commissioner for the Consulate General of Canada in Denver, at [e-mail] or 303-626-0640. For more information about the Canadian government's representation in the four-state Rocky Mountain region of Colorado, Montana, Utah and Wyoming, call 303-626-0640 or visit the website at www.denver.gc.ca. For press inquiries regarding the Consulate General of Canada in Denver, contact Consul Marc Boucher at 303-626-0674 / [e-mail], or Jennifer Cook, communications officer, at 303-626-0672 / [e-mail]. For all press inquiries regarding the 2006 BioWest Conference, please contact Christine Shapard at 303-892-3859 or [e-mail].