BIO Announces New Emerging Technologies Area at 2007 BIO International Convention.

WASHINGTON -- The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) today announced the addition of an emerging technologies-specific area to the exhibition floor at the 2007 BIO International Convention. The Emerging Technologies Area will showcase early stage companies that are beginning to commercialize technologies produced at research institutions, as well as newly established companies that are developing new drugs, diagnostic tests, and research tools.

The Emerging Technologies Area will take place during the first two days of the International Convention, on Monday, May 7 and Tuesday, May 8, 2007. The 2007 BIO International Convention, the global event for biotechnology, will take place May 6-9, 2007 in Boston, Massachusetts at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. More than 20,000 international attendees, including 300 public officials from more than 30 countries, will join some 1,800 exhibiting companies as the global biotechnology industry gathers in Boston. The 2007 BIO International Convention will showcase the biotechnology industry and its global impact.

"Historically, Boston has been an epicenter of biotech research, and continues to be a leading community for advances in biotechnology," said Robbi Lycett, vice president of conferences and conventions at BIO. "With more than 300 biopharmaceutical companies -- both large and small --located in Massachusetts alone that have immediate access to intellectual resources at leading universities and hospitals, this state is uniquely positioned to support emerging companies. Working with the, Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center, we hope the new Emerging Technologies Area at the 2007 BIO International Convention will provide smaller incubator companies a glimpse of the resources available as small companies grow."

The Emerging Technologies Area will be featured for the first time at the 2007 BIO International Convention. The new exhibit area offers early stage companies a unique visibility opportunity, providing small incubator companies with the unparalleled exposure needed to network with potential partners and investors, a necessary element to their growth into a biotech giant. Registered attendees who have access to the BIO Exhibition will have full access to the Emerging Technologies Area to get a glimpse of the next generation of biotechnology.

Exhibitors in the Emerging Technologies Area will be given a one-day tabletop display and two exhibition-only passes for all three days of the 2007 BIO International Convention at a reduced rate of $500 a day. In order to be considered for this special rate, companies may not be more than three years old, must have fewer than 15 employees and must have been formed after 2003. Space is limited to 50 companies per day, and granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants in the Emerging Technologies Area will receive benefits similar to other exhibitors, such as inclusion in on-site event publications and the event Web site.

"The Emerging Technologies Area is a great opportunity for early stage companies that are currently making the transition from a research facility to a new commercial entity to get global exposure for their new technologies," said Abi Barrow, Ph.D., director of the Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center. "We are excited to work with BIO to make this new area a success."

To learn more about the Emerging Technologies Area, please contact Eric Misic, sales executive, at 202.962.6656 or by e-mail at [e-mail]. For more information on the 2007 BIO International Convention, please visit www.bio2007.org.

Advance media registration for the 2007 BIO International Convention is now available online. Registration is complimentary for credentialed members of the news media. To register, please visit www.bio2007.org/Media. Reporters and editors working full-time for print or broadcast news organizations may register on site with valid media credentials. All freelancers, college and online publications are strongly encouraged to register in advance by Friday, April 20, 2007.

BIO represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and 31 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of health-care, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the annual BIO International Convention, the global event for biotechnology.

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