Biotech Israel 2004 - More Int'l Then Ever; Biotechnology Companies from 12 Countries and More Than 90 Israeli Companies Confirm Participation in ''Biotech 2004''.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

BIOTECH ISRAEL 2004

BIOWIRE2K

TEL AVIV, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 15, 2004

PROF. MICHAEL SELA, CHAIRMAN OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF ISRAEL'S BIOTECHNOLOGY WEEK, SAYS THIS YEAR'S EVENT IS TRULY MULTINATIONAL: "RENOWNED SCIENTISTS FROM LEADING COMPANIES AND RESEARCH INSTITUTES IN THE USA, EUROPE AND ISRAEL HAVE SECURED THEIR PARTICIPATION. THE SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM OF THE CONFERENCE ADDRESSES THE MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES AND DIRECTIONS IN LIFE SCIENCES TODAY."

Biotechnology companies from 12 countries will attend "Biotech 2004", Israel's biotechnology week, which will be held from 4-6 May 2004 at the David Intercontinental Hotel in Tel Aviv. Among the international participants from the USA, Canada, Belgium Norway, Germany, UK, Japan and India are companies such as Novartis, AS/Nova Matrix, FMC Bio-Polymer, Key Neurotek and the Tata Corporation. Foreign investment companies, such as Invest UK and local venture capital funds that specialize in biotechnology will attend the conference as well.

The number of Israeli participants that have confirmed their participation exceeds 80 companies, including Teva, Pharmos, Savient (Bio-Technology general), Hadassit, Erlich and Partners, Kesselman & Kesselman, Biological Industries, IBM, Yissum, and more. Technological incubators NGT from Nazareth, Misgav from the Galilee, ATI from Ashkelon, Gavish from Glil Yam and Yozmot Granot from Hefer valley will promote some 30 biotechnological start-ups.

"Despite the economic-political difficulties in Israel, we witness growth and development in Israel's biotechnological community," says Prof. Michael Sela from Weitzman Institute of Science. "The scientific program that has been finalized for the conference addresses the most advanced technologies and directions in the various spheres of life sciences. The conference offers a unique opportunity for a get together of all the organizations involved with biotechnology, namely scientists, physicians, industrialists and capital market representatives. It is therefore important to have a full, supportive attendance on behalf of the Israeli biotechnological community."

The speakers at the conference include some famous names, among them Prof. Charles Weissmann from the UK, a renown expert on neurology, Dr. Ben Chen, director in Burrill & Company, Mr. Tracy C. Lefteroff, associate manager in PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Prof. Irving L. Weissman, from Stanford University Medical School, Jeremy Levine from Novartis, Tamar Hausen from Bristol Myers and Elkan Gamzu from EnerGetics.

Biotech 2004 is the forum that convenes most of the leaders from Israel's biotechnology industry as well as international corporations. The exhibition held as part of the week will display solutions and innovations in the areas of biotechnology, biology, medicine and associated equipment. The conference held as part of the week is divided into two channels: one channel deals with development of tools, technologies, medications and vaccines in bioinformatics, nanotechnology and bioelectronics, and the second addresses the business and economic aspects of biotechnology. Approx. 40 companies, some of them start-ups, will present the fruits of the research and development efforts of the best Israeli biotechnological companies.