This news article was originally written in Spanish. It has been automatically translated for your convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace a human translator. The original article in Spanish can be viewed at BioSpain 2010 confirma la buena salud del sector biotecnológico en España

Were held more than 2,000 business meetings between nearly 600 companies and organizations, of which 150 were from outside of Spain

BioSpain 2010 confirms the good health of the biotechnology industry in Spain

Drafting Interempresas15/10/2010

October 15, 2010

BioSpain 2010 figures have broken all previous records, to the point of becoming the most important biotechnology event in the South of Europe. "Investment in biotechnology and technology are keys to preventing that our best researchers leave abroad," said José María Fernández Sousa, President of the Spanish Association of Biocompanies (Asebio), during the press conference for the presentation of the 5th International meeting of biotechnology BioSpain 2010. "Navarre is betting heavily on these two aspects and good proof of this is the enormous interest in the Organization of this event," he added.

Asebio calls the alignment of Spain with the future strategy of the EU bioeconomy

The most prominent feature of BioSpain 2010 was without any doubt the internationalization, so necessary for this type of companies. In this edition was attended by a total of 160 companies (38 foreign) at 132 stands. Also, were more than 2,000 business meetings between nearly 600 companies and organizations, of which 150 were from outside of Spain. "Brussels is aware of the importance of biotechnology for the future of Europe, reason by which has announced a strategy of bioeconomy that pending realization by the European Union," explained Fernández Sousa. In this context, it is estimated that the biotechnology sector will be 2.7 per cent of the GDP of the OECD countries, which Asebio has asked that our country is going in the same line as this strategy.

The main companies in the sector not missed the appointment at the Palace Baluarte in Pamplona.

In the Forum of investors selected 30 projects of biotechnology, which were explained during the Congress, and provided a 'Speaker Corner' where companies who so wished could present their developments and research. "The Spanish biotechnology sector has taken important steps in recent years and would be a pity that this leading it back because of the current economic crisis," says the President of Asebio. "The most advisable is that our companies will announced at the international level to try to capture funds outside of Spain." To this end, the participation of Spanish biotechnology companies in the most important international fairs, such as Bio Chicago would be essential.

The Congress was a great success of participation and organization, demonstrating the great work carried out by Asebio and Sodena

In the Act of inauguration of BioSpain 2010 they have been present, in addition to Fernández Sousa, the general Secretary of innovation, Juan Tomas Hernani; José María Aracama, CEO of Sodena (society of development of Navarre); Álvaro Miranda, second Vice-President and Minister of economy and Finance of the Government of Navarre; José Iribas, Lieutenant Mayor of Pamplona, and José Luis García, President of the Spanish society of biotechnology (Sebiot). The impact of biotechnology will be 1.2% of national GDP, according to data of the Ministry of science and innovation, which granted to this sector in 2009 aid amounting to EUR 105 million in 2010. In this context, Spain is currently the second country in the OECD that more public resources dedicated to the health technology, second only to United States.

José María Fernández Sousa, President of Asebio, during the inaugural address of Biospain 2010.

On the other hand, the exhibition 'Tu Casa biotech', located in an outdoor tent in the square of Baluarte, allowed visitors to discover that biotechnology is present in your everyday life through a domestic environment close to the citizen. Thus, one were displayed various "invisible" contributions, and other products and visible biotechnological processes, as part of our lives. The company Vita Aidelos, thanks to the sponsorship and collaboration of the genome Foundation Spain, organized several training workshops in the framework of this exhibition, which will remain open until October 3.

Tumor stem cells, future diana to cure cancer

The first plenary BioSpain 2010 Conference was entrusted to Professor Carlos Cordón-Cardo of Columbia University, who spoke of tumor stem cells. "If we do not understand the origin of cancer will not be able to understand their final chapters", said. According to the report of the expert, "the most effective strategy is the identify these cells in tumors and metastases, insofar as they constitute the origin of cancer, then attack them", explained. In this regard, the identification of these stem cells "could have an important clinical application in relation to the outcome of the disease", "how many fewer stem cells has better will be the prognosis," thus explains. According to this expert, so far there has been total healing of cancer, but "we have set out the way".

The biotechnology industry resists the crisis

The global biotechnology industry has been more resilient to the economic crisis than was thought. "This was one of the main conclusions of the international round table ' opportunities and challenges of the global biomercados". In this event, experts from different parts of the world put on the table the biotechnology experience of their respective geographical areas. Among the most worrying issues emphasized two: the ever-increasing selectivity of investors and cutbacks in r & d. As prominent figure there was talk of a "modest reduction" of 10% in the global number of biotechnology companies. This figure has not been higher mainly due to the impetus of United States. During the round table was made clear that "the funding is the fundamental problem which faces biotechnology today". In fact, "much of the financing, especially the public, often used for large companies, which makes more difficult the participation of the rest", said Siegfried Bialojan, head of the European Life Sciences Center (Ernst & Young) and moderator of the round table. "It is necessary to achieve the efficiency of capital".

In the context of red or health biotechnology, highlighted two fields in which you could play an important role: personalized medicine and the biobetters (powered by some added biosimilares)

On r & d research "has been in a situation in which two-thirds of the biotech companies invested in it to two-thirds who have reduced to save", said the expert. All of the rapporteurs agreed to highlight that the sector faces an excellent opportunity to improve. In the context of red or health biotechnology, highlighted two fields in which you could play an important role: personalized medicine and the biobetters (biosimilares powered by some added).

Also referred to the important role that are already playing emerging countries such as India or Brazil. "It will have to take them into account." Also participated in this roundtable Sean Darragh, Executive Vice President of international relations in Biotechnology Industry Association (BIO, United States); Anna Lavelle, Ausbiotech (Australia) CEO; Albert Sasson, President of BioEuroLatina; Sean Thompson, Vice-Chairman of the Advisory Council of BIOTECanada health (Canada); Ludovic Lacaine, director of Health Care Biotech (Bio Europe), and Manan Bhatt, Vice President of Avesthagen.

Larry Fritz, President and CEO of Covella Pharmaceuticals and partner of Westfield Capital Management, with extensive entrepreneurial experience in the biotechnology sector, stressed the need to rethink the current model of venture capital

The Government confirms its support to the biotechnology sector

The Minister of science and innovation, Cristina Garmendia, visited BioSpain 2010 to "check how Pamplona is has turned into the main capital of the European biotechnology". According to the latest report of Asebio, this sector has increased by three the number of companies in the past five years, and "continues to create employment". The Minister referred to the support given by the central Government. "Without a doubt, the biotechnology sector is called to be one of the central sectors in our economic recovery, and I think figures and international interest to support this claim;" "This makes us understand that this is the way".

Garmendia was referió to the General State budget, submitted days ago, that allocated to the Ministry of science and innovation an amount of 5.354 million euros, 1.2 per cent more than in the previous year. "With this budget, pending parliamentary procedure, we cannot guarantee the financing of all contracts, grants, research projects and transfers to public research organisms". Also, "will maintain the same level of credits to companies", in line with the National Plan of r & d and the State strategy of innovation. "Now the biotechnology companies capture a volume four times greater than the weight they carry in the GDP, which indicates that they are highly competitive companies in the fundraising", he added.

Visit of the Minister of science and innovation, Cristina Garmendia, BioSpain 2010.

A good policy for the protection of patents, key to success in the transfer of technology

"Is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain financing and the financial crisis is weakening the investment in r & d," stated Conny Bogentoft, Chief Scientific Officer of Karolinska Development AB, during the third and last plenary meeting of BioSpain 2010. The expert described the model of the unit that directs, centered primarily in "building bridges between academia and the pharmaceutical industry". Karolinska Development AB account with six projects in phase II, six in phase I and more than 20 potential 'first-in-class' components. In this context, the expert pointed out the need for a good policy for the protection of patents.

One of the tables in the last day was the entitled ' International Technology Commercialization: The Challenges of US-European Public-Private Partnerships'. In it he discussed the current model of collaboration between the public and the private sector in Europe and United States, and exposed some of the actions that are developing in the two areas to overcome the existing hole between the financing and development of products. In this regard, it cometó that "many registered by universities technologies are in a very little advanced stage without sufficient data to support their development".

"For a company is important to know what they are doing the universities and public institutions in new technologies," said José María Fernández Sousa-Faro, Chairman of Asebio, during the round table. He also stressed the Cenit project, initiative of the CDTI, example of collaboration between the public and private sectors, as well as the initiative for the Cima (Centre for applied medical research), in Navarre. "BioSpain is the ideal setting to learn about the latest developments in research are made in the universities and the public sector in general, especially in the framework of the Scientific Congress Biotec 2010".

Interempresas nor missed the appointment of BioSpain 2010, and first participated in the appointment of reference of the Spanish biotechnology sector.