Hepatitis B Foundation Features Local Biotech Success Stories at 7th Annual Regional Biotech Conference in Bucks County

Doylestown, Pa., November 18, 2007 – The 7th Annual Regional Biotech Conference - “Biotech Success Stories: What Big and Small Companies Are Looking For” – was held Friday November 9, 2007 at the new Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center in Doylestown, Pa. The conference was sponsored by the Regional Biotechnology Council (RBC), which is a program of the Hepatitis B Foundation and its research affiliate, the Institute for Hepatitis and Virus Research. State Senator Chuck McIlhinney, 10th Senate District of Pennsylvania, was the guest speaker at the conference which attracted more than 100 biotech leaders in the region.

“Senator McIlhinney is an outstanding champion for technology in the area, and a very effective advocate for the life sciences in Harrisburg, which is why we invited him to be our guest speaker at this important conference,” said Dr. Timothy Block, President, Hepatitis B Foundation and the PA Biotech Center, in his introductory remarks.

The audience was pleased to hear of Senator McIlhinney’s strong commitment to supporting biotechnology during his speech. “The biotech industry is an important focus of the state to stimulate job creation. The government can’t do everything, but it needs to encourage valuable initiatives. We need to look for the new ‘highways’ to build, which today means technology highways.”

Local biotech success stories were featured by dynamic presentations from Mr. Ed Erickson, Immunicon; Dr. Rifat Pamukcu, Cell Pathways; and Dr. Eli Mordechai, Medical Diagnostics Laboratories. Each spoke about what it takes for a biotech start-up to be successful and offered real world advice. Senior Merck executive Mr. James Self emphasized that pharmaceutical companies are the “champions of innovation” and highlighted what big companies are looking for in small biotech companies as they both seek partnership opportunities.

The 2007 Regional Biotech Award for Outstanding Achievement was presented to Mr. Paul Raetsch, (Ret.) Director of the Philadelphia Regional Office, U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, by Dr. Timothy Block, President of Hepatitis B Foundation and the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center, and Dr. Mohan Philip, Director, Hepatitis B Foundation’s Regional Biotech Council and co-founder of Immunotope.

About the Regional Biotech Council
The Regional Biotech Council of Central Bucks is sponsored by the Hepatitis B Foundation and its research affiliate, the Institute for Hepatitis and Virus Research. It is funded in part by the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania. Currently, the council has an active membership of over 450 individuals, and some 95 biotech and related companies in the five surrounding counties. It seeks to provide a networking environment for young and emerging biotech and related businesses, to help them establish and maintain their businesses, and to leverage their technologies. For more information, visit www.ihvr.org/rbc.