BioWest 2006 Organizers Seek The Best And Brightest Of the Rocky Mountain Region’s Bioscience Start-Ups For The Venture Showcase Competition

Denver, CO – Are you an emerging biotechnology or medical device company in the Rocky Mountain region with a stellar business plan you’d like to present to a panel of national venture capitalists? “If so,” says Christine Shapard, Director Bioscience and Emerging Technologies for the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, “The organizers of BioWest 2006 want you to submit applications and business plans for the Venture Showcase being held August 23, at the Colorado Convention Center.”

Seven companies will be chosen to present at this year’s Showcase which will again be judged by a distinguished panel of national venture capitalists. Each competing company will have 10 minutes to present their technologies and business plans to the judges.

The most compelling presentation will be awarded the $10,000 Faegre & Benson Venture Showcase Award during the Colorado BioScience Association Annual Awards Dinner on the evening of August 24. This is the second year Faegre & Benson has sponsored the cash award for the contest. “We are thrilled to sponsor the Venture Showcase Award at BioWest,” said Rex O’Neal, co-chair of the emerging companies practice at Faegre & Benson. “Colorado is experiencing an unprecedented level of new company formation in the life sciences market. The Venture Showcase program draws attention to young Colorado companies that experience has shown will have profound impacts on our health, communities and economy.”

Dr. Dan Stinchcomb, CEO of InViragen, relates his experience from participating in the Showcase and winning the award in 2005.  “The Venture Showcase is great exposure for a starting bioscience company,” Dr. Stinchcomb said.  “You get the opportunity to inform your peers and a panel of venture capital investors about your company’s plans. Of course, winning the award provided additional press; people across the country heard about InViragen and our success.”

Applications for the Venture Showcase competition may be downloaded from the website www.biowestconference.com — completed forms must be submitted by June 8, 2006, to Denise Brown, dbrown@cobioscience.com (e-mail submission preferred, but additional contact information is: 1625 Broadway, Suite 950 Denver, Colorado 80202, Phone: 303-592-4073, Fax: 303-592-4081).

BioWest is a joint venture of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade and the Colorado BioScience Association.

About the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
The Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT) works with companies starting, expanding, or relocating in Colorado. OEDIT offers a wide range of services to assist new and existing business of every size. http://www.AdvanceColorado.com

About Colorado BioScience Association
CBSA is a not-for-profit corporation providing services and support for Colorado's growing biosciences industry. With more than 300 members, CBSA actively works to promote the growth of the industry by working for a better business environment, grow the state's biotech workforce, fight for policies that support a strong bioscience industry in the state and speak with a single voice on behalf of the industry.  For more information, visit http://www.cobioscience.com

About Faegre & Benson LLP
Faegre & Benson LLP is a full-service law firm with offices in Denver, Boulder, Minneapolis, Des Moines, London, Frankfurt and Shanghai, with more than 100 attorneys in Colorado and more than 475 worldwide.  Faegre & Benson is proud to support the Colorado and national bioscience industry with services in corporate law, intellectual property, labor and employment, financial transactions and a wide range of other legal services.  For more information, visit http://www.faegre.com

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Contacts:

Christine Shapard, Director of Bioscience and Emerging Industries, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade http://www.AdvanceColorado.com — 303.892.3840, Christine.shapard@state.co.us

Maggie Chamberlin Holben, APR, Absolutely Public Relations, http://www.AbsolutelyPR.com — 303.984.9801, maggie@absolutelypr.com