2007 BIO International Convention

Ropes & Gray is proud to sponsor the 2007 BIO International Convention in Boston, MA. The convention serves to educate the public and policymakers about biotechnology, while fostering partnering meetings and other business development activities that keep the industry growing. The largest gathering of biotechnology leaders in the world, BIO 2007 is expected to attract more than 17,000 biotechnology experts, and feature over 180 sessions, almost 1,000 speakers, and over 1,700 exhibitors.

The following Ropes & Gray attorneys are scheduled speakers:

Marc Rubenstein, Partner
“Strategic Investments in Biotechnology Companies: Structuring Win/Win Transactions”
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
9:15 - 10:45 AM

This session will explore the growing trend of large pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies making strategic investments in biotech start-ups and will look at the motivations on both sides of these transactions, what benefit each party expects to receive, strategies for securing and structuring strategic investments and the success rate of such investments. With a panel selected from both large pharma/biotech and start-up companies, we will look at this topic from the investors’ and issuers’ perspective. 

Alan Bennett, Partner
“DDMAC: Policing the Facts”
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
2:00 - 3:30 PM

This session will cover the FDA’s Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising and Communications (DDMAC) which is responsible for regulating drug companies’ promotional materials. Regulatory and communications experts will provide tips on how to avoid receiving a DDMAC Warning Letter that can cause companies major headaches, particularly for smaller biotechs.

This session will address the The Wall Street gold rush in business method patents that is now moving to biotech and biopharmaceuticals. This panel will explore biotech business method patents in the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan and provide an educated look into the future of those patents, including issues concerning time to grant, scope of claims, defenses to infringement and problems in licensing and enforcement.