NZ biotech companies on world stage

Minister of Research, Science and Technology Pete Hodgson departs New Zealand on Wednesday to lead a New Zealand biotechnology delegation to Iowa and the international BIO 2004 conference in San Francisco.

"This is a chance for New Zealand biotech companies to highlight their strengths and attract international investment, business and science partners," Mr Hodgson says. "The BIO conference is the world’s biggest annual biotech event and New Zealand's presence this year will be its strongest ever."

The New Zealand delegation to BIO 2004, which runs from 6 – 9 June, includes 60 people representing 33 New Zealand companies and organisations, more than twice the number at last year's event.

The New Zealand exhibition will be co-located with the Australian pavilion, reflecting the close ties between the two countries' biotech sectors and showcasing their combined capability. Three joint Australia-New Zealand events have been planned to promote the Australasian region as the fifth largest biotech hub globally.

"New Zealand’s relatively small size and distance from the rest of the world means it is particularly important for our biotechnology industry to be well-connected to global networks," Mr Hodgson says. "The companies going to BIO 2004 are outstanding examples of our biotechnology strengths and I am confident there will be many opportunities for new research and commercial partnerships."

Mr Hodgson will speak at a Ministerial Seminar at the event, outlining how New Zealand and Australia are working together to grow their combined biotechnology industries.

From 2 – 5 June a 24-strong New Zealand delegation will travel to Iowa at the invitation of the state’s Governor, Tom Vilsack. In March this year Governor Vilsack led a biotechnology and agritechnology mission from Iowa to New Zealand, taking representatives of 30 organisations to regional biotech clusters around New Zealand.

Background information: BIO 2004 and the NZ delegation

The companies attending BIO 2004 are part of a New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) export network and both NZTE and its investment arm, Investment New Zealand, will be actively supporting the mission.

New Zealand’s biotech capabilities will be again be exhibited at BIO 2004 under the biotechnology brand, New Zealand Biosphere. Biosphere is a comprehensive gateway for the world to access information on New Zealand biotechnology companies and organisations, putting key information such as business profiles and product ranges at the fingertips of potential investors and researchers.

A prominent location has been secured for the New Zealand pavilion which is two and a half times the size of the kiwi stand at BIO 2003. Seventeen companies are displaying promotional material or occupying a full booth in the pavilion. Overall New Zealand will be promoting its strengths in therapeutics, ag bio, nutraceuticals, bio prospecting and environmental protection.

BIO – the Biotechnology Industrial Organisation - represents more than 1,000 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, biotechnology centres and related organisations in the US and 33 other countries. Members are involved in the research and development of healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.

The theme of BIO 2004 is the past, the present and the future of biotechnology. The event, which is virtually a one-stop-shop on the state of the world’s biotech industry, has grown tenfold since its inception in 1993.

The New Zealand companies attending BIO 2004 are:

Adastra – Auckland Diana.adastra@xtra.co.nz

AgriGenesis Biotechnology – Auckland www.agrigenesis.co.nz

A J Park – Wellington www.ajpark.com

Auckland Uniservices – Auckland www.uniservices.co.nz

Baldwin Shelston Waters – Wellington www.bsw.com

BrainZ Instruments – Auckland www.brainzinstruments.com

Celentis – Auckland www.celentis.com

CoDa Therapeutics (NZ) Limited c.green@auckland.ac.nz

Commercialisation Advisers Limited (COMMA) – Auckland www.comma.co.nz

Crop and Food Research – Christchurch www.crop.cri.nz

EnCoate – Auckland www.encoate.com

Enzo Nutraceuticals Limited – Christchurch www.enzo.co.nz

Exact Content Limited – Auckland www.exact-content.com

Fonterra Limited – Auckland www.fonterra.com

HortResearch – Auckland www.hortresearch.co.nz

Impian Technologies – Wellington www.hortresearch.co.nz

Industrial Research Limited – Wellington www.irl.cri.nz

James & Wells www.jaws.co.nz

Lacto-Pharma – Auckland www.lactopharma.com

Life Science Ventures – Auckland www.lsml.co.nz

Massey University (College of Sciences) – Palmerston North www.massey.ac.nz

Neuren Pharmaceuticals – Maryland, USA www.neurenpharma.com

New Zealand Immigration Service – California, USA www.klwlee@att.net

New Zealand Pharmaceuticals Limited – Palmerston North www.nzp.co.nz

NZBio – Wellington www.nzbio.org.nz

Otago Innovation Limited – Dunedin www.otagoinnovation.com

Ovita – Dunedin www.ovita.co.nz

Pacific Edge Biotechnology - Dunedin www.pacificedgebiotech.com

Richmond Pharmaceuticals – Hastings www.richmondpharmaceuticals.com

ViaLactia Biosciences (NZ) Limited – Auckland www.vialactia.com

Virionyx – Auckland www.virionyx.com

Waikato Innovation Park/Agbio NZ – Hamilton www.innovationwaikato.co.nz

Whakamaru Farms Limited (WFL) – Mangakino gmitchell@xtra.co.nz

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