Winter 2010
March 16 Expo to be one-stop-shop for biomedical companies
Almost two years ago, BioOhio started to research our hunch that Ohio is home to an amazing array and quantity of bioscience supply chain partners and specialized service providers. How right we were. The fruits of that research can be found in the new version of the online
Ohio Bioscience Resource Directory, with hundreds of Ohio-based suppliers and service providers.
On March 16, the 1st Annual BioOhio Suppliers & Service Providers Expo at the Aladdin Shrine Center in Columbus will bring the directory to life. A 1-day event designed to attract market-facing bioscience companies from around the Midwest, the Expo will feature Ohio-based suppliers and service providers showing off their latest offerings to potential clients or partners. No agenda, no speakers, just biomedical networking around getting products and services to market.
Exhibitor interest has been brisk; 43 suppliers or service firms have signed up already, including Sparton Medical Systems, Astro Manufacturing & Design, Interplex Medical, EMD Chemicals, Phillips Plastics, PMC Medical, and VWR.
See the updated list here.
Exhibitor rate for BioOhio members is only $175 and $325 for non-members. Click here for
an exhibitor application. To register as an attendee,
click here.
Ohio: #4 in overall biotechnology strength
In
Business Facilities Magazine’s 2009 Biotechnology Strength Report released last fall, Ohio is once again ranked fourth among all states. California claimed top ranking, followed by Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Maryland, Texas, New Jersey, Illinois, Kansas, and North Carolina rounded out the top 10. The report can be viewed at
www.businessfacilities.info/special-report/state-biotechnology-strength.php.
The publication’s ranking criteria included state R&D funding and venture capital investments, concentrated occupational employment in biotech, bioscience-targeted tax exemptions, number of biotech facilities, biotech patents generated, university grant funding, and bioscience higher education degrees, among other factors. Business Facilities uses the terms biotechnology and bioscience interchangeably.
A point scale was applied, according to the report’s authors, giving special credit to states that “walked the walk, as well as talked the talk,” when it came to funding biotech initiatives. States that actually invested in biotech facilities and/or had the highest employment concentration in more than one biotech subsector were rewarded with additional points. New to the 2009 report, authors factored in estimates of overall economic impact of state biotech industries, biotech incentives, expansion of academic research programs, major initiatives announced in the past year, growth potential based on state funding commitments and employment numbers.
The report’s authors concluded that “the still-hot biotech sector has cemented its status as a crucial building block for future growth.”
“That is certainly true in the State of Ohio,” said BioOhio President & CEO Tony Dennis.
“Third Frontier Project investments in innovation and technology, especially in the biosciences, really have catalyzed growth in both public and private sectors of our state’s emerging industries.”
Third Frontier economic impact study: $6.6 billion, 41,300 jobs
In 2002, the State of Ohio launched a $1.6 billion, 10-year commitment to support technology-based economic development through the creation of the Ohio Third Frontier. Three-quarters of the way through its first 10 years, a recent study indicates the program is exceeding expectations.
The
study by SRI International found that State expenditures related to the Ohio Third Frontier of $681 million generated $6.6 billion of economic activity, 41,300 total jobs (direct plus indirect), and $2.4 billion in employee wages and benefits. Ohio has garnered a nearly $10 return on every dollar of the State’s investment. Since more than half of Third Frontier funds have yet to be invested, the economic impact of the program is expected to increase significantly over the next five to ten years.
A companion
report released by the Ohio Business Roundtable in mid-December found that the Third Frontier has attracted $3.2 billion in follow-on investment on top of program expenditures through June 30, 2009. The report also credits the Third Frontier for contributing to increases in venture capital, high-tech employment, company formations, and university licensing income in Ohio.
The five technology platforms targeted by the Third Frontier Program are: Bioscience; Advanced Materials; Advanced Energy; Instruments, Controls & Electronics; and Power & Propulsion. Nearly 100 biomedical-related projects have been funded by Ohio’s Third Frontier Project since its inception, epitomizing the breadth and depth of the state’s bioscience-based economic development.
On December 14, the Ohio Department of Development issued the FY2010 Ohio Third Frontier Biomedical Program (OTFBPP) Request for Proposals (RFP) and the Medical Imaging Program (OTFMIP) RFP. This round of funding will invest a combined $17 million to accelerate the development and growth of the biomedical and medical imaging industries in Ohio.
According to the study, Ohio Third Frontier has made an impact by:
- Dramatically increasing the availability of early-stage capital
- Improving the entrepreneurial environment for technology
- Improving research and development collaboration
- Driving employment growth in Ohio’s technology sector
- Contributing to the diversity and competitiveness of Ohio’s manufacturers
- Recruiting non-Ohio companies
- Charting a course consistent with tech-based growth in other regions
Current Third Frontier funding is set to expire in 2012. On January 13, a
$950 million plan to extend the Third Frontier bond package cleared the Ohio House on by an 85-13 vote. It now moves to the Senate.
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BioOhio launches scholarship fund
BioOhio has long advocated the essential connection between education and bioscience workforce development. Now we’ve decided to put money—at least a little—where our mouths are.
With $15,000, BioOhio established the BioOhio Scholarship Fund in October 2009. The scholarships are designed for Ohio high school seniors who will pursue a bioscience-related degree at an Ohio college or university. BioOhio’s contribution will be divided equally over the first three years of the scholarship fund, with plans on sustaining and increasing the fund through private, tax-deductible donations.
An 18-person committee, made up of BioOhio staff and members, has met three times and made significant progress on establishing rules and application requirements. The scholarships will be announced within education and student circles in late January. Applications will be due in late March and the four $1,250 awards will be announced on April 30.
BioOhio Government Affairs Update
with contributions from Colby & Co.
Bio-Manufacturing Transitioning
BioOhio continues to advocate for policies that enhance Ohio's medical device manufacturing capabilities. In November 2009, Tony Dennis briefed the House Economic Development Committee on ideas to help Ohio manufacturers in auto, aerospace, and tool and die become suppliers to the medical device industry. BioOhio also invited several Cincinnati area manufacturers to Columbus to testify on the need for a program to assist traditional manufacturers. BioOhio convened an industry roundtable in Cincinnati, along with Edison Center partners TechSolve and EMTEC, to host House Economic Development Chair Sandra Williams. Rep. Williams spoke with manufacturers about the capital needs of companies interested in entering medical markets.
Third Frontier Renewal
Supporting the renewal of the Third Frontier program has been a top priority for BioOhio. BioOhio President Tony Dennis testified before the House Economic Development Committee and provided an update on the status of the Ohio bioscience industry, including the successes of the Third Frontier Project as it pertains to the bioscience industry, and the need for expedited renewal of Third Frontier funding. The legislation currently being considered places a $950 million, 5-year bond issue before the voters for approval — nearly double the original $500 million bond. Under questioning from Rep. Jay Goyal (D-Mansfield), Dennis said a voucher program that enables start-ups to access services such as clinical trials from in-state companies and assistance with bio-manufacturing transitioning would be examples of ways the program could be expanded and used more creatively.
Mark Laskovics, president of Cincinnati-based Girindus America, was among a panel of OTF funding recipients organized by BioOhio to testify in support of the Third Frontier. Girindus received a $1.8 million OTF grant to develop an area facility, he said. Dave Scholl, president and CEO of Athens-based Diagnostic Hybrids, Inc., detailed how his company, a developer and manufacturer of medical devices focused on viral and thyroid diseases, has grown and prospered thanks to help from OTF and other public and private investments.
Federal: Medical Device Tax
In September 2009 BioOhio signed onto a letter sent by AdvaMed to Senators Baucus and Grassley expressing opposition to the proposed tax on medical device and diagnostics products being considered by the Senate Finance Committee as part of broader health reform legislation. The tax has since been reduced from $4 billion per year to $2 billion per year.
BioOhio goes to Düsseldorf
MEDICA, the world’s largest medical trade show, celebrated its 40th Anniversary and BioOhio was there
They came from across the world — from surgeons and specialists to hospital purchasing agents to business executives of all types — not wanting to miss out on the 40th anniversary of MEDICA, a massive medical products tradeshow.
The four-day event in November drew 138,000 trade visitors from over 100 countries and 4,324 exhibitors from 60 nations. MEDICA offered attendees and exhibitors a clearly segmented line-up with a plethora of new products, systems and services for the entire process chain in both in- and out-patient care.
BioOhio, The Ohio Business Development Coalition (OBDC) and the Ohio Department of Development’s Europe Office, conducted 36 one-on-one meetings with attending or exhibiting companies, including several that have facilities in Ohio. At least four companies are committed to establishing a physical presence in Ohio or expanding their existing presence due to strong market growth.
BioOhio VP/COO John F. Lewis Jr., and Director of Business Development Scott Osborne and Brent Decent, Managing Director of the Ohio Department of Development’s Europe Office led these meetings.
“It was the most productive series of high value meetings I have had at any single event during my tenure here,” said Lewis. He gave much of the credit to OBDC for hiring ROI (Research on Investment), an international market research firm. “They put BioOhio face to face with our target audience,” he added. “Established companies strong in medical imaging, diagnostic, cardiovascular and equipment that did not yet have a presence in the U.S.”
BioOhio is already making plans to attend Medica 2010, November 17-20.
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Plastics in Medical Devices Conference comes to the U.S., Ohio to be exact
After staging three successful Plastics in Medical Devices conferences in Brussels, Belgium, since 2006, European Plastics News is joining forces with Plastics News to bring the first U.S. version of the event to Cleveland. This Plastics News Global Group event will take place at Westlake’s LaCentre Conference Facility April 12-14, and BioOhio is happy to be a supporting sponsor.
The event will provide a unique forum for leading pharma companies and device designers to lay out their requirements for plastics in the medical sector. A highly focused, plastics-oriented conference, it will bring members of the entire medical-devices supply chain together under the same roof for two days of information sharing and networking.
According to organizers, this conference is the place to meet supply-chain partners, to gain the latest insights into what the medical device market needs and to source information on the newest materials, innovative applications, design ideas and regulatory developments.
“We could not have hoped for a better event to coincide with our supplier development and diversification initiatives,” commented BioOhio’s Scott Osborne. “Truly world-class speakers are addressing topics of high relevance to hundreds of Ohio suppliers who serve the biomedical industry.”
Ohio Bioscience News Briefs
New Board Member… We are pleased to welcome Lisa Ashby, Senior Vice President and General Manager for the Scientific Products business of Cardinal Health, as the newest addition to BioOhio’s Board of Trustees.
Internships filling fast… You’ll recall that BioOhio was one of 12 organizations chosen last summer to serve as brokers of Ohio Third Frontier Internship Program funds in Fiscal Year 2010. Of BioOhio’s 26 bioscience-focused internship slots, 15 already have been assigned. So if your company is in the market for interns, don’t wait to contact Bill Tacon (btacon@BioOhio.com).
New member benefit… BioOhio member Skoda Minotti, a CPA and financial services firm, has been added to our list of member discount offerings. Now members can receive a 15% discount on select retirement and benefit plan services.
BioOhio membership continues to grow and grow... The word is spreading: it’s good to be a BioOhio member. Check out our newest additions to the family!
- Boehringer Ingelheim Roxane Laboratories, Inc.
- Cardinal Health
- Quanta BioDesign Ltd.
- Executive Strategies Inc.
- Global Cardiovascular Innovation Center (GCIC)
- Evalueserve, Inc.
- Informagenics, LLC
- Bridgehead Solutions
- Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center
- Sanderson Insurance - Technology and Defense Wing
- Balance Product Development
- Stipkala LLC
- The Ohio Academy of Science
- SIMCO Electronics
- SpineMatrix, Inc.
- Dapcel, Inc.
- PercuVision LLC
- Braintree Business Development Center
- Ghannoum Law Firm, LLC
- BioVentis LLC
- Miles Manufactured Products, Inc.
- Affordable Language Services
- InSysX LLC
- Creative Performance Improvements, LLC
- TheraVasc, Inc.
- ADS Biotechnology Ltd.
- Nanofiber Solutions
- Cable Manufacturing & Assembly Co. Inc.
- JointVue
- LucCell, Inc.
- SyberMed Enterprises LLC
- Enable Medical Technologies, LLC
- Pilus Energy
- Enamine
- OnikoLabs LLC
- Neuros Medical, Inc.
- John Schroepfer
- Lydia Heemstra
- Prakash Navaratnam
- Bill Soller
- Dan Campbell
- Marie Eskling
- Tarin Brown
- Jim Dobbertin
- Bence Boelcskevy
- Doug Bierl
- Matt Blecke
- Margaret Barkett
- Brad Mitchell
- Rachel Stevens
- Andrea Crabtree
View the full member list
here. BioOhio is Ohio's only statewide bioscience membership and development organization. To learn more about membership,
check this out or call 614/675-3686, x1004.
Say “hi” to hiVelocity… there’s a new web site devoted to the latest news on the people, companies, and places making innovation and technology work for Ohio. It’s called hiVelocity and you can check it out here:
www.hivelocitymedia.com. As you might have guessed, there’s always something on there related to Ohio’s hyperactive bioscience industry.
Upcoming bioscience events
BioOhio has two events coming down the pike and they couldn’t be more different. On February 11, we’re co-hosting a Medical IP workshop with the Global Cardiovascular Innovation Center to be held at TechColumbus. Then on March 16, we hold the first-ever BioOhio Suppliers & Service Providers Expo at the Aladdin Shrine Center in Columbus. And dates will be announced soon for BioOhio Career Fairs in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati.
We’re also pleased to support two national conferences coming to Ohio this spring: the Plastics in Medical Devices Conference in Cleveland, April 13-14, and MedCon 2010 at Xavier University, May 4-7.
For more info on these and other Ohio bioscience events:
www.bioohio.com/news/Events-Calendar.aspx.