BioBulletin newsletter

Current Issue

President's Perspective

BioOhio 2005

'Bio in Ohio' in Japan, Germany

Ohio teamwork at BIO 2005

Mid-America VentureForum

Ohio Bioscience Growth Report

More 'Best Hospitals' in Ohio

Briefly Bioscience

Previous Issues

May 2005
January 2005
March 2004 (pdf)
September 2004 (pdf)

Current Issue

September 2005

President's Perspective | Tony Dennis, PhD

Fall is usually a very busy season for our bioscience community. This year is no exception. While there has been tremendous progress since our last newsletter, I would like to focus your attention on two upcoming events.

The presence of Issue 1, the Jobs for Ohio bond issue, on the November ballot leads the list of seminal events for all of us. Omeris’ membership believes that Issue 1 is critical for the growth of Ohio’s technology-based economy. The Biosciences have enjoyed the benefits of the last several years of state funding. Passage of this bond issue will make a dramatic statement about Ohio’s commitment to technology and to the future. For more information, visit www.jobsforohio2005.com.

The second major event is our BioOhio 2005 conference, where we get the chance to take a brief break from our daily challenges and congregate as a community. In past years this meeting has played a critical role as a place to share ideas, potential projects, stories of success, job opportunities, and the like. It is an ideal location for potential partners bidding for Third Frontier Projects to meet and plan their strategies, for students to meet academic and private sector leaders from across the state, for government, academic and private sector leaders to get a snap-shot of the remarkable progress that Ohio is making in the Biosciences.

I look forward to seeing you at BioOhio on October 31 and November 1 at the Hilton Columbus.

Industry, academic leaders to speak at BioOhio 2005
IBM's Caroline Kovac to be 2005 Keynote Speaker

Omeris hosts BioOhio 2005 on October 31 and November 1 at the Hilton Columbus. Ohio’s only statewide conference devoted to bioscience, BioOhio 2005 will feature Caroline Kovac, PhD, General Manager of IBM Healthcare and Life Sciences, as keynote speaker.

An Ohio native, Dr. Kovac will discuss the promises and challenges within the convergence of IT and biology, also known as bioinformatics. During Dr. Kovac's tenure, IBM Life Sciences has become one of IBM's most successful new businesses. It provides innovative services and technologies that allow researchers to turn the vast quantities of biological data from the Human Genome Project and other research efforts into useful medical and scientific information.

Other prominent speakers at this year’s event include Procter & Gamble’s Mark Collar, Ohio State University President Karen Holbrook, Candace Kendle of Kendle International, Ohio University President Roderick McDavis, Meridian Bioscience’s Jack Kraeutler, and Lieutenant Governor Bruce Johnson, among many others.

“We have exceeded even our own expectations with regards to both quality and quantity of speakers that have committed this year,” said Matt Schutte, Omeris director of corporate communications. “You would be hard pressed to find such a diverse collection of bioscience talent, achievement, and expertise at any other conference in the Midwest.”

BioOhio 2005 kicks off at 1:30pm on Monday, October 31, and quickly leads into two concurrent workshops, “The Third Frontier Project Bioscience Summit” and “From Idea to Bioscience Business.” Later that evening, an opening reception will feature exhibiting companies, a bioscience student poster session, and a silent auction to benefit Omeris’ new Ohio Bioscience Scholarship Fund.

On Tuesday, November 1, two important and unique panel sessions bookend Dr. Kovac’s keynote presentation. In the morning, presidents and provosts of universities instrumental to Ohio’s bioscience success will focus on issues ranging from workforce development to commercializing research. In the afternoon, a panel of Ohio bioscience industry leaders will talk shop with Ohio Business Development Coalition Executive Director Ed Burghard.

For more information on BioOhio 2005, contact Omeris at 614/675-3686. To see a full agenda or to register online: www.omeris.org/programs/bioohio.asp. The cost is $100 for members, $150 for non-members, and $45 for students.

Major supporting sponsors of BioOhio 2005 include the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, Ohio IT Alliance, and the Ohio Business Development Coalition. Limited sponsor and exhibitor opportunities are still available.

Promoting Ohio’s cardiovascular, cancer and agbio assets around the world
First Japan, then off to Germany

Continuing our energetic, ongoing efforts to raise the global awareness of Ohio’s cardiovascular, oncology and agricultural bioscience strengths, Omeris focuses on Japan and Germany this fall.

Japan
From September 4-12, an Ohio contingent including Omeris Vice President John F. Lewis Jr., Procter & Gamble’s Darren Ji, Cleveland Clinic’s Chris Coburn and Yoshitaka Arai from the Ohio Department of Development International Trade Division attended BioJapan 2005 and JETRO’s BioLink 2005 Forum in Yokohama, Japan. Ohio is home to more than 300 Japanese companies employing 70,000 Ohioans, and Japan is a significant trading partner for companies in Ohio.

“Having the opportunity to meet with possible Japanese cardiovascular and cancer partners all arranged by either JETRO or ODOD was invaluable for Ohio,” remarked Lewis. “Our meetings were very promising, and I am looking forward to developing stronger business ties with the companies that I met in Japan.”



Omeris' John F. Lewis, Jr., with Darren Ji of P&G's East Asia office.

The Cleveland Clinic, Omeris and P&G all gave presentations raising the awareness of Ohio’s prominence in the biosciences. This business matching mission to Japan gave Ohio bioscience leaders the opportunity to cost-effectively build their networks in Japan through participation in one-on-one meetings with Japanese companies, attendance at seminars highlighting Ohio’s incentives for investment, and organized networking events.

Germany
On October 17-21, Omeris will take the “Bio in Ohio” road show to BioTechnica, Europe’s largest bio-related exhibition, in Hannover, Germany. This will complement Governor Taft’s nine-day European business mission beginning October 12. Equipped with newly enacted tax reforms for businesses investing in Ohio, the Governor will lead participating businesses on stops in France, Germany, and England, identifying new trade opportunities for Ohio companies. In 2004, Ohio exported $5.6 billion in goods to European countries.

With the guidance of consultant Catharina Maulbecker-Armstrong, PhD, Omeris has arranged 22 meetings with cardiovascular, cancer, biofuel, and seed entities interested in partnership with Ohio organizations while at BioTechnica. Omeris, in partnership with Cleveland’s TeamNEO and 5iTech, also will host a breakfast for Russian companies not yet established in North America. And in partnership with the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Omeris has arranged several agbio related meetings, helping support and grow Ohio’s cutting edge agricultural bioscience sector. Detailed accomplishments from this trip will be in our next BioBulletin.

For more information about these activities or anything dealing with Omeris’ company attraction efforts, contact John F. Lewis Jr., (jlewis@omeris.org or 614-675-3686 x1262).

Omeris coordinates Ohio's presence at BIO 2005

Officials from Omeris, the Ohio Department of Development, Team Ohio and economic development groups from Athens, Cleveland, and Columbus teamed up to showcase Ohio’s bioscience business and research assets at BIO 2005 in Philadelphia.

From June 20-22, the “Bio in Ohio” exhibit booth informed and educated attendees from every U.S. state and dozens of countries—nearly 19,000 in all—on the breadth and depth of Ohio’s bioscience advantages. Ohio biotech and economic development experts at the booth also promoted the benefits of locating or expanding a bioscience-related firm in Ohio. The exhibit hall featured a record 1,525 displays, with more than 60 state and international pavilions.

Key messaging at the Ohio booth highlighted bioscience-related assets in Ohio that are not yet well-known beyond the Midwest. For example:

Five institutions—Case Western Reserve University, Ohio State University, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, and Battelle—rank in the top 100 National Institutes for Health funding recipients.
Overall, 17 Ohio hospitals are named in U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Hospitals issue—no state has more. And Ohio clinics participate in more than 25 percent of the nation’s clinical trials.
A recent study published in Genetic Engineering News reveals that locating a bioscience company in Ohio can result in annual savings up to $2.1 million.
Ohio’s Third Frontier Project commits $1.1 billion over 10 years to nurturing and accelerating high-tech business.

Ohio Governor Bob Taft joined the Ohio delegation at BIO, primarily to participate in strategic meetings with foreign bioscience companies about locating operations in Ohio. “The State is excited to partner with both Omeris and Chambers of Commerce from around Ohio to promote our fast-growing bioscience industry,” said Governor Taft.



Governor Taft at the Bio in Ohio booth

Omeris and ODOD coordinated 13 individual and group meetings while in Philadelphia. “There is no better way to sell yourself than with one-on-one meetings,” says John F. Lewis, Jr., Omeris Vice President, who is leading the bioscience attraction effort. “We opened a lot of German, Italian, Japanese, Taiwanese and American eyes concerning Ohio’s global bioscience strength, particularly in cardio and oncology. We’re optimistic this will lead to jobs in Ohio.” Omeris also hosted an evening reception, “Ohio Night at BIO,” on Penn's Landing.

One area of the Bio in Ohio booth was devoted to five emerging bioscience companies: Diagnostic Hybrids (Athens), Ogenix (Cleveland), Phylogeny (Columbus), Rescentris (Columbus), and Ventaira Pharmaceuticals (Columbus). The Ohio booth also featured a variety of product samples from Ohio bioscience companies. Visitors to the booth eagerly filled pockets and tote bags with P&G’s Crest Pro-Health Rinse and ThermaCare heatwraps, Cal Stat antiseptic handrub from STERIS, and Ganeden Biotech’s over-the-counter treatments.

A number of other Ohio organizations also exhibited independently at the BIO Convention, including Cardinal Health, Chemical Abstracts Service, Eurand America, Expansion Management Magazine, Research Organics, and Ricerca Biosciences.

BIO 2006 will be held in Chicago, April 9-12, marking the first convention’s first stop in the Midwest.

Ohio Companies to present at Midwest’s largest biotech and medical device event

Four emerging Ohio bioscience companies have been selected to participate in the 2005 BIO Mid-America VentureForum, September 21-23 in Minneapolis. These companies will join other promising early- to late-stage companies from across the country in presenting business plans to a national audience of venture capitalists and other potential investors.

Interventional Imaging, Inc. of Cleveland develops disposable interventional catheters used by cardiologists to image the cardiovascular system and diagnose and treat vulnerable plaque, the leading cause of heart attacks.
Arteriocyte, also of Cleveland, is developing stem cell-based therapies to treat ischemia in patients suffering from coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, stroke, and renal ischemia.
Gene Express, Inc. of Toledo is a commercial stage, genomic biotech company focused on developing and commercializing molecular diagnostic products, which lead to more effective drugs.
SpineForm, LLC of Cincinnati is working to advance and commercialize less invasive spinal deformity surgical treatment without fusion.

A complete list of selected companies and registration information is available on the BIO Mid-America VentureForum website at www.bma.bio.org.

Now in its third year, the BIO Mid-America VentureForum is the Midwest’s largest event joining private biotech and medical device companies in need of funding with venture capitalists, angel investors, and investment bankers from across the U.S. and Canada. The event is hosted by BIO and nine state bioscience organizations, including Omeris. The 2006 Mid-America Venture Forum will be held in Cleveland, Ohio, next September. Location and exact dates will be announced in October.

“These four companies epitomize the growing strength and quality of Ohio’s contribution to life sciences,” stated Omeris President & CEO Tony Dennis. “As attendance at the BIO Mid-America VentureForum continues to climb each year, it is clear that investors from across the U.S. are taking notice of the excellent investment opportunities available throughout the Midwest.”

Omeris publishes first Ohio Bioscience Growth Report

After months of collecting, analyzing, and presenting data on Ohio’s bioscience research and business environment, Omeris has “put it on paper” and published its first annual Ohio Bioscience Growth Report. We consider it the first comprehensive report on the state of Ohio’s bioscience industry, or what we call “Bio in Ohio.”

Based on bioscience-related facts and statistics available in 2004, the report is an objective portrayal of elements critical in developing and growing bioscience business. The Ohio Bioscience Growth Report measures Ohio’s assets related to economic, research, investment, and infrastructure indicators. When relevant, it also presents benchmark comparisons to peer and competing states.

Among the most notable findings:

676 bioscience-related entities have operations in Ohio. These organizations are dispersed throughout the state. Northeast Ohio has the largest proportion with 373, followed by southwest (148), central (112) northwest (33), and southeast (10).
Ohio’s strength in bioscience research is reflected in the nearly $700 million in NIH funding earned by Ohio-based institutions and companies in FY2004, ranking first in the Midwest and outpacing the U.S. average.
In the biosciences, Ohio has a strong historical patent base with almost twice as many life science patents awarded between 2000 and 2004 as Michigan or North Carolina.
As of late 2004, more than $249 million in Third Frontier funds had been awarded, 62 percent of which were targeted for bioscience-related initiatives, most notably 10 major bioscience-focused collaborations between academic research centers and private businesses.
According to an October 2004 Milken Institute report, Ohio ranked first among all states in relative growth of total biotech venture capital invested from 2001-2003.
A corporate location study performed by The Boyd Company and published in Genetic Engineering News revealed that locating a bioscience company in Ohio can result in savings up to $2.1 million.

Access a PDF version of the report on the Omeris web site: www.omeris.org/learning

More 'Best Hospitals' in Ohio than any other state
U.S. News & World Report’s annual hospital rankings include 16 Ohio hospitals

For the third straight year, Ohio is home to the most top-ranked hospitals in the nation. In this summer’s U.S. News & World Report “America’s Best Hospitals” list, 16 Ohio hospitals were ranked among the nation’s top 176 hospitals in a variety of specialties.

Of the 16 Ohio hospitals, The Cleveland Clinic maintained the highest ranking at fourth overall. In addition, Cleveland Clinic’s Heart Center again was named the nation’s best cardiac care center—a title it has held for 11 consecutive years. The new survey also ranks 16 Cleveland Clinic specialty care areas among the nation’s best, with 11 of those specialties ranked among the top 10.

Other Ohio hospitals faring well across the board included University Hospitals of Cleveland, with 14 specialty care areas ranked in the top 50, and The Ohio State University Medical Center, with 12 top 50 specialty areas. Cincinnati’s University Hospital and Christ Hospital placed among the top 50 in 7 and 6 areas, respectively.

According to U.S. News & World Report, 2 of America’s top 10 pediatric hospitals are in Ohio—Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland. Ohio also is home to 5 of the top 50 heart centers, 4 top 50 cancer centers, 6 top 50 neurology centers, and 12 top 50 sites for respiratory care.

As a natural byproduct of its acclaimed clinical network, Ohio also is among the top states in hosting clinical trials for new drugs and medical devices. In fact, Ohio medical centers participate in a quarter of all cardiac-related and cancer-related clinical trials in the U.S. Because of this, Omeris President Tony Dennis believes more bioscience and medical device companies may look to establish clinical research locations or affiliations in Ohio.

“Knowing that the nation’s best health care providers are right down the road can be a tremendous asset for biotech, pharma, and medical device firms located in Ohio,” Dennis added.

Last year, 17 Ohio hospitals were ranked among a total of 177 hospitals.

Briefly Bioscience

New Omeris members: More bioscience companies, entrepreneurs, and students are realizing the benefits of being an Omeris member. We are proud of and grateful for our growing list of members and encourage those that are not members to join.

New Omeris Members since May 2005:

Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation (Founding Member)
BlueBridge Networks
The Rogers Company
Ganeden Biotech
Arteriocyte
Research Organics
Cumberland Development
Meridian Bioscience
Theken Spine
Sales Force 4 Hire
Aniara Corporation
Paul Werth and Associates
Sound Health, Inc.
BioLOC
Camargo Pharmaceutical Services
Greater Cincinnati Tech Prep
TREK Diagnostic Systems
Celeste Rose
Tony Lee
Chris Thompson
Jay Gizzi
Phyllis K. Williams
Natarajan Kunthavi
Julia Sugalski

Head to the Omeris web site to learn more about member benefits or to submit an application, or call Membership Coordinator Mollie Hannon at 614/675-3686, x1004.

Workforce development committee off to good start: Omeris’ first member committee, the Bioscience Workforce Development Committee, officially kicked off with its first meeting on Monday, September 19.

Current committee members include: Joan Herbers, PhD, Dean of Biological Sciences, The Ohio State University; Kunthavi Natarajan, PhD, Professor, Biotechnology Program, Sinclair Community College; Eric A. Stahlberg, PhD, Senior Systems Manager, Ohio Supercomputer Center; Tim Nolan, Director, Greater Cincinnati Tech Prep; Andrew Johnson, Ohio State University graduate student and President of OSU’s Biotechnology Interest Group; Marc Cloutier, PhD, Special Assistant for Biotechnology, Ohio Department of Development; Michael Howard, Vice President, CB Richard Ellis; Michael Triplett, Ventaira Pharmaceuticals; Neil Chaudhary, PhD; and Barbara S. Fant, PharmD, Founding Partner, Integrated Center for Device Development.

During the first meeting, members focused on identifying the most important bioscience workforce development issues in Ohio and committed to establishing goals based on these issues. If you’re an Omeris member and interested in joining the committee, email or call Matt Schutte (mschutte@omeris.org or 614-675-3686).

Upcoming bioscience events in Ohio:
BioOhio 2005 | October 31 & November 1 | Hilton Columbus at Easton

Bio Business & Technology Exchange | September 26 | Riverside Hospital Center for Medical Education and Innovation, Columbus

AAMI FDA Regulatory Compliance Conference | September 26-30 | Radisson Hotel, Cleveland-Eastlake

SBIR/STTR NIH Grant Preparation Workshop | October 4 | Business Technology Center, Columbus

For details on these and other Ohio bioscience events: www.omeris.org/programs/events.asp