Biotechnology Industry Organization: Surge in Biotech IPOs Encouraging

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) has opened registration  for the 12^thAnnual BIO Investor Forum, an international biotech investor conference focused on investment strategies for early stage and established private companies as well as emerging public companies. The event will take place October 8-9, 2013 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, California. 

“Investors have regained an appetite for biotech shares, and the past 4 months have seen a tremendous increase in initial public offerings by biotechs.  So far this year, there have been 23 IPOs, with 15 alone since May.  The average 47% return for these shares since their IPO shows that investors’ confidence is well placed. Over 70% of this year’s IPO class have presented previously at the BIO Investor Forum. This event is the ideal venue for investors and business development leaders to meet, discuss and explore potential partnerships and business collaborations to fuel research and development for promising innovation,” said Alan Eisenberg, executive vice president, Emerging Companies & Business Development at BIO.

The 2012 BIO Investor Forum scheduled over 650 meetings, 80% of which were between biotech companies and investors. Furthermore, the event hosted nearly 110 late-stage private and emerging public company presentations.

This year’s event will assemble public and venture-stage growth companies, as well as top public and private equity investors, to explore investment trends and opportunities in life sciences. To view the current 2013 investor registration list, please visit here and to view the full 2012 investor list, please visit here.

The 2013 program will include Plenary Sessions, Business Roundtables, Therapeutic Workshops, Company Presentations and Fireside Chats led by clinical thought leaders focusing on industry trends. The initial BIO Investor Forum program has been listed below.

Plenary Sessions include:

• IPO Frenzy – Are the GoGo Markets Here to Stay: The Investor Perspective
• Early Stage Venture Investing: Will Current Trends Continue into 2014?

Business Roundtables include:

• Facing Reality: Debating the Conclusions of BioCentury’s 21^stAnnual Back to School Commentary
• The New Road to IPO in the Age of the JOBS Act: The Companies’ Perspectives

Therapeutic Workshops include:

• The Ultimate Rejection: Fighting Cancer with Immunotherapy
• The Non-Orphan Panel: Indie Vs. Blockbusters-Shifting the Focus from Rare Diseases to Primary Care
• Antimicrobials, Antivirals: GAINing Ground in Antibiotics– New Incentives for Biopharma

In addition to expert-led workshops and panel discussions, the conference features presentations by over 100 biotech companies poised to join the growth “watch list” in 2013, as well as a number of nonprofit and venture philanthropy organizations. To view the current 2013 presenting companies list, please visit here and to view the full 2012 list, please visit here.

The first Fireside Chat has been announced with Jan M. Lundberg, Ph.D, Eli Lilly Executive Vice President, Science and Technology President, Lilly Research Laboratories.

BIO One-on-One Partnering™ opened August 5^thand will provide an opportunity to arrange meetings between investors, companies and industry business development, licensing and therapeutic franchise heads.  

To learn more about the BIO Investor Forum, including registration, program and Partnering information, please visit here.