Israel is eighth in the number of patents granted in the life-sciences industry, which may be the most amazing statistic of all, given the amount of time and money companies must invest in getting a product or technology tested and patented.

This week, the Israeli biotech industry was having its annual conference, the Biomed Israel 2011 show, sponsored by the Life Sciences Industries Association in Israel (ILSI), a nonprofit organization founded to serve and promote the goals of the Israeli life-sciences industry in the international arena. The show, which is taking place in Tel Aviv and is celebrating its tenth anniversary, has become a can’t-miss affair for top executives of pharmaceutical and medical-technology giants around the world.

So how successful has the Israeli life sciences industry been? Check out the stats: There are currently about 700 active life-sciences companies in Israel; 56 percent of them (396) of them were founded in the last decade.

A quarter of them, 173, were founded only five years ago. Of the rest, 306 were founded before 2001, with the oldest, Teva Pharmaceuticals, founded in 1901 (amazing but true). Out of the 700, 401 (56%) are in the medicaldevices business.

From 2001 to 2005 the industry’s annual growth was 12%. Even though things have slowed a bit over the past three years, Biomed organizing committee chairperson Ruti Alon says growth has returned to the sector.

More than 100 of the companies established over the last decade are making money, she says, and “the most impressive fact is that 25 companies, about 8% of all companies that produce income, were founded only five years ago.”

Some testimonials as for ILSI- Biomed Israel 2011:

“Back to Paris I would like to thank you for the excellence of the organization and the quality of the Company we have met. We learned a lot and see several opportunities to partner with Israeli Biotech Companies”

- Philippe Goupit, Sanofi-Aventis, Business Development Corporate Licenses

“I would like to thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to talk about EU reimbursement during ILSI Biomed in Tel Aviv. I was impressed by the fantastic organization of the program and the conference itself.
It would be a very great pleasure for me to participate again next year”

- Dr. Hubertus Rosery MPH (CEO), AiM GmbH, Assessment in Medicine Research and Consulting

“Thanks for the nice introduction; I had a number of meetings and feel that I am slowly getting to know the needs and interests of the many wonderful technology companies born in Israel. Congratulations on a very successful conference!”

- Dan Mendelson, CEO, Avalere Health LLC

Really excellent. Well planned. Very nice atmosphere.
Key-note speakers were the best. Cocktail party was a delight.
Kenes did a great job. Kol Hakavod to ILSI & Ruti.

- David Blum

Tweet

Share on Facebook

Photo credit: Ilan Levi
www.ilanlevi.com

More photos are available at our Facebook page.

Tweet

Share on Facebook

Statistical reports prepared by the Israeli Chief Scientist office towards the ILSI – Biomed Israel 2011 Week, which will open in Tel Aviv next week (May 23-25, 2011), show that the Chief Scientist helped support life science projects in Israel, with NIS 430 million in 2010. Avi Hasson, the Chief Scientist, will speak at the conference at the opening of the day devoted to young biomed companies.

10 more years!

Of the NIS 430 million of support funds, NIS 49 million were given to pharmaceutical development; NIS 173 million to biotechnology, and NIS 209 million to medical equipment. In all, the R&D Committee of the Chief Scientist Office considered 338 project applications from 193 companies, of which 265 projects were approved, representing a total R&D budget of NIS 701 million. This is 10.5% less than the State support given to life science R&D in 2009, the sector’s record year of the past decade. However, the bio technology sector benefited from increased grants with NIS 4 million more that in 2009.

The figures also reveal that State support of life science innovation of the past years has been ranging between 30% in 2007 to 28.1% in 2010, a significant increase from 14% in 2000 and 22% in 2003.

Commenting on the figures, Hasson said Israel’s outstanding excellence centers in the academy, combined with entrepreneurial spirit and technological life science capabilities results in Israel being positioned as a significant life science player on a global level. “Israel is unique in combining life science with additional areas, such as nanotechnology, intelligent materials and advanced electronics,” said the Chief Scientist.

Hasson pointed out the Chief Scientist office is committed to continued support for the life science sector, with life science companies benefiting from a preferred status regardless of the stage in their evolution. “With our support, more companies were able to reach advanced stages of clinical development in recent years,” he said.

The chief scientist noted in this context, the recently-announced win of OrbiMed Advisors of the tender to establish dedicated life science R&D funds in Israel. “When an international company mobilizes USD 160 million, which is more than twice than the minimum required to bid in the tender, this is the best evidence of the trust the global capital market places in the Israeli life science industry and its technological and commercial potential for economic growth.”

2011 marks the 10th anniversary of ILSI Biomed Israel 2011 Week. Over the past decade, it has grown into an international conference hosting the biggest (and hottest) names of the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical instrumentation industries. The conference organizers, the Israel Life Science Industry (ILSI), and Kenes Congress Group, expect more than 1,000 overseas guests to join thousands of local bio-pharma and medical instrumentation executives, scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, opinion leaders, VC fund managers and private investors who confirmed their participation at the Conference.

About ILSI Biomed Israel 2011

The ILSI Biomed Israel 2011 is the central annual event of Israel’s life science industry. It consists of an international professional conference, targeted at the best experts and executives from bio-pharma and medical instrumentation companies, as well as scientists and researchers, entrepreneurs, opinion leaders, VC fund managers and private investors from Israel and abroad. The adjoining exhibition displays the most recent innovations of these areas. With the years, ILSI Biomed Israel 2011 has won international acclaim and is considered today as the second largest conference of the life science industry after the USA. It will be held from May 23rd to 25th at the David Intercontinental Hotel in Tel Aviv.

Visit the conference website at http://www2.kenes.com/biomed/pages/home.aspx

Tweet

Share on Facebook

Abbott Diagnostics will be attending Biomed 2011 and is interested in discussions with potential collaborators leading toward the development and commercialization of novel IA/CC biomarkers in all therapeutic areas:
o Evidence of clinical utility
o Well characterized antibody development
o Preferably, a developed ELISA format
o Workable, defendable, global IP position

Tweet

Share on Facebook

Shlomo Yanai has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Teva since March 2007.

Prior to joining Teva, Mr. Yanai was President and Chief Executive Officer of Makhteshim-Agan Industries Ltd. from 2003 until 2006. Previously, Mr. Yanai served in the Israel Defense Forces (the “IDF”) for 32 years, where he achieved the rank of Major General, the highest rank below Chief of Staff, and successively held two of the most senior positions: Commanding Officer of the Southern Command and Head of the Division of Strategic Planning.

Mr. Yanai was the head of the Israeli security delegation to the peace talks at Camp David, Shepherdstown and Wye River. Mr. Yanai was a board member of Bank Leumi Le-Israel Ltd. from 2004 until 2007. Mr. Yanai is a member of the Board of Governors of the Technion (Israel Institute of Technology) and of the International Advisory Board, M.B.A. Program of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, as well as an honorary member of the Board of the Institute for Policy and Strategy of the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya.

Mr. Yanai received a B.A. in political science and economics from Tel Aviv University in 1983 and an M.P.A. in national resources management from George Washington University in 1990, and graduated the Advanced Management Program of the Harvard Business School in 2000.

Tweet

Share on Facebook

“GCP is delighted and honored to be a part of the RPG organization, since this will offer our local clients the option for conducting professionally well-managed studies outside of the country,” say Stephen Levenstein, M.D., VP, who manages the Research Division at GCP Clinical Studies. In addition, Dr. Levenstein commented that “joining such a service oriented organization is very much in keeping with our own ethos and we look forward to bringing more clinical studies to Israel.”

With the addition of GCP, “RPG is now able to offer its sponsors extensive clinical trial experience, in all phases with both drugs and devices, in a country that is often rated among the highest-recruiting countries in multi-national studies. We are very impressed with the level of personalized service, responsiveness, and dedication that GCP is known to deliver for every project,” said Gernot Cremer, Director, ResearchPoint Global.

RPG’s expansion into Israel offers several advantages for its clients, including access to a high number of world-renowned investigators and a rapid regulatory review process. The small geographic size of Israel also plays a role in the list of advantages, as the proximity of the investigational sites allows for efficient and economic monitoring of studies.

ResearchPoint Global (RPG) is a worldwide clinical organization with 24 regional offices and coverage in over 60 countries. As a proven global organization, RPG involves truly local resources to navigate regional issues and consists of high-performing teams whose principals are actively engaged in the success of each clinical program. GCP Clinical Studies complements RPG’s current presence in the Americas, Africa, Europe (Western, Central, and Eastern), India and Israel. Visit www.researchpointglobal.com or for more information about GCP, visit www.gcp.co.il.

Tweet

Share on Facebook

This is a Call for a Change – Don’t Miss the Opportunity to Present and to Win at the upcoming 2011 ILSI – BioMed Conferenc.

Once again, BioJerusalem is delighted to hold the ‘Start Up’s Pavilion’, offering start-up companies the opportunity to showcase their technologies and products. In addition, this year they offer start ups, for the first time, increased exposure with the opportunity to present your company as part of the Conference’s main program which takes place at the David InterContinental Hotel.

The Start Up’s Pavilion is offering bio and medical devices company managers an opportunity to:

Showcase your technology/product in a special exhibit area
Present your company during the ILSI-Biomed 2011 Conference program (‘elevator speech presentation’)
Be awarded for your presentation.

Make a wise decision – Join those already registered!

The Start-Up Competition

All start-up exhibitors will be entitled to present their company as part of the prize-bearing “Start-Up Competition”. The audience and a panel of distinguished international industry leaders will choose the most promising medical device company & and best biotech company. Each company will be allotted a 3-minute presentation, out of which, few finalists will be selected and have a chance to deliver a full company presentation. The winners of the ILSI Biomed 2011 most promising start-ups will be announced in a prize awarding ceremony!

What “Start Up” participants are offered:

* Opportunity to introduce your company to a panel of international industry leaders, including senior industry executives and venture capitalists
* Maximum exposure to leading industry players, creating new business opportunities
* Interaction with international delegations and thousands of visitors from Israel & worldwide
* Pre-set private one-on-one meetings scheduled via our networking engine, providing the opportunity for new partnerships with industry and investors
* Exposure in the conference’s official website and publications
* The ‘Start Up Pavilion’ is located adjacent to the ‘Networking Pavilion’ at the Dan Panorama Hotel, where the partnering meetings, one of the conference’s attractions, takes place.

Technical specifications of branded start-up stand:

A display of 4.5 sqm (3X1.5)
Meeting table & two chairs
Electricity outlet
Branded attendant desk
Signage
Participation cost:

A nominal fee of 2,300 NIS + VAT

www.kenes.com/biomed

Tweet

Share on Facebook

10 more years!

May 23-25 2011. ILSI-BioMed Israel 2011, that is.

The 10th international Life Science & Technology Week is just around the corner. The event follows the highly successful 2010 BioMed conference which attracted more than 6000 participants from 51 countries.

LSI-BioMed 2011 will present high-quality program, featuring top-notch industry executives. Israel’s most innovative medical device and BioPharma entrepreneurs, major pharmaceutical companies, life science research leaders, policy makers and internationally prominent industry investors and the 4th international Stem Cell meeting.

Get ready!

ILSI-BioMed week – program at a glance.

Tweet

Share on Facebook

Panel discussions in 2011 will include:

Social Advertising
eTail, eCommerce, eIsrael
Cool Content and Convergence
Mobile Connections
Creative Consumer Products
From Seeding Ideas to Selling Shares
Breakthrough Medical Technology

Who: The Israel Conference™ features leaders of significant businesses that are Israel-facing that were founded in Israel, have R&D operations in Israel, do business in Israel, or represent investors in Israeli companies. Speakers represent the spirit of the inventiveness of the Israel market.

Why: By attending, you will meet with top minds of the movers and shakers from publicly traded companies, privately-held middle market firms, and early stage ventures along with private equity and venture investors. You will meet first-hand with the innovators of leading technologies from Israel that are market-making and in demand with the most forward-thinking technology and products in the world. Attendees gain an insider’s understanding of the growth of dynamic Israel-facing companies.

When: The Israel Conference™ 2011 will take place on Thursday June 2, 2011 in Los Angeles.

For more information: http://www.theisraelconference.com/index.php

Tweet

Share on Facebook

He joined Roche in 1998, as Head of Global Cardiovascular Research (to include Metabolic Research from 2001) and in 2002 became Head of Discovery Research, Basel and in 2006 Head of Discovery Research and Non Clinical Development, Basel.

Before joining Roche, Gianni Gromo was Acting Vice President for the Cardiovascular Division of Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, USA, having been first Medical Advisor and then Research Director for Lilly from 1995. Between 1988 and 1994, he was Immunology Section Leader and then Research Director for Italfarmaco in Milan, Italy.

Gianni Gromo trained in medicine and gained his PhD in Clinical and Experimental Haematology at the University of Milan, followed by a Fellowship in Experimental Oncology at the University of Pavia, Italy. From 1980 to 1984 he was Associate Medical Doctor, University of Milano, Divisione di Medicina II, San Raffaele Hospital ,Milano , Italy. From 1984 to 1988 he was first Postdoctoral Associate and then Assistant Professor, at the Immunobiology Research Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, US.

Gianni Gromo is married with Paola, they have two daughters Giulia & Martina. He has a long standing interest in modern & contemporary art, tennis, skiing and scuba diving.

Gianni Gromo will give a keynote lecture in the up-and-coming ILSI-BioMed week at the first day, Monday, May 23 2011.

ILSI-BioMed week – program at a glance.

Tweet

Share on Facebook