CzechInvest gets results at BIO 2009

26 May. 2009 | CzechInvest | At this year’s BIO International Biotechnology Trade Fair, CzechInvest gathered two hundred contacts and registered interest from more than 30 entities seeking business opportunities or suppliers in the Czech Republic.

At the world’s biggest biotechnology trade fair, BIO 2009, which took place last week in the American city of Atlanta, Georgia, CzechInvest registered interest from more than thirty parties interested in seeking business opportunities or engaging suppliers in the Czech Republic. The greatest interest was shown in Czech producers of diagnostic devices, suppliers of active pharmaceutical ingredients and the findings of Czech researchers in the field of immunology.

“For the first time ever, this year CzechInvest was directly responsible for the full Czech participation in the national pavilion with assistance from the Ministry of Industry and Trade,” says Martin Partl, biotechnology sector manager at CzechInvest. “The fight against HIV/AIDS was the main theme of this year’s event. Therefore we held a very informative seminar on Czech research and development at BIO 2009. The meeting was commenced by Petr Kolář, the Czech Republic’s ambassador in Washington, and the main presentation was given by Tomas Cihlar, head of research at Gilead Sciences, an American firm with turnover in excess of USD 4 billion. The company produces and globally distributes Viread and Vistide, currently the most effective anti-AIDS drugs, which are based on a Czech patent held by Antonín Holý.”

During BIO 2009, Marián Hajdúch of Palacký University in Olomouc presented the latest findings of Czech biotechnology research. The Czech Republic’s stand featured the companies BioTest, SVCS and BVT Technologies, as well as the CEITEC cluster, the new association of Czech biotechnology firms CzechBio, CzechTrade and Masaryk University. The significance of the Czech Republic’s participation in the event was confirmed by Georgia’s governor, Sonny Perdue, who received the Czech delegation headed by Ambassador Kolář.

“The Czech Republic is home to both top-level biotechnology research centres as well as outstanding production firms,” says Alexandra Rudyšarová, acting CEO of CzechInvest. “CzechInvest alone has aided the growth of biotechnology projects in the value of CZK 8 billion.”

This year’s Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) trade fair was attended by 14,352 visitors from 48 countries. Presentations were given by nearly 3,000 top-level biotechnology experts on topics ranging from bioethics to business development and bio-energy. According to the organisers, industry leaders representing 1,800 companies participated in 14,040 one-on-one partnering meetings during the four-day event.