2 minute read
The Last Word
By Jean-Pierre Trudel
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on BioContact Québec
Jean-Pierre Trudel, President of Jean-Pierre Trudel & Associates.
Over 300 participants are expected to attend BioContact Québec 2013, a biopharmaceutical partnership international symposium that will take place in Québec City from October 2 to 3. The 19th edition of the symposium will be attended by some 75 Canadian, U.S., and European biopharmaceutical companies, universities, investment bankers, and government representatives.
Dr. Martin Godbout who initiated the Symposium back in the mid-1990 explains, “BioContact is today the only event remaining in Canada during which the contents of the meetings, presentations, and events are specifically tailored to meet the needs of the pharma as well as the biotech industry.” According to the event program, diagnostics, therapeutics, and services, and disciplines such as cancer, cardiology and immunology will be at the heart of many of the presentations. This year’s event will take place at a time when developers of innovative and more targeted medicines and treatments associated with personalized health care are facing new challenges.
According to Dr. Godbout, 40 per cent of BioContact’s program will include presentations from companies. The remaining 60 per cent of the program will be split in two. The first part will include thematic sessions in which subjects such as orphan drugs and intellectual property will be discussed. The second part of the program will be devoted to the Amorchem KNOCK-OUT Event in which pre-selected academic life science researchers will compete promoting their technology and its applications in front of a live audience and panel of seasoned biotech executives. A winning researcher could be granted an Amorchem financing of up to $500,000 to further develop their project (Amorchem is a venture capital fund located in Montréal).
“Although the pharmaceutical sector worldwide has experienced many changes that have affected its business model during the past five years, the biotech sector is presently learning to adapt itself to these changes,” said Dr. Godbout. As many large pharma companies have been affected by patent cliffs and reduced R&D productivity, outsourcing research has become for many an interesting avenue to ensure future growth.
In this new environment, large pharma companies are scouting more than ever before for innovative ideas. In order to achieve their goal, these companies are most interested in investing in promising life science projects originating from universities and research centers. Through commercial partnerships with universities and prominent scientists that have already reached critical milestones, pharma companies today channel more funds directly towards the development of compounds that have the potential to reach the market. “BioContact 2013 will be reflecting this new reality,” Dr. Godbout said.
As many participants indicated during last year’s symposium, research is very good in Canada and we can expect an increase in collaborative ventures between large pharma companies and scientists. As the biotech sector is learning to adapt its business model to meet the pharma industry’s needs, Dr. Godbout remains optimistic in the future of the biopharmaceutical sector in Québec and Canada.
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