BioData Forum of biotech reappears
on the front of the stage
2010-02-02 
This is happening on Tuesday and Wednesday after a year's absence. "The withdrawal of our main spon- sors three months prior to the show had forced us to cancel the edition of 2009. This meeting is reborn and is as traditionally between the third or fourth week of January," Liliane Daugny, spokesman of Biodata. With the feature of being located either in Geneva or Archamps. It positions the congress website as a reference in the sector of biotech. Judging the list of investors present at this edition as the last few years, the symposium is, to say the least, not gone unnoticed, nor this year as in the last editions (supported by Merck and Serono and BioAlps). "The funds responsible for us remained faithful and return with great ambitions in a period difficult for the industry," says Liliane Daugny.
The 2010 edition will host over seventy specialized investors and nearly 250 "one to one" are programmed between these entrepreneurs and financial experts. And enrollment is almost similar to that of 2008, when the last edition. "This is proof of the interest of the manifestation" adds Hervé de Kergrohen Chairman of Biodata.
The ambitions of the leaders of Archamps are known. Make this scientific site with hotel infrastructure and a congress center, an incubator for start-ups. Political supports and the will of the French Government support the expansion in the life sciences sector and innovative businesses should help them reach their goal quickly, even though the development of the south-gate of Geneva will not happen regardless of Switzerland. The influence of his biotech hub extends far beyond the frontiers with Geneva (read Agefi 22 January). The domiciliation tion of Biodata there fosters the casket of the technology. "The future of our event undoubtedly is through Geneva. We have special relationships with the Swiss financial actors active in the health sector, we have confirmed their presence at Biodata despite the difficulties they would have felt after the last crisis of the financial markets", adds Hervé de Kergrohen. Certain Swiss companies have branches or seek office into Archamps (including Addex). Proof of complementarity between our two regions. "
The fund market today is "distressed". Some are at end of their life cycle and have not managed to raise in new capital because of the situation on the markets. We support the activities of the companies with which they were engaged. With fear of insufficient returns to investors, the latter withdrew funds and disappear. The situation is close to one known after the crash of 2000/2001 but also dramatic. For not only innovative companies are affected but also the funds that support them. Prior to 2001, many new funds were raised during the bubble. This is not the case today. The biotechnology companies are forced to shoot new strategies. Very few new funds can recover technologies today underfunded by their existing investors. " Experienced people in the capital should launch new funds to boost the sector, they have now left the historic venture capital funds that have deceased necessarily due to bad record due to this unique crisis. These individuals are intended to recreate a favorable field to make Europe the venture capital performance by rebuilding these companies doomed by sudden lack of funding. Business models will also experience a great turning point. This will be a major topic of discussion at this BioData Year "adds Hervé de Kergrohen, also CEO of the biotech ANAVEX based in Archamps. The future of biotech undeniably goes through these funds. Lack of return on investment result, some funds forced innovative companies to cut costs by several millions per year. This is not to impact on the progression of research and development. The only way out for these groups is to sell their technology (their patents) to get cash, for their advancement. Without the arrival of new funds, many companies simply threaten to be at the end to their projects. The commitment of the investment American bank Healthios alongside Biodata (read tomorrow Agefi) does not mean that their salvation comes from the United States. But at present, the largest financing come from the Atlantic. "The challenge for the players in our region is to manage the pendulum between the old and new funds. We believe that the opportunities for investors are beautiful and very present on this side of the region France-Vaud-Geneva, "says Hervé de Kergrohen.
COMPANIES
BIOTECHNOLOGY ARE FORCED TO SPREAD ON NEW STRATEGIES TO VERY RARE NEW FUNDS.