I spent part of Monday morning in the Ireland Pavilion (#3303) talking with them about the biotechnology they’re highlighting at the BIO convention, as well as the region as well. I spoke with Jonathan O’Connell, Chief Financial Officer of Ireland’s Merrion Pharmaceuticals, about the announcement they made last week (PDF) regarding preliminary results on Orazol™, a tablet formulation of the Novartis drug Zometa®. The company acquired a unique drug delivery technology from Elan in 2004 which boosts absorption in the intestine. As a result, therapeutics that are normally given only by injection can be formulated as tablets, leading to many benefits, including safer treatment, less pain, and improved pharmaeconomics. At BIO 2009, Merrion is focused on partnering their Phase 2 compounds, and continues to develop and seek out therapeutics which are amenable to their technology, including, notably, insulin, which they are working on with Novo Nordisk. Personally, I found the technology to be very promising and I suggest that you seek them out in the Ireland Pavilion.

I also spoke with Sean Davis from Enterprise Ireland (EI), which ‘fosters’ companies like Merrion in their early development phase. Davis says that EI has been around for 35 years and currently takes on 70-80 companies per year. The EI does 5-6 months of due diligence for each company and covers R&D aspects, commercialization, and technology transfer. EI benefits from the Irish government’s commitment to promote biotechnology in the region, stemming back 20 years ago when they began to focus on education. Their goal at BIO 2009? Presenting six of their ’success stories’ from the region and partnering with US entities who realize the potential of companies who have been well-positioned for success by EI. I highly suggest visiting the Ireland Pavilion, #3303 in the exhibit hall.

The San Diego Biotechnology Network (SDBN), a new professional organization, announced its inaugural networking event will feature a meet-and-greet with Sapphire Energy, a San Diego-based green crude production company.

SDBN was formed by two local marketing professionals, Mary Canady of Comprendia, LLC and Todd Backus of Blue Horse & Trumpet to meet the need for more face–to-face networking among Biotechnology professionals in the San Diego area, via casual, bi-monthly after-work events. SDBN events will feature a local company that represents the excitement and innovation of the San Diego biotechnology industry, and will provide a venue for their team to connect with the community in a casual atmosphere. SDBN’s choice of Sapphire Energy reflects the overwhelming interest that the biotechnology community has for the company and its technology.

Sapphire Energy was founded to address the overwhelming inadequacies of current biofuel approaches. The company has built a revolutionary platform using sunlight, CO2 and microorganisms such as algae to produce renewable fuel products – gasoline, jet fuel and diesel – that meet ASTM standards. The final product is not ethanol or biodiesel. Sapphire is led by a team of entrepreneurs and experts in cell biology, plant genomics and algal production, as well as investors with long histories of taking innovative technology to market, including co-founder ARCH Venture Partners, along with the Wellcome Trust, Cascade Investment and Venrock. Sapphire’s scientific supporters include The Scripps Research Institute; University of California, San Diego; the University of Tulsa, and the Department of Energy’s Joint Genome Project. The company is located in San Diego. For more information, visit http://www.sapphireenergy.com and http://www.greencrudeproduction.com.

Contact for Sapphire Energy: Sarah Shahrabani, sarah.shahrabani@edelman.com, ph. 206.268.2228.

Event Details (RSVP Required)
Who: Sapphire Energy, Inc., and biotechnology professionals in the greater San Diego area
What: San Diego Biotechnology Network November Happy Hour
When: Tuesday, November 11th, 5:30-8:00
Where: Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery, La Jolla, 8980 Villa La Jolla Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037
Cost: $10
For more information about the event: http://sdbn.org, registration and confirmation required. Contact: Mary Canady, mcanady@comprendia.com, ph. 858.922.6640.

SAN DIEGO, CA–(Marketwire – September 24, 2008) – Comprendia, a newly formed biotechnology and life sciences marketing consulting firm, is announcing the launch of BioStartup Marketing Kits, which will help biotechnology startups obtain the marketing they need to grow. The kits will enable the new companies to easily obtain the materials they need to launch, allowing their management to focus on other vital activities. BioStartup Marketing Kits are designed to meet the specialized needs of biotechnology companies, including materials and services such as website design, logo and branding, brochures, public relations, and social media.

This announcement comes at a time when biotechnology firms are touted as being a “safe haven” for investors during the current financial crisis. Large pharmaceutical and venture capital companies are investing in biotech companies to re-fill drug pipelines and provide novel tools for drug discovery. Additionally, the restructuring of large pharmaceutical companies has spawned a host of new drug discovery startups, founded by former big pharma employees. Choosing the right marketing strategy is essential to the success of these new, largely unknown businesses, because it not only determines their image and direction, but also their ability to raise money and recruit top scientists.

“We see a real need for science-savvy marketing solutions for small biotechnology companies,” said Mary Canady, Ph.D., Founder of Comprendia. “We understand the science that drives these companies, and can translate it into a winning marketing strategy that will lead to rapid and sustained growth for our clients. BioStartup Marketing Kits provide the materials and guide scientific entrepreneurs through a process which helps them define their objectives and message.” Dr. Canady’s insights into biotechnology marketing arise from her unique background in both science and business. She worked ten years as a biochemist and eight years in marketing and business development roles at life science and biotechnology companies, including Invitrogen and EMD/Merck Chemicals.

Comprendia, LLC, formed earlier this year, brings together Ph.D.-level scientific consultants with talented developers, designers and writers. Comprendia is located in San Diego, a biotechnology hub known for its close ties to world class research institutions such as Scripps Research Institute, Burnham Institute, and UCSD. Recently, San Diego has become home to a burgeoning green technology industry, with Sapphire Energy, Verenium, Genomatica, and Synthetic Genomics joining the biotech community. Comprendia serves the biotechnology, life sciences, and green technology industries worldwide.

For more information:
http://comprendia.com/biostartup
Mary Canady
Ph: 858.922.6640
mcanady@comprendia.com

Release on Marketwire