The Basque Bioregion has extended its international contacts through its recent participation, between 18 and 21 May, in BIO 2009: the world’s most important convention in the life sciences sector. Representatives of eleven Basque biotech companies, headed by the BioBasque Agency, took part in the convention, which was held in Atlanta (U.S.A.) and took advantage of their presence to make their activities known, present their new items, give presentations and establish international business contacts.

The eleven Basque biocompanies that attended BIO 2009 -Biobide, Bioftalmik, Dro Biosystems, Genetadi Biotech, Ikerchem, Innoprot, OWL Genomics, Pharmakine and the Progenika Group (Progenika Biopharma, Proteomika and Abyntek Biopharma)- took advantage of their visit to Atlanta to expand their list of contacts, open the way for future business agreement and raise their international profile.

For example, Biobide had the opportunity to hold meetings with ten of the leading multinationals in the pharmaceutical industry, while Pharmakine began talks with a Canadian firm with the intention of opening up a distribution channel for its products in the U.S.A. and Canada. On its part, OWL Genomics officially presented its new product, marketed under the commercial name of “OWL Liver”, and Ikerchem opened conversations with an Asian company interested in the design and synthesis of molecules in which this company from Gipuzkoa specialises. These four companies also gave lectures within the framework of the convention to present their activities.

Moreover, Bioftalmik, Dro Biosystems, Genetadi Biotech and Innoprot made the most of their stay in Atlanta to present the latest novelties in their respective business catalogues, to widen their network of international contacts and to hold meetings both with potential customers and with possible partners. Finally, the Progenika Group set up strategic alliances to jointly carry out projects, as well as to implement technologies developed by its companies in the different fields of biomedicine.