Collaboration Enables Foreign Life-Science Companies To Expand into China

This new initiative begun by Technology Vision Group LLC (TVG; Vancouver, BC, Canada) is called BioPartnering China and is aimed at making it easy for life-science companies to meet their Chinese counterparts in a professional and organized environment. TVG is creating an environment in which the world's best life-science companies can meet their Chinese counterparts to do business together. TVG will collaborate with the China National Center for Biotechnology Development (CNCBD) in Beijing, which is a Department of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), the Tianjin Municipal Science and Technology Commission (TSTC), the European Federation of Biotechnology (EFB), and BayHelix Group (San Francisco, CA, USA), an elite organization of Chinese life-science business leaders. TVG will also work closely with ChinaBio, which is based in Shanghai, (China), and San Diego, and Palo Alto, (CA, USA).

Dr. Robert Lee Kilpatrick, a partner at TVG said, "BioPartnering China represents our long-term commitment to bring Chinese life-science into the global supply chain. BioPartnering China will be held on June 26, 2009, in the special economic zone in the Tianjin area. It will form part of the biennial BioEconomy conference on June 26-28, 2009, which is initiated and sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China and Tianjin Municipal Government, which provides an opportunity for biotech professionals, government officials, business leaders, and others worldwide to exchange their advanced knowledge, skill, policies, and experiences in the research and application of biotechnology. A further China networking forum, BioPartnering 2.0, will quickly follow in London as part of BioPartnering Europe [BPE] on October 14, 2009. BioPartnering 3.0 will be a full conference in China in 2010 and will comprise partnering, conference, networking, and an exhibition. It is our intention to build value in China for years to come, and we have the ultimate strategic partners.”

The growth of biotechnology in China is accelerating and reaching the critical mass necessary to be a globally competitive industry. The time is right, according to TVG; to start building partnerships with Chinese entrepreneurs and life science companies as new sources of private and government funding have created an enormous number of start-up companies. The companies are led in many cases by "sea turtles,” the returning Chinese scientists and business students leaders trained overseas, particularly in the United States. Many of these individuals of influence work together through BayHelix Group.

Darren Ji, board director of BayHelix Group said, "China is becoming a critical player in the global life science community. Over the years Chinese life science leaders at BayHelix have helped at both government and local levels to shape the development of the life science industry in China. Many BayHelix members are prominent industry leaders who directly or indirectly operate life science businesses in China. It is exciting to see the launch of BioPartnering China, which will bring China to the global stage of the life science community in a highly professional and effective way. We envisage that tremendous opportunities could be developed and bridged through this premier conference between China and the world.”

The Chinese government has established national ministries and departments focused on this sector, most notably MOST and its life-science division, the CNCBD. At regional levels, cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, and others have created initiatives to fund the growth of science parks and other economic development incentives. With 1.3 billion people, China must utilize biotechnology for various applications such as human, anima,l and plant health, food, materials, energy, and other industrial uses. In fact, China has really focused its attention on all aspects of what is termed the "bioeconomy,” or that aspect of total economic activity in China, and globally, that allows national leadership to address key challenges to its sustainability in the 21st century. With a unique combination of huge government surpluses, focused guidance from experts, plenty of private sector capital, a skilled talent-base and entrepreneurs, China is quickly emerging as a major player, according to TVG personnel.

Europe also recognizes the opportunity for life-science companies in China. Jens Sundbye, a board member of EFB remarked, "We have a longstanding close collaboration with CNCBD and Chinese life-science companies and organizations through joint life-science programs and technology transfer activities throughout China. We are honored that CNCBD/MOST has invited the partners for collaboration and creation of the life-science Olympics. The partners are experienced drivers of the global life-science value train and invite the world to come to China and experience what China can offer.”

Related Links:
Technology Vision Group
China National Center for Biotechnology Development
BayHelix Group