BIO Europe with new record numbers

More than 3,600 biotech experts from all over the world followed the invitation of North rhine-Westphalian biotech cluster BIO.NRW and event organizer EBD Group. „Cologne is a well-known European center for innovation, science and research,” said Anna Chrisman, Group Managing Director, EBD Group during her opening speech. “There is no better location to build business relationships than in Cologne’s knowledge-based industry in the heart of Europe.” Svenja Schulze, Science Minister of the State or North Rhine-Westphalia, confirmed that impression with a number of facts. According to her, the number of biotech companies in the state doubled over the past nine years. “Today 44% of the German biotech turnover is generated here.”

BIO-Europe 2016 is the largest to date, bringing together executives from more than 1,900 companies in one-to-one meetings to discuss asset deals and strategic collaborations. Among the participants are all of the major pharmaceutical companies from Bayer, GSK, Novartis, Pfizer and J&J, discussing, among others, topics such as drug pricing and deal making.

From the investors perspective this year’s BIO Europe showcased also a growing number of early-stage-investors, such as Venionaire from Austria or Serobia from Ireland. They used the BIO Europe looking for investment opportunities in the preclinical stage, underlining the fact that there is to date enough money in the market to further develop small businesses in particular. This was also underlined by newest facts and figures. According to David Thomas, Director Industry Analysis at US-based Biotechnology Organization (BIO), the majority of this year’s biotech deals took place in the preclinical area. Regarding the public capital markets however, a significant decrease is observed. Thomas reported about a 24% decline of the Nasdaq biotech index and a new market report published by Berlin-based market analyst BIOCOM AG stated that the European listed biotech companies this year raised 65% less money so far than in 2015. According to the findings of the Analysis of European Biotech Companies on the Stock Markets, a combined amount of €1.93bn was raised by 3Q16. (2015: €5.53bn).