Challenges and solutions for the Bio and Life Sciences industry
1076_ 9/12/11 - The Bio and Life Sciences industry faces huge challenges raising venture capital in a difficult economy. Investing in an industry that takes ten to twelve years and over $1.3 Billion to bring a drug to market just might shift the action to some widget or a software program that can be flipped to realize a return in just six months. That's the challenge facing the Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) and president/CEO, Holli Riebel. "Also", she said, "venture capitalists reside more on the coasts, and so we're always having a more difficult time attracting venture capital out here in the middle of the country." Coming up this month September 21st and 22nd we will witness the first "Rocky Mountain Life Science Investor and Partnering Conference" with the Opening Night Reception at the Governor's Mansion. It's really a venue to bring some of our top technologies and companies from Colorado and some of our surrounding states, to present their technologies to VC's and strategic partners. This is very different this year. Strategic partners are the pharmaceutical companies that are divesting themselves from their R&D departments. Now instead, looking at investing in many small biotech and device companies at earlier stages, in addition to research institutions. So we're seeing closer partnerships with companies at an earlier stage. Relevant right now, "The flu season is coming up" Holli said, "and there is a company that has actually developed a universal flu vaccine, making the annual, sometimes failed flu shot unnecessary. Another company has developed the first FDA Approved lymphoma drug for dogs. There's also a really interesting device company and they've developed a new heart valve for younger people." Listen for more...
Related Links: CBSA Home || RM Life Science Investor & Partnering Conference || CBSA Annual Awards Dinner || BioSciences Channel || Keywords: Holli Riebel, CBSA, Colorado BioScience Association, Life Sciences, Medical Device, Diagnostic, Pharmaceutical, Health Care Providers, Research Institutions - bytes=5144558
LISTN To: Holli Riebel, President/CEO, CBSA

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The Year 2020 and the Role of the Venture Capitalist
902_10/4/10- BioWEST 2010 Grand Finale Luncheon - The Year 2020 and the Role of the Venture Capitalist. Mark Heesen has advocated for the venture capital industry, entrepreneurship and innovation for nearly two decades, first as NVCA's head of public policy and since 1999 as the Association's president. Under Mark's leadership, the NVCA has grown in both scope and scale as it relates to its public policy agenda, research initiatives, and member programs. Mark is constantly engaged in legislative and regulatory issues surrounding information technology, life sciences and clean technology investing, providing strategic direction for the NVCA professional staff and managing a board of twenty-six venture capital practitioners. Mark's entire presentation was recorded. Here are a few notes. In the whole scheme of economics, the VC industry is a really tiny portion of what happens in the U.S. today; that small percentage of all transactions for the year involve venture capital. So it is a very small industry. There are only 7,000 venture capitalists in the country. We represent 410 venture capital firms. But it's also important to note that this is an extremely important industry. When we look at venture capital and what it has done to the U.S. economy as a whole, it's actually pretty dramatic. Eleven percent of all people who work in the private sector today, work for a company that was at one point or another, venture backed. One out of every ten Americans, that's pretty amazing, in the private sector. This is the sector that really creates jobs, that really keeps the economy humming. Mark talks about a number of industries, government legislation, Small Business Innovation Grants as well as the good news and the challenges. If you are considering getting venture capital investors, you must listen to this discussion...Thank you CBSA...
Related Links: BioWest Conference || Colorado BioScience Association || National Venture Capital Association || Mastering Change Blog || Podcast Directory || Keywords: Mark Heesen, National Venture Capital Association, Venture Capitalist, Holli Baumunk, BioWest Conference, Colorado BioScience Association 10/4/10 bytes: 27132241
Listen to: Mark Heesen, President, National Venture Capital Assoc.

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2/22/10 - 796_ First round of funding solicitation is March 1st
CID4 is an acronym for the Colorado Institute for Drugs, Device and Diagnostic Development, (it was started about three months ago when they received funding from the State of Colorado). Larry interviewed Richard Duke, President and CEO of CID4 along with Kevin Smith, Exec VP and COO. Richard explained, "The mission of the CID4 which is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, is to bridge the gap between the lab bench and the clinic. It's to provide funding for technologies we hope to move that have come out of research institutions or from private individuals who are actually trying to seek that first professional funding." Kevin added, "Back in late October when we last talked, we were poised to start operations, doing a lot of planning but we hadn't really started yet. The good news is since then we've finalized our grants with the State of Colorado and our grant with the Fitzsimmons Redevelopment Authority and we're ready to start operations. We've actually launched that first solicitation for technology. But in order to do that we've brought together a business and technical advisory committee consisting of some of the top leaders in the State of Colorado, both in the financing of early stage companies as well as folks with understanding of the medical drug technology development process and the medical device technology process." Larry asked, "Rick could you tell us about the solicitation process and what kind of investments you're actually looking for?" "We have a solicitation process that involves a very simple and straight forward application that's available on our web site and it's open for private companies as well as research institutions or even individual inventors to submit. The caveat is we are looking for technologies that are ready to enter clinical development." Submissions are due March 1, 2010 and commercialization is a key word. Listen for more details...
Related Links: CID4 Home Page || Application/Submission || CU TTO Channel and Archives || CU Technology Transfer Office || Keywords: Kevin Smith, Richard Duke, CID4, Funding, Fitzsimmons Redevelopment Authority, Grant, Colorado Institute for Drugs, Device and Diagnostic Development 2/22/10 bytes: 15179758 Chnl: CU TTO/Bi LISTEN to Richard Duke and Kevin Smith, CID4

743_ Colorado State Government Talks about the BioScience Pillar
The BioWest Conference and Expo has earned the reputation of being the Rocky Mountain region’s preferred venue for visiting with researchers discussing their newest discoveries and meeting founders of the area’s most innovative and promising bioscience start-up companies. The conference included a panel on Investor Relations For Life science Companies (panel included Charles Duncan, Managing Director, Senior Biotechnology Analyst for JMP Securities; Joe Turner, former CFO, Myogen; Derek Cole, Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, ARCA Biopharma); The Rocky Mountain Life Science Investor Conference with three company presentations; The State Of Colorado - Inside Look at the Economy and Economic Development with Don Elliman, Chief Operating Officer, State of Colorado Don Marostica, Director, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade and moderated by Richard Duke, President and CEO of CID4; Tech Transfer Posters; and the Annual Awards Dinner (winners included: Lifetime Achievement - Thomas Cech, a Nobel Laureate and director of the University of Colorado at Boulder's Colorado Initiative in Molecular Biotechnology; Lifetime Achievement - Leslie Leinwand, a CU professor and chief scientific officer of CU' Boulder's Colorado Initiative in Molecular Biotechnology, co-founded Myogen; Company of the Year - Accera Inc., a Broomfield-based drug development company, launched a prescription drug that fights Alzheimer's disease; Rising Star - MiRagen Therapeutics Inc., founded in 2007, develops microRNA-based drugs to treat cardiovascular and muscle disease; Volunteer of the Year - Dan Mitchell, a Boulder-based Sequel Venture Partners partner, serves on the Colorado BioScience Association board; Partner of the Year, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade; Educator of the Year, Corinne Carlson; Erin Silver was named the Chairman's Award Recipient ...listen for more...
Related Links: BioWest Conference || BioWest Photos || CBSA Home || BioScience Channel || Keywords: BioWest, CBSA, Richard Duke, Don Elliman, Don Marostica, Colorado BioScience Association, BioScience, Medical Devices > Channel: Bio 20618076 bytes 11/23/09 LISTEN

623_ Anschutz Medical Campus and the Fitzsimons Life Sciences District Challenges
Previously Larry interviewed Jay Gershen, Vice Chancellor for External Affairs, University of Colorado Denver to get an update on the Anschutz Medical Campus and the Fitzsimons Life Sciences District. In this interview Dr. Gershen shead some light on the challenges them. The good news is the 60,000 projected jobs over the next 15 years. Jay went onto explain, "One of the challenges we’re having is access to the campus. Today as we talk there are 22,500 people a day that come on the site, 17,000 are employees. We have some challenges because that is going to grow over the next 15 years or so to about 60,000 people on the site. One of the challenges is access to the freeway and second is light rail. With regard to the freeway, the ramp at Colfax and I-225 was built to hold 4,000 cars a day. So, you can see even without full expansion we have only 1/5th of what we need today and traffic is pretty challenging." With the projected positive economic development and job creation he said, "We like to say medical research is good for your health and it’s also good for the health of the economy.” There's more... Related Links: Health Sciences Programs || CU Denver || Colorado BioScience Association || BioScience Channel || Keywords: Jay Gershen, Fitzsimons Life Science District, Anschutz Medical Campus, CU Denver, Health Sciences, BioScience Channel:Bio Bytes=6242119 - 2/16/09 LISTEN

611_ Fitzsimons Life Science District and the Anschutz Medical Campus
The Fitzsimons Life Science District and the Anschutz Medical Campus, formerly the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, began its transformation in the mid-1990s. Larry followed up with Jay Gershen, Vice Chancellor for External Affairs, University of Colorado Denver to get an update on the Anschutz Medical Campus and the Fitzsimons Life Sciences District. The first time Larry interviewed Dr. Gershen, Jay was based out of the CU Health Sciences Center on 9th and Colorado the year was 2004. At that time Jay referred to Fitzsimons as, "Colorado's Crown Jewel". With all the challenging times, we thought it was time for a status report. "There was a base closure and that was Fitzsimons Medical Army Garrison, and the base was conveyed to the University of Colorado and to the City of Aurora in two parcels. One was a public benefit conveyance that went to the University, and the other was an economic benefit conveyance sold to the City of Aurora." Jay went onto explain, "The public benefit conveyance allowed all the land, buildings which were Army barracks and other medical facilities, to be given to the University with the understanding that CU would utilize that for research, education, and patient care and non-profit activities. The portion that was sold to the City of Aurora (was sold for $1.8 Million, with the first payment being due in 2012 (a real bargain). This is the largest medical development project in the country and contains the first comprehensive academic health center that is physically adjacent to a bio science research park, west of the Mississippi. Through the great generosity of the Phil Anschutz Foundation, we have received about $107 M from the foundation, for various projects on the site. The primary goal is to create a 21st Century Academic Health Center and one in which there would be a new design for the health center." Listen, there's more including challenges...
Related Links: Health Sciences Programs || CU Denver || Colorado BioScience Association || BioScience Channel || Keywords: Jay Gershen, Fitzsimons Life Science District, Anschutz Medical Campus, CU Denver, Health Sciences, BioScience Channels:Bio Bytes=10100718 > - 1/26/09 LISTEN

610_ Fitzsimons Life Science District where inspiration becomes cure
Jill Farnham is currently the Executive Director for the Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority (FRA), after serving for six years as the Authority’s Director of Finance and Business Operations. The FRA is a partnership of the City of Aurora and the University of Colorado and is responsible for overseeing the creation of the Fitzsimons Life Science District as a world class environment for life science companies. The FRA directs the commercial developments in the District, including the Colorado Science + Technology Park at Fitzsimons, along with its partner, Forest City Enterprises. It is an 184-acre business park dedicated to life science focused companies with 6 million square feet of proposed development in a sustainable urban environment. By 2013 the projected total jobs created throughout Colorado will be 44,505 long-term economic contributions o $1.4 billion in annual income and an annual economic output of $4.5 billion. Jill went onto say, "Despite challenging economic times we do have four projects that we expect to be moving forward in the next year. A hotel and conference center, a retail banking facility, a large office facility and of course our next bioscience building. we run a program called Fitzsimons Bio Business Partners. That’s or business development program, we have a seasoned bioscience business entrepreneur on staff, Dr. Michael Artinger, and he works with our tenants and prospective tenants to help advise them on how to get to the next stage of their evolution. Of that includes financing, and it includes introducing them to sources of management talent, and working together with a company to put together a presentation which will be presented before an advisory committee that includes venture capitalists and serial entrepreneurs, and experts in the field that the company may be in. Venture capital sources are very tight in this climate, we are recommending SBIR grants program as one of the best sources for funding and...
Related Links: Colorado Science + Technology Park at Fitzsimons || Fitzsimons BioBusiness Partners || CU Tech Transfer || Bioscience Park Center Incubator Space || Find It Page || Keywords: Jill Farnham, Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority, Forest City Enterprises, FBBp, Michael Artinger, BioScience Channels:bio Bytes=9160728 > 1/26/09 LISTEN

283_ It’s not Just Human Capital: It’s Excitement Capital
Universities, professors, tech transfer and a need for improved health are bringing in an extra $1 billion into Colorado. Dr. Richard Duke, is the chair of the CBSA’s Public Policy and Government Relations Committee, "We support life sciences legislation at the local level as well as the national level . In order for us to build the bio tech industry in Colorado, we really have to start at the grass roots. We have to start from the bottom and build those companies from start ups and help them all the way through", said Richard Duke. He is also past President and CEO of GlobeImmune as well as President and CEO of Apoplogic. He was recently named the “Business Advisor of the Year" by the University of Colorado Technology Transfer Office (CUTTO). Dr. Duke is passionate about House Bill 1060 passing. Related Links: || CUTTO Winners || SBIR Colorado || CU Tech Transfer Office || GlobeImmune || CU Tech Transfer Series ||Channels: CU Tech Transfer || Keywords: Richard Duke, Apoplogic, GlobeImmune, Business Advisor of the Year, Technology Transfer, CU, University of Colorado > Bytes: 9418608 LISTEN 3/26/07

276 Myogen: The $2.5 Billion Colorado Success Story
– but there is more to it. Myogen which recently merged with Gilead was built by a team that understands a key strategy of ‘spreading the risk’ while capitalizing on its assets. Dr. Michael Bristow, cofounder of Myogen shares the details. This is also a University of Colorado Tech Transfer ( CUTTO) success story and now Dr. Bristow and CUTTO have teamed up for another venture, ARCA Discovery, Inc. Get the details here. Related Links: Myogen and Gilead || CUTTO Winners || CU Tech Transfer Office || Award Photos|| Keywords: Michael Bristow, Myogen, Gilead, ARCA Discovery, Technology Transfer, CU, University of Colorado > Bytes: 6586099 LISTEN 3/12/07

Collaborative Expansion is on the Horizon for CBSA
After merging medical devices and biosciences in Colorado about two years ago, CBSA has become a strong voice for Colorado industries. Executive Director, Denise Brown says the 35 programs held by CBSA along with BioWest 2005 are signs of the future. Collaboration is their mantra and will partner with CSIA, SBIR Colorado, Longmont Economic Development Council among others. LISTEN 1.23.2006

Watch w3w3 TV for the entire Panel Discussion or catch:
Jay Gershen, UCHSC
Denise Brown, Exec. Dir CBA
Clay Anselmo, CO Medical Device
Paul Ray, Ofc Life Science & Bio Tec
Dr. Arlen Meyers, CAB and Moderator

6/9/03 Health and the Internet
Dr. Arlen Meyers and his guest Dr. Ellie Greenberg, co-chairs of the Governor's Council for TeleHealth outline how online TeleHealth will improve access to health care while lowering costs and improving its quality.

Dr. Arlen Meyers in a Relentless Biotech Pursuit - Talk about being in the right place at the right time...BioTech is hot. But remember, those that are there today, were there when the industry was in a funk. Dr. Meyers, Dr. Rahmat Shoureshi and the rest of the CAB board have some extraordinary plans for 2003. Many in the know say, this is "the" industry of the decade DEC 2002

Dr. Donna Dean and $250,000,000
NIBIB is only 2 years old and under the NIH umbrella. Dr. Dean and her dream team work in 3 primary areas - sensor technology, materials sciences and cellular level images. There are millions of dollars in grants available if you can help.


Roy Cosan with VC Money for Colorado
Johnson & Johnson Development Corp is the oldest VC firm in the US. J&J has millions to invest in Colorado, but Roy claims there is not place to go. They're not just talkers, J&J makes over 100 investments per year.

BIG-Time Tech Transfer Awards
Betsy Hoffman, president of the University of Colorado was on hand for the Award Ceremony and Dinner held at Colorado's "Crown Jewel", Fitzsimons. Hat's off to the finalists and the four winners... you make Colorado proud.


Part1 Fitzsimons Part 2
The "Crown Jewel" of the BioTech Community. Listen to Jay Alan Gershen, D.D.S., PhD., Executive Vice Chancellor for the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center as he gives us an insider's view. It's important and timely. (If you missed part 1, we've got both linked for your convenience.)

David Allen
the CU tech transfer guru, shares some inside information that could change the way we do many things as well as have a tremendous economic impact in Colorado. Don't be left out.

SLIDE SHOWColorado Alliance Bioengineering seminar series continues: "Commercializing Your Medical Device" with Jim Brogan, Cooley Godward and Mike Laufer, M.D. Menlo Ventures. Don't miss November 7 Biobusiness seminar- More about CAB

LISTEN, Your CAB is Waiting.
Dr. Arlen Meyers, executive director of the Colorado Alliance for Bioengineering announces what is being touted as Colorado's Biotech event of the year CAB EXPO 2002. If you want to tap into the industry experts, you need to be there.    

Robert Schwab (Right) , editor of the Colorado Biz Magazine joined Dr. Meyers, Exec. Director of the CAB (Above-Left) and Larry Nelson, w3w3 Talk Radio (Left) to discuss the business of a future for bioengineering in Colorado. You will hear an important, recurring theme, and the responsibility falls in your lap and my own, as an individual, a parent or a student. Dean Kamen recently said, "...you can be a Michael Jordan but it's more likely that you will end up flipping hamburgers". It's time to find our passion, encourage our students to work hard and discover their own drive - and throw star worshiping to the wind. LISTEN NOW
Visit Colorado Biz Magazine for more from Bob Schwab.

Biotech Boom 7/18/02
Dr Arlen Meyers, Professor of Otolaryngology at the University of Colo. Exec Director of the Colorado Alliance of Bioengineering and Commissioner on the Governor's Commission on Science and Technology.