The
Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) will be holding its annual BIO
International Convention on May 3-6, 2010 in Chicago, IL.  Founded in 1993, BIO is a nonprofit
association seeking supportive biotechnology policies on behalf of more than
1,200 biotechnology companies, state and international affiliates, and related
organizations, as well as providing business development services for many
emerging biotech companies. 
According to BIO, the BIO International Convention serves to educate the
public and policymakers about biotechnology, while fostering partnering
meetings and other business development activities to keep the biotech industry
growing.

A
complete list of the Convention's 125 Breakout Sessions can be obtained here
and descriptions of the Convention's three Super Sessions can be obtained here.  Among the sessions that might be of
particular interest to Patent Docs readers are:

May
3, 2010

•
Leveraging IP to Spur Global Biotechnology Innovation, Investment and Jobs
(Super Session) — 2:00 – 3:30 pm — featuring U.S. Patent & Trademark
Office Director David Kappos
•
IP Issues Affecting Biomarker-Based Diagnostics — 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
•
Biotech: The New Normal? (Super Session) — 4:00 – 5:00 pm
•
Follow-on Biologics: The Proposed Legislation and Its Impact on Your Patent
Portfolio — 4:00 – 5:30 pm

May
4, 2010

•
Patenting Genes: In Search of Calmer Waters — 8:00 – 9:00 am
•
How Health Care and Patent Reform May Affect Pipeline Development for Drugs,
Biologics and Devices — 8:00 – 9:00 am
•
Keys to Successful Technology Transfer in the Current Economic Climate — 8:00
– 9:00 am
•
Global Patent Strategy: Perspectives Of International Patent Leaders — 9:30 –
10:30 am
•
Bayh-Dole Nearing 30: Have Universities Under-, Over- or Well-Utilized the Act?
— 9:30 – 10:30 am
•
Burrill State-of-the-Industry Report (Super Session) — 2:00 – 3:30 pm
•
What You Need to Know About ITC Section 337 Investigations — 2:00 – 3:30 pm
•
Patents for Personalized Medicine Products — Considerations and Pitfalls for
the Unwary — 4:00 – 5:30 pm

May
5, 2010

•
Does Pre-Packaging Patents and IP Make Them More Attractive to Potential
Licensees? — 8:00 – 9:30 am
•
Preparing for a New Era of FDA Enforcement — 8:00 – 9:30 am
•
Post-Quanta Legal Issues and
Licensing Strategies — 2:00 – 3:30 pm
•
The 111th Congress: What Happened in the 1st Session and What's to Come — 4:00
– 5:30 pm
•
An International Dilemma: Integrating Development and Social Policy Objectives
Into Global Patent Law Standards — 4:00 – 5:30 pm

May
6, 2010

•
IP in Tough Economic Times: Pitfalls and Opportunities — 8:00 – 9:30 am —
panel includes Patent Docs author
Donald Zuhn
•
Effective Acadamia and Industry Interactions: The Role of Patents in Attracting
Industry Interest in This Economy — 8:00 – 9:30 am — panel includes Dr. Maria
Fotaki of the European Patent Office
•
Open Innovation: A New Vision for Research for the Developing World — 2:00 –
3:30 pm

As
part of the Convention, more than 2,200 biotech companies, organizations, and
institutions will participate in the BIO Exhibition.  A list of exhibitors can be found here.  Information regarding registration and
pricing can be obtained here.  Patent
Docs Donald Zuhn, Kevin Noonan, Sherri Oslick, and Chris Singer will be
attending BIO as part of the MBHB contingent, and will be reporting on a number
of the sessions listed above.