Roche Diagnostics Celebrates Winner of Business Plan Competition

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Last night at the Purdue University Life Sciences Business Plan Competition Award Ceremony, sponsored by the Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship and Roche Diagnostics, the first prize of $50,000 was presented to Matt Campbell, who represented the Iris AO team from the University of California, Berkley and University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y. Iris AO's business plan outlined their development of SmartMirror technology for early detection of eye disease and the potential to correct vision to 20/10.

Roche contributed $100,000 in prize money to the Competition, which called for business plans that describe the path to market for products and technologies in the life sciences, biotechnology and biomedicine.

"The Competition was a result of a brainstorm between Roche and Purdue in order to encourage innovative life science business venture ideas. The result is a project that went well beyond our expectations," said Martin Madaus, President and CEO for Roche Diagnostics, North America. "Thanks to Purdue in developing a program which will be vitally important in the development of the life sciences initiative here in Indiana and in making a positive impact in people's lives."

"Congratulations to Iris AO for coming up with a cutting-edge concept and commercially-viable business plan, incorporating life science and bioresearch with the business world. These are the kind of ideas that will impact the future of medical technology and research," said Mike Fitzgerald, Business Development Director for Roche Diagnostics, North America.

Teams based at universities and colleges, research and teaching hospitals, and other academic institutions engaged in bioresearch were eligible for entry.

The Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship brings together existing entrepreneurial efforts on campus, including technology transfer activities and other entrepreneurial competitions, speakers and events. The center also serves as a resource for Purdue researchers to commercialize their discoveries and as the intellectual center of education on, and discussion of, entrepreneurial philosophy and issues.

The Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship is one four major centers planned for the $100 million Discovery Park complex, which includes the Birck Nanotechnology Center, the Bindley Bioscience Research Center and an e-enterprises center. Roche Diagnostics is the first corporate partner of Purdue's Discovery Park.

For more information on the winning team, visit the Purdue University Life Sciences Business Plan Competition at: http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/lifesciencescompetition/.

About Roche and the Roche Diagnostics Division

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is an innovation-driven global healthcare leader focused on pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche is number one worldwide in diagnostics, oncology and transplantation and has a leading position in virology. With products and services that address the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, the company contributes broadly to the enhancement of people's health and quality of life. Roche employs approximately 62,000 people in more than 150 countries around the world. The company has business alliances and R&D relationships with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai, which are both members of the Roche Group. Roche's Diagnostics Division, the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics with a uniquely broad product portfolio, supplies a wide array of innovative testing products and services to researchers, physicians, patients, hospitals and laboratories worldwide. For further information, please visit our websites www.roche.com and www.roche-diagnostics.com.