Indiana Biosensor Symposium to highlight new business opportunities, assets in emerging technology
Event will draw researchers, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs, help foster academic/industry collaborations.

'Biosensors' might not be a familiar term, but millions of Americans live with them every day - even if they don't know it. Over 17 million diabetics in the U.S. depend on a type of biosensor - glucose monitors - to help measure and regulate their blood sugar levels, for example. A biosensor is any biological device used to monitor or analyze a system - a technology with a wide range of commercial possibilities in the health and life sciences.

On April 6, 2005, the second Indiana Biosensor Symposium will be held to help foster and support commercialization opportunities in Indiana within this growing scientific sector.

This conference will help raise awareness of Indiana's biosensor assets and highlight research and development activity occurring at major private and academic institutions like Roche Diagnostics, the University of Notre Dame, Purdue University, Purdue's Discovery Park, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Indiana University and the Indiana University School of Medicine. Indiana-based entrepreneurial companies like Theron, QuadraSpec and Polymer Technology Systems are also developing products in this area and will be providing short presentations throughout the course of the day.

The Indiana Biosensor Symposium will feature a keynote address by Dr. Mauro Ferrari from The Ohio State University, an expert in biosensors who has started five biosensor-related companies. Ms. Kay Hetzler, National Institutes of Health program analyst, will be on hand to discuss the SBIR/STTR programs, which are the largest source of early stage financing for technology startups in the nation with more than $2 billion in federal grants and contracts given out each year. Other keynote speakers include Purdue University President Dr. Martin Jischke and Mr. Michael (Mickey) Maurer, Indiana Economic Development Corporation President.

Indiana's focus on biosensors was initiated by BioCrossroads, Indiana's life sciences initiative. In 2002, BioCrossroads completed a strategic planning process that identified eight key science areas, including biosensors, which showed the most potential for new business formation activities. Since 2003, Dr. Jörg Schreiber, Vice President of Special Projects, Roche Diagnostics Corporation, based in Indianapolis- a unit of Roche Diagnostics, a world leader in Diagnostics, based in Basel, Switzerland - has led a group of industry, academic, and government experts in uncovering potential new business opportunities.

"Because they can accommodate such a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic tasks to improve human health, biosensors will be one of the fastest-growing technology areas within the life sciences sector," said Dr. Schreiber. "Indiana has a cluster of university and corporate assets that can position us on the cutting-edge of the 'biosensor revolution,' and events like the Symposium are key to capitalizing on our strengths."

In addition to the 'target team' activities, BioCrossroads commissioned IBM to complete a Biosensor Maturity Assessment and Action Plan which compares Indiana with other peer biosensor clusters and recommended ways to prioritize strategies and tactics in making Indiana a leader in this emerging technology. According to the assessment, the worldwide biosensors market is estimated to be as high as $9.4 billion.

The event is sponsored by BioCrossroads and the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership Foundation. Other major sponsors include Indiana University, Purdue University, Purdue's Discovery Park, Roche Diagnostics, the University of Notre Dame and Thomas P. Miller & Associates.

More information on the Indiana Biosensor Symposium can be found at www.indianabiosensor.com

About BioCrossroads:
BioCrossroads is Indiana's life science initiative, a public-private collaboration that supports the region's research and corporate strengths while encouraging new business development. With government, industry and academic resources aligned to accelerate business growth, the region is fertile ground for investors and entrepreneurs to build new ventures. Learn more at www.biocrossroads.com.

About Roche and Roche Diagnostics

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world's leading research-intensive healthcare groups. Its core businesses are pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As a supplier of innovative products and services for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, the group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people's health and quality of life. As a world leader in diagnostics, Roche is the leading supplier of medicines for cancer and transplantation, and a market leader in virology. In 2004, the Pharmaceuticals Division generated 21.7 billion Swiss francs in prescription drug sales, while the Diagnostics Division posted sales of 7.8 billion Swiss francs. Roche employs roughly 65,000 people in 150 countries and has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai. The Roche Diagnostics Division, with a uniquely broad product portfolio, supplies a wide array of innovative testing products and services to researchers, physicians, patients, hospitals, and laboratories worldwide. The Roche Diagnostics North American headquarters is located in Indianapolis, IN. (www.roche-diagnostics.us) For further information, please visit our websites www.roche.us and www.roche-diagnostics.com.

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