Annual Biotech Conference Showcases "Best of the Midwest" To Venture Capitalists from Across the Nation

ST. LOUIS (April 14, 2004) — Executives from industry-leading companies such as Eli Lilly & Co., Pfizer, and Monsanto, will speak at the second annual BIO Mid-America VentureForum, the only nationally sponsored Midwest conference dedicated exclusively to biotechnology, agribusiness and medical devices. More than 60 early- and late-stage companies in need of funding will present their business plans to venture capitalists from across the United States.

Sponsored by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), this year's conference is being held May 3-5 at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis. Co-sponsors include 10 state biotechnology associations: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

"The Midwest has hundreds of promising biotech companies, and a higher concentration of medical device companies than any other region in the U.S.," said Morrie Ruffin, BIO's vice president for business development. "The BIO Mid-America VentureForum offers investment professionals a unique opportunity to interact directly with the management teams of dozens of these fund-seeking companies, as well as learn valuable insight from recognized leaders in various health science industries. Last year's inaugural event in Chicago drew more than 400 participants, proving that interest in the Midwest biotech market is stronger than ever."

More information about the conference and how to register is available online at http://www.bio.org/midamerica. Registration will be discounted for participants who sign up through April 16, 2004.

BIO represents more than 1,000 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations in all 50 U.S. states and 33 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of health-care, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.

Companies selected to present at the 2004 BIO Mid-America VentureForum include:

Algos Therapeutics
Amidex
Apath
ApoImmune
APT Therapeutics
Assay Designs
Auxeris Therapeutics
AviGenics
BioForce Nanosciences
Biopolymer Engineering
BIOVIRx
Chromatin
Cognitive Pharmaceuticals
ConjuGon
Covalent Medical
DiaMedica
Divergence
Efficas
Eleos
Emerald BioAgriculture Corp.
EraGen Biosciences
Exertron Sports Medical Industries
Gene Express
Genetics Squared
Genix Therapeutics
Genomics USA
GenTel BioSurfaces
GlobalImmune
HandyLab
ImmunoGenetix Therapeutics
ImmunoSite
Innovative Biosensors
Innovium
Interventional Imaging
Isto Technologies
ISW Group
Kereos
Medisyn Technologies
Metaphore Pharmaceuticals
Myocor
Nanodisc
NewNeural
NimbleGen Systems
OncoImmune
OpGen
PepTx
PharmaIn
Phytodyne
Proteon Therapeutics
Pyxis Genomics
Quick Study Radiology
Quintessence Biosciences
Regena Therapeutics
Selexys Pharmaceuticals
Shurjo Medical Technologies
Symbiontics
T Vax Biomedical
Tienta Sciences
Tri-Med Research
VasoGenix Pharmaceuticals
VDDI Pharmaceuticals
VIDA Diagnostics
ZeaVision