Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - November 2008 - (Page 23)

Innovation, Innovation, Innovation From Alsace to Zagreb, the voice of European life science is united around a common theme. Gerhard Symons reports on EuroBIO 2008 from Paris. I n an unforgettable week which plumbed further depths in the global banking crisis, Eric Poincelet, commissioner general of EuroBIO 2008 (7–9 October 2008, Paris), was characteristically sanguine. “Despite the economic crises — they all came,” said M. Poincelet in an interview with Pharmaceutical Executive Europe, commenting on the keynote speakers at the conference which included Cathy Kinney, President, NYSE Euronext, and Angel Gurria, secretary-general, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). M. Poincelet’s team spent two years meticulously planning the conference, whose aim was to recreate the incredible success of BIO in the United States. Billed as the life science event of the French-EU presidency, EuroBIO 2008 attracted seasoned pharmaceutical executives to the International Steering Committee such as J-P Garnier, former CEO, GlaxoSmithKline, Bernard Poussot, president and CEO, Wyeth, and Osamu Nagayama, president and CEO, Chugai, on the condition that this event would be truly innovative . A major goal for M. Poincelet is challenging senior decision makers in the four major areas of science, economics, industry, and policy to focus on making innovation central to the EU’s mission A major goal for M. Poincelet is that this conference should influence the long-anticipated Swedish EU Presidency, beginning in 2009, by challenging senior decision makers in the four major areas of science, economics, industry, and policy to focus on making innovation central to the EU’s mission. He aims to achieve this by having a major policy report with the outcomes of EuroBIO 2008 simultaneously published and discussed on 17 March 2009 in Stockholm, Paris, Milan and Brussels. The recommendations will undoubtedly reflect the frustration felt by senior life science leaders that for acute problems, such as the financial crises currently reverberating in Europe, billions of euros are made available to bail out banks. However to solve the chronic underinvestment in life science R&D, which the EU committed to through the Lisbon agenda, funds are not made available. However, for panel speaker Thomas Lönngren, executive director, European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA), the problem is more than just a lack of money: “So much is being spent on the “Despite the economic crisis, they all came.” — Eric Poincelet, commissioner general, EuroBIO. 25 Last Words Who said what in the last four weeks 3 From the Editor Change is coming 4 News Round-up The month in pharma 7 Calendar December’s industry events

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - November 2008

Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - November 2008
Contents
From the Editor
News Round-Up
Calendar
Brussels Report
Using the Wooden Spoon
VC: Virtuous or Vampire Capital?
Is Pharma Recession-Proof?
Servier: Patience and Passion
Boost Your Brain Power
Innovation, Innovation, Innovation
Last Words

Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - November 2008