San Diego's Most Promising Biotech Companies Vie for Funding Opportunities with Capital Investors and Big Pharma Companies at UC
The CEOs of San Diego's most promising biotechnology companies will get a chance to present their technologies to capital providers in hopes of securing additional funding at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) CONNECT 2003 Life Sciences Financial Forum, to be held on Thursday, June 12 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego, from 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The 23 pre-screened companies were selected from 74 applicants and underwent an extensive practice-run preparation process with a panel of industry experts.
The companies range from bioscience to medical device-related, and span the stage-of-development spectrum, with several having already raised more than $20 million for their companies.
"We all know the challenges that technology companies are faced with these days," said Fred Cutler, executive director of CONNECT. "But our biotech strengths are indeed strong, and these 23 companies are proof positive of that. Our hope is that by showcasing their technologies to capital investors at the Forum, that they find funding opportunities and cultivate important relationships that will ensure their success and growth."
The selected biotechnology companies presenting at the Forum are: MetaProbe Inc., X-Ceptor Therapeutics, ImaRx Therapeutics, Inc., NewBiotics, Attenuon, LLC, MithraGen, Inc., NovaRx Corp., Sagres Discovery, TargeGen, Conforma Therapeutics Corp., Favrille, Inc., Orphagen, Allon Therapeutics, Inc., Salmedix, Inc., Epicyte Pharmaceutical, Inc., Chimerix Inc., Arizeke Pharmaceuticals, Inc., MagneVu, VidaCare, Biopath Detection Systems, Molecular InSight, Inc., Diakron, and GlySens Inc.
All satisfied three main criteria in that: 1) they had to have already received venture capital or significant seed investment; 2) they must be in need of venture funding; and, 3) they must be related to life sciences.
Designed to help the companies learn the ins and outs of working successfully with big pharmaceutical companies, a panel composed of representatives from Pfizer and Beckman Coulter and moderated by Joe Panetta, president and CEO of BIOCOM, will offer their insights at a post-luncheon panel discussion.
For more information or to attend, call (858) 964-1318 or email blmacias@ucsd.edu. Registration fees are $375 for CONNECT members and new member applicants, $475 for non-members, and $75 to attend the reception.
About UCSD CONNECT
UCSD CONNECT is a globally recognized, university-based non-profit organization fostering entrepreneurship in the San Diego region by catalyzing, accelerating, and supporting the growth of the most promising technology and life sciences businesses. Focused on assisting growth companies in the San Diego region, CONNECT has been directly involved with over 900 companies since its inception in 1985, helping them raise more than $11 billion in capital. Part of the University of California, San Diego, CONNECT has a dual role in accelerating growth: it assists growth companies in the San Diego region and promotes the commercialization of technology from university-based research. CONNECT's programs also help business service providers, attorneys, accountants, bankers, investors, and marketing professionals with knowledge about emerging technologies and access to new business opportunities. CONNECT is entirely self-supporting and receives no funding from UCSD or the State of California. The organization relies on philanthropy and underwriting to fund its programs and community services.
For more information, visit connect.org.