Japan, Midwest Biotechnology Industry Leaders Identify Steps for Greater Collaboration Between Countries

CHICAGO,IL--Top industry, government and academic leaders in the biotech and life science industries from the Midwest U.S. and Japan gathered Wednesday in Chicago as part of the JETRO Midwest-Japan Biotechnology Summit.

The topics covered similarity of challenges faced by Midwest Biotech companies and their counterparts in Japan. The goal was to foster discussion and lay down specific plans top accelerate the commercialization of R&D throughout the widest in collaboration with Japanese companies .

Eight proposals were presented by delegates as important motivators for biotechnology industry development. These ranged from discussions to foster greater cooperation between business and higher education and university based research as well as the diversity of cultural and business expectations. The Japanese top objective is to explore investment opportunities as well merger and acquisition partners with Midwestern companies.

The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO Chicago), along with the Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization (iBIO), is hosting The Midwest- Japan Biotechnology Summit. Co-organized by over 40 bio-related organizations and universities from twelve Midwestern states, Leaders of the Midwest biotechnology and life science clusters and high level executives from Japanese pharmaceutical, trading, and fermentation companies .

Highlights of the confab included two keynote addresses, presented by Dr. Seizo Sumida, Managing Director of the Japan Bioindustry Association, Tokyo, and by Governor Tim Pawlenty of the State of Minnesota. Governor Pawlenty, who also attended the morning meeting, commented on the initiative. "Industry gatherings like JETRO's Midwest-Japan Biotechnology Summit provide participants with the opportunity to identify areas of mutual interest and benefit. We should inventory specific areas of focus for the Midwest and Japan. I believe we'll find significant areas of overlap. Then we should aggressively seek out ways to benefit from working together."

The Midwest-Japan Biotechnology Summit is the latest in JETRO's series of symposia supporting its Kansai Midwest Biotechnology Initiative (KAMBI), an on-going effort by JETRO to bring together Midwest biotech companies, ready for investment, that have good potential for partnerships with Japanese companies. This initiative will lead to a major "bio-mission" to the Kansai region of Japan October 18-25. More than 30 local companies and bio-related organizations will have the opportunity to visit Japan and further their development plans with the companies of Kansai's biotech and life science clusters.

For more information on Kansai Midwest Biotechnology Initiative and the US Midwest BioMission to Osaka, contact David Peterson at JETRO Chicago, 312-832-6000; e-mail