Scottish companies travel east for Bio Korea 2008
Scottish Development International (SDI) has organised a delegation of companies and universities from Scotland’s burgeoning life sciences sector to attend the conference and exhibition, which organisers expect to attract 4,000 delegates from across the globe.
The delegation marks a further development of a decade-long strategic life sciences relationship between Scotland and South Korea which has already seen significant successes in terms of pharmaceutical development and investment.
Bio Korea 2008 is the first event to be held at the Osong Bio-Health Science Technolpolis in the Chungbuk Province, which the South Korean Government is developing as a global hub for biotech and life sciences activities.
Scottish organisations including Avanticell, Vitrology and the Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine will travel to South Korea with SDI for the event, which marks the opening of the Technopolis. They will be able to attend targeted business partnering sessions with some of Asia’s largest pharmaceutical companies and speak in pre arranged forums on a wide variety of subjects, including regenerative medicine, investment attraction and technology commercialisation.
Professor Sir Ian Wilmut, Director of the Centre for Regenerative Medicine at Edinburgh University, will open the conference and exhibition with the BioKorea 2008 headline speech as well as taking part in the official opening ceremony for the new conference facilities.
Following from the success in growing the automotive and electronics industries into world leading positions, the bio sector is now seen as the key growth industry in South Korea and its government is aiming to be the world’s seventh largest leading bio nation by 2016, with the new Osong cluster at its heart.
Tony Baker, Director Life Sciences and Chemicals at Scottish Development International said: “Life sciences has been identified as one of Scotland’s key industries, where current expertise and experience means we have an existing competitive advantage. South Korea is a key overseas market for trade development and Bio Korea 2008 is an excellent opportunity for Scottish companies and organisations to tap into these very real opportunities. Since the inception of the Bio-Alliance life science based trade between the two countries has grown exponentially, with contracts worth over £50 million to Scottish companies signed over the last 12 months.
“During the current economic slowdown it is more important than ever for companies to explore new markets that exploit their strengths, and we are delighted that so many companies are making the trip to Bio Korea 2008.”
Scotland has developed strong links with South Korea in recent years including the signing of the Korea-Scotland BioAlliance in 2002 between the Korean Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), the Korean Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association and Scottish Development International. This pledged each nation to share information and good practice in order to grow indigenous businesses. SDI has also been successful in attracting the KHIDI to set up a base in Scotland, helping the agency establish its European HQ at the West of Scotland Science Park in Glasgow.