Company & Industry Headlines

• Watch interview with Alfred Mann, Chairman and CEO of Mannkind and SoCalBio Chairman, concerning Pfizer's and Novo Nordisk's failed inhaled insulin ventures and the prospects of MannKind ... click here

General

• MRSA Spike Among Gay Men: "Comprehensive Public Health Approach Needed," Says AHF
  AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), today expressed concern over a recent study first reported publicly today in an Annals of Internal Medicine article which found that sexually active gay men in San Francisco were 13 times as likely to contract methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a drug-resistant strain of bacteria, than their heterosexual counterparts ... read more
• European Medical Device Market Expected to Grow by 9% in 2008, Reflecting Aging Populations and Increased Spending on Healthcare Technologies
  "Outpacing automotive and other leading advanced manufacturing industries in Europe, the market for medical device manufacturing has continued to sustain impressive growth in 2007," said Kevin O'Keefe, Senior Vice-President for Canon's Events Division. "Annual medical devices output in 2007 was 71 billion Euros. Looking ahead to 2008," he added, "the factors of an increasingly affluent and aging population together with the recent accession of more fast-developing, former East European states into the EU, ensures that medical device production will continue to demonstrate strong growth." ... read more
• Biotech Manufacturers Face a Challenging 2008
  FDA and industry must contend with new safety policies, pricing concerns, and pressure to innovate ... read more
• Outsourcing to Grow in 2008
  Both pharmaceutical giants and emerging biotechnology companies will likely rely on the practice for everything from research and development to clinical trials and manufacturing, according to IDC's Health Industry Insights in Framingham, Mass. ... read more
• BioWorld Executive Compensation Report 2008 
  This updated report offers an in-depth look at executive compensation at biotechnology companies by providing extensive details on individual salary packages, as well as expert analysis and interpretation on compensation trends within the industry .. read more

Jobs Available

Neurosystec Corporation
Valencia (CA) 

BioScreen Testing Services, Inc.
Torrance (CA)

SoCalBio Networking Forums

Jan 24, 2008
4:00 - 7:00 pm
(Wilshire Grand Hotel
(Downtown Los Angeles)
RSVP Now

Battling Superbugs

Learn about local efforts in detecting and combating bacteria that are resistant to almost all antibiotics.

Speakers:

• Tuomas Holmberg, Vice President, NovaDigm
• Michael Yeaman, Professor of Medicine, UCLA & LA BioMed

Feb 21, 2008
7:00 – 9:30 am
UCI University Club (Irvine, CA)
RSVP Now

Can Less be More? The Advantages and Challenges of Operating Virtually

These days, an increasing number of biotech and device companies -- often with prodding from the venture capitalists who back them -- are operating virtually on the premise that less can be more. Join us for a discussion by local device and biotech firms -- such as Symphony Medical and Cougar Biotechnology -- of the advantages and challenges of the virtual mode of doing business.

Upcoming Conferences

January 28, 2008
7:30 am - 4:00 pm
UCI University Club in Irvine

SoCalBio Workshop on Accessing Government Funding for Research

• Learn about funding opportunities from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and the U.S. Army. 
• Hear from entrepreneurs who won government grants how to maximize winning chances. 
• Learn from VCs how to leverage grant funding to attract institutional funding.

More Information

Click here to RSVP

February 29, 2008
8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Wilshire Grand Hotel, Los Angeles

2^nd SoCalBio Human Resources  Conference

Click Here to RSVP

This conference provides a forum for information sharing among HR executives in device and biotech companies, HR service providers, bio-recruiters, educators, and workforce training professionals to address the growing human capital and employment needs of the life-science industry in Southern California. Learn about:

• Changes in technology and market dynamics affecting the supply and demand for skills 
• Best practices in talent recruitment and retention by biotech and device companies located in Southern California
• New educational and training initiatives in addressing skill shortages 
• Changes in public policies and workplace law, including immigration reform ..More information

Sponsors

10^th SoCalBio Investor  Conference

The SoCalBio Investor Conference features business presentations by CEOs of Southern California biotech, medical device and health informatics firms interested in raising capital and/or forging strategic partnerships

Presentation, Sponsorship and Display Opportunities Available. Contact SoCalBio