Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky, Baxter VP Brien Johnson to Keynote Summit

GaBio’s Conference Will Feature 70 Experts Sharing Insights on Innovation

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Georgia’s life sciences industry is growing and the scope of this success along with the opportunities and challenges facing innovative companies in the U.S. and across the globe will be among topics featured at the 11^th Annual Georgia Life Sciences Summit, Oct. 3, 2012, at the Georgia International Convention Center.

The luncheon keynote speaker will be Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky. Mr. Gorsky became CEO in April of Johnson & Johnson and is the leader of one of the largest health care products and pharmaceutical companies in the world. Johnson & Johnson also has a significant presence in Georgia with two major subsidiaries, Noramco and Ethicon, employing 1,000 professionals. On Wednesday, the company announced a $185 million expansion of Ethicon in Athens.

The morning session keynote speaker will be Brien Johnson, Baxter Healthcare’s Vice President, Program Manager, Plasma Bioscience. Mr. Johnson is overseeing the construction, announced in April, of Baxter’s $1 billion biomanufacturing plant in Social Circle with 1,500 employees.

As many as 1,000 CEOs, senior executives, investors, university scientists, physicians, and public policy experts are expected to attend the day-long Summit. In addition to the keynote speakers, The Summit also will feature more than 70 experts in panel discussions highlighting the full range of bioscience innovation in Georgia. The sessions will focus on medical technology and devices; changing landscape of the pharmaceutical industry; therapeutics, diagnostics and vaccines; and new and exciting science at Georgia’s universities. The complete program with speaker bios is on the Summit website.

This year’s Summit theme, Innovation for Global Health, not only will highlight the dramatic 2012 growth in Georgia’s industry, but also will focus attention on new opportunities and challenges facing biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device companies in their efforts to discover, develop and market new therapies, devices and diagnostics to improve health care in the U.S. and across the globe. Increasingly, these efforts involve strong collaborations with university researchers.

The Summit serves as the only life sciences exposition in Georgia with an Exhibit Hall featuring the latest research, technology and services at companies, universities and other organizations. A BioCareer Resource Center will feature a panel of experts providing advice to job seekers and the opportunity to meet one-on-one with career counselors. The winners of the Anthony Shuker Scientific Poster Contest will be announced at the luncheon and the contestants’ posters will be on display throughout the day.

In addition, companies will have an opportunity to hear about new SBIR opportunities. Here is a link to the details: Special Session: National Cancer Institute (NCI) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Opportunities.

The annual Georgia Life Sciences Summit is the one time each year bioscience professionals have the opportunity to showcase their innovation in Georgia, discuss trends and issues, and network with peers.

Georgia Bio (www.gabio.org) is the private, non-profit association representing the life sciences industry. Members include pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies, medical centers, universities and research institutes, government groups and other business organizations involved in the development of products that improve the health and well-being of people, animals and the environment.

Editor’s Note: Registration is complimentary for credentialed members of the news media. To request media registration, please contact the Event Secretariat, 770-573-3020 / [e-mail]