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The Biotechnology Association of Alabama Welcomes the Hudson-Alpha
Institute for Biotechnology
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Aug. 9 -- The Biotechnology Association of
Alabama (BAA) extends its congratulations and welcomes the Hudson-
Alpha
Institute for Biotechnology to the City of Huntsville and the State
of
Alabama, following today's press conference announcing the creation
of a new
joint state and private supported research entity.
BAA Chairman, Matthew A. Gonda, Ph.D., and BAA Secretary, Greg
Peterson,
Ph.D., J.D., attended the news conference where Governor Bob Riley,
Dr. Jim
Hudson, founder of Research Genetics; Mr. Lonnie McMillan, co-
founder of
Adtran; and other Alabama notables officially announced plans to
create the
nonprofit research institute which will be built in Huntsville.
Industry
advocates see this as yet another sign that momentum is building as
the state
positions itself to expand its life sciences industry and promote
awareness of
existing business and research accomplishments.
"This new facility, with its focus on life sciences, will
substantially
impact Alabama by further elevating the state to showcase world
class research
in biotech and pharmaceutical research," says Dr. Gonda. "The
Biotechnology
Association of Alabama applauds Dr. Hudson, Mr. McMillan, the other
individual
contributors, Governor Riley and the state legislature for taking
this step
and showing their support. We in the industry applaud these efforts."
Dr. Peterson echoed those sentiments. "I cannot emphasize how
important
this announcement and the addition of this new research facility are
for
Alabama's high-tech future," says Dr. Peterson. "We see this as an
initiative
the state is taking to make life sciences a priority, and it is
further
evidence that the State of Alabama provides a good home for the
biotechnology
industry."
The Hudson-Alpha Institute announcement follows a host of other
encouraging events for the state during the past 18 months:
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) topped $433
million in
externally funded research, 14 of its programs were ranked in
the top
25 nationally by U.S. News & World Report, and was named one
of four
institutions that will make up a new virtual Center for
HIV/AIDS
Vaccine Immunology (CHAVI) by the National Institute of
Allergy and
Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of
Health seven-
year, $300 million award.
- Birmingham-based Southern Research Institute received FDA
approval of
clofarabine -- the sixth cancer drug discovered there -- and
was named
one of the nine Molecular Libraries Screening Centers being
funded in
the $88 million, three-year program funded by the National
Institutes
of Health as part of the NIH Roadmap Initiative to escalate
the
discovery and development of new drugs.
- Several biotech-related companies in Alabama, including
Transmolecular,
Inc., Tranzyme, Inc., and BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,
raised
approximately $100 million in growth capital.
- Aetos Technologies, Inc. was founded as a financial
partnership with
Auburn University, its management team and private investors
to
commercialize and market technologies developed at Auburn as
well as
other academic and research institutions.
- The University of South Alabama in Mobile broke ground for the
University of South Alabama Cancer Research Institute, a
state-of-the-
art, 100,000-square-foot treatment and research center.
- The state saw the creation of eight new biotech-related
companies. More
than 90 biotech-related businesses now call Alabama home or
have major
operations here.
- Alabama enacted legislation creating the Certified Capital
Company
(CAPCO) program and allocated $100 million dollars of premium
tax
credits to insurance companies who match the states credit in
investment dollars to local venture capital firms to promote
investment
in Alabama-based businesses. The allocation of the tax
credits was made
in early February 2004 to six CAPCOs around the state
(www.ado.state.al.us).
- The Alabama Pavilion at the BIO 2005 International Conference
held in
Philadelphia last month was staffed by nearly 50 team members
and
received a significant increase in visitors to the Pavilion
and media
attention from the previous year.
About the Biotechnology Association of Alabama
The Biotechnology Association of Alabama was formed in 1997 by
biotechnology executives and community leaders to provide a unified
voice for
the state's emerging biotech industry. The BAA was incorporated as a
non-
profit trade association, 501(c)(6). The BAA sees great opportunity
in taking
advantage of Alabama's strong life sciences assets to build a future
that puts
the State in a leadership position in the nation and the world in
diagnosing,
treating and curing human and animal diseases while keeping our
environment
cleaner and safer. For more information visit www.bioalabama.com
SOURCE Biotechnology Association of Alabama
Web Site: www.bioalabama.com www.ado.state.al.us
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