Asia PR News

WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ –

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo,
and the state of Hawaii will host a Japanese Bio Mission at the Pacific Rim
Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy in Honolulu Jan. 11-13, 2006.
BIO is sponsoring the conference in conjunction with the state of Hawaii, the
University of Hawaii, the Hawaii Life Sciences Council (HLSC), Enterprise
Honolulu, and the Oceanic Institute.

"The purpose of the conference is to highlight the emerging field of
industrial biotechnology, which is being used to convert agricultural wastes to
renewable energy and to make many types of manufacturing processes more
environmentally sustainable," said Brent Erickson, executive vice president of
BIO’s Industrial & Environmental Section. "BIO sees regional biobased economies
emerging in various states of complexity and development. The trend is clear
that industrial biotech is growing in importance in the Pacific Rim countries."

The trade mission will be made up of 13 individuals from Japanese biotech
and energy companies, universities, newspapers, and embassy officials, all
seeking opportunities to do business with U.S. producers of biobased goods and
materials. Japan and other Pacific Rim nations are increasingly looking for
sustainable sources of energy, and cleaner, more efficient methods of
industrial production, including new ways to make pharmaceuticals and other
chemicals. Biotech applications that can enable industrial processes to use
agricultural instead of petrochemical feedstocks are growing in importance in
the Pacific Rim countries.

Participants in the Japanese BIO Mission include the Committee for Energy
Policy Promotion, RIKEN Plant Science Center, Bio Matrix Research Inc., Kona
Stones Inc., and Osaka University.

BIO represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic
institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the
United States and 31 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research
and development of healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental
biotechnology products.

SOURCE: Biotechnology Industry Organization

CONTACT: Deb Carstoiu of Biotechnology Industry Organization,
+1-202-962-9200

Web site: http://www.bio.org