In efforts to promote life science partnerships across the Pacific, San Francisco-based Burrill & Company, together with CapitalBio Corporation, WuXi PharmaTech Co. Ltd., ChipScreen BioSciencesLtd., BayHelix Group and other co-sponsors, are presenting The China Life Sciences Partnering Forums in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen in early January 2006.

Burrill established in 1994 is a global leader in Life Sciences Venture Capital, Merchant Banking and media and has over $500 million of venture capital funds under management.

These Forums will primarily focus on the bio-partnering opportunities between Chinese and Western companies. The discussion topics will include: How to "bridge" across the Pacific? What are the opportunities and challenges in Greater China? What are Western companies looking for in Chinese partners? What are Chinese companies looking for in Western partners? Top executives from IBM Healthcare and Life Sciences Group, Deloitte, Amgen, Roche, Eli Lilly, GSK, Pfizer, Perkins Coie, Heller Ehrman, Epitomics, BioMarker, excel and Baxter are also scheduled to speak at the forums.

"This event is the first of its kind organized by Burrill & Company in
China," explained G. Steven Burrill, CEO of Burrill & Company. "We have invited world-class speakers from business, academia and government on both sides of the Pacific."

These forums and more scheduled in 2006 may very well point to significant strategic partnerships shaping China's overall life sciences industry.