New IN BioCrossroadsLINX initiative advances pharmaceutical development industry
Indiana Department of Workforce Development

November 4, 2007

Officials from BioCrossroads (www.biocrossroads.com), Cook Medical, (www.cookgroup.com), Indiana Department of Workforce Development (www.in.gov/dwd), the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (www.in.gov/iedc/), Ivy Tech Community College (www.ivytech.edu), and Purdue University (www.purdue.edu) last month announced the launch of BioCrossroadsLINX, a non-profit organization building educational and workforce development programs and regional collaborations. The new initiative is designed to advance Indiana's drug development and manufacturing strengths and help Indiana's biopharma assets connect with biotech discovery centers such as San Diego, San Francisco and Boston.

Outsourcing specific drug discovery and development services is a growing trend in both the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. As a result, there are opportunities for Indiana companies to capitalize on rising demand and to build upon existing strengths. Indiana is one of only a few areas in the United States with a concentration of companies that excel in specialized and sophisticated drug development services such as contract research, contract manufacturing, and logistics. Through these 40+ companies and nearly 7,500 employees, Indiana is uniquely positioned to support both large pharma organizations and smaller biotech companies.

The BioCrossroadsLINX Board includes key members of Indiana's academic, government and industry life sciences partners. Dr. Rutledge will serve as Chairman of the Board. Joining him are: Ken Cornetta, Chair and Professor of the Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine; Nathan Feltman, Secretary of Commerce for the State of Indiana and CEO, Indiana Economic Development Corporation; David Johnson, President & CEO, BioCrossroads; Dan Peterson, Vice President of Industry and Government Affairs, Cook Group; Tom Snyder, President, Ivy Tech Community College; and Teresa Voors, Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

For more information about this announcement and related subjects, feel free to contact the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (www.in.gov/dwd/), 10 N Senate Ave., Indianapolis, IN, 46204, USA.

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