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News Release

Last modified: Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Cook Group Inc. hosting Kelley School's next workshop for life science firms

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 30, 2007

Editors: Biographical information about all the participants, directions to the conference and parking information is available at www.kelley.iu.edu/lifesc/conf3.htm. Media interested in attending need to contact George Vlahakis of IU Media Relations at 812-855-0846 or gvlahaki@indiana.edu.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Cook Group, Inc. will host the next event in a workshop series designed by Indiana University's Kelley School of Business to assist Indiana's healthcare and life science companies find new ways to collaborate.

The half-day program, "Combination Products in the Life Science Industries," will take place this Friday (Feb. 2) at Cook's corporate headquarters in Bloomington. It will focus on the opportunities that exist in combining drugs, medical devices and biologics. The event is the third in a year-long series. The final event, to be held on May 18 in Warsaw, Ind., will focus on research and development management.

"Cook is continually looking for ways to advance medicine and life sciences. This collaborative effort allows some of the state's strongest life science supporters to pool their resources and invest in Indiana's future," says Kem Hawkins, president of Cook Group, Inc. "Through conferences such as this, I believe we can make a positive impact on the future of life sciences, not just within our state, but nationally and internationally."

Lawrence Davidson, professor of business economics and public policy and the Kelley School's liaison to its Health Care and Life Sciences Initiative, added, "Indiana is rich in assets throughout the life science industries, from our research and academic institutions to our drug, device and biologic companies throughout the state. As medicine and scientific understanding continues at a tremendous rate, it is now possible to combine traditionally independent treatments into clinically advanced combination products."

The conference is free, but space is limited. Registration is available online at www.kelley.iu.edu/lifesc/register.htm or by contacting Roxie Glaze at the Kelley School at 812-855-9210 or rglaze@indiana.edu.

The program will begin with the keynote presentation, "Scientific Possibilities for Combination Products of the Future," which will be introduced by Peter Cherbas, IU professor of biology, deputy chief executive officer of the Indiana Metabolomics and Cytomics Initiative (METACyt) and director of the IU Center for Genomics and Bioinformation.

Presenters will include Dr. Mahmood Rezavi, director of the Center for Clinical Trials and Research at the St. Vincent Vascular Institute in Orange, Calif. Rezavi is a renowned physician experienced in combination therapies and the potential they provide. He will highlight the increased importance that research universities play in the future of medical technology development through partnerships with industry.

He will be joined by two scientists, Dr. Yehia Mechref, senior scientist in the IU Department of Chemistry, director of METACyt and a member of the executive committee of the National Center for Glycomics and Proteomics, and Dr. Kinam Park, Showalter distinguished professor of biomedical engineering and professor of pharmaceutics at Purdue University.

David Johnson, president and chief executive officer of BioCrossroads, will moderate a panel discussion on combined product innovation from an industry perspective. He will be joined by Bruce Gingles, vice president of the critical care division at Cook Medical; and Stuart Breslin, director of research and development of the global delivery devices division of Eli Lilly & Co.

Following a lunch, Dan Peterson, vice president of industry and government affairs of Cook Group, Inc., will speak at a question-and-answer session.

In addition to organizing the workshop series, the Kelley School operates a Web site at www.kelley.iu.edu/lifesc that includes research studies by Kelley faculty, MBA students and industry professionals about various segments of life science industries and the challenges presented.

Other partners in the Indiana LifeSC Initiative include BioCrossroads, Bloomington Life Sciences Partnership, Cook, Indiana Economic Development Corp., the Indiana Health Industry Forum, Indy Partnership, the IU Center for International Business Education and Research, the IU College of Arts and Sciences, the IU School of Informatics, the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the IU Research and Technology Corp., Kelley-Indianapolis' Evening MBA Discovery, Innovation and Ventures Enterprise, Lange Advisors, the Richmond-Wayne County Chamber of Commerce, Terre Haute Economic Development Corp. and Zimmer.

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