BioWorld International Correspondent

BRUSSELS, Belgium - One of the two European biotech associations has made a new bid for leadership of the sector.

The Emerging Biopharmaceutical Enterprises group announced at the end of April a plan to "reinforce its role as the representative voice of the biopharmaceutical companies in Europe and to better respond to the needs of its members and stakeholders."

As part of that new characterization, it has changed its name to European Biopharmaceutical Enterprises. The group was created in 2000 within the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, primarily to represent new biopharmaceutical companies. It now represents 65 companies focussed on pharma biotechnology - including large pharmaceutical companies, pure biotech companies and smaller firms. It claims that over the past six years, it has built "a representative recognition as the voice of pharmaceutical biotech."

"Principles of the future EBE structure and relationship with EFPIA have been unanimously endorsed today at the EBE General Assembly and opened an implementation phase with a number of structure changes," said the group's newly elected president, Carlo Incerti, who is head of R&D Europe for Genzyme Corp. He said structural changes will be put in place to reinforce its position "as the biotech arm" of the European pharmaceutical industry. He also announced the appointment of a new executive manager, Emmanuel Chantelot.

The other European biotech association, EuropaBio, is longer-established and has a broader representation, with 60 corporate and associate members operating worldwide and 25 national biotechnology associations representing some 1,500 smaller enterprises involved in research and development, testing, manufacturing and distribution of biotechnology products. Its activities extend beyond medicines, into industrial and agricultural applications of biotech. But it too has established its own Emerging Enterprises Council, particularly to serve the needs of smaller biotech firms, with a strong emphasis on pharmaceuticals. EuropaBio also has announced a major conference for May 30 to celebrate its 10 years of existence and to assess what the next 10 years will hold for biotech in Europe.