Publisher: BioFlorida
Date: May 2, 2013

The BioFlorida Board of Directors announced Nancy Bryan as the new president & CEO of Florida’s life sciences industry association today. Bryan will lead and direct BioFlorida’s programs and advocacy initiatives during a time of impressive growth within the industry. According to BioFlorida’s most recent edition of Florida’s BioPulse, Florida’s biotechnology sector grew by 60 percent over the past five years compared to a nationwide increase of less than five percent over the same period. Furthermore, the number of biotechnology companies in Florida has increased by 13.5 percent since the first quarter of 2012.

“Life science businesses are growing in Florida and the industry is seeing the number of biotechnology start-ups increase every quarter,” said Stephanie Warrington, chair of the BioFlorida Board of Directors and president of TrueMotion Spine Inc. ”Nancy’s extensive industry background will be invaluable as BioFlorida continues to advance the business of life sciences in Florida.”

Bryan brings a breadth of experience to BioFlorida, having held management positions in top-tier and specialty biotech and pharmaceutical companies, where she played a key role in establishing and leading commercial organizations. Bryan has successfully developed, launched and commercialized blockbusters (Zantac), primary care drugs (Levitra), major biologics (Tysabri) and orphan drugs for rare diseases (Supprelin LA for precious puberty), and has created franchises in a variety of therapeutic areas including oncology, anti-infectives, gastrointestinal, urology and autoimmune. Read more here.

Publisher: BioFlorida
Date: June 19, 2012

While other states are seeing a decline in biotechnology investment and entrepreneurship, the biotechnology industry in Florida continues to grow, with venture capital investments surging by 200 percent, according to a report released today by BioFlorida. Florida’s BioPulse – A Snapshot of the Bioscience Industry, provides top-level insight on the growth of the industry by the University of Florida’s Sid Martin Biotechnology Incubator based on its Florida BioDatabase.

“The increased number of biotechnology companies and growth of biomedical venture capital investments are promising indicators of the long-term success of bioscience in Florida,” says BioFlorida Board of Directors member David L. Day, who serves as director of the UF Office of Technology Licensing and the Sid Martin Biotechnology Incubator. “As the industry grows it will continue to spur innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development.”

BioFlorida released the first edition of the bi-annual report, Florida’s BioPulse, during the BIO International Convention and on the heels of Battelle’s – the world’s largest independent research and development organization – Annual Report. The Battelle report provides a more detailed and comprehensive look at the entire bioscience industry across the United States. The 2012 report supports the information published in Florida’s BioPulse, finding that from 2001 to 2010 industry business establishments grew by close to 33 percent and job growth increased almost 19 percent in Florida – while the nation experienced a business establishment increase of less than 13 percent and industry job growth of only 6.4 percent. Read more here.