San Francisco, 7 June 2016 – Nathalie Moll, Secretary General of EuropaBio, was elected the new Chair of the International Council of Biotech Associations (ICBA), the 28 member strong biotech industry umbrella group established two years ago to advocate for public policies that support the growth of the innovative biotechnology industry worldwide. Today, the ICBA hosts the inaugural Global Life Science Industry and Ministerial Meeting in San Francisco, on the eve of the 2016 BIO International Convention.

Ms. Moll was elected by the ICBA member associations for a 2 year mandate together with Vice Chair Andrew Casey, President and CEO of BIOTECanada.  Their first assignment was to chair the third meeting of the ICBA on 5 June. The topics that were discussed are key for the biotech industry worldwide and included the UN’s recent work on access to medicines, international trade negotiations, the revolutionary new gene editing technique CRISPR-Cas9, gene and diagnostic patents, anti-microbial resistance as well as the first ever Global Biotech Week taking place the week of September 26, 2016.

Commenting on her new appointment, ICBA Chair Nathalie Moll said “This incredibly innovative industry is entirely focused on meeting society's grand challenges of healing, greening and feeding the world. I am truly honoured and delighted to take up this important role for the biotech industry at the international level. The priority during my mandate will be to continue working with our ICBA members to advocate for the most efficient and effective governance and science-based regulatory systems around the world and ensure faster and more equitable access to biotech products and processes for the benefit of patients, farmers and consumers alike”.

Adapted framework conditions for the biotech industry were very much at the centre of today’s first ever Global Life Science Industry and Ministerial Meeting, a key initiative of the ICBA. After tours of top biotech companies in the San Francisco Bay Area, industry leaders met with top level representatives from governments around the world. Exchanges of view included biotech's role for society and the economy, as well as best practices and policies to foster innovation and promotion of biotech research, development and commercialisation to the benefit of society at large.

ENDS

For media inquiries, please contact:

Cosmin Popa

Communications and National Associations Manager, EuropaBio

c.popa@europabio.org

Telephone: +32 2 739 11 73

About EuropaBio:

EuropaBio, the European Association for Bioindustries, promotes an innovative and dynamic European biotechnology industry. EuropaBio and its members are committed to the socially responsible use of biotechnology to improve quality of life, to prevent, diagnose, treat and cure diseases, to improve the quality and quantity of food and feedstuffs and to move towards a biobased and zero-waste economy. EuropaBio represents 77 corporate and associate members and bio regions, and 16 national biotechnology associations in turn representing over 1800 biotech SMEs.

Read more about our work at www.europabio.org.