The Embassy of Chile and the Chilean Economic Development Agency (CORFO) Hold Important Biotechnology Seminar in Boston
The Embassy of Chile and CORFO held an interesting seminar concerning commercial opportunities and investment in Chile's biotechnology and clinical trial on Tuesday (October 22) in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The event's objective was to spread awareness of advances achieved by the Chilean biotechnology industry and to promote American investments and strategic links between compani It's worth emphasizing that this important event is part of a planned cycle of seminars that the Embassy of Chile has been holding across the United States , since the latter half of 2006, in order to encourage U.S. investment in our country and to spread knowledge of the opportunities which exist in different sectors of Chile 's economy. es of both countries in this area of special interest to the Chilean economy.
The seminar, which took place on the premises of the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), generated a great deal of interest among representatives of biotechnology companies in the U.S., Massachusetts government entities, academic research centers, and financial, investment, and specialized press institutions, with about 70 individuals in attendance.
During the seminar, Chile's Health Ministry and CORFO signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment (MOITI), with the intention of promoting joint initiatives between the respective industries, biotechnology and clinical trial research centers.
The Chilean Ambassador opened the event with a presentation which noted the stability and solid base of the Chilean economy, Chile's insertion into the worldwide economy, the importance of the bilateral Free-Trade Agreement, and the favorable circumstances it offers for foreign investment. It emphasized the necessity of Chile to heighten investment in human capital and in investigation and development in order to increase productivity and sustained growth of the Chilean economy. In turn, the Executive Vice President of CORFO stressed the development of Chile's biotechnology industry and the incentives offered by the Chilean government for investment in high-tech intensive sectors.
Daniel O'Connell, Secretary of Economic Development, represented the Government of Massachusetts. He signed the Memorandum of Understanding, emphasizing the opportunities present between industries in the biotechnology sectors of both nations, while keeping in mind the advances that Chile has made and the stable conditions that our country offers.
Presentations were also given by the General Manager of Fundación Chile, Marcos Kulka; the Director of the Institute of Public Health (ISP), Ingrid Heitmann (who referred to clinical trials in Chile and their regulatory framework); as well as representatives of the following companies and institutions: The Center for Clinical Research and Pharmacological Studies (CICEF) through the University of Chile; DIAGNOTEC S.A.; BiosChile Group; the Consortium for Health Technology and Innovation and CENTROVET. Various American companies and institutions, such as Genzyme Corporation, Monsanto USA, Phase Forward, and the MIT Sloan School of Management addressed the audience as well.
The schedule of the Chilean mission included visits and meetings between the Chilean delegation and important biotechnology companies located in the Boston area. Together, they explored joint development opportunities.
It's worth emphasizing that this important event is part of a planned cycle of seminars that the Embassy of Chile has been holding across the United States, since the latter half of 2006, in order to encourage U.S. investment in our country and to spread knowledge of the opportunities which exist in different sectors of Chile's economy.