FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Al Rickard, 703-402-9713 or arickard@associationvision.com

Licensing Executives Society (USA & Canada) Spring Meeting To Explore Licensing and Business Connections

Event to be Held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 6-8, 2009

WASHINGTON, DC, March 19, 2009 – What role does intellectual property (IP) licensing play in building businesses and enabling business deals?

This question, which is especially relevant in today’s economy, will be explored in two plenary sessions and other programs at the Licensing Executives Society (USA & Canada) (LES) Spring Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Montreal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada May 6-8, 2009.

The Opening Plenary Session on May 7 will feature four speakers discussing licensing and business growth. Topics and speakers include:

• Growing a Biotechnology Company: Strategies and Realities of Developing New Therapeutics – Arlene Morris, President & Chief Executive Officer, Affymax
• Intellectual Property in Today’s Challenging Times – Mary Carman, Commissioner of Patents, Registrar of Trademarks and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Intellectual Property Office
• Transforming Abbott Through Partnerships – Gayle Kirkpatrick, Divisional Vice President, Global Pharmaceutical Licensing & New Business Development, Abbott
• Innovative Licensing Practices and Approaches at Microsoft — How to Build a Licensing Business When Nobody Likes You! – Louis Carbonneau, Senior Corporate Attorney, Microsoft

The business growth theme continues at the May 8 Plenary Session, when five panelists will discuss The Selling and Buying of Products and Companies: A 360° View. Panelists include:

• Mike Gaito, Managing Director, JP Morgan
• Marc Daniel, Managing Director, Mergers and Acquisitions, RBC
• Roger Longman, Editor, In Vivo
• Jay Moorin, Partner, ProQuest
• Bill Yelle, Senior Vice President, Sepracor

The meeting will be held in the hometown (Montreal) of LES (USA & Canada) President Francois Painchaud of Leger Robic Richard LLP.

"Montreal is a major business center in Canada where many of the biggest licensing deals, including international deals, are done," says Painchaud. "We are proud to host the Spring Meeting and we know it will prove to be extremely educational for everyone involved."

Creative business development ideas driven by IP licensing is not limited to veterans of the licensing profession, however. Five teams of the world’s most innovative graduate students will battle it out during the final round of the LES Foundation’s 2009 International Graduate Student Business Plan Competition on May 5.

Each team will present their impressive IP-rich business plan to a world-class panel of judges in a simulated real-world venture capital setting in hopes of taking home a grand prize of $10,000 and valuable in-kind prizes and/or the prestigious $5,000 Global Award sponsored by the Licensing Executives Society International (LESI).

"These students are the superstars of tomorrow’s marketplace," says Linda Chao of the Office of Technology Licensing at Stanford University and Chair of the 2009 Competition. "Many of our past winners have gone on to successfully launch businesses. We're confident that this year will be no exception. We have received double the number of entries we had last year and the student plans are focused on some very exciting new technologies."

Winners will be announced during an Award Ceremony Wednesday, May 6 at 5:15 p.m.

The meeting also features more than 20 workshops in sectors such as life sciences, high technology, chemicals and energy, industry-university interface, and trademark licensing. A Tech Fair with dozens of exhibitors also offers the opportunity for attendees to explore new deals and learn about new products and services.

For more information about the LES (USA & Canada) Spring Meeting and to register, visit www.lesusacanada.org or contact the LES (USA & Canada) office at 703-8363106.

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