Pharmaceutical Licensing Group UK

Workshops, AGM, Burns Night Dinner & Awards

The Pharmaceutical Licensing Group (PLG) held its most recent meeting at the Naval & Military Club (The ‘In & Out’), London, on Thursday 28th January. The meeting was attended by 50 delegates from over 40 different companies representing all sectors of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry.

The meeting began with two, hour long workshop sessions starting first with ‘Competitive Intelligence’ and then moving on to ‘Successful Partnering Communication’. We were very lucky and grateful to have secured the services of four excellent speakers for these workshops to give the views from both the generic company and ‘big-pharma’ perspectives, allowing all participants at the workshops to get involved in the panel discussions at the conclusion of each workshop.

We would like to thank Nich Guthrie (AstraZeneca), Charles Joynson (WaveData), Nicholas Adams (Antisoma) & Margaret Beer (Merck & Co) for giving their time and effort to make these workshops such a success.

Following the AGM, the evening event started off with a drinks reception followed by a traditional Burns Night Supper. There was certainly some tartan on view but our Deputy Chairman, Campbell Wilson, would have won the prize for ‘Best Dressed’ with his kilt, had there been a prize on offer!

Campbell Wilson & The piping in of the haggis

The dinner started with a bang as the Haggis was piped in by our excellent piper, before being ceremoniously cut by Stuart Robinson followed by some interesting, but worthy attempts at Scottish accents from committee members during the ‘Address to the Haggis’.

The evening was concluded by announcing the winners of the AstraZeneca Business Development Executive of the Year 2009 & PLG Business Development Newcomer of the Year 2009. This is the third year that AstraZeneca have sponsored the Business Development Executive of the Year award and this year John Goddard, Head of Strategic Planning & Business Development at AstraZeneca was on hand to present the award.

After some tough decisions, and with a special mention to Olaf Koenig of Daiichi-Sankyo who was a very close second, the winner was Martin Buckland of Astex Therapeutics. Martin was unable to be at the meeting but a colleague, Jeremy Carmichael accepted the award on his behalf. The award was given primarily in recognition of a research and licensing deal which had a huge impact on his company, bringing in an up-front equity and cash payment of $33M, the potential of a further $500M in milestones plus royalties, but also on a number of smaller deals that had an significant impact on advancing Astex’s own products.

Jeremy Carmichael accepting the AstraZeneca Business Development
Executive of the Year award from John Goddard of behalf of Martin Buckland

Stuart Robinson, Chairman of the PLG, then presented the PLG Business Development Newcomer Award. Due to the high quality of nominees this year there were two recipients, John Strafford of Antisoma and Giorgio Pinci of Merck Serono. Unfortunately Giorgio was unable to be at the meeting but John was there to pick up his award and bottle of champagne. Don’t worry, Giorgio will be sent his champagne separately!

Stuart Robinson presenting the PLG Business Development
Newcomer of the Year award to John Strafford

Stuart commented “The PLG has always had a focus on both business networking and the development of our members’ professional skills and this event neatly encapsulated both aims in a relaxed social atmosphere. My thanks to all those who contributed to its success”

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