Bank Vontobel Group Ltd

The Vontobel Group offers superior financial services to clients around the world based on Swiss private banking traditions. It is focused on three business areas: Private Banking, Investment Banking and Institutional Asset Management & Investment Funds. The Vontobel Group is one of Switzerland’s leading asset managers for both private and institutional clients. The focus in Investment Banking is on brokerage, derivative products, securities and forex trading as well as corporate finance.We are one of the largest brokers on the Swiss market for stocks, especially Swiss small and mid caps. Our award-winning Vontobel Research has distinguished itself by the high degree of accuracy of its earnings estimates.Vontobel is among the “Top 3” in Switzerland in the issue of derivative and structured products. Our Corporate Finance team advises companies, especially in the German-speaking region, in matters relating to capital market financing and Mergers & Acquisitions. In the past, Bank Vontobel has lead managed the listing in Switzerland and Germany of a number of companies, some of them Austrian.

Vontobel Group has branch offices located in Zurich, Geneva, Cologne, Frankfurt, Salzburg, Vienna and New York.

Vontobel Holding AG registered shares have been listed on the Swiss Exchange since 1986. Stock market capitalization at the end of December 2003 amounted to CHF 1.68 bn. A key element of the Group’s identity is its independence.The Vontobel family, the Vontobel Foundation and management own a majority of the share capital and voting rights. This ownership structure makes Vontobel one of the few truly independent banking groups in Switzerland.

www.vontobel.com

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Bank Vontobel
 
Global Life Science Ventures
Dr Peter Reinisch, Partner

Global Life Science Ventures (GLSV) is a leading, independent venture capital fund focusing exclusively on the life sciences. GLSV supports early-stage groups originating from universities, scientific institutions or industry, but will also invest in selected later-stage companies, including buyouts. For this purpose, GLSV provides finance, advice and access to expertise and networks. The group currently advises and manages funds greater than EUR 200 million. With three locations in Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, GLSV acts as one team with a global perspective.

An industry-born team. GLSV has established a strong investment team and a network of advisors with many years of complementary experience in the life science industry. The expertise of the partners ranges from industrial experience in molecular biology, immunology, diagnostics and medical devices to marketing, senior level strategic business development, finance and administration.

Track record. Over the years, GLSV has achieved a sound track record through discerning investments in high-potential companies. After registration of the original fund in 1996, the available capital of Euro 66 million (excluding limited funds reserved for follow-on investments) has been invested in a portfolio of 18 ventures active in the life sciences. The positive development of the first fund has been highlighted by successful IPOs and merger & acquisition transactions and also included a number of board seat representations, several of which were at chairman level.

Pro-active syndicate partner. GLSV offers its investees access to the capital, experience and networks of a group of international venture capitalists that invest in the life sciences on a global scale. Syndicate partnerships are made with funds whose investment criteria and philosophy match those of GLSV. A global perspective is provided by syndicate partnerships with leading US-based funds. The GLSV portfolio includes companies active in many areas of the life sciences ranging from biopharmaceuticals, cancer, immunology, vaccines and genomics to diagnostics, medical devices and healthcare services.

GLSV II. In 2002, GLSV announced the successful completion of the financing of its second fund. The new fund of Euro 143 million met the projected target by more than doubling the size of its predecessor. All existing investors renewed their financial commitment to the fund. The second fund has so far been invested in 11 companies several of which appear ready for an exit in the short to medium term.

www.glsv-vc.com

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Nomura

 
Katan Associates
Stan Yakatan, Chairman

Your Global Capitalization Partner
Katan Associates is a global advisory organization that provides capitalization strategies and a broad range of services to high growth, highly innovative life sciences companies, biotechnology firms and biomedical enterprises.

Based in the world’s leading centers for biotechnology and biomedicare, Katan Associates brings together specialists from a diverse range of corporate and commercial backgrounds to advise firms on long term growth and capitalization solutions.

Katan Associates focuses on five core areas of specialization in helping firms achieve their business growth.

  • Strategy Formulation
  • International Business Development
  • Investment Banking / Venture Capital
  • Government and Industry Advisory
  • Mergers and Acquisitions

Katan provides businesses and management teams with the tools and the infrastructure to grow and expand their business.

To find out more, please visit our website at www.katanassociates.com

Or contact Seth Yakatan, Partner, at 323.356.6321 or seth@katanassociates.com

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Katan

 
Nomura Phase4 Ventures
Dr Denise Pollard-Knight, Head of Nomura Phase4 Ventures

Nomura Phase4 Ventures ("NPV") is a division of London based Nomura International plc, part of The Nomura Group. Established in 2004, NPV has evolved from Nomura's BioPharma Private Equity Group which has been operating since 1998. NPV invests in private companies in the US and Europe in the emerging healthcare space (biopharma, speciality pharmaceuticals and medical devices) through the fund Nomura Phase4 Ventures LP. The group works with a number of senior advisors with extensive operating experience in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

www.nomura.com/npv

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Nomura Phase4 Ventures

 
Novartis Venture Fund
Dr Rudolf Gygax, Managing Director

Novartis AG, a holding company organized under Swiss law, owns directly or indirectly all Novartis companies worldwide.

The Novartis Group is divided into two divisions: Pharmaceuticals and Consumer Health. The Pharmaceuticals Division is organized into five business units: Primary Care, Oncology, Transplantation, Mature Products, and Optalmics. The six business units of the Consumer Health Division are: Generics, Over-the-Counter self medication (OTC), Animal Health, Medical Nutrition, Infant & Baby, and CIBA Vision.

The Novartis Pharamaceuticals Division is a world leader in discovery, development, manufacture, and marketing of prescription medicines. Its goal is to provide a broad portfolio of innovative, effective and safe products and services to patients through healthcare professionals around the world. This goal is supported by a dedicated organization operating in more than 140 countries through approximately 80 affiliates.

www.novartis.com

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Novartis

 
SJ Berwin
Perry Yam

SJ Berwin’s fundamental objective is to provide outstanding legal advice in a dynamic environment. We take pride in our ability to devise innovative and commercially viable solutions to complex problems, and we are proud to have helped our clients to achieve their business goals through original, practical thinking.

With more than 200 corporate finance lawyers, the depth and breadth of expertise of our pan-European Corporate Finance Department is considerable. We offer the complete range of corporate finance services, which extends to all aspects of domestic and cross-border M&A and buy-outs, private equity, equity capital markets, financial services and tax.

We are one of the leading law firms advising in the European biotechnology and lifescience arena. We have experience acting in a number of investment and M&A transactions for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies; advising investor syndicates, structuring the deal and advising on the transfer of all relevant intellectual property rights and regulatory approvals. Our advice on financing and funding for pharmaceutical and biotech companies includes advising and creating corporate structures, reviewing patent and other intellectual property warranties and indemnities.

Accolades in 2004 include being named "Legal Adviser of the Year" at the BVCA/Real Deals Private Equity Awards 2004 and "Law Firm of the Year" 2004 at the EVCA/Real Deals Private Equity Awards. Jonathan Blake, Head of Private Equity, was admitted to the BVCA’s Private Equity Hall of Fame (the only adviser ever to receive this accolade) and we were named as the World’s Leading Firm for Private Funds by the respected International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers 2003/0004. At the beginning of 2005 we were named 'European Best Law Firm (fund formation)' at the PrivateEquityOnline Awards for the fourth year, awarded the EVCJ Award for "Private Equity Law Firm of the Year 2004" and Jonathan Blake, Head of Private Equity, was named "Global Lawyer Of the Year 2005" in the Private Funds category, in the International Who's Who of Business Lawyers 2004/2005.

T +44 (0)20 7533 2222

www.sjberwin.com

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Sjberwin

 
SWX Swiss Exchange
Yvonne Wegmann, Vice President, Head of Issuers & Investor Relations

The SWX Swiss Exchange ranks among the world’s most technologically advanced securities exchanges. Backed by the strength of Switzerland’s financial marketplace, it resolutely pursues an internationally oriented strategy. In transnational collaboration with partner organisations, the SWX Swiss Exchange provides first-rate securities exchange services to all parties involved. Not only is its broad product palette a convincing factor in this regard, but also its fully integrated and totally automated trading, clearing and settlement system that remains unique in the world.

The SWX Swiss Exchange offers innovative, international companies access to the Swiss capital market. A public placement of securities in one of its trading segments affords companies a high degree of global visibility among investors. An initial public offering in Switzerland is an attractive opportunity for companies to raise equity capital, especially those in the life science, IT and micro- and nanotechnology industries.

SWX Swiss Exchange
Christoph Schuler
Relationship Manager Issuers & Investor Relations
Selnaustrasse 30
8021 Zürich
Schweiz
T +41(0)58 854 23 59
F +41(0)58 854 22 40
E-mail: ipo@swx.com

www.swx.com

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SWX Swiss Exchange

 
Techno Venture Management
Dr Alexandra Goll, General Partner

Techno Venture Management (TVM), founded in 1983, is one of the first venture capital funds formed in Germany, and a leader in transatlantic operations. The German-U.S. venture capital company has offices in Munich and Boston. For many years, TVM has focused on information technology and life sciences, high growth sectors where innovation, effective management and sound financial backing have enormous impact on company growth. TVM funds have made investments in 200 technology companies in Europe and the United States. A pivotal objective is to create transnational businesses that enjoy access to science, management talent and capital on both sides of the Atlantic.

www.tvmvc.com

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TVM