Costa Rican companies participate in the first virtual biotechnology trade show

• The BIO International Convention is the most important trade show in the world for this sector.

San Jose, June 12, 2020. The biotechnology sector of Costa Rica and the Foreign Trade Promoter (PROCOMER) recently participated, for the first time, in the 2020 BIO International Digital Convention, a biotech event that, in the face of the pandemic, opted for a virtual format.
The BIO International Convention is the most important biotechnology trade show in the world and, with the motto “Nothing Stops Innovation”, it offered companies a business conference platform, through the BIO One-on-One Partnering tool, by which more than 3,000 organizations were able to participate. In addition to this, it provided educational sessions on important industry specific topics, such as advances in COVID-19, digital health, business development, genetic editing, and more.

The national companies that make up the CRBiomed consortium that participated in the trade show are:
• Speratum: Costa Rican biotech company dedicated to the research and development of patented MicroRNA-based therapies and diagnostics (MIRNA) to combat pancreatic cancer.
• Grupo TRISAN: group of companies that manufacture and market products and services for the nutrition and protection of crops, golf courses, seeds for planting, animal health products, raw materials and ingredients for the food industry, detergents, and sewage treatment.
• Florex: designs, produces and markets biodegradable, high-quality, high-performance cleaning chemicals.
• ClearLeaf: develops sustainable crop protection and improvement strategies, managing the impacts of pests, while maintaining a natural balance on the farm, protecting farmers and consumers.
• Center for Research in Biotechnology (CIB) – Technological Institute of Costa Rica: provides research and development (R&D) services in the field of molecular biology, cell culture and bioprocesses. CIB is known for its success in tissue culture agriculture research, achieving innovative approaches in collaboration with nanotechnology, electron microscopy, and radiation technologies.

• National Nanotechnology Laboratory: specializes in the research, design and implementation of nanotechnology related technologies, focusing on the synthesis and study of new materials, as well as the transfer of knowledge and technology from the academy to various industries.

“The pandemic has made it very clear that we have to innovate, reinvent ourselves and find new ways to stand out in international markets. This is the case of the biotech sector, with which we decided to participate in this virtual trade show and of which we expect businesses and alliances that will continue to position the country as a provider of knowledge-intensive solutions,” stated Álvaro Piedra, Director of Exports at PROCOMER .

Patricia Trinler, President of Grupo TRISAN, went on to say that, “for Grupo TRISAN, participating in international events has been part of our growth over the years and a way to implement innovation in regional markets. The ability to participate in one of the largest biotech events in the world, the BIO International Convention, which was virtual this year, allowed us access to conferences and contact with some of the best scientists, biotechnologists, academics, regulatory entities and businessmen in the industry. During the convention, we held meetings with people from Taiwan, Poland, Brazil, Canada, the United States, Japan, India and others. We thank PROCOMER for providing members of the biotechnology consortium CRBiomed with the opportunity to participate in an event that offers the biotechnology ecosystem of Costa Rica greater benefits and connections.”

Christian Marín, CEO of Speratum, added that “for a company like ours, it is amazing to have the chance to participate in conferences like BIO. In addition to the opportunity to establish new contacts in the industry, it allows us to learn more about global developments and innovations that are changing the world. It opens the door to international collaboration, especially in times like these when it is even more important. ”

During the trade show, Costa Rica had the opportunity about the life sciences sector, to demonstrate to the world that the country has the scientific capacity, infrastructure, equipment and a network of world-class companies, for the establishment of alliances and investments.