If attendance at the Biotechnology Industry Organization annual conference is a barometer of the industry's health, then biotech is not doing well. Attendance at the 2009 event in Atlanta, Georgia, plummeted about 29% to 14,352. Last year's meeting in San Diego, California, attracted 20,108 people.rnSome attendees said the challenging economy made attendance essential. "It's more important than ever to he able to meet face to face with potential customers and partners," says Andrew Reaume, chief executive of Melior Discovery of Exton, Pennsylvania. On the positive side, fewer attendees meant short lines at the registration booth and the ubiquitous Starbucks kiosks. Next year's conference will be on 3-6 May in Chicago, Illinois.rnThe metropolitan areas of Boston, Massachusetts; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and San Francisco, California, continue to lead the United States in sustaining and building their life-sciences sectors, according to a report from the Milken Institute, a think tank in Santa Monica, California.rnThe Greater Philadelphia Lift Sciences Cluster 2009: An Economic and Comparative Assessment finds that Boston is ahead when it comes to research and development capacity and in success at getting funding from the National Science Foundation for submitted proposals. Greater San Francisco leads in the availability of risk capital and in relative growth.
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