WASHINGTON, DC, June 22, 2003 New Zealand has the eighth-fastest-growing biotech industry in the world. Many of the country's major biotech companies will be represented here at BIO 2003, sponsored by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (www.bio.org), June 22-25 at the Washington Convention Center.

New Zealand is an emerging world leader in applying biotechnology. Discoveries from the country's world-class primary sectors including biomedical science, agriculture, and animal healthcare improve efficiencies and create new applications in the biomedical industry. New Zealand's unique disease-free animal health status, international scientific network, and focus on an innovative, knowledge-based economy provide stakeholders with the competitive edge needed for global success. Experts in both the private and public sectors agree: The surging biotech industry in New Zealand now mirrors the transformation that occurred in Scotland, Israel, and other leading biotech regions over the past decade.

Media interviews related to the following stories are available:

• "Sniffertech" technology for biodetection and biosecurity Technology developed by Celentis Ltd., part of the world-recognized AgResearch Group, can detect a piece of wood the size of a matchbox in a typical sea container, critical for biosecurity detection. Celentis develops smart measurement systems for the food industry, drug delivery for animal health, and novel ingredients for nutriceuticals and functional foods. (Interview opportunity: Celentis CEO Stewart Washer
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