IMAPAC Brings Together Blood Plasma Community

Recognizing the region’s need to work towards self-sufficiency in plasma products, Bioplasma World Asia 2013 will bring together, for the second consecutive year, the Asian and international blood plasma community on 03-04 September 2013 at the Grand Hyatt, Bali. Plasma fractionators, blood centers, health authorities and other industry stakeholders will converge at this much awaited gathering to discuss strategic issues and explore opportunities within Asia-Pacific’s plasma therapeutics sector.

Asia faces a shortage in plasma and plasma products, with only 20% of the total world volume being fractionated here, despite comprising 60% of the world’s population. Several factors come into play, such as insufficient funding and a weak blood collection infrastructure. However, Asian countries have begun to make efforts in strengthening their capacity for plasma fractionation, and developments are underway.

Bioplasma World Asia 2013’s distinguished panel of speakers will share information and debate issues relating to the Asian plasma landscape, regulatory landscape, business strategies, market trends, and partnership opportunities to facilitate the development of the region’s plasma industry. Supported by the PPTA (Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association) and IPFA (International Plasma Fractionation Association), this event will be co-located with Asia’s first ever Bloodborne Pathogen Safety Workshop – a unique gathering bringing together regional and international stakeholders in the blood collection and transfusion sector to help safeguard the quality of collected blood.

Key speaking faculty for the Bioplasma 2013 event includes:
•    Dr. Russell Basser, Senior Vice President of Global Clinical Research & Development, CSL Benring, USA
•    Mr. Jan M. Bult, President and CEO, Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA), USA
•    Pan Ruo-Wen, Senior Vice President, Hualan Biologicals, China
•    Dr. Ranjit S. Ajmani, Chief Executive Officer, PlasmaGen BioSciences, Bangalore, India
•    Kim Young-ho, Managing Director, Overseas Business Division, Green Cross Corporation, Korea
•    Dr. Thierry Burnouf, Professor, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan
•    Jan Over, Strategic Affairs, Sanquin Plasma Products, The Netherlands
•    Dr. Wolfgang Teschner, Director of Plasma Product Developmet/Product Support Department, Baxter, Austria
•    Mr. Theo Evers, Senior Advisor, International Plasma Fractionation Association (IPFA), Amsterdam, Netherlands
•    Stephanie Gunn, Deputy General Manager, National Blood Authority, Australia
•    Dr. Yuyun SM Soerdarmono, Director of Central Blood Center, Indonesian Red Cross, Indonesia
•    Dr. Chandra Viswanathan, Senior Vice President, Reliance Life Sciences, India
•    Dr. Chris Shue, President and CEO, Shanghai Syndegen Biopharmaceutical Company, China
•    Dr. Pierre-François Falcou, Alliances Director, LFB Biomedicaments, France
•    Dr. Surinder Singh, Director, National Institute of Biologicals, India
•    Johan Prevot, Executive Director, International Patient Organisation for Primary Immunodeficiencies (IPOPI), Portugal
•    Eric Youssef, European Plasma Market Director, Merck Millipore
•    Jerry A. Holmberg, Director, Scientific Affairs, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, Inc.

Here are some brief testimonials from the attendees of last year’s event: “Very informative and helpful for me to understand the overview of plasma product in Asia!” - Hua Zhang, Chief GMP Inspection, CCE, ShFDA, China. “Good start! Looking forward to return!” - K Y Tan, General Manager, Haemonetics, Hong Kong. “Excellent content and great information on plasma products!” - Sunil Saigal, Director, Consolidated Products, India.