American Conference Institute (ACI) will be holding its 6th National Conference on Pharma/Biotech IP Due Diligence from January 28-29, 2009 in New York.  The conference will allow attendees to:

• Define the company’s business goals before you begin a due diligence review;
• Navigate the dynamic labyrinth of cases that can impact the company’s IP rights;
• Ensure a data trail that tracks the disclosure of appropriate information;
• Gauge the effect of the patents in question on the company’s freedom to operate;
• Cultivate a sufficient search strategy to enhance your knowledge base of the IP’s strengths, weaknesses, and potential;
• Evaluate the benefits, disadvantages, and consequences of protecting the asset under a patent instead of a trade secret;
• Analyze the company’s options when discovering negative information in a late stage of the due diligence review;
• Uncover the vulnerable spots for ‘in licensing’ deals; and
• Craft an effective due diligence checklist.

In particular, ACI’s faculty will offer presentations on the following topics on January 28 and 29:

• Defining the company’s goals before you begin the due diligence review and crafting an accordant checklist;
• Navigating the dynamic labryinth of recent cases, rules, and regulations affecting the company’s due diligence analysis;
• Setting up an electronic data room to protect the company’s vital interests;
• Sweet land of liberty  . . . Let freedom to operate ring!
• Uncovering the vulnerable spots for "in licensing" deals;
• I’ve got a trade secret:  Incorporating the target ompany’s soft IP assets in your due diligence analysis;
• Using due diligence to reveal, analyze, and measure the specific risks for the pharmaceutical or biotech target or licensor;
• Dissecting the due diligence challenges for a pharma/biotech acquirer, licensee, or collaborator;
• Balancing between the company’s attorney-client privilege and the need to disclose information;
• Adjusting your due diligence approach in transactions with universities;
• Analyzing the needs of a venture capitalist in the company’s due diligence research; and
• Assessing the findings of the due diligence review upon its completion.

An additional master class entitled: "Drafting a Comprehensive Due Diligence Report – One Size Does Not Fit All" will be offered on January 30.  In this master class, ACI faculty will penetrate the complexities of drafting an effective due diligence report.

The agenda for the Pharma/Biotech IP Due Diligence conference can be found here.  A complete brochure for this conference, including an agenda, list of speakers, and registration form can be downloaded here.

The registration fee ranges from $2,195 (conference alone) to $2,795 (conference and master class).  Those registering by November 21, 2008 will receive a $300 discount off the registration fee and those registering by December 31, 2008 will receive a $200 discount off the registration fee.  Those interested in registering for the conference can do so here, by calling 1-888-224-2480, or by faxing a registration form to 1-877-927-1563.