Health forum gathering data on Hoosier life science firms

The Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette plays a prominent role in Indiana's life sciences industry.

An effort announced this week by the Indiana Health Industry Forum is designed to achieve growth in the highly valuable industry, while gathering and cataloging data from existing life sciences companies around the state.

"We need to understand better what those companies are, what their resources are and the trends that are emerging," said IHIF president and chief executive officer Mike Brooks, who detailed the plans Friday at the Purdue Research Park.

"This initiative will help communities to leverage their existing assets to attract new businesses and jobs to the state. It will help us determine the type of investments we need to be making in our state in order to maintain our position as the premier location for the life sciences industry."

Brooks is very familiar with the research park and other life sciences firms in the area. He served as president of Greater Lafayette Progress Inc., which later became the Lafayette-West Lafayette Economic Development Corp., from 1990 to 2004.

Nearly 30 local firms, which employ about 3,000 people, are involved in the life sciences industry.

That includes Cook Biotech Inc., an occupant of the research park which manufactures tissue-engineered medical products from the small intestines of swine and develops and manufactures medical products based on extracellular matrix technology.

Cook Biotech president Mark Bleyer attended Friday's announcement and said the mapping and strategic plan will benefit existing life sciences companies and those considering Indiana for startup or expansion.

"We have these clusters around the state but this will show us what's available," he said. "New companies could come to Indiana and see where businesses are located and learn about the state's growth strategy."

IHIF plans to choose a consulting firm next month that will conduct the research, map the state's assets and develop a strategic plan that is expected to be ready by December 2008.

Data will be gathered from entities that range from large pharmaceutical manufacturers to attorneys who specialize in the life sciences industry.

"This will be one more asset for us to use. The forum is going to gather some important and in-depth information about life science businesses, the industry's needs and its potential," said Cinda Kelley, executive director of the business and industry council of the Lafayette-West Lafayette Development Corp.

"Both the existence of the Indiana Health Industry Forum and the work they do is beneficial to us. We want to see that continue in the region. With 3,000 life sciences employees, we want to see that continue to grow."

{}The IHIF at a glance

The Indiana Health Industry Forum is a not-for-profit, private sector organization with members representing a private-public alliance of manufacturers, health care providers, suppliers, educational institutions, service providers and government officials.

Its mission is to create an environment where Indiana is a premier location for the creation and growth of health industry enterprises.

More information is available online at www.ihif.org.