FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 23, 2004

Bio IT Report by PCIS Outlines How to Move a Biotech
From Startup to Commercialization in Four Easy Stages

VANCOUVER, CANADA — PCIS (Pacific Coast Information Systems), a full service technology and consulting company, launched its Biotech Roadmap today at an event on the future of collaborations between IT and biotech. Alistair Duncan, CEO, Chromos Molecular Systems, Paul King, Director Life Sciences, PCIS, Barry Allen, President, VSM Medtech, and Francis Ouellette, Director, UBC Bioinformatics Centre were panelists at the event and each discussed how collaboration between IT and Biotechs can result in the implementation of the right technologies.

The PCIS Biotech Roadmap was specifically developed to assist biotechs as they grow from startup to commercialization. It identifies four different growth stages and provides advice on the types of information systems that are needed to support each stage. The Roadmap provides information on how to manage the different business processes that occur during each stage. The PCIS Biotech Roadmap is a four part series developed by Paul King, Director, Life Sciences, PCIS. King was IT director for QLT Inc. and Inex Pharmaceuticals Corporation.

"The Biotech Roadmap charts an accurate path for the biotech and provides information to grow successfully and manage transitions between stages." says Vaclav Vincalek, president PCIS, "Its invaluable because it's written from a biotech perspective."

The Biotech Roadmap will be featured in an upcoming issue of Bio IT World and an informative wall chart depicting the four stages, the emerging functions and the information systems required is also available at the PCIS website.

PCIS is an IBM Life Sciences Partner and developer of life science-specific business applications. It has advanced how companies do business over the Internet by developing web solutions that merge document management, database management, and workflow systems. Its clinical trial management system is designed to help manage all drug trials regardless of geographic location. It has a workflow system that keeps current data available at all times to trial monitors to maximize their efficiency at a trial site. The system allows any authorized person to see the status of all documentation required to effectively run a drug trial.

Pacific Coast Information Systems (PCIS) is a full-service technology and consulting firm based in Vancouver. Founded in 1995 by IT visionary, Vaclav Vincalek, PCIS is a leading provider of collaboration and document management solutions. PCIS is a proven specialist in messaging, business process, knowledge management, databases/ web integration, e-commerce, data sharing/ transformation, and website personalization. PCIS is an Advanced IBM Business Partner.

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