EDINA, MN – John L. Zenk, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Minnesota Applied Research Center (MARC) will be presenting information about clinical trials designs for weight loss management on Thursday, October 6th at the 4th Annual Medical Alley/MNBIO Health Care & Biosciences Conference & Expo.  The Conference is scheduled October 5-6, 2005 at the RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minnesota. 

The 2005 conference theme, “Today’s Concepts, Tomorrow’s Innovations” will bring together and enable representatives from the health care, medical technology and agricultural and industrial bioscience industries to identify new collaborative opportunities that will shape the industry’s future.  The conference will showcase new and emerging companies, state & federal legislative agendas, international business development opportunities, intellectual property protection strategies, resources for bioscience start-ups and partnering opportunities with the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Zenk will participate in one of nine educational seminars entitled Obesity: Research, Clinical Trials, and Commercial Interests and will discuss how to successfully design a clinical trial to effectively support weight loss claims.  “If you’re thinking about developing a product for the treatment of obesity, John Zenk will help you with your business plan” says session moderator, Dr. Allen Levine, Director of the Minnesota Obesity Center at the University of Minnesota.  “He will discuss the pre-clinical, clinical, and follow-up studies needed to make a claim for your product.”  Other seminars at this event include Smart Foods & Nutraceuticals, Food Chain Safety, Developing & Marketing Advanced Biomaterials, Methods of Effective Drug Delivery, Telemedicine and Devices, Drugs & Biologics.   “It’s exciting to be a part of the 2005 Medical Alley Conference and have the opportunity to come together with many of the state’s most innovative companies in the biotech and related industries,” says Dr. Zenk. “I’m looking forward to many informative sessions and animated roundtable discussions about the issues, opportunities and challenges that face the diverse industries represented at this conference,” 

Medical Alley®, founded in 1984, is a nonprofit trade association supporting Minnesota’s health care industry.  Medical Alley focuses on legislative issues, member educational opportunities and the promotion of interest
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and investment in Minnesota as a major center of health care achievement, research and innovation.  MNBIO, founded in 1991, is a nonprofit trade association serving as the eyes, ears and voice of biotechnology in Minnesota.   As the state’s chapter of the national Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) that includes over 1150 biotech companies and organizations in the U.S. and 33 other nations, MNBIO provides valuable connections to other organizations across the country. In March 2005, Medical Alley and MNBIO merged to provide a more focused effort in supporting the human health, agricultural and industrial biosciences in Minnesota.  Medical Alley/MNBIO includes over 500 member organizations that employ approximately 250,000 people in the state of Minnesota.

About MARC
The Minnesota Applied Research Center (MARC) is a fully equipped clinical research facility with the ability to take a research idea from conception to completion.  MARC provides professional, timely and cost effective clinical trials for the dietary supplement, pharmaceutical, and medical device industries.  In addition, MARC provides consulting services for the design and conduct of clinical trials, the review and monitoring of ongoing trials, and the documentation and submission of trial results for publication or claims support.  MARC is based in Edina, Minnesota and can be reached at 952-974-4370 or www.onthemarcresearch.com.
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