Firm Assists U.S. Officials in Dialogue with Russian Biodefense Experts
February 24, 2005
WASHINGTON, DC - (February 23, 2005) - Frank M. Rapoport and John M. Clerici, partners in the law firm of McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP, recently helped coordinate the United States Country Pavilion with Equity International and Congressman Curt Weldon (R-PA) at a major Homeland Security Conference in Moscow.
The trip enhanced U.S. biodefense efforts by enabling U.S. government and corporate officials to meet with Russian and international biodefense experts, including Professor Lev S. Sandakhchiev, the current Director General of the Russian Biotechnology and Virology program. Professor Sandakhchiev is recognized as the genius behind the weaponization of certain lethal agents that were to have been used against the United States during the Cold War.
The conference drew more than 10,000 attendees from around the world to showcase their robotic and related homeland security technologies. Congressman Weldon, a founder of the House Homeland Security Caucus and member of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security, led the United States delegation. Frank Rapoport and John Clerici moderated two panels on biodefense solutions and U.S. homeland security needs. The trip achieved a number of goals, including:
* Progress on intellectual property transfers - It was determined that certain intellectual property can be transferred to the U.S. that will help our country develop countermeasures to the biological agents used as weaponries by the Russians.
* Biodefense industry discussions with Congress - The trip enabled biodefense industry representatives to have valuable dialogues with Congressman Weldon about developing countermeasures for the nation.
* U.S.-Russian collaboration - The trip set the stage for future collaboration between the U.S. biodefense industry and Russian government officials to leverage Russian scientific leadership in this area.
McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP is a leader in developing new solutions to combat bioterrorism and works to create a profitable partnership between the pharmaceutical, vaccine, biotechnology, diagnostic, and other defense technology industries and the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense. For more information, contact Frank M. Rapoport at frapoport@mckennalong.com
About McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
McKenna Long & Aldridge is a full-service law firm of 350 lawyers and public policy advisors with offices in Atlanta , Brussels , Denver , Los Angeles , Philadelphia , San Diego , San Francisco and Washington , DC . The firm provides business solutions in the areas of corporate law, government contracts, intellectual property and technology, complex litigation, public policy and regulatory affairs, international law, real estate and finance. To learn more about the firm and its services, visit our website at www.mckennalong.com .
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