Stop me if you've heard this one . . .

For CEOs, investor relations specialists and PR types who suffer from writer's block or a sudden loss for words, here's a handy list of biotech cliches that have been proven through constant use as the leading platitudes in the field today. BioCentury is indebted to Jacqueline Siegel, biotech analyst at Gerard Klauer Mattison, for initiating this project with her own compilation of cliches. BioCentury has added a few of its own favorites.

For biotech companies that feel unfairly singled out, we invite them to fax us their own lists of VC and investment banker cliches. We'll find a use for them, too. Our fax is 415-595-5589...