BioCentury
ARTICLE | Politics, Policy & Law

Cracking the SBIR dam

February 14, 2005 8:00 AM UTC

The biotech industry soon will have a chance to persuade lawmakers to overturn the Small Business Administration's policy of denying Small Business Innovation Research awards to companies that are majority-owned by venture capital firms.

The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship plans to hold a hearing within a month that could pave the way for legislation. The Biotechnology Industry Organization is marshaling new data to support its contention that SBIR eligibility criteria exclude the most promising life sciences companies and run counter to congressional intent...