About IFF

THE INDIANA OPPORTUNITY

CFIG, which is the manager of the fund and the fund investment group of Credit Suisse, believes that the presence of leading Indiana life sciences companies and university research and innovation present a tremendous platform for the development of meaningful enterprises and creation of investor value. Indiana is home to a number of significant life science-related clusters of innovation that have developed as a result of these strong corporate and academic partnerships in the State, particularly those clusters developed in the areas of pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

Indiana's pharmaceutical sector is ranked fifth in sales and employment in the U.S. This strength is due primarily to the presence of world renowned life sciences companies such as Eli Lilly, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Baxter Healthcare, Pfizer, Bayer, Elan Pharmaceuticals and Mead Johnson Nutritionals. This large life sciences presence brings with it an abundance of talent as well as a significant R&D effort.

Indiana's strength in the medical devices sector is due in large part to the infrastructure that has been built around Indiana's key medical device players, which include companies such as Cook, Guidant, Zimmer, DePuy, Roche Diagnostics, Boston Scientific and Biomet. These companies are well supported by surrounding companies manufacturing components necessary to the production of devices such as wire, plastics and electronics. The State's universities provide further assistance in the area of research and development and have created programs aimed directly at supporting the medical devices sector.

The outlook for life sciences in Indiana is bolstered not only by the presence of top quality university-level educational institutions such as Indiana University, Purdue University, Indiana State University, Notre Dame, Ball State University and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, but also by a set of strong recent initiatives. The 21st Century Research and Technology Fund, created by the State General Assembly in 1999, has helped develop technologies in a variety of areas in the State while demonstrating government's commitment to growth. Indiana University's Emerging Technologies Center (IUETC) helps to bring new technologies emanating from universities to market. Similarly, the development of Purdue University's Discovery Park will bring technological developments to market. Organizations such as the IHIF (Indiana Health Industry Forum) and CICP (Central Indiana Corporate Partnership) help to bring together life science and corporate leaders, creating an environment of collaboration.

CFIG believes that these factors will foster further growth and innovation in the Indiana life sciences sector, creating increased investment opportunities that will, in turn, benefit experienced venture capital investors.