In continuation of the Covance Primate Symposium Series, the 17th Covance Primate Symposium took place in Münster during April 16 and 17, 2008. Altogether, 131 participants - the largest attendance so far - representing 13 countries and 56 organisations assembled for this symposium. The 2008 Primate Symposium focussed on "Critical Contributions of Primate Models for Biopharmaceutical Drug Development". This is obviously a very timely topic since numerous biopharmaceuticals, in particular monoclonal antibodies, are in preclinical development and, in many instances, nonhuman primates represent the relevant model. Also, there are efforts, at least in Europe, to substantially change the environmental conditions for primates in research which will also impact pharmaceutical drug development. Beyond this, current topics such as developmental and juvenile toxicity testing and the perspectives of stem cell-derived therapeutics were also covered. In general, it is assumed that the demand for research on nonhuman primates in preclinical development will increase over the coming years. Expert speakers discussed four topics in particular, i.e.:stem cell-derived therapeutics as a potential new horizon for new therapeutic drugs; the European environment for primate research and whether this presents a barrier or rather an opportunity; new approaches for developmental and juvenile toxicity testing in nonhuman primates; and current challenges in biopharmaceutical drug development. Contributors: Alexander Breidenbach, Christian Freichel, Werner Frings, Andrea Greiter-Wilke, Henry Holzgrefe, Mark E. Hurtt, Gabriele Küsters, Ines Lein, Ulrich Martin, Wolfgang Müller, Marc Niehoff, Merle G. Paule, Liudmila Polonchuk, Stefan Schlatt, Jane Stewart, Robert Teepe, Stefan Treue, Gerhard F. Weinbauer, Thomas Weiser.