2022 Agenda

Time

Event

7:00 am

Registration

8:20 am –  Villard Ballroom

Welcome Remarks

• Sara Jane Demy, Founder & CEO, Demy-Colton

8:30 am – Villard Ballroom

“Big Think” Plenary Session 

Health at a Crossroads: What is the Path Forward?

As we emerge from an era in which all eyes have been on healthcare, we can see both exciting opportunities and immense challenges ahead. Science and technology continue to evolve at a rapid pace, as do the regulatory and economic models supporting innovation. The exigencies of our recent past yielded new care delivery mechanisms, as well as an appreciation for righting the wrongs of inequity, fueling a more optimized health ecosystem.  What lies ahead in the near future? How different will it be from what we know now? Are we finally moving more towards a “Well Care” system? And how will traditional players change roles? On the road to health’s “promised” future, what is the best “map” we need?

Moderator:

• Jeremy Abbate, Vice President & Publisher, Scientific American

Panelists:

• Rick Bright, PhD, Pandemic Prevention & Response
• Zan Fleming, MD, Founder & Executive Chairman, Kinexum
• Kush M. Parmar, MD, PhD, Managing Partner, 5AM Ventures
• Sabrina Sholts, PhD, Curator of Biological Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution

9:30 am – Holmes I

Next-Generation Cancer Therapeutics: Multiple Approaches Showing Promise

Despite advances in treatments, diagnostics, and understanding of the biology, cancer remains a leading cause of death. Given heterogeneity is one of the hallmarks of cancer, companies are leveraging cutting edge technology and a deeper understanding of this deadly disease to develop new therapeutics that are targeting previously undruggable targets, novel targets, and increasing efficacy against known targets, and expanding the modalities of how drugs are delivered and leverage patients’ immune systems.

Moderator: 

• Jay Campbell, Managing Director, Clinical Accelerator & Venture Fund, Cancer Research

Institute 

Panelists:

• Jennifer Buell, PhD, CEO, MiNK Therapeutics
• William Ho, Founder, President & CEO, IN8bio
• Steven O’Day, MD, CMO, Agenus 
• Lihua Zheng, PhD, Chief Business Officer & Co-Founder, AnHeart Therapeutics

9:30 am – Holmes II

Think Different: Commercialization as Innovation

Commercialization was once considered late and last for any health innovation team. In our ever-changing healthcare environment, how we bring products to market, who pays for them, how they pay and how they are priced and valued – is as critical as the products themselves.  Increasingly and regardless of your regulatory strategy, your commercial strategy must be at the forefront of the formation of a product and a business.  With evolving needs, how do health innovation teams or digital medicine startups consider working within the entire ecosystem to formulate a robust go to market strategy?  We’ll look at best practices, forward looking expectations and game changing opportunities to help you innovate every aspect of your business.

Moderator:

• Beth Rogozinski, CEO, Oncoustics

Panelists:

• Melissa Bianchi, Partner, Hogan Lovells
• Everett Crosland, Chief Commercial Officer, Cognito Therapeutics 
• Komathi Stem, COO, Glooko
• Kulika Weizman, PhD, Principal, Creative Ventures

9:30 am – 12:30 pm – Kennedy I & II

One-To-Ones

10:30 am – Holmes I

Neurotech: Non-Invasive Neuromodulation and Brain-Computer Interfaces

Meet the biotech pioneers pushing the limits of how we diagnose and treat brain issues. Whether it’s neuromodulation for Alzheimer’s, BCI stents that create movement and connection for paralysis patients, or AI that can diagnose autism, we’ll explore how these novel technologies unlock new ways of connection to the world, and assess their current limitations and drawbacks.

Moderator:

• Hilary Brueck, Health Correspondent, Insider

Panelists:

• Karen Howard, PhD, Director, Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics, U.S. Government Accountability Office
• Dave Marver, CEO, ONWARD
• David Suendermann-Oeft, PhD, CEO, Modality AI
• Brent Vaughan, CEO, Cognito Therapeutics
• Peter Yoo, PhD, Senior Director, Neuroscience, Synchron

10:30 am – Holmes II

Gene Editing Therapies: Changing the Outcomes of Incurable Disease

New gene therapies have the potential to cure a number of previously “incurable” diseases and to fundamentally alter the trajectory of many other life-threatening conditions, including many rare diseases. What was once only a possibility is now becoming a reality.

Moderator:

• Querida Anderson, Managing Editor, Fierce Pharma

Panelists:

• David Baram, PhD, President & CEO, Emendo Biotherapeutics
• Parastoo Khoshakhlagh, PhD, CEO & Co-Founder, GC Therapeutics
• Yvette Leung, Head, Corporate Development Dyno Therapeutics
• Daniel Oliver, CEO & Co-Founder, Rejuvenate Bio

10:30 am – 12:30 pm – Adams, Louis, Apartment South

Presenting Companies

11:30 am – Holmes I

Leveraging AI and ML to Advance Discovery and Accelerate Drug Development

Advances in AI and ML drug discovery are poised to dramatically increase the rate at which promising compounds are identified, developed, and approved for patients.

Moderator:

• Stephen Thau, Partner & Co-Chair, Life Sciences Group, Orrick

Panelists:

• Rabia Khan, PhD, CEO, Ladder Therapeutics
• Bogdan Knezevic, PhD, CEO, Kaleidoscope
• David Li, Co-Founder & CEO, Meliora Therapeutics
• Han Lim, PhD, CBO, DeepCure
• David Poon, PhD, CBO, Gandeeva Therapeutics

12:30 pm – Villard Ballroom

Food for Thought: Luncheon Discussion

Fireside Chat: Deeper into the Data for Transformative Health

The science and technology to help us predict and prevent diseases is arriving. The big task now is to make it work for millions of people. In a health-care world that stresses wellness, how do we tease actionable recommendations for each individual? And how can we leverage data mining and “search” tools for better outcomes?

Moderator: 

• Querida Anderson, Managing Editor, Fierce Biotech

Discussants:

• Leroy Hood, MD, PhD, CEO/Founder, Phenome Health & Chief Strategy Officer and Professor, Institute for Systems Biology

• Scott Penberthy, PhD, Director, Applied AI, Office of the CTO, Google

2:00 pm – Holmes I

TechBio: Investment Fad or Here to Stay? 

What is it? The direct application of engineering biotechnology discovery. TechBio companies are all about their discovery engines while being target agnostic.

Moderator: 

• Kimberly Ha, Founder & CEO, KKH Advisors

Panelists:

• Amee Kapadia, Principal, Cantos Ventures
• Chas Pulido, Founder & General Partner, Alix Ventures 
• Dylan Reid, Partner, Zetta Venture Partners
• Shaq Vayda, Senior Associate, Lux Capital

2:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Kennedy I & II

One-To-Ones

2:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Adams, Louis, Apartment South

Presenting Companies

3:00 pm – Holmes I

Digital Health: VR, AR, Wearables and Prescription Digital Therapeutics (PDTs) re-Shaping the Future of Health(care)

The technological innovations that made information and decision-making tools accessible have changed how we get our news, communicate, purchase real estate, shop for cars, and even select companions. Now, it is changing how we manage our health and how we treat illnesses, including previously intractable conditions. We are only in the early days of applying these technologies to healthcare – what does the future hold?

Moderator:

• Walter Greenleaf, PhD, Distinguished Visiting Scholar, Stanford University’s MediaX Program

Panelists:

• Sam Kerr, Vice President, Corporate Development, Interaxon Inc. (“Muse")
• Tarcan Kiper, Founder & CEO, Neo Auvra Corp.
• Nanea Reeves, CEO & Co-Founder, TRIPP, Inc.

3:00 pm – Holmes II

Women’s Health: Getting the Long Overdue Research Attention, Investment, & Innovation

“Women’s health is an economic issue we can’t afford to ignore” according to the WAHM Report. Women were excluded from clinical trials until the 1990s and, therefore a clear gender-gap exists in biomedical research spanning from pre-clinical studies, clinical trials to post-marketing surveillance, often leading to suboptimal drug therapy in women.

Investment in women’s health has been systematically underfunded and this needs to change, especially as the market for women’s health is expected to grow to +$40 billion by 2027, according to FORTUNE Business Insights. Strengthening scientific rigor by including gender differences, will only encourage innovation in personalized medicines and optimized drug development, leading to population health equity. Join us as this group of pioneers discuss their commitment to addressing women’s health.

Moderator:

• Pooja Majmudar, PhD, Director, Startup Banking, Silicon Valley Bank

Panelists:

• Chihiro Hosoya, Head of Rx+ Business & Commercial Development and Open Business Creation, Astellas Rx+ Business Accelerator LLC
• Anna Nakayasu, MD, Principal, Sozo Ventures
• Mylene Yao, MD, Co-Founder & CEO, Univfy

4:00 pm – Holmes I

Fostering Greater Engagement, Collaboration, and Innovation Across a Remote/Hybrid Workforce

The pandemic has likely forever changed the way individuals work together within teams and across organizations. This session will explore 1) the expectations and tactics employers are deploying to engage employees that no longer are expected (or willing) to regularly come together in close physical proximity, and 2) how to promote collaboration and innovation within hybrid or remote work environments.

Moderator:

• David Fortier, Managing Partner, Global Life Sciences Practice Leader, ZRG

Panelists:

• Rona Anhalt, Chief People Officer, EQRx
• Elisabeth Leiderman, MD, CFO/CBO, Atsena Therapeutics
• Neal Padte, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Development Officer, RenBio
• Michele Tong, Executive Director, Global Executive Talent Acquisition, Merck

5:00 pm – Villard Ballroom

A “Big Think” Plenary

Funding Innovation: What is the New Normal?

Moderator:

• Tim Opler, PhD, Partner & Co-Founder, Torreya

Panelists:

• Rachelle Jacques, President & CEO, Akari Therapeutics
• Sean MacGregor, Executive Director, Healthcare Investment Banking, J.P. Morgan
• Peter Rehnquist, Director, Corporate Development, XOMA
• Barbara Ryan, Founder, Barbara Ryan Advisors
• Allan Shaw, CFO, Portage Biotech, Inc.

5:45 pm – Villard Foyer

Evening Reception

8:00 pm – CURE 345 Park Avenue South

Beats & Bio: A Cocktail Networking Reception