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2022 STAT Breakthrough Science Summit

About

Come for what’s next

Never before has the importance of the science of biology to the future of humanity been so evident. Come learn about the latest weapons being leveled against the pandemic, at rare disease, and at cancer and other common diseases. See how new technologies are helping patients, and explore how we’ll pay for all of this innovation.

The redefinition of the way medicines are developed and used starts here.

The 2022 STAT Breakthrough Science Summit is complete

Thank you to the speakers and all who tuned into our STAT Breakthrough Science Summit. Be sure to catch up on key moments from the event and learn more about our upcoming Summit.

Speakers

Hear from industry-shaping speakers

Apply today to be considered for speaking opportunities for future events.

Annaliesa Anderson, Ph.D.

Annaliesa Anderson, Ph.D.

SVP, Chief Scientific Officer for Bacterial Vaccines and Hospital, Pfizer

Charlotte Allerton

Charlotte Allerton

SVP, Head of Medicine Design, Pfizer

Jitka Amira Ismail Virag, Ph.D.

Jitka Amira Ismail Virag, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Physiology, The Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University

Rick Berke

STAT MODERATOR

Rick Berke

Co-Founder & Executive Editor, STAT

Rachele Berria, M.D., Ph.D.

SPONSOR SPEAKER

Rachele Berria, M.D., Ph.D.

Vice President, US Medical, BioPharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca

Galya Blachman, Ph.D., Esq.

Galya Blachman, Ph.D., Esq.

General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, 5AM Ventures

Richard Bonneau, Ph.D.

SPONSOR SPEAKER

Richard Bonneau, Ph.D.

Co-founder and Executive Director, Prescient Design, Genentech

Jay Bradner

SPONSOR SPEAKER

Jay Bradner

President of the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Novartis

Giovanni Caforio, M.D.

Giovanni Caforio, M.D.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Bristol Myers Squibb

Robert M. Califf, M.D.

Robert M. Califf, M.D.

Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration

Laura Chang

STAT MODERATOR

Laura Chang

Editorial Director, STAT

Henry Colefraft, Ph.D.

Henry Colefraft, Ph.D.

John C. Dalton Professor of Physiology & Cellular Biophysics, Professor of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Columbia University

John Dwyer

John Dwyer

President, Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation

John Evans

John Evans

CEO, Beam Therapeutics

Adam Feuerstein

STAT MODERATOR

Adam Feuerstein

Senior Writer, Biotech, STAT

Nicholas Florko

STAT MODERATOR

Nicholas Florko

Washington Correspondent, STAT

Damian Garde

STAT MODERATOR

Damian Garde

National Biotech Reporter, STAT

Céline Gounder, M.D., ScM, FIDSA

Céline Gounder, M.D., ScM, FIDSA

Senior Fellow & Editor-at-Large for Public Health at KFF’s Kaiser Health News

Aida Habtezion, M.D., M.Sc.

SPONSOR SPEAKER

Aida Habtezion, M.D., M.Sc.

Chief Medical Officer, Head of Worldwide Medical and Safety, Pfizer

Matthew Herper

STAT Moderator

Matthew Herper

Senior Writer, Medicine; Editorial Director of Events, STAT

Orin Herskowitz

Orin Herskowitz

Executive Director, Columbia Technology Ventures

Insoo Hyun, Ph.D.

Insoo Hyun, Ph.D.

Director of the Center for Life Sciences and Public Learning, Museum of Science, Boston; director of research ethics, Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics

Jonathan Jackson, Ph.D.

Jonathan Jackson, Ph.D.

Executive director, Community Access, Recruitment, and Engagement (CARE) Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School

Andrew Joseph

STAT MODERATOR

Andrew Joseph

General Assignment Reporter, STAT

Taku Kambayashi, M.D., Ph.D.

Taku Kambayashi, M.D., Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Primal Kaur, M.D.

SPONSOR SPEAKER

Primal Kaur, M.D.

VP, Therapeutic Area Governance Chair and Therapeutic Area Head Global Development, Inflammation, Amgen

Lawrence Klein, Ph.D.

Lawrence Klein, Ph.D.

Chief Operating Officer, CRISPR Therapeutics

Dean Li, M.D., Ph.D.

Dean Li, M.D., Ph.D.

President, Merck Research Laboratories

Alessandro Maselli

SPONSOR SPEAKER

Alessandro Maselli

President & Chief Operating Officer, Catalent Pharma Solutions

Robert Montgomery, M.D., D.Phil, FACS

Robert Montgomery, M.D., D.Phil, FACS

H. Leon Pachter, M.D. Professor of Surgery; Chair, Department of Surgery at NYU Langone Health; Director, NYU Langone Transplant Institute

Megan Molteni

STAT MODERATOR

Megan Molteni

Science Writer, STAT

Jimi Olaghere

Jimi Olaghere

CRISPR gene-editing therapy recipient

Doug Olson, Ph.D.

Doug Olson, Ph.D.

Cancer survivor and patient number two in the initial CART 19 clinical trial at the University of Pennsylvania

Alex Oshmyansky, M.D., Ph.D.

Alex Oshmyansky, M.D., Ph.D.

Founder and CEO, Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company

Theresa Podrebarac, M.D., M.Sc.

SPONSOR SPEAKER

Theresa Podrebarac, M.D., M.Sc.

Senior Vice President, Clinical Development, Horizon Therapeutics

Sarah Reed

Sarah Reed

General Counsel, RA Capital Management, LP

Nicole Renaud, Ph.D.

SPONSOR SPEAKER

Nicole Renaud, Ph.D.

Data Science US Lead for Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR)

Gregory A. Rippon, M.D., M.S.

SPONSOR SPEAKER

Gregory A. Rippon, M.D., M.S.

Vice President and Chief Medical Partner, Neurology, Ophthalmology and Internal Medicine, Genentech

Stefano Sacanna, Ph.D.

Stefano Sacanna, Ph.D.

Professor of Chemistry, New York University

Laura Sepp-Lorenzino, Ph.D.

Laura Sepp-Lorenzino, Ph.D.

Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer, Intellia Therapeutics

Mark S. Shearman, Ph.D.

Mark S. Shearman, Ph.D.

Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Editas Medicine

Kate Sheridan

STAT MODERATOR

Kate Sheridan

Research Reporter, STAT

Ed Silverman

STAT MODERATOR

Ed Silverman

Pharmalot Columnist; Senior Writer, STAT

Craig Spencer, M.D., MPH

Craig Spencer, M.D., MPH

Director of Global Health in Emergency Medicine at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center

Nicholas St. Fleur

STAT MODERATOR

Nicholas St. Fleur

General Assignment Reporter; Associate Editorial Director Of Events, STAT

Megan Sykes, M.D.

Megan Sykes, M.D.

Michael J. Friedlander Professor of Medicine and Professor of Microbiology & Immunology and Surgical Sciences (in Surgery), Columbia University

Roz Tolliver

Roz Tolliver

Ankylosing Spondylitis patient and advocate

Philip Andrew Turney

Philip Andrew Turney

Advocate for incarcerated people

Charles D. Williams Sr., M.D.

Charles D. Williams Sr., M.D.

Colonel (Retired), USAF; combined heart-liver transplant recipient

George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D.

George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D.

President and Chief Scientific Officer, Regeneron

Dian Yang, Ph.D.

Dian Yang, Ph.D.

Damon Runyon Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Jonathan Weissman, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Sciences

Agenda

We brought you an inside look at the innovations redefining health and medicine with probing interviews and lively panels featuring experts from across the industry.

March 31, 2022

7:00 a.m. ET

Onsite rapid testing begins

All attendees, speakers, and staff will be asked to complete a Covid-19 rapid antigen test upon arrival. Please allow at least 20 minutes to complete this process before proceeding to the event space.

7:30 a.m. ET

Networking breakfast begins

Buffet breakfast will be served with ample space for attendee networking.

9:00 a.m. ET

Welcome from STAT

5 minutes
Matthew Herper, senior writer, medicine, editorial director of events, STAT

9:05 a.m. ET

Patient spotlight

5 minutes
Doug Olson, Ph.D., cancer survivor and patient number two in the initial CART 19 clinical trial at the University of Pennsylvania

9:10 a.m. ET
Sponsor Speaker

Welcome Remarks

5 minutes
Richard Bonneau, Ph.D., co-founder and executive director, prescient design, Genentech

9:15 a.m. ET

Bristol Myers Squibb: Big steps

25 minutes
Giovanni Caforio, M.D., chairman and chief executive officer, Bristol Myers Squibb Adam Feuerstein, senior writer, biotech, STAT (moderator)

2022 is set to be a big year for BMS, with a new heart drug, a treatment for psoriasis, and, perhaps most importantly, the third new type of medicine in a category BMS pioneered: immune therapies to fight cancer by allowing the immune system to attack it. The CEO speaks.

9:40 p.m. ET

The Paxlovid story

30 minutes
Annaliesa Anderson, Ph.D., SVP, chief scientific officer for bacterial vaccines and hospital, Pfizer Charlotte Allerton, SVP, head of medicine design, Pfizer Matthew Herper, senior writer, medicine; editorial director of events, STAT (moderator)

These scientists developed an effective oral drug to treat Covid-19 in less than two years. Hear how it happened firsthand.

10:10 a.m. ET

Interstitial

5 minutes

10:15 a.m. ET
Sponsor Speaker

Investigating new molecular pathways to unlock breakthrough treatments

5 minutes
Theresa Podrebarac, M.D., M.Sc., senior vice president, clinical development, Horizon Therapeutics

Forging into under-explored avenues of scientific research could help patients with rare, autoimmune, and inflammatory disorders.

10:20 a.m. ET

Patient spotlight

5 minutes
Jimi Olaghere, CRISPR gene-editing therapy recipient

10:25 a.m. ET

CRISPR at a crossroads

35 minutes
John Evans, CEO, Beam Therapeutics Lawrence Klein, Ph.D., chief operating officer, CRISPR Therapeutics Laura Sepp-Lorenzino, Ph.D., executive vice president, chief scientific officer, Intellia Therapeutics Mark S. Shearman, Ph.D., executive vice president and chief scientific officer, Editas Medicine Damian Garde, national biotech reporter, STAT (moderator)

Last summer, long before most people would have expected it, researchers accomplished a first: the editing of genes inside living people in order to treat disease. A look at what happens next.

11:00 a.m. ET

Patient spotlight

5 minutes
Charles D. Williams Sr., M.D., colonel (retired), USAF; combined heart-liver transplant recipient

11:05 a.m. ET

Coffee Break

15 minutes

Sponsored by Ocugen

11:20 a.m. ET

Are incarcerated people being denied one of medicine’s biggest breakthroughs?

20 minutes
Phillip Turney, advocate for incarcerated people Nicholas Florko, Washington correspondent, STAT (moderator)

Hepatitis C, the liver-destroying virus, is epidemic in prisons. New oral drugs have revolutionized its treatment. Incarcerated people don’t always get them.

11:40 a.m. ET
Sponsor Session

Searching for new ways to address inflammatory disease

10 minutes
Primal Kaur, M.D., VP, therapeutic area governance chair and therapeutic area head global development, inflammation, Amgen Nicholas St. Fleur, general assignment reporter; associate editorial director of events, STAT (moderator)

Inflammatory diseases like psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma afflict an increasing number of people. Here’s how we can better understand the biology behind these illnesses in order to develop new medicines.

11:50 a.m. ET
Sponsor Introduction

STAT Madness

40 minutes
Presenting Teams: – Using CRISPR to map the genes that cause metastasis – Dian Yang, Ph.D., Damon Runyon Postdoctoral Fellow, laboratory of Jonathan Weissman, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Sciences – Stimulating the immune system to sweat out fat – Taku Kambayashi, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania – Artificial “cell mimics” could ingest impurities from water, deliver drugs – Stefano Sacanna, Ph.D., professor of chemistry, New York University Judges Panel: Jitka Amira Ismail Virag, Ph.D., associate professor of physiology, The Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University Nicole Renaud, Ph.D., data science US lead for chemical biology and therapeutics, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) (sponsor speaker) Rick Berke, co-founder and executive editor, STAT Nicholas St. Fleur, general assignment reporter; associate editorial director of events, STAT (moderator)

Each year, universities, and research institutions across the country compete in STAT’s bracket-style tournament, STAT Madness, to be crowned the top innovation or discovery of the year. This year, for the first time, three finalists will take the stage to present their work to our panel of expert judges. Then, one will be selected as our STAT Summit pick by event attendees.

Sponsor Introduction
Jay Bradner, M.D., president of the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Novartis
12:30 p.m. ET

Lunch

75 minutes

1:45 p.m. ET

The new FDA commissioner speaks

30 minutes
Robert M. Califf, M.D., Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration Matthew Herper, senior writer, medicine; editorial director of events (moderator)

Robert Califf has done the job before. But now he has his work cut out for him. Are drug approvals too fast or too slow? Has the agency changed its standards? How will it regulate tobacco and opioids? Come hear his thoughts firsthand.

2:15 p.m. ET

Patient spotlight

5 minutes
Roz Tolliver, Ankylosing Spondylitis patient and advocate

2:20 p.m. ET
Sponsor Session

Health equity means research equity

10 minutes
Aida Habtezion, M.D., M.Sc., chief medical officer, head of worldwide medical and safety, Pfizer Laura Chang, editorial director, STAT (moderator)

Medical breakthroughs and advances in precision medicine are driven by scientific data and translational knowledge of disease(s) that impact an individual or a population. A discussion of why ensuring inclusivity at the earliest phases of research and throughout the R&D process is critical to reduce disparities in healthcare.

2:30 p.m. ET

Pig-to-human transplants?

30 minutes
Insoo Hyun, Ph.D., director of the Center for Life Sciences and Public Learning, Museum of Science, Boston; director of research ethics, Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics Robert Montgomery, M.D., D.Phil, FACS, H. Leon Pachter, M.D. Professor of Surgery; chair, Department of Surgery at NYU Langone Health; director, NYU Langone Transplant Institute Megan Sykes, M.D., Michael J. Friedlander Professor of Medicine and professor of microbiology & immunology and surgical sciences (in surgery), Columbia University Megan Molteni, science writer, STAT (moderator)

This year, doctors crossed a Rubicon: pig organs have been transplanted into human beings. Given the number of people who die due to lack of kidneys, hearts, and other organs, the potential of such work is huge. A look at the scientific and ethical hurdles ahead.

3:00 p.m. ET

Interstitial

5 minutes

3:05 p.m. ET

Merck: What’s next for its research labs?

20 minutes
Dean Li, M.D., Ph.D., president, Merck Research Laboratories Damian Garde, national biotech reporter, STAT (moderator)

Over the past decade, Merck has delivered for patients and investors because of one drug: the cancer medicine Keytruda. Now, new R&D head Dean Li lays out what’s next after some big wins and also some setbacks.

3:25 p.m. ET

Coffee Break

15 minutes

Sponsored by Ocugen.

3:40 p.m. ET

Biotech’s event horizon

30 minutes
Galya Blachman, Ph.D., Esq., general counsel and chief compliance officer, 5AM Ventures Henry M. Colecraft, Ph.D., John C. Dalton Professor of Physiology & Cellular Biophysics, professor of molecular pharmacology and therapeutics, Columbia University Orin Herskowitz, executive director, Columbia Technology Ventures Sarah Reed, general counsel, RA Capital Management, LP Kate Sheridan, research reporter, STAT (moderator)

When an idea for a new medicine emerges in academia, it’s time to form a company around it. But the negotiations between venture capitalists and the offices that guard intellectual property at universities can be fraught — and many good ideas never escape their gravity. A look at one of the great barriers to innovation.

4:10 p.m. ET
Sponsor Speaker

Transforming breakthrough science into real treatments

5 minutes
Alessandro Maselli, president & chief operating officer, Catalent Pharma Solutions

Increasingly complex pipelines across multiple modalities are transforming biopharmaceutical ecosystems. New expertise and scalable manufacturing platforms are required to turn promising molecules into effective treatments. How will this evolve and what does the industry need to do now to adapt?

4:15 p.m. ET

Interstitial

5 minutes

4:20 p.m. ET

Inside a billionaire’s plan to lower drug costs

20 minutes
Alex Oshmyansky, M.D., Ph.D. , founder and CEO, Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company Ed Silverman, Pharmalot columnist; senior writer, STAT (moderator)

The noted entrepreneur, investor, and Shark Tank-er Mark Cuban has long been clearly infuriated by the strange economics of the drug industry. Now he’s backing an effort to make many medicines far cheaper. STAT’s Pharmalot will go deep with the company’s CEO to explain what it is doing and what it may accomplish.

4:40 p.m. ET

The scientist as entrepreneur

20 minutes
George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., president and chief scientific officer, Regeneron Matthew Herper, senior writer, medicine; editorial director of events (moderator)

The Covid pandemic gave Regeneron a chance to show what it could do, as its monoclonal antibody made the company famous outside the biotech industry. Now one of biotech’s most outspoken executives lays out the plans that he says will keep the company ahead of the curve.

5:00 p.m. ET
Sponsor Session

Rethinking health in the digital age

10 minutes
Rachele Berria M.D., Ph.D., vice president, US medical, biopharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca Rick Berke, co-founder and executive editor, STAT (moderator)

New technologies could shift the focus of medicine from late-stage disease management to early detection and disease prevention. Here’s how digital health advancements are changing the way doctors and patients work together to solve problems in asthma, diabetes, and other diseases.

5:10 p.m. ET

Covid: From NYC 2020 to now

25 minutes
Céline Gounder, M.D., ScM, FIDSA, senior fellow & editor-at-large for public health at KFF’s Kaiser Health News Craig Spencer, M.D., MPH, director of global health in emergency medicine at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center Andrew Joseph, general assignment reporter, STAT (moderator)

The outbreak in New York City at the pandemic’s beginning was the worst America has seen. A look at what we have learned since then and what we can expect next.

5:35 p.m. ET

Aduhelm and equity

25 minutes
John Dwyer, president, Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation Jonathan Jackson, Ph.D., executive director, Community Access, Recruitment, and Engagement (CARE) Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital; assistant professor of neurology, Harvard Medical School Nicholas St. Fleur, general assignment reporter, associate editorial director of events, STAT

Should Medicare pay for the controversial Alzheimer’s drug outside of clinical trials? One side says no, in part because those trials included very few people of color. Another says yes, because restricting the drug means disadvantaged people won’t get a chance to receive it. A discussion between proponents of both perspectives.

6:00 p.m. ET
Sponsor Speaker

Closing Remarks

5 minutes
Gregory A. Rippon, M.D., M.S., vice president and chief medical partner, neurology, ophthalmology and internal medicine, Genentech

6:05 p.m. ET

Closing from STAT

5 minutes

6:10 p.m. ET

Networking reception begins

90 minutes
Drinks and light bites will be served with ample space for attendee networking. Sponsored by Breakthrough Properties.

Location

Hybrid Event

The 2022 STAT Breakthrough Science Summit was hosted in New York, with an option to join virtually instead.

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Presenting Sponsor

STAT Madness Sponsor

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Supporting Sponsors

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