A funny thing happened to the unprecedented multi-year bull run in biotech this past summer: it ended.
The parade of IPOs and sky high valuations have come to a halt; biotech startups will have to adjust accordingly. Drug companies have become a target in an election year as the pricing debate has taken center stage.
Yet biotech innovation continues apace, particularly in Boston, and venture firms are flush with cash to support it. Cambridge has become a hub for a new type of gene editing system that may soon reach human clinical testing. Researchers continue to unlock new ways to harness the immune system to battle cancer. Investments in neuroscience have picked up, as have forays into the intersection of technology and healthcare.
These and other innovations—as well as the many headwinds they’ll face in a more challenging environment—are the focus of our annual What’s Hot in Boston Biotech conference. This year’s event will take place the afternoon of April 6 at Biogen’s campus on Binney Street in Cambridge. We’re putting together a packed lineup of local innovators, executives, researchers, and investors to tackle a variety of topics. Below are some of the names you can expect to see:
Chris Viehbacher, Executive Chairman, Boston Pharmaceuticals; Managing Partner, Gurnet Point Capital
Phillip A. Sharp, Nobel Laureate; Institute Professor, MIT
Nessan Bermingham, Founder & CEO, Intellia
Bruce Booth, Partner, Altlas Venture
Deborah Dunsire, CEO, Forum Pharmaceuticals
Gregory Verdine, Founder & CSO, Warp Drive Bio; Professor, Harvard University
Al Sandrock, EVP & Chief Medical Officer, Biogen
Peter Hecht, CEO, Ironwood Pharmaceuticals
Jens Eckstein, President, SR One
Peter Kolchinsky, Founder & Managing Director, RA Capital
Nir Hacohen, Co-founder, Neon Therapeutics; Director, MGH Center for Immunotherapy
Cary Pfeffer, Interim CEO, Neon Therapeutics; Partner, Third Rock Ventures
Daphne Zohar, CEO, Puretech Health
Robert Urban, Head, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Boston
More updates are coming, so stay tuned. But grab your tickets here—you can save some cash if you take advantage of our early bird rate and register before next Wednesday. See you all at Biogen on April 6.
