WMIF MAIN SITE
2024 Event Site
The ninth annual World Medical Innovation Forum was at a new venue, Westin Seaport Boston.
This year, we gathered to discuss the extraordinary opportunities in CNS/Brain Health, Oncology, Inflammation & Immunology and the profound impact they will have on medicine. In more than thirty sessions over the course of three days, Mass General Brigham’s Harvard faculty, industry experts and leading investors and entrepreneurs explored the technologies and challenges as we continue to bring life-changing breakthroughs to our patients and millions around the world.
The World Medical Innovation Forum was established to reaffirm the importance of collaborative innovation—academia, industry and government working together to create solutions for medicine’s great challenges. Our goal is to provide actionable insights for Forum participants. We are grateful to the nearly 200 senior executives, investors, Harvard clinicians and investigators who shared their perspectives as speakers.
Managing Director, Global Research, BofA Securities
Frank Wilkens Jr and Family Endowed Scholar in AD Research, MGH; – Assistant Professor of Neurology, HMS
Atlantic Charter Director of the Discovery Center for Musculoskeletal Recovery, Schoen Adams Research Institute, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital; – Faculty, HMS
Acting Chief Academic Officer, Mass General Brigham; – Professor of Medicine, HMS
Lancer Endowed Chair of Dermatology; – Director, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, MGH; – Professor of Dermatology, HMS
Chief Digital Health Physician, MITRE
Director, Alzheimer’s Clinical & Translational Research Unit, – Translational Neurology Head & Managing Director, Interdisciplinary Brain Center, MGH; – Professor of Neurology, HMS
Associate Bioengineer, BWH; – Associate Professor of Medicine, HMS
Vice President Clinical Research, BWH; – Professor, HMS
CFO, 2seventy bio
CEO, Orna Therapeutics
Physician, BWH; – Associate Professor, HMS
Neurologist/ALS Clinical Researcher, MGH; – Associate Professor, HMS
Managing Director, Healthcare Investment Banking, BofA Securities
CEO, Tempest Therapeutics
CEO, AlloVir
Managing Director, Global Research, BofA Securities
Principal, BGR Group
President, Mass General Hospital; – MGH Trustees Professor of Emergency Medicine, HMS
CEO, MassChallenge
Managing Director, Co-Head, North American Healthcare Investment Banking, Head of Life Sciences Investment Banking, BofA Securities
Commissioner, US Food and Drug Administration
Professor of Radiology, University of Michigan
Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer CVS Health
Pathologist and Principal Investigator, BWH; – Associate Professor of Pathology, HMS
President, Massachusetts, Bank of America
Co-Founder & CTO, Mammoth Biosciences
Managing Director, Senior Equity Research Analyst, BofA Securities
Equity Research Associate, BofA Securities
Chief Innovation Officer, Mass General Brigham
Co-CEO, Amylyx Pharmaceuticals
Director, Lupus Program, BWH; – Professor of Medicine, HMS
Chair, Department of Neurology, MGH; – Julieanne Dorn Professor of Neurology, HMS
EVP and Chief Scientific Officer, REGENXBIO
CEO, Acadia Pharmaceuticals
Director, High Risk Skin Cancer Clinic, MGH; – MGH Research Scholar; – Associate Professor, HMS
General Partner, The Engine
Director, Lab of Medical Imaging and Computation, Mass General Brigham; – Assistant Professor, HMS
Surgeon-in-Chief, BWH; – Moseley Professor of Surgery, HMS
Chief Scientific Officer & President, Worldwide Research, Development and Medical, Pfizer
Eaton Peabody Professor of Otolaryngology, HMS, Mass Eye and Ear
Associate Pediatrician, Mass General for Children; – Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, HMS
Principal Investigator, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, MGH; – Associate Professor, HMS
Chair of Psychiatry, MGH; – Slater Family Professor of Psychiatry, HMS
Radiologist, Physician-Scientist, MGH; – Associate Professor of Radiology, HMS
Partner, Mass General Brigham Ventures
Director of Clinical Research, Mass General Cancer Center; – Professor of Medicine, HMS
Partner, Atlas Venture
Vice President, Strategic Innovation Leaders, Mass General Brigham Innovation
SVP, Business Development and Corporate Strategy, Moderna
Founder & General Partner, Mission BioCapital; – Co-Founder & President, LabCentral; – CEO, BioLabs
Chief Financial Officer, Mass General Brigham
Head of US Economics Research, Bank of America
Chief Commercial Officer, Moderna
Physician-Scientist, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, MGH; – Associate Professor of Dermatology, HMS
President & CEO, Anokion
Biopharma Equity Research Analyst, Bank of America
Co-Director of the Institute for Technology in Psychiatry, – President of the Many Brains Project, McLean Hospital; – Associate Professor of Psychiatry, HMS
Founder, CEO & CIO, GordonMD Global Investments
Former Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration (2017-2019)
Chief of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity, BWH; – Theodore Bevier Bayles Professor of Medicine, HMS
Neurologist, BWH; – Professor of Neurology, HMS
Director, Mass General Cancer Center; – Kurt J. Isselbacher Professor of Oncology, HMS
Director, Gene & Cell Therapy Institute Mass General Brigham
Vice President, Global Research, BofA Securities
Secretary of Economic Development, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Principal, Health & Digital, Oliver Wyman
President & CEO, Sana Biotechnology
Vice President, Global Research, BofA Securities
Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
CEO, Affimed
CEO, Third Harmonic Bio
CEO, Boundless Bio
Senior Vice President, Network for Excellence in Health Innovation (NEHI)
Director, Neuroregeneration Research Institute, McLean Hospital; – Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience, HMS
Associate Scientist, Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass Eye and Ear; – Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, HMS
Investigator, Center for Cancer Research, MGH; – Assistant Professor of Medicine, HMS
CEO & Founder, DICE Therapeutics
CEO, ROME Therapeutics
Founder, President & CEO, Sapience Therapeutics
CEO, Celsius Therapeutics
Operating Partner & Senior Advisor, The Riverside Company
Senior Vice President, Business Development, Amgen
Senior Vice President, Venture, Business Development and Licensing, Mass General Brigham
Co-CEO, Amylyx Pharmaceuticals
President & CEO, Mass General Brigham
President & Managing Partner, F-Prime Capital
Partner, Bain Capital Life Sciences
Director of Translational and Clinical Research, BWH; – Assistant Professor of Anesthesia, HMS
President, The Kraft Group; – Chairman, Board of Trustees, MGH
Director, Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, BWH; – Samuel L. Wasserstrom Professor of Neurology, HMS
Araminta Broch-Healey Endowed Chair in ALS, MGH; – Associate Professor of Neurology, HMS
Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President, Digital, Mass General Brigham – Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, HMS
President & CEO, Imunon
Chief of Oncodermatology, BHW; – Vice Chair of Dermatology, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center; – Associate Professor of Dermatology, HMS
SVP, Head of Research, GSK
President & CEO, ADARx Pharmaceuticals
Associate Physician, Department of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity, BWH; – Associate Professor of Medicine and Biomedical Informatics, HMS
Chief Corporate Development & Strategy Officer, Alnylam
CEO, Merus
President & CEO, Vigil Neuroscience
CEO, Notch Therapeutics
Senior Staff Scientist, BWH; – Professor of Pathology, HMS
Principal Investigator, MGH – Assistant Professor, HMS
Managing Director, Global Research, BofA Securities
Managing Director, Healthcare Investment Banking, BofA Securities
Managing Director, Head of Global Healthcare Investment Banking, BofA Securities
CEO, BioXcel Therapeutics
Chief of Ophthalmology, Mass Eye and Ear and MGH; – Ophthalmologist-in-Chief, BWH; – David Glendenning Cogan Professor of Ophthalmology, HMS
President & CEO, REGENXBIO
CEO, Q32 Bio
Chair & CEO, Bank of America
Managing Director, Co-Head of Origination, Americas Equity Capital Markets, BofA Securities
Director-CEVR, Tufts Medical Center
President, Institute for Clinical and Economic Review; – Lecturer, Department of Population Medicine, HMS
CEO, Nuvalent
Director, Familial Dementia Neuroimaging Lab and Director, Multicultural Alzheimer’s Prevention Program, MGH; – Paul B. and Sandra M. Edgerley MGH Research Scholar; – Associate Professor, HMS
Director, Center for Multiple Myeloma, Mass General Cancer Center; – Professor of Medicine, HMS
Chief Scientific Officer, McLean Hospital; – Professor of Psychiatry, HMS
President & CEO, Cognition Therapeutics
Chief Strategy Officer, BioNTech
Chair & CEO, Eli Lilly and Company
CEO & Co-Founder, QurAlis
Chief Financial Officer, UC Davis Health
Chief Scientific Officer, Verge Genomics
President & CEO, AvenCell Therapeutics
CEO & Co-Founder, Compass Therapeutics
CEO, IGM Biosciences
President & CEO, Lyell
Chief, Reproductive Endocrine Unit, MGH; – Professor of Medicine, HMS
Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer, Intellia Therapeutics
Partner, Venrock
Co-Founder & CEO, Hippocratic AI
Vice President, Strategic Innovation Leaders, Mass General Brigham Innovation
President & CEO, Abata Therapeutics
President & Co-Founder, Moveworks
Associate Chief for Research and Director, Center for Precision Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, MGH; – Tepper Family MGH Research Scholar; – Professor of Psychiatry, HMS
Associate Physician, BWH; – Associate Professor of Medicine, HMS
Co-Founder & Senior Advisor, Health Advances
Co-CEO, Thomas H. Lee Partners; – Chairman of the Board, Mass General Brigham
Co-Founder & CEO, Endpoint Health
CEO, Chroma Medicine
Vice President, Global Research, BofA Securities
Executive Director, Mass General Brigham MESH Incubator; – Associate Chair of Innovation & Commercialization, Mass General Brigham Radiology; – Strategic Innovation Leader, Mass General Brigham Innovation
Vice-Chair, Neurology, Director, Genetics and Aging Research Unit, MGH; – Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy Professor of Neurology, HMS
Associate Clinical Director for Innovation, Mass General Cancer Center; – Associate Professor of Medicine, HMS
Medical Correspondent, CNN
CEO, LEXEO Therapeutics
CEO, Matchpoint Therapeutics
President & CEO, Biogen
Trustees Endowed Scholar in Anesthesia and Alexander Healey Endowed Chair in ALS, Neurology & Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, MGH; – Associate Professor, HMS
Director, Harvard Study of Adult Development, MGH; – Professor of Psychiatry, HMS
Secretary of Health and Human Services, State of Massachusetts
Director of the Center for Learning Health Systems, BWH; – Professor of the Practice of Psychiatry, HMS
Director, Cardio-Rheumatology Clinic, Associate Physician, Prevention Cardiology and Cardiovascular Imaging, BWH; – Instructor of Medicine, HMS
Director, Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health
Pediatric Endocrinologist, MGH; – Assistant Professor, HMS
President & CEO, Kura Oncology
Vice President, US Biopharmaceutical Equity Research Analyst, BofA Securities
Vice President, Global Research, BofA Securities
Moderators
Paul Anderson MD PhD
Roger Kitterman
Presenters
Mark Albers MD PhD
Yakeel Quiroz PhD
Tanya Mayadas PhD
Synho Do PhD
Tatjana Jakobs MD
Russell Jenkins MD PhD
Clotilde Lagier Tourenne MD PhD
Kerry Ressler MD PhD
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 will impose some of the most far-reaching changes in federal policy on biopharmaceuticals in recent years, including direct negotiation of drug prices by Medicare, and significant redesign of Medicare prescription drug benefits to lower costs borne by Medicare beneficiaries. The panel will examine the current status of key IRA provisions that may influence biopharmaceutical innovation in the years ahead, including new reporting requirements faced by industry; Medicare’s new authorities to negotiate “Maximum Fair Prices” for selected drugs; and the potential impact of lower patient costs on drug utilization.
Moderator
Tom Hubbard
Panelists
Peter Neumann ScD
Steven Pearson MD
Moderators
Paul Anderson MD PhD
Roger Kitterman
Presenters
Fabrisia Ambrosio PhD
Li Chai MD
Angela Shen MD
Ralph Mazitschek PhD
Shawn Demehri MD PhD
Brian Wainger MD PhD
Jordan Smoller MD ScD
Natalie Artzi PhD
This panel will take a focused look at the potential implications of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 on biopharmaceutical innovation. While the full impact of the IRA is not yet clear, drug developers, patient advocates and other stakeholders are watching for the potential impact on small molecule drug development, on overall development of cancer therapies, on patient care for major chronic diseases, among other concerns.
Moderator
Tom Hubbard
Panelists
Stephen Brady
Remy Brim PhD
Pat Fortune PhD
John Lepore MD
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
TBD
Introducer
Scott Sperling
Moderator
Jonathan Kraft
Panelists
Anne Klibanski MD
Brian Moynihan
Maura Healey
Moderator
Meg Tirrell
Panelist
Chris Viehbacher
Drugs that target the brain are among the most challenging to develop, yet they also signify an area of extraordinary unmet need. Driven by a deeper understanding of the complex biology of the human brain and the emergence of validated molecular targets for neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases, the field is beginning to make important strides. This panel will discuss the innovative drugs for conditions such as ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and depression that are now in and/or emerging from the drug development pipeline.
Moderators
Maurizio Fava MD
Greg Harrison
Panelists
Joshua Cohen
Steve Davis
Justin Klee
Ivana Magovcevic Liebisch PhD
Vimal Mehta MD
Moderator
Rudolph Tanzi PhD
Panelist
Robert Waldinger MD
Working at the intersection of multiple fields, researchers are wielding a suite of new-age tools to diagnose and treat diseases of the brain. Those include digital health tools, remote patient monitoring and telemedicine technologies, as well as novel apps and AI-based approaches. This panel will feature experts from across these varied domains to discuss the latest trends in brain health.
Moderators
Ole Isacson MD PhD
Charlie Yang PhD
Panelists
Lisa Ricciardi
Kasper Roet PhD
Robert Scannevin PhD
A new era of precision medicine is upon us and has yielded some notable successes in key disease areas. Scientists are now pursuing this vision for diseases of the brain and spinal cord, harnessing biomarkers, molecularly targeted drugs, as well as gene and cell therapies aimed at the root causes of CNS diseases. This panel will feature a discussion of the major opportunities and challenges for the field.
Moderators
Merit Cudkowicz MD
Aamir Mecklai
Panelists
Janice Chen PhD
Olivier Danos
Zhen Li PhD
Catherine Stehman Breen MD
R Nolan Townsend
Moderator
David Brown MD
Panelist
Kate Walsh
Moderators
Michael Cherny
Niyum Gandhi
Panelist
Sree Chaguturu MD
Moderators
Geoff Meacham PhD
Paula Ness Speers
Panelist
Arpa Garay
A new generation of oncology drugs is emerging that includes bispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates and other novel feats of protein engineering. Together, these new biologic drugs seek to maximize tumor killing while minimizing immune and healthy tissue toxicities. The panel will discuss this new wave of innovation and what it means for the treatment of solid tumors.
Moderator
Daniel Haber MD PhD
Panelists
Bill Lundberg MD
Thomas Schuetz MD PhD
Fred Schwarzer
CAR-T cell therapy has been a game-changer for some patients with hematologic malignancies, yielding remarkable responses. Now, researchers are working to adapt and harness this technology not only to target solid tumors, but also to improve outcomes in liquid tumors. This panel will discuss the latest advances in this field — which strategies seem to hold promise, and where innovation can help move the needle for this important therapeutic modality.
Moderators
Angela Shen MD
Panelists
Corinne Le Goff PharMD
Ryan Richardson
By scouring the cancer genome, scientists are illuminating a suite of molecular targets and pathways that drive cancer growth and progression. These discoveries are fueling a new era of small molecule drug discovery in oncology. Hear from the leaders of key biotech companies in the field about the latest trends, opportunities, and key challenges.
Moderators
Keith Flaherty MD
Jason Gerberry
Panelists
Stephen Brady
Zachary Hornby
James Porter PhD
10:55 AM – 11:00 AM
Grand Ballroom
Presenters:
Paul Anderson MD PhD
Miceal Chamberlain
Roger Kitterman
The biotech sector has taken a significant downturn — and so have investments. How are these changes impacting investing patterns and habits? Will the market slump transform investment going forward or will the “old ways” return? What is the outlook for the future? Hear what leading venture capitalists are thinking about these and other topics.
Moderators
Greg Butz
Yvonne Hao
Sumit Mukherjee
Panelists
Jean Francois Formela MD
Craig Gordon MD
Roger Kitterman
Nimish Shah
11:50 AM – 12:50 PM
Watch Panel HereModerator
Miceal Chamberlain
Panelist
Michael Gapen PhD
Moderator
Geoff Meacham PhD
Panelist
David Ricks
Since 2017 six CAR-T therapies have been approved by the FDA for a number of liquid tumors and these therapies have produced remarkable results for patients. In many respects these are all first generation agents and this raises the question of where does the field go next? Dual or n-plexed targeting, side effect reduction, use of different T-cell subtypes and alternative applications outside of cancer are among the possibilities. This panel of experts will discuss their view of where is this evolving field is heading.
Moderators
Noopur Raje MD
Alec Stranahan PhD
Panelists
Chip Baird
Steve Harr MD
Laura Sepp Lorenzino PhD
Introducer
Yvonne Hao
Moderators
Andrew Bressler
Adam Koppel MD PhD
Panelist
Renee Wegrzyn PhD
Precision oncology, defined as molecular profiling of tumors to identify targetable alterations, is rapidly developing and has entered the mainstream of clinical practice. While the focus has been on different mutations, this panel will look at precision medicine from a different lens ranging from unique targets (ie. Menin) to harnessing different effector cells (NK-cells).
Moderators
Elisabeth Battinelli MD PhD
John Bishai PhD
Panelists
Adi Hoess MD PhD
Barry Kappel PhD
Troy Wilson PhD
For a long time, the products developed and marketed by the pharmaceutical industry consisted of small molecule drugs and natural products such as insulin. A couple of decades ago, biologics revolutionized the drug industry with the introduction of agents such as recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies. Today, a third arm is emerging in the form of “cells as drugs” or more concisely, cell therapy. This panel will describe some of the technological, regulatory and commercial differences implied by cell therapy adoption and some development directions that are expected to enable the greatest benefit.
Moderators
David Ting MD
Jason Zemansky PhD
Panelists
Tom Barnes PhD
David Main
Andrew Schiermeier PhD
Moderator
Lindsey Baden MD
4:50 PM – 5:30 PM
Grand Ballroom
Moderators
Greg Butz
Adrian Mee
Panelists
Said Francis
Rachna Khosla
Evan Lippman
8:00 AM – 8:25 AM
Grand Ballroom
Fireside
Moderators
Keith Kerman MD
Geoff Meacham PhD
Panelist
Scott Gottlieb MD
Focus on Inflammation and Immunology has grown massively over the past couple of decades. Initial focus was on the utilization of antibodies to block key inflammatory cytokines. Beyond cytokines, the focus shifted to also include B-cell and complement targets. More recently, the field has evolved to incorporate novel chemistry to provide patients with simple, oral solutions in a world dominated by biologics.
Moderator
Steven Greenberg MD
Panelists
Natalie Holles
Kevin Judice PhD
Rosana Kapeller MD PhD
Andre Turenne
Scientists are developing a new generation of treatments for autoimmune and inflammatory disease that seek to restore balance to the immune system. A variety of approaches are underway, ranging from engineered immune cells, such as regulatory T cells, to re-engineered hematopoietic stem cells that rebuild patients’ blood and immune cells from the ground up. This panel will discuss these and other innovative therapies that are now under development.
Moderators
Ellen Gravallese MD
Alexandria Hammond PhD
Panelists
Diana Brainard MD
Deborah Geraghty PhD
Samantha Singer
Precision medicine has dominated the oncology landscape over the past several years. Now, it is time for the Immunological revolution through targeted, precision medicines. This panel will assess the various means novel companies are taking to approach this ranging from rebalancing the immune system to genomic and proteomics paired with AI.
Moderators
Susan Chor
Karen Costenbader MD
Panelists
Tariq Kassum MD
Jodie Morrison
Jason Springs
Moderators
Vijay Kuchroo Dmv PhD
Geoff Meacham PhD
Panelist
Mikael Dolsten MD PhD
Moderators
Paul Anderson MD PhD
Lilit Garibyan MD PhD
Rudolph Tanzi PhD
Panelists
Rachel Whooten MD
Steven Arnold MD
Joan Miller MD
Florian Fintelmann MD
David Ting MD
Stephanie Seminara MD
Roger Hajjar MD
Vesela Kovacheva MD PhD
James Berry MD
Lindsey Baden MD
Chadi El Saleeby MD
Gerard Doherty MD
12:30 PM – 12:45 PM
Grand Ballroom
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