DIA 2014 50th Annual Meeting to Examine the Changing Landscape for Bioinnovation

DIA, in partnership with the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development, will convene health care experts for a forum called “The Changing Landscape for Bioinnovation: The Emergence of Small Pharma, Strategic Alliances and Precision Medicine” during DIA’s 50th Annual Meeting at the San Diego Convention Center June 15 to 19.

The landscape for pharmaceutical R&D is shifting: from large pharmaceutical companies to small and specialty pharmaceutical companies; from vertically integrated companies to collaborative partnerships and innovation networks; and from high-volume markets to targeted and precision medicines. A two-part executive program will explore the impact of these changes on R&D and the implications for bioinnovation.

“Our annual meeting is a global platform to facilitate innovation that will change the future of health care. Smaller and specialty pharmaceutical companies need to collaborate and build partnerships to increase innovation opportunities,” said Barbara L. Kunz, DIA global chief executive. “This forum will provide insights and the impact of such strategies and implications.”

The forums, chaired by Dr. Kenneth I. Kaitin, professor and director of the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development, are June 17. The first, at 8 a.m., will emphasize the small and specialty pharmaceutical company sector as the new engine for bioinnovation. The discussion will review the roles of innovative, collaborative partnerships and strategic alliances in the discovery, development and commercialization of new medical products.

The second forum, at 10:30 a.m., will examine the ramifications of industry’s shift to targeted and precision medicines, and the impact smaller patient populations and smaller market opportunities are having on portfolio and R&D investment decisions.

Panelists include Ellen Feigal, senior vice president, research and development, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine; Scott Whitcup, chief scientific officer and executive vice president, research and development, Allergan; and Annalisa Jenkins, former executive vice president and global head of research and development, Merck Serono.

ABOUT DIA: DIA is the global connector in the life sciences product development process. Our association of more than 18,000 members builds productive relationships by bringing together regulators, innovators and influencers to exchange knowledge and collaborate in an impartial setting. DIA’s network creates unparalleled opportunities for the exchange of knowledge and has the interdisciplinary experience to prepare for future developments. DIA is an independent, nonprofit organization with its global center in Washington, D.C., regional offices covering North and South America (Horsham, Pa., USA); Europe, North Africa and the Middle East (Basel, Switzerland); and Japan (Tokyo), India (Mumbai) and China (Beijing). For more information, visit www.diahome.org or call DIA’s Global Center at +1.888.257.6457.

ABOUT DIA’s 2014 50th ANNUAL MEETING: Celebrate the Past – Invent the Future is the largest multidisciplinary event that brings together a community of life sciences professionals at all levels and across all disciplines involved in the discovery, development and life cycle management of medical products. The meeting aims to foster innovation that will lead to the development of safe and effective medical products and therapies for patients. www.diahome.org/dia2014