BIO International Convention Kicks Off in Philadelphia to Celebrate and Inspire the Future of Biotech

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The 2019 BIO International Convention today welcomes more than 16,000 attendees and 1,800 exhibitors from 67 countries to the world’s premier life sciences event. This year’s Convention includes 18 educational tracks, covering all sectors of biotechnology including gene therapy, personalized medicine, digital health, regulatory innovation and more.

“The world’s biotechnology ecosystem is gathered here in Philadelphia for a week of enriching programming, thought-provoking conversations and unlimited networking opportunities,” said Jim Greenwood, President and CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). “We know that it takes just one meeting, one partnership or one idea to spark life-changing advances in biotech. We believe that many of these important moments will happen this week at the BIO Convention.”

Convention Highlights Include:

• Keynote: Siddhartha Mukherjee, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, physician and oncologist
  Tuesday, June 4, 9:00–10:30 am | Ballroom AB
  • Siddhartha Mukherjee will be interviewed by BIO President and CEO Jim Greenwood about the unique challenges and opportunities for the biotech community in developing cures for cancer and genetic diseases.
  • PLEASE NOTE: Keynotes are open to Convention Access and Partnering Attendees. Seating is first-come, first-served.
• Keynote: Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase
  Wednesday, June 5, 9:00–10:45 am | Ballroom AB
  • Jamie Dimon will be interviewed by BIO President and CEO Jim Greenwood on strategies and actionable steps for improving employee satisfaction and cultivating a diverse and inclusive workplace.
  • PLEASE NOTE: Keynotes are open to Convention Access and Partnering Attendees. Filming is not permitted. Seating is first-come, first-served.
• Super Session: Realizing the Promise of Gene Therapies for Patients Around the World
  Tuesday, June 4, 2:30-3:45 pm | 103ABC, Level 1
  Gene therapies are transforming patients’ lives in ways that were unimaginable twenty years ago. With recent scientific advances, commercial gene therapies have been met with exciting opportunities for treatment for previously untreatable genetic diseases. With these advances come challenges and opportunities in scientific discovery and new approaches in delivering drugs. Attend this Super Session to gain insights and perspectives from stakeholders with experience tackling these challenges while bringing new types of treatments to patients.
• Fireside Chat: Christi Shaw, Senior Vice President and President, Lilly BIO-Medicines, Eli Lilly and Company
  Tuesday, June 4, 2:00-3:00 pm | 108A, Level 100
  For Christi Shaw, “More moments for more memories” isn’t just a mantra – it’s a personal and professional mission. She leads through the lens of innovation, integrity and inclusion and brings an unwavering commitment to addressing the evolving needs of patients, in collaboration with healthcare professionals, advocacy groups, payers and policy makers.
• Fireside Chat: Jeremy Levin, CEO, Chairman at Ovid Therapeutics interviews Jeffrey Solomon, Chief Executive Officer at COWEN
  Tuesday, June 4, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm | 108A, Level 100
  A conversation with Jeffrey Solomon, former President, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Investment Banking at COWEN, a global financial services firm. Currently, Solomon is also a Director of NuGo Nutrition, the manufacturer of NuGo Nutrition Bars. Solomon is co-chair of the Equity Capital Formation Task Force, a group of individuals from across the country’s startup and small-capitalization company ecosystems advocating for market structure reform to encourage job creation and growth.
• Fireside Chat: Kenneth C. Frazier, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Merck & Co., Inc.
  Wednesday, June 5, 11:00-11:45 am | 103ABC, Level 100
  During his fireside chat, Kenneth Frazier will discuss how Merck is delivering innovative, lifesaving medicines and vaccines as well as long-term and sustainable value to its stakeholders.

Monday, June 3, Highlights Include:

• Fireside Chat: Margaret (Peggy) Hamburg, MD, Foreign Secretary, National Academy of Medicine; Chairman of the Board, American Association for the Advancement of Science
  2:30-3:45 pm | 115A, Level 100
  Dr. Hamburg is an internationally recognized leader in public health and medicine. As Foreign Secretary of the National Academy of Medicine, she serves as senior advisor on international matters and liaison with other Academies of Medicine around the world. She is also the Chairman of the Board/Past-President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest scientific membership organization.
• Super Session: What’s Next: The Landscape of Innovation in 2019 and Beyond
  3:00-4:30 pm | 103ABC, Level 100
  In this session, biotechnology leaders will highlight emerging clusters of innovation attracting capital and the key therapeutic targets and novel mechanistic approaches with the potential to drive value creation in the future. Speakers will also examine how market forces and overall value in therapeutic areas may drive investment decisions in R&D and M&A, both today and into the future.
• BioGENEius: Posters Open and Challenge Judging
  9:00 am - 3:00 pm | 108AB Foyer
  The BioGENEius Challenges are an annual biotechnology research competition that involves more than 2,000 high schools, thousands of biology teachers, over 7,000 students and 15 state and international. Winners are announced each year at the BIO International Convention before thousands of the world’s biotechnology leaders. The BioGENEius program not only provides an opportunity to encourage young students to fill the ever-growing demand for biotech scientists and entrepreneurs but showcases the industry’s commitment to BIO’s goals of healing, feeding and fueling the world.
• Company Presentations in the Business Forum
  1:30-5:30 pm | Theaters 1-4
  Participating companies will deliver 13-minute presentations on company story, pipelines and objectives to a global audience of business development executives, investors, research analysts, policy makers and media, representing more than 70 countries.

Follow the 2019 Convention @BIOConvention and join the conversation @IAmBIOtech.

About BIO

BIO is the world's largest trade association representing biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world. BIOtechNOW is BIO's blog chronicling “innovations transforming our world” and the BIO Newsletter is the organization’s bi-weekly email newsletter. Subscribe to the BIO Newsletter.

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