All-Star Lineup for Boston Cancer Summit, March 7: Novartis, J&J, Third Rock, Atlas

Timmerman Report is bringing together major East Coast cancer R&D players for an intimate half-day event on March 7: the Boston Cancer Summit. Join an all-star gathering of pharma executives, hot startups, and VCs making things happen in the treatment and diagnosis of cancer. 

Tickets are sold out. The conference will be at Sanofi Genzyme’s flagship building in the heart of Kendall Square. All proceeds go to a good cause: basic cancer research at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, as part of my Everest Climb to Fight Cancer fundraising campaign.

We’ll talk about aiming for elusive cancer targets, where VCs see opportunities for investment, cancer diagnostics in the DNA information age, designing clinical trials for fast answers, and emerging modalities for cancer care. You’ll also see more than a few entrepreneurs who I consider to be newsmakers of tomorrow.

PROGRAM

1 pm. Registration and Networking.

1:30 pm Welcome Remarks. Luke Timmerman, founder of Timmerman Report. Kelly O’ Brien, VP of Philanthropy, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Gary Nabel, Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Vice President of Sanofi. 

1:40 pm

Emerging company presentations

A series of five brief, 10-minute presentations from exciting East Coast drug developers working to fight cancer in their own way. They are:

• Barbara Weber, CEO, Tango Therapeutics (synthetic lethal cancer drugs)
• Garry Menzel, CEO, TCR2 Therapeutics (T cell therapies aimed at solid tumors)
• Nancy Simonian, CEO, Syros Pharmaceuticals (targeted drugs for gene expression)
• Hugh O’Dowd, CEO, Neon Therapeutics (neoantigen therapeutics)
• David Meeker, CEO, KSQ Therapeutics (CRISPRomics cancer drug discovery)

2:40 pm

Cancer investment overfloweth. Where do forward-looking VCs see opportunity?

• John Evans, venture partner at ARCH Venture Partners
• Kush Parmar, managing partner at 5AM Ventures
• Alexis Borisy, partner at Third Rock Ventures
• Moderator: Michael Gilman, CEO of Obsidian Therapeutics

3:10 pm

Cancer diagnostics in the DNA information age: Getting validated and rewarded via FDA/CMS parallel review

• Melanie Nallicheri, chief business officer of Foundation Medicine
• Kevin Conroy, CEO of Exact Sciences
• Moderator: Luke Timmerman

3:40 pm

Designing clinical trials for clear, fast (not too expensive) answers when the scientific sands are constantly shifting underneath your feet

• Jo Lager, VP, head of development at Sanofi Oncology
• Beth Trehu, chief medical officer of Jounce Therapeutic 
• Moderator: Luke Timmerman

4:10 pm

Closing chat: New modalities for cancer care

• Jay Bradner, president of the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research
• Robert Urban, global head of J&J Innovation
• Moderator: Bruce Booth, partner at Atlas Venture

4:30 pm

Cocktail hour + the Everest Climb to Fight Cancer

Before the cocktail hour, I might have a couple minutes for a fun surprise to give you a taste of the Everest climb.

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When & Where

TIME: 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

DATE: March 7

PLACE: Sanofi Genzyme, 500 Kendall St., Cambridge, MA

TICKETS:

At the Door: $350

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Sponsors: Thank you

Summit Sponsor:

• Sanofi

South Col Sponsor:

• 10X Genomics

Advanced Base Camp Sponsors:

• Takeda Pharmaceuticals
• Alexandria Real Estate Equities

Khumbu Icefall Sponsor:

• Novateur

Base Camp Sponsors:

• 5AM Ventures
• Sofinnova Ventures
• Arch Venture Partners
• EBD Group
• Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
• Loncar Investments