Agenda
Join us on Tuesday, February 28th as we kick-off the conference with our Feeding the Pipeline series. You will hear discussions from leaders of five of the most productive research institutes in the US.
February 24, 2026
Conference Registration Open 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Conference registration will remain open throughout the entirety of the conference.
1:1 Partnering Meetings Open 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Alfred Mitchell
Biocom’s Global Partnering & Investor Conference utilizes partneringONE to facilitate one-on-one meetings between conference attendees. The partnering system is now open. Approved registrants can update their profiles, identify potential partners and request meetings with fellow attendees. Learn More.
Opening Remarks 9:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
James Schaeffer, Ph.D.
Vice President, Business Strategy, PhenoTarget
Feeding the Pipeline 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
John Connolly, Ph.D.
Chief Scientific Officer, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
Giulio Draetta, M.D., Ph.D.
Chief Strategy Officer, Orionis Biosciences
Isy Goldwasser
CEO, OmRx Oncology; CEO, Calibr BioVentures
Karla Frohmader Hilsaca
Director, Business Development & Technology Development, Mayo Clinic
Nina Kjellson
General Partner, Canaan Partners
Coffee & Networking Break 10:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
AI & Drug Discovery: The Scorecard as of 2026 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Evan Feinberg, Ph.D.
CEO & Co-Founder, Genesis Molecular AI
Thomas Miller
Co-Founder & CEO, Iambic Therapeutics
Marc Tessier-Lavigne, Ph.D.
Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO, Xaira Therapeutics
D.A. Wallach
Co-Founder & General Partner, Time BioVentures
Networking Lunch 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Arroyo Terrace
Small Company Presentations 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Everett Jackson
Our Global Partnering & Investor Conference will include multi-track presentation sessions, which provide a stage for emerging life science companies to showcase their latest innovations and gain additional exposure to investors and potential strategic partners in attendance. View the Presentation Schedule.
Innovation & Productivity in China: Challenges & Opportunities for U.S. Biotech & Pharma 2:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Paul Biondi
Managing Partner, Flagship Pioneering
Niels Emmerich, Ph.D.
Vice President, Search and Evaluation & Global Alliances, AbbVie
Judith Li
Partner, Lilly Asia Ventures
Mathai Mammen, M.D., Ph.D.
Chairman, CEO & President, Parabilis Medicines
Ken Song, M.D.
Chairman, President & CEO, Candid Therapeutics
Nancy Thornberry
Founding CEO & Chair, R&D, Kallyope
Coffee & Networking Break 4:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
What’s Hot & What’s Not in Venture Investing 4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Srini Akkaraju, M.D., Ph.D.
Founder & Managing Partner, Samsara BioCapital
Rajarshi Banerjee
Partner, Ropes & Gray
Richard Glynne, Ph.D.
Acting CEO, Belharra Therapeutics; President & CSO, Inception Therapeutics Discovery Engine; Venture Partner, Versant Ventures
Corey Goodman, Ph.D.
Managing Partner, venBio Partners
Carole Nuechterlein
Head, Roche Venture Fund
Welcome Reception 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Charles Reiffel
Biocom invites you to a welcome reception at The Lodge at Torrey Pines. This reception provides an excellent opportunity to network with conference attendees and speakers, as well as gain exclusive access to the delegates visiting San Diego from all over the globe.
February 25, 2026
Breakfast & Networking 7:00 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
We invite you to join us for a networking breakfast before our first session of the day. We encourage you to arrive by 8:00 a.m. to ensure you get a seat in time for the sessions kicking off at 8:15 a.m.
Conference Registration Open 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Conference registration will remain open throughout the entirety of the conference.
1:1 Partnering Meetings Open 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Alfred Mitchell & Hotel Rooms
Biocom’s Global Partnering & Investor Conference utilizes partneringONE to facilitate one-on-one meetings between conference attendees. The partnering system is now open. Approved registrants can update their profiles, identify potential partners and request meetings with fellow attendees. Learn More.
Morning Remarks 8:15 a.m. to 8:25 a.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Tim Scott
President & CEO, Biocom
Founding Co-Chair Remarks 8:25 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Jennifer Giottonini Cayer
Chief Business Officer, Pulmocide
Pharma Partnering & Acquisitions: A View from the Top 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Steven Chinowsky
Partner, Latham & Watkins
Erin Denny, Ph.D.
Executive Director, External R&D Inflammation, Oncology, Amgen
Grace Han McMahon
AVP and Head, Pacific BD&L, Merck
Jeremy Quirk
VP BD&L Commercial Portfolio, GSK
Coffee & Networking Break 9:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Lessons to be Learned in Venture Investing 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Jim Krenn
Partner & Co-Chair, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital Group, Morrison & Foerster
Tim Luker, Ph.D.
Vice President, Lilly Ventures, West Coast USA Head, Corp BD, Eli Lilly
Detlev Mennerich, Ph.D.
Global Head, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund
Lior Teitelbaum, M.Sc.
Principal, Venture Investments, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC
Chen Yu, M.D.
Founder & Managing Partner, TCGX
Coffee & Networking Break 10:45 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Small Company Presentations 11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Everett Jackson
Our Global Partnering & Investor Conference will include multi-track presentation sessions, which provide a stage for emerging life science companies to showcase their latest innovations and gain additional exposure to investors and potential strategic partners in attendance. View the Presentation Schedule.rn
Networking Lunch 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Arroyo Terrace
Capital Markets Update 1:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Lyla Bibi
Head, U.S. Healthcare Equity Capital Markets Group, Goldman Sachs
Pharma Partnerships & Business Development Perspectives 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Stacy Feld, J.D.
Global Head, External Scientific Innovation, Johnson & Johnson Innovation
Issei Tsukamoto, Ph.D.
SVP, Head of Business Development, Astellas Pharma
Adam Welland
Counsel, Technology & Life Science Transactions, Sidley Austin
Coffee & Networking Break 2:45 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Small Company Presentations 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Everett Jackson
Our Global Partnering & Investor Conference will include multi-track presentation sessions, which provide a stage for emerging life science companies to showcase their latest innovations and gain additional exposure to investors and potential strategic partners in attendance. View the Presentation Schedule.
Fireside Chat 4:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Sonia Gupta
Partner, Goldman Sachs
Carole Nuechterlein
Head, Roche Venture Fund
Sunset Networking Reception 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Arroyo Terrace
Unwind from a day of enriching sessions and one-on-one partnering meetings while taking in the breathtaking views of the world-famous Torrey Pines Golf Course at our Sunset Networking Reception on the outdoor lawn. Often hailed as the highlight of the conference, this evening reception promises great company, delicious bites and a fully hosted cocktail and mocktail bar ensuring everyone can raise a glass to success. Friendly Reminder: While San Diego is known for its great weather, please prepare to be outside as colder weather is anticipated.
February 26, 2026
Conference Registration Open 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Conference registration will remain open throughout the entirety of the conference.
Breakfast & Networking 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
We invite you to join us for a networking breakfast before our first session of the day. We encourage you to arrive by 8:00 a.m. to ensure you get a seat in time for the sessions kicking off at 8:15 a.m.
1:1 Partnering Meetings Open 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Alfred Mitchell & Hotel Rooms
Biocom’s Global Partnering & Investor Conference utilizes partneringONE to facilitate one-on-one meetings between conference attendees. The partnering system is now open. Approved registrants can update their profiles, identify potential partners and request meetings with fellow attendees. Learn More.
Welcome Remarks 8:15 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
James Schaeffer, Ph.D.
Vice President, Business Strategy, PhenoTarget
Venture Perspectives in 2026 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Michael Bellin
Deals Partner & U.S. IPO Services Leader, PwC
Mira Chaurushiya, Ph.D.
Managing Director, Westlake Village BioPartners
Benjamin Chen, Ph.D.
Partner, Panacea Venture
Jon Edwards, Ph.D.
Partner, Forbion
Tomotaka Goji, Ph.D.
Co-Founder, Managing Partner, CEO, President & Representative Director, The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners
Deborah Palestrant, Ph.D.
Partner & Executive Chair, 4:59 Initiative, 5AM Ventures
Coffee & Networking Break 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Frontier AI/ML Approaches for Small-Molecule Drug Discovery 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Ben Cravatt, Ph.D.
Professor & Gilula Chair, Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute
James Fraser, Ph.D.
Professor & Chair, Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, California Institute of Quantitative Biosciences, UC San Francisco
Richard Heyman, Ph.D.
Venture Partner, ARCH Ventures
Richard Tillyer, Ph.D.
Global Head, Discovery, Product Development & Supply, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
Coffee & Networking Break 11:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Heads of Pharma R&D: What Big Pharma Is Looking For 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
This can’t-miss conversation will touch on the areas of innovation that are generating the greatest interest, the role of AI in accelerating drug discovery and development, how biotech companies can most effectively work with large pharmaceutical companies and more.
Jay Bradner, M.D.
Executive Vice President, Research & Development, Amgen
Thomas Daniel, M.D.
Director, Scripps Research; Chair & Founder, Life Science Cares San Diego
Jonathon Sedgwick, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President & Global Head, Discovery Research, AbbVie
Networking Lunch 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Arroyo Terrace
Mergers & Acquisitions 1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Jay Hagan
President, CEO & Director, Ambros Therapeutics
Jeffrey Stein, Ph.D.
President & CEO, Cidara Therapeutics
Bradley Wolff
Senior Managing Director, Evercore
Coffee & Networking Break 2:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Pharma Search & Evaluation: What Works & What Doesn’t 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Stephen Abreu
Partner, Cooley
M. Jaione Maiz, Ph.D.
Senior Director, External Partnering, Eli Lilly
Avi Spier, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Search & Evaluation, Novartis
Tari Suprapto, Ph.D.
Senior Director, Head of Search, Novo Nordisk
VC Insights 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Racquel Bracken
General Partner, Venrock
Jeremy Caldwell, Ph.D.
Managing Director, Red Tree Venture Capital
Jay Lichter, Ph.D.
Managing Director, Avalon Ventures
Carolyn Ng, Ph.D.
Partner & Managing Director, TPG Life Sciences Innovations
Jason Skolnik
Corporate Partner, Wilson Sonsini
Michael Yee
Global Head of Biotechnology Research & Senior Pharma and Biotech Analyst, UBS
Closing Remarks 4:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Maurice Braun Ballroom
Closing Reception 4:45 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: Charles Reiffel
Join us for complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres immediately following the closing session of the conference. Don’t miss the opportunity to make those last connections with attendees and speakers before leaving sunny San Diego.