Program
Now in the second year, this exciting event is expected to draw 750-1,000 attendees – venture capitalists, investment bankers, biotech and pharmaceutical scientific and business leaders, and academics interested in oncology drug development and entrepreneurship. Once again, Spotlight Sessions will feature talks from AACR’s leading corporate partners who will discuss their early oncology pipelines, research investment strategies, and unique approaches to innovation within their organizations.
This is the must-attend event for the oncology drug development and investment communities. This year’s meeting will feature six (6) talks from the biotech community selected from a competitive application process, panel discussion sessions, private meeting spaces, and extended space for informal networking through the center.
All sessions and events will be held at the McCormick Place West Building unless noted below. This event will be live-streamed for virtual participation. There will be no on-demand viewing or access to materials after the event.
* schedule and speakers subject to change
platinum supporter

Registration and Networking Breakfast
7:30-9 a.m. | W190 and W194
Welcome
9-9:15 a.m. | W196
Spotlight Session 1: Bristol Myers Squibb
9:15-10 a.m. | W196
- Michael Pourdehnad, Senior Vice President, Head of Early Clinical Development, Hematology, Oncology and Cell Therapy
Break
10-10:15 a.m. | W196 Foyer
Spotlight Session 2: Pfizer
10:15-11 a.m. | W196
- Megan O’Meara, Interim Chief Development Officer and Head of Early Stage Development, Pfizer Oncology
Break
11-11:15 a.m. | W196 Foyer
Spotlight Session 3: Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
11:15 a.m.-12 p.m. | W196
- Yusri A. Elsayed, Senior Vice President, Head of Oncology R&D
Networking Lunch
12-1:30 p.m. | W190 and W194
Concurrent Panel discussions a-b
12:15-1:15 p.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION A: NEXT GENERATION BISPECIFICS
W196 | Moderator: Andrew Berens, Leerink Partners
- Craig Gibbs, AsherBio
- Jeff Infante, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
- Bill Lundberg, Merus
- Additional panelists to be announced
CONCURRENT SESSION B: T CELL ENGAGERS
W192 | Moderator: Daina Graybosch, Leerink Partners
- Ken Galbraith, Zymeworks
- Martin Lehr, Context Therapeutics
- Additional panelists to be announced
Spotlight Session 4: Bayer Pharmaceuticals
1:30-2:15 p.m. | W196
- Dominik Ruettinger, Global Head Research and Early Development Oncology
Break
2:15-2:30 p.m. | W196 Foyer
Spotlight Session 5: AstraZeneca
2:30-3:15 p.m. | W196
- Susan M. Galbraith, Executive Vice-President, Oncology Research & Development
Break
3:15-3:30 p.m. | W196 Foyer
Spotlight Session 6: Eli lilly & company
3:30-4:15 p.m. | W196
- Arjun Balar, Senior Vice President, Global Clinical Development
Break
4:15-4:30 p.m. | W196 Foyer
showcase sessions 1-2
4:30-5:30 p.m.
SHOWCASE SESSION 1 | W196
- 4:35 p.m. | Crossbow Therapeutics
Briggs Morrison, Chief Executive Officer - 4:50 p.m. | Aethon Therapeutics
Sean Toenjes, Executive Director of Chemistry & Innovation - 5:05 p.m. | Zymeworks
Lucas Donigian, Vice President, Business & Commercial Development
SHOWCASE SESSION 2 | W192
- 4:35 p.m. | CatenaBio
Saurabh Johri, Chief Business Officer - 4:50 p.m. | Innate Pharma
Jonathan Dickinson, Chairman of the Executive Board, Chief Executive Officer - 5:05 p.m. | OncoC4
Pan Pan, Senior Vice President, Head of Business Development
Break
5:30-5:45 p.m. | W196 Foyer
Concurrent Panel discussions c-d
5:45-6:45 p.m.
CONCURRENT SESSION C: DRUGGING THE UNDRUGGABLE/TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS
W196 | Moderator: Rami Rahal, MPM BioImpact
- Nick Glover, MycRX
- Peter Smith, Remix Therapeutics
- Liron Bar-Peled, Massachusetts General Hospital
CONCURRENT SESSION D: TO BE ANNOUNCED
W192 | Moderator: To be announced
- Panelists to be announced
Reception
7-9 p.m. | Regency Ballroom, Hyatt Regency McCormick Place
Registration and Networking Breakfast
7-8 a.m. | W190 and W194
Spotlight Session 7: Novartis
8-8:45 a.m. | W196
- Dushen Chetty, Global Head of Oncology, Development
Break
8:45-9 a.m. | W196 Foyer
Spotlight Session 8: Genentech/roche
9-9:45 a.m. | W196
- Levi A. Garraway, Executive Vice President, Head of Product Development, and Chief Medical Officer
Break
9:45-10 a.m. | W196 Foyer
Spotlight Session 9: merck
10-10:45 a.m. | W196
- Jane A. Healy, Vice President and Head of Oncology Early Development
Break
10:45-11 a.m. | W196 Foyer
Spotlight Session 10: Gilead
11-11:45 a.m. | W196
- Flavius Martin, Executive Vice President
Break
11:45 a.m.-12 p.m. | W196 Foyer
Spotlight Session 11: Amgen
12-12:45 p.m. | W196
- Jean-Charles Soria, Senior Vice President of Oncology
- Erin Denny, Executive Director, External R&D, Inflammation, Oncology
Closing Keynote / Fireside Chat
12:45-1:45 p.m. | W196
Closing Remarks
1:45-2 p.m. | W196
lunch available
2-3 p.m. | W190 and W194