CAMBRIDGE, MA--(Marketwire - November 4, 2009) - On November 9, the
MIT Enterprise Forum of
Cambridge will present a session on the development of new technologies
for the research, development and treatment of infectious diseases. The
session will feature a keynote presentation by Dr. Andrin Oswald, CEO of
the
Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Division, to
discuss the global public health concern for infectious disease and the
reinvigoration of the market for disease research and vaccine development.
Dr. Oswald will also share his thoughts on new vaccine opportunities and
the response of the pharmaceutical industry to the H1N1 pandemic.
Following Dr. Oswald's presentation, the
International AIDS Vaccine
Initiative (IAVI), making a rare public address in Boston, will discuss
its
Innovation Fund, which features a
three-year commitment of $10 million and is supported in part by the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation. The IAVI will share its interest in partnering
with companies in the biotechnology space.
Additionally, Dr. David E. Anderson of Variation Biotechnologies and
Mustapha Leavenworth Bakali of Genocea Biosciences will each give short
presentations about the current state of their respective companies. Both
Variation and Genocea are well-funded private companies with investments
from leading venture capital firms Clarus Ventures, Arch Venture Partners,
5AM Ventures; and Auriga Partners, Cycad Group, Alexandria Real Estate
Equities, Lux Capital Management, Polaris Venture Partners and Morningside
Ventures, respectively.
Following the presentations, Dr. Una Ryan, a noted vaccine expert and the
former CEO of AVANT Immunotherapeutics, will moderate a panel conversation
featuring all of the evening's presenters.
Keynote speaker:
Dr. Andrin Oswald, M.D., is CEO of the Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics
Division and a permanent attendee of Novartis' Executive Committee. Dr.
Oswald previously held positions of assistant to the chairman and CEO; head
of the Country Pharma Organization (CPO) and country president for Novartis
in South Korea; and CEO of Speedel and global head of development
franchises at Novartis Pharma, all with Novartis. Prior to joining Novartis
in 2005, Dr. Oswald worked with McKinsey and Company, Switzerland.
Panelists:
Dr. David E. Anderson, Ph.D. is vice president of immunology and co-founder
of
Variation
Biotechnologies, a leader in the discovery and development of vaccines
to fight infectious diseases. Dr. Anderson has extensive training and has
published a number of records in many fields of immunology and is a former
faculty member at Harvard Medical School.
Mustapha Leavenworth Bakali is CEO at
Genocea Biosciences. Over the past 20
years, Bakali has held senior operating and leadership positions at ID
Biomedical, acquired by GlaxoSmithKline; PowderJect Pharmaceuticals,
acquired by Chiron; Chiron Vaccines, acquired by Novartis; and Intercell
AG. Previously, Bakali was COO at ID Biomedical (IDB), a Vancouver,
Canada-based company focused on vaccines for influenza.
Michelle Dees is the director of the International AIDS Vaccine
Initiative's (IAVI) Innovation Fund, a grant-giving mechanism targeted
primarily at small- and medium-sized biotech companies. Prior to joining
IAVI, Dees was manager of business development, marketing and regulatory
affairs at Innovative Drug Delivery Systems (IDDS). Previously, Dees served
in the Guyana Red Cross Society as a health education coordinator and
director of the Red Cross Children's Home.
Dr. Una Ryan, Ph.D., O.B.E. is president and CEO of Waltham Technologies, a
developer of innovative methods to clean water. Previously, Dr. Ryan held
senior positions at AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc., T Cell Sciences Inc.
and Monsanto Company. Dr. Ryan has extensive experience in the biotech
industry and has served on the boards of the Biotechnology Industry
Association and the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, which she chaired
from 2004-2006.
When: Monday, November 9, 2009
5:30 p.m.: Networking
6:15-8:00 p.m.: Program
8:00-9:00 p.m.: Networking reception
Where: MIT Stata Center (Building 32), Kirsch Auditorium, 32 Vassar St.,
Cambridge, MA
Registration and information:
http://www.mitforumcambridge.org/iseries/nov09.html
Pricing: Forum members: $25, Non-members: $40. Students from all
universities are free with valid ID. Pre-registration is encouraged.
Contact Information: MIT ENTERPRISE FORUM OF CAMBRIDGE CONTACT:
Trish Fleming
MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge
617-253-8240
PRESS CONTACT:
Brad Baker (for MIT Enterprise Forum)
CHEN PR, Inc.
781-672-3118