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The hashtag for the 2026 event is #CVFORUM26. 
Request an invite if you are interested in joining us for the 2026 conference.

 

2026 Agenda
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6th

5 PM - 11 PM | Outer Bar
Informal meet-up for Convergence attendees
Patrons may purchase drinks and light fare from the Outer Bar menu

THURSDAY, MAY 7th

8:00 AM - 4:00 PM | Pavilion Reception
Registration and Information Desk Open

8:30 AM - 9:45 AM | 28 Atlantic: Private Dining Room
First Time Attendees Breakfast.
Come and meet other first-timers

8:30 AM - 9:45AM | Garden Terrace
Networking Breakfast

9:45 AM - 10:15 AM | Mainstage Room (Pavilion Ballroom)
Welcome, Introductions and Goals

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM | Mainstage Room (Pavilion Ballroom)
Mainstage Session: Building Real Businesses in the AI Era
Speakers:
Andrew Beck, MD, PhD, Co-Founder & CEO, PathAI
Rahul Gupta, MD, President, GATC Health
Rena Denoncourt, Chief Operating Officer, Corsera Health

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Networking Break

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM | Breakouts, Round 1
A. How Media Coverage of the Industry is Changing
Location: Harbor Room
Speakers:
David Ewing Duncan, Co-Founder, Curator and CEO, Arc Fusion
Brad Loncar, Founder, BioTech TV
Moderator:
Naomi Aoki, SVP, Head of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, Spur Therapeutics

B. Investors (Off the Record)
Location: Sea Glass Cottage
Speakers:
Elizabeth Bailey, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Foreground Capital
Deb Palestrant, Partner, 5AM Ventures
Moderator:
Christine Brennan, Managing Director, Vertex Venture HC

C. From Breakthroughs to a System: Building the Genetic Surgery Era
Location: Mainstage Room (Pavilion Ballroom)
Speakers:
David Liu, PhD, Professor at the Broad Institute, Harvard University, & HHMI; Co-Founder of Prime Medicine, Beam Therapeutics, Editas Medicine, Pairwise Plants, Chroma Medicine, Exo Therapeutics, Resonance Medicine, Nvelop Therapeutics
Winston Yan, MD, PhD, President, N=1 Collaborative; Head of the Center for Genetic Surgery (CGS) at the Broad Institute
Moderator:
Kristine Yu, Partner, SummitBio Advisory Partner

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM | Garden Terrace
Lunch

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM | 28 Atlantic: Private Dining Room
Lunch Discussion: Understanding IP + USPTO Changes in 2026
Speaker:
Dennis Parad, Senior Associate, DLA Piper

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Breakouts, Round 2
A. TBD
Location: Harbor Room

B. BD / Partnering Leaders (Off the Record)
Location: Sea Glass Cottage
Speakers:
Alan Ginsberg, VP, Head of Global Licensing & Business Development, New Therapeutic Areas at EMD Serono
Philippe Lopes-Fernandes, Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer, Ipsen
Moderator:
Liz Leveille, Vice President, Merck BD&L, Head, Boston Innovation Hub & Discovery Transactions

C. A Long Strange Trip: Psychedelics Approach the Commercial Market
Location: Mainstage Room (Pavilion Ballroom)
Speakers:
Dan Karlin, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Definium Therapeutics
Bruce Leuchter, MD, President & CEO, Neurvati Neurosciences
Mark Rus, CEO, Delix Therapeutics
Moderator:
Steve Dickman, CEO, CBT Advisors

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Networking Break

3:30 PM - 4:15 PM | Mainstage Room (Pavilion Ballroom)
Mainstage Session: Fireside Chat: Insights from a Serial Biotech CEO
Speaker:
Jeb Keiper, Venture Partner, Third Rock Ventures
Ron Renaud, President & CEO, Kailera Therapeutics
Moderator:
Rosemary Reilly, Partner, Sidley Austin

4:30 PM - 5:30 PM | Wequassett Dock
Harbor Cruise
Sign-up at Convergence registration desk.

4:30 PM - 6:00 PM | Tennis Courts
Pickleball on the courts
Sign-up at Convergence registration desk.

4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | Cape Cod National Golf Club
Golf Workshop
Sign-up at Convergence registration desk.

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Outer Bar
Dinner

9:00 PM - 11:00 PM | Outer Bar & Firepit
Post Dinner informal meet-up. Cash Bar will be available.

FRIDAY, MAY 8th

7:30 AM - 3:00 PM | Pavilion Reception
Registration and Information Desk Open

7:30 AM - 8:45AM | Garden Terrace
Networking Breakfast

9:00 AM - 9:45 AM | Mainstage Room (Pavilion Ballroom)
Mainstage Session: Bucking the Downturn: Biotech's Boldest Exits
Speakers:
Keting Chu, PhD, Founder, Chairman & CEO, Bluejay Therapeutics
Molly Gibson, PhD, Origination Partner, Flagship Pioneering; CEO, Expedition Medicines
Heather Turner, CEO, LB Pharmaceuticals
Moderator:
Ramani Varanasi, CEO, LIBRIS Innovations

9:45 AM - 10:15 AM | Fireplace Room
Networking Break

10:15 AM - 11:15 AM | Breakouts, Round 3
A. China: Assets, Deals, and Risks
Location: Harbor Room
Speaker:
Marc Appel, Managing Partner, Pacific Bridge NY
Judith Hasko, Partner, Wilmer Hale
Jens Norhave, PhD, Global Head of Corporate Development, Hengrui Pharma

B. C-Suite (Off the Record)
Location: Sea Glass Cottage
Speakers:
Colin Hill, CEO, Aitia
Ivana Magovcevic-Liebisch, PhD, CEO & President, Draig Therapeutics
Rene Russo, PhD, President & CEO, Xilio Therapeutics
Moderator:
Jodie Morrison, Venture Partner, Atlas Venture

C. Patient Power: The New Force Shaping Healthcare Innovation
Location:
Mainstage Room (Pavilion Ballroom)
Speakers:
Gunnar Esiason, Vice President, Patient Strategy & Innovation, RA Ventures and Executive Vice President, Boomer Esiason Foundation
Deborah Fowler, Managing Partner, Green Room Communications and Founder & Chairman, Soft Bones
Ilan Ganot, CEO, Alesta Therapeutics
Moderator:
Karla MacDonald, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Entrada Therapeutics

11:15 AM - 11:30 AM | Fireplace Room
Networking Break

11:30 AM - 12:15 PM | Mainstage Room (Pavilion Ballroom)
Mainstage Session: Accelerating U.S. Leadership in Biotech Innovation: Views from the FDA Commissioner's Office
Speaker:
Tom DiLenge, Senior Partner, Flagship Pioneering

12:15 PM - 1:30 PM | Garden Terrace
Lunch

12:15 PM - 1:30 PM | 28 Atlantic: Private Dining Room
Lunch Discussion: Capital, Control, and Creation: The New Mandate of Life Science CVC
Speakers:
Chelsea Johnson, PhD, Head of New Ventures, Biogen
Katerina Fialkovskaya, Investment Director, Philips Ventures
Michelle Levine, Director, Lilly Ventures
Anna Turetsky, PhD, General Partner, PxB Fund
Moderator:
Richard Kivel, Managing Director, GrayBella Capital

1:30 PM - 2:15 PM | Mainstage Room (Pavilion Ballroom)
Mainstage Session: New Approaches to Discovery + Development
Speakers:
Geoffrey Duyk, MD, PhD, CEO & Co-Founder, Grove BioPharma
Molly Gibson, PhD, Origination Partner, Flagship Pioneering; CEO, Expedition Medicines
Gleb Kuznetsov, PhD, Co-Founder & CEO, Manifold Bio
John Lepore, MD, Flagship Pioneering CEO-Partner and CEO of ProFound Therapeutics

2:45 PM - 3:15 PM | 28 Atlantic: Private Dining Room
Post-Event Feedback Session
Moderator:
Scott Kirsner, Advisory Board Member, Convergence Forum

3:15 PM - 4:15 PM | Thoreau’s Tavern
Meet-Up for Post Conference Conversations

*Agenda subject to change