The Path Forward after COVID-19 for Life Science Startup Companies
July 14, 2020 | 7:00 pm - ETENET and MDG Boston are pleased to present a Joint Webinar addressing the Life Science Startup Company’s Path Forward After COVID-19. Register now and join us on July 14!
While the trend in Massachusetts indicates that COVID-19 infections are abating, it seems increasingly clear that this pandemic crisis will be with us for a while. The disruption to business as usual is obvious and the existential threat to small businesses is real.
In spite of having been designated essential businesses, life sciences enterprises, especially startups and early stage companies, are facing significant challenges. How can life sciences companies plan a coherent path forward through the remainder of COVID19 inspired disruptions and beyond.
ENET and MDG-Boston have assembled a panel of industry leaders who will share their thoughts.
Agenda:
7:00 – 7:10 PM – ENET Chairperson’s announcements
7:10 – 7:15 PM – MDG President’s announcements
7:15 – 7:25 PM – eMinute Pitch – Up to 2 Startup companies’ presentations
7:25 – 8:25 PM – 4 expert speakers on the night’s topic
8:25 – 8:45 PM – Audience Q & A with the speakers
(all times are USA Eastern Daylight time)
Panel:
Shikha P. Barman, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, Integral BioSystems, and NanoM Therapeutics
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shikhabarman/
Dr. Barman has over 26 years of experience in the translation of innovative concepts from the laboratory into clinical and commercial drug products. She is a founding member of Integral BioSystems, LLC, a drug delivery company contract research organization (CRO) based in Bedford, MA. At Integral, Dr. Barman has built key expertise, personnel, and equipment to serve the industrial drug development community. Integral BioSystems operates on a business model of fee-for-service and innovation. NanoM Therapeutics was spun-off in 2016, to develop products around Integral’s proprietary NanoM technology, a sustained release, biodegradable delivery system. This technology was developed to deliver medications in a sustained manner on the ocular surface; additional applications are being contemplated for urology and wound healing.
Dr. Barman served in leadership roles at multiple start-ups in Massachusetts. At Follica, Inc. a start-up founded by Boston-based Puretech Ventures, she was V.P. Pharmaceutical Development developing an innovative hair-growth product. At Inotek Pharmaceuticals, she was Senior Director of Pharmaceutical Development, leading drug delivery in cardiovascular and ophthalmic indications. She was Head of Vaccine and Transdermal Development at Sontra Medical Corporation. At Zycos, Inc., Dr. Barman was Head of Gene Delivery, targeting PLG microsphere-based DNA-based therapies for the treatment of HPV and cancer. Lastly, at Focal, Inc., she helped develop one of first lines of FDA-approved biodegradable tissue sealants. Barman has over 75 issued US Patents and PCTs, 72 publications and 4 book chapters.
Dr. Barman has a dual degree Ph.D in Polymer Science and in Plastics Engineering from University of Massachusetts at Lowell, a M.S. in Polymers from University of Massachusetts at Lowell, a M.S. in Advanced Physical Chemistry and B.S in Chemistry from Auburn University, AL.
Paul Hartung – VP Corporate Development, Neutron Therapeutics
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-hartung-360ab1/
Paul is an experienced life sciences executive with a proven track record in launching successful startup businesses and leading Fortune 500 organizations. He serves on the Boards of Leuko, an award-winning startup developing a non-invasive white blood cell finger test, SemiNex, a profitable semi-conductor laser company. He also serves as a VP of Corporate Development at Neutron Therapeutics, a developer of neutron beam technology for cancer treatment. Paul mentors startups at MIT Venture Mentoring Service, MassCONNECT, and The Capital Network. Paul founded Sonivance, was President & CEO of Cognoptix, and VP of Operations at Winphoria Networks( acquired by Motorola). He managed manufacturing for Summit Technology, Inc., the developer of LASIK(IPO and acquired by Alcon/Novartis). He has held senior management roles at 3Com, Trumpf, Laser Fare and GE. Paul graduated with honors from MIT with an MS Degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is an active speaker, author and inventor on a number of patents.
Carl Berke – Partner, Partners Healthcare Innovation Fund
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-berke-a8394b83/
Carl’s career has spanned over 25 years in the practice and management of innovation to bring new technologies from lab to market. As a bench scientist and R&D director, he worked at Polaroid Corporation and Hygeia Sciences in the development of photographic and clinical products for both consumer and professional markets – he is an inventor on 6 US patents. He served as a Partner at Integral/Analysis Group, a consulting firm focusing on the management of innovation and growth strategy for clients in healthcare and consumer products. He has been an active private equity investor as a member of Angel Healthcare Investors LLC and is a founder of Mass Medical Angels. He has served on the boards of Quosa [research literature management software], Kasalis [robotics], Combinent [women’s health], Infobionic [cardiac monitoring], Annovation [anesthetic agent] and currently sits on the board of Syntimmune [immunotherapy], QPID Health [bioinformatics], LifeImage [diagnostic image sharing], Sebacia [dermatology therapy] and the Sudanese Education Fund [philanthropy]. Carl holds an AB degree from Cornell University and received his PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley. He also holds an appointment as Lecturer in the MIT Sloan School of Management teaching various courses on the topic of biomedical enterprise.
Josef B. Volman – Co-Chair, Business Law, Burns Levinson
For over 25 years, Joe Volman has built his reputation as a deal maker in the business community. He dedicates himself to partnering with clients, serving as their strategic advisor to drive growth and realize the maximum return on their investments. By devising creative, results-focused solutions, his clients are able to take their businesses to the next level, and by tapping into his vast network, he regularly facilitates capital raises and connects business partners to source deals.
As co-chair of the Business Law Group, his practice focuses on the representation of entrepreneurs and investors, startup and emerging companies, and PE/VC funds through all phases of the investment process. Joe also has significant experience representing family-owned businesses, public companies and investment banking firms. He arms himself with the requisite business acumen in specific industries—technology, life sciences, media and entertainment, sports and hospitality—in order to provide the necessary practical advice that gets the deal done. In addition to significant international experience, Joe is skilled at seamlessly guiding clients through public offerings, securities compliance, buying/selling private/public companies, and venture financings, as well as through a variety of early- and late-stage private/public equity and debt financings.
Moderator:
Roger Frechette, Ph.D., Founder and Principal, NEPAssociates
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogerfrechette/
My daily purpose is to exercise an innate drive to transform ideas and projects into life-changing commercial assets. In the life science business, this is the long game, requiring boundless energy and creativity, coupled with knowledge, experience, and patience.
In my consulting work, I leverage an extensive global network and insights derived from >20 years of experience in business development, calibrated with an extensive science background. My career has encompassed success as a business executive, project/alliance manager and entrepreneur, and also as a scientist, including leadership of discovery/preclinical development teams resulting in a new drug candidate – Paratek Pharmaceuticals NDA’s for NUZYRA and SEYSARA NDA’s were approved in 2018.
Co-Organizer:
Peter N. Madras, M.D., Lecturer, Institute for Medical Eng and Science, MIT, President, Medical Development Group of Boston (MDG)
Dr. Madras, a graduate of McGill Medical School is a retired transplant and vascular surgeon and Associate Prof. at Harvard Medical School, a founder of two companies and board member of number of start-ups. He is currently lecturer in the Institute for Medical Engineering and Science at MIT and President of the Medical Development Group (MDG). During his practice, Dr. Madras was member and Chairman of the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine. He served for ten years as Medical Director for Grace Biomedical in the development of a liver support system and an artificial pancreas. He has authored 80 papers and holds 3 patents. Prior to his surgical career, Peter was Director of the Medical Group at Avco Everett Research laboratory which brought to market the first mechanical cardiac assist device, the intra-aortic balloon. This group was spun off to form five different medical companies, the largest of which is Abiomed.
