A Disease Foundation Forum
- February 7, 2024
- 9:00am - 3:00pm PT
Invest in Cures San Francisco 2024
Impact Investing Through Disease Foundations
Program
Invest In Cures 2024 Forum
February 7th 9am – 3pm
University of California San Francisco Neuroscience Conference Center
Join us to explore the rising trend of impact investing in addressing rare disease challenges through foundations and innovative collaborations including AI in rare diseases. Learn from foundation leaders, advocates and entrepreneurs as they share their perspectives on venture philanthropy for accelerating the commercialization of new therapies and cures for patients.
Invest in Cures combines main stage sessions and panel discussions with intimate gatherings and high-level networking. It is an opportunity for researchers, clinicians and investment professionals from leading foundations to discuss innovative approaches to supporting and funding translational research and drug development.
Capacity is limited and guests must pre-register to attend.
Early-bird registration ends January 8, so secure your ticket today!
Forum organized with the support of Fondation Ipsen, under the aegis of Fondation de France
French entrepreneurship travel fellowships
3 bursaries will be awarded to 3 French entrepreneurs by Fondation Ipsen, in collaboration with LaunchBio, BioLabs, Institut Imagine, EJP RD and Orphanet. Grant awardees will be provided Eco+ flights as well as 3 nights in non-luxury accommodation. Application deadline is December 30, 2023.
Agenda
8:00am: Coffee, Continental Breakfast, Networking
9:00am: Welcome and Introductions, Thank You to Sponsors
9:05-9:25am: Opening Keynote: Pioneering Approaches to Expedite Rare Disease Clinical Trials
9:30-10:30am: Panel 1 – Venture Philanthropy 2.0: Advancements in Disease Foundation Funding
10:35-11:30am: Panel 2 – Investing In Patient Outcomes: Early Investments to Empower Innovation
11:30am-1:00pm: Lunch Break and Networking
1:00-2:00pm: Panel 3 – Accelerating Hope: The AI Revolution in Rare Disease Drug Development
2:10-2:55pm: Panel 4 – Visionary Innovations in Rare Disease: Unveiling Tomorrow’s Solutions
Details
Sessions
9:05am: Opening Keynote: Pioneering Approaches to Expedite Rare Disease Clinical Trials
9:30 – 10:30am: Panel 1 – Venture Philanthropy 2.0: Advancements in Disease Foundation Funding
Disease foundations have increasingly taken the leap into the investment world by creating affiliated venture philanthropy or impact investment funds to invest in start-ups with promising technology that address unmet patient needs. This model has proven to be successful with numerous high-value exits and novel treatments for patient populations. As the funds continue to develop and learn from the past, they are taking new approaches to how they invest in companies.
Learn from a diverse group of disease foundation investors, including the originators, early adopters and new funds as they share their perspectives on the latest trends in investing, collaborations and syndications. Learn best practices for working with the foundations they support and the start-ups that receive investment.
10:35-11:30am: Panel 2 – Investing In Patient Outcomes: Early Investments to Empower Innovation
The mission of a disease foundation venture fund, like that of the parent organization, is to improve patient outcomes and advance treatments for unmet medical needs. These funds are often willing to take on more risk and invest earlier than other types of venture capital investors. By leveraging the wealth of expertise of the affiliated foundations, start-ups can get to an inflection point that attracts follow-on investments. This discussion examines the relationship between disease foundation funds and their portfolio companies, shares examples of deal structures and highlights the commitment of the fund to the success of the portfolio company.
1:00-2:00pm: Panel 3 – Accelerating Hope: The AI Revolution in Rare Disease Drug Development
Often characterized by limited patient populations and unique challenges, rare diseases present a compelling use case for AI’s transformative capabilities. With the capacity to accelerate diagnosis, drug development and commercialization, this revolutionary technology offers hope to the many thousands of patients with rare conditions in their race against time to find a treatment. This panel brings together experts, innovators and thought leaders to explore the promising intersection of AI and rare disease treatment. Learn from industry experts on how to effectively harness the power of AI in drug discovery by asking the right questions, leveraging quality data and understanding how to effectively incorporate this tool into a more holistic drug discovery strategy.
2:10-2:55pm: Panel 4 – Visionary Innovations in Rare Disease: Unveiling Tomorrow’s Solutions
Meet four high-potential start-ups with groundbreaking technology that have the potential to revolutionize the treatment landscape for rare eye diseases and rare epilepsies. This showcase highlights each company’s transformative science and unique approaches to addressing the unmet needs of patients suffering from these conditions.
Speakers
Claire Aldridge, PhD, Chief Strategy Officer, Form Bio
Robert Bell, PhD, Founder & CEO, Telo Therapeutics
Robert Bhisitkul, MD, Co-Founder & CMO, Oculinea
Daniel Chung, MD, CMO, Sparing Vision
John Higgens, Managing Director, Brain Tumor Investment Fund
Wesley Jones, MS, MBA, Co-Founder & CEO, Vonova
Michael Kelly, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, CureDuchenne
Rusty Kelley, PhD, MBA, Managing Director, Retinal Degeneration Fund (Foundation Fighting Blindness)
Bernice Martin Lee, CEO, Epilepsy Foundation
Enrique Lin Shiao, PhD, Principal, Ventures Investment, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Jeff Milton, Founder and CEO, La Jolla Labs
Tyler Mizenko, MBA, VP of Relationships and Business Development, Prendio & BioProcure
Stephanie Oestreich, PhD, MPA, Managing Director, Multiple Myeloma Investment Fund
Chris Reyes, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO, Bloom Science
Marshall Summar, MD, CEO & Co-Founder, Uncommon Cures