Day Two

Explore the Agenda

7:30 am Registration & Light Breakfast

8:35 am Chair’s Opening Remarks & Recap of Day One

Simplifying Scientific Complexity of Advanced Therapies to Draft Defensible, Broad Claims

8:45 am Fireside Chat: Confronting Enablement Risks to Strengthen Drafting Strategy

  • David Diamond Vice President & Head Of Intellectual Property, Capstan Therapeutics

Synopsis

  • Hear how recent decisions (e.g. Amgen v. Sanofi) are impacting strategy
  • Discuss when to aim for breadth vs. depth in claim language
  • Understand how to avoid overreaching without under protecting

9:15 am Presentation: Drafting Patent Strategies for Genetically Modified vs. Unmodified Cell Therapies

  • Jon Aumais Formerly Senior Patent Agent, Genentech

Synopsis

  • Compare how patent strategies differ for genetically modified versus unmodified allogeneic cell therapies under U.S. law
  • Explore key challenges in claiming unmodified cells, including novelty, inventiveness, and eligibility
  • Learn practical drafting approaches to protect compositions, methods, and therapeutic use across both therapy types

9:45 am Panel Discussion: Aligning Legal and Scientific Teams to Unlock Stronger Patent Claims

  • Marshall Byrd Senior Director IP Management, CureVac
  • TJ Cradick Chief Scientific Officer, Principal, Gene Editing Frontiers
  • Jeanne Wilson Director, Intellectual Property, Intellia Therapeutics
  • Jacob Sherkow Professor of Law & Medicine, University of Illinois

Synopsis

  • Learn practical approaches to coaching scientists for clearer, claim-ready disclosures
  • Explore strategies for drafting patent claims that address the unique scientific and legal challenges across advanced therapy modalities
  • Hear real-world stories where misalignment created challenges and how they were overcome

10:30 am Morning Break & Networking

Balancing Trade Secrets and Patents to Strengthen Protection & Reinforce Competitive Advantage

11:00 am Presentation: Choosing Secrecy Strategically to Strengthen Protection Beyond Patents

  • Katie Merriman Executive Director, Intellectual Property, Umoja Biopharma

Synopsis

  • Define what makes strong, enforceable trade secrets in advanced therapies
  • Understand legal thresholds and organizational processes for secrecy
  • Learn how secrecy complements formal IP in competitive settings

11:30 am Roundtable Discussion: Assessing IP Protection Scenarios to Decide What Should Be Kept Secret

Synopsis

  • Debate anonymized case examples to weigh patenting vs. trade secrecy
  • Evaluate risks of disclosure vs. strength of trade secret protections
  • Crowdsource policies for hybrid IP strategies in complex pipelines

12:00 pm Networking Lunch

Clarifying Freedom to Operate to Accelerate Launch, Strengthen Licensing & Apply AI Strategically

1:00 pm Fireside Chat: Building Smart FTO Strategies to Support Commercial Launch & Avoid Legal Delays

Synopsis

  • Map the steps from patent landscaping to formal FTO opinion
  • How proactive FTO can accelerate licensing, investment, and launch timelines
  • Unpacking strategies to manage third-party IP conflicts and avoid costly delays

1:30 pm Panel Discussion: Licensing IP Assets to Unlock Revenue & Partnership Value

Synopsis

  • Explore licensing approaches from early-stage out-licensing to mature monetization
  • Discuss how to position IP for pharma partnerships or M&A
  • Learn negotiation best practices that preserve long-term flexibility

2:15 pm Afternoon Break & Networking

Strengthening Enforcement Strategy to Reduce Litigation Risk & Safeguard Market Access

2:45 pm Presentation: Defending High-Value Portfolios to Minimize Litigation Risk & Protect Market Access

  • Jacob Sherkow Professor of Law & Medicine, University of Illinois

Synopsis

  • Analyze litigation trends in CRISPR, LNP, and gene editing patent battles
  • Understand how enablement rulings and biosimilar threats impact advanced therapy IP
  • Explore portfolio tactics that strengthen positioning in disputes and due diligence

3:15 pm Audience Discussion: Preparing IP Portfolios to Withstand Litigation, Transactions & Competitive Scrutiny

  • Jacob Sherkow Professor of Law & Medicine, University of Illinois

Synopsis

  • Exploring practical steps to strengthen portfolios ahead of due diligence or licensing negotiations
  • Identifying weaknesses in internal IP governance that can undermine enforceability or deal value
  • Sharing strategies to align IP documentation, ownership, and clarity for investor and partner readiness

3:45 pm Chair’s Closing Remarks

3:55 pm End of Conference Day Two