Expect Some Surprises At This Year's DIA
By Rob Wright, Chief Editor, Life Science Leader
Follow Me On Twitter @RfwrightLSL
DIA’s (Drug Information Association) 50th annual meeting takes place in San Diego next week – June 15 – 19. Though DIA released the FINAL program, you would be wise to expect the unexpected because life happens. For example, if you show up to the session I will be chairing, Capital Efficient Drug Development with Revolutionary Technologies: Calculated Risks (p. 53 of Final Program, #223 Track 16), the speakers list is not accurate. Unfortunately, Thomas Hughes, Ph.D., CEO of Zafgen, informed us a few weeks ago he would not be able to make it. But do not worry. Though I am typically a fan of the philosophy under promise, over deliver, I will over promise you this — our replacement speaker, along with ImmusanT CEO Leslie Williams, and Halloran Group president and CEO Laurie Halloran, will over deliver in this session. Here’s why. Williams’ (a member of Life Science Leader magazine’s editorial advisory board and past participant in our 2013 CRO Leadership Awards issue) company, ImmunsanT, has recently been featured in a number of well-known publications for its work on developing a vaccine for Celiac Disease. Halloran’s industry insights have been sought by a veritable alphabet soup listing of publications, including Life Science Leader in 2013 and 2014. And as for our mystery speaker who agreed to step in last minute — let me give you a little insight on this game changer.
Addition To DIA Panel – A Real Game Changer
In January 2014, I participated in the 7th Annual Global Biomanufacturing Summit. While this person was speaking, I began tweeting comments comparing this person’s technology and its potential to something you would expect to see on Star Trek. After he completed his talk, I introduced myself, seeing if he might be willing to participate in an article. I thought what his company was working on could provide some best business practice editorial with actionable information for Life Science Leader readers. He agreed. What a fortunate coincidence that this CEO of a publically traded company just so happens to be in the same issue (June 2014) you will be able to pick up at DIA. The company has been featured in Time magazine, the Wall Street Journal, MIT Technology Review’s 50 Disruptive Companies (2012), and now — Life Science Leader. If you are going to have a panel on capital-efficient drug development, and you have to replace someone of Tom Hughes’ caliber, it sure is nice when you can bring in the CEO of Organovo (NYSE: ONVO), Keith Murphy to discuss the application of the revolutionary technology — 3D bioprinting. Combine Murphy with the likes of Williams and Halloran and we have the makings for a pretty potent presentation. Oh, one more thing. The program describes this as a session that will be delivered lecture style from the podium for 90 minutes. We have decided to take a rather different approach. Instead you will see three 20 minute TED-style talks, and me, doing my best imitation of television talk show host legend, Phil Donohue, in order to create an environment of active engagement.
DIA Do’s And Don’ts
This year’s DIA program is packed with star power, including Pfizer’s chief medical officer, Freda Lewis-Hall, M.D.; and the FDA’s Commissioner, Margaret Hamburg, M.D. As a result, you may have a hard time picking which sessions to attend. So let me give you a few DIA do’s and don’ts. Do be sure to follow folks on Twitter. Not sure who to follow? You can start by following @DrugInfoAssn, @OutsourcedPharm, or me (@RfwrightLSL). Don’t just take just one person’s advice. Instead, follow the hashtag #DIA2014 to get the most variety of opinions and insights. For example, I asked Lisa Henderson, editor for Applied Clinical Trials, which sessions caught her eye at this year’s DIA, and she agrees there are a lot of good tracks, but she really likes Changing Landscape for Bioinnovation (#252 Track 19, p. 60 of final program) and Social Listening As A Tool To Inform Study Teams On Social Media Strategy For Recruitment And Building Patient-Centric Trials (#229 Track 01C, p. 54). Chief Editor of Clinical Leader, Ed Miseta, likes Effective Strategic Partnering Between Small Pharmaceutical Companies And CROs: Discussion And Case Study (#381 Track 03B, p. 96). Be sure to tweet me which sessions you think is interesting and Do be sure to include the hashtag #dia2014. See you soon.