The 2025 Cell & Gene Meeting on the Med will be delivered in a hybrid format with live programming available over the course of three days at the Rome Cavalieri. Virtual registrants will have access to all content via livestream during the program dates. Additionally, all content will be made available on-demand within 24 hours of the live program time for all registrants to view.
12:00pm – 5:00pm Badge Pick-up in the Rome Cavalieri Lobby (All Attendees)
Time TBD ARM Board of Directors Meeting (By Invitation Only)
7:30am – 9:00am Registration
9:00am – 6:00pm General Session, Panel Discussions, Company Presentations, Workshops and Partnering Meetings
6:00pm – 8:00pm Networking Bash
7:30am – 9:00am Registration
9:00am – 6:00pm General Session, Panel Discussions, Company Presentations, Workshops and Partnering Meetings
6:00pm – 7:00pm Cocktail Reception
7:30am – 9:00am Registration
9:00am – 12:00pm General Session, Panel Discussions, Company Presentations, Workshops and Partnering Meetings
12:00pm – 1:00pm Closing Lunch
12:00am - 11:59pm Virtual Partnering Meetings
12:00am - 11:59pm Virtual Partnering Meetings
7:30am | REGISTRATION OPENS
8:00am | PARTNERING OPENS
9:00am | GENERAL SESSION
WELCOME REMARKS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
9:00am – 9:30am
Speakers:
Tim Hunt, CEO, Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM)
Bob Smith, Venture Partner, OrbiMed; Chairman, Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM)
9:30am – 10:15am | CONCURRENT TRACKS
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: EMER COOKE
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
9:30am – 10:15am
Moderator:
Tim Hunt, CEO, Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM)
Speaker:
Emer Cooke, Executive Director, European Medicines Agency
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 9:30am – 9:45am | Accelerated Biosciences |
| 9:45am – 10:00am | CUTISS |
| 10:00am – 10:15am | CHO Plus |
10:15am – 10:45am | MORNING BREAK
Sponsored by Lachman Consultants
10:45am – 12:15pm | CONCURRENT TRACKS
COMMERCIALIZING ATMPS: MOVING FROM INNOVATION TO MARKET SUCCESS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
10:45am – 11:30am
This panel will discuss the journey of commercializing ATMPs, focusing on key challenges and strategies for bringing innovative therapies to market, with insights from industry experts in manufacturing, R&D, and regulatory pathways.
Moderator:
Behnam Baghbaderani, Ph.D., Vice President, Global Head of Commercial and Program Management, Lonza
Speakers:
Shankar Musunuri, Ph.D., Chairman of the Board, CEO and Co-founder, Ocugen
Kinnari Patel, Pharm.D., President, Head of R&D and Chief Operating Officer, Rocket Pharma
Rebecca Poehnelt, Ph.D., Vice President, Global Commercial Strategy Lymphoma, Leukemia and Cell Therapy, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 10:45am – 11:00am | QuTEM |
| 11:00am – 11:15am | Evox Therapeutics |
| 11:15am – 11:30am | MaxCyte |
JOINT CLINICAL ASSESSMENT OF ATMPS: CLINICAL TRIALS, PATIENT ACCESS AND EU COMPETITIVENESS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Sections 3&4}
11:30am – 12:15pm
This panel will explore the Joint Clinical Assessment of ATMPs, focusing on its impact on clinical trials, patient access, and the EU’s global competitiveness, with insights from experts across industry, patient advocacy, and healthcare.
Moderator:
Miguel Forte, M.D., Ph.D., CEO, Kiji Therapeutics
Speakers:
Alex Bloom, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer, AviadoBio
Antonella Cardone, CEO, Cancer Patients Europe (CPE)
François Houÿez, Information and Access to Therapies Director, Health Policy Advisor, EURORDIS-Rare Diseases Europe
Pierluigi Russo, Ph.D., Technical Scientific Director AIFA, Italy
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 11:30am – 11:45am | Cellares |
| 11:45am – 12:00pm | Rocket Pharmaceuticals |
| 12:00pm – 12:15pm | Autolus |
12:15pm – 1:15pm | LUNCH
1:15pm – 3:15pm | CONCURRENT TRACKS
THE FUTURE OF CELL AND GENE SCIENCE: BREAKTHROUGHS, BUSINESS, AND INVESTMENT HORIZONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
1:15pm – 1:45pm
Join investment experts as they explore where CGT science is heading, what this means for biotech investment strategies, and how investors will position themselves to capitalize on the next wave of innovation.
Moderator:
Matthew Durdy, Chief Executive, Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult
Speakers:
Jim Birchenough, M.D., Chairman and Global Co-Head, Barclays Biopharmaceutical Investment Banking
Daniella Kranjac, Founding General Partner, Avant Bio; Founding Partner, Dynamk Capital
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 1:15pm – 1:30pm | Nanite |
| 1:30pm – 1:45pm | WhiteLab Genomics |
SCIENCE SLAM: OCULAR INDICATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
1:45pm – 2:45pm
Moderator:
Amit Rakhit, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, BlueRock Therapeutics
Speakers:
Rodolphe Clerval, CEO, Coave Therapeutics
Laura Koivusalo, Ph.D., CEO, StemSight
R. Andrew Ramelmeier, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer, Adverum Biotechnologies
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 1:45pm – 2:00pm | uniQure |
| 2:00pm – 2:15pm | Arbor Biotechnologies |
| 2:15pm – 2:30pm | Minaris |
| 2:30pm – 2:45pm | Novartis Contract Manufacturing |
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: DR. JAMES WILSON
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
2:45pm – 3:15pm
Moderator:
Richard Wilson, Senior Vice President, Primary Focus Lead, Genetic Regulation, Astellas
Speaker:
James Wilson, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO, GEMMABio; Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 2:45pm – 3:00pm | RheumaGen |
| 3:00pm – 3:15pm | Coave Therapeutics |
3:15pm – 3:45pm | AFTERNOON BREAK
Sponsored by Lachman Consultants
3:45pm – 6:00pm | CONCURRENT TRACKS
COLLABORATIVE INNOVATIONS IN CELL AND GENE THERAPY MANUFACTURING: BRIDGING REALITY AND AUTOMATION
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
3:45pm – 4:30pm
Moderator:
Josh Ludwig, Global Director, Commercial Operations, ScaleReady
Speakers:
Stephen Ward, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer, Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult
Edwin Stone, Ph.D., CEO, Cellular Origins
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 3:45pm – 4:00pm | Catalent |
| 4:00pm – 4:15pm | Forge Biologics |
| 4:15pm – 4:30pm | Broken String Biosciences |
THE IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS IN GENE AND CELL THERAPY
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
4:30pm – 5:15pm
Moderator:
Tim Hunt, CEO, Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM)
Speakers:
Catherine Bollard, M.D., Senior Vice President, Chief Research Officer, Children’s National Hospital and The George Washington University
Kevin FitzGerald, S.J., Ph.D., Chair, Department of Medical Humanities, Associate Professor, Creighton University
Adora Ndu, Pharm.D., Chief Regulatory Officer, Executive Vice President, Portfolio Strategy and Management, BridgeBio Pharma
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 4:30pm – 4:45pm | AviadoBio |
| 4:45pm – 5:00pm | Umoja BioPharma |
| 5:00pm – 5:15pm | Evotec International |
TISSUE THERAPEUTICS: THE PROMISE OF RATIONALLY DESIGNED TISSUES TO REPLACE LOST FUNCTION
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
5:15pm – 6:00pm
Panelists will discuss recent advances in the design and development of tissue therapeutics including applications of perfusion technologies and bioprinting to bring next order treatments to patients with limited options.
Moderator:
Julie Allickson, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer, Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics
Speakers:
Petter Björquist, Ph.D., CEO, VERIGRAFT
Tamer Mohamed, Founder and CEO, Aspect Biosystems
Jeff Ross, Ph.D., President, Miromatrix a United Therapeutics Company
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 5:15pm – 5:30pm | TreeFrog Therapeutics |
| 5:30pm – 5:45pm | Cellular Origins |
6:00pm | PROGRAM AND PARTNERING CLOSES
6:00pm – 8:00pm | NETWORKING BASH
Sponsored by Dark Horse Consulting and Intertek
7:30am | REGISTRATION OPENS
8:00am | PARTNERING OPENS
9:00am – 10:30am | CONCURRENT TRACKS
ARM STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
9:00am – 9:15am
Speaker:
Rita Johnson-Greene, Chief Operating Officer, Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM)
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: DR. PAUL STOFFELS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
9:15am – 9:45am
Moderator:
Bob Smith, Venture Partner, OrbiMed; Chairman, Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM)
Speaker:
Paul Stoffels, M.D., Chair of the Board and CEO, Galapagos
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 9:15am – 9:30am | Evolved.Bio |
| 9:30am – 9:45am | SmartCella |
REGULATORY CONVERGENCE FOR ATMPS: BUILDING GLOBAL STANDARDS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
9:45am – 10:30am
Moderator:
Anne-Virginie Eggimann, Chief Regulatory Officer, Tessera Therapeutics
Speakers:
Julian Beach, Executive Director Healthcare Quality and Access, MHRA
Sol Ruiz, Ph.D., Head, Unit of Biotechnology and Advanced Therapies, Spanish Medicines Agency
Sean Russell, Head of Regulatory Affairs, Fondazione Telethon
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 9:45am – 10:00am | Ensoma |
| 10:00am – 10:15am | Portal |
| 10:15am – 10:30am | Cirsium Biosciences |
10:30am – 10:45am | MORNING BREAK
Sponsored by Lachman Consultants
10:45am – 12:15pm | CONCURRENT TRACKS
INVESTING IN THE ATMP SECTOR: TRENDS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND RISKS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
10:45am – 11:30am
Join leading investors and industry experts as they delve into the dynamic ATMP investment landscape, analyzing market trends, funding opportunities, and potential challenges.
Moderator:
Sven Kili, Partner, Saisei Ventures
Speakers:
Lucia Faccio, Ph.D., Partner, Sofinnova Partners
Tim Lohoff, Ph.D., Senior Associate, Forbion
Ahmed Mousa, M.D., General Manager, Lafana Life Sciences Holding
Owen Smith, Partner, 4BIO Capital
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 10:45am – 11:00am | GENESPIRE |
| 11:00am – 11:15am | Allarta Life Science |
| 11:15am – 11:30am | Cellistic |
EXPANDING ACCESS TO CAR-T THERAPIES: OVERCOMING BARRIERS AND DRIVING ADOPTION
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
11:30am – 12:15pm
This panel will address the barriers preventing broader access to CAR-T therapies, such as logistical, financial, and regulatory challenges. Experts will share insights on how to drive adoption and improve patient access to these transformative treatments.
Moderator:
Rupa Pike, Ph.D., Senior Director and Global Head of Strategic Alliances, Catalent
Speakers:
David Fontana, Ph.D., Chief Operations Officer and Chief Business Officer, Umoja Biopharma
Phung Osborn, Vice President, Head of Global Market Access, Cell Therapy, Bristol Myers Squibb
Dilip Patel, Senior Vice President, Pricing and Market Access Strategy, Autolus
Panteli Theocharous, Ph.D., FRCPath, Chief Therapeutics Officer, Head of Medical and Scientific Affairs, Garuda Therapeutics
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 11:30am – 11:45am | BlueRock Therapeutics |
| 11:45am – 12:00pm | Kiji Therapeutics |
| 12:00pm – 12:15pm | IamFluidics |
12:15pm – 1:15pm | LUNCH
1:15pm – 3:15pm | CONCURRENT TRACKS
FROM PITCH TO PROGRESS: KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISING FOR ATMPS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
1:15pm – 1:45pm
This session will share key insights and strategies from successful fundraising efforts for ATMPs, covering the critical elements that attract investors and drive progress from pitch to funding. Experts will highlight best practices for navigating the fundraising process and securing support for innovative therapies.
Moderator:
Phil Vanek, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer and Partner, Gamma Biosciences
Speakers:
Robert Ang, President and CEO, Vor Bio
Chris Vann, Chief Operating Officer, Autolus
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 1:15pm – 1:30pm | Charles River Laboratories |
| 1:30pm – 1:45pm | Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult |
SCIENCE SLAM: DIABETES – CELL AND TISSUE THERAPY APPROACHES TO PROVIDE DURABLE THERAPEUTIC SOLUTIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
1:45pm – 2:45pm
Moderator:
Eytan Abraham, Ph.D., Chief Commercial and Technology Officer, Minaris Regenerative Medicine
Speakers:
Bernd Muehlenweg, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Head of Global Business Development, Cell Therapy, Evotec; Non Executive Director, Sernova
Vlad Seitan, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Laverock Therapeutics
Harald Stover, Ph.D., Founder and CEO, Allarta Life Science; Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 1:45pm – 2:00pm | Adverum Biotechnologies |
| 2:00pm – 2:15pm | PDC*line Pharma |
| 2:15pm – 2:30pm | Xintela |
| 2:30pm – 2:45pm | Verve Therapeutics |
FEATURED SPEAKER: KAREN AIACH-PIGNET
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
2:45pm – 3:15pm
Join us for an insightful fireside chat with Karen Aiach-Pignet, CEO of Genespire and Founding Executive Member of the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC). As a pioneer in the field of rare diseases, Karen will share her invaluable experience in leading global initiatives to accelerate the development of treatments for rare and complex conditions.
Moderator:
Manny Simons, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Gene Therapy and Gene Editing, Eli Lilly and Company; Founder and CEO, Akouos
Speaker:
Karen Aiach-Pignet, CEO, Genespire; Founding Executive Member, International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC)
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 2:45pm – 3:00pm | Astellas Pharma |
| 3:00pm – 3:15pm | VERIGRAFT |
3:15pm – 3:45pm | AFTERNOON BREAK
Sponsored by Lachman Consultants
3:45pm – 6:00pm | CONCURRENT TRACKS
CELL AND GENE THERAPIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST: CURRENT STATUS AND FUTURE OUTLOOK
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
3:45pm – 4:30pm
Join us as we explore the current landscape of cell and gene therapies in the Middle East, highlighting regional advancements, challenges, and opportunities for growth in this emerging market. Experts will also discuss the future outlook and potential for broader adoption in the region.
Moderator:
Devyn Smith, Ph.D., CEO, Arbor Biotechnologies
Speakers:
Khulood Alsayegh, M.D., Head of Clinical Standards and Guidelines, Dubai Health Authority
Fatma Alhashimi, Ph.D., Director, First Stem Cell and Genomics Laboratory; Chairperson, Dubai Stem Cell Congress
Hala Audi, CEO, Unizima
Ahmed Mousa, M.D., General Manager, Lafana Life Sciences Holding
ADVANCING GENE THERAPIES FOR RARE DISEASES: IMPLEMENTING NOVEL STRATEGIES FOR NOT-FOR-PROFIT INNOVATION
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
4:30pm – 5:15pm
Moderator:
John Hadden II, CEO and Co-founder, ViroCell Biologics
Speakers:
Hilary Eaton, Ph.D., Chief Business Officer, Profluent
Sadik Kassim, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Technology Officer, Danaher Genomic Medicines
Maryam Mokhtarzadeh, M.D., Senior Director, Regulatory Strategy, REGENXBIO
Hilary Schultz, CEO and Founder, Persephoni BioPartners
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 4:30pm – 4:45pm | Luminary Therapeutics |
| 4:45pm – 5:00pm | Anocca |
| 5:00pm – 5:15pm | Aspect Biosystems |
ADVANCING GLOBAL CELL AND GENE THERAPY MANUFACTURING IN 2025: CHALLENGES, INNOVATIONS, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
5:15pm – 6:00pm
Moderator:
Luca Alberici, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Global Cell and Gene Technologies and General Manager, AGC Biologics
Speakers:
Ken Harris, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of AI, OmniaBio
Robert Hughes, Global Head of Technical Operations, Senior Vice President, Galapagos
Alessandro Linciano, Site Manufacturing Science and Technology Head, Cell and Gene Therapy, Novartis
Myriam Makhloufi, Chief Strategy Officer, TreeFrog Therapeutics
Ignacio Núñez, Chief Operations Officer, CellReady
COMPANY PRESENTATIONS
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 2}
| 5:15pm – 5:30pm | Laverock Therapeutics |
| 5:30pm – 5:45pm | Virica Biotech |
6:00pm | PROGRAM AND PARTNERING CLOSES
6:00pm – 7:00pm | COCKTAIL RECEPTION
Sponsored by Aseptic Technologies – SKAN
7:30am | REGISTRATION OPENS
8:00am | PARTNERING OPENS
9:00am | GENERAL SESSION
DAY 3 OPENING REMARKS AND CONFERENCE SUMMARY
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
9:00am – 9:15am
Speaker:
Paolo Morgese, Vice President, Public Affairs Europe, Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM)
REVOLUTIONIZING CANCER TREATMENT: INNOVATIONS IN CELL AND GENE THERAPY
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
9:15am – 10:00am
Moderator:
Jessica Carmen, Ph.D., Chief Commercial Officer, RoslinCT
Speakers:
Reagan Jarvis, Ph.D., CEO and Scientific Founder, Anocca
Kristin Yarema, Ph.D., President and CEO, Poseida Therapeutics
INDUSTRIALIZATION OF ATMPS: ADVANCING MANUFACTURING THROUGH ROBOTICS, AI AND DIGITALIZATION
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
10:00am – 11:00am
This panel will explore how the industrialization of ATMPs can be advanced through robotics, AI, and digitalization, drawing lessons from industry giants. Experts will discuss how large data, mass customization, and large-scale production can drive efficiencies and innovation in ATMP manufacturing.
Moderator:
Jason Foster, CEO, Oribiotech
Speakers:
Ricardo Baptista, Ph.D., Chief Technical Officer, SmartCella
David Del Bourgo, CEO and Co-founder, WhiteLab Genomics
Matthew Hewitt, Ph.D., Vice President, CTO Manufacturing Business Division, Charles River Laboratories
Ran Zheng, CEO, Landmark Bio
NEW PAYMENT MODELS: RECENT EXPERIENCES IN EUROPE AND IN THE U.S.
{Salone dei Cavalieri, Section 3&4}
11:00am – 12:00pm
Moderator:
Mark Battaglini, Chief Strategy Officer, Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM)
Speakers:
Stefano Benvenuti, Head of Public Affairs and Market Access, Fondazione Telethon
Debbie Drane, Senior Vice President, Strategic Projects, CSL
Liz Fowler, Ph.D., Former Director, CMS Innovation Center; Former Vice President, Global Health Policy, Johnson & Johnson
Francis Pang, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Global Market Access and International Geographic Expansion, Orchard Therapeutics
Rosanna Sovani, Partner, Head of Legal Public Affairs, LS CUBE Studio Legale
12:00pm | PROGRAM AND PARTNERING CLOSES
12:00pm – 1:00pm | CLOSING LUNCH
The Cell & Gene Meeting on the Mediterranean is the leading conference bringing together the ATMP community from Europe and beyond. Covering a wide range of commercialization topics from market access and regulatory issues to manufacturing and financing the sector, this program features expert-led panels, extensive one-on-one partnering capabilities, exclusive networking opportunities, and 55+ dedicated presentations by leading publicly traded and privately held companies in the space. Join ARM for Europe’s premier conference for advanced therapies.
April 15-17, 2025
Rome Cavalieri
Via Alberto Cadlolo 101
Rome, Italy
