Join us for an in-depth exploration of the critical elements to successfully partner with big pharma and industry leaders in Australia. This event will provide practical guidance and actionable insights for biotech startups navigating the complex journey of collaboration, growth, and market adaptation

Key areas we'll explore include:

How to identify and approach the right partner and when
Engaging with big pharma and industry in Australia and how to gain access
How pharma companies triage and assess early-stage opportunities
Safeguarding partnerships and handling exits
What pharma looks for from biotech startups, how to pivot with market changes, exit strategies

Brief agenda:

2:30pm: Registration and passing through security

3-3:10pm: Welcome by Camille Shanahan, General Manager of Jumar Bioincubator

3:10-3:30pm: Keynote Speaker

3:30-3:40pm: Audience Q&A for Keynotes

3:40-4:00pm: Panel discussion

4-4:25pm: Audience Q&A

4:25-4:30pm: Wrap up

4:30pm onwards: Networking and refreshments

Keynote Speaker:

Janette Dixon, Founder of JustPartnering
Janette Dixon is the Founder and Managing Director of JustPartnering, a boutique consultancy specialising in pharma partnering, established in 2008. With over 25 years of experience in chief executive and consultancy roles across biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and clinical diagnostics, Janette has been instrumental in driving strategic partnerships and out-licensing activities for numerous life sciences companies and academic groups. Her doctoral research focused on understanding commercialisation strategy in biotech start-ups, providing unique insights into the relationships between technologies, business models and the impacts of these on partnering. As a serial entrepreneur, and founder of six biotech companies, Janette appreciates the challenges facing biotech CEOs in financing research and managing returns to shareholders.

Industry Expert Panel:

Perdita Cheshire, Director, Head Research Innovation APAC & North America at CSL
As head of Research Innovation for Asia Pacific and North America, Perdita is responsible for the proactive identification and evaluation of external innovation opportunities to expand and diversify CSL's Research pipeline. Perdita has led the expansion of partnerships with academic institutes, incubators, accelerators and start-ups, helping to deliver a pipeline of disruptive innovation opportunities from these regions. Perdita also leads CSL’s Research Acceleration Initiative, a global industry call for proposals to support the acceleration and translation of earl- stage research into novel therapeutics. Originally from the UK, Perdita completed her undergraduate and Masters degrees at the University of Sussex, before moving to Australia where she completed her PhD in neuroscience at Monash University. Her post-doctoral research focused on developing cell therapies for the treatment of burn injuries in the Victorian Adult Burns Service, Alfred Hospital. Prior to joining CSL in 2019, Perdita was a Business Development Manager at a biotechnology business development consultancy focused on licensing and partnering. Perdita has recently returned to Australia after spending 2.5 years in Philadelphia, at CSL’s US headquarter

Michelle Williams, Strategic Partnerships Lead at Sanofi
Michelle excels in partnering with researchers to transform innovative ideas into healthcare solutions. With over 15 years in biotech and pharma, she provides strategic and operational guidance across clinical development, from early trials to commercialization. As the Partnerships Lead at the Translational Science Hub, a public- private partnership between the Queensland government and leading Queensland Universities, Michelle connects researchers and start up companies with global expertise and resources, driving advancements in technologies like mRNA. Passionate about fostering a thriving biomedical ecosystem, she is committed to helping innovations succeed in a competitive industry and develop a thriving biomedical ecosystem in Australia

Felicia Pradera, Director - Regional Research Centre for Respiratory Medicines and Tropical Diseases at Moderna
Felicia Pradera is the Director of the Regional Research Centre for Respiratory Medicines and Tropical Infectious Disease at Moderna. In this role, she works to strengthen mRNA research capabilities through collaborations within the APAC region’s premier biotech and infectious diseases medical research institutes and fosters innovations in translational science, quantitative methods and clinical research. Previously, she was the Head of the Health Security Systems Australia division of DMTC Limited, on secondment from the Defence Science and Technology Group. Felicia has over 20 years of experience in cutting edge research and product development environments and over the last 15 years has specialised in medical countermeasure development against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats. She has been a trusted strategic advisor to state and federal governments on CBRN related issues, including as a member of the Prime Minister’s Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group (SITAG), which had a lead role in guiding Australia’s national COVID-19 pandemic response. Felicia has expertise in academic research (immunology), preclinical & clinical trials, intellectual property and complex program management. Her postgraduate academic qualifications are from the Technical University of Berlin and Monash University respectively. She is also a non-executive director of M:MBio Pty Ltd.

Simon Green, CEO of Immunosis
Simon is a highly experienced biotechnology executive and entrepreneur, focusing on the discovery, development and commercialisation of novel medicines and diagnostic products. He completed his PhD in the field of immunology at the University of Melbourne in 1992 and has worked at Genentech, Novartis, Chiron and CSL Limited, where he was Senior Vice President of Global Plasma R&D and General Manager of Manufacturing Operations in Australia and Germany. Simon is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Immunosis Pty Ltd, a biotech start-up company focused on improved diagnostic outcomes for patients with immune deficiencies. Simon’s breadth of skills covers R&D drug development, corporate due diligence, acquisitions and integration, strategic planning, portfolio management, financial management, intellectual property management, risk management, business development, contract management and organizational design. Simon is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has Non-Executive Director experience in ASX listed companies including Clover Corporation (2020 – present), Syntara (2022 – present) and Acrux Pty Ltd (2016 - 2019). He is also a Venture Partner at BioScience Managers, a health care investment firm.

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NOTE: You may be photographed or videod while attending this event for marketing purposes: please approach the organiser if you have questions, concerns, or do not wish this to happen.

The masterclass will be followed by an optional tour of Jumar Bioincubator. Let us know in the registration form if you're interested in participating.

About

Jumar Bioincubator acts as a first home for biotech startups, providing affordable lab and office space, practical support, and community activities to unlock the potential in early scientific discoveries.

Jumar Bioincubator was established by CSL, WEHI and the University of Melbourne. Together, with backing from innovation investor Breakthrough Victoria and operator Cicada Innovations, the mission is to connect early-stage and scaling biotech ventures with the support they need to progress discoveries towards real-world treatments and therapies and build a critical mass of scientists with the knowledge and confidence to run successful biomedical ventures.