Jumpstart your conference experience with a lively morning speed networking! This informal networking session is the perfect chance to meet fellow participants and connect with your conference peers right from the start. Grab a cup of coffee, engage in conversations, and kick off the conference with a bang. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to make new connections, share insights, and lay the groundwork for a memorable conference journey.

Many small biotech companies enter into critical partnerships before having a formal Alliance Management function in place - potentially leaving collaborations vulnerable to various risks. This session will share first-hand experiences in building an Alliance Management capability from the ground up while simultaneously managing active partnerships. Key takeaways will include how to define the Alliance Manager role to fit a company’s size and culture, practical steps for introducing Best Practices without overwhelming teams, and strategies to establish effective Ways of Working that strengthen both new and existing alliances.

This session will explore the unique alliance model between GSK and Flagship Pioneering - a multi-program, multi-entity collaboration designed to unlock new medicines across a portfolio of bioplatform companies. Structured as an “Innovation Supply Chain” Partnership, the alliance goes beyond traditional licensing or asset-based deals to create a scalable, co-funded discovery engine. We will share insights into how the alliance was structured to jointly fund early-stage exploration across 40+ Flagship bioplatform companies; governance and team structures that enable agile decision-making while aligning two very different organizational models; strategic mechanisms for portfolio selection, optionality, and development handoffs - balancing flexibility, speed, and shared accountability; and early lessons from operationalizing cross-functional working teams across organizations, geographies, and therapeutic areas.

As alliances progress into later stages, sustaining alignment, engagement, and shared value can become increasingly complex, especially in the face of competing priorities and the need to improve efficiency. This case study examines how Merck and AstraZeneca have managed the evolution of their collaboration over time, adapting governance, communication, and decision-making processes to maintain focus and momentum. Learn practical lessons for keeping mature partnerships effective, strategically relevant, and resilient amid shifting demands.

Enduring alliances demand a shared commitment to purpose, adaptability, and trust. Gain insights from the long-standing partnership between AbbVie and Genentech and discover the strategic pillars that have sustained their collaboration over time—anchored in a shared, long-term vision focused on patient impact and supported by evolving governance and decision-making frameworks. Learn how the partners optimized a co-development and co-commercialization model, balancing joint U.S. commercialization (Genentech/AbbVie) with AbbVie’s ex-U.S. responsibilities, and how alliance management played a vital role during periods of crisis and change. Finally, uncover practical approaches for building alliance connectivity from day one, including fostering early trust, strengthening relationships, and managing conflict constructively to reinforce shared goals.

There are many reasons why a company may want to terminate an alliance. Whatever the reason, the parties must understand and follow the correct procedures for termination. Join this discussion to explore best practices for managing this process. 

• Establishing a clear exit strategy and governance plan
• Strategies to steer through an alliance termination process preserve trust, and maintain reputational integrity for future collaborations
• Considerations for transition planning​

When budgets tighten, strong alliances become even more critical. This session explores practical ways to maintain momentum and value creation with limited resources. Learn how to leverage digital tools, internal talent, and creative partnerships to sustain alliance performance, trust, and delivery. Participants will leave with ideas on low-cost, high-impact approaches that strengthen collaboration under constraint.  Discussion points include: applying technology and AI to streamline alliance operations, leveraging internal expertise and cross-functional support, using developmental opportunities and interns for added capacity, and sustaining trust and communication when resources are scarce?

What we do as Alliance Managers is extremely important to both departmental and organizational success. As Alliance Managers we understand the material impact we make, and the value that we create. However, often times the broader BD Team and Organization does not witness nor fully understand what we do on a daily basis, and the value Alliance Management creates. In this session we will the discuss the importance of publishing our work, and ways of sharing this within the department and organization

This presentation explores the unique alliance models driving the digital therapeutics (DTx) revolution, focusing on how large pharmaceutical companies and agile startups collaborate to develop and commercialize novel solutions. We'll examine how these partnerships are designed to create symbiotic value by leveraging the strengths of each party—the startup's innovative platform and pharma's commercial reach—to de-risk innovation and deliver new therapies to patients. Discussion includes the practical aspects of managing complex, multi-partner alliances in this rapidly evolving space.

Partnerships with China-based biotech offer growing innovation opportunities but bring unique challenges—from navigating evolving regulatory and data privacy laws to aligning on data disclosures, clinical/commercial drug supply, and governance. This session explores practical approaches for addressing these complexities via early negotiation, clear contractual terms, localized data and compliance plans, and robust relationship management frameworks which all help alliance teams turn cross-border risks into collaborative success.

China remains a critical market and collaboration hub for global biopharma, offering both immense opportunity and unique complexity. From evolving regulatory environments to cultural and communication nuances, successful partnership management in China requires adaptability and awareness. This roundtable will examine strategies for building productive, compliant, and culturally attuned alliances.

• Key trends shaping biopharma partnering and co-development in China
• Understanding regulatory, data-sharing, and operational challenges unique to the region​
• Bridging cultural differences in governance, communication, and decision-making styles