CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization (iBIO®) today announced its preliminary lineup of keynote speakers for the 2016 iBIO Industry Exposition (iBIO IndEx). Christophe Weber, President and CEO of Takeda and Kyle Bryant, Founder and Director of Ride Ataxia, Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance, will address approximately 400 life sciences professionals during the 2016 iBIO IndEx, April 19 & 20 at the Hilton Orrington in Evanston, Illinois.
The theme of this year's iBIO IndEx, is “Converge to Emerge.” The iBIO IndEx 2016 is a place to converge and connect with key thought leaders and peers from diverse backgrounds, and emerge with new insight to help drive industry-wide growth and transformation. iBIO's signature event is a forum to discuss the latest trends and innovations impacting our community.
As President and CEO of the largest Japanese pharmaceutical company, Christophe Weber’s keynote will discuss Takeda’s global transformation to focus on the underlying principles of patient- and customer-centricity, accountability and being as agile as possible for a global company. And how these critical changes will help secure a strong and sustainable future for Takeda.
Kyle Bryant’s keynote will share how at age 17 he was devastated when he was diagnosed with a rare, debilitating, life-shortening disease called Friedreich’s Ataxia. Walkers, wheelchairs, vision loss, hearing loss and a pre-mature death were all in his future. Kyle will talk about how he took this bleak situation and turned it into an opportunity to provide hope to the FA community and empower others, riding his recumbent trike thousands of miles and raising millions for FA research. Kyle will also discuss the important role that patients play in medical innovation.
“The iBIO IndEx this year will explore how our community focuses on the needs of the patient to drive medical innovation,” said Warren Ribley, iBIO President and chief executive officer. “Starting with one of the leading global biopharma CEO’s, Christophe Weber, we will explore how the biopharma, medtech and clinical communities are addressing patients needs. We are ending the day with the patient perspective from Kyle Bryant. Whose personal story and work with the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance is an inspiration to us all."
The first day of the iBIO IndEx will feature the Innovation Summit, a partnership with Illinois major academic research institutions to showcase the next generation of new ventures. That day will also feature the PROPEL Business Plan Competition and the Illinois Life Sciences Vendor Showcase. The other iBIO IndEx highlights include:
April 19th:
- Innovation Showcase: PROPEL® Business Plan Competition ($15,000 cash award)
- Innovation Showcase: More than 15 fast pitch Venture Presentations
- Scientist Career Panel & Career Networking Lunch
- Life Sciences Vendor Showcase & Technical Presentations
April 20th:
- Patient Advocacy Networking Breakfast
- Illinois BioGENEius Highschool Science Competition
- AdvaMed 2016 Medtech Unplugged Session
- Building a Patient Centered Research Network
- The Value of Medical Innovation
The iBIO IndEx programming would not be possible with out the support of our sponsors. AbbVie, Astellas, Baxalta, Horizon Pharma, and Takeda are major supporters of the iBIO IndEx. Deloitte, Ernst & Young, McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff, Perkins Coie, Vetter Development Services provide programming support.
For more information about the iBIO IndEx, visit the conference website: http://index.ibio.org.
About the Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization
iBIO’s mission is to make Illinois and the surrounding Midwest one of the world’s top life sciences centers: a great place to do business and a great place to grow technology ventures.
iBIO, working on its own and through valued partners
- Promotes sound public policy at the local, state and federal levels;
- Improves our region’s ability to create, attract and retain businesses
- Orchestrates industry involvement to help solve America’s math and science education crisis
- Builds community by providing opportunities to connect and engage with the industry
We thereby contribute to the well-being of people worldwide while creating new jobs, attracting firms to the region and generating prosperity.
iBIO’s Leadership Sponsors are AbbVie, Astellas US, Horizon Pharma and Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America.
