Networking +
Policy +
Member
Career
Choose
Biotech Symposium: Innovations in Regenerative Medicine
Join us Tuesday, April 23, for CBSA’s Biotech Symposium: Innovations in Regenerative Medicine.
CBSA’s annual Biotech Symposium brings together the state’s biotech leaders to discuss recent developments and new trends in the community. The event will include a keynote speaker, exhibitor booths, panel discussions, and networking opportunities.
Keynote Speaker
CBSA is thrilled to welcome symposium Keynote Speaker, Rita Johnson-Greene, MBA, The who will share insights from The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine’s State of the Industry Briefing.
About Rita Johnson-Greene, MBA
Rita Johnson-Greene is an accomplished international healthcare executive leader with over 20 years of progressive experience. Rita has worked at several world-class organizations and her experience includes, product launch, commercial operations, corporate finance, sales leadership, market access & payer reimbursement, ultrarare disease, international business, financial planning and reporting, fleet management, contracting, manufacturing, field force optimization and resource allocation. Rita has launched three of the eight rare disease gene therapies currently marketed in the US, including Luxturna, the first FDA-approved gene therapy.
Rita is currently the Chief Operating Officer at the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM), which is the leading international advocacy organization representing the engineered cell therapy and genetic medicines sector. Rita oversees multiple functions, including membership, finance, programming, and people and culture. She is also responsible for ARM’s geographic expansion initiative.
Rita previously served as the VP of Sales and Qualified Treatment Centers (QTCs) at bluebird bio where she built and scaled bluebird’s pre-commercial US Sales & QTC Operations teams to support the successful launch of the ZYNTEGLO and SKYSONA gene therapy brands in 2022. Rita rapidly scaled the bluebird QTC hospital network and enrolled the 1st ZYNTEGLO patient within four months of launch. Prior to joining bluebird, Rita served as Head of US Commercial Operations at Spark Therapeutics, where she led the buildout of the commercial operations team and was responsible for brand performance reporting and patient identification efforts for the launch of Luxturna.
Rita began her career in strategic consulting within Accenture’s pharmaceutical practice. She later joined the finance team at McNeil Consumer and Specialty Pharmaceuticals where she supported two launches and led cost-efficiency workstreams across four manufacturing plants. Afterward, Rita joined AstraZeneca and held key leadership roles in US Finance, Global Finance, Commercial Operations, and Sales and Payer Reimbursement.
Rita earned her MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and her undergraduate degree in Electrical Computer Engineering from Drexel University. Rita was honored as one of the Working Mothers of the Year in Working Mother Magazine. Rita was also selected as one of Diversity MBA Magazine’s 2015 Top 50 Under 50 Executive Leaders and 2020 Top 100 Women of Influence.
Rita currently serves as an Executive Board member of Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), which is a non-profit that serves ~350,000 clients annually. PHMC has 70 locations (including hospitals) and provides more than 350 programs. Rita also serves on the Board of GirlTrek, a global African American Women’s Health Movement.
About The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM)
The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) is a key global advocate for engineered cell therapies and genetic medicines. ARM shapes the future of medicine by uniting industry players, encouraging discussions on policies, and advancing the field through data and analysis. With over 400 members from 25 countries, ARM represents a diverse range of organizations, including biotech firms, research institutions, and patient advocacy groups.
Agenda
7:30 a.m. Registration opens
Continental breakfast provided
8:00 – 8:05 a.m. Welcome & Introductions
8:05 – 8:30 a.m. Symposium Keynote: Rita Johnson-Greene, MBA, The
8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Panel | Navigating the Changing ATMP Market: A Conversation on the Future of Cell and Gene
A panel of experts from AGC Biologics, a global Contract Development & Manufacturing Organization, with facilities in Boulder and Longmont, Colorado, will discuss growth opportunities for ATMPs, the changing technology and platform offerings to improve processes for developing these treatments, strategies for building a strong ATMP program and trends driving the industry in 2024.
Mark Landolt – Manufacturing Manager, Cell Therapy, AGC Biologics
Raghu Malapaka, Ph.D. – Senior Director, Global BD, Cell and Gene Therapy, AGC Biologics
Marissa Rodrigues – Senior Manager, Quality Control, AGC Biologics
Jeff Rosenbloom – Director of MSAT Cell and Gene Therapies, AGC Biologics
Whitney Sandberg – SVP and General Manager, AGC Biologics
Mike Swabowski – Vice President of Quality, AGC Biologics
Learn more about our panelists.
9:30 – 10:00 a.m. Networking in Exhibitor Hall
10:00 – 10:30 a.m. Venture Financing Report
Presented by Michael T. Nelson, J.D., Ph.D. – Partner, Cooley LLP
Michael Nelson’s practice focuses on advising emerging and growth-stage life sciences and technology companies, and the funds that invest in them, on matters relating to corporate finance, corporate governance, licensing and other intellectual property-based transactions and mergers and acquisitions.
10:30 – 11:30 a.m. – Panel | Transformative Innovations in Colorado Advancing Regenerative Medicine
Local company leaders will discuss opportunities and challenges for developing and manufacturing innovative health solutions in the growing regenerative medicine sector.
Sally M. Dyer (Moderator) – SVP, General Manager, Colorado Operations, Umoja Biopharma
Richard Freed – Co-Founder & CEO, RheumaGen
Alan Rudolph, Ph.D. – CEO, PhotonPharma
Floyd Taub, M.D. – CEO, aiGENE
Steven Wolk – Vice President of Chemistry & Boulder Site Head, Editas Medicine
Learn more about our panelists.
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Networking in Exhibitor Hall
Complimentary for CBSA Members | $100 for Non Members
Contact CBSA Member Success Specialist, Francis Bermea, with any questions.
Booth sponsorship opportunities are available – contact CBSA Vice President of Partnerships, Emily Martini, for more information.
Thank you to our event sponsors:
Thank you to our exhibitors:
Colorado Photonics Industry Association
Fitzsimons Innovation Community
Booth sponsorship opportunities are available – contact CBSA Vice President of Partnerships, Emily Martini, for more information.
Thank you to our sustaining sponsor: