Meet the future
of cell & gene therapy.

Conference features

Specialised programming across the advanced therapies field.

The 2018 programme combined plenary strategy with focused hubs, training and networking formats.

All features

The cell and gene therapy field continues to mature as more advanced therapies move from laboratory research toward late-stage clinical evaluation and broader patient access. Across the sector, developers are balancing scientific ambition with operational realities, working to translate promising early findings into reliable, scalable treatment options. Events that gather senior decision makers help frame where the industry stands and where the next wave of progress is likely to emerge, encouraging shared learning across disciplines and geographies. By bringing together strategy, science and manufacturing perspectives in one setting, the community can better understand the pathways that connect discovery to delivery and identify the partnerships needed to accelerate responsible growth in regenerative medicine, immuno-oncology and related areas where the underlying biology is now being matched by increasingly sophisticated development capabilities.

Strategic partnering has become a defining feature of the advanced therapies calendar, reflecting how capital, expertise and infrastructure must be combined to bring complex products to patients. Senior executives attending major gatherings use the opportunity to meet potential collaborators, assess licensing opportunities and explore cross-border alliances. The presence of investors, manufacturers and academic groups in a single venue encourages conversations that might otherwise take months to coordinate through separate channels. Dedicated partnering formats allow participants to pre-arrange targeted meetings, making the most of limited time together. As the field attracts growing interest from global biopharma and new financial entrants, these structured networking environments help ensure that promising science can connect with the resources required for clinical progression, scale-up and eventual commercial readiness in markets that are still defining their regulatory and reimbursement pathways.

The conference programme is designed to balance high-level strategy with deeper technical content, recognising that executives in advanced therapies must understand both the business landscape and the underlying science. Plenary sessions typically address market dynamics, investment trends and regulatory direction, while focused hubs dive into specialised areas such as immuno-oncology, translational research and cell manufacturing. This dual approach helps senior leaders stay informed about commercial realities while maintaining a clear view of where the science is heading. Parallel tracks also create space for training courses and technical workshops, supporting the continuous professional development of teams working across process development, quality and clinical operations. The result is an integrated agenda that mirrors the way modern therapy companies operate, where strategic decisions and scientific execution are closely intertwined throughout the product lifecycle.

Training and workforce development are increasingly recognised as critical enablers for the cell and gene therapy industry. As manufacturing processes become more sophisticated and regulatory expectations continue to evolve, teams need access to hands-on education that reflects current best practice. Training courses offered alongside major conferences provide an opportunity for scientists, engineers and operational staff to deepen their technical skills in a focused setting. Topics often span cell culture, viral vector production, analytical methods and quality systems, with instructors drawn from leading academic and industrial groups. By integrating these sessions into the broader event calendar, organisers acknowledge that the pace of innovation depends not only on new discoveries but also on the readiness of the workforce to implement them reliably, safely and at scale across multiple sites and geographies.

Investment activity in advanced therapies has expanded significantly as confidence grows in the clinical and commercial potential of novel modalities. Dedicated investor forums create a setting where companies preparing to raise capital can meet funds with interests spanning venture, growth and public market strategies. These sessions are often structured around curated company presentations, panel discussions and one-to-one meetings, allowing founders and executives to articulate their scientific rationale, development plans and capital requirements clearly. For investors, the format offers efficient exposure to a broad cross-section of opportunities across cell therapy, gene editing, regenerative medicine and enabling technologies. As the financing landscape diversifies, with corporate venture arms and strategic investors playing larger roles, these forums help align expectations and foster relationships that can shape the next generation of therapy developers.

International collaboration is a recurring theme within the global cell and gene therapy community, and dedicated symposiums highlight partnerships with specific regional ecosystems. Events featuring Japanese biotech and regenerative medicine groups, for example, reflect the country’s strong track record in academic research and its ongoing investment in translational infrastructure. Such symposiums offer a platform for exploring cross-border licensing, joint ventures and shared clinical programmes, while also addressing differences in regulatory frameworks and market access approaches. Participants benefit from exposure to regional scientific strengths and from conversations about how cross-jurisdictional studies can be designed efficiently. By foregrounding these international perspectives within a wider programme, the conference reinforces the view that advanced therapies are a global endeavour, requiring coordinated effort across diverse healthcare systems, reimbursement environments and cultural contexts.

Bioprocess innovation is central to the long-term viability of advanced therapy products, particularly as developers prepare for larger clinical trials and potential commercial launch. Sessions within the bioprocess hub typically address scale-up strategies, single-use technologies, automation and the development of robust analytical methods. As production volumes increase, manufacturers must demonstrate consistency, comparability and compliance with evolving regulatory expectations. Discussions often explore how digital tools and data-rich monitoring can support quality by design, reducing batch failures and accelerating release timelines. The hub format encourages interaction between process developers, equipment suppliers and contract manufacturers, fostering a shared understanding of the practical challenges that arise when moving from small-scale research operations to industrial-grade production. Continued progress in this area is widely seen as essential for ensuring that promising therapies can reach broader patient populations reliably and sustainably.

Cold chain logistics and supply chain integrity remain critical considerations for cell and gene therapy developers, given the sensitivity of living products and the complexity of distributing them across regions. Maintaining product quality from collection through manufacturing, storage and final administration requires tightly coordinated networks of couriers, cryogenic specialists and clinical site staff. Conference sessions on supply chain and logistics bring together operational leaders to share lessons learned in temperature-controlled transportation, chain-of-custody documentation and risk management. With therapies increasingly being delivered across borders, harmonising practices and aligning with regulatory expectations in multiple jurisdictions has become more complex. The hub provides a forum for examining new monitoring technologies, contingency planning approaches and partnership models that can strengthen end-to-end resilience, helping to ensure that patient access is not limited by logistical fragility as the industry continues to scale.

Beyond the formal agenda, the social and networking elements of a major conference play an important role in shaping its overall value. Evenings at venues such as waterfront hotels offer informal settings where delegates can continue discussions in a relaxed atmosphere, strengthening relationships formed during structured sessions and partnering meetings. Shared experiences, whether receptions, dinners or more distinctive gatherings, help build the sense of community that underpins long-term collaboration across the advanced therapies field. For many attendees, these moments are where new ideas are tested and future projects first take shape. Combined with the energy of a diverse international audience and the momentum of an industry moving rapidly toward broader clinical and commercial impact, the broader event experience reinforces why gathering in person remains an important complement to the digital tools that increasingly support ongoing professional connection.