Co-Chairs

Andreas Koester, MD, PhD VP, Clinical Trial Innovation & External Alliances Janssen

Craig Lipset, MBA Head of Clinical Innovation, R&D Pfizer

Komathi Stem, MS Strategic Innovation Leader Genentech/Roche

Overview

Welcome to the 5th annual DPharm: Disruptive Innovations to Advance Clinical Trials conference.

It was a daunting task to develop the first industry forum on thinking radically differently about the way we perform clinical trials, but the result was this conference.  The event was launched in September 2011 with 125 disruptive thinkers and change makers eager to discuss current solutions in clinical development, propose innovative changes, and commit to testing and sharing the results in order to transform drug development and the industry.

The first DPharm addressed virtual clinical trial models, adaptive design thinking, the role of EHRs in clinical data, open source, telemedicine, and self-reported patient data among many other ideas. I remember Dr Tomasz Sablinski, Founder, Transparency Life Sciences saying it was the first event he had attended in a long time where he did not leave feeling depressed.

By the time the 2nd annual DPharm program took place, the concept of applying disruptive thinking to clinical development had taken root, with many attendees bearing titles with clinical innovation in them. Fast forward to 2015, the 5th annual program promises to address the latest in innovative thinking to advance clinical trials. Not all innovation is disruptive, of course, but as a community, we can continue to drive change that helps bring down millions of dollars in clinical trials while greatly enhancing the patient experience to ultimately bring more drugs to those who need them most.

– Radical Thinkers are Especially Welcomed –

• This is a TED-style event showcasing innovations and leading practitioners in Pharma R&D with a focus on clinical research as well as innovative leaders from other industries.
• We strive to underscore the promise and challenge of innovation in advancing drug development.
• We strive to innovate a new model and find collaborations to get therapeutics to patients faster.
• We address how can we better apply the full spectrum of clinical research options and utilize insights more appropriately.
• We are dedicated to designing creative solutions and finding a way to implement them.
• We explore to whom are companies being disruptive and to gain a better understanding of the impact on clinical trials.

We will challenge our sessions throughout the program on how to leverage what worked, how to avoid past pitfalls, and share how to move the field forward. Many thanks to our co-chairs, advisory board, speaking faculty, sponsors, exhibitors, supporting partners and attendees for making this event possible.

Sincerely,

 

Valerie Bowling
Executive Director
DPharm

 

 

Jessica Rothenberg
Marketing Director
DPharm

 

 

Meredith Sands
Executive Director, Business Development
DPharm

 

 

Jennifer Moran
Production Assistant
DPharm

 

More Insights into DPharm:

 

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Testimonials

• \’One of the most productive conferences for me in terms of getting innovative ideas, as well as meeting people of a disruptive nature, is The Conference Forum’s Disruptive Innovations To Advance Clinical Trials event.\’

  – Robert Wright, Life Science Leader

• \’The Disruptive Innovation event to Advance Clinical Trials provides a vehicle that brings to light the many different ways companies/teams/individuals are accomplishing big and small innovations.\’

  – Darshan Shah, AstraZeneca

• \’The Disruptive Innovations conference was a great experience for me as an academic cardiologist, trialist and global health researcher.\’

  – Sameer Bansilal, MD, MS, Zena and Michael A Wiener Cardiovascular Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

• \’It\’s really a pleasure to be part of what I am beginning to think may be the best industry conference for the money.\’

  – Joseph Kim, Shire