About this Event
Come for the people and programs. Stay for a drink. Leave with your next big breakthrough.
Larger Than Life Science is held at The Chesterfield Building in downtown Durham from 4-7:00pm on the first Thursday of each month. Join us for an evening of unconventional programming and conversation!
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This month’s theme: Deal Us In: Science, Capital and Leadership = Success
Locally and globally, the life science business is bubbling along nicely now. Come share the excitement by hearing the national perspective from the recent JP Morgan healthcare conference and a compelling local story of how a fast-growing business that hatched out of the Chesterfield Building seems to have put all the parts together. You can also learn more about federal business grants that give your startup a financial boost without the need to surrender any of your equity.
4:15-5:00pm
2020 Investment Perspectives: Insights from the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference
2019 was a record-setting year for US investment activity in biotech, medical device and healthcare services – an unusual time when all 3 sectors finished with strong performances. And the forecast from the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, which attracted thousands of life sciences investors to the Bay Area in January, is that 2020 will continue the trend of robust investment in new technologies and transformational mergers and acquisitions.
Join the JP Morgan Life Sciences team to hear what investors are saying about the ongoing debate over drug pricing and healthcare affordability, predictions for the impact of the presidential election on the industry and how vertical integration will affect the trajectory for startups. The presentation also will include a review of recent deals in the southeast and a forecast for regional activity.
5:15-6:00pm
Show Us the Money! Non-Dilutive Funding for Life Science Startups
A startup needs capital to fuel its growth. While venture capital and other forms of private equity investment get most of the attention, most companies will begin by navigating the landscape of competitive grants, loans, debt financing and even donated professional services.
Join our panel to learn about programs and services available for life science companies, including some tips on when to apply and how to stand out from the crowd. We’ll demystify SBIR and STTR grant opportunities, including some funding programs where North Carolina companies could compete more effectively for available dollars. We’ll also look at entrepreneur-friendly financing options and learn about tapping into university networks to gain an advantage.
6:15-7:00pm
Striding Toward Breakthroughs: How a Gene Therapy Deal Came Together for StrideBio and Sarepta
StrideBio, a UNC spinout and graduate of BioLabs NC, recently signed a $48 million licensing deal with Sarepta to work on gene therapies for rare diseases. Sarepta may double the stakes to license technologies from StrideBio targeting 4 additional diseases.
2019 was a banner year for StrideBio, including collaborations and licensing deals with Takeda and CRISPR Therapeutics to advance its platform and delivery system, plus the appointment of an experienced CEO to steer the company’s growth. Hear the story of one of North Carolina’s fastest-growing life science startups, how the deals were done, and why these partnerships give hope to patients with a variety of rare central nervous system disorders.