Boston Life Sciences Roundtable
The New Playbook: Financing, Dealmaking, and Regulation in a Rewired Environment

Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Conferences

Join Sidley’s Life Sciences team for an afternoon of thought-provoking and engaging discussions touching on the latest trends and hot topics including the current administration, emerging technologies, the investment landscape, and more.

Featured Panel Topics

Pipelines and Product Launches: The New Normal for Strategic FDA and Pricing Planning
This panel will explore regulatory issues impacting activities critical to successful product launches and exits today, including regulatory approval, disease awareness and other pre-approval communications, reimbursement planning in the era of MFN policy considerations, relationships with investigators, and continued access for clinical trial patients following product approval but before formulary access.

• Torrey Cope, Partner, FDA Practice
• Meena Datta, Partner, Global Co-leader, Healthcare

Regulated, Risky, or Revolutionary? AI's Role Across Drug Discovery, Devices, and Wellness
This panel will discuss regulatory issues, business plans, and risk-mitigation strategies for investors and companies as they scale and commercialize AI tools.

• Damon Bendesky, Managing Director, Marsh
• Deeona Gaskin, Partner, FDA Practice and Former Associate Chief Counsel for Enforcement, FDA
• Michael Levene, President and Chief Operating Officer, Applikate Technologies, Inc.
• Michael Rohr, Partner, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital
• Karen Tepichin, General Counsel, Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc.

Life Sciences Dealmaking in 2026: Where Capital and Collaboration Converge
This panel will discuss the evolving biotech transaction landscape, from venture financings to strategic alliances.

• Jason Kropp, Partner, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital
• Irina Margine Ph.D., Managing Director, Biotech Private Equity, Wellington Management
• Andrea Matthews, Former Chief Business Officer, Astria Therapeutics
• Rosemary Reilly, Partner, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital

FIRESIDE CHAT
"Key Developments in Life Sciences"
A conversation with Robert Foster, Acting General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Becky Wood, Co-leader of Sidley’s FDA practice and former Chief Counsel, FDA, and Dino LaVerghetta, Partner in Sidley’s FDA and Regulatory Litigation practices and former lawyer in the Office of White House Counsel.

• Robert Foster, Acting General Counsel, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
• Dino LaVerghetta, Partner, FDA and Regulatory Litigation Practices and former Office of White House Counsel lawyer, Sidley
• Becky Wood, Co-leader, FDA Practice and Former Chief Counsel, FDA

Agenda
Registration:  1:30 p.m. ET
Program: 2:00 p.m. ET
Reception: 5:00 p.m. ET

Who Should Attend?
Executives, Investors, General Counsel, and Company Counsel