Begin With the End in Mind – Part 1: What Should I Know About Commercialization If I’m Not Planning to Launch a Product Myself?
In parallel with the scientific roadmap of drug discovery and development, a commercial roadmap also plays a critical role. While commercialization and product launch may seem like separate domains for scientists and startup founders, adopting a commercial mindset early on is essential for success.
So, what aspects of commercialization should I be aware of?
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If you are a translational scientist, how does commercialization connect with clinical development? What commercial considerations should you keep in mind when developing a Target Product Profile (TPP)? How do you translate scientific differentiation into clinical differentiation—and ultimately, commercial differentiation?
Agenda:
9:30 - 10:00 AM | Check-in & Networking
10:00 - 11:00 AM | Fireside Chat: Understanding Key Commercial Concepts – What Do These Terms Really Mean?
11:00 - 12:00 PM | Panel Discussion: Commercial positioning, Market Research, Forecasting, Marketing, Market Access, Medical Affairs, and Pricing
12:00 - 1:00 PM | Lunch & Networking
Speaker:
Alvin Lin, MBA
Alvin (Al) Lin is Vice President of Commercial Strategy at Vera Therapeutics. His experience includes lifecycle leader, new product planning, portfolio management, BD valuations, market access, marketing, field sales, and commercial operations. He has commercialized medicines including IMBRUVICA (ibrutinib) and SOLIRIS (eculizumab) and has launched multiple products into US and exUS markets. He has worked in the past at Merck, Pharmacyclics, and Alexion, and has degrees from Cornell, MIT, and the Tufts School of Medicine.
Connie Tat, Ph.D.
Senior Medical Science Director, Oncology
Genentech
Connie is a strategic biopharmaceutical operator with nearly a decade of diverse experiences across discovery, development and commercialization at globally successful companies. At Genentech, she set the strategic direction of the GU oncology portfolio and advanced the execution of clinical trials (including research collaborations) towards commercialization within the U.S. healthcare ecosystem. Previously, she led regional cross functional teams on the launch of LUMAKRAS at Amgen and worked in competitive intelligence at Exelixis. Prior to Exelixis, Connie worked in biotech equity research at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey in NYC and consulted at Kantar Health focused on early to late stage biotech/biopharma.
Connie trained as a scientist and earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology at UC Irvine and Bachelors of Arts in Molecular and Cellular Biology at UC Berkeley. She is passionate about translating innovative scientific discoveries into commercial products that impact patient lives.
Panel Speaker:
Jennifer Shen, MD, MS
Jennifer Shen is a physician scientist with extensive experience in both buy-side and sell-side business development. She also previously worked as a corporate venture investor at AstraZeneca, where she contributed to two Series A investments and spin-out deals, managed a $2 billion equity portfolio across 30 public companies, and served as a board observer for two stealth clinical stage biotech companies. Prior to AZ, Jennifer also held a role as a biotech equity researcher at the investment bank Needham and Co, responsible for IPOs of Moderna, Vaxcyte, and Pathom.
Jennifer held a decade-long career as a medical professional and scientific researcher where earned an M.S. and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Stanford, followed by an M.D. from SUNY Buffalo. She also worked as a general surgery intern at USC and anesthesia resident at New York Medical College.
RAVI KIRON, PhD, MBA
Managing Director
BioPharm Strategy
Dr. Ravi Kiron (California, USA) is an experienced pharma/biotech/venture executive with decades experience Cornell U, Pfizer, J&J, Merck KGaA, biotech’s, in R&D, Clin Dev, IP, Tech, BD, M&A, IPO, Fund Raising, Consulting, Strategy, Commercialization, Entrepreneur & Cofounder, executing partnerships with academia, pharma & biotech, non-profit boards MIF, UCSD, UCD, NCI, Pantheon, BIO, BTS, biotech Board Advisory, leveraging his extensive global networks in CV, Onc Tarceva®, Neuro, Wound Healing, AI, Microbiome, Organoids, Fertility, Drug Del, Diag, Longevity. Dr. Kiron earned BS Chem, MS Microbio from Univ Mumbai, India; PhD Biochem from Indian Institute of Science, India; MBA from Rensselaer, NY, USA.
Bin Cai, MBA
Independent investor
Bringing over 10 years of leadership blending commercial and technical skills, I propel strategic efforts in oncology and chronic/rare diseases through launch planning, forecasting, and commercial analytics. I’m fueled by innovation and thrive on fostering multicultural collaboration and early-stage investment opportunities.
Susan Zhou
Director, Oncology Marketing – Pharma and Oncology Partnerships
Natera
Susan Zhou is a commercial strategist with experience in launching and driving adoption of emerging oncology products. At Natera, she leads marketing efforts for oncology clinical research partners, which includes helping pharmaceutical companies integrate circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing, genomic profiling, and real-world data into clinical development and commercialization strategies. Susan specializes in translating complex concepts and scientific data into compelling narratives that drive engagement and adoption, ultimately supporting innovation to advance patient care in oncology.
Previously, Susan was a strategy consultant at DeciBio, advising biopharma, diagnostics, and health technology companies on business, product development, and commercialization strategies. She holds a degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from UC Berkeley.
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