One of Healthcare’s most influential gathering, the JPM25 Healthcare Conference, convened in San Francisco from January 12-17, marking another transformative year in healthcare innovation. Material Change Institute had over twenty Fellows attending the conference, driving conversations, building relationships and also fostering connections through several meetups. These included a happy hour and an evening gathering at The Battery, hosted by Javier Coindreau, MD and Erik Musalem from SilaB Health Ventures, a fund focused on AI-powered Bio-Pharma startups.
Takeaways from Material Change Fellows:
There is an increasing interest in Women’s Health
Kate Liebelt, Chief of Staff, Business Strategy and Operations at Genentech, stated, “This year, there were more women’s health and women in healthcare events than the past thirteen years at JPM. It seems the needle has moved, and I’d love to see it continue until parity is reached and embedded in all aspects of healthcare.”
Innovations in biotechnology, genomics, and AI-driven discovery continue to drive interest and investment in life sciences
With advancements in AI, decentralized trials, and gene therapy, the industry will experience major breakthroughs in the near term.
Javier Coindreau M.D., General Partner at Sila B Health Ventures, highlights, “AI is revolutionizing healthcare from drug discovery to development. AI is reshaping the landscape of healthcare, promising advancements in precision medicine and patient care.”
Coindreau continues, “Other themes I saw at JPM25 that are relevant to my fund were MedTech advancements with remarkable growth and innovation in medical technology, especially in diagnostic tools, target identification, and accelerated drug development processes; and obesity treatment with discussions on alternative treatments for obesity, notably the rise of oral therapies, which is probably the most consequential advancement in the last 70 years.”
Many unknowns surrounding drug pricing, tariffs, potential regulatory changes, and healthcare legislation with the new governmental administration
Cassandra Carothers, Managing Partner at Departure Capital points out, “Uncertainty in an industry already facing challenges is only amplified by looming changes coming from the White House, with many attempting to prognosticate the potential implications for regulatory policy, drug approvals and pricing, advertising, transparency in scientific communications, and biomedical research funding. While patent cliffs and the looming pressures of an undercapitalized landscape have been cause for concern, there was also optimism.”
Increases in M&A and capital market transactions in the life sciences sector
Cassandra mentions, “The surge in M&A activity, such as Eli Lilly’s acquisition of Scorpion Therapeutics and GSK’s purchase of IDRx, point to a strategic push to replenish pipelines and navigate industry disruptions.”
And lastly, Deanna Angello, EIR and Life Sciences Executive Council at Springboard Enterprises added, “JPM has traditionally been for dealmakers and still is – but this year, there was a convergence of disciplines on panels and more systems thinking on how to improve healthcare holistically from therapeutics, devices, diagnostics. That’s a big step forward and progress from the siloed approaches in the past.”
The JPM25 conference was an invaluable networking and learning opportunity for Material Change Fellows. Between packed schedules of breakfast meetings, lunch gatherings, evening events, and half-day or full-day conferences, our Fellows engaged in meaningful discussions shaping the future of healthcare. The conference culminated in a final fellowship lunch at Uno Dos Tacos, where we gathered under the San Francisco sun to reflect on the week’s insights and connections. The energy and innovation witnessed at JPM25 have already sparked excitement for next year’s conference, where we look forward to reconvening with our growing network of healthcare Fellow leaders and innovators.