Advanced Therapies Week 2026
Cell & Gene Therapy Insights 2025; 11(11), 1347–1349
DOI: 10.18609/cgti.2025.156
As part of our ongoing coverage of major gatherings in the advanced therapeutics space, Cell & Gene Therapy Insights presents a preview of Advanced Therapies Week 2026, taking place February 9–12, 2026, in San Diego, CA, USA. The meeting will convene over 2,000 attendees and 250 world class speakers from across biotech, pharma, CDMOs, academia, and investment to examine the scientific, developmental, and commercial factors shaping the next decade of cell and gene therapy (CGT). Readers of Cell & Gene Therapy Insights are entitled to a 20% discount on delegate tickets–just use the code CGTI20 when registering here.
Here, we have compiled a preview into the standout sessions you won’t want to miss.
Clinical development & translation
Early and proactive regulatory interaction remains essential for reducing uncertainty in first-in-human (FIH) development. In a panel entitled Regulatory engagement for early-stage developers, Lara Ionescu Silverman (Founder and Principal Consultant, LIS BioConsulting), Anna Koptina (Head of Regulatory Affairs, Elicera Therapeutics), and Samar Mohanty (President and CSO, Nanoscope Therapeutics) will examine best practices for preparing high-quality investigational drug (IND) submissions and addressing challenges related to adaptive trial designs. The discussion will highlight strategies to streamline approvals, minimize delays, and leverage agency feedback to strengthen translational planning.
The persistent challenge of achieving translational fidelity in CGT development will be explored in the fireside chat ‘Bridging the gap: overcoming challenges in animal-to-human translation’ featuring Peter Francis (Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Medical Officer, Ray Therapeutics) and Rakesh Awasthi (Director, Clinical Pharmacology Cell and Gene, Novartis). Speakers will evaluate approaches to optimize preclinical models, integrate early human data into dose selection, and develop frameworks that reduce safety and efficacy uncertainties when moving programs into clinical testing.
Manufacturing & supply
Manufacturing strategy is increasingly a decisive factor in CGT scalability and commercial viability. The fireside chat ‘Autologous vs allogeneic: manufacturing models built for scale and speed’, chaired by Jessica Carmen (Chief Commercial Officer, RoslinCT), brings together Cokey Nguyen (President and CEO, Atara Biotherapeutics) and James Adams (Chief Technical Officer, Tr1X) to compare autologous and allogeneic production models. Topics will include vein-to-vein logistics, automation requirements, cell bank standardization, closed-system processing, and balancing cost of goods with operational efficiency to meet clinical demand.
For emerging biotechs, establishing strong foundations in tech transfer and manufacturing readiness is essential for avoiding costly bottlenecks during scale up. In the panel entitled, ‘Tech transfer and manufacturing readiness for scaling biotech’ speakers will examine how early-stage decisions shape scalability, product quality, and regulatory alignment, with insights from Poh Yeh-Chuin (Head of Technical Ops, Tolerance Bio) and Justin Skoble (Vice President of Technical Operations, Caribou Biosciences). The session will highlight how technical operations can be aligned with long-term growth strategies to support a scalable and sustainable manufacturing platform.
Emerging modalities & innovation
Developing CGTs for solid tumors requires modalities capable of navigating tumor heterogeneity, immune evasion, and the tumor microenvironment. In the session ‘Choosing the right modality to overcome the solid tumor challenge’, Richard Koya (Professor, University of Chicago School of Medicine) will outline how modality selection influences targeting strategies, penetration into solid tumor sites, and dose and safety considerations. The session will also highlight biomarker-driven patient selection, translational considerations, and challenges in preclinical modeling that affect clinical predictability.
Growth & investment
As more CGT products progress toward approval and market launch, companies face increasing pressure to establish sustainable commercial foundations. The panel ‘Building a viable commercial model in CGT’ featuring Ahmed Mousa (General Manager, Lafana Life Sciences), Anna Catalanotto (Senior Manager of Commercial Development, Cardinal HealthTM Advanced Therapy Solutions), Craig Martin (CEO, Orphan Therapeutics), Jacob Smith (Head of Tech Development and CMC, Viralgen), and Audrey Greenberg (Mayo Venture Partner, Mayo Clinic) will explore pricing and reimbursement models, payer alignment strategies, distribution and supply chain considerations, and risk-sharing frameworks that support affordability, access, and long-term value generation in the CGT sector.
Advanced Therapies Week 2026 promises to deliver one of the most comprehensive snapshots yet of the scientific, regulatory, and commercial realities shaping next-generation cell and gene therapies. From translational strategy to manufacturing scale-up, and regulatory clarity to commercial insights, the meeting will offer attendees critical insights into accelerating development and strengthening future CGT ecosystems. Together, these themes point toward a maturing field that is sharpening its focus on translational robustness, scalable manufacturing, and commercial viability.
Register here now and use the code CGTI20 to receive a 20% discount on delegate tickets.
Additionally, to find out what other cell and gene therapy events are upcoming, you can find our online Events Calendar here.