SITC Biotech Initiative

Launched in 2023 with a vision of accelerating the approval of 100 novel immuno-oncology agents in the next 10 years, the SITC Biotech Committee is leading six strategic pillars to support the entire IO biotech ecosystem.

Explore our upcoming events and get involved in this critical initiative.

2026 SITC Biotech Strategic Meeting at the NYSE

June 2026 at the New York Stock Exchange

Join the Waitlist

2026 SITC EU Immuno-Oncology Drug Development Summit

Sept. 3–4, 2026 in Lausanne, Switzerland at the Agora Cancer Research Center

Join the Waitlist

SITC Biotech Community Membership

Open to organizations, corporations & educational institutions that share our vision for 100 IO novel agents by 2034

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Achieving 100 novel IO agents approved in the next decade. 

Organizations within the IO biotech ecosystem that share SITC’s vision for 100 novel IO agents approved by 2034, can join the movement by becoming a member of the SITC Biotech Community.

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How the Journey to 100 New IO Agents Began

2021

Initial strategic meetings to explore the unique needs of the IO biotech ecosystem

2022

Additional exploration of opportunities for SITC to support the financial, business, and partnership needs within the IO biotech ecosystem

2023

Official approval of the inaugural SITC Biotech Committee, launch of the SITC Biotech Strategic Plan, and announcement of the vision for 100 New IO Agents in the Next 10 Years

2024

Inaugural event at the Nasdaq focused on financing biotech to clinical inflection. Engaging discussion with FDA leadership at the annual Biotech Regulatory Roundtable. Advanced the next wave of IO through an innovative IO Drug Development Summit.

SITC Biotech Strategic Plan Pillars, Leaders, and Initiatives

Kristen Hege, MD

Biotech Committee Chair
Kristen Hege, MD
Board Member, Mersana, Adaptimmune, Kelonia and EvolveImmune

Alexandra Snyder PhD

Biotech Committee Co-Chair
Alexandra Snyder, MD
Merck

Zhen Su, MD, MBA

Biotech Committee Immediate Past-Chair
Zhen Su, MD, MBA
Marengo Therapeutics

Business, Financing, and Partnership

Communicating the promise of IO, understanding strategies to finance to clinical inflection points, and building a network of professionals to support the biotech community.

Committee Leaders

Emy Chen, PhD
Dana Farber Innovation Institute

Lily Cortese, MBA
J&J

Beverly Lu, PhD
Yosemite

David Kaufman, MD, PhD 
Third Rock Ventures

Holger Kissel, PhD
BioNTech

Jarrett Rieger, Esq
Moffitt Cancer Center

Kasia (Katarzyna) Urbanska, PhD
Bristol Myers Squibb

2026 Initiative

SITC Biotech Strategic Meeting at the NYSE

Education & Talent Development

Preparing the next generation of immuno-oncology biotech leaders while advancing education on state-of-the-art drug development across emerging IO therapies.

Committee Leaders

Praveen K. Bommareddy, BPharm, MS, PhD
Replimune Inc.

Johanna Grossman, PhD
NYSE

Jennifer L. Guerriero, PhD
Brigham and Women's Hospital

Christopher Ryan Heery, MD
Arcellx

Claire I. Vanpouille-Box, PhD
Weill Cornell Medicine

2026 Initiative

Education and talent development programming for 2026 is in the planning phase. 

Regulatory Advocacy

Representing the unique needs of the biotech community with a unified voice to the FDA.

Committee Leaders

Gideon Blumenthal, MD
Merck

Ke Liu, MD
Marengo Therapeutics

Amy McKee, MD
AstraZeneca

2026 Initiative

SITC Biotech Regulatory Roundtable: A conversation with FDA leadership

Scientific Leadership

Providing a platform for the most promising scientific advancements in biotech to be celebrated and disseminated to the IO community.

Committee Leaders

Alexandra Snyder, MD
Generate Biomedicines

Pedro J. Romero, MD 
Novigenix

2026 Initiative

SITC Annual Meeting Session

Additional Resources from SITC