AGENDA AT A GLANCE

DAY 1
DAY 2

Scaling Next-Gen Biologics in DACH

Quality Assurance & Process Intensification
Continuous Manufacturing
Single-Use & Facility Strategies
Advances in Downstream Processing
Manufacturing Innovations for Allogeneic and In Vivo Therapies
Industry Roundtables: Future of Biomanufacturing
Smart Factories: The Role of Digitalisation & AI
Key Takeaways
Supply Chain & Logistics
Drink Reception
End of Conference
VIEW DAY 1
VIEW DAY 2

Day 1

11 February 2026

GO TO DAY 2

8:30

Registration & Coffee

8:50

Chairman’s Address

Dr Uwe Buecheler, Interim CEO, Rentschler Biopharma SE. Germany
Amy Brennan | VP, RDOI Cluster Leader, Sanofi, Ireland

Scaling Next-Gen Biologics in DACH

9:00

Opening Keynote: Advancing Personalising vaccines for commercial success – moving towards phase 3

  • Scaling personalised vaccine platforms towards Phase III readiness
  • Manufacturing, supply chain, and regulatory considerations for commercialisation
  • Translating clinical promise into sustainable, real-world impact
Dr Simone Steiner | CTO, Transgene, Switzerland

9:25

Process Intensification for Biologics Development – A Holistic Approach

Madhava Ram Paranandi | Vice President & Head - PD, PM & MSAT, Kemwell Biopharma, India

9:50

Panel Discussion - Future of Biomanufacturing

  • How emerging technologies can make manufacturing more scalable and affordable
  • Technological breakthroughs reshaping the future pipeline.
  • Transition from batch to continuous processing

Moderator

Dr Uwe Buecheler | Interim CEO, Rentschler Biopharma SE, Germany

Panelists

Dr Simone Steiner | CTO, Transgene, Switzerland
Dr Thomas Sauer | Head of Microbial Platform, Global CMC Development, Sanofi, Germany
Volker Huppert | Chief Development Officer, Glycostem, Germany

10:40

Networking Break

Continuous/Intensified Manufacturing

11:15

Intensified Cell Culture Processes Using N-1 Perfusion

  • Principles and implementation of N-1 perfusion for intensified cell culture
  • Impact on upstream productivity, facility footprint, and cost efficiency
  • Operational considerations for scale-up, control, and robustness
Anne Steinkämper, Senior Scientist, Development Biologicals, Boehringer Ingelheim, Germany

11:40

Panel Discussion - Driving Efficiency and Quality: The Case for Continuous Manufacturing

  • Improving process efficiency and throughput through continuous operations
  • Enhancing product quality and process consistency
  • Key enablers for implementation in biopharmaceutical manufacturing

Moderator

Max Corbett | Senior Director, CMC Group Head Biologics and Small Molecule, CSL Switzerland

Panelists

Dr Christopher Pawlak, External Manufacturing Lead, Bayer, Switzerland
Cristina Castro González de Vega | Head, Cell & Gene Value Chain Product Management, Roche, Switzerland
Renato Panza | Head of Digital Technology QA and Quality Engineering, Galapagos Switzerland
Amy Brennan | VP, RDOI Cluster Leader, Sanofi, Ireland

12:30

Lunch Break

Advances in Downstream Processing

13:30

Efficiency Unleashed: Fully Automated Self-Optimizing Screening in Process Development - Unlocking the Potential of Microbial Systems

  • Fully automated, self-optimising screening to accelerate process development
  • Leveraging microbial systems for faster data-driven decision making
  • Reducing development timelines while maximising process performance
Dr Cecile Brocard | Head of Downstream Development, Boehringer Ingelheim, Austria

13:55

Refining the Antibody Capture Process: Innovations for Enhanced Purity & Efficiency with Modern Affinity Resins

Jennifer Ramirez, Resin Specialist, Cytiva, Germany

14:20

Accelerating the Launch of Biologics Process- Beginning with the end in mind

  • Designing processes with commercialization and launch requirements in mind
  • Aligning development, manufacturing, and regulatory strategies early
  • Reducing time to market while ensuring robustness and scalability
Dr Andrew Kelly | Director, Manufacturing Technology, BMS, Ireland

14:45

Patient-Centric Analytical Control Strategies for Commercial Biologics

  • Aligning analytical control strategies with patient safety and product efficacy
  • Ensuring robustness and compliance across commercial manufacturing
  • Leveraging analytics to support consistent, high-quality patient supply
Keith Coleman | Director - CMC Strategy, BMS, Ireland

15:10

When Process Intensification Hits the Patient: Manufacturing Trends Driving the Next Generation of High‑Dose Subcutaneous Biologics

  • Process intensification strategies enabling high-dose subcutaneous biologics
  • Manufacturing and formulation challenges impacting patient delivery
  • Translating manufacturing innovation into improved patient experience
Dr Karoline Bechtold-Peters | Director Science & Technology, Novartis, Switzerland

15:35

Networking Break

16:00

Roundtable Discussions

  • Navigating Global Policy Shifts in Biologics Procurement - How evolving US and EU policies are reshaping sourcing strategies for biologics and advanced therapies.
Dennis Stelljes | Associate Director, Strategic Sourcing & Procurement, Biologics External Manufacturing BMS, Switzerland
Christopher Pawlak | External Manufacturing Lead, Bayer, Switzerland
  • Strategic Shifts in Biologics Supply Chains
Stephane Bordier | Global Head-External Supply, CSL Behring, Switzerland
  • AI & Future Biomanufacturing Facilities Design
Mohamed S. Chtaini | Executive Director – Global Biologics External Collaborations & Manufacturing, Incyte, Switzerland
  • Stainless Vs disposable Equipment & Components
  1. ­What systems are we talking about? – latest disposables developments and experiences
  2. What comparative cost and environmental impact calculations are true?
  3. Impact of PFAS regulations and mitigation measures
  4. Vendor dependence
Dr Karoline Bechtold-Peters | Director Science & Technology, Novartis, Switzerland

17:00

Key Takeaways

17:15

Drink Reception & End of Day 1

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Day 2

12 February 2026

GO TO DAY 1

8:40

Chairman’s Address

Amy Brennan | VP, RDOI Cluster Leader, Sanofi, Ireland

Quality Assurance & Process Intensification

8:45

Addressing Quality Challenges Across the CGT Lifecycle

  • Managing quality risks from early development through commercial CGT manufacturing
  • Ensuring consistency, compliance, and control across complex CGT processes
  • Integrating quality-by-design approaches across the product lifecycle
Brian O Connor | VP Global Quality, Orchard Therapeutics, UK

9:10

Process Intensification and Lifecycle Management Strategy of Biopharmaceuticals Post Launch

  • Applying process intensification to enhance efficiency and robustness post-launch
  • Managing lifecycle changes while maintaining regulatory compliance
  • Driving continuous improvement across commercial biopharmaceutical manufacturing
Philippe Baumgartner | Director Manufacturing Sciences, Takeda, Switzerland

9:35

Process Intensification Opportunities, Challenges and Solutions: Product Quality, Harvest and Scale up Considerations for Intensified Processes

  • Key opportunities and challenges in implementing intensified bioprocesses
  • Impact on product quality, harvest strategies, and process control
  • Practical considerations for scale-up and operational robustness
Dr Bassem Ben Yahia | Head of Cell Culture Process Sciences, UCB, Belgium

10:00

Networking Break

Single-Use & Facility Strategies

10:30

Balancing Stainless Steel and Single-Use Systems in Modern Biomanufacturing Facilities

  • Strategic decision-making between stainless steel and single-use platforms
  • Cost, flexibility, and sustainability trade-offs in modern facilities
  • Hybrid facility models to support scalability and long-term operations
Mohamed S. Chtaini, Executive Director – Global Biologics External Collaborations & Manufacturing, Incyte, Switzerland

10:55

Improving as a CDMO - A Place for Stainless Steel

Paul Bennett, Principal Scientist, R&D, Bioproduction by Sekisui, UK

11:20

Intensification by Design: Integrated Continuous Biomanufacturing for Viral Vector Processes

  • Designing integrated continuous platforms for viral vector manufacturing
  • Benefits of intensification across productivity, consistency, and facility footprint
  • Technical and regulatory considerations for continuous viral vector processes
Dr Thomas Villiger, Professor of Bioprocess Technology, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW, Switzerland

11:45

Lunch Break

Manufacturing Innovations for Allogeneic and In Vivo Therapies

13:00

CARKey™ – A multi-specific, dual receptor CAR T platform to overcome solid tumour antigen heterogeneity

  • Addressing solid tumour antigen heterogeneity through multi-specific CAR T design
  • Dual-receptor architecture to enhance targeting and therapeutic efficacy
  • Platform potential for broader applicability across solid tumour indications
Dr. John Bridgeman | CSO, Immunokey, UK

13:25

Ensuring Genomic Integrity in Therapeutic Genome Editing: Mitigating Off-Target Risks in CGT Development

  • Ensuring genomic integrity in therapeutic genome editing
  • Mitigating off-target risks in CGT development
  • Detection, design, and regulatory strategies for precision
Dr. Sandra Ammann | Team Lead Genotoxicity, Institute for Transfusion Medicine & Gene Therapy, University Medical Centre Freiburg, Germany

13:50

Networking Break

Smart Factories: The Role of Digitalisation & AI

14:15

Panel Discussion - Turning AI Potential into Impact in CGT & Biologics Manufacturing

  • How is AI impacting site operations and workflows
  • Utilization of data – potency testing and real-time release
  • Regulators’ reaction to AI

Moderator

Alvaro Avivar-Valderas | Associate Director - Cell Therapy Technology & Product Engine, Takeda, Spain

Panelists

Dr Jan Spanholtz | CSO, Glycostem, Germany
Alexander Hanke | Associate Director, Statistics & Modelling at TRD Biologics & CGT, Novartis, Switzerland

14:50

Application of Digital Twins in Biologics Development

  • Digital twins to model biologics processes
  • Enhancing process understanding and predictability
  • Optimizing manufacturing performance and quality
Dr Thomas Sauer | Head of Microbial Platform, Global CMC Development, Sanofi, Germany

15:15

Smart. Digital. Manufacturing

  • Implementing smart manufacturing technologies
  • Leveraging digital tools for process efficiency
  • Driving data-driven production and quality improvements
Amy Brennan, VP, RDOI Cluster Leader, Sanofi, Ireland

Supply Chain & Logistics

15:40

Transport Validation & It's Impact on Site Selection & Global Logistics

  • Transport validation requirements in biologics supply
  • Impact on site selection decisions
  • Optimizing global logistics and risk management
Marcel van Houten | Director Global Supply Chain, Orchard Therapeutics, Switzerland

16:05

Supply Chain Excellence in Translational Medicine: Strategic Procurement for Clinical Innovation at Wyss Zurich

  • Strategic procurement to support clinical innovation
  • Enhancing supply chain efficiency in translational medicine
  • Enabling agile and reliable clinical operations
Michael Nägeli, Head Supply Chain Management, Wyss Zurich, Switzerland

16:30

Chairman’s Closing Rearks

16:30

END OF CONFERENCE

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