2025 Boston Life Sciences Roundtable

The 5th Annual Boston Life Sciences Roundtable, “Navigating New Frontiers,” brought together legal experts, industry leaders, and innovators for an afternoon of thought-provoking discussion, strategic networking, and forward-looking perspectives on the latest trends and hot topics shaping the industry. Discussions ranged from recent changes at the FDA to strategies on how to de-risk supply chains from recently imposed tariffs to new AI technologies and pathways for products, and creative approaches to funding sources and deal structures amid ongoing regulatory and geopolitical uncertainty, writes Mia Harris. 

Sidley and industry leaders from across the nation, including Lana Gladstein (General Counsel, Seaport Therapeutics), Jose Truzman (General Counsel, U.S., Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc.), Aaron Applebaum (Counsel, Global Arbitration, Trade and Advocacy, Sidley Austin LLP), Jackson Garvey (Partner, Restructuring and Liability Management, Sidley Austin LLP), Becky Wood (Partner, Global Co-leader, Food, Drug and Medical Device, Sidley Austin LLP, Former Chief Counsel, FDA), Meena Datta (Partner, Global Co-leader, Healthcare, Sidley Austin LLP), Deeona Gaskin (Partner, Food, Drug and Medical Device, Sidley Austin LP, Former Associate Chief Counsel for Enforcement, FDA), Kristen Moffat (Vice President, Commercial Strategy and Innovation, Pfizer), Paresh Kumar (Vice President, Biotech Private Equity, Ally Bridge Group), Jason Tse (Vice President Corporate Development, McKesson), Chris York (Vice President, General Counsel and Chief of Staff, Orchard Therapeutics), and Mat Eapen (Partner, Investment Funds, Sidley Austin LLP) joined together for three engaging panels. Key take-aways from the panel discussions include:

• The New Administration, Trade Wars, and GC Strategies for Managing a Changing Environment.

Despite recent policy and personnel changes at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) implemented by the new Administration, panelists described many ways in which it also has been business as usual at the FDA, with no major disruptions in many areas yet to be seen.
Ongoing trade wars and new tariffs in the industry are shaking up supply chains, making manufacturing and distribution pricier. Companies are weighing bring operations stateside and diversifying suppliers to stay ahead of future risks.

General counsel are adapting to new regulatory landscapes by developing and implementing proactive and flexible 360-degree strategies for educating stakeholders, and risk prioritization and management, enabling their companies to seize opportunities in a time of ongoing uncertainty. Frequent, clear, and concise communication is more important than ever, especially for companies launching innovative products.

• New Product Development Pathways for Success.

Market success for product development will depend on strong compliance programs, proactive product pricing strategies, and innovative go-to-market game plans. Companies should ensure they look across the entire product lifecycle, from early stage to commercialization, and understand the risk at each stage in order to build robust risk management plans and escalation pathways, and to keep pace with AI’s evolving role.

• Navigating Life Sciences Transactions in a Dynamic Economic Landscape.

With uncertainty in the current investment climate, investors and companies are rethinking how they approach life sciences transactions. As capital is harder to come by due to market volatility, strategic partnerships are playing a bigger role for life sciences companies—whether as a source of funding or gaining infrastructure or market access. Additionally, deal structures are becoming more creative to manage valuation gaps and mitigate risk.  Investors are seeing opportunity in value-based investment strategies to balance near-term flexibility with long-term value during times of regulatory uncertainty. Finally, globalization, which has historically been seen as a strength and source of diversification, is also a contributor to current volatility.

The day’s programming culminated in a keynote conversation with Dr. Kirk Taylor, CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, who shared his perspective on thriving amid change. Dr. Taylor’s address, “Get Your Mindset Right,” offered practical advice and inspiration for professionals navigating the complexities and uncertainties in the industry and emphasized the importance of continuous innovation and evolution to ensure Massachusetts remains a global leader in life sciences.

This year’s Roundtable made one thing clear: agility, creativity, and proactive risk management are the keys to thriving in today’s rapidly evolving life sciences landscape. Whether it’s navigating regulatory changes, harnessing and de-risking AI and product development, or strategically structuring the next big deal, the industry is readily evolving to meet the demands of the future.

This post is as of the posting date stated above. Sidley Austin LLP assumes no duty to update this post or post about any subsequent developments having a bearing on this post.