SAPA-GP 2026 Cell & Gene Therapy Annual Conference

About this event

The 5th @Philly Cell and Gene Therapy Annual Conference — organized by SAPA-GP — marked a five-year milestone, bringing together scientists, clinicians, entrepreneurs, regulators, investors, and industry leaders across one of the world’s most dynamic cell and gene therapy hubs.

Held over two days at the Sheraton Valley Forge Hotel in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, the 2026 programme featured five keynote lectures, seven parallel tracks, sponsor lunch sessions, a company showcase, an award ceremony and gala dinner, and dedicated networking throughout. The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia served as strategic partner.

At a glance

Dates: Friday 8 May and Saturday 9 May 2026, 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. daily
Venue: Sheraton Valley Forge Hotel, 480 N Gulph Rd, King of Prussia, PA 19406
Rooms: Grand Ballroom, Centennial Ballrooms I–III, Wayne, and Main Lobby
Format: 5 keynote lectures, 7 parallel tracks, 6 sponsor sessions, company showcase, award ceremony and gala dinner

Keynote speakers

Peter Marks, Ph.D., M.D., Senior Vice President, Molecule Discovery and Head of Infectious Disease, Eli Lilly and Company — Advancing Genetic Medicine
Lindsey George, M.D., Director of Clinical In Vivo Gene Therapy, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia — Hemophilia Gene Therapy and Lessons from Translational Investigation
Sheila Mikhail, J.D., M.B.A., Co-founder and CEO, M34 Therapeutics — Biotech Entrepreneur Saga
Terence Flotte, M.D., Provost, Executive Deputy Chancellor and Dean, T.H. Chan School of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School — Immune Responses to AAV Gene Delivery for Muscle and CNS
Laura Sepp-Lorenzino, Ph.D., Principal, GNMmeds LLC — Advancing Precision Medicine: Oligonucleotide and Genome Editing Therapeutics

Programme tracks

Gene Therapy — unlocking gene therapy beyond orphan indications, CNS delivery strategies, and the move from ex vivo to in vivo editing, including in vivo CAR-T
Cell Therapy — advances in editing and CAR-T cell therapy, targeted delivery across biological barriers, and a panel on the future of cell and gene therapy
RNA Therapy — bioanalysis for novel RNA therapies, DMPK and translation of oligonucleotide therapeutics, and bridging discovery science with regulatory approval
CMC — source-to-product quality considerations, advanced process and quality control for CGT manufacturing, and current CMC strategy
Clinical & Regulatory — investigator-initiated trial strategy, regulatory strategy from approval to long-term oversight, and clinical development for treatment-resistant cancers
Business — the business case for advanced therapies in Greater Philadelphia, investment and deal-making trends, biotech leadership, and Hong Kong–Philadelphia opportunities
Career Development — job search strategy, cross-sector career paths, promotion readiness, and professional branding

Full programme

Organizing committee

Conference Chair: Xinjun Zhang, Ph.D., President, SAPA-GP. Conference Co-Chairs: Lu Wang, Ph.D., M.B.A. and Evelyn Guo, M.D., M.B.A. Programme Director: Tao Niu, Ph.D. Programme Co-Directors: CJ Song, Bill Lu, Huize Yan, Jin Wen. Advisory Committee Chairs: Haichen Yang, Jing Yang.

Partners

DIA · The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia · iSWT Community · bioSeedin · Molecular Biology of the Cell (ASCB) · Science History Institute · BioLabs for Advanced Therapeutics Philadelphia · Hope for Rare Foundation · Frontage · Life Sciences PA · Keystone LifeSci Collaborative · Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center