August is the month each year when special efforts are made to raise awareness of patients suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a crippling, degenerative neuromuscular disease. In its most severe form, SMA is the leading genetic cause of infant death. WuXi AppTec welcomes the opportunity to contribute to SMA Awareness Month this year through our next webinar, "Progress in Halting Spinal Muscular Atrophy", on August 20.

This is the third webinar in WuXi AppTec's "Collaborations That Transform" series on rare diseases, where we convene physicians, drug developers, patients, and advocates to critically examine the current state of therapies and the promise of the next generation of treatment approaches and modalities.

AGENDA (Eastern Daylight Time). Featured guest speaker bios can be accessed HERE. Please click HERE to register.

10:30

Welcome

Hui Cai, VP and Head of Content, WuXi AppTec, Program Chair

10:35 – 10:55

Session I: Perspective on Global Development and Access to Medicines in Rare Diseases

A conversation with Paulo Fontoura, Global Head and SVP, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Clinical Development, Roche; moderated by David Chang, CEO, WuXi Advanced Therapies, WuXi AppTec

10:55 – 11:35

Session II: Patients at the Center

Kristin Schneeman, Director, FasterCures, a center of the Milken Institute

Mencía de Lemus, President of SMA Europe; President of FundAME, National SMA patient organisation, Spain

Laurent Servais, Professor of Paediatric Neuromuscular Diseases, Neuromuscular Reference Center Disease, Department of Paediatrics, Liège, Belgium; MDUK Neuromuscular Center, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, UK

Moderated by Lauren Martz, Senior Editor, Head of Translation & Clinical Development, BioCentury

11:35 – 12:25

Session III: Translating Fundamentals into Meaningful Therapeutics

Karen Chen, CEO, Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation

Stanley Crooke, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Ionis Pharmaceuticals; Founder, CEO and Chairman of the Board, n-Lorem Foundation

Thomas Crawford, Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Kennedy Krieger Institute 

Oscar Henry Mayer, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Division of Pulmonology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Moderated by Richard Soll, Head of WuXi AppTec's Boston office; Senior Advisor of Strategic Initiatives

12:25

Closing

This event is complimentary and open to public.

Through WuXi AppTec's role as an industry enabler, we are committed to improving the lives of patients globally. We share the conviction that we must work collaboratively to solve industry-wide challenges and bring transformative medicines to patients.

We look forward to welcoming you to join the discussions.