BioNJ celebrates innovation at its annual meeting

Anthony Vecchione//February 8, 2019//

Listen to this article

A who’s who of New Jersey pharmaceutical leaders touted their accomplishments and honored their innovators at the BioNJ 2019 Annual Dinner Meeting & Innovation Celebration in New Brunswick on Thursday night.

From left, Dr. Roy Vagelos, chairman of the board, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Debbie Hart, president and CEO, BioNJ; William Hait, global head, Johnson & Johnson external innovation; and Dr. Steven Libutti, director of the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey at BioNJ’s 2019 Annual Meeting & Innovation Celebration in New Brunswick.

Debbie Hart, president and CEO of BioNJ, said that the meeting was a celebration of innovation in New Jersey.

“We had more than 35 percent of all new FDA drug approvals in 2018 come from companies with a footprint here and we celebrated them tonight,” Hart told NJBIZ.

Hart announced that Johnson & Johnson Innovation is joining JP Morgan as a headliner sponsor of BioNJ’s BioPartnering event.

Gov. Phil Murphy told attendees that New Jersey’s pharmaceutical and life sciences industries are in the forefront of innovation.

“The fact nearly one of three novel drug approvals came from research being done right here in New Jersey says more than I could to try and put that into words,” said Murphy.

“The task at hand then is to ensure that you find support systems that you need to continue this ground breaking work here in New Jersey. And that others recognize the advantage of bringing their own businesses whether it be an established company like Teva or just someone with a big idea starting work at an incubator, either way to New Jersey,” said Murphy.

Murphy added that across the board, his administration is working hard to make sure that the “open for business sign” is hung right where everyone in the life sciences industry could see it.

Outgoing BioNJ Executive Vice Chairman James Sapirstein officially welcomed new chairman Christopher Schaber, president and CEO of Soligenix.

BioNJ’s Dr. Sol Barer Award for Vision, Innovation and Leadership went to William Hait, global head Johnson & Johnson external innovation.

The Heart of BioNJ Awards were given to Jayne Gershkowitz, chief patient advocate of Amicus Therapeutics and to patient advocate Max Schill.

The Innovator Award Honorees included: