Meet BioNJ's 2024 Innovator Award company honorees

Debbie Hart, president and CEO of BioNJ, addresses a packed room gathered at the East Brunswick Hilton for the organization’s Annual Dinner Meeting & Innovation Celebration in 2023. - MATTHEW FAZELPOOR/NJBIZ

Matthew Fazelpoor//January 4, 2024//

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BioNJ revealed new details about its upcoming 31st Annual Dinner Meeting & Innovation Celebration, which is considered the kickoff event of the year for the state’s life sciences sector.

The event, being held Feb. 8 at the Hilton East Brunswick, brings together hundreds of biopharma professionals, academic leaders, patient advocates, service providers, government officials and other stakeholders to honor medical innovation taking place right here in the great Garden State.

William Lewis, chair and CEO of Insmed — Lewis

As NJBIZ reported last month, Insmed chair and CEO William Lewis will be presented the Dr. Sol J. Barer Award for Vision, Innovation, and Leadership at the dinner. The evening will also include the presentation of the Heart of BioNJ Awards; an inspirational Spoken Word by Lupus Warrior Shanelle Gabriel; the opportunity to network with industry leaders; a special keynote honoring patients from around the globe; and, of course, the presentation of its Innovator Awards.

The 2024 Heart of BioNJ Awards, recognizing extraordinary patient advocates, will go to:

Lisa Salberg, founder and CEO, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association
Amadou Diarra, senior vice president, Global Policy, Advocacy & Government Affairs, Bristol Myers Squibb
Mark Peters, senior director, Patient Advocacy, Genmab

This week, BioNJ announced the 2024 Innovator Award honorees:

AbbVie
Acrotech Biopharma
Amicus Therapeutics
Acadia Pharmaceuticals
Bausch & Lomb
Bristol Myers Squibb
CorMedix
Daiichi Sankyo
Eisai
Eli Lilly
Evive Biotech
Gamida Cell
GC Biopharma USA
Genmab
GSK
Ipsen
Iveric BIO
Johnson & Johnson
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals
Melinta Therpeutics
Nestle Health Science
Novartis
Novo Nordisk
Octapharma
Protalix Biotherapeutics
Pfizer
Pharming
Regeneron
Sanofi
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA and Zoetis for FDA Animal Drug Approvals

“’Because Patients Can’t Wait,’ we are so proud of our members who are helping patients live longer, better lives,” said BioNJ President and CEO Debbie Hart in a press release. “And we are pleased to celebrate their important work and dedication during BioNJ’s Annual Dinner Meeting & Innovation Celebration.”

She noted that the companies with a footprint here in the Garden State were responsible for more than 50% of all new U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals last year.

“Reinforcing the fact that the Garden State is the drug development capital of the world,” Hart added. “We will honor these companies by present them with an Innovator Award.”

More information on the event can be found on the BioNJ website.