Achieving Targeted Delivery of Gene Editing Therapies

Sean Bedingfield is a specialist in nonviral RNA delivery with work spanning multiple platforms. He is currently in Lilly’s Genetic Medicine division working in early discovery efforts for delivery platform technologies. He leads a small team in a blend of internal platform development, external collaborations and vetting external technologies. Lilly’s interests are broad and ambitious in genetic medicine, as highlighted by their public partnerships including Dicerna, Verve Therapeutics, Scribe Therapeutics, Entos Pharmaceuticals, Evox Therapeutics and acquisitions such as Prevail and Akouos. Receiving his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Vanderbilt University, his publications include high impact papers relating to intracellular assay development, RNA delivery leveraging targeted nanoparticles, protein engineering applications (now licensed by Anchor Biologics), and nanomedicine-related material science investigations. Prior to this role, he worked as a technical lead in business development for Pendant Biosciences.

Shawn Davis PhD is the CEO of Liberate Bio, where he aims to achieve the extraordinary – delivering genetic medicines that transcend liver-based limitations, liberating patients from disease. Genetic medicines are poised to change the course of medicine, but their full potential can only be realized when delivered by vehicles that target these complex modalities to the appropriate cells. Dr Davis and the Liberate Bio team will deliver on this promise using generative artificial intelligence and machine learning trained on high-quality, in vivo data to accelerate every aspect of creating novel, extrahepatic vehicles. Precise Delivery. Boundless Impact. Dr Davis has an extensive background in drug delivery, diagnostics, and biopharmaceutical development across startups and Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies. He joined Liberate Bio from AstraZeneca, where he was the Head of Drug Delivery for R&D Biopharmaceutical Development. At AstraZeneca, he led the research and development of intracellular delivery of nucleic acids, controlled release of antibodies for less frequent dosing, and novel routes of administration for therapeutic benefit. Before AstraZeneca, he held multiple roles of increasing responsibility at Amgen, focusing on combination product development, technology strategy, and innovation. More broadly, he has provided thought leadership across the industry as a frequent speaker, chair of multiple conferences, and Subcutaneous Drug Development & Delivery Consortium board member.

Dr Sanyogitta (Sanya) Puri is currently Senior Director & Head of Non-viral Delivery with the RNA & GT organization at Novo Nordisk. She leads a global department with multidisciplinary teams across Denmark and Boston, that are accountable for a portfolio of nucleic acid therapeutics with novel delivery systems within Novo Nordisk. Prior to this role, Dr Puri was Director of the Advanced Drug Delivery team, AstraZeneca Cambridge, UK, where she led a team of multidisciplinary drug delivery, formulation and clinical development scientists. Over her 10+ years & industrial career, Dr Puri has worked on design and development of oligonucleotide, peptide, mRNA and targeted nanomedicine products across oncology, cardiovascular, respiratory and rare disease areas. Dr Puri holds a degree in Pharmacy from India and PhD in Nanoparticle drug delivery from Nottingham University, UK. Dr Puri is known for being passionate about innovative drug delivery and has a track record of preclinical to clinical translation of novel medicines through both internal capability build and external partnerships.

  

Liping Zhou, PhD, is currently a senior director at AstraZeneca Boston R&D center. She is heading the new modality formulation development and delivery science team, developing preclinical and clinical formulations and supporting AstraZeneca internal pipeline projects as well as external collaborations. Dr Zhou has 20 years of post-PhD technical and managerial experience in research and development functions in the biotechnology/pharmaceutical industry. She has diversified expertise especially in pre-formulation, formulation development and drug delivery technologies focusing on peptides, nucleic acids and small molecule drug candidates. She has been actively involved in preclinical and clinical programs, life-cycle management and due diligence projects in multiple therapeutical areas as well as efficiently and strategically managing external collaborations in the US, Europe and Asia. Dr Zhou’s previous employment includes but not limited to Novartis, Ipsen, and Ra Pharmaceuticals (now UCB). She co-authored more than 20 scientific publications in the leading biomedical journals and book chapters.Dr Zhou received her Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from University of Connecticut and her bachelor’s degree from Peking University.