Jeff Kindler, Anthony Fauci, Kathy Giusti, Michael Milken among featured speakers at Partnering for Cures

Philanthropists, Medical Research Foundations, and Industry Leaders Gather in New York for Inaugural Partnering for Cures Meeting
First-of-its-kind meeting designed to forge collaborations needed to accelerate the pace of therapeutic development

(November 5, 2009) WASHINGTON, DC – Hundreds of medical research leaders, investors, and decision-makers are coming together at the inaugural Partnering for Cures meeting to explore innovative approaches to pursuing high-risk, long-term investments that could lead to therapeutic breakthroughs.

This first-of-its-kind meeting, to be held December 1-3 at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City, brings together innovators from philanthropy, medical research foundations, and the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries with the goal of forging collaborations necessary to develop new medical solutions.

The meeting is designed to facilitate informed investments and cultivate relationships by featuring panels that spotlight solutions to decades-long challenges facing medical research, adapting the outcomes-oriented approach of investor conferences, and building on the networking opportunities at industry "partnering" meetings. Speakers include:

Decision-makers from the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries:

• Jeffrey Kindler, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, Pfizer
• The Hon. Billy Tauzin, President and Chief Executive Officer, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)
• The Hon. James Greenwood, President and CEO, Biotechnology Industry Organization
• Garry Neil, M.D., Corporate Vice President, Corporate Office of Science and Technology, Johnson & Johnson

Venture philanthropy leaders:

• Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
• Debi Brooks, Co-Founder, Michael J. Fox Foundation
• Kathy Giusti, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation
• Hala Moddelmog, President and Chief Executive Officer, Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Philanthropists who are transforming the medical research enterprise

• Michael Milken, Chairman, FasterCures/The Center for Accelerating Medical Solutions; Chairman, The Milken Institute
• Debra Black, Founder and Chair, Melanoma Research Alliance

And, some of the most forward-thinking leaders in medical research:

• Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• Douglas A. Melton, Ph.D., Co-Director, Harvard Stem Cell Institute
• Seth Berkley, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, International AIDS Vaccine Initiative
• Anne Wojcicki, Co-Founder and President, 23andMe

Philanthropic investment in medical research, though it accounts for only three percent of overall research spending – relatively small compared to government and industry funding –plays an essential role in catalyzing high-risk research, far beyond its proportion of funding. But, it requires a significant investment in effort, resources, and time to find the right research partner. Partnering for Cures streamlines this process by connecting similar-minded organizations and sharing best practices, further amplifying the transformative impact of medical research philanthropy.

Partnering for Cures is convened by FasterCures, the Washington, D.C.-based center of the Milken Institute, that's committed to breaking down the barriers that exist across the research continuum – from basic research to drug development – to clear the path to faster medical progress.

NOTE TO MEDIA:
Complete information about Partnering for Cures, including a full program and an up-to-date list of all speakers, is available at www.partneringforcures.org. Credentialed press wishing to cover Partnering for Cures, please email Cecilia Arradaza, FasterCures Communications Director, at carradaza@fastercures.org.