13
May

08:00 AM PST

Medicinal Chemistry

Name: Medicinal Chemistry Strategy Meeting West Coast USA 2026
Start: 2026-01-01T08:00
End: 2026-05-13T18:00
Location: Hard Rock Hotel San Diego

&

Drug Discovery Biology

Strategy Meeting West Coast USA 2026

Reinvigorating Productivity in Pharma & Biotech R&D Through Advanced Technologies and Innovative Techniques that Interrogate Activity and Mechanisms

Hard Rock Hotel San Diego

A MEETING EXPERIENCE UNLIKE ANY OTHER

Fresh Medicinal Chemistry Insights

Tired of the same conference experience? Real discussions and genuine networking are often promised, but not always delivered. Proventa International’s R&D Strategy Meetings are designed to avoid the pitfalls of a typical conference, by providing the right environment to make those important connections through interactive roundtable discussions, exclusive networking and keynote panel debates. Join Medicinal Chemistry professionals from across the West Coast, in San Diego, to discover new insights and take your company’s mission to the next level.

What makes our strategy meetings unique?

Roundtable Discussions

Intimate discussions led by renowned industry experts. Have your voice heard and debate alongside like-minded life science executives.

Unrivalled Networking

With senior delegation from big pharma and innovative biotech from across the West Coast, you can network with peers from different locations, all in one place.

Personalised Agenda

Choose the topics that matter to you. Reserve your place at the roundtable discussions and ensure your whole day delivers the insights you need to hear.

Solutions to your Problems

We’ve partnered with the best solution providers to solve your biggest challenges. Engage in pre-arranged, private meetings to address your specific needs and find a tangible solution.

Industry Researched Topics

We guarantee our agenda is up-to-date and mission critical because its designed by you. We speak to our extended network of senior decision makers to ensure the most important topics are discussed.

Senior Decision Makers

The entire strategy meeting is specifically tailored to the needs and challenges of senior life science professionals. Discover how your peers are dealing with the same challenges as you.

Our Facilitators

Our panel of facilitators play a key role in shaping the agenda for the day. See who will be bringing their expertise to the table at Medicinal Chemistry Strategy Meeting.

Andrea Small-Howard

President GB Sciences, Inc

Bishnu Nayak

Senior Director/Site Head Neologics Bio

Brandon Jeffy

Senior Director/Group Leader, Nonclinical Safety and Toxicology Crinetics Pharmaceuticals

David Bredt

Founder, Chief Scientific Officer Rapport Therapeutics

David Weitz

Chief Executive Officer and Founder Syrna Therapeutics

Devin Swanson

Director, External Innovation Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicines

Igor O. Nasonkin

CEO Phythera Therapeutics

<p><strong>Igor Nasonkin</strong> is a Founder, Director, and Principal Investigator, with 9 years in industry (Phythera Therapeutics, Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Biotime, Bresagen) and 24 years in academia (UPitt, NIH, JHU, MIT, UM, UBC). He specialized in small molecule-based therapies modulating neurodegenerative diseases and cancer, botanical-based drugs for cancer therapeutics, cell & gene therapies (retina, brain), stem cell-based therapies, and building new projects and teams from the ground up. Igor has extensive experience in building and leading several productive & cohesive research teams, conceptualizing new ideas and research directions, grant writing (NIH, DOD, CIRM, foundation grants), manuscript writing, drafting patent applications, sponsored projects agreements, and business plans. He has written for a variety of Scientific reviewers (several journals), while being a member of the Editorial Board (several journals). His successfully funded SBIR grants include: 5R44EY027654 09/30/2017- 5/31/2019; 3 R44 EY 027654-02 S1 06/01/2019-05/31/2020</p>

Leo Kirkovsky

Director, Clinical Assay Group Pfizer

Mark Nelson

Vice President, Chemistry and Co-Founder Neumedics

Mehran Moghaddam

CEO OROX Biosciences, Inc.

Neil Raheja

Founder, President, and COO Venquis Therapeutics

Sampath Kumar Anandan

Vice President of Discovery Inipharm

Sanjeev Thohan

Scientific Advisory Board Member Cogentis Therapeutics/ Phoenix Molecular Designs

Sean Sullivan

Vice President Arcturus Therapeutics

Shicheng Guo

Senior Director of Translational Genetics and Data Science Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals

Susan Whitehead

Board Director PACT Pharma

Zev Wisotsky

Director, Drug Discovery New Modality Solutions Revvity Signals

First name	Last name	Job title	Company name	Photo URL	Bio Position
Andrea	Small-Howard	President	GB Sciences, Inc	https://proventainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Andrea-SmallHoward-1.jpg	Andrea Small-Howard has 20+ years of executive, biopharma industry experience. She has shaped corporate strategies and messaging, led partnering efforts, and raised capital. Additionally, she has supervised research & development, manufacturing, and quality control in global divisions. Dr. Small-Howard has taken novel biological products from ideation through commercialization. She has been named an inventor on seventy+ patent applications, obtained regulatory approvals, and orchestrated commercial licensing deals. Currently, Dr. Small-Howard leverages her broad biopharmaceutical industry knowledge as the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Science Officer, and Chairman of the Board of Directors at GB Sciences, Inc.
Bishnu	Nayak	Senior Director/Site Head	Neologics Bio	https://proventainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Bishnu-Nayak-Neologics-Bio.jpg	Bishnu is an immunologist by training with more than 15-years of experience in drug discovery research. His expertise include target identification, validation, translational research, MoA studies, and validation of therapeutic concepts, both in vitro and in vivo. He worked extensively with small molecules and biologics, particularly in immuno-oncology and inflammation space. From target discovery to lead identification and preclinical validation, he contributed at large pharmaceutical companies like Novartis and AbbVie (Pharmacyclics), mediumsized firms like AnaptysBio, and small biotechs like HealthTell and NeologicsBio. Currently, he serves as Senior Director and Site Head at Neologics Bioscience, San Diego.
Brandon	Jeffy	Senior Director/Group Leader, Nonclinical Safety and Toxicology	Crinetics Pharmaceuticals	https://proventainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Brandon-Jeffy.jpg
David	Bredt	Founder, Chief Scientific Officer	Rapport Therapeutics	https://proventainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/David-Bredt.jpg
David	Weitz	Chief Executive Officer and Founder	Syrna Therapeutics	https://proventainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/David-Weitz-1.jpg
Devin	Swanson	Director, External Innovation	Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicines	https://proventainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Devid-Swanson.jpg	Devin is a Principal Scientist, External Innovation at Janssen Pharmaceutical companies of Johnson & Johnson based in San Diego, CA. With over twenty years of drug discovery experience, Devin has made substantial contributions to twelve projects across the neuroscience, pain, and immunology therapeutic areas. This work has led to six clinical candidates, 15 peer reviewed publications (5 first author), and 15 patent applications-issued patents. In his current role, Devin is looking to partner and license platforms and assets in the research and development, pharmaceutical space. Devin holds a BA from Boston University, an MS from UC San Diego, and an MBA from the University of Southern California.
Igor	O. Nasonkin	CEO	Phythera Therapeutics	https://proventainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Igor-O.-Nasonkin.jpg	Igor Nasonkin is a Founder, Director, and Principal Investigator, with 9 years in industry (Phythera Therapeutics, Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Biotime, Bresagen) and 24 years in academia (UPitt, NIH, JHU, MIT, UM, UBC). He specialized in small molecule-based therapies modulating neurodegenerative diseases and cancer, botanical-based drugs for cancer therapeutics, cell & gene therapies (retina, brain), stem cell-based therapies, and building new projects and teams from the ground up. Igor has extensive experience in building and leading several productive & cohesive research teams, conceptualizing new ideas and research directions, grant writing (NIH, DOD, CIRM, foundation grants), manuscript writing, drafting patent applications, sponsored projects agreements, and business plans. He has written for a variety of Scientific reviewers (several journals), while being a member of the Editorial Board (several journals). His successfully funded SBIR grants include: 5R44EY027654 09/30/2017- 5/31/2019; 3 R44 EY 027654-02 S1 06/01/2019-05/31/2020
Leo	Kirkovsky	Director, Clinical Assay Group	Pfizer	https://proventainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/unnamed-12.jpg
Mark	Nelson	Vice President, Chemistry and Co-Founder	Neumedics	https://proventainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Mark-Nelson.jpg	Dr. Mark L. Nelson, received a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, and formed Paratek Pharmaceuticals at Tufts University School of Medicine, bringing novel antibiotics NuzyraTM and SeysaraTM to medicine in 2018. His work spans the synthesis, cheminformatics, and biology of novel compounds against infectious and inflammatory diseases, bringing NCEs to the clinic expeditiously. Currently, he is a founder and VP of Neumedics, and a stealth company from EPFL, Auwerx lab, both modifying mitochondrial processes in neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s disease. He has 40+ patents in novel chemistries and biology, and in 2019 received the ACS Heroes of Chemistry award.
Mehran	Moghaddam	CEO	OROX Biosciences, Inc.	https://proventainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Mehran-F.-Moghaddam.jpg
Neil	Raheja	Founder, President, and COO	Venquis Therapeutics	https://proventainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Neil-Raheja.jpg
Sampath	Kumar Anandan	Vice President of Discovery	Inipharm	https://proventainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Sampath-Anandan.jpg
Sanjeev	Thohan	Scientific Advisory Board Member	Cogentis Therapeutics/ Phoenix Molecular Designs	https://proventainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Sanjeev-Thohan-2.jpg	Sanjeev is currently the President of SARx Consulting after 25 years in industry his practice encompasses Fractional Leadership of R&D activities from Lead Optimization to IND filing and clinical trial design. He is also a SME for clinical biomarker prosecution, and translational mechanistic studies as they relate to clinical trials. He personally generated and overseen programs for both small molecules and antibody drug conjugates (ADC) in the Anti-viral, Anti-infective, Anti-inflammatory, Biodefense, Cardiovascular/ Metabolic and Oncology, therapeutic areas. He is an active mentor and fundraiser for startups as well as a Scientific Advisory Board member and founder of several innovative companies.
Sean	Sullivan	Vice President	Arcturus Therapeutics	https://proventainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Sean-Sullivan.jpg
Shicheng	Guo	Senior Director of Translational Genetics and Data Science	Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals	https://proventainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Shicheng-Guo.jpg
Susan	Whitehead	Board Director	PACT Pharma	https://proventainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Susan-Whitehead.jpg
Zev	Wisotsky	Director, Drug Discovery New Modality Solutions	Revvity Signals	https://proventainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Zev-Wisotsky.jpg	Zev Wisotsky is Director of Drug Discovery Informatics at Revvity Signals. His scientific training and research background includes neuroscience, biochemistry, molecular biology and drug discovery. He has spent more than eight years in software in go-to-market teams across industries with a heavy focus on biopharma/biotech R&D.

Andrea Small-Howard, Bishnu Nayak, Brandon Jeffy, David Bredt, David Weitz, Devin Swanson, Igor O. Nasonkin, Leo Kirkovsky, Mark Nelson, Mehran Moghaddam, Neil Raheja, Sampath Kumar Anandan, Sanjeev Thohan, Sean Sullivan, Shicheng Guo, Susan Whitehead, Zev Wisotsky