The oncology innovation landscape has become increasingly competitive, with capital, strategic attention, and acquisition interest concentrated around companies that can show clear differentiation early. For emerging oncology companies, scientific novelty alone is no longer enough. Investors and potential buyers are looking for focused strategies, credible development paths, and a clear view of where a company can create value in a crowded market.
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J&J invites you to an event focused on how oncology startups can position themselves for investment, partnership, and potential acquisition in today’s market. The discussion will explore what different types of investors and acquirers are looking for, how expectations are evolving around patient selection and clinical trial design, and how companies can make strategic choices earlier in development that strengthen their future options.
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The program will also examine how buyer expectations differ across the oncology ecosystem. While large pharma may continue to prioritize broader opportunities with substantial commercial potential, mid-sized pharma and other strategic buyers may be more attracted to focused mechanisms of action, niche indications, strong unmet need, and clear development logic. Understanding these differences can help founders avoid being boxed in too early and build a strategy that fits both the science and the market.
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Join us in Utrecht or virtually for an open discussion with investors, pharma leaders, biotech executives, and advisors on what it takes to stand out in oncology today. The conversation will address changing market dynamics, competitive positioning, capital constraints, and the practical decisions that shape whether a company becomes investable, partnerable, or acquirable.
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The program is tailored to oncology startups, academic innovators, investors, TTOs, incubators, and ecosystem partners interested in how promising oncology science can be translated into companies that are strategically focused, commercially credible, and attractive to future partners or buyers.
- Janine Arts, Sr. Director Oncology External Innovation, Johnson & Johnson
- Mark Throsby, Drug developer and biotech entrepreneur
- Mark Panesar, Leerink Partners
- Morgan Haller, Principal Forbion Growth Opportunities, Forbion*
- Co-moderator: Nadiya Ishnazarova, Principal Venture Investments, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC
- Co-moderator: Cheryl Zimberlin, Managing Director, Ligase BioPartners
Dr. Nadiya Ishnazarova is a Senior Director, Venture Investments, at J&J Innovation – JJDC, Inc. Prior to joining JJDC, Nadiya was a Principal in the Biotechnology team at M Ventures, the corporate venture arm of Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany, where she led investments across both Healthcare and Life Sciences and held Board seats in a number of portfolio companies.
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Before transitioning to venture investing, Nadiya was a Manager in the Health & Life Sciences practice at global strategy consulting firm Oliver Wyman. In this role, she advised corporate healthcare clients, health systems, pharma, and digital health companies on strategic transformation across EMEA, Asia Pacific, and Emerging Markets, and supported M&A deals through pre-transaction assessments of value and risk.
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Nadiya holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Oxford, B.Sc. in Organic Chemistry and dual M.Sc. degrees in Enzymology and in Nanobiomaterials & Nanobiotechnology from Lomonosov Moscow State University.
Janine Arts is currently Sr Director Oncology External Innovation at the J&J Innovation Center, driving external drug discovery strategy and establishing novel collaborations for J&J Innovative Medicine Oncology R&D in Europe.
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Janine has over 25 years of experience in pharmaceutical industry. In her previous role Janine lead a global team, establishing the J&J Innovative Medicine strategy and pipeline in colorectal cancer interception. Prior, Janine served as head of the Oncology discovery team in Europe and was responsible for the small molecule discovery portfolio from exploratory research to IND candidate selection. Thus far four novel therapeutics discovered by Janine and her teams progressed into clinical development, of which erdafitinib received approval for urothelial carcinoma.
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Janine completed postdoctoral training at Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam. She received her PhD from Leiden University (TNO).
Mark is a member of Leerink Partners’ European office, where he helps build out the firm’s European biotech practice. He was previously at Lazard, where he worked in the Healthcare Investment Banking team, and prior to that at Jefferies, where he was a Research Analyst covering European Pharma and Biotech. Mark holds a degree in Chemistry from Imperial College London.
Julian Bertschinger leads External Scientific Innovation across EMEA at Johnson & Johnson, where he focuses on building strategic partnerships with early-stage biotech companies and advancing breakthrough science toward clinical development.
He previously served as Global Head of External Innovation for Discovery, Product Development & Supply (DPDS), where he oversaw collaborations spanning the earliest stages of innovation through early clinical development.
Before joining Johnson & Johnson, Julian was co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Covagen, a Swiss biotechnology company specializing in multispecific protein therapeutics, which was acquired by Johnson & Johnson in 2014.
Julian holds a PhD in molecular biology and biochemistry from ETH Zurich and brings deep scientific and entrepreneurial expertise to fostering innovation partnerships that aim to deliver transformative healthcare solutions.
Dr. Mark Throsby has spent more than 25 years in biotech with extensive research experience and a track record of innovation and execution. He gained a PhD in Immunology from Monash University Melbourne, Australia and spent four years as a research fellow with CNRS in Paris.
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Dr Throsby started his industry career at the formation of Crucell NV and worked for 8 years there in various roles finally as Director of Antibody discovery. He joined Merus NV in 2008 as CSO supporting the development of its bispecific antibody platform and leading preclinical research at the company until 2020.
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Since 2020 he has held executive management or board positions in preclinical and clinical stage biotechnology companies throughout Europe including ONA therapeutics, Gadeta, Montis Biosciences. He is currently on the board of Alethio Therapeutics and CEO of ATB Therapeutics.
Cheryl Zimberlin is a managing director of Ligase BioPartners. Before launching Ligase BioPartners Cheryl spent more than a decade in Venture Capital, as consultant and investment director. She was Investment Director at M Ventures, building companies and leading early-stage investments, as well as successfully managing portfolio companies to successful exits.
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Cheryl is scientifically trained, with a Ph.D. in Oncology from the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands and a MSc in Biotechnology from the University of Wageningen, the Netherlands.
This program is from Johnson & Johnson and represents a selection of activities from across our Innovation Centers, JLABS and JJDC. The information in this program is for informational purposes only. The information is either proprietary or licensed to Johnson & Johnson and its affiliates or is provided by or proprietary to third parties. In case of third-party information, please note that only those third parties that provided or own this information are responsible for it. By providing this information, Johnson & Johnson do not endorse these third parties or any of the information provided in this program. This content is not intended to influence the use, sale, recommendation, or promotion of any products or services of Johnson & Johnson. Johnson & Johnson is not responsible or liable for any actions you do or do not take in relation to this information and are not responsible for any use of this information by you. By providing the information in this program, Johnson & Johnson does not make any representations, warranties, or assurances, express or implied, as to the content or the information presented in this program and is not responsible for any use by or alterations of this information by you. Johnson & Johnson hereby expressly disclaims any and all guarantees, representations, warranties, or assurances and assumes no responsibility or liability, direct or indirect in relation to the information in this program.