WASHINGTON, DC, May 27, 2015 – The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM), the international organization representing the regenerative medicine and advanced therapies community, announced the speaker line up for its sixth Annual Dinner and Legislative Fly-In, being held June 9 and 10 in Washington, D.C. This is the sector’s main advocacy event in Washington, D.C. to call attention to key legislation, honor industry leaders and celebrate recent accomplishments.
ARM’s Annual Dinner recognizes key corporate, scientific and policy leaders in the regenerative medicine and advanced therapies community, including members of Congress, patient advocates, disease foundation executives and other industry champions. ARM Chairman and President and CEO of Sangamo BioSciences Edward Lanphier will provide welcome remarks and Biogen Senior Director, Douglas Kerr, M.D., Ph.D., will provide speaker introductions. Featured speakers include:
Each year, ARM also presents its “Legislator of the Year” awards to key lawmakers who have made a substantial commitment toward the progress of regenerative medicine and advanced therapies in the preceding year. This year, the awards will be presented to U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA). Both senators are longtime supporters of the sector and have advocated strongly for necessary legislation.
Senator Baldwin’s support dates back to her tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives, advocating for research funding for the UW-Madison Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center. She also backed President Obama’s Executive Order to remove limitations on federal funding for stem cell research and is a co-sponsor of the Regenerative Medicine Promotion Act of 2014. Senator Baldwin is currently working in support of ARM’s proposal for an expedited approval pathway of regenerative medicine products in the United States.
In 2013, Senator Isakson sent a letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office requesting the agency assess all current federal activities impacting the field of regenerative medicine, including research funding, barriers to innovation and coordination among federal agencies, expected to be released in the coming months. In addition, Senator Isakson is currently leading ARM’s efforts in the U.S. Senate to secure a national regenerative medicine strategy, including an expedited approval pathway and the establishment of a Center of Excellence for Cell and Gene Therapy Standards.
On June 10, ARM members will participate in the organization’s annual Legislative Fly-In, meeting with key members of Congress and administration officials to advocate for legislation to support the near-term, life-saving potential of advanced therapies.
The Annual Dinner will be held at the St. Regis in Washington, D.C. and is open to the public, but registration is required. ARM’s Legislative Fly-In is limited to members of the organization. To register or for more information about this event, please visit http://alliancerm.org/event/annual-dinner-legislative-fly.
About the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine
The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) is an international multi-stakeholder advocacy organization that promotes legislative, regulatory and reimbursement initiatives necessary to facilitate access to life-giving advances in regenerative medicine worldwide. ARM also works to increase public understanding of the field and its potential to transform human healthcare, providing business development and investor outreach services to support the growth of its member companies and research organizations. Prior to the formation of ARM in 2009, there was no advocacy organization operating in Washington, D.C. to specifically represent the interests of the companies, research institutions, investors and patient groups that comprise the entire regenerative medicine community. Today, ARM has more than 220 members and is the leading global advocacy organization in this field. To learn more about ARM or to become a member, visit http://www.alliancerm.org.
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