Annual Dinner & Showcase

Dr. Friedman has demonstrated long-term vision through senior leadership roles spanning global pharmaceutical companies and publicly traded (and private) biotechnology companies. His career reflects an ability to identify and advance differentiated science, and build organizations capable of executing complex development programs. 

Dr. Friedman currently serves as Chairman of Prelude Therapeutics and is a member of the board of directors of Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, having served as its CEO from 2016 until 2023. He previously served as Co-Founder and CEO and a director of Incyte Corporation from 2001 until his retirement in 2014. Earlier in his career, Dr. Friedman held senior research and development leadership roles at major pharmaceutical organizations, including President of R&D at the DuPont-Merck Pharmaceutical Company from 1994 to 1998; President of DuPont Pharmaceuticals Research Laboratories, from 1998 to 2001; and Senior V.P. at Merck Research Laboratories from 1991 to 1994.

Across these roles, Dr. Friedman has consistently emphasized the translation of high-quality science into clinically meaningful outcomes. Informally, he has also contributed to the development of scores of senior management teams and helped shape a generation of leaders capable of building rigorous, science-driven organizations. His mentorship and leadership have reinforced the strength and credibility of the life sciences ecosystem in Pennsylvania and beyond.

Dr. Nicholas Pachuda exemplifies the pioneering spirit John Nash brought to Pennsylvania’s medical technology community, uniting clinical expertise, entrepreneurial vision, and an unwavering commitment to improving patient care through innovation. As both a practicing Foot and Ankle Surgeon and seasoned med tech executive, he brings a rare dual perspective that allows him to understand unmet clinical needs and translate them into effective, patient-centered solutions.

Dr. Pachuda’s clinical background, including an International Orthopedic Trauma Fellowship, anchors his leadership in real-world practice. This foundation enables him to design technologies grounded in clinical reality while ensuring patient outcomes, safety, and efficacy remain central to every business decision embodying the bridge between the operating room and the boardroom.

With nearly 28 years across orthopedics, med tech, and biotech, Nick has built deep expertise. As Chief Operating Officer of Portfolio & Development at Peptilogics, he drives innovation strategy while balancing scientific advancement with commercial viability. His career includes a decade at Johnson & Johnson, multiple successful startup ventures, and senior leadership roles spanning R&D, clinical operations, innovation, business development, and commercial execution, including global development programs and P&L responsibility.

Dr. Pachuda demonstrates scientific excellence, entrepreneurial courage, and visionary leadership. His dedication to advancing patient outcomes and developing the next generation of med tech leaders strengthens Pennsylvania’s position as a hub for medical innovation.

Stanley Alan Plotkin is an American physician and virologist who specialized in the development of vaccines. In the 1960s, he played a pivotal role in the discovery of a vaccine against rubella virus while at Wistar Institute in Philadelphia. Dr. Plotkin successfully created RA27/3, a weakened strain of the rubella virus, which he then used to develop a rubella vaccine. His rubella vaccine has prevented birth defects due to congenital rubella in developing fetuses and newborns.

He has also been involved in other vaccine development programs including anthrax, oral polio, varicella, and cytomegalovirus.  Dr. Plotkin has balanced his study of viruses and vaccines with his medical career. He taught pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania where he remained a professor until 1991. In 1972, Dr. Plotkin became the director of the Infectious Disease Department as well as a Senior Physician in Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where he remained for decades to follow. Plotkin also became a professor of virology at the Wistar Institute in 1974. 

Dr. Plotkin has been a tireless advocate for the protection of humans, and children in particular, from preventable infectious diseases. His lifetime of work on vaccines has led to profound reductions in both morbidity and mortality not only in the United States, but throughout the world.

World’s First Patient Treated with Personalized CRISPR Gene Editing Therapy at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Click Here to Read the Article.

FDA Clears First Blood Test Used in Diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease.
Click Here to Read the Article.

Bill Sibold demonstrated exceptional visionary leadership throughout 2025, transforming Madrigal into a global commercial leader while advancing groundbreaking therapies for patients with metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Under Bill’s guidance, Madrigal redefined the treatment landscape for a serious and underserved disease and emerged as a model for how focused scientific innovation, strategic execution, and patient-centered leadership can drive industry-wide progress.

Bill led Madrigal through a series of landmark achievements in 2025 that underscore both scientific excellence and commercial maturity. Notable milestones include the release of new two-year data from the compensated MASH cirrhosis arm of the MAESTRO-NAFLD-1 trial, demonstrating the potential benefit of Rezdiffra™ (resmetirom) in patients with compensated MASH cirrhosis. In parallel, Madrigal entered into an exclusive global licensing agreement with CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Limited for an oral GLP-1 receptor agonist, significantly expanding the company’s pipeline and long-term growth strategy. These achievements were further capped by European Commission approval of Rezdiffra™ for the treatment of MASH with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis—an historic step forward for patients worldwide and a testament to Bill’s ability to guide complex regulatory and commercialization efforts on a global scale.

Equally impactful is Bill’s commitment to strengthening Pennsylvania’s life sciences ecosystem. In 2025, Madrigal announced a major expansion within the state, increasing its facility footprint by 86% to support a rapidly growing workforce. This expansion has created high-quality local jobs and fueled hiring across research, sales, and international support functions following recent U.S. and European regulatory approvals. As Madrigal advances next-generation MASH therapies, this investment reinforces Pennsylvania’s position as a rising hub for life sciences innovation and reflects Bill’s dedication to building sustainable growth that benefits patients, employees, and the broader biosciences community.

Through his strategic vision, hands-on leadership, and unwavering commitment to patients, Bill Sibold exemplifies the values embodied by Frank Baldino, Jr.

Dispatch Bio was founded with a bold purpose: to help create a world where all cancer patients can be cured. To achieve this, the company is engineering a universal treatment across solid tumors, leveraging its first-in-class Flare platform.  Proceeds from the Series A financing will be used to advance the company’s therapeutic candidates into first-in-human clinical studies and beyond, with the first program expected to enter the clinic in 2026.

Kite, a Gilead Company, acquired Interius BioTherapeutics, a privately held biotechnology company developing in vivo CAR therapeutics, for $350 million.  This acquisition complements Kite’s expertise in cell therapy by incorporating Interius’s integrating in vivo platform. This approach enables the generation of CAR T-cells directly within the patient’s body and may offer a more durable and long-lasting therapeutic effect by inserting DNA into the patient’s genome. Interius’s team and operations will integrate into Kite’s established research team, creating a center of excellence in Philadelphia to accelerate the development of next-generation in vivo therapies.

Mineralys Therapeutics, Inc., is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing medicines to target hypertension and related comorbidities such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and other diseases driven by dysregulated aldosterone.  The company announced the closing of an upsized $287.5 million underwritten public offering of common stock, including full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares. Mineralys intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to fund clinical development of lorundrostat, including research and development and manufacturing, and pre-commercialization activities, as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes.

We are pleased to honor Senator Frank Farry (R, PA-06) with Life Sciences Pennsylvania’s 2025 State Official of the Year award. This annual award recognizes the recipient’s commitment to issues affecting the research, development, and manufacturing of novel medicines, technologies and diagnostics, and improving patient access to those biomedical innovations.

Senator Farry was elected to the Pennsylvania Senate in 2022 to represent the 6^th District in Bucks County, after having served for 14 years in the Pennsylvania House. During his time in office, Senator Farry has been a steadfast life sciences leader, championing legislation that improves the lives of patients and advancing biomedical innovation.

Senator Farry serves as the Chair of the Institutional Sustainability & Innovation Committee (ISI), and as a Co-Chair of the Senate Life Sciences Caucus. In those roles, Senator Farry has worked to raise awareness and educate his colleagues on the important work of the life sciences.  In 2025, legislation introduced by Senator Farry – Senate Bill 88 – was signed into law. This legislation eliminates all out-of-pocket costs for diagnostic breast MRIs, mammograms, and ultrasounds for Pennsylvanians insured under PA law. Further, he introduced legislation to incentivize this R&D-focused ecosystem by expanding the availability of R&D Tax Credits, and creating a state matching program for the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.

Life Sciences PA greatly appreciates Senator Farry’s determination to supporting patients and Pennsylvania’s life sciences ecosystem.

We are pleased to honor U.S. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R, PA-01) with Life Sciences Pennsylvania’s 2025 Federal Official of the Year. This recognition highlights his bipartisan leadership in Washington, D.C., and his longstanding commitment to improving patient access to innovative medicines and therapies, particularly for individuals and families affected by rare diseases.

Congressman Fitzpatrick has consistently championed public health initiatives, immunizations, and the critical role of robust National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding in advancing biomedical research and innovation.  He serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Health, where he has been a strong partner on key legislation, including co-sponsorship for the Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act, the Ensuring Patient Access to Critical Breakthrough Products Act and the PASTEUR Act, each aimed at strengthening patient access and accelerating the development of life-saving treatments.

In addition to his legislative leadership, Representative Fitzpatrick is a dedicated Co-Chair of the Congressional Rare Disease Caucus and Co-Chair of the House Cancer Caucus. Through these roles, he has worked to elevate patient voices, raise awareness among his colleagues, and advance policies that support innovation across the life sciences ecosystem. Life Sciences Pennsylvania greatly appreciates Representative Fitzpatrick’s bipartisan collaboration and his unwavering support for patients in the Commonwealth, across the country, and around the world.

Airalux Medical, a medical device startup developing innovative respiratory monitoring technology for post-surgical patients, was awarded a $306,000 Phase 1 SBIR grant from the NIH. The company will apply this funding toward reducing material costs and conducting environmental testing of its breathing monitoring device, advancing its mission to improve patient care and safety during the critical post-operative recovery period.

Palvella Therapeutics received Fast Track Designation from the FDA in December 2025 for QTORIN™, a therapeutic candidate for the treatment of angiokeratomas. This designation expedites the development and regulatory review process for a rare and debilitating skin condition that currently lacks any FDA-approved treatment options. The company plans to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial in late 2026.

In 2025, Palvella transformed from a single-indication organization into a multi-asset rare disease company, advancing two platform-derived therapeutic candidates across four rare skin diseases with no FDA-approved treatment options.  The company’s valuation has risen from approximately $140 million to roughly $1.2 billion as of December 31, 2025.

Dispatch Bio, a biotech company founded through a collaboration between Arch Venture Partners and the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, emerged from stealth mode in 2025 to unveil its pioneering approach to solid tumor treatment. Built on technologies originating from laboratories in PA and CA, the company has raised $216 million to date to advance its innovative therapeutic strategy. Dispatch also secured a clinical supply and collaboration agreement in 2025 with BMS to support the development of its lead program, marking a significant milestone as the company prepares for clinical testing.

Gemma Biotherapeutics, a genetic medicines company founded by gene therapy pioneer Jim Wilson, launched Rare Therapeutics, a clinical-stage spinout company dedicated to advancing gene therapies for ultra-orphan diseases. In a parallel strategic development, Gemma Biotherapeutics entered a partnership with the Abu Dhabi Department of Health and Purehealth to expand global access to gene therapies for rare diseases.

Zev Sunleaf is a member of the Life Sciences PA Board of Directors, a voluntary position which he takes very seriously.  He is consistently engaged in Board meetings, providing valuable and strategic insight into all Association initiatives.  As important, Zev has been a tireless supporter of LSPA’s activity, connecting the Association with patients for the Patient Spotlight at Life Sciences Future and providing valuable introductions within CHOP that make our advocacy activity and programs compelling, successful and unmatched.