About the GCR Live: Antitrust in Life Sciences Conference

NERA is pleased to return as a platinum sponsor of the GCR Live: Antitrust in Life Sciences conference in New York City on 21 October 2026. The conference will bring together legal and life sciences professionals, academics, and regulators to examine the antitrust issues shaping the sector. Sessions will explore topics such as the current M&A landscape, the impact global shifts are having on the US market, and the intersection of IP rights and antitrust enforcement. 

Speakers and Participating Organizations

NERA Managing Director David Blackburn will co-chair the event and present the welcome remarks alongside White & Case LLP Partner Rahul Rao.

During the conference, Managing Director Paul Wong will speak in a session titled “Dealmaking Pipelines and Regulatory Risk—The Current Life Sciences M&A Landscape” with Weil, Gotshal & Manges Partner Kristin Sanford; Katten Partner David Gonen; Pfizer Antitrust Corporate Counsel Elizabeth Porfido; and Freshfields Partner Meghan Rissmiller. 

Later in the day, Senior Consultant Kira Stearns will participate in the panel “Innovation or Exclusion? Antitrust, Patents, and Data in the Next Era of Drug Development” with New York University School of Law Professor Scott Hemphill, Baker Botts Partner Christopher Wilson, and Office of the New York State Attorney General Assistant Attorney General Saami Zain. 

What to Expect: Antitrust Issues Shaping the Life Sciences Sector

Dr. Wong’s panel will explore the renewal of life sciences dealmaking in 2026, how regulators are scrutinizing deals that affect future competition, and how the industry’s preference for smaller acquisitions is changing how deals are structured and executed.

Ms. Stearns’ panel will discuss key takeaways from the Amitiza verdict, whether the proposed ETHIC Act can unlock competition in pharmaceuticals by limiting patent thickets, and the development between intellectual property rights and antitrust enforcement in life sciences.

The event will be held at the White & Case LLP offices in Midtown Manhattan and is free for attendees. It will feature frequent networking breaks for participants to meet the panelists and continue discussions. Register here to reserve your spot.