Gov. Mikie Sherrill will give the keynote address at BioNJ’s Dinner Meeting and Innovation Celebration Thursday night at the Hilton in East Brunswick.
A limited number of tickets remain available.
The annual event, which draws hundreds of top industry leaders, begins at 4:30 with networking; the formal program begins at 6.
Among the honorees:
Dr. Jan van de Winkel: The CEO of Genmab will receive the night’s highest honor, the Dr. Sol J. Barer Award for Vision, Innovation and Leadership by Barer, the former chair of Celgene who is now the chair of Teva Pharmaceuticals;
Kathleen Coviello: The chief transformation officer of the N.J. EDA will receive the inaugural Ecosystem Impact Award;
Siobhan Barry and Conor Reid: Mother-son team will be honored with one of the Heart of BioNJ Award, recognizing their journey with Cystic Fibrosis;
The event, considered the kickoff event of the year for the life sciences industry in New Jersey, always draws a top crowd. Hundreds of biopharma professionals, academic leaders, patients, advocates and service providers together to honor the groundbreaking medical innovation coming from around the Garden State will be present.
Fifteen companies will be honored with Innovator Awards.
BioNJ CEO Debbie Hart said the event honors members who are helping patients live longer and better lives – in accordance with the group’s motto: Because Patients Can’t Wait.
“At BioNJ’s Annual Dinner Meeting & Innovation Celebration, we’ll come together to honor the remarkable dedication and transformative work of New Jersey’s life sciences community — a beacon of innovation and hope that turns Patients’ dreams into reality around the globe,” she said. “With 20 novel FDA approvals, as well as a newly approved cell and gene therapy, in 2025, New Jersey proudly stands at the forefront of progress, setting the standard for excellence across the nation.”
The 2026 Innovator Award Honorees Include:
- Abbvie for the approval of Emrelis
- Bayer for the approvals of Hyrnuo and Lynkuet
- Daiichi Sankyo for the approval of Datroway
- Eli Lilly for the approval of Inluriyo
- GSK for the approvals of Blujepa and Exdensur
- Insmed for the approval of Brinsupri
- Johnson & Johnson for the approval of Imaavy
- Kyowa Kirin (in partnership with Kura Oncology) for the approval of Komzifti
- LEO Pharma for the approval of Anzupgo
- Merck & Co. for the approvals of Enflonsia and Keytruda Qlex
- Novartis for the approvals of Itvisma, Rhapsido and Vanrafia
- Otsuka Pharmaceutical for the approval of Voyxact
- PTC Therapeutics for the approval of Sephience
- Regeneron for the approval of Lynozyfic
- Sanofi for the approvals of Qfitlia and Wayrilz
