5 Takeaways from JPM That Will Shape 2026

Greg Gregory, PhD | Executive Vice President, Partner, Precision AQ

Hannah Deresiewicz | EVP, Managing Director, Precision AQ

Harpreet Singh, MD | Chief Medical Officer, Precision For Medicine

Nick Richardson, DO, MPH | Vice President Clinical Development, Precision for Medicine

The J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference 2026 concluded with a prevailing sentiment of focused, strategic growth. As biotech and pharma leaders look to advance assets with greater precision, Precision is uniquely positioned to partner across the full molecule-to-market journey, bringing together scientific depth and commercialization expertise.

That role was on full display throughout the week. In parallel with the conference, Precision AQ hosted its Investor Relations & External Communications (IREC) team hosted its 20^th annual corporate access event, attended by thousands of investors, analysts, and industry leaders. Throughout the week, IREC supported more than 1,500 one‑on‑one meetings for its clients, and coordinated over 100 meetings for Precision’s translational, clinical, and commercial experts. These conversations underscored how integrating development, regulatory, and commercial perspectives enables more efficient trial design, stronger development and launch strategies, and credible financial narratives grounded in science.

Below are five key takeaways from the conference that will shape biopharma strategies in 2026 and beyond.

1. M&A Will Continue to Be a Driving Force

M&A activity remains a cornerstone of growth, with a clear emphasis on disciplined, selective dealmaking. While mega-mergers continue to capture headlines, much of the momentum is focused on targeted acquisitions and late-stage licensing agreements that enable companies to diversify their pipelines and mitigate development risk.

Recent examples we have seen include:

- AbbVie and RemeGen, which entered an exclusive licensing agreement to develop and commercialize RC148, a PD‑1/VEGF bispecific antibody for advanced solid tumors.
- Novartis & Zonsen PepLib Biotech, highlighting growing interest in peptide-based radioligand therapies for oncology.
- GSK & RAPT Therapeutics, reinforcing continued appetite for differentiated immunology assets with late-stage potential.

2. China's Biotech Ascent

China has emerged as a central engine of global biopharma innovation, increasingly serving as a source of novel, first-in-class assets rather than solely as a manufacturing hub or a source of generics or "me-too" drugs.

- In cell and gene therapy, the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine State of the Industry Report showed that the Asia-Pacific region surpassed North America in clinical activity for the first time in 2025, largely driven by China's acceleration of early-phase cell and gene therapy trials.
- More broadly, industry commentary at JPM noted that approximately 30% of innovative medicines globally are now sourced from China, a dramatic increase from just 5% in 2020. This shift is reshaping global partnering strategies, diligence models, and competitive dynamics.

3. Emerging Therapeutic Modalities

Innovation continues to be rewarded as companies continue to unveil new advancements in novel technologies. This includes significant excitement around new modalities such as radiopharmaceuticals, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and multispecific antibodies. Advancements in oral therapeutics for cardiometabolic diseases (e.g., GLP-1s) and the potential of siRNA therapies were also highlighted.

- Successful IPO: Atkis Oncology successfully completed its IPO, raising about $365 million, reinforcing the continued emergence of radiopharmaceuticals.
- RNA Medicines: Wave Life Sciences highlighted their RNA editing portfolio and clinical development in obesity, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and homozygous PNPLA3|148M liver disease.

4. Cell and Gene Therapy Enters Its Next Phase

Cell and gene therapy is transitioning from scientific promise to commercial reality. While oncology — particularly hematologic malignancies — remains foundational, CGT is expanding into broader indications such as autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Key themes discussed included:

- Focus on opportunities with larger patient populations and high unmet need, such as cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and multiple myeloma.
- Addressing barriers to access and safety with outpatient administration and novel approaches with in vivo.
- Competition will continue to drive modernization in the U.S., with CMC regulatory flexibility, Plausible Mechanism pathway, alternative data sources (e.g., real world data), and ongoing modernization efforts in the EU and beyond.
- Commercial opportunities in cell and gene therapy are here, and more are emerging with the sector now achieving four blockbuster products, with more blockbuster products, including multi-billion-dollar products, expected by 2031.
- The current disciplined growth cycle is being driven by investors and strategic biopharma, with 2025 seeing $11.1 billion in investment, driven by a strong showing of venture financing and a more favorable public market.

5. AI Integration for Value Realization

AI is no longer a speculative concept; it is increasingly being applied to meaningfully shorten development timelines, improve trial design, and enhance decision-making across drug development.

Notable examples discussed at JPM included:

- Eli Lilly & Co and NVIDIA's $1 billion co-innovation agreement, establishing an AI lab in the Bay Area, focusing on integrating advanced computing and biology to accelerate drug discovery.
- AstraZeneca's acquisition of Modella AI, signaling a move to internalize multimodal AI foundation models across its discovery and development pipeline.

Precision's Position

Precision is optimally suited to support biotech and pharma partners navigating this next wave of growth. With expertise extending from early data generation through development, access, and commercialization, our teams help translate scientific innovation into clinical, commercial, and financial success.

At JPM, collaboration across Precision For Medicine and Precision AQ reinforced the value of this integrated, molecule-to-market approach, enabling novel and efficient trials, sharper development and launch strategies, and credible narratives that resonate with regulators, investors, and the market.

Ready to learn more? Contact us to learn how we can help your team turn data chaos into clarity.