Made in Maryland: End-to-End Biotech Innovation Showcase
Overview
Made in Maryland at MacroGenics showcases a company at the forefront of Maryland’s antibody engineering and cancer therapy development—setting the stage for a broader look at the strength and breadth of the state’s biotech community.
The program brings together people from across research, development, and manufacturing to show how the full drug development process can—and often does—happen entirely within the state. Through conversations, hands-on experiences, and examples of local innovation, the event highlights the partnerships and capabilities that make Maryland a standout place to discover, develop, and deliver new therapies.
Agenda
4:30pm Check-In + Networking
5:00pm Welcome + Opening Remarks
Tom Spitznagel, Senior Vice President, Technical Operations, MacroGenics
5:10pm Lightning Talks
TEDCO | Abi Kulshreshtha, Ph.D., Executive Director, Maryland Innovation Initiative (MII)
Millipore (BioReliance) | Pedro Diaz, Global Head, Biosafety Testing Operations and US Site Head
Quality Biological | Valerie Fremont, Ph.D. DCSO/VP Market Development & Strategy
Bora Pharmaceuticals | J.D. Mowery, Division President - CDMO Business
CRB | Michael Konstantopoulos, Director, Maryland Design Leader
6:00pm Networking
About the Lightning Talks
Lightning Talk 1: Where Biotech Begins – Funding Discovery into Companies (TEDCO)
Every drug development journey starts with an idea that needs backing. TEDCO represents the earliest step in Maryland’s biotech pipeline, where research is funded, companies are formed, and scientific potential is transformed into investable, buildable ventures. This is where innovation gets its first real chance to move forward.
Lightning Talk 2: Building Reliable Biology – From Experiment to Process (Quality Biological)
Breakthrough science only matters if it can be repeated and scaled. Quality Biological shows how high-quality cell culture products underpin the transition from discovery to development, providing the materials and consistency needed to turn early experiments into viable therapeutic programs.
Lightning Talk 3: De-Risking Development – Testing for What Comes Next (MilliporeSigma BioReliance)
Before a therapy can move into manufacturing or the clinic, it must be proven safe, compliant, and ready. MilliporeSigma BioReliance demonstrates how biosafety testing and analytical services reduce risk, support regulatory confidence, and prepare programs for the next phase of development.
Lightning Talk 4: Making Therapies Patient-Ready – Fill-Finish in Maryland (Bora Pharmaceuticals)
Drug development doesn’t end at manufacturing. Bora Pharmaceuticals highlights how fill-finish and packaging complete the journey, transforming drug substance into final, patient-ready product—entirely within the regional ecosystem.
Lightning Talk 5: Building the Places Where Biotech Happens (CRB)
None of this is possible without the right infrastructure. CRB closes the story by showing how purpose-built labs and manufacturing facilities enable every step of drug development, ensuring Maryland can support innovation from startup to scale.
Speakers
Tom Spitznagel, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Technical Operations, MacroGenics
Dr. Spitznagel, Senior Vice President, Technical Operations, joined MacroGenics in 2013. He has overall responsibility for biopharmaceutical development and manufacturing of MacroGenics’ Fc-optimized monoclonal antibodies, DART® molecules, and Antibody Drug Conjugates, as well as quality, supply chain, CMC project management, facilities and engineering. Prior to joining MacroGenics, he was at Human Genome Sciences, most recently serving as Vice President of BioPharmaceutical Development, where he was responsible for oversight of Analytical Development, Formulation and Drug Delivery, Purification Sciences, and Fermentation and Cell Culture Sciences. Prior to joining HGS, Dr. Spitznagel was a Senior Scientist at Nabi from 1996-1998, and a Staff Engineer at Genetics Institute from 1992-1996. Dr. Spitznagel earned his BS in Chemical Engineering at M.I.T, and his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.
Abi Kulshreshtha, PhD, Executive Director, Maryland Innovation Initiative (MII)
Abi serves as the Executive Director of the Maryland Innovation Initiative, where he supports the commercialization of new technologies from Maryland’s universities and research institutions. Abi’s expertise lies at the intersection of scientific innovation, economic development, and entrepreneurship, and he has worked across the U.S. advancing regional economic competitiveness through research and development. Prior, Abi served as Chief Business Officer at Southern Research, where he launched the organization’s Station 41 biotechnology commercialization programs and led collaborative federal and state grant opportunities, including the Build Back Better and Regional Tech Hubs programs. Abi additionally worked at McKinsey & Co. as a consultant, advising state & local governments on economic development and biopharmaceutical companies on R&D operations. Abi earned a D.Phil. from the University of Oxford in Theoretical Physics studying the thermodynamics of quantum systems.
Pedro Diaz, Global Head, Biosafety Testing Operations and US Site Head. Millipore (BioReliance)
With over 23 years of experience in the life sciences industry, Pedro Diaz currently serves as the Site Head for MilliporeSigma’s Rockville site and as the US Head of Manufacturing and Viral Clearance Operations.
Throughout his distinguished career, Pedro has been instrumental in advancing organizational objectives while upholding the highest standards of quality and innovation. His professional journey includes significant leadership and operational responsibilities across a broad range of testing and operations support areas, including viral clearance, microbiology, molecular and NGS, virology, as well as environmental health & safety.
Pedro holds a Doctorate in Business, equipping him with the strategic insight required to navigate complex challenges effectively. Colleagues regard him as a collaborative, team-oriented, and creative leader, reflecting his commitment to fostering a positive, high-performing work environment. His dedication to his work, community, and people exemplifies a servant-based leadership approach and continues to inspire those around him to achieve excellence.
Valerie Fremont, Ph.D., CSO/VP Market Development & Strategy, Quality Biological
Dr. Fremont has expertise in R&D and Drug Discovery, with a strong background in biochemistry, protein engineering, molecular biology, cell culture and neurobiology for the development and production of new recombinant protein therapeutics. Dr. Fremont's expertise covers all early stages of the drug development process until late R&D and preclinical evaluation. She is the CSO/VP Market Development & Strategy at Quality Biological, Inc. Previously, Dr. Fremont was Director at the Life Sciences and Health IT at the Department of Economic Development in Montgomery County. She was responsible for formulating and implementing the County’s strategic plan for the life sciences and health IT sectors, fostering partnerships throughout the community, managing projects aimed at attracting new companies into the county, accelerating the growth of existing companies and aiding the pipeline of new companies in these sectors. Prior, Dr. Fremont was Director of Product Development at Trophogen Inc. Her expertise focused on the development of hormones and related growth factor analogs for infertility as well as targeted therapy and imaging of various cancers. Dr. Fremont was responsible for translating objectives and initiatives into successful programs. Valerie Fremont earned their Ph.D. in Neurochemistry and Biochemistry from Aix-Marseille University in 1997.
J.D. Mowery, Division President - CDMO Business, Bora Pharmaceuticals
J.D. Mowery brings nearly 25 years of experience in the CDMO and biopharmaceutical sectors. Before joining Bora Pharmaceuticals, he served as President and CEO of KBI Biopharma, a JSR Life Sciences company, where he successfully led global CDMO operations. Besides being a backbone to KBI biopharma, J.D. Mowery has also held other positions of power at prestigious companies such as Genentech, Treadwell Therapeutics, Juno Therapeutics, and Celgene. He has also held executive positions with leading CDMO organizations like Lonza and AGC Biologics. Working for many prestigious firms has made him acquire expertise in operations, manufacturing, tech transfer, facility construction, and business development. He has also managed to master investor relations across North America, Europe, and Asia. Regarding educational background, Mowery holds a bachelor’s degree from George Fox University. He also has an MBA from Marylhurst University, making him well-equipped to drive Bora’s strategic growth in the pharmaceutical industry.
Michael Konstantopoulos, Director, Maryland Design Leader, CRB
Michael Konstantopoulos is a Director and Maryland Design Leader at CRB, where he works closely with early-stage biotech startups to translate scientific ideas into buildable, fundable facilities. He partners with founders and technical teams to define what it will take to move from business case to execution, helping them understand early on how their labs and manufacturing spaces will be designed, phased, and costed. Drawing on experience across discovery, development, and GMP environments, Michael focuses on de-risking infrastructure decisions so young companies can align capital, schedule, and growth strategy from day one.
Host
MacroGenics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, manufacturing, and commercializing innovative monoclonal antibody-based therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. The company advances its pipeline using a proprietary suite of next-generation antibody-based technology platforms with applicability across multiple therapeutic areas.
MacroGenics’ platforms and deep protein engineering expertise have enabled the development of promising product candidates and supported several strategic collaborations with global pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners.
Learn more at macrogenics.com and FOLLOW them on LinkedIn.