Pooja Desai
Director, Biotherapeutics CMC Exelixis, Inc.
Pooja Desai, Ph.D. is Biotherapeutics CMC Director at Exelixis, providing functional leadership for Upstream & Downstream process development and pilot manufacturing of complex antibody based therapeutics. She also leads platform development and CMC strategy across monoclonal antibodies, bispecifics, and antibody–drug conjugates, supporting programs from discovery through clinical supply. With 15+ years of experience spanning academia, industry, and CDMO settings, Dr. Desai brings deep expertise in protein process development, bioconjugation, quality by design, and global regulatory submissions.
Seminars
Tuesday 13th October 2026
Navigating Platform Process Development Approaches to Ensure mAb Readiness for Diverse Conjugation Approaches
2:00 pm
- Delving into process development to set up mAb design and development for success in bioconjugation
- Undergoing mAb process development in the context of platform-based development to accommodate a variety of bioconjugation methodologies
- Understanding CQAs for mAb process development to ensure quality and efficient production right from the beginning
Tuesday 13th October 2026
Panel Discussion: Building the Next Generation of ADC Linkers & Payloads: What do Innovators Need from Development & Manufacturing Partners?
5:45 pm
- Discussing the scientific, technical, and strategic factors that drive ADC program success, spanning established linkers and payloads as well as emerging ADC mechanisms and designs
- Exploring how development and manufacturing partners can evolve to support the changing needs of both large pharmaceutical companies and emerging biotech organizations as ADC innovation accelerates and oncology applications expand
- Exploring evolving development and manufacturing requirements, key innovation challenges, and how partnerships can help accelerate the next generation of impactful ADC therapeutics
