Tariffs imposed by President Trump on US pharma imports have left experts charting a new course for the nation’s clinical trials industry.
Pharma industry stakeholders will soon gather to explore the sector’s post-tariff future at the 18th Clinical Trial Supply West Coast conference on 9–10 September in Burlingame, California.
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The conference will open with a keynote panel, led by Crinetics supply chain consultant Paul Hingst, providing an overview of the clinical trial supply chains on the US West Coast. Panellists Prasun Mishra, founding director of Agility Pharmaceuticals, and Naymisha Patel, senior vice-president of Tenaya Therapeutics, will explore how the sector is navigating issues related to regulations, sustainability, and AI.
In addition to companies such as Alynlam Pharmaceuticals, Bayer, and Denali Therapeutics, representatives from US Customs and Border Protection will also be participating throughout the conference.
The first day’s sessions will be split into two streams focused on clinical supply logistics and operations, and clinical supply technology and innovation. Kicking off the former will be a talk on data analytics and flexibility for risk management and forecasting by Rachael Pierce, senior clinical trial supply manager at Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals.
Forecasting and risk management are at the forefront of discussions in the sector amidst Trump’s newly imposed tariffs on pharmaceutical imports. First proposed by the President in April, a 15% rate was agreed upon for imports from the European Union (EU) late last month while talks with other regions continue to take place. On 5 August, Trump further said tariff rates on drug imports from the EU could go as high as 250%.
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By GlobalDataAddressing the regulations around drug imports will be Brandy Porter, assistant director at the Department of Homeland Security, US Customs and Border Protection. Porter’s talk will cover duty rates on imported trial materials and eligibility for exemptions.
Meanwhile, the clinical supply technology and innovation stream will include a session on assessing and mitigating supply chain risks given by Horacio Enriquez, former senior director, supply chain, at Amgen.
The day then closes with a panel on collaboration between clinical operations and trial supply teams with representatives from Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Denali Therapeutics, and Union Therapeutics.
The second day will begin with roundtable discussions with speakers from US Customs and Border Protection, Exelixis, and Bayer. The morning will also see a keynote session on regulatory guidelines and quality assurance by Patel, and another on ensuring supply chains incorporate patient experience by patient advocate Christine von Raesfeld.
Closing the day is a roundup of the wider biopharma industry trends and emerging technologies, and opportunities in 2025, which will be given by Amanda Murphy, senior director of data intelligence and solutions at GlobalData. Considering the rising growth in initiatives related to environmental, social and governance (ESG), the conference will end with an interactive discussion on environmental sustainability in clinical trial supply chains.
The conference is hosted by Arena International Events Group, a B2B events company owned by GlobalData, the parent company of Clinical Trials Arena. A detailed agenda for the Clinical Trial Supply West Coast conference can be found here.
