A Moon Shot, a villain and pricing, pricing, pricing – A look at the 34th Annual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference

Though the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference wrapped a couple weeks ago, we’re still following up on the many meetings and exciting leads from the official BOCA Healthcare launch party. It was great to see clients, colleagues, media and friends mingle at 9 Kearny the first day of the conference, and hear about the amazing innovations being developed to improve healthcare.

While maybe not as fun as our BOCA party, the JP Morgan Healthcare conference is the biggest healthcare investing event in the U.S. and sets the tone for the market for the rest of the year. This year’s conference started off on a dour note with the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index closing near a 52-week low, but was buoyed both by the enthusiasm of nearly 400 startups and the big news of the Cancer Moon Shot initiative.

Announced during the President’s State of the Union address, the Cancer MoonShot 2020  aims to design, initiate and complete randomized clinical trials for all stages of cancer in up to 20 tumor types for as many as 20,000 patients by the year 2020. It’s ambitious and driven by an unprecedented collaboration of large pharma (Celgene and Amgen, biotech including NantWorks, NantKwest, Etubics, Altor Bioscience, and Precision Biologics), major academic cancer centers and community oncologists,‎ Independence Blue Cross, and Bank of America -- which together make The National Immunotherapy Coalition (NIC).

Beyond this, much of the media conversation during the week focused on drug pricing. This was due in part to the circus that is Martin Shrekli. But the refrain heard again and again in the media was that the cost of prescription drugs was too high — even if they’re not the most expensive part of U.S. healthcare, as Dr. Ron Cohen reminded everyone.

What’s interesting to see is the shift at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference has taken over the last few years to focus more on the health technology sector. While this sector has been in development for years, it’s only in the past year or so that the two worlds of technology and regulated healthcare have really started to come together. In an article predicting what the next big disruptor in healthcare will be, Business Insider looks at some of the more interesting technologies highlighted at the conference.

We’ll plan to cover more news and developments in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, please weigh in. What did you see that has incredible potential?

Introducing the New Faces of BOCA: Matt Gray

Surf’s up in North Beach! Introducing one of our newest members at BOCA, Matt Gray. Since his first introduction to BOCA as an Assistant Account Executive, Matt has continuously demonstrated his client-facing B2B tech skills, as well as exhibiting his cool and calm demeanor here at BOCA’s main offices. More specifically, he currently hones his skills as an AAE working with clients that specialize in sales enablement and database technologies, all while keeping a work/life balance that regularly takes him out to the water. As a San Diego native, Matt indulges his love for the waves day-in and day-out, never missing a chance to get some sun and good laugh with friends.

Check out my full interview with Matt below.

What brought you to BOCA?

What initially brought my attention to BOCA was a recommendation from the principal at my previous agency, Kathleen Gratehouse of Highwire PR. What made me ultimately choose BOCA as my next agency was the company's unmatched work/life balance, strong media and analyst relationships, excellent content bureau and limited employee turnover rate. 

What was your occupation before coming to BOCA?

Before BOCA, I was an intern at Highwire PR, where I also worked with B2B tech companies. At Highwire, I learned the basics of media relations and business writing, which definitely prepared me for my position as AAE at BOCA. I also became extremely familiar with the Salesforce partner ecosystem, which many current BOCA clients are also a part of. The process of moving from Highwire to BOCA really helped educate me about the wide array of tech PR agencies in the Bay Area, and the network that exists within these industries.

What is your current position at BOCA and what are the keys to success in this position?

My current position at BOCA is assistant account executive (AAE), and I currently work on sales enablement and database technology accounts. I believe the keys to success as an AAE include being fast, efficient and extremely detail-oriented, along with being creative, a great writer and having a deep understanding of how the media industry operates. 

When you are completely heads-down working, what helps you focus in a hectic environment? 

When things get a little hectic around the office, I immediately plug in my headphones and turn on my Soundcloud stream (follow me at coup de grace!). Music is a big passion of mine and definitely helps me concentrate when my surroundings become a little distracting. 

Outside the BOCA environment, what are you most passionate about?

Music is one of my biggest passions. I'm an avid festival-goer and love the music scene here in San Francisco. My favorite genres include R&B, electronic, Bossa Nova or any combination of those three. Additionally, as a native San Diegan, I have a passion for surfing that I've continued here in San Francisco. Pacifica and Ocean Beach are my two go-to surf spots in Northern California, but Black’s Beach in San Diego has to be my all-time favorite (much warmer, too). One last passion of mine is hot yoga—it helps me stay grounded and keeps my mind centered and body happy.

What is your fondest memory of being a kid? 

My fondest memories as a kid were always at the beach during the summer in San Diego and Hawaii, building sand castles and bodysurfing.

Who inspires you day in and day out?

My grandfather, Will Ingalsbe, was one of my biggest inspirations as a kid and remains a person that I consistently try to emulate daily, both personally and professionally. He lived an extraordinary and selfless life, growing up in the midst of the Great Depression when he was tasked with providing for his mother and seven siblings after his father abandoned them. He escaped poverty through hard work, determination and focus, eventually becoming a civil engineer and establishing his own engineering firm in Los Angeles. Although he passed away some years ago, I still think of him whenever times get a little tough, reminding me to never give up on getting what I want out of life.