Pre-JPM Press Panel Recap

Hi!

About 100 T2B members joined our second annual pre-JPM press panel last Tuesday, where a cross-section of life science journalists shared what trends they’re tracking and their top tips on how to pitch them.

Here’s a summary of what we learned from Oliver Barnes (FT), Brad Loncar (BiotechTV), and Gabrielle Masson (Fierce Biotech):

💡Pitches for JPM need to be brief and laser-focused. Reporters are already swamped with requests. Every communication should clearly convey the hook and the unique value of the person/story you’re pitching.

Oliver’s top tip: “If [the pitch] is literally two lines – this is the person you can meet with, these are the days they're available, this is what they've been up to, this is the company, this is what they've got coming up in terms of data – the shorter, the better.”

🗣️ Strong sources speak plainly and share new ideas. Reporters want spokespeople who can articulate their views without leaning on talking points or overly cautious messaging.

📈 Think beyond company updates. Broader industry trends are just as important, so be ready to speak to timely issues like regulatory uncertainty, shifts in the IPO market, or the evolution of key therapeutic areas.

Gabrielle’s top tip: “I always … try to analyze the market specifically, and so particularly, I'm interested in the IPO market … especially because [of] everything going on politically, and how that will, in fact, impact ... the biotech market.”

🤝 Casual meetings at JPM aren’t worth the time. Instead, connect over meaningful conversations or highly focused news, and avoid using JPM as a chance for general introductions or backgrounders.

Brad’s top tip: “JPM is not the best use of anyone’s time for things like [general catch-ups]. So, the standards get elevated because it’s such an important event.”

🎉 BUT…don’t underestimate the power of chance encounters and social events. Reporters find valuable leads and connections at informal meetups and panels, where conversations can happen organically.

🌎 Emerging trends are shifting – be aware of where the market is heading next. While areas like ADCs and radiopharmaceuticals may have peaked, topics like obesity, cell and gene therapies, pure-play vaccine biotechs, and global M&A are still generating excitement.

🤐 Get your embargoed stories out in good time. Not TOO early – before the holidays is too soon, but send any embargoed news early in the new year.

And a new perspective I hadn’t considered about why you should… 

📢 NEVER ask a journalist for questions ahead of an interview

Brad, Gabrielle, and Oliver were unanimous on this one: It makes it look like the folks you’re pitching don’t know your company (and the industry) well enough, and worse, that you lack confidence in their ability to speak intelligently.

“I'm shocked by the number of people that ask me for the questions in advance. And it's such a poor reflection on your CEO. You might not realize that when you're asking the question, but, as an entrepreneur myself, I’m thinking, ‘there's no question that somebody could ask me about my own company that I couldn't [answer],’” explained Brad.

Thanks to Oliver, Brad, and Gabrielle for sharing their personal insights and experiences with us! If you missed their panel, the replay is available on T2B Slack.

Lynnea

PS - Tickets are still available for our in-person JPM events in San Francisco: Zen Before JPM Yoga Event (Sunday, January 12th, 3-5 p.m. PT | Divine Yoga Studio, 406 Brannan St.) and our JPM T2B meetup (Monday, January 13th, 4:30-7 p.m. PT | FleishmanHillard, 720 California St.)

Did someone forward this to you?

Or better yet