Startups win pitch competition as thousands of life sciences leaders confront regulatory and technological challenges

WASHINGTON, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- TrialScreen Inc. and Bectas Therapeutics Inc. emerged from a field of 100 applicants and 25 startup pitches to win the Whale Tank pitch competition at DIA's Global Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, earning recognition from some of the life sciences industry's most prominent figures during five days of programming designed to address the most pressing scientific, regulatory, and technological challenges.

The two startups' successes highlighted a reimagined meeting that introduced new platforms for emerging innovators alongside DIA's signature regulatory depth and cross-sector collaboration. DIA 2026, held June 14-18 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, united health regulators from every continent with industry leaders to take on a variety of topics, including AI governance in drug development, the future of GLP-1s for treating multiple conditions, and engineered cell therapies.

The event also spotlighted the LIFT Series, a first-of-its-kind platform connecting early-stage biotech and clintech companies with investors, regulators, and industry leaders.

"The life sciences move forward when the people who discover therapies, the people who fund them, and the people who regulate them are working from the same information at the same time," said Marwan Fathallah, DIA's President and Chief Executive Officer. "DIA 2026 created that environment, and the ideas and connections that emerged in Philadelphia will shape innovation and collaboration in the months ahead."

TrialScreen Inc. won the Clintech Blue Whale award, the Whale Tank's top prize in clintech innovation. The company operates a network of clinical trial finder platforms, research awareness systems, and lead-processing technology that help patients and healthcare providers connect with trials and help researchers, research sites, CROs, and sponsors worldwide accelerate recruitment. Bectas Therapeutics Inc. took home the Biotech Blue Whale, recognized for its work developing precision monoclonal antibody therapies for cancer, combining best-in-class drug activity with biomarker-driven patient selection.

Both winners received a cash prize and valuable feedback from biopharma executives, researchers, and investors that will sharpen their paths to funding and market entry. In addition to the Blue Whale Winners, FAKnostics, LLC earned the Biotech People's Choice award for its work developing FAK inhibitor therapies targeting cancer and fibrosis, and Samaras claimed the Clintech People's Choice for its AI-powered platform that helps clinical trial sites scale patient enrollment and visit throughput without adding headcount.

Recipients of DIA's annual Global Inspire Awards were also celebrated during a ceremony at the National Constitution Center. Honorees included Novo Nordisk, recognized with the Breakthrough Product Innovation Award for advancing GLP-1 science; Noubar Afeyan, PhD, Founder & CEO of Flagship Pioneering, who received the Global Health Visionary Award; Emily Whitehead, honored as Patient Voice Champion for her role as one of the first pediatric CAR T-cell therapy patients; the care team behind the world's first CRISPR gene-editing therapy for Baby KJ; and Peter Marks, PhD, MD, who received the Global Award in Public Health for his regulatory science leadership at the FDA.

Researchers, regulators, industry leaders, and innovators from across life sciences are invited to reconvene for DIA's next Global Annual Meeting, to be held June 28 to July 1, 2027, in San Diego. For registration details and year-round resources, visit DIAglobal.org.

About DIA

DIA is a leading global non-profit life science membership association that drives collaboration in drug, device, and diagnostics development in pursuit of a healthier world. Founded in 1964 with headquarters in Washington, D.C., and offices in Europe and Asia, DIA provides unparalleled networking opportunities, educational resources, scientific research publications, and professional development programs to members in more than 80 countries.

Learn more at DIAglobal.org, and connect with DIA on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

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SOURCE Drug Information Association