DCAT Week is organized by the Drug, Chemical & Associated Technologies Association (DCAT).
DCAT is a not-for-profit, member-supported, global business development association whose membership model integrates both innovator and generic drug manufacturers and suppliers of ingredients, development and manufacturing services, and related technologies.
“The DCAT organization is committed to developing and expanding our premier event, DCAT Week, for our over 500 corporate members,” said DCAT Executive Director Margaret M. Timony.
This year, the organization has reserved the entirety of the InterContinental Barclay Hotel, which will serve as DCAT Week’s headquarters.
Also new this year is the DCAT Women in Pharma Coaching Initiative, "offering one-on-one introductory coaching sessions to DCAT women member representatives and developed in partnership with the New York Chapter of the International Coach Federation,” said Timony.
Education programs and a focus on innovation
“Innovation as a driving force for the pharmaceutical industry is the focus for this year’s DCAT Week education programs,” said Gavin Murdoch, senior director, Strategic Partnerships, Patheon, part of Thermo Fisher Scientific and chair of the DCAT Education Committee.
“The five programs will feature insights on how innovation is translating into overall pharmaceutical industry growth, advancing R&D, and transforming manufacturing and supply management,” he said.
As part of this, the 2018 program includes two new Executive Insights programs, one focused on drug development and product innovation and another on manufacturing and supply.
Both programs will feature on-stage interviews with pharmaceutical executives from Boehringer Ingelheim, EMD Serono, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, and Celgene, among others.
A food truck lunch and black tie-dinner
Also new this year, DCAT has teamed up with the NY Food Truck Association to offer DCAT Week attendees a quick-order lunch service from three food trucks. “We think this is going to be very popular,” said Timony.
The food trucks will be stationed outside the rear entrance of the InterContinental Barclay at 49th Street and Lexington Avenue on Monday through Thursday and will only accept tokens, $22 a piece – so pre-order yours here.
To close the event, the organization holds its annual black-tie dinner on the Thursday evening of DCAT Week. The dinner, a tradition since 1926, is held in the Grand Ballroom of the New York Hilton Hotel and features a keynote speaker. This year’s DCAT Annual Dinner speaker is Will Smith.