Steven Kattman
External Diligence & Competitive Intelligence Advisor Astellas Pharma
Steven Kattman is an accomplished biotechnology leader and scientist with more than 20 years of experience advancing cell and gene therapies from discovery through clinical translation. He is currently an External Diligence and Competitive Intelligence Advisor at Astellas Cell and Gene Therapy Research, where he supports strategic evaluation of emerging science and technologies in regenerative medicine.
Steve has held senior leadership roles across industry and academia, including Executive Director at Sana Biotechnology, Head of PSC Differentiation at Universal Cells, and Director of Cardiac Cell Therapy at Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics. Throughout his career, he has led cross‑functional teams developing human pluripotent stem cell–derived therapies, including programs focused on heart failure and type 1 diabetes, and has driven process development at unprecedented scale and quality.
Earlier in his career, Steve was a Principal Scientist at the University of Washington and completed postdoctoral training at the University Health Network and Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where his research helped define key signaling pathways and progenitor populations in cardiovascular development. He holds a PhD in Immunology from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and a BS from Colorado State University.
Steve is known for his deep expertise in pluripotent stem cell differentiation, cell manufacturing scale‑up, translational biology, and team leadership, as well as his passion for developing therapies that deliver meaningful benefits for patients.
Seminars
With iPSC therapies facing high upfront costs, complex manufacturing demands, and evolving investor sentiment, early alignment across pharma, VCs, and funding stakeholders is critical. This panel will explore how to strategically de-risk clinical development, secure funding, and build commercially viable cell therapy programs in a capital-intensive landscape.
- How to engage pharma BD, VCs, and payers early to overcome the “elephant in the room”, high cost of goods and long development timelines
- What investors look for in scalable, robust iPSC manufacturing strategies before committing capital
- Coordinating government funding, venture investment, and pharma partnerships to support sustainable clinical and commercial success
