(Transcript) 2025 LeadershIP Conference Panel II: Innovation and IP Challenges in Critical Sectors

April 4, 2025

This transcript is from the 2025 LeadershIP Conference hosted at CSIS on April 1st, 2025. Watch the full video here.

(DOWNLOAD) LeadershIP 2025 – Panel II Transcript

Panel Description: As the world becomes increasingly interconnected and reliant on cutting-edge technologies, the role of IP in fostering innovation and ensuring fair competition has never been more critical. This panel will explore the complex challenges and opportunities surrounding IP in key sectors that drive global progress: biopharmaceuticals, standards-essential patents (SEPs), software/AI, and universities.

Speakers

Dr. Anne Pritchett, Senior Associate, Renewing American Innovation, CSIS

Thomas DiLenge, Senior Partner, Global Public Policy, Regulatory & Governmental Strategy, Flagship Pioneering

Laurie Self, Senior Vice President & Counsel, Government Affairs, Qualcomm

Hemal Shah, Senior Director, IP & Trade Policy, Gilead SciencesDr. Stephen J. Susalka, CEO, AUTM

Securing the Future of the U.S. Biopharmaceutical Industry: The Most-Favored-Nation Paradox

February 5, 2026

By Sujai Shivakumar and Anne Pritchett The Trump administration is pursuing lowering prescription drug costs primarily to end what it describes as “global freeloading” and to ensure U.S. patients pay prices comparable to those in other developed nations. The administration argues that while the United States represents less than 5 percent

Universities, Patents, and the Future of U.S. Competitiveness

December 15, 2025

By Shruti Sharma and Chris Borges Universities are among the most powerful engines of U.S. innovation, transforming federal research investments into scientific discoveries that underpin economic growth, technological leadership, and national security. Current law, via the Bayh-Dole Act, allows universities to patent inventions and license them to private companies, with royalties

How Counterfeit Drugs Threaten U.S. Health and Innovation

November 19, 2025

By Anne Pritchett According to the Department of Homeland Security, counterfeit drugs “threaten national security and public safety directly when introduced into government and critical infrastructure supply chains, and indirectly if used to generate revenue for transnational criminal organizations.” Furthermore, counterfeit drugs harm pharmaceutical innovation by eroding profitability and investor