BioSpace 40 Under 40 winners make their mark on biopharma

BioSpace’s article, published October 6, 2026, spotlights its second 40 Under 40 cohort:
40 biopharma professionals recognized for leadership, innovation and contributions to patient impact.

The honorees work across therapeutic areas including cell therapy, gene therapy, programmable mRNA and small molecules, and across scientific, operational and business roles.

Eight honorees are CEOs, and 10 founded or co-founded their companies.

Examples of accomplishments include Strand Therapeutics CEO Jake Becraft’s work on a synthetic biology programming language for mRNA; Forge Biologics’ Samantha Piteri-Molina leading a $620 million acquisition; and Blake Mandell’s neuroscience company being acquired for $700 million upfront, with up to $1.225 billion in total consideration.

Other highlighted work includes AI-enabled molecular design, rare-disease diagnosis research, and health advocacy partnerships.