Bio Ascend

What Bio Ascend does

Bio Ascend is a privately held medical education company that provides continuing medical education (CME) for oncology and hematology healthcare providers in the United States. Organized as a Delaware LLC under parent Vaniam Group and headquartered in Chicago, IL, the company runs a portfolio of at least seven annual in-person and virtual conferences — Debates and Didactics in Hematology and Oncology (DDHO, 25+ years old), LEAD for women in oncology, the Atlanta Breast Cancer Conference, the Atlanta Lung Cancer Symposium, the International Ultmann Chicago Lymphoma Symposium, the Harvesting Knowledge Multiple Myeloma Summit, and the Next Wave Forum for Young Investigators in Thoracic Oncology. The conferences are developed in partnership with leading academic cancer centers including the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University and Memorial Sloan Kettering.

Beyond conferences, Bio Ascend delivers CME-accredited education across multiple formats: satellite symposia at major oncology congresses, monthly Virtual Challenging Case Clinics, institutional Grand Rounds, and an on-demand content library (Podium to Practice, 5Live, Expert Insights, On-Topic Virtual Roundtables). Activities are jointly accredited by ACCME, ACPE, and ANCC through Partners for Advancing Clinical Education and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, enabling issuance of AMA PRA Category 1 Credits and ABIM MOC points. Revenue is generated from healthcare provider registration fees and tiered pharmaceutical and biotech sponsorships (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) with 20+ industry sponsors including Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, Gilead/Kite, GSK, AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck, Pfizer, and Novartis. The company's stated technology is a web-based learning management and registration platform; no proprietary hardware, software, or AI/ML capabilities are described in available sources.

Name

Bio Ascend

Legal name

Bio Ascend LLC

Website

https://bioascend.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bio Ascend is a Chicago-based medical education company that delivers accredited hematology and oncology continuing education to healthcare providers through a portfolio of annual conferences, live/virtual activities, satellite symposia, Grand Rounds, and on-demand content, funded by registration fees and pharmaceutical sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Continuing Medical Education (Hematology/Oncology)

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare Clinical Professions (CME/CE for Nurses, Allied Health, Pharmacy) (EDAAALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Healthcare & Clinical Professional Development (CME/CE) (EDAGANAJ)

Keywords

• Continuing medical education
• Oncology medical education
• Hematology CME conferences
• Live virtual CME activities
• On-demand oncology education

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Conference Registration Fees: Healthcare professionals pay registration fees to attend in-person or virtual conferences (DDHO, LEAD, Atlanta Breast, Atlanta Lung, Chicago Lymphoma, Harvesting Knowledge Summit, Next Wave Forum, iwCLL). Early-bird and standard rates are offered; multi-day and single-day options exist.
2. Pharmaceutical and Biotech Industry Sponsorships: Life sciences companies sponsor Bio Ascend conferences at various tiers (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) and receive branding, exhibit, and educational alignment opportunities. Sponsors include major pharmaceutical companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, Genmab, AstraZeneca, Gilead/Kite, GSK, Stemline/Menarini, AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Incyte, Merck, Pfizer, Novartis, and others.
3. CME Credit Revenue: Bio Ascend offers AMA PRA Category 1 Credits for physicians and maintenance of certification (MOC) points through accredited educational activities. Revenue is derived indirectly through accreditation partnerships and registration fees tied to CME-accredited programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bio Ascend is a medical education company that provides continuing medical education (CME/CE) activities to oncology and hematology healthcare providers. Its offerings span in-person, virtual, and hybrid annual conferences; live webinars and satellite symposia; institutional Grand Rounds; and on-demand video-based learning modules. Educational content is jointly accredited by ACCME, ACPE, and ANCC, allowing participants to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credits and ABIM MOC points.

Product overview

Bio Ascend is a medical education company specializing in hematology and oncology continuing education for healthcare providers. The company operates a portfolio of in-person, virtual, and hybrid conferences including the DDHO Conference (Debates and Didactics in Hematology and Oncology), LEAD Conference (for women in oncology), Atlanta Breast Cancer Conference, Atlanta Lung Cancer Symposium, International Ultmann Chicago Lymphoma Symposium, and Harvesting Knowledge Multiple Myeloma Summit. Their educational offerings include live/virtual activities (Satellite Symposia, Virtual Challenging Case Clinics, Grand Rounds Series, LGSOC Care Network) and on-demand content (On-Topic Virtual Roundtables, Podium to Practice, Expert Insights, 5Live). All activities provide CME/CE credits for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals engaged in cancer care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Debates and Didactics in Hematology and Oncology (DDHO) Conference A multi-day in-person and virtual conference providing comprehensive review of disease mechanisms and treatment approaches for solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, featuring interactive debates and didactic lectures by expert faculty from the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University and thought leaders nationwide. Offers up to 18 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits.
• LEAD: Leadership, Empowerment, And Development Conference An annual conference dedicated to empowering women leaders in hematology and oncology through clinical updates, career development workshops, professional networking, and an awards program (Woman Oncologist of the Year and Rising Star) recognizing outstanding women oncologists.
• Atlanta Breast Cancer Conference A one-day conference featuring expert thought leaders discussing the latest advancements in breast cancer treatments and novel therapeutic options in development, covering molecular targeted therapy, immunotherapies, surgery, and radiotherapy.
• Atlanta Lung Cancer Symposium An annual educational symposium dedicated to providing up-to-date and practical strategies for lung cancer management alongside the latest updates in clinical data.
• International Ultmann Chicago Lymphoma Symposium (IUCLS) An annual CME conference honoring Dr. John Ultmann featuring global experts discussing the science and treatment of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with presentations, debates, panel discussions, poster sessions, and Q&A segments.
• Harvesting Knowledge: A Summit on Multiple Myeloma A clinically-driven program designed to equip healthcare professionals with evidence-based insights and practical strategies for managing multiple myeloma across the full continuum of care, from diagnosis through evolving therapeutic approaches.
• Next Wave Forum for Young Investigators in Thoracic Oncology A career development opportunity for early-career thoracic oncologists to engage with thought leaders in an intimate setting, featuring a 2-day conference, year-long mentorship, quarterly virtual meetings, and reunion reception at future society congresses.
• Virtual Challenging Case Clinic An interactive webinar series held monthly or bimonthly linking community-based clinicians with disease state experts to obtain clinical recommendations and discuss challenging cases, similar to a virtual tumor board.
• Satellite Symposia Interactive symposiums at major oncology congresses featuring debates on latest data and treatment practices, patient perspectives through case-based discussions, and engaging Q&A sessions with key experts.
• Grand Rounds Series Treatment talks presented to small groups of physicians and nurses at institutions, both live and virtually, focused on clinical knowledge gaps and improving knowledge and practice behaviors.
• On-Topic Virtual Roundtable An on-demand video in micro-learning format featuring guided discussions between a team of 3 experts within a highly focused disease subset or therapeutic target, delivered in segments of 30 minutes or less with downloadable resources.
• Podium to Practice An on-demand 30-minute video discussion between 2 experts covering cutting-edge data from recent national congresses, enabling clinicians to incorporate latest data into practice.
• Expert Insights A 20-minute recorded discussion between symposium chair and faculty expert providing highlights and interpretations of clinically relevant data from satellite symposiums, available for 1 year after initial presentation.
• 5Live Quick-hit videos from thought leaders at conferences providing critical learnings and takeaways in under 5 minutes, offering non-accredited, unscripted, and highly educational content.
• LGSOC Care Network An educational initiative connecting community HCPs with national experts on low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC), offering 1-on-1 expert meetings, pre-recorded presentations on diagnostic and treatment approaches, and focused clinical discussions.

Quantifiable outcome

• CME-accredited activities offer up to 18 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits (DDHO) and ABIM MOC points for physician participants.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Winship Cancer Institute of Emory UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWinship Cancer Institute of Emory University serves as the primary academic partner for the Debates and Didactics in Hematology and Oncology (DDHO) conference. Expert faculty from Winship collaborate with Bio Ascend to design and deliver the conference content, including interactive debates, didactic lectures, and panel discussions on controversial topics and evolving standards of care in oncology.
• Partners for Advancing Clinical Education (Partners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBio Ascend works with Partners for Advancing Clinical Education (Partners), which is jointly accredited by ACCME, ACPE, and ANCC, to plan and implement CME-accredited activities. Partners provides the accreditation infrastructure enabling Bio Ascend to award AMA PRA Category 1 Credits and ABIM MOC points to physician participants.
• University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBio Ascend partners with UNMC for the LEAD Conference, where UNMC provides joint accreditation services (ACCME, ACPE, ANCC) for the activity. UNMC ensures accuracy, balance, objectivity, independence, and scientific rigor in educational content.
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center faculty (Dr. Rachel N. Grisham) serve as Chair of the LGSOC Care Network program, connecting community HCPs with national LGSOC experts through Bio Ascend's educational platform.
• Vaniam GroupcoreOthersBio Ascend is a Vaniam Group company. Vaniam Group is a medical education company that owns Bio Ascend and provides corporate infrastructure, privacy policy, and overall brand governance. Bio Ascend operates as a subsidiary within the Vaniam Group portfolio.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Med-IQ: Med-IQ is an ACCME-accredited medical education company offering live, virtual, and enduring CME/CE activities, including oncology and hematology. It is a direct competitor to Bio Ascend for pharma-sponsored hematology/oncology CME programming and HCP engagement.
• CME Outfitters: CME Outfitters is an accredited medical education company delivering live, web, and point-of-care CME/CE activities, including oncology and hematology programming sponsored by pharma. Its multi-format delivery model and pharma-sponsorship model closely mirror Bio Ascend's conference-plus-on-demand approach.
• OncLive: OncLive, an MJH Life Sciences platform, provides oncology-focused CME-accredited live events, satellite symposia, and on-demand content for practicing oncologists. It targets the same physician audience as Bio Ascend and competes for pharma sponsorship of oncology education.
• Physicians' Education Resource (PER): PER, part of MJH Life Sciences, is a long-standing oncology-focused medical education provider operating live CME conferences (such as the Miami Breast Cancer Conference) and enduring digital activities. It competes directly with Bio Ascend in flagship disease-specific oncology conferences sponsored by major pharma.
• Clinical Care Options: Clinical Care Options is a privately held medical education company specializing in CME/CE for oncology, hematology, and infectious disease, delivering live, virtual, and on-demand activities sponsored by major pharma. Like Bio Ascend, it serves oncologists and hematologists through jointly accredited conferences, satellite symposia, and enduring digital content, making it the closest direct competitor in oncology CME.
• Answers in CME: Answers in CME delivers accredited oncology and hematology continuing education activities including symposia and on-demand modules for community-based clinicians. It targets a similar pharma-sponsored CME niche as Bio Ascend, including case-based and expert-led formats.
• PRIME Education: PRIME Education is an ACCME-accredited medical education provider offering live, online, and enduring CME/CE activities across multiple therapeutic areas including oncology and hematology. It competes head-to-head with Bio Ascend for pharma-sponsored oncology education budgets, satellite symposia slots, and HCP engagement programs.
• Global Education Group: Global Education Group is an accredited medical education company providing live and enduring CME/CE programs in oncology and other specialties. It competes with Bio Ascend for pharma-sponsored hematology/oncology educational activities, satellite symposia, and enduring content.
• AXIS Medical Education: AXIS Medical Education is an accredited provider of live and enduring CME/CE activities across therapeutic areas including oncology. Its portfolio of live conferences, satellite symposia, and digital CME competes with Bio Ascend's hematology/oncology educational offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Medscape Education: Medscape Education, part of WebMD/Medscape, is one of the largest accredited CME/CE providers globally, including extensive oncology and hematology programming. It competes with Bio Ascend for pharma education budgets and HCP engagement, but operates as a much broader multi-specialty incumbent rather than a hematology/oncology specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bioascend
• Facebookfacebook.com/bioascend
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bioascend

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bio Ascend