Livelong Media has unveiled the complete roster of speakers and sponsors for the Livelong Women's Health Summit, taking place on September 25–26, 2026, at the Hilton Midtown in New York City. Following the overwhelming success of its sold-out debut in San Francisco, this year's event is expected to welcome more than 2,000 attendees and over 100 leading experts for two days of evidence-based discussions on women's health, including aging, hormones, brain health, and the science behind today's rapidly expanding wellness and treatment landscape.

Academy Award-winning actress and activist Jane Fonda will headline the opening session, "The Third Act: Aging Successfully." Joining her are renowned beauty entrepreneur Bobbi Brown, menopause specialist Dr. Mary Claire Haver, exercise physiologist Dr. Stacy Sims, orthopedic surgeon and Unbreakable author Dr. Vonda Wright, Dr. Jessica Shepherd, Chief Medical Officer of Hers, fertility expert Dr. Natalie Crawford, and psychiatrist Dr. Sasha Hamdani, alongside a diverse lineup of clinicians, scientists, researchers, and health innovators.

"Women are looking for facts—not marketing. They want access to research, honest discussions about benefits and risks, and the freedom to make informed decisions about their health," said Katie Gaudu, Chief Operating Officer of Livelong Media. "Our summit is designed to provide exactly that: a trusted space for meaningful conversations without pushing products or miracle solutions."

The two-day agenda features keynote presentations, 15 specialized masterclasses centered on longevity, and 40 interactive roundtable sessions exploring topics such as hormonal changes, ovarian aging, the effects of declining estrogen, inflammation and cognitive health, AI-powered personalized medicine, and navigating midlife in the workplace.

The summit is made possible through the support of a broad network of sponsors whose contributions help fund educational programming, research presentations, discounted and complimentary student tickets, and an interactive exhibition showcasing innovations in women's healthcare. Rather than viewing them simply as sponsors, Livelong Media recognizes these organizations as mission-driven partners committed to advancing women's health education.

The 2026 partner lineup includes AAUW, Align Tech, Ammortal, Arid Blayne, Athletech News, Buck Institute, Carolyn Rowan Center at Mt. Sinai, City Pickle, Cntrl+, EightSleep, Elixir Play, Evermore Pet Food, Experience Life, Function Health, Gina, Gloria, Gotham, Hailey Happens Fitness, Health & Fitness Association, Human Longevity Inc., Jona Health, Kathy Kamei, KeraFactor by Skin QRI, Lume Health, Lumisque, Mblue Labs, Menrva, Monarch, Parasym, Portfolia, Pvolve, ReVelist, Seli Strength, Siemens, Spears Physical Therapy, Sybil Wellness, The 'Pause Life, Throne Science, Timeline, Twelve 28, Vital Ventures, Women's Health Forum NYC, and Zero Gravity.

"Each of these organizations has invested in something far greater than brand visibility," Gaudu added. "Their support allows us to deliver credible, research-driven education instead of sales-driven messaging. This summit exists because they believed in creating a platform where women can access reliable information and make empowered health decisions."

In return, sponsors gain exposure to a highly engaged national audience seeking trustworthy health information rather than conventional advertising. Throughout the event, participating organizations will be integrated into the educational experience through the exhibition hall and program activities, sharing space alongside respected physicians and researchers. Livelong Media says this editorial-first approach reflects the trust it has built with its audience of more than 300,000 monthly readers.

The New York summit also marks the beginning of a broader expansion, with additional Women's Health Summit events scheduled for Dallas, San Francisco, and Boston in 2027, before returning to New York.

Healthcare professionals attending the conference can earn up to 10 CE/CME credits across 10 credentialing organizations, including AMA PRA Category 1, ACPE, and ANCC. An optional two-hour clinical workshop on Saturday afternoon, produced in partnership with Pinnacle Conference, is expected to offer an additional 2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (pending accreditation) for physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and allied health professionals.

Conference registration is priced at $595 for General Admission, $695 for Premier access, and $1,095 for the VIP experience. VIP attendees will receive exclusive access to a Friday evening reception with featured speakers and a private meet-and-greet with Jane Fonda. Discounted group pricing is also available for organizations and teams.

Additional event information, the complete agenda, and ticket registration are available through the official Livelong Women's Health Summit website.

Vimgreen Pharmaceuticals, a prominent company focused on modulating adenosine signaling pathways, has announced that China’s Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) has cleared its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for VG081821 in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), now more commonly termed metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). This milestone marks the second clinical application for the company’s lead candidate, which is already being developed for Parkinson’s disease.

The approval represents the first worldwide authorization to study an A2A receptor antagonist in NASH. With this clearance, VG081821 can move directly into Phase II trials for NASH, accelerating its clinical development timeline as a potential novel therapy.

NASH is a chronic liver condition marked by fat buildup (steatosis), liver cell damage, inflammation, and progressive scarring (fibrosis). As obesity and metabolic disorders continue to rise globally, NASH has become a major contributor to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Despite its growing impact, treatment options remain scarce, with only two drugs—resmetirom and semaglutide—receiving accelerated approvals so far, highlighting a significant unmet medical need.

VG081821 works as an A2A receptor antagonist, targeting the three key drivers of NASH: fat accumulation, inflammation, and fibrosis. This broad mechanism of action is particularly advantageous given the disease’s complex biology, positioning the drug as a strong therapeutic contender.

Epidemiological research further supports this approach. Several large studies have linked moderate coffee consumption with a reduced risk of chronic liver disease. Caffeine, the primary active compound in coffee, provides liver-protective effects largely by inhibiting A2A receptors. VG081821, being more potent and selective than caffeine, is designed to enhance these benefits with greater precision.

What sets VG081821 apart from conventional A2A receptor blockers like istradefylline is its unique pharmacological behavior. While standard antagonists simply prevent receptor activation, VG081821 functions as an inverse agonist—reducing both stimulated and baseline receptor activity. This dual action may result in more comprehensive suppression of harmful signaling pathways and improved therapeutic outcomes.

The drug is also being developed for Parkinson’s disease, where it aims to address both symptoms and underlying disease processes. In Phase II studies involving patients with early to mid-stage Parkinson’s, VG081821 showed meaningful improvements in motor function and met key efficacy targets, indicating strong potential as a standalone treatment. The main side effect observed was a temporary rise in liver transaminases, likely due to metabolic changes in the liver rather than toxicity. Similar transient effects have been noted with other lipid-modulating therapies and are generally considered harmless adaptive responses.

Sanxing Sun, President and CEO of Vimgreen Pharmaceuticals, expressed enthusiasm about the progress, noting that VG081821’s mechanism differs significantly from existing THR-beta agonists and GLP-1–based treatments. By enhancing hepatic lipid processing while reducing inflammation and fibrosis, the therapy is well-positioned to address critical gaps in metabolic liver disease treatment and improve patient outcomes.

The company plans to begin a Phase IIa clinical trial for NASH in the latter half of the year.