Asembia’s AXS26 Summit is the place to be for specialty pharmacy and pharma leaders – but with a packed agenda and thousands of attendees, it can be overwhelming if you don’t have a game plan. Whether you’re traveling to Las Vegas to make deals, strengthen partnerships, or catch up on the latest industry trends, a little preparation goes a long way.

After more than a decade of attending Asembia’s annual summit, I’ve picked up a few strategies to help you navigate the conference with confidence. Below, you’ll find my top tips for making the most of your time at AXS26 – so you can leave Vegas with valuable connections, fresh insights, and maybe even a few hours of sleep.

See you on the strip.

Schedule meetings at times that aren’t on the hour or half hour

A meeting at 11:15? At AXS25, it may actually be a good idea. Experienced attendees know there are only two elevators at the Towers at the Wynn Las Vegas, and they aren’t the fastest. Because meetings are generally scheduled on the hour or half hour, wait times for the elevators can get frustratingly long ahead of popular meeting times. A good way to avoid this is to schedule your meetings for less popular times – :15, :20, :45, and so forth. 

Be ready for the meetings between your meetings

Speaking of meetings, the ones you’ve officially booked in your reserved suite aren’t the only meetings you’ll have. At Asembia’s AXS25, you’ll run into so many people you’ve wanted to speak to when you’re on your way to meals or other meetings. Make sure you’re prepared to make the most of those two-minute “walk-and-talks.” That means, have your elevator pitch ready, and figure out the best way to remember everyone you meet with, as well as the best way to connect with them after the event. (And if you’ve figured out a tech-enabled way to do that last part … let me know).

Don’t just learn from what’s happening on stage

So many expert speakers from across the pharmacy landscape attend Asembia’s event every year. No doubt there is a lot to learn from these industry leaders during their presentations – but that’s far from your only opportunity to learn. In fact, you’ll likely learn just as much from the chats you have during meals, in the elevator, perusing the exhibition hall, or walking between appointments. These informal conversations with your peers can provide valuable insights into trends, rumors, and challenges that may not be covered in scheduled presentations and panel discussions. 

But do make sure to check out this session on AI

Infinitus CEO and Co-founder Ankit Jain will be hosting a fireside chat with Optum Rx CIO Santiago Abraham on Tuesday at 1 p.m. In AI in Healthcare: What Works Now and What Matters Next, the pair will map what AI can reliably do today, what’s on the near-term horizon, and what remains out of reach. See more details in the AXS26 agenda.

Vegas hours will apply

Don’t be surprised to get invited to meetings at all hours of the day or night – it’s Las Vegas, after all. You may have a 6:15 a.m. meeting one day (if the host read recommendation No. 1 above), and meet up for a conversation at 11:30 p.m. the next

Eat light, because ‘duplicate meals’ will happen 

Imagine this: You’re in the elevator on your way to the lobby when someone you’ve connected with on LinkedIn and have been emailing with for a while – but whom you’ve never met in person – gets on with you. Then they invite you to lunch. There’s no way you’re going to say no to that valuable 1:1 time … even if you’ve already had lunch. At the Asembia summit, these duplicate meals are common. Take my advice, and keep your meals light. You never know when you’ll be invited to a second breakfast or a third coffee run. 

Visit us at booth 1538

Last year, I encouraged readers to drop by the Infinitus booth in the exhibition hall, and so many of you did. But this year, there are even more reasons to visit us in the exhibition hall: We’ll be giving away a limited number of copies of our forthcoming report on specialty medication access, and raffling off a chance to win a Dreamie alarm clock (these were a hit at this year’s CES). And, of course, it’s a great way to learn more about what the Infinitus team is up to. Check out a map of the exhibition floor here.