Inhaled anesthetics remain essential to modern surgery, yet the discovery of new agents has been stalled for decades. In this session, Dr. Shane Austin, CEO of Expanesthetics, will explain why pursuing new inhaled anesthetics still matters and why it has proven so difficult. A significant discovery around the molecular mechanism of action of the volatile anesthetics offers an efficient path toward identifying new agents. Recent findings from Expanesthetics' pre-clinical research reveal several compounds with blood-pressure sparing effects, suggesting that smart design could shape the next generation of inhaled anesthesia.

Intraoperative hypotension remains closely linked to adverse outcomes, yet whether treating it improves those outcomes continues to be debated. Join Dr. Joseph Antognini, Chief Scientific Officer of Expanesthetics, as we examine the evidence linking intraoperative hypotension to adverse outcomes and the tradeoffs inherent in today's anesthetic choices. We will examine how commonly used agents contribute to hypotension, the clinical burden of managing its downstream effects, and the emerging science that challenges long-held assumptions. We will end by examining how future anesthetics may fundamentally alter the hemodynamic profiles we currently accept as unavoidable.

Inhaled anesthetics remain essential to modern surgery, yet the discovery of new agents has been stalled for decades. In this session, Dr. Shane Austin, CEO of Expanesthetics, will explain why pursuing new inhaled anesthetics still matters and why it has proven so difficult. A significant discovery around the molecular mechanism of action of the volatile anesthetics offers an efficient path toward identifying new agents. Recent findings from Expanesthetics' pre-clinical research reveal several compounds with blood-pressure sparing effects, suggesting that smart design could shape the next generation of inhaled anesthesia.

Over the past half century, innovation in anesthesia has largely been constrained to the intravenous side, leaving inhaled anesthetics virtually unchanged for decades. In this presentation, Mark Holman, Founder and Board Chair of Expanesthetics, explores why progress stalled, how market forces have shaped the priorities of major companies, and why they may not be positioned to pursue the kind of innovation the field now needs. We will trace the surprising history of anesthetic development, examine the structural barriers to finding new inhaled agents, and paint a picture of a new era of inhaled anesthetic development on the horizon. While Expanesthetics is uniquely positioned to reignite discovery, the next chapter will be written together with the anesthesia community.

Join us as we explore one of biology's long-standing scientific mysteries: the elusive mechanism of action of inhaled anesthetics. Unique among pharmaceuticals, these agents affect organisms across the entire tree of life, complicating the search for a unifying molecular theory. In this research-intensive presentation, Dr. Robert Brosnan, Professor at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, will discuss his emerging hypothesis that has the potential to reshape our understanding of how volatile anesthetics interact with ion channels and receptor systems, shedding light on a puzzle that has challenged researchers for more than a century.