Programme : Presentations by Tracks

'Practical applications of stem cell-derived cells within drug discovery’
Ruth Mckernan, Pfizer

Selecting “the right patient” for “the right drug” and measuring “the right outcome” has become the mantra for healthcare in the 21st century. Identifying a relevant protein target and then proving its importance in disease pathophysiology is crucial to achieving this goal, as is the development of biomarkers to prove drug activity, select patients and demonstrate efficacy. In this session, the approaches being used to understand disease, patient heterogeneity and identify signalling pathways and subsequently targets and biomarkers which ensure a much greater chance of success in the clinic will be explored.

Paul Whittaker &
Chas Bountra

The predictive value of cell-based assays is a key topic of debate within the drug discovery industry. An ever-increasing concern is being placed on our ability to translate results from in vitro assays to in vivo outcomes, resulting in an explosion of research aiming to improve the predictive nature of cell-based assays. This session will bring together a diverse range of 'advanced cell technologies' that all strive to improve the physiological relevance of our in vitro cellular models by applying more relevant cell types, growth conditions and readouts. In presenting their work, speakers will demonstrate the impact of these technologies through case studies that cross different stages of drug discovery research.

Darren Cawkhill &
Leo Price

Attrition of molecules in drug development is the key challenge facing the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. Increasing our understanding of the balance between drug efficacy and adverse effects ahead of the selection of a molecule for expensive clinical trials is a key opportunity to improve drug development success.
This session will review the impact and potential of in vitro DMPK screening and safety profiling to improve compound attrition in development. We will highlight the current state of the art approaches to determine in vitro DMPK and safety profiles of molecules including the latest insights on secondary pharmacology testing, cellular readouts for determining cytotoxicity, in vitro DMPK subcellular and cellular models for both metabolism and transport. The session will illustrate how these assays can be combined together using in silico approaches to integrate and model data to give improved dose prediction and more effective decision making.

In 2012, seven of the top ten selling drugs were macromolecules. In addition the increasing need to find and validate new therapeutic targets means that the importance of macromolecules as research tools is increasing and diversifying. This two day session will explore the significance of macromolecules in Drug Discovery.
The first session will review the emergence of macromolecules as therapeutics and a number of case studies will be presented. The second session will focus on the evolving role of macromolecules as reagents and Drug Discovery tools.
Katy Kettleborough & Phil Blandward

As the Pharmaceutical industry responds to the challenges of declining R&D productivity, the patent cliff, higher regulatory hurdles and tougher pricing agreements, new opportunities are being created for the scientific community to access and embrace novel technologies to fuel the pre-clinical small molecule and macromolecule pipeline in an efficient and cost-effective manner. This session will highlight new EU-driven screening initiatives and provide an insight into emerging technologies to identify and optimise both small and macromolecules. In particular, the session will explore how such technologies are being utilised to identify new cancer-targeting agents.

Steven van Helden &
Alan Wise

In this session our main focus will be the importance in the supply chain on the overall quality of the science; uniting compound and bio-sample management colleagues, expertise, knowledge and curiosity on the fundamental topic of quality and its critical impact on the outputs of the processes. We will investigate the control of sample purity and the design, development and control of fit-for-purpose processes. We will consider the risk of sample instability in maximising value from sample assets and explain the impact of sample stability and accuracy of annotation on study power. We will also address key emerging questions surrounding rationalisation of sample collection size and the challenges facing sample management from the area of regenerative medicine.

Clive Green &
Tim Peakman

Oncology drug discovery is continually confounded by the genetic instability displayed by all malignant tumours. Recent single target based advances are persistently dogged by the emergence of resistant populations of cancer cells and the eventual relapse of the patient. In an age where genetic sampling of patients and tumours is becoming faster and more available and HTS technologies become more and more amenable to new target classes and cell based assays, this session aims to investigate the role of these technologies in the design and prosecution of future cancer drug discovery projects. Is the idea of single target, single drug, single treatment for cancer still valid? Will the next generation of targets be discovered in the mass of new data, or are drug combinations and phenotypic approaches in bespoke genetic backgrounds the most probable source of new agents?

Tim Hammonds &
Tim Perera

In 2012, seven of the top ten selling drugs were macromolecules. In addition the increasing need to find and validate new therapeutic targets means that the importance of macromolecules as research tools is increasing and diversifying. This two day session will explore the significance of macromolecules in Drug Discovery.
The first session will review the emergence of macromolecules as therapeutics and a number of case studies will be presented. The second session will focus on the evolving role of macromolecules as reagents and Drug Discovery tools.
John McCafferty & Mike Howell