Staying on Target: How to Determine if Your Research Program is Ready for Drug Discovery
LAB150 Presents: A 3-part Webinar Series on Drug Discovery and Development
November 17, 2020 – 12-1:30 PM ET
Click here to hear a recording of the webinar: http://bit.ly/2O5dDR4
In the first of three webinars in the LAB150 series on drug discovery and development, we focus on the initial steps on the long path of bringing a new drug to market and to patients in need. Specifically, we examine approaches to target identification and target validation. Target ID describes the initial process of identifying a protein, nucleic acid, etc. with a causal link to a particular disease. Target validation describes the accumulation of evidence that directly modulating that target is likely to have a therapeutic effect. Our panel will cover topics related to these areas, including:
- What’s on the pharma industry checklist for novel therapeutic targets?
- How early is too early?
- Is my target druggable?
- What are some common and cutting-edge techniques for identifying and validating targets?
Short presentations to be followed by panel discussion and Q&A.
The Panel:
Dr. Marie Lindner – Former Global Program Head, Strategic Partnerships, Novartis
Marie Lindner has a broad career with varied executive roles in pharmaceutical, biotech, venture capital, start-up and drug delivery companies. She had experience across therapeutic areas and modalities, including gene and cell therapy. Most recently, she was recruited to start a team at Novartis Pharmaceuticals in Switzerland, focused on finding new trends in science and medicine to recommend potential investments in areas where they were not yet investing.
Dr. Lindner has maintained a biotech consulting company, BioValue Creation, LLC. She is on the Scientific Advisory Board of FuturX, a venture capital funded incubator in Israel and occasional consulting for BiomX, a phage microbiome company in Israel. She is about to join the board of a start-up in Uruguay, spun out of the Institut Pasteur Montevideo.
Dr. Ina Sternberger – Senior Vice President, Evotec SE
Ina Sternberger, SVP In vitro Biology, is responsible for in vitro biology activities at Evotec in different areas including neurodegeneration, inflammation, fibrosis and phenotypic drug discovery. Activities are reaching from target identification and validation, and supporting lead optimization to candidate selection. Ina has led various target centric and phenotypic discovery programs in cancer immunotherapy and regenerative medicine. Before joining Evotec, Ina worked on neurodegenerative diseases both in big pharma and small biotech. Ina holds a PhD in biochemistry.
Professor Richard E Gilbert MD PhD FRCPC FRACP FACP
Richard Gilbert is CSO of Fibrocor Therapeutics. He is a clinician-scientist, professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto, and Head of the Division of Endocrinology at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. His major interests are in the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of diseases that are characterized by fibrosis including chronic kidney disease, cirrhotic liver disease, pulmonary fibrosis and desmoplastic cancers. Beyond his laboratory work, Prof. Gilbert has had leadership roles in phase I-III clinical trials. He is an inventor on numerous patents with colleagues from Eli Lilly, Novartis and Fibrotech Therapeutics (that he cofounded and was later acquired by Shire) as well as Fibrocor, a TIAP portfolio company. He provides consultative advice to Merck, Astra Zeneca, Bayer, Janssen and Boehringer Ingelheim.
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