Final AgendaREGISTER BY MARCH 13 AND SAVE UP TO $400!
WorldPharmaCongress.com
Preclinical Models in Oncology 
Imaging in Oncology 
Targeting GPCRs
Predicting Drug Toxicity
Blood-Brain Barrier
Mastering Medicinal Chemistry
Chemical Biology for
Target Validation
June 10-11
Tumor Models for Immunotherapy
3D Cellular Models
Targeting Histone Acetylation
Functional Genomics Technologies
Property-Based Drug Design
Chemical Proteomics for
Target Validation
June 11-12
Organized by:
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
PREMIER
SPONSOR
• 13 conferences covering the hottest
topics in preclinical research
• 950+ international delegates focusing
on preclinical research and the
challenges and opportunities in early
drug discovery and development
• 11 short courses offering interactive
discussions with experts in the field
• Exclusive training seminar on Applying
Pharmacology to New Drug Discovery
• Plenary keynote panel featuring experts
talking about the breakthrough drugs in
recent years
• Student fellowships bringing together young
researchers looking to make a difference
• Expansive exhibit hall showcasing 65+
sponsors  exhibitors
• Dedicated poster viewing, roundtables
and panel discussions for active networking
Tackling Translational Challenges
June 10-12, 2015 
Westin Boston Waterfront, Boston, MA
WORLD PRECLINICAL
CONGRESS
14th
Annual
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS:
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 2
Tuesday, June 9
Wednesday,
June 10
Thursday,
June 11
Friday,
June 12
Conference-at-a-Glance
Tackling Translational
Challenges
The World Preclinical Congress (WPC; formerly the
World Pharma Congress), now in its 14th
year, is making
a commitment to focus predominantly on preclinical
research and highlight the challenges and opportunities
in early drug discovery and development. World
Preclinical Congress 2015 brings together some of
the hottest topics being discussed in the pharma/
biotech world and provides a unique forum for scientists
and clinicians to exchange ideas and collaborate to
overcome some of the translational challenges. This
coincides with the event moving to Boston, now a
premier hub for preclinical activity and alliances.
Plenary Keynote Panelists:
Clinical Development of Keytruda
David Kaufman, M.D., Ph.D., Director/
Senior Principal Scientist, Oncology/
Immunotherapy Clinical Research, Merck
Discovery of Ivacaftor, an Orally
Bioavailable CFTR Potentiator
Peter Grootenhuis, Ph.D., Senior Director,
Chemistry, Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Harvoni Drug Development
Challenges:The Role of Risk in
Rapid Development
Phillip Pang, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Clinical
Research, Gilead Sciences
PREMIER SPONSOR CORPORATE SPONSORS
CORPORATE SUPPORT SPONSOR
Dinner Short Courses*
Pre-Conference Short Courses*
Novel Preclinical
Models in
Oncology
Translational
Imaging in
Cancer Drug
Development
Targeting
GPCRs
Blood-Brain
Barrier
Mastering
Medicinal
Chemistry
Chemical
Biology
for Target
Validation
Novel Preclinical
Models in
Oncology
Translational
Imaging in
Cancer Drug
Development
Targeting
GPCRs
Blood-Brain
Barrier
Mastering
Medicinal
Chemistry
Chemical
Biology
for Target
Validation
Tumor Models
for Cancer
Immunotherapy
3D Cellular
Models
Targeting
Histone
Acetylation
Property-Based
Drug Design
in Medicinal
Chemistry
Chemical
Proteomics
for Target
Validation
Tumor Models
for Cancer
Immunotherapy
3D Cellular
Models
Targeting
Histone
Acetylation
Property-Based
Drug Design
in Medicinal
Chemistry
Chemical
Proteomics
for Target
Validation
New Models for
Predicting Drug
Toxicity
New Models for
Predicting Drug
Toxicity
Synergistic Use
of Functional
Genomics
Technologies
Synergistic Use
of Functional
Genomics
Technologies
Applying
Pharmacology
to New Drug
Discovery
Training Seminar*
Applying
Pharmacology
to New Drug
Discovery
Training Seminar*
Plenary Keynote Panel
Plenary Keynote Panel
Wednesday, June 10 | 5:00 pm
Our Plenary Keynote Panel this year
features senior executives from pharma/
biotech who have played an important
role in bringing to market some of the
most innovative drugs in recent years.
They are here to share their stories on
what transpired behind-the-scenes, how
they could overcome the translational
challenges, and what they see as key
drivers in making similar breakthroughs
going forward.
* Separate registration required.
* Separate registration required.
WorldPharmaCongress.com
Full time graduate students and PhD Candidates are encouraged to apply for
the World Preclinical Congress Student Fellowship. Applications are due
by March 27, 2015.
Student Fellowship
Hotel  Travel Information
Conference Venue and Host Hotel:
Westin Boston Waterfront
425 Summer St.
Boston, MA 02210
T: 617-532-4600
Room Rate: $299 s/d
Reservation Cutoff: May 13, 2015
Please visit the hotel and travel page of our website to
reserve your sleeping accommodations.You will need
to identify yourself as a Cambridge Healthtech Institute
conference attendee to receive the discounted room
rate with the host hotel. Reservations made after the
cut-off date or after the group room block has been filled
(whichever comes first) will be accepted on a space-
and-rate-availability basis. Rooms are limited, so please
book early.
Top Reasons to Stay at the Westin
Boston Waterfront Hotel
•	Just three miles from Boston’s Logan
International Airport
• 	Complimentary wireless internet access in guest rooms
• 	A short walk, bus, taxi or train ride to
Boston’s historic sites and family attractions
• 	Minutes from some of Boston’s finest restaurants
• 	Pet friendly
We understand that you have many choices when
making your travel arrangements. Please understand
that reserving your room in the CHI room block at the
conference hotel allows you to take full advantage
of the conference sessions, events and networking
opportunities, and ensures that our staff will be
available to help should you have any issues with
your accommodations.
•	 Interested students must complete the application
for the 2015 Student Fellowship
•	 Fellows are required to present a scientific poster.
A poster title and abstract are due at the time of
the application.
•	 All applications will be reviewed by the scientific
review committee and the accepted students will
be notified no later than April 3, 2015 if they were
accepted for the 2015 Student Fellowship
•	 Accepted 2015 Student Fellows will receive a
discounted conference rate of $195*, which must be
paid in full by April 24, 2015. Credit card information
is requested at the time of the application and will
be charged upon application approval.
•	 This fellowship is limited to 10 students and is for
the Main Conference Only*, June 10-12, 2015.
•	 All accepted 2015 Student Fellows will be asked to
help promote the conference onsite at their college,
and throughout their social media networks.
•	 Students not accepted for the 2015 Student
Fellowship, can register at a discounted rate $295*,
and will not be required to present a poster
* This discounted rate cannot be combined with any other discounts for this event. Your discounted
registration does not grant access to any of the short courses or pre-conference events. It also does
not include hotel, travel or meals.
Take advantage of the
discounted group rate!
Car Rental Discounts:
Special discount rentals have been
established with Hertz for this conference.
• 	Visit www.hertz.com to make your
reservation and use Hertz Convention
Number (CV) 04KL0006
• 	Call Hertz directly at 800-654-3131
and reference our Hertz Convention
Number 04KL0006
World Preclincial Congress | 3
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 4
PRESENT A POSTER AND SAVE $50!
Cambridge Healthtech Institute encourages attendees to gain further
exposure by sharing their work in the poster sessions. To secure a
poster board and inclusion in the conference materials, your abstract
must be submitted, approved and your registration paid in full by
April 24, 2015.
Register online, or by phone, fax or mail. Please indicate that you
would like to present a poster. Once your registration has been fully
processed, we will send an email with a unique link and instructions
for submitting your abstract using our online abstract submission tool.
Please see the website for more details.
COMPANY TYPE
Commercial (Pharma/Biotech)	 58%
Academic	24%
Healthcare/Hospital	8%
Government	5%
Services/Societies	4%
Press	1%
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION	
USA*	72%
Europe	14%
Asia	9%
Other	5%	
*USA Breakdown:
	 East Coast 	 75%	
	 West Coast 	 14%	
	 Midwest 	 11%
COMPANY TITLE
Scientist/Technologist	42%
Executive/Director/Manager	31%
Professor	15%
Sales/Marketing	12%
Reasons you should present your research poster at this conference:
• 	Your poster will be seen by our international delegation, representing 	
	 leaders from top pharmaceutical, biotech, academic and
	 government institutions
• Receive $50 off your registration
• Your poster abstract will be published in our conference materials
2014 Attendee Demographics
A focused group with a diversified background. The interaction
among the attendees was superb.
Senior Principal Scientist, Chemical RD, Pfizer“ ”
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 5
June 9, 2015 | Boston, MA
*SHORT COURSES
Student Fellowship
Afternoon Courses | 2:00 – 5:00 pm
Allosteric Modulators of GPCRs, (PAMs NAMs)
The course will provide an overview on allosteric modulation of class A, B and C
GPCRs: screening, molecular pharmacology, signal bias, medicinal chemistry and
development challenges. For each of these areas, we will cover the theory and best
practices while delving into case studies to highlight key challenges and caveats.
Instructors:
Craig W. Lindsley, Ph.D., William K. Warren, Jr. Chair in Medicine, Professor
of Pharmacology and Chemistry; Director, Medicinal Chemistry; Director, The
Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center
Corey Hopkins, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, Vanderbilt Center for
Neuroscience Drug Discovery
Imaging of Blood-Brain Barrier Function
Topics to be covered:
•	 Review of structure and function of the BBB and delivering therapeutic agents to
specific regions of the brain
•	 In vitro imaging, both qualitative and quantitative, microscopy and other imaging
techniques
•	 In vivo imaging in animals, both qualitative and quantitative using different
imaging modalities, nuclear, ultrasound, MRI and optical
•	 In vivo imaging in humans, both qualitative and quantitative
Instructors:
King C. Li, M.D., FRCP(C), MBA, Senior Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational
Research; Professor and Chair, Department of Radiology, Wake Forest School of
Medicine
Lawrence Berliner, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of
Denver; Emeritus, Ohio State University
Drug Metabolism and Its Impact on Decisions in Drug Discovery 
Development
This short course will focus on concepts important for those wanting to understand
how drug metabolism is applied to drug discovery and development. Topics
will include how drugs are metabolized, the enzymes involved and the growing
importance of transporters in drug disposition and safety. Those scientists involved
in medicinal chemistry, pharmacology and drug metabolism will benefit from this
overview.
•	 Biotransformation and the role of metabolism in drug toxicity
•	 Strategies to identify drug metabolites
•	 Enzymes involved in the metabolism of drugs
•	 Metabolism-based drug-drug interactions
•	 Transporters relevant for drug uptake and efflux
•	 Experimental systems to investigate transporters
Instructors:
David Stresser, Program Manager, Corning Gentest Contract Research Services
John Erve, Ph.D., DABT, Jerve Scientific Consulting, Inc.
Mingxiang Liao, Ph.D., Senior Scientist I, DMPK, Takeda Pharmaceutical Intl.
Company
Dinner Courses | 6:00 – 9:00 pm
Biased GPCR Ligands:Towards Novel Drug Discovery
GPCRs represent the largest class of drug targets in the human genome and about
half of the currently marketed drugs work by turning them “on” or “off”. The new
paradigm of biased GPCR signaling i.e. activating selective signaling pathways
downstream of a GPCR has led to idea of a new class of drugs that are likely to be
more effective and have lesser side effects. This concept opens the door for a new
generation of drugs and paves the way for utilizing even the current targets with a
new perspective.
This course will cover:
•	 The basic introduction of biased GPCR signaling paradigm and concepts of
biased ligands
•	 How to screen for biased ligands (conventional and emerging approaches and assays)
•	 Case studies of immense therapeutic potential of biased ligands
•	 Examples of biased ligands in clinical trials and their current status
•	 New concepts of ligand bias: approaches for inducing bias from inside the cell  
Instructor:
Arun Shukla, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering,
Indian Institute ofTechnology and WellcomeTrust/DBT Allicance Intermediate Fellow
Understanding and Dealing with Drug Disposition in CNS
Topics to be covered:
•	 Enabling faster compound selection in CNS drug discovery by Pharmacokinetics/
pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) modeling and simulation.
•	 Disposition of Biologics: the absorption, distribution and clearance of bio-
therapeutics
•	 Kinetic relationship between systemic circulation and CNS
•	 Understanding Factors that affect Brain ISF/CSF production and clearance and
its implications
	 Onset of CNS diseases
	 Drug – drug interaction
	 Dosing strategy for drugs that may have CNS implications.   
Instructors:
Qin Wang, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Translational Sciences, Biogen Idec
Margareta Hammarlund-Udenaes, Ph.D., Professor, Translational PK/PD,
Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University
Navigating the CiPA Landscape
Sponsored by
This dinner course will provide an important update on the
CiPA (Comprehensive in vitro Proarrhythmia Assay) initiative. Present ICH S7A and S7B
guidelines regulate non-clinical testing for cardiovascular safety. The ICH guidelines have
focused on QT/QTc intervals and potential arrhythmia. Experience has shown, however,
that cardiovascular assessment should include more than the hERG assay and evaluation
of other ion channels should be considered for a more comprehensive cardiovascular
evaluation. The session will introduce and review these ion channel assays, describe other
in vitro assays (i.e., stem cells cardiomyocytes), and in vivo and secondary cardiovascular
assays. The current pharmaceutical and regulatory thinking process of cardiovascular
evaluation will be discussed, including a proposal of modification/elimination of ICH E14.
Instructors:
Bernard Fermini, Ph.D., Associate Research Fellow, Global Safety Pharmacology,
Pfizer Global Research  Development
Gary Gintant, Ph.D., Research Fellow, Integrative Pharmacology, Abbvie
Philip Sager, M.D., FACC, FAHA, FHRS, Consulting Professor of Medicine, Stanford
University School of Medicine; Chair, Scientific Programs Committee, Cardiac
Safety Research Consortium
Thomas J Colatsky, Ph.D., Director, Division of Applied Regulatory Science, OCP/
OTS/CDER, US Food and Drug Administration
Imaging in Cancer Research: Key Applications, Modalities and Strategies
Topics to be covered:
•	 Strengths and Limitations of Imaging Modalities
•	 Imaging Agent Design and Synthesis
•	 Novel Cell-Based Imaging Technologies
Instructors:
Vania Kenanova, Ph.D., Head, Pre-clinical PET/ SPECT/CT Imaging Laboratory,
Global Imaging Group, Novartis Institute for BioMedical Research
Ned Kirkpatrick, Ph.D., Investigator I, Global Imaging Group, ASI, Novartis Institute
for BioMedical Research
Quang-Dé Nguyen, Ph.D., Director of the Lurie Family Imaging Center, Senior
Scientist, Center for Biomedical Imaging in Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Additional Instructors to be Announced
* Separate registration required.
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 6
MEDIA PARTNERS
*SHORT COURSES
Student Fellowship
June 11, 2015 | Boston, MA
Dinner Courses | 7:00 – 10:00 pm
Optimizing Physical Properties of Molecules to Achieve High-Quality
Clinical Candidates
Topics to be discussed:
•	 Determination, Evaluation and use of physical properties in drug discover
•	 Discussion of properties such as solubility, ligand efficiency, log P,
crystallizations, and solubility
•	 Experimental best practices and case studies
Instructor:
Terry Richard Stouch, Ph.D., President, Science for Solutions, LLC
How to Best Utilize Organotypic 3D Cell Cultures in Oncology
The course will provide an overview of the various 3D cell culture models available,
their strengths and weaknesses, and where and how these models are being used,
specifically for oncology research. The instructors will share their experiences on
how they tested and evaluated various cell culture reagents and growth matrices,
what worked and what didn’t and what you need to consider when setting up low
and high throughput screening experiments using 3D cell cultures in your lab. The
challenges working with 3D cell cultures, from experimental design to data analysis
will be discussed.
Instructors:
Arvind Rao, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Bioinformatics and
Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Geoffrey A. Bartholomeusz, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director of the siRNA
Core Facility, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Cancer
Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Sophie Lelièvre, D.V.M., LLM, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Basic Medical
Sciences; Associate Director, Collaborative Science, NCI-Designated Purdue Center
for Cancer Research, Purdue University
3D Printing
The promise of 3D bioprinting to create human tissues layer by layer is immense.
Creating viable 3D screening models can lead to more effective drug development
and more accurate drug testing. However, organ and tissue structures vary in
complexity, and printing with living cells is complicated.
Topics to be covered:
•	 3D Printer Platforms: Inkjet vs. Pressurized Printing
•	 3D Modeling (CAT Scans, Laser Scans and CAD)
•	 Scaffold Selection
•	 Cell Source Selection
•	 Bioinks
•	 Vascularization
This dinner course is designed for biological researchers who are interested in
learning more about 3D bioprinting, applying it to building a living tissue or organ of
their choice and understanding the potential role in pharmaceutical drug research.
Instructors:
Michael Drues, Ph.D., President, Vascular Sciences
David Kolesky, Research Scientist, Jennifer Lewis Laboratory, School of
Engineering and Applied Sciences and Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired
Engineering, Harvard University
Additional Instructors to be Announced
PDX Models Update
Topics to be covered:
•	 PDX technology: core principles and latest advances
•	 Major applications including novel ones such as, circulating tumor cell-derived 	
	 PDX advancements
•	 PDX models to study the immune response of cancer patients to their tumors, 	
	 and others
•	 Utilizing data to inform clinical decisions
Instructors:
Richard B. Bankert, V.M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Microbiology and
Immunology, State University of New York at Buffalo
Neal Goodwin, Ph.D., Vice President Corporate Research Development Champions
Oncology, Inc.
Additional Instructors to be Announced
* Separate registration required.
OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR SPONSORING ORGANIZATION LEAD SPONSORING PUBLICATIONS
SPONSORING PUBLICATIONS
WEB PARTNERS MEDIA PARTNERS
Course Outline
1.	 Assay Formats/Experimental Design
a.	 Binding
b.	 Functional Assays
c.	 Null Method Assays
2.	 Agonism
a.	 Agonist Affinity/Efficacy
b.	 Black/Leff Operational model
3.	 Biased Signaling (Agonism)
a.	 Mechanism of Biased Signaling
b.	 Quantifying Biased Agonism
c.	 Therapeutic application(s)
4.	 Orthosteric Antagonism (I)
a.	 Competitive
b.	 Non-Competitive/Irreversible
5.	 Orthosteric Antagonism (II)
a.	 Partial Agonism
b.	 Inverse Agonism
6.	 Allosteric Modulation (I)
a.	 Functional Allosteric Model
b.	 Negative Allosteric Modulators (NAMs)
7.	 Allosteric Modulation (II)
a.	 Positive Allosteric Modulators (PAMs)
b.	 Allosteric Agonism
8.	 Drug-Receptor Kinetics
a.	 Measuring Target Coverage
b.	 Allosteric Proof-of-Concept
c.	 Application of Real-Time Kinetics
9.	 Drug Screening
a.	 Design of Screening Assays
b.	 Screening for Allosteric Modulators
June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA
Thursday, June 11 | 2:00 - 6:30 pm
Friday, June 12 | 8:00 am - 3:30 pm
Over the past 6 six years, the primary cause of new drug candidate failures (50%)
has been failure of therapeutic efficacy. Put another way, drug discovery programs
do everything right, get the defined candidate molecule, only to have it fail in
therapeutic trials. Among the most prevalent reasons proposed for this shortcoming
is the lack of translation of in vitro and recombinant drug activity to therapeutic in
vivo whole systems. Drug activity in complete systems can be characterized with the
application of pharmacological principles which translate drug behaviors in various
organs with molecular scales of affinity and efficacy.
Pharmacological techniques are unique in that they can convert descriptive data
(what we see, potency, activity in a given system) to predictive data (molecular
scales of activity that can be used to predict activity in all systems including the
therapeutic one, i.e. affinity, efficacy). The predicted outcome of this process is a far
lower failure rate as molecules are progressed toward clinical testing.
This course will describe pharmacological principles and procedures to quantify
affinity, efficacy, biased signaling and allostery to better screen for new drugs and
characterize drug candidates in lead optimization assays.
Instructor: Terry Kenakin presently is a Professor of Pharmacology in
the Dept of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of
Medicine. The course is taught from the perspective of industrial drug
discovery; Dr. Kenakin has worked in drug industry for 32 years (7 at
Burroughs-Wellcome, RTP, NC and 25 at GlaxoSmithKline, RTP. NC).
He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Receptors and Signal Transduc-
tion and Co-Editor-in-Chief of Current Opinion in Pharmacology and is
on numerous journal Editorial Boards. In addition, he has authored over 200 peer
reviewed papers and reviews and has written 10 books on Pharmacology.
Course Material: Summary sheets, exercises with answers, relevant papers
are included as well as a pdf of allslides. The course is based on the book A
Pharmacology Primer: Techniques for More Effective and Strategic Drug
Discovery. 4th Edition, Elsevier/Academic Press, 2014. The table of contents of
this book can be viewed here.
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 7
Applying Pharmacology
to New Drug Discovery
The System-Independent Quantification of Molecular Drug
Properties for Prediction of Therapeutic Utility
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 8
Novel Preclinical Models
in Oncology
4th
Annual
PDX and Other Models to Inform Clinical Trials and Guide Patient Care
June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA
Suggested Event Package:
June 10-11: Novel Preclinical Models in Oncology Conference
June 11-12: Tumor Models for Cancer Immunotherapy Conference
June 11 Dinner Short Course*: PDX Models Update
* Separate registration required.
Conferences Dedicated to Preclinical Models in Oncology
at World Preclinical Congress 2015
June 10-11
Preclinical Models in Oncology
Imaging in Oncology
June 11-12
Tumor Models for Immunotherapy
3D Cellular Models
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10
7:00 am Registration and Morning Coffee
MODELING FOR CANCER GENOMIC MEDICINE
7:55 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
« 8:00 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: ENGINEERINGTHE
CANCER GENOME
Tyler Jacks, Ph.D., Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT
8:30 Session Break
8:35 Preclinical Models Uncover a Novel Notch Mutant Oncogenic
Driver Class inTriple Negative Breast Cancer Sensitive to a Gamma
Secretase Inhibitor
Peter Olson, Ph.D., Senior Principal Scientist, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals
While the Notch pathway is reportedly activated in breast cancer, the molecular
mechanisms leading to hyperactivation are poorly understood. To identify predictive
biomarkers for the gamma secretase inhibitor PF-03084014, we sequenced
sensitive PDX models and mined The Cancer Genome Atlas. We uncovered a
disparate array of alterations in the extracellular and PEST domains in multiple
Notch receptors that activated the pathway and were sensitive to drug. These data
define a new oncogenic driver class that may respond to Notch targeted therapies.
9:05 Patient Derived Xenograft ClinicalTrial Program Sponsored by
Neal Goodwin, Ph.D., Director, Corporate Research
Development, Champions Oncology
A PDX clinical program to guide patient treatment has engrafted 750 patient
specimens with a 70% patient tumor take rate and a 80% correlative treatment
accuracy in completed clinical tests. This program has been expanded to support
predictive clinical trials for breast, sarcoma, and lung cancers in partnership with
clinical trial centers and cooperative trial groups. Ultimately, this program will
include matched patient translational studies across numerous patient models for
Phase II trial patient stratification.
9:35 Next-Generation Genetically Engineered Cancer Models
Professor Dieter Saur, M.D., Consultant and Senior Group Leader, Technische
Universität München (TUM), School of Medicine
We generated an inducible dual-recombinase based PDAC model that permits
spatial and temporal control of gene expression. This tool provides unparalleled
access to the native biology of cancer cells and their hosting stroma, and rigorous
genetic validation of candidate therapeutic targets. We performed tumor cell-
autonomous and non-autonomous targeting, uncovered hallmarks of human
multistep carcinogenesis, validated genetic tumor therapy, and showed that mast
cells in the tumor microenvironment, which had been thought to be key oncogenic
players, are in fact dispensable for tumor formation.
10:05 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
ANALYSING AND LEVERAGING RESULTS
10:50 Statistical Analysis of PDX Studies and Preclinical Phase-II-Like
Trials (PP2T) at EMD Serono
Anderson Clark, Ph.D., Director, In vivo Pharmacology, Oncology, EMD Serono
Research  Development Institute
At EMD Serono, we use PDX models in Preclinical Phase 2-LikeTrials (PP2T) to
support Phase 2 clinical decisions for which the use of statistics has become
paramount. Working closely with clinical biostatisticians, we have developed
statistical approaches to different aspects of the trials which will be discussed, such
as trial design, relationships between preclinical responses and RECIST criteria,
responses and how to measure them, and determining treatment differences.
11:20The Art of the Cocktail: Optimizing Multidrug Combinations in
Preclinical Studies
Arijit Chakravarty, Ph.D., Director, Modeling  Simulation (DMPK), Takeda
Pharmaceutical International Co.
The design of optimal combinations relies on maximizing combination efficacy for
a given toxicity budget. This presentation will describe the development of novel
mathematical modeling methods (based on tricks used by bartenders to develop
recreational cocktails), to visualize and design efficient studies for two-drug (and
higher-order) combinations, and their application in a practical drug development
context, showing their impact on actual study design, and validation with in
vivo datasets.
11:50 Evaluating Efficacy Coupled withToxicity in
Sponsored by
a Preclinical Model of Head and Neck Cancer
Maria L. Mancini, Ph.D., Associate Director Research, Biomodels, LLC
Chemoradiation used for the treatment of HNC results in regimen- related mucosal
toxicity (mucositis) which impedes optimum cancer therapy and causes significant
physiologic and resource adversities. We present a new, highly translational animal
model which simultaneously assesses both the targeted efficacy of new anti-tumor
agents and their impact on mucositis.
12:05 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
12:20 pm LUNCHEON PRESENTATION:
Sponsored by
2nd
Generation PDX Models Can Help the
Progression of Precision Medicine
Jean-François Mirjolet, Ph.D., Technology Director, Oncodesign
Panels of PDX models reflecting the genetic diversity of human cancers can
increase the predictivity of patients’ tumor response to treatments. But there is
still a critical need for better predictive models for novel agents targeting the tumor
microenvironment. In addition to the well characterized syngeneic models used for
immuno-oncology drug testing, Oncodesign developed highly refined PDX models
in microenvironment-humanized mice, demonstrating usefulness in PDX tumor
dissemination and immuno-oncology research.
1:00 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 9
Novel Preclinical Models in Oncology
4th
Annual June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA
IMAGING ADVANCES AND END POINTS IN CANCER
RESEARCH
1:30 Chairperson’s Remarks
1:35Translational Imaging in Oncology
Daniel P. Bradley, Ph.D., Head, Biomedical Imaging, Takeda Boston, Takeda
Pharmaceuticals International Co.
Daniel will present on a number of programs that he has directly worked on,
or working on, that have been developed in translational imaging in oncology.
Importantly, this talk will highlight important lessons learned about collaboration,
timing, perspectives and science with a hope that other groups in the imaging
community can leverage this information for future developments. The Biomedical
Imaging Group balances its portfolio between the use of conventional imaging
biomarkers used in a novel biological and/or pharmacological context to advanced
imaging techniques.
2:05 Non-Invasive and Simultaneous Measurement of
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics in Preclinical Cancer
Models
Werner Scheuer, Research Leader, Pharma Research and Early Development,
Discovery Oncology, Roche Diagnostics GmbH
Non-invasive imaging modalities (optical and micro-computed tomography) in
combination with ex vivo analysis (3D-multispectral fluorescence microscopy,
FACS) are an undispensable tool to assess the anti-tumoral efficacy of new
compounds. Proliferation of tumor cells, metastasis, angiogenesis, and induction of
apoptosis as well as phosphorylation of kinases can be monitored in mice carrying
tumor cells s.c. or orthotopically. The quantification of these pharmacodynamics
(Pd) read-outs are combined with optical pharmacokinetics (Pk). The simultaneous
measurement of Pd and Pk reduces the number of animals significantly and
provides a comprehensive evaluation of new drugs.
2:35 NormalizingTumor Microvasculature and Microenvironment
Dai Fukumura, M.D., Ph.D., Deputy Director, Edwin L. Steele Laboratory; Biologist,
Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Associate
Professor, Harvard Medical School
Intravital microscopy techniques and sophisticated animal models have been
providing unprecedented molecular, cellular, anatomical and functional insights
in tumor biology. Tumor microvasculature is structurally and functionally abnormal
hindering drug delivery and inducing a hostile microenvironment that causes
ineffectiveness of anti-tumor treatments. Imbalance of pro- and anti-angiogenic
factors is causing these pathophysiological features in the tumor. Hence, restoring
the balance of these factors in tumors may “normalize” tumor vasculature, improve
its function and microenvironment, and enhance the efficacy of cytotoxic therapies.
3:05 Development of Companion Diagnostics: An Imaging Approach
Susanta Sarkar, Ph.D., Director, Translational/Clinical Imaging, Sanofi Oncology
Development of companion diagnostics will improve the benefit to risk
ratio of a given therapy and thus will help reduce drug development costs
significantly. A molecular imaging approach allows noninvasive assessment of
target expression and its interaction with drugs in situ. This presentation will
elaborate on these approaches for the successful development of imaging based
companion diagnostics.
3:35 Presentation to be Announced Sponsored by
3:50 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
»»5:00 PLENARY KEYNOTE PANEL (see page 2 for details)
6:00 Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
7:00 Close of Day
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups
Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures
focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and
the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking.
Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website.
MODELING CANCER HETEROGENEITY
8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks
8:45 ModelingTumor Cell Dormancy in the Mouse
Jeffrey E. Green, M.D., Chief, Transgenic Oncogenesis and Genomics Section,
Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute
Although dissemination of tumor cells often occurs at early stages of cancer,
clinical recurrence as metastatic disease may not become manifest until many
years later following a period of tumor cell dormancy. Modeling the process of
tumor dormancy is critical for understanding mechanisms governing late tumor
recurrence and translating this knowledge into potential therapeutic or preventive
strategies. Recent advances in studying tumor dormancy and potential translational
approaches to improve survival will be presented.
9:15 Applications of CRISPR-Cas9 for in vivo Genome Editing
Randall Platt, Biological Engineering, MIT, Laboratory of Feng Zhang
CRISPR-Cas9 is a versatile genome editing technology for studying the function of
genetic elements. To broadly enable the application of Cas9 in vivo, we established
a Cre-dependent Cas9 knockin mouse and demonstrated genome editing using
adeno-associated virus (AAV)-, lentivirus-, or particle-mediated delivery of guide
RNA in neurons, immune cells and endothelial cells. These genome editing
strategies empower a wide range of biological and disease modeling applications.
9:45 Dual Wnt and EGFR-MAPK Dependency of BRAFV600E-Mutant
Colorectal Cancer
Youzhen Wang, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical
Research
Aberrant Wnt pathway activation due to inactivating mutations of RNF43 may
contribute to the unresponsiveness of BRAFV600E colorectal cancer (CRC) to
BRAF inhibitors. To determine if RNF43 mutations confer Wnt dependency in
BRAFV600E CRC, we tested three BRAFV600E;RNF43-mutant CRC PDX models
with the porcupine inhibitor WNT974, antagonist of Wnt signaling. We found the
triple combination of WNT974+LGX818+cetuximab were efficacious in all three
models, which suggest the Wnt and EGFR-MAPK pathways may jointly promote
tumorigenesis of BRAFV600E-mutant CRC.
10:15 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
10:45 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
11:30 Preclinical Models for Precision Medicine in Metastatic
Colorectal Cancer: Challenges and Opportunities
Livio Trusolino, M.D., Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Oncological
Sciences, University of Torino School of Medicine, Laboratory of Molecular
Pharmacology, IRCC, Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment
Our objective is to unravel the signaling pathways and genomic makeups that
mediate responsiveness to anticancer therapies, with an emphasis on colorectal
cancer. To this aim, we use different technological platforms (phosphoproteomics,
next-gen DNA/RNA sequencing) and experimental settings (patient-derived
tumorgrafts and patient-derived cancer cell lines). Our pipeline involves the
integration of large-scale data for discovery, followed by cell-based mechanistic
insight and validation in animal models. This knowledge will form a predictive basis
for the rational identification of novel tumor targets.
12:00 pm PANEL DISCUSSION: Modeling and Researching Cancer
Metastasis
Moderator: Bruce R. Zetter, Ph.D., Charles Nowiszewski Professor of Cancer
Biology, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School
Panelists: Speakers of the Day
12:30 Close of Conference
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 10
2nd
Annual
June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA
Suggested Event Package:
June 10-11: Novel Preclinical Models in Oncology Conference
June 11-12: Tumor Models for Cancer Immunotherapy Conference
June 11 Dinner Short Course*: PDX Models Update
* Separate registration required.
Conferences Dedicated to Preclinical Models in Oncology
at World Preclinical Congress 2015
June 10-11
Preclinical Models in Oncology
Imaging in Oncology
June 11-12
Tumor Models for Immunotherapy
3D Cellular Models
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
12:00 pm Registration
TRANSLATIONAL IMMUNO-ONCOLOGY
2:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
2:05 PreclinicalTumor Models for Evaluating Bispecific RedirectedT
CellTherapeutics
Chad May, Ph.D., Director, Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer
Strong evidence exists supporting the important role T-cells play in the immune
response against tumors. Still, the ability to initiate tumor specific immune
responses remains a challenge. We have developed a bispecific protein engineered
with enhanced pharmacokinetic properties to extend in vivo half-life, and designed
to engage and activate endogenous polyclonal T cell populations via the CD3
complex in the presence of tumors expressing target antigens.
2:35 Joint Presentation: Preclinical to ClinicalTranslation of Anti-PD-1
Blockade
David Kaufman, M.D., Ph.D., Director/Senior Principal Scientist, Oncology/
Immunotherapy Clinical Research, Merck
Elaine Pinheiro, Ph.D., Associate Principal Scientist, In vivo Pharmacology –
Oncology, Merck Research Laboratories
Keytruda® (pembrolizumab), a PD-1-specific monoclonal antibody, is approved in
the U.S. for advanced melanoma, and is being studied in 30 cancers. We have
generated a murine surrogate antibody (muDX400) and determined mechanistic
features of PD-1 inhibition in preclinical tumor models. Gene and protein
expression signatures reveal determinants of response and resistance. In addition,
muDX400 has been combined with chemotherapies, targeted therapies, and
other immunotherapies, and the systemic and intratumoral immune landscape
has been evaluated. These data will facilitate the clinical development of both
pembrolizumab monotherapy and combination therapies. In particular, these data
will support the development of novel mechanistic biomarkers that will aid in the
customization of immunotherapeutic regimens, elucidation of novel determinants
of response, and identification of early indicators of on-treatment response. In
turn, data from clinical trials can be used to improve the predictive power of
the nonclinical workstream and speed the preclinical development of novel
immunotherapeutic agents.
3:35 Presentation to be Announced
Sponsored by
4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
4:45Translational Approaches to Preclinical Evaluation of Immune
Oncology Agents
Brett Hall, Ph.D., Senior Director  Head, Translational Medicine-Oncology,
MedImmune
An expanding body of basic and translational research has established a solid
framework for how the tumor microenvironment (TME) influences cancer biology.
The TME influences tumor immune recognition as well as metabolic activity, tumor
survival, genomic instability, epigenetic state, metastatic progression, tumor
proliferation and therapeutic resistance. For effective clinical translation of immune
mediated therapies, it is essential that preclinical models adequately address key
immuno-modulatory aspects of the human TME.
ENHANCING IMMUNE RESPONSE
5:15 Adoptive Immunotherapy of Cancer Using ex vivo Expanded
Vg9Vd2T Cells
John Maher, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Lecturer in Immunology, NIHR Biomedical,
Research Centre at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College
London
Vg9Vd2 T-cells recognize phosphoantigen intermediates of mevalonate metabolism
and thereby play an important role in tumor immunosurveillance. We have
developed systems to expand these cells ex-vivo by over 2000-fold in 2 weeks,
enhancing the feasibility of clinical immunotherapy using this approach. Expanded
cells exhibit potent anti-tumor activity in xenograft models of ovarian cancer
and acute myeloid leukemia in a manner that is potentiated by either free or
liposome-encapsulated aminobisphosphonates.
5:45 Enhancing Immune Response to DC/Tumor Fusion Cell
Vaccination for theTreatment of Hematologic Malignancies
Jacalyn Rosenblatt, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Harvard
Medical School
DC/tumor fusion cell vaccination has demonstrated potent immune responses,
and clinical responses in a subset of patients. Strategies to augment immune
response to vaccination depend on overcoming the immunosuppressive milieu
characteristic of patients with malignancy. Combining vaccination with checkpoint
blockade and immunomodulatory drugs are being evalauted in clinical trials. In pre-
clinical models, we have demonstrated that MUC1 plays a critical role in mediating
immune tolerance. Strategies to block MUC1 mediated signalling are being
evaluated as a means of augmenting response to immunotherapy.
6:15 Close of Day
FRIDAY, JUNE 12
7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups
Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures
focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and
the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking.
Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website.
Tumor Models for Cancer 
Immunotherapy
Assessing Antitumor Activity and Safety of Immunotherapy Programs
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 11
Tumor Models for CancerImmunotherapy
2nd
Annual
June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA
DESIGNING AND ASSESSING COMBINATIONS
8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks
8:45 Identification of Novel Immune-Modulatory Combination
thoughTranscriptomic and Proteomic-Based Analysis ofTumor
Models
Daniela Cipolletta, Ph.D., Research Investigator, Clinical Translational Oncology,
TCO, Novartis Oncology
We have used transcriptomic and proteomic approaches to monitor the immune
response following perturbation of key onco-pathway and immune-checkpoint
nodes in preclinical tumor models. This approach has enabled our understanding
of tumor induced immune modulation and the identification of novel combinatorial
strategies in specific cancer settings
9:15 Combining RadiationTherapy and Cancer Immunotherapy:
Preclinical Assessment andTranslational Approaches
Maria Angelica Cortez, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Experimental Radiation
Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
The immune-modulating effects of radiation therapy have recently gained
considerable interest and there have been multiple reports of synergy between
radiation and immunotherapy. However, additional pre-clinical studies are needed
to demonstrate the antigen-specific nature of radiation induced immune responses
and elucidate potential mechanisms of synergy withimmunotherapy. Here we
demonstrate the ability of stereotactic radiotherapy to induce endogenous
antigen-specific immune responses when combined with anti-PD-1 checkpoint
blockade immunotherapy.
9:45 Personalized Mouse Model for Preclinical
Testing
Sponsored by
of DrugsTargeting Immune Checkpoints
Keren Paz, Ph.D., CSO, Champions Oncology
The blockade of immune checkpoints is a promising therapeutic avenue for cancer
therapy, with durable objective responses observed in patients with various
solid tumors. However, current animal models often fail to accurately identify
immunotherapies with the greatest clinical potential and there exists a need for
reliable preclinical tools to test these drugs directly against human cancers. To
circumvent this limitation, Champions Oncology has developed the ImmunoGraft,
whereby two innovative technologies, the Champions TumorGraft (a type of patient-
derived xenograft) and humanized mice (immunodeficient mice reconstituted with
a human immune system), are combined in a single platform.
10:15 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
11:00 Developing and Deploying Novel Experimental Model Systems
in Ovarian Cancer for Improved Drug Discovery
Ronny I. Drapkin, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Ovarian Cancer Research Center, Perelman
School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
The emergence of the fallopian tube as a dominant site of origin for high-grade
serous ovarian carcinomas has sparked the development of novel model systems,
including PDX and GEM models, that are impacting development of novel drug
therapies, methods for early detection and approaches to chemo- and immuno-
prevention. Examples of how these models are being integrated to address key
clinical issues will be discussed.
11:30 A Rapid Establishment of Patient DerivedTumor Xenograft
Microenvironments that Enable Preclinical Evaluations of Chemo-
ImmuneTherapeutic Strategies
Richard B. Bankert, V.M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Microbiology and
Immunology, State University of NY at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical
Sciences
We report here a simple and reliable model system in which ovarian tumor cell
aggregates implanted intraperitoneally into severely immunodeficient NSG mice
establish tumor microenvironments within the omentum within one week. The
rapid establishment of tumor xenografts within this small anatomically well-defined
site enables the recovery, characterization, and quantification of tumor and tumor-
associated T cells.
12:00 pm PANEL DISCUSSION: Designing and Assessing
Combinations
Panelists: Speakers of the Session
12:30 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
12:45 LUNCHEON PRESENTATION: Humanized
Immune System Mice for Immuno-Oncology
Applications
Sponsored by
Leon L. Hall, Ph.D., Senior Director, Global Scientific Development
and Translational Discovery Services, Taconic Biosciences, Inc.
Mouse models are widely used in preclinical oncology research but species
differences can limit efficacy predictions for clinical translation. Taconic
Biosciences’ Immune system humanization program is being leveraged to
accelerate efficacy and safety testing of novel immunotherapies. An overview of
Taconic’s humanization program will include data showing the utility of humanized
mice in PDX applications for immuno-oncology drug development. Additionally,
recent advances utilizing next generation humanized mice will be presented.
1:30 Session Break
TOOLS ANDTECHNOLOGIES
2:00 Chairperson’s Remarks
2:05 Genetic Engineering of the Mouse Immune System toTest
Novel Cancer Immuno-Therapuetics
Gavin Thurston, Ph.D., Vice President, Oncology  Angiogenesis Research,
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
One of the challenges in developing clinical immuno-therapeutics is testing these
agents in relevant preclinical tumor models. A particular issue has been the lack
of cross-reactivity of human-specific therapeutic monoclonal antibodies to murine
targets. We have used VelociGene® technology to humanize a variety of targets
within the immune system, allowing us to test and compare novel immuno-
therapeutics. Examples will be provided for immune modulatory antibodies and
bispecific antibodies.
2:35 ImmunoPET Imaging in the Development ofTherapeutic
Antibodies
Jan Marik, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Imaging, Genentech, Inc.
Positron emission tomography with radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies
(ImmunoPET) is becoming a valuable tool in translational development of
therapeutic antibodies. The half-life of positron emitting radionuclide 89Zr (3.3d)
matches well the pharmacokinetics of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) hence good
quality images can be obtained and inform about the biodistribution of the drug
and/or the targeted antigen. Examples of pre-clinical and clinical use of 89Zr-mAbs
in the development of targeted cancer therapeutics will be discussed.
3:05 Imaging the Immune Response to Cancer
Michael Dougan, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Medical Oncology and Cancer
Vaccine Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Appropriate surrogate endpoints for monitoring immune therapy to cancer are
currently lacking. My talk will cover work we are doing in the lab to use single
domain camelid derived antibodies conjugated to radioisotypes to image the
response to anti-cancer immune therapy by positron emission tomography. We
envision this strategy as potentially providing a novel means for tracking immune
therapies for cancer, with the potential to guide therapy as well as assist in the
generation of new treatment.
3:35 Close of Conference
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 12
Translational Imaging in
Cancer Drug Development
6th
Annual
Novel Imaging Probes and Technologies in Oncology
June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA
Suggested Event Package:
June 9 Dinner Short Course*: Imaging in Cancer Research
June 10-11: Translational Imaging in Cancer Drug Development Conference
June 11-12: Tumor Models for Cancer Immunotherapy Conference
* Separate registration required.
Conferences Dedicated to Preclinical Models in Oncology
at World Preclinical Congress 2015
June 10-11
Preclinical Models in Oncology
Imaging in Oncology
June 11-12
Tumor Models for Immunotherapy
3D Cellular Models
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10
7:00 am Registration and Morning Coffee
TRANSLATIONAL IMAGING IN ONCOLOGY
7:55 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
»»8:00 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: ENGINEERINGTHE
CANCER GENOME
Tyler Jacks, Ph.D., Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT
8:30 Session Break
8:35 Improving Decision Making For Drug Discovery and Early
Development In Oncology With Imaging
Paul McCracken, Ph.D., Director of Imaging, Biomarkers and Personalized Medicine
CFU, Eisai
Due to high cost and low probability of success, the pharmaceutical industry
needs to improve the decision making process for compounds entering Phase I,
better using Phase I studies for decision making beyond safety, and improving the
quality of compounds entering clinical trials. Imaging biomarkers can significantly
contribute to the decision making process, such as supporting target engagement,
proof of concept, drug safety, patient selection, and dose selection.
9:05 EnablingTranslational Cancer Research and Drug Development
ThroughThe Integration Of Preclinical Imaging
Quang-Dé Nguyen, Ph.D., Director of the Lurie Family Imaging Center, Senior
Scientist, Center for Biomedical Imaging in Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
The Lurie Family Imaging Center (LFIC), the preclinical arm of the Center for
Biomedical Imaging in Oncology (CBIO) at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is a
state-of-the-art imaging facility that conducts interdisciplinary in vivo translational
and experimental therapeutics studies focused on cancer, with an emphasis
on assessment of novel cancer therapeutics, multimodality imaging of cancer,
molecular imaging of pharmacodynamic efficacy, development of novel probes, and
target validation.
9:35 Click-mediatedTherapy for HER2-positive Breast Cancer
Dmitri Artemov, Ph.D., Associate Professor Departments of Radiology and
Oncology , The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Treatment of HER2-positive tumors that have innate or acquired resistant to
trastuzumab is an important clinical problem. Here we report a two-component
delivery system for induced internalization of HER2-targeted nanocarriers
with therapeutic cargo based on click-chemistry in situ reaction between the
pretargeting and therapy carrier components. This pretargeting strategy provides
image guidance for therapeutic applications and has been validated in preclinical
models of breast cancer.
10:05 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
TRANSLATIONAL IMAGING IN ONCOLOGY
(CONTINUED)
10:50 Use of Echocardiography for Safety De-Risking of Oncology
Drug Candidates
Terri A. Swanson, MA, LATg, PMP, Preclinical Ultrasound, Global Science 
Technology Worldwide Comparative Medicine, Pfizer
Cardiotoxicity is a common finding in safety studies of oncology drug candidates.
Changes in cardiac function are an important endpoint for patients taking
these medications. We will discuss the use of high frequency ultrasound
echocardiography in the rodent for predicting cardiac safety from oncology
candidates and certain classes of compounds. Rodent and large animal
echocardiography provides standard clinical endpoints such as ejection fraction,
fractional shortening and cardiac output for these studies and can be directly
translated to the human clinic.
11:20 Proteomic Imaging of Caveolae to Penetrate SolidTumors
Jan E. Schnitzer, M.D., Director, Professor of Cellular  Molecular Biology, PRISM,
Proteogenomics Research Institute for Systems Medicine
Access inside solid tumors is poor yet critical for imaging and therapeutic agents
to be effective. These agents rely on passive movement across endothelial barriers
to reach targets inside tumors. Our “proteomic-imaging” efforts discovered a
new pathway and class of delivery targets for active transport into tumors. In
vivo imaging reveals caveolae-targeted antibodies, drugs, imaging agents, and
nanoparticles being pumped across endothelium to achieve 100-fold more tumor
delivery and efficacy.
11:50 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
12:20 pm Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)
or Enjoy Lunch onYour Own
1:00 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
IMAGING ADVANCES AND END POINTS IN CANCER
RESEARCH
1:30 Chairperson’s Remarks
1:35Translational Imaging in Oncology
Daniel P. Bradley, Ph.D., Head of Biomedical Imaging at Takeda Boston, Takeda
Pharmaceuticals International Co.
Daniel will present on a number of programs that he has directly worked on,
or working on, that have been developed in translational imaging in oncology.
Importantly, this talk will highlight important lessons learned about collaboration,
timing, perspectives and science with a hope that other groups in the imaging
community can leverage this information for future developments. The Biomedical
Imaging Group balances its portfolio between the use of conventional imaging
biomarkers used in a novel biological and/or pharmacological context to advanced
imaging techniques.
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 13
Translational Imaging in Cancer
Drug Development
6th
Annual
June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA
2:05 Non-Invasive and Simultaneous Measurement of
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics in Preclinical Cancer Models
Werner Scheuer, Research Leader, Pharma Research and Early Development,
Discovery Oncology, Roche Diagnostics GmbH
Non-invasive imaging modalities (optical and micro-computed tomography) in
combination with ex vivo analysis (3D-multispectral fluorescence microscopy,
FACS) are an undispensable tool to assess the anti-tumoral efficacy of new
compounds. Proliferation of tumor cells, metastasis, angiogenesis, and induction of
apoptosis as well as phosphorylation of kinases can be monitored in mice carrying
tumor cells s.c. or orthotopically. The quantification of these pharmacodynamics
(Pd) read-outs are combined with optical pharmacokinetics (Pk). The simultaneous
measurement of Pd and Pk reduces the number of animals significantly and
provides a comprehensive evaluation of new drugs.
2:35 NormalizingTumor Microvasculature and Microenvironment
Dai Fukumura, M.D., Ph.D., Deputy Director, Edwin L. Steele Laboratory; Biologist,
Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Associate
Professor, Harvard Medical School
Intravital microscopy techniques and sophisticated animal models have been
providing unprecedented molecular, cellular, anatomical and functional insights
in tumor biology. Tumor microvasculature is structurally and functionally abnormal
hindering drug delivery and inducing a hostile microenvironment that causes
ineffectiveness of anti-tumor treatments. Imbalance of pro- and anti-angiogenic
factors is causing these pathophysiological features in the tumor. Hence, restoring
the balance of these factors in tumors may “normalize” tumor vasculature, improve
its function and microenvironment, and enhance the efficacy of cytotoxic therapies.
3:05 Companion Diagnostic Co-Development Models
Susanta Sarkar, Ph.D., Director, Translational/Clinical Imaging, Sanofi Oncology
A number of antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) are currently in clinical trials driven
by recent technological progress. However, most ADC targets are not universally
expressed on a given tumor type and will require a companion diagnostic to
select patients that are likely to benefit from the particular ADC. A non-invasive
imaging-based companion diagnostic will allow real time measurement of
antigen expression in the tumor, thus enabling patient stratification in real time by
identifying patients who are likely to respond to the ADC.
3:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
»»5:00 PLENARY KEYNOTE PANEL (see page 2 for details)
6:00 Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
7:00 Close of Day
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups
Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures
focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and
the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking.
Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website.
CASE STUDIES
8:35 Preclinical Development of Peptide Radiotracers for Detecting
Visceral Amyloid Associated with Multiple Myeloma
Jonathan Wall, Ph.D., Professor of Medicine, Human Immunology and Cancer
Program; Director, Amyloid and Preclinical Molecular Imaging Laboratory, University
of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine
Multiple myeloma, the second most common hematologic malignancy in the US,
and related plasma cell dyscrasias, are characterized by the secretion of monoclonal
immunoglobulin light chains that often deposit as insoluble amyloid fibrils in visceral
organs. The abundance of amyloid deposits and their anatomic distribution often
inform prognosis and treatment options. At present there are no clinical methods
for the non-invasive, quantitative measurement of amyloid. To this end we have
generated synthetic, poly-basic peptides that preferentially bind amyloid and, when
radiolabeled, can be used for disease detection by molecular imaging.
9:05 PARP1 Status Annotation in Cancers of the Oral Cavity
Thomas Reiner, Ph.D., Assistant Member, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer
Center; Assistant Attending Chemist, Radiochemistry  Imaging Sciences Service;
Assistant Professor, Weill Cornell Medical College
The enzyme PARP1 has attracted attention for its diagnostic and prognostic value,
and quantification of PARP1 expression could impact the clinical decision-making
process directly. A noninvasive imaging tool that can unambiguously quantify the
expression of PARP1 in vivo, however, is an unmet clinical goal. Here, we report on
the use of a PARP1 imaging agent as a probe for the early detection of oral cancer,
discuss its pharmacological properties and selectivity in vivo, and illustrate its
potential impact on future clinical research.
9:45 Utility of 3D Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Imaging in Subject
Stratification andTreatment Prediction
Srivalleesha Mallidi, Ph.D., Research Fellow, Laboratory ofTayyaba Hasan, Harvard-MIT
Prediction of response and tumor recurrence following a given therapy is necessary
for effective treatment. In this talk, we demonstrate an approach towards this goal
with an example of photodynamic therapy (PDT) as the treatment modality and
photoacoustic imaging (PAI) as a non-invasive, response and disease recurrence
monitor in a murine model of glioblastoma (GBM). PDT is a photochemistry-based,
clinically used technique that consumes oxygen to generate cytotoxic species thus
causing changes in blood oxygen saturation (StO2).
10:15 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
10:45 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
IMAGE GUIDED INTERVENTIONS
11:30 Drug and Diagnostic Imaging with Mass Spectrometry
Nathalie Agar, PhD, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, Assistant Professor of
Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Director, Surgical Molecular Imaging
»»12:00 PM KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: CLINICAL
TRANSLATION OF NEAR-INFRARED FLUORESCENCE
IMAGING FOR IMAGE-GUIDED SURGERY
John V. Frangioni, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Medicine and
Radiology, Harvard Medical School
Invisible near-infrared (NIR) light in the 700 nm to 900 nm range penetrates
several millimeters into living tissue. In conjunction with target-specific
fluorescent contrast agents, NIR light can highlight all desired structures
on the surgical field, such as tumors that need to be resected and critical
structures that need to be avoided. This talk will introduce the first principles
of near-infrared light for surgical guidance and review clinical translation of
NIR imaging systems and contrast agents.
12:30 Close of Conference
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 14
Inaugural
June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA
Suggested Event Package:
June 10-11: New Models for Predicting Drug Toxicity Conference
June 11-12: 3D Cellular Models Conference
June 11 Dinner Short Course*: 3D Printing
* Separate registration required.
Conferences Dedicated to Preclinical Models in Oncology
at World Preclinical Congress 2015
June 10-11
Preclinical Models in Oncology
Imaging in Oncology
June 11-12
Tumor Models for Immunotherapy
3D Cellular Models
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
12:00 pm Registration
APPLYING 3D MODELS FORTOXICOLOGY RESEARCH
2:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Jeffrey Morgan, Ph.D., Professor, Medical Science and Engineering, Department of
Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Biotechnology, Brown University
« 2:05 FEATURED PRESENTATION: 3D
SPHEROIDS FOR INVESTIGATING DRUG
UPTAKE, ACCUMULATION ANDTRANSPORT
Jeffrey Morgan, Ph.D., Professor, Medical Science and
Engineering, Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology
and Biotechnology, Brown University
In addition to recapitulating normal and disease phenotypes, the
small 3D microtissues formed by multi-cellular spheroids also mimic the physical/
biological barriers to drug penetration that are significant contributors to a drug’s
efficacy as well as toxicity.This talk covers the use of micro-mold technology to
form long-lived designer spheroids and their use to quantify drug transport.
2:35 Engineered 3D Microsystems: Recapitulating in vivo Form,
Function and Responses
Christopher S. Chen, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Boston University
andWyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University
The 3D organization of cells defines the adhesive, mechanical and soluble
microenvironment that ultimately governs cell phenotype. Understanding how
forces, form and cellular function are related provides a mechanism for engineering
3D cultures that can more faithfully reproduce in vivo function.This presentation
discusses both the underlying fundamental insights and examples of engineered
cultures that have the potential for enhancing discovery, validation and safety studies.
3:05 WhenTime Is theThird Dimension: Combining Computer
Simulation and PrimaryTissue Cell Culture to IdentifyTissue Stem
Cell-Toxic Drug Candidates
James L. Sherley, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Asymmetrex, LLC
Screening out drug candidates that are toxic to tissue stem cells before
conventional preclinical testing would accelerate drug development and reduce its
high cost. Human tissue stem cell toxicity may also elude animal testing and lead
to even more expensive failures due to intolerable toxicity in clinical trials or after
marketing. AlphaSTEM is a new computer simulation technology for predicting
tissue stem cell toxicity against any human tissue in a relatively inexpensive cell
culture format.
TAKING SCREENING INTO A NEW DIMENSION
3:35 NanoCulture Plate (NCP): ScaffoldType
Sponsored by
High-Throughput 3D Cell Culture System
M. Mamunur Rahman, Ph.D., PI  Lab Director, 3D Cell Culture, SCIVAX USA, Inc.
NCP is engineered with micro-patterned square or honeycomb structure on the
plate surface that supports cells to form cell spheroid. NCP is prime for many
studies, i.e. signaling, hypoxia, live imaging, anti-cancer drug sensitivity screen,
primary cancer cell culture, EMT assay, toxicology or regenerative medicine
researches, co-culture, and stem cells differentiation.
3:50 Use of Co-Spheroids Systems for the Sponsored by
Analysis of the Impact of Stromal Cells on Anti-
Cancer Drug Activity
Jan E. Ehlert, Ph.D., Head, Cellular Drug Discovery, ProQinase GmbH
In cancer treatment, stroma-derived microenvironmental cues are suspected to
exert an adversary impact on anti-cancer drug efficacy. For taking such influences
into account, we established a spheroid-based co-culture system for the analysis
of compound effects on the proliferation of tumor as well as of stromal cells.
This modular HTS-compatible assay system generates information on stroma-
attenuated drug activity that may prove valuable in early drug development to focus
on compounds that remain active under microenvironmental conditions.
4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
4:45 Challenges  Opportunities toward Enabling Phenotypic
Screening of Complex  3D Cell Models
Christophe Antczak, Ph.D., Laboratory Head, CPC Integrated Lead Discovery,
Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research
More and more complex and three-dimensional cell models derived from primary or iPS
cells are described that recapitulate aspects of in vivo tissue organization and function.
Challenges toward enabling high-throughput phenotypic assays relying on these
emerging models can be overcome by new opportunities in detection technologies.
Progress toward enabling live, minimally invasive readouts is key to being able to take full
advantage of more physiologically relevant cell models in drug discovery.
5:15 Developing More Disease-Predictive Assays for
Phenotypic Screening
Fabien Vincent, Ph.D., Associate Research Fellow, Assay Development
and Pharmacology, Hit Discovery and Lead Profiling, Pfizer Global
Research  Development
Phenotypic screening promises to positively impact the translation of preclinical
discoveries to the clinic. Nonetheless, not all phenotypic screens will offer the
same potential in that regard. A critical question then follows: What are the
characteristics of the best phenotypic screens? This presentation covers an analysis
of this question conducted by a team of Pfizer scientists as well as proposes three
specific criteria to help identify and design the most promising screens.
5:45 3D Skin Equivalents for theAssessment of Skin Health Benefits
Teresa DiColandrea, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Life Sciences Innovation Core, Procter
 Gamble
Three-dimensional skin and hair equivalents offer the potential for preclinical
assessment of technologies for skin health but face challenges in specificity,
robustness, scale and cost for integration into screening methods. Examples of
characterization and application of 3D models for preclinical studies will be discussed.
6:15 Close of Day
3D Cellular Models
Revitalizing Phenotypic Screening
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 15
3D Cellular Models
Inaugural
June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA
FRIDAY, JUNE 12
7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups
Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures
focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and
the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking.
Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website.
APPLYING 3D MODELS FOR ONCOLOGY RESEARCH
8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks
Christophe Antczak, Ph.D., Laboratory Head, CPC Integrated Lead Discovery,
Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research
« 8:45 FEATURED PRESENTATION: 3D
PRINTING OF IN VITRO CELL/TISSUE MODELS
FOR DRUGTESTING
Wei Sun, Ph.D., Albert Soffa Chair Professor, Mechanical
Engineering, College of Engineering, Drexel University; Professor
and Director, Biomanufacturing Research Center, Mechanical
Engineering, Tsinghua University
Rui Yao, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Biomanufacturing Research
Center, Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University
This presentation reports on the application of 3D cell printing
techniques to construct functional in vitro cell/tissue models for
drug testing. Examples of printing of HeLa cells for 3D cervical
tumor models in vitro and the printing of micro-organ devices will
be presented.
9:15 Engineering theTumor Microenvironment ex vivo forTranslation
Studies Using Patient-Derived Explants
Amir Aref, Ph.D., Instructor, Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard
Medical School
Personalized cancer medicine is based on an emerging knowledge of the cancer
mutation repertoire and the tailored application of drugs that target altered
genes or pathways in individual patients. This work will enhance studies of tumor
cell biology in a physiologic context, open a new avenue for drug screening
and biomarker development and accelerate the preclinical evaluation of novel
personalized medicine strategies for patients in real time.
9:45 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
10:15 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
11:00Targeting Biomarker Modulation, Cellular Heterogeneity and
EMT in a Microfluidic Model for 3DTumor Growth
Imran Rizvi, Ph.D., Instructor, Medicine and Dermatology, Medicine, Brigham and
Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School
Understanding the role of hydrodynamic stress as a physical modulator of genetic,
molecular and morphologic heterogeneity in tumor metastases may have important
implications in treatment resistance and the design of targeted therapies. The
impact of flow on tumor morphology and biomarker modulation was investigated
in a microfluidic model for 3D ovarian cancer. Flow-induced shear stress caused
an increase in epithelial-mesenchymal transition and increased expression and
activation of molecular markers associated with aggressive disease.
11:30 Modeling Pain and Peripheral Neuropathy Using Fibroblast-
Derived Nociceptor Neurons
Elizabeth D. Buttermore, Ph.D., Research Fellow, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center,
Boston Children’s Hospital; Neurobiology Department, Harvard Medical School
Current model systems for preclinical pain and peripheral neuropathy studies are
not providing adequate options in the clinic. To address this issue, we developed
a method for deriving nociceptor neurons in vitro from mouse and human
fibroblasts. With these derived neurons, phenotypic screens can be completed
to identify novel therapeutic strategies for ailments ranging from chronic pain
to chemotherapy-induced neuropathy, with the goal of increased success rates
moving into the clinic.
12:00 pm Cancer-on-a-Chip forTarget Identification and Drug Screening
Sophie Lelièvre, D.V.M., LLM, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Basic Medical
Sciences; Associate Director, Collaborative Science, NCI-Designated Purdue Center
for Cancer Research, Purdue University
Tissue architecture has been long known as an important feature to reproduce
in order to identify pathways that control cancer onset and progression. Here I
discuss specifically the impact of tissue geometry, notably that of ductal structures,
on the architecture and behavior of breast tumors, and the consequences for the
development and assessment of therapeutic approaches.
12:30 Drug Discovery with Patient-Specific 3D Engineered HeartTissues
Tetsuro Wakatsuki, CSO, InvivoSciences, Inc.
InvivoSciences developed an in vitro disease model that recapitulates individual
patient’s cardiomyopathy in 3D engineered heart tissues (EHTs) using the patient-
derived cells. Automated cell culture and cardiomyocyte-differentiation protocol
improved the productivity and reproducibility for generating patient-specific disease
models for drug and diagnostics development.
12:45 Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or
Enjoy Lunch onYour Own
1:30 Session Break
ENGINEERING FUNCTIONAL 3D MODELS FROM
ORGANSTO SYSTEMS
2:00 Chairperson’s Remarks (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)
« 2:05 FEATURED PRESENTATION: ORGANS-
ON-CHIPS: ENGINEERINGTHE CELLULAR
MICROENVIRONMENTTO RECREATETRUE
HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY AND ADVANCE DRUG
DISCOVERY
Geraldine A. Hamilton, Ph.D., President and CSO, Emulate; former
Senior Staff Scientist, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired
Engineering, Harvard University
Organs-on-Chips are smart in vitro surrogates of the human body that may
accelerate the identification of novel therapeutics, ensure their safety and
efficacy, and reduce significant drug development costs. We review our Organs-
on-Chips platform, which goes beyond conventional 3D cell culture models by
recapitulating tissue-tissue interfaces, spatiotemporal chemical gradients, mechanical
microenvironments and physiological function in an organ-specific context. Based on
experimental data collected from this platform, it is evident that it stands as a more
predictive, human-relevant alternative to traditional drug development methods.
2:35 Lab-on-a-ChipTechnologies for Automated High-Throughput
Drug Discovery
Jeffrey Borenstein, Ph.D., Laboratory Technical Staff, Biomedical Microsystems,
Draper Laboratory
We have developed a range of technologies capable of automating the screening
of compounds in a medium- to high-throughput manner. These technologies
have been applied to important problems in cardiovascular diseases, in addition
to kidney, liver and lung models. In this presentation we demonstrate the use of
these prototype lab-on-a-chip systems in several applications.
« 3:05 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: INTEGRATING
MULTIPLE ORGANS-ON-CHIPS: WHAT MIGHT WE
LEARN, WHAT DO WE NEED AND HOW MIGHT
WE DO IT?
John P. Wikswo, Ph.D., Founding Director, Vanderbilt Institute for
Integrative Biosystems Research and Education and Gordon A.
Cain University Professor, Vanderbilt University
Organs-on-chips (OoCs) are beginning to recapitulate human physiology in
compact, two- and three-dimensional tissue models that are more accurate
than monolayer monocultures on plastic or matrix, and minimize the dilution
of paracrine signals intrinsic to Petri-dish or well-plate culture. Refined
OoC microfluidics and analytics are now enabling the study of organ-organ
interactions, including physiological regulation and drug toxicity. The next step is
to optimize insertion of coupled OoCs into the drug development pipeline.
3:45 Close of Conference
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 16
Targeting GPCRs
Inaugural
June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA
Suggested Event Package:
June 9 Short Course*: Allosteric Modulators of GPCRs, (PAMs NAMs)
June 9 Dinner Short Course*: Biased GPCR Ligands: Towards Novel
Drug Discovery
June 10-11: Targeting GPCRs Conference
June 11-12 Training Seminar: Applying Pharmacology to New Drug Discovery
* Separate registration required.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10
7:00 am Registration and Morning Coffee
BIASED SIGNALING
8:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Conrad Cowan, Ph.D., Head, Biology, Trevena
« 8:05 KEYNOTE SPEAKER: SYSTEMS
PHARMACOLOGY LINKS GPCRS WITH RETINAL
DEGENERATIVE DISORDERS
Krzysztof Palczewski, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department
of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve
University
A systems pharmacology approach employs signaling pathways to
enhance rational therapeutic strategies for treating complex disorders/diseases.
Our proposal for systems pharmacology starts with a quantitative transcriptome
analysis not only of cells, but also of tissues and organs of interest. Next,
a reliable animal model that recapitulates the human condition(s) must be
available to investigate combinations of drugs that act on one or several network
pathways to select those most suited for human trials.
8:35 Novel Strategies for Biasing GPCR Signaling
Jeffrey L. Benovic, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) interact with three families of proteins in a
ligand-dependent manner: heterotrimeric G proteins, GPCR kinases and arrestins.
These interactions play an essential role in regulating GPCR signaling, trafficking
and degradation. In this presentation, I will highlight recent strategies used to
bias GPCR signaling with an emphasis on the use of lipidated GPCR peptides
(pepducins) to promote GPCR interaction with selective downstream targets.
9:05Translating Bias: from the Bench to the Clinic
Conrad Cowan, Ph.D., Head of Biology, Trevena
Biased ligands targeting GPCRs can selectively stimulate or inhibit distinct
downstream signaling pathways, and may provide improved therapeutic efficacy
and/or reduced side effects relative to unbiased ligands. Preclinical and clinical
data will be presented on two of our most advanced biased ligand programs, one
a β-arrestin-biased ligand of the Angiotensin type II type 1 receptor for acute heart
failure and the other a G protein-biased ligand of the μ-opioid receptor for pain.
9:35 Biased Agonists for Dopamine D2 Receptors: Novel
Antipsychotic Drugs?
John A. Allen, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Neuroscience, Pfizer
We have generated biased ligands for various Dopamine receptors to test
if selectively engaging signaling pathways will provide new therapeutics for
neurological diseases. Using the Dopamine D2 receptor as example, I will describe
our effort generating agonists that exclusively activate D2-Gi/o or D2-Beta-arrestin
signaling. Agonists that enabled arrestin engagement, but not Gi/o activation,
induced prolonged ERK signaling and showed robust antipsychotic activity with
reduced motoric side-effects in rodent models.
10:05 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
SELECTIVE SIGNALING
10:50 Ligand Bias in the Interaction of Muscarinic M3 Receptor with a
Regulator of G Protein Signaling (RGS) Complex, Gβ5-RGS7
Vladlen Z. Slepak, Ph.D., Professor, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology,
University of Miami
The G protein β subunit Gβ5 forms obligatory heterodimers with R7 family RGS
proteins. Gβ5-RGS7 can directly bind to M3R and has a dual effect: attenuates
the Ca2+ release from stores, while augmenting Ca2+ influx across the plasma
membrane. M3R-induced insulin secretion was practically eliminated by Gβ5
knockout, consistent with the idea that Gβ5-RGS7 is necessary for Ca2+ influx
in beta cells. Responses to oxotremorine-M were insensitive to Gβ5-RGS7 while
pilocarpine-induced signals were particularly strongly inhibited.
11:20 Polypharmacology and Multi-Targeted Directed Ligands
(MTDL) for GPCRs
Ronan Bureau, Ph.D., Professor, Molecular Modelling, CERMN, University of Caen,
France
The design of new type of ligands (MTDL) able to modulate several biological
pathways involved in a specific disease represent a particular challenge. The
presentation will concern our last results for alzheimer disease implying 5-HT4 and
H3 receptors.
11:50 Structure-Based Computational Approaches
for
Sponsored by
the Identification and Optimization of
GPCR Ligands
Thijs Beuming, Ph.D., Research Leader, Applications Science, Schrödinger
We present computational strategies for GPCR lead identification and optimization,
covering a broad range of applicability. First, we developed a customizable
modeling protocol to optimize homology models, as well as a probabilistic model
to boost virtual screening enrichment by considering explicit water molecules in
the GPCR binding site. For optimizing potency, we validated and applied all-atom
MD-based free energy calculations (FEP) to a variety of GPCR targets. Advanced
hydration site analysis (WaterMap) was used to explain an unintuitive SAR within a
series of triazolylpurine analogues.
12:20 pm Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)
or Enjoy Lunch onYour Own
1:00 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
ANTIBODIES FOR GPCRs
1:30 Chairperson’s Remarks
Jeffrey L. Benovic, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University
1:35Targeting GPCRs with Monoclonal Antibodies
Trevor Wilkinson, Ph.D., Associate Director, Protein Sciences, Antibody Discovery
and Protein Engineering, MedImmune
G-protein coupled receptors represent a challenging target class for the isolation
Antibody and Small Molecule
Approaches for New Drug Leads
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 17
Targeting GPCRs
Inaugural
June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA
and optimization of therapeutic biologics. We have used a combination of
immunization and phage display to isolate functional antagonistic antibodies
targeting a chemokine receptor and a formyl-peptide receptor which will be
presented as case studies. We also describe how combinatorial mutagenesis
approaches have been used to make significant improvements to both affinity and
species cross-reactivity of a lead molecule and demonstrate that the optimised
antibodies show significantly increased potency in cellular disease assays.
2:05 Using StaR Proteins asAntigens to GenerateAntibodies to GPCRs
Ali Jazayeri, Ph.D., Head, Engineering, Heptares
GPCRs represent excellent antibody targets given their central role in the pathology
of many diseases and cell surface location. However GPCRs make poor antigens
due to their conformational flexibility, low expression levels, inherent instability and
hydrophobic nature. Using protein engineering approaches we create conformationally
stabilised receptors (StaRs) that can be purified to high purity and homogeneity with
enhanced half-life. StaRs allow generation of high quality antigens that can be used to
raise functional antibodies.
2:35 Nanobodies asTools for Probing GPCR Structure and Function
Andrew C. Kruse, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Chemistry
and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School
Heavy-chain only camelid antibodies (nanobodies) have emerged as powerful and
versatile tools in GPCR structural biology. Their use has enabled important insights
into the structural basis for GPCR activation and allosteric regulation by small
molecule ligands, including active-state structures of adrenergic and muscarinic
receptors. I will discuss the methods used for identifying conformationally selective
nanobodies, and the insights they have offered into the molecular details of GPCR
activation and allostery.
3:05 Modulating GPCR Signaling using Conformationally Selective
Nanobodies
Dean Staus, Ph.D., Robert J. Lefkowitz Lab, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of
Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The signaling cascades induced by ligand binding to a GPCR are mediated by
stabilization of specific receptor conformations which leads to the coupling and
activation of G-protein and β-arrestin. A total of 18 conformationally selective single
domain Camelid antibodies (nanobodies) were tested for their ability to modulate
beta-2-adrenergic receptor dependent signaling. When expressed intracellularly
(intrabodies), these nanobodies inhibited G protein activation, G protein–coupled
receptor kinase (GRK)–mediated receptor phosphorylation, β-arrestin recruitment,
and receptor internalization to varying extents.
3:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
»»5:00 PLENARY KEYNOTE PANEL (see page 2 for details)
6:00 Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
7:00 Close of Day
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups
Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures
focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and
the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking.
Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website.
BIOSENSORS AND LABEL-FREE ADVANCES
8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks
Neil Burford, Ph.D., Senior Research Investigator II, Leads Discovery and
Optimization, Bristol- Myers Squibb
8:45 Development and Validation of Biosensors for GPCRs
Xavier Leroy, Ph.D., Project Leader and Promoter, Associate Director, Drug
Discovery, Actelion Pharmaceuticals
9:15 Cell-Based Label-Free Dynamic Mass Redistribution Assays for
Elucidating GPCR-Mediated Signaling
Stephanie Hennen, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Department of Incretin Biology, Global
Research Organization, Novo Nordisk A/S
The majority of techniques currently employed to examine signaling behavior of
GPCRs requires artificial labels. In contrast to these classical methods, a number of
novel label-free technologies have emerged recently that are competent to resolve
receptor activity as integrated cellular response. The present talk will introduce
a label-free method based on dynamic mass redistribution and attempt to show
the strengths of holistic label-free detection as compared with classical functional
assays but also highlight the challenges.
9:45 Putting a STOP: Structural Visualization of GPCR
Desensitization
Arun Shukla, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biological Sciences and
Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology and Wellcome Trust/DBT Indian
Alliance Intermediate Fellow
The functions of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are primarily mediated and
modulated by the heterotrimeric G proteins, the G-protein coupled receptor kinases
(GRKs), and the β-arrestins. Binding of β-arrestins hinders G protein coupling
and leads to receptor desensitization. I will discuss our efforts to understand the
structural basis of GPCR-β-arrestin interaction and how this interaction mediates
desensitization of GPCRs.
10:15 A Label-Free, Solution-Based Affinity Assay
Sponsored by
for Allosteric GPCR Ligand Binding Using
Back-Scattering Interferometry
Richard J. Isaacs, Ph.D., Applied Research Supervisor, Molecular Sensing, Inc
Integral membrane proteins such as GPCRs are critical targets for drug discovery
but present a host of challenges to the characterization of their binding affinity for
small molecules. Determination of allosteric binding in GPCR targets is especially
valuable and extremely challenging information to obtain by established binding
assay platforms, but can be addressed through a label-free solution-based direct-
binding technology, back-scattering interferometry (BSI).
10:45 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
ALLOSTERIC MODULATORS
11:30 Positive Allosteric Modulators of Opioid Receptors
Neil Burford, Ph.D., Senior Research Investigator II, Leads Discovery and
Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb
Opioid receptors are among the most studied GPCRs and are the targets for
opiate ligands including morphine, which are key drugs used in the management
of pain. However, these opiate ligands also exhibit serious receptor-mediated
side effects including tolerance and dependence. The recent discovery of opioid
receptor positive allosteric modulators by our lab offers a novel approach for future
pain medications because of the potential advantages allosteric ligands have over
orthosteric ligands.
12:00 pm mGluR3 PAM as a GDNF-inducer Strategy for the
Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disorders
Stephan Schann, Ph.D., Head of Research, Domain Therapeutics
Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a peptide that previously
showed clinical efficacy for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. mGluR3
constitutes a novel target that could lead to neuroprotection through production
of GDNF. This potential was demonstrated with an orthosteric mGluR2/3 agonist
and KO mice. Novel small molecules mGluR3 PAMs were recently discovered
at Domain. These molecules were characterized in neuroprotection and GDNF
production models. Our results show that mGluR3 PAMs shared similar activities
with the mGluR3 orthosteric agonist.
12:30 Close of Conference
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 18
Inaugural
June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA
Suggested Event Package:
June 10-11: Chemical Biology for Target Validation Conference
June 11-12: Targeting Histone Acetylation Conference
June 11 Dinner Short Course*: Optimizing Physical Properties of Molecules to
Achieve High-Quality Clinical Candidates
* Separate registration required.
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
12:00 pm Registration
PROBING HDAC INHIBITION
2:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
« 2:05 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: ISOFORM
SELECTIVE HISTONE DEACETYLASE INHIBITORS
(HDACi) IN MULTIPLE MYELOMA (MM)
Kenneth C. Anderson, M.D., Director, Jerome Lipper Multiple
Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Kraft Family
Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
We have explored the role of broad acting and selective HDACi in
MM preclinically and in clinical trials, both alone and in combination with novel
agents. Broad acting HDACi vorinostat and panobinostat or HDAC 6 selective
HDACi ricolinostat have been combined with bortezomib to block aggresomal
and proteasomal protein degradation, respectively. Ricolinostat combined with
immunomodulatory drugs lenalidomide or pomalidomide downregulate cMyc.
We will update the rationale and use of isoform selective HDACi to both increase
response and improve tolerability in MM.
2:35 A Benzoylhydrazide Class of HDAC Inhibitors that Selectively
Inhibit Class I HDACs
Daiqing Liao, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology,
College of Medicine, University of Florida
Class I HDACs are therapeutic targets, and inhibitors specific to these HDACs hold
a considerable therapeutic promise for treating cancer and other diseases, but
toxicity and poor drug properties of known class I HDAC inhibitors may hamper
their clinical applications. This presentation will discuss a novel benzoylhydrazide
class of class I HDAC-selective inhibitors, which display unique mechanisms of
HDAC inhibition and anti-proliferative effects.
3:05 Chemogenomic Approaches to Spatiotemporal Regulation of
HDAC Activity
Ralph Mazitschek, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Center for Systems Biology,
Chemical Biology Platform, Massachusetts General Hospital
HDACs are master regulators of chromatin structure and function. Beyond
modulating histones acetylation they are recognized as regulators of non-histone
proteins. HDAC inhibitors have been used as tool compounds to study basic
biology and recognized as promising therapeutics. However, systemic exposure is
often not well tolerated, or does not provide the required resolution in biological
model systems. To address these shortcomings we have developed a new
approach to control HDAC activity with greater spatial and temporal resolution.
3:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
4:45 Novel Approaches to the Discovery of Isoform Selective HDAC
Inhibitors
Florence Wagner, Ph.D., Senior Group Leader, Medicinal Chemistry, Stanley Center
for Psychiatric Research, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
While a number of HDAC inhibitors were discovered over the years, the
development of highly potent and isoform selective HDACi is critical not only to
refine our understanding regarding the relevant isoform(s) for on-target efficacy
but also to mitigate potential mechanism-based, dose-limiting side effects. I will
present design strategies that our group has employed towards the discovery
of novel HDACi with tuned kinetic (residence time) and thermodynamic binding
properties for HDACs 1, 2 and 3.
5:15 In Search of Structurally and Mechanistically Novel Deacteylase
Probes
Angela Koehler, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biological Engineering, MIT and
Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT and Associate Member,
Broad Institute
HDACs regulate numerous biological processes and have been implicated in
various diseases, including cancers, psychiatric disorders, metabolic disorders,
and inflammatory diseases. Despite significant efforts, many of the biological
functions, precise molecular functions, substrates, and binding partners of HDACs
are unknown or poorly understood. Selective chemical probes can aid in studying
their relevant functions. Toward this end, our lab has employed unbiased binding
assays in an effort to uncover molecules with novel patterns of selectivity or
chemical structure.
5:45 Imaging HDAC Density and Drug Inhibition in the Human Brain
Jacob Hooker, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Radiology, Harvard Medical School
and Director of Radiochemistry, Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging,
Massachusetts General Hospital
Inhibition of HDACs is being pursued as a therapeutic strategy and yet we do
not know for most diseases the relationship between HDAC density or function
and disease progression. We have developed an imaging agent, [11
C]Martinostat,
to quantify HDAC isoforms non-invasively in humans and are using quantitative
imaging to determine the relationships between HDAC and disease in the brain and
in peripheral organ systems.
6:15 Close of Day
FRIDAY, JUNE 12
7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups
Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures
focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and
the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking.
Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website.
TARGETING SYNERGISTIC PATHWAYS
8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks
Wayne W. Hancock, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Pathology and Chief of Transplant
Immunology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania
8:45 Novel SystemsTherapeutics Approach to Efficiently Modulate
Histone Acetylation
Julen Oyarzabal, Ph.D., Director, Translational Sciences, Center for Applied Medical
Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Spain
Targeting Histone Acetylation
Innovative Approaches to Modulate HDACs, HATs and
Other Epigenetic Targets
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 19
Targeting Histone Acetylation
Inaugural
June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA
We have proposed and validated a systems therapeutics approach, based on a
novel mode of action simultaneously targeting two independent but synergistic
pathways: phosphodiesterases (PDEs) and HDACs, that significantly induce histone
acetylation. Thus, potent HDAC inhibitors are not required to achieve a remarkable
level of histone acetylation; minimizing any potential toxicity related to HDAC
inhibition. To validate this novel approach an in vitro and in vivo proof-of-concept,
focused on Alzheimer´s Disease, using two known pharmacological compounds, as
well as novel first-in-class dual inhibitors, will be presented.
9:15 Immunomodulation and HDAC Inhibitors in Breast Cancer
Pamela Munster, M.D., Professor, Medicine, Program Leader Development
Therapeutics; Director, Early Phase Clinical Trials’ Program, Helen Diller Cancer
Center, University of California, San Francisco
In previous trials we have shown that HDAC inhibitors modulate estrogen receptor
signaling and reverse hormone therapy resistance. One of the steps of acquired
hormone therapy resistance is believed to involve upregulation of immune
pathways and PD-1 and PD-L1 expression. Several groups have shown a differential
regulation of cytotoxic and regulatory T-cells by HDAC inhibitors. We are exploring
the role of epigenetic priming to immunotherapy and the differential effects of
HDAC inhibitors on T-cells in ER+ breast cancer models and a Phase II clinical trial.
9:45 Selective HDAC Inhibitors in Neurodegenerative Disorders
Elizabeth Thomas, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Molecular and
Cellular Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute
HDACs have been recognized as potentially useful therapeutic targets for a
broad range of neurological disorders. Our findings demonstrate that inhibition
of HDAC1 and HDAC3 isotypes can relieve disease phenotypes in Huntington’s
disease model systems. Further studies in our lab have focused on identifying
gene targets of selective HDAC inhibitors. Overall, the knowledge of gene targets
of HDAC inhibitors should help advance these compounds into clinical practice for
neurodegenerative disorders.
10:15 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
UNRAVELING HAT  SIRTUIN BIOLOGY
11:00 CBP/p300/PCAF/GCN5 vs.Tip60/Myst1 in Foxp3+Treg Biology
and Anti-Tumor Immunity
Wayne W. Hancock, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Pathology and Chief of Transplant
Immunology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania
Our work aims to identify post-translational modifications regulating Foxp3 and
thereby the development and/or function of Foxp3+ T-regulatory (Treg) cells. Using
genetic and pharmacologic approaches, we show that targeting of CBP or p300,
and GCN5 or PCAF, diminishes Foxp3 acetylation and Treg suppressive function
and promotes anti-tumor immunity, whereas Tip60 targeting induces lethal
autoimmunity. Our data provide new insights into the roles of HATs in Tregs, and
how these may be targeted for cancer immunotherapy.
« 11:30 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: CHEMICAL
APPROACHESTO UNDERSTANDING HISTONE
ACETYLTRANSFERASES
Philip Cole, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Director, Department of
Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University
Medical School
Lysine acetylation/acylation modifications, first identified on histones, are
widespread post-translational modifications (PTMs) on cellular proteins and
regulate cell growth and gene expression in normal and disease states. This
presentation will discuss chemical methods to interrogate HATs, enzymes
responsible for catalyzing protein lysine acetylation, and describe progress
toward developing HAT inhibitors as therapeutics. We will also describe novel
chemical strategies for developing site-specifically modified acyl-Lys containing
proteins to explore the role of particular PTMs in regulating protein function.
12:30 pm Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
12:45 Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or
Enjoy Lunch onYour Own
1:30 Session Break
UNRAVELING HAT  SIRTUIN BIOLOGY (cont’d)
2:00 Chairperson’s Remarks
Philip Cole, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Director, Department of Pharmacology and
Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University Medical School
2:05 Bioorthogonal Probes to Interrogate Functions of Histone
Acetyltransferases
Y. George Zheng, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical and
Biomedical Sciences, University of Georgia
Elucidating biological and pathological functions of protein lysine acetyltransferases
(KATs) greatly depends on the knowledge of the dynamic and spatial localization
of their enzymatic targets in the cellular proteome. We report the design and
application of bioorthogonal chemical probes for facile labeling and detection
of substrates of the major human KAT enzymes. This study provides powerful
molecular tools for labeling and mapping KAT targets in the context of complex
biological mixtures at the proteomic level.
2:35 New Insights into Protein Acetylation from Chemoproteomics
Jordan Meier, Ph.D., Investigator, Chemical Biology Laboratory, and Head,
Chemical Genomics Section, National Cancer Institute
A paradox of modern acetylation biology is that while the number of sites of
acetylation has climbed rapidly, the number of enzymes thought to catalyze this
process has stayed relatively constant. Here we describe the utility of chemical
proteomic methods to discover and characterize mechanisms of acetylation in
endogenous cellular contexts. Our studies highlight an expanded landscape of
lysine acetyltransferases, as well as new strategies to investigate the metabolic
regulation and small molecule inhibition of protein acetylation.
3:05 Sirtuin Inhibitors as Anti-Cancer Agents
Hening Lin, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology,
Cornell University
Sirtuins are known as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent
deacetylases. We have discovered several novel enzymatic activities, such
as desuccinylation and defatty-acylation, for several sirtuins with no robust
deacetylase activity. This has led to the identification of unknown protein post-
translational modifications and revealed new biology. It has enabled us to develop
compounds that can inhibit particular sirtuins selectively. Some of the selective
sirtuins inhibitors can kill cancer cells in cell culture and inhibit tumor formation in
mouse models.
3:35 Close of Conference
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 20
8th
Annual
June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA
Suggested Event Package:
June 9 Short Course*: Drug Metabolism and Its Impact on Decisions in
Drug Discovery  Development
June 9 Dinner Short Course*: Navigating the CiPA Landscape
June 10-11: New Models for Predicting Drug Toxicity Conference
June 11-12: 3D Cellular Models Conference
June 11 Dinner Short Course*: How to Best Utilize Organotypic 3D Cell
Cultures in Oncology
* Separate registration required.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10
7:00 am Registration and Morning Coffee
HOW USEFUL ARE CURRENT IN VITRO AND IN VIVO
MODELS
8:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Gary Peltz, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain
Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine
8:05 Current Use of Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes to Assess QT
Prolongation and Proarrhythmia
Bernard Fermini, Ph.D., Associate Research Fellow, Global Safety Pharmacology,
Pfizer Global Research  Development
An increasing number of published studies support the use of human embryonic
and iPSC derived cardiomyocytes for the assessment of drug-induced QT
prolongation. While some of the studies conclude that these cells represent a
suitable predictive model, others question their value based on reports of mixed
phenotype, unforeseen pharmacology, and conflicting ion channel profile. In this
presentation we review some of the more controversial issues and attempt to
provide a holistic view of the field.
8:35 How Useful Are In vitroTools to Predict Hyperbilirubinemia:
Utility of UGT1A1, OATP1B1, OATP1B3, MRP2 and BSEP Inhibition
Assays
Jae Chang, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, DMPK, Genentech, Inc.
Hyperbilirubinemia may arise due to inadequate clearance of bilirubin from the
body, a multifaceted process consisting of uptake of bilirubin into hepatocytes
facilitated by OATP1B1 and OATP1B3. Once in the hepatocytes, it is extensively
glucuronidated by UGT1A1. This talk would 1) provide justification on the potential
role of drug transporters in hyperbilirubinemia, 2) show inhibition data against
UGT1A1, OATP1B1, OATP1B3, MRP2 and BSEP with marketed drugs and 3)
discuss the application of in vitro assays for prediction of hyperbilirubinemia.
9:05 Proteomic Approaches to the Discovery of Preclinical
Biomarkers ofToxicity
Li-Rong Yu, Ph.D., Associate Co-Director, Biomarkers and Alternative Models
Branch, Division of Systems Biology, National Center for Toxicological Research,
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Advances of proteomics and its application to toxicological studies have led to the
development of a new discipline, toxicoproteomics. One of the major research
areas of toxicoproteomics is to identify novel biomarkers of toxicity. Mass
spectrometry-based quantitative proteomic approaches have been applied to the
identification of biomarkers of multiple organ toxicity in preclinical models.
9:35 Predictivity of in vitro Models Including Co-Cultures for the
Detection of Hepatotoxic Drugs in Humans
Franck Atienzar, Ph.D., Associate Director, In Silico, In Vitro Toxicology, Non Clinical
Development, UCB BioPharma SPRL
Drug Induced Liver Injury (DILI) is a major cause of attrition during early and late
stage drug development. Consequently, there is a need to develop better in vitro
tools for predicting hepatotoxicity in humans. The presentation will focus on the
predictivity of different human in vitro models such as primary hepatocytes, HepG2
and co-culture models. Toxicity and metabolism data will be presented to better
judge the relevance of such in vitro models.
10:05 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
HOW USEFUL ARE CURRENT IN VITRO AND IN VIVO
MODELS (cont’d)
«10:50 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: MICE WITH
‘HUMANIZED’ LIVERS: FROM SAFER DRUGSTO
LIVER REGENERATION
Gary Peltz, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative
and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) has become a leading cause of
acute liver failure, and for regulatory actions after drug approval.
Drugs that produced minimal toxicity in animals sometimes caused significant
DILI in humans. The fatalities occurring in 7 of 15 patients treated with fialuridine
provides a tragic example of this. We have developed chimeric TK-NOG
mice, where transplanted human liver cells replace mouse liver. We recently
demonstrated that DILI caused by fialuridine and bosentan were easily detected
in chimeric TK-NOG mice, which indicates that their use in preclinical studies
could improve drug safety.
11:50 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
12:20 pm Luncheon Presentation to be Announced
Heribert Bohlen, M.D., Ph.D., CEO, Axiogenesis AG
Sponsored by
1:00 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
EXPLORING ENGINEERED MODELS
1:30 Chairperson’s Remarks
Michael Shuler, Ph.D., Samuel B. Eckert Professor of Chemical Engineering and
James and Marsha McCormick Chair of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University
1:35 Body-on-a-Chip Devices for DrugTesting: Opportunities and
Limitations
Michael Shuler, Ph.D., Samuel B. Eckert Professor of Chemical Engineering and
James and Marsha McCormick Chair of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University
Human surrogates for drug testing can be created using tissue engineered
constructs, microfabrication, and PBPK (Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic)
models and may be used to make better decisions about which drugs to select for
human clinical trials. We will describe our “pumpless” system, results with multi-
organ models, and progress toward a 10+ organ human model. We will discuss the
limitations of such technologies and potential solutions.
2:05Tissue Chips for Drug Discovery and Screening
Kristin Fabre, Ph.D., Scientific Program Manager, Tissue Chip for Drug Screening
Program, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), NIH
The Tissue Chip Program is supporting development of platforms to mimic human
physiology that will recapitulate the complex environment for human multi-cellular
New Models for Predicting
Drug Toxicity
Effective Use of 3D Cells, Stem Cells, Organotypic Cultures
and Humanized Animal Models
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 21
New Models for Predicting Drug Toxicity
8th
Annual
June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA
tissues to be studied. Within five years, major organs systems will be developed
and applied to the assessment of biomarkers, bioavailability, efficacy, and toxicity of
therapeutic agents prior to clinical trials. It will deliver a valid alternative to standard
methodologies and will produce human-physiologically relevant findings, reduce
animal experimentation, and improve translational research efficacy.
2:35 Human Contractile Engineered Muscle for Drug andToxicity
Studies
Nenad Bursac, Ph.D., Rooney Family Associate Professor, Department of
Biomedical Engineering, Duke University
Current in vitro models of human muscle do not exhibit contractile behavior. We
engineered electrically and chemically responsive, contractile human muscle
tissues (“myobundles”) made of primary myogenic cells. These biomimetic
constructs exhibit aligned architecture, multinucleated and striated myofibers,
and a satellite cell pool, and respond to electrical stimuli with twitch and tetanic
contractions. Use of GCaMP6-reported calcium responses enables long-term
non-invasive tracking of myobundle function and response to drugs and provides a
platform for predictive drug and toxicology screening.
3:05Towards Organoid Microarrays for Screening Within Neural
Tissues
Krishanu Saha, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering and Bioethics,
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Current human pluripotent stem cell-derived neural models consist of 2D
disorganized cultures of cell phenotypes representative of only one or a few
regions of endogenous tissues. This ignores the vast diversity of cell phenotypes
and structured 3D niches that exist in vivo and thereby limits their modeling
capacity in regulatory science settings. To overcome these limitations, we used
emerging microfabrication methods to generate an array of 3D neural tissues (e.g.,
organoids) within standard multi-well plates for screening purposes.
3:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
»»5:00 PLENARY KEYNOTE PANEL (see page 2 for details)
6:00 Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
7:00 Close of Day
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups
Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures
focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and
the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking.
Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website.
PREDICTIVITY OF COMPUTATIONALTOOLS
8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks
Yvonne Will, Ph.D., Senior Director, Drug Safety and Head, Science and Technology
Strategy, Pfizer RD
8:45 eTOX: Assembling Animal Study Data from 6000 Reports From
13 Pharmaceutical Companies
Philippe Marc, Ph.D., Global Head, Informatics, Preclinical Safety, Novartis
Institutes for BioMedical Research
In 2010, within the Innovative Medicines Initiative, the eTOX project started to
extract data from legacy preclinical toxicology reports with the objective of creating
a collaborative preclinical study database. The current version of the database
contains data for 1791 small molecule drugs and drug candidates extracted from
6105 reports donated by 13 pharmaceutical companies. The database is currently
growing by approximately 180 studies per month, and we envisage the creation of
the largest preclinical database available.
9:15 Enhanced Prediction of Drug-Induced Liver Injury by the
Development of LiverToxicity Knowledge Base
Minjun Chen, Ph.D., Division of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, National Center for
Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Here, we will introduce our efforts to develop the Liver Toxicity Knowledge Base
(LTKB), which focuses on collecting drug properties data and aims to develop
predictive models for assessing DILI risk in humans. We will discuss some
simple rules derived from drug physiochemical and toxicological properties and its
significant association with DILI risk in humans. After confirmation and validation,
these DILI predictive rules may support decision-making in drug development or
regulatory processes to reduce potential DILI liability.
9:45 An In silico Approach to Predict Intrinsic In vitro Cytotoxicity for
Compounds in Primary Human Hepatocytes
BinQing Wei, Ph.D., Scientist, Discovery Chemistry, Genentech, Inc.
We present work in progress in the development of a computational model that
is used to predict the outcome of hepatocyte screening for a set of preclinical
compounds with significant accuracy. We show that this model proved very
useful in reducing compound attrition for internal projects. Furthermore, the
physicochemical property space that this work has implicated as being associated
with toxicity may also provide clues toward understanding the underlying
mechanism(s) of toxicity.
10:15 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
10:45 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
NEW PARADIGMS FOR SAFETYTESTING
11:30 Bioinformatic and Cheminformatic Approaches to Assess
Cardiac Arrhythmias
Siobhan Malany, Ph.D., Chemical Biology Team Leader, Chemical Genomics Center,
Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute
The combination of hiPSC-cardiomyocytes and real-time cellular impedance
measurements has provided for higher throughput toxicological screening in
physiologically-relevant cellular assays. We have monitored dose-dependent
changes in beat rhythm of hiPSC-cardiomyocytes induced by pharmaceutical
compounds. For compounds that induce atypical beat patterns, we apply
bioinformatic approaches, limit cycle analysis and autocorrelation, and present
quantitative results to examine irregular beat patterns induced by channel
blockers and provide automated solutions to analyze large kinetic datasets for
web-based reporting.
12:00 pm Assay Platforms forToxicity Evaluation in Small Molecules
and Nanomaterials
Robert Damoiseaux, Ph.D., Scientific Director, Molecular Screening Shared
Resource, California Nanosystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles
Small molecule and nano-toxicity can follow quite different paradigms, requiring
thoughtful use of adequate assay platforms for toxicity evaluation. In this talk we
will have a look at the differences in paradigms and their corresponding assay
platforms. We will give examples for each and also present a novel laser scanning
cytometry based platform for the direct quantification of genotoxic potential
of a substance via quantification of the DNA damage response by quantifying
H2AX phosphorylation.
12:30 Close of Conference
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 22
Inaugural
June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA
Suggested Event Package:
June 10-11: Chemical Biology for Target Validation Conference
June 11-12: Synergistic Use of Functional Genomics Technologies Conference
June 11 Dinner Short Course*: How to Best Utilize Organotypic 3D Cell
Cultures in Oncology
* Separate registration required.
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
12:00 pm Registration
RNAi  CRISPR SCREENS FOR ONCOLOGY
2:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Charles Gersbach, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University
2:05 An RNAi Screen Utilizing a 3D Spheroid Model Suggests
DestabilizingTumor Architecture as a Potential Anti-CancerTherapy
Geoffrey Bartholomeusz, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director, siRNA Core
Facility, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Cancer Medicine,
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
The compact architecture of solid tumors results in hypoxia that contributes
to chemotherapy/radiation resistance. We propose targeting non-neoplastic
components within the tumor architecture as an effective alternative anti-cancer
therapy. Using a high throughput RNAi screen and a multicellular tumor spheroid
model we identified TLR4 as a potential target. Silencing TLR4 inhibited the
expression of E-cadherin, altered the integrity of the spheroid architecture, reduced
hypoxia, inhibited the hypoxic tolerance response and sensitized MCTS to radiation.
2:35 Modeling Cancer In vivo Using CRISPR/Cas9
Sidi Chen, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Dr. Feng Zhang, Broad Institute
and the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology
Cancer genomics has revealed hundreds to thousands of mutations associated
with human cancer. To test the roles of these mutations, we applied CRISPR/Cas9-
mediated genome editing platform to engineer specific mutations in oncogenes
and tumor suppressor genes. This results in tumorigenesis in several internal
organs in mice. Our method expedites modeling of multigenic cancer with virtually
any combination of mutations.
3:05 Combining RNAi and Genome Editing: New Avenues for
Orthogonal Validation of Functional Genomic Profiles
Samuel Hasson, Ph.D., Principal Investigator, Neuroscience, Pfizer, Inc.
RNAi-based functional genomics is a staple of gene pathway and drug target
exploration. While great strides have been made in the reagents and workflows for
shRNA and siRNA screening, there is a need for tools to provide rapid orthogonal
validation of gene candidate that emerge from RNAi campaigns. CRISPR, CRISPRi,
and CRISPRa are not only developing into primary screening platforms, they are
a promising method to compliment RNAi and enhance the quality of functional
genomic datasets.
3:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
USING GENE EDITING FOR DRUG DISCOVERY
4:45 Manipulating Cell Phenotype with CRISPR/Cas9-Based
Epigenome Editing
Charles Gersbach, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University
New methods for programming cell phenotype have broadly enabled drug screening, disease
modeling, and regenerative medicine. However many of the current protocols are slow,
inefficient, and lead to heterogeneous cell populations.We are exploring genome engineering
tools, such as CRISPR/Cas9-based gene regulation and epigenome editing, to more precisely
reprogram gene networks and control cellular decision making.We have successfully used
these tools to generate cell sources useful for many areas of biotechnology.
5:15 Use of CRISPR/Cas9Technology to Study Retinal Development
and Disease
Donald Zack, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and
Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Advances in human stem cell technology have made possible the differentiation
of retinal eyecups in vitro. We have been using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to
generate retinal cell type-specific reporter ES and iPS lines and to introduce retinal
degeneration-associated mutations. These reporter lines can be used to follow
retinal neuronal specification during differentiation, they allow the purification of
specific cell types by sorting and immunopanning, and they also are useful for the
development of drug screening assays.
5:45 A Versatile Functional Genetics Platform for Malarial Parasites
Enabled by Efficient CRISPR-Mediated Genome Editing
Jacquin C. Niles, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biological Engineering,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Functional genetics in the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, has
previously been frustratingly inefficient and time consuming. This bottleneck has
limited the opportunities to validate and prioritize parasite targets to motivate
the development of new therapeutics. We have now established strategies for
robustly achieving controllable gene expression, and have integrated these into
an experimental framework that facilitates efficient interrogation of virtually any
target parasite gene using CRISPR/Cas9 editing. With these technologies, we are
querying the essentiality of parasite proteins to validate them as potential drug
targets and developing approaches to identify the targets of compounds having
antimalarial activity.
6:15 Close of Day
Synergistic Use of Functional
Genomics Technologies
Exploiting RNAi and Gene Editing For Drug Discovery
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclinical Congress | 23
Synergistic Use of Functional
Genomics Technologies
Inaugural
June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA
FRIDAY, JUNE 12
7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups
Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures
focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and
the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking.
Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website.
EXPLORING NEW ASSAYS  PLATFORMS
8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks
James Inglese, Ph.D., Head Assay Development  Screening Technologies,
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) and Adjunct
Investigator, National Human Genome Institute (NHGRI)
« 8:45 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: GENOME
EDITING-ENABLED HTS ASSAYS FOR
CHEMICAL BIOLOGY ANDTRANSLATIONAL
RESEARCH
James Inglese, Ph.D., Head Assay Development  Screening
Technologies, National Center for AdvancingTranslational Sciences
(NCATS) and Adjunct Investigator, National Human Genome Institute
(NHGRI)
In Parkinson’s disease (PD) loss of function mutations in the Parkin gene
(PARK2) are associated with early-onset forms of PD suggesting a role in
neuronal survival. We therefore have developed qHTS assays using novel
coincidence reporter technology targeting the PARK2 genetic locus to uncover
pathways and pharmacological agents that can modulate transcription of this
gene. Findings from the qHTS of several thousand drugs and chemical probes
using this novel reporter biocircuit-based assay will be discussed.
9:45 High Content RNAi Screening with Persomics: Sponsored by
Reduction of Scale and Cost withTurnkey Printed
Libraries
Neil Emans, Ph.D., CEO, Persomics USA, Inc.
RNA interference is routinely used in High Content and Phenotypic screening.
However, set-up and operational costs of conventional methods remain beyond
the scope of individual labs or limit screens in facilities. Persomics technology
miniaturizes, accelerates and de-industrializes RNAi screening. Turnkey, preprinted
libraries enable off-the-shelf focused screens and integrate with High Content
platforms, and existing image analysis strategies. This lowers cost, labor, waste
and overall time for any scale of screening; enabling individual labs or facilities to
do more.
10:00 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
10:15 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
11:00 Massively Parallel Combinatorial Genetics for Developing
CombinatorialTherapeutics
Timothy Lu, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Synthetic Biology Group,
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Department
of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology
We have developed technologies for the scalable and barcoded assembly of
high-order combinatorial genetic libraries. These strategies enable multiplexed
tracking of individual genetic combinations with next-generation sequencing in
pooled screens. We have used these technologies to perform massively parallel
high-order combinatorial genetics in bacteria and human cells and to modulate
phenotypes relevant to important human diseases. Insights derived from massively
parallel combinatorial genetics can inform the design of effective and novel
combinatorial therapeutics.
11:30 Building, Using and Maintaining a Functional Genomics
Arsenal
Robert Damoiseaux, Ph.D., Scientific Director, Molecular Shared Screening Resource,
California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles
Functional Genomics is one of the most useful modalities for pre- and post-screen
target identification and validation. Functional genomics platforms include cDNA,
siRNA, lentiviral shRNA and CRISPR and each platform has unique advantages and
constraints. Here, we will discuss these properties, talk about how to organize
and build a functional genomics arsenal that contains such a comprehensive
set of tools and cover some of the most common issues encountered during
maintenance and use of these tools.
12:00 pm Multiplexed Gene Editing of Human Pluripotent
Stem Cells
Krishanu Saha, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering and Bioethics,
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Human pluripotent stem cells possess unique ability to mature into any cell type
of the body, and therefore are attractive platforms for disease modeling, toxicology
and regenerative medicine research. We developed multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9
gene editing tools to insert reporters, knockout or correct candidate genes in
patient-specific pluripotent stem cells. Our strategies exploit patterned biomaterial
substrates with live-imaging to increase throughput and screening for desired
phenotypes in edited cell populations.
12:30 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
12:45 Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or
Enjoy Lunch onYour Own
1:30 Session Break
REFININGTHE USE OF CRISPRTECHNOLOGY
2:00 Chairperson’s Remarks (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)
2:05 CRISPRTools for Gene Regulation Applications
Lei Stanley Qi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Bioengineering, and
Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University
Precise regulation of genes for activation or repression is an important approach for
cell engineering and disease modeling. We develop the bacterial CRISPR system
as a toolset for sequence-specific gene regulation. The CRISPR tools enable
multiplexable, inducible and high-throughput activation or repression of mammalian
genes, allowing genome wide perturbation for probing gene networks. The CRISPR
technology thus provides a powerful screening approach to studying gene function
and chemical genomics in addition to the RNAi method.
2:35 Small Molecules Modulating CRISPR Editing
Sheng Ding, Ph.D., William K. Bowes, Jr. Distinguished Investigator, Gladstone
Institute of Cardiovascular Disease; Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical
Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco
CRISPR-Cas9 system has emerged as an effective tool for genome editing, but
challenges remain. To enhance CRISPR-mediated gene editing, we screened
chemical libraries and had identified distinct small molecules that can enhance
either HDR-based gene knock-in or NHEJ-based knock-out. The use of small
molecules provides a simple and effective strategy that enhances precise genome
engineering applications and facilitates the study of DNA repair mechanisms in
mammalian cells.
3:05 Application of Genome Editing to Generate Animal Models for
Drug Discovery
Myung Shin, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Biology-Discovery, Genetics and
Pharmacogenomics, Merck Research Laboratories
Recent advances in genome editing have greatly accelerated and expanded the
ability to generate animal models. These tools allow generating mouse models in
condensed timeline compared to that of conventional gene-targeting knock-out/
knock-in strategies in ES cells. Moreover, genome editing methods have expanded
the ability to generate animal models beyond mice. In this talk, we will discuss
the application of ZFNs and CRISPRs to generate various animal models for drug
discovery programs.
3:35 Close of Conference
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 24
Inaugural
Suggested Event Package:
June 9 Short Course*: Imaging of Blood-Brain Barrier Function
June 9 Dinner Short Course*: Understanding and Dealing with Drug
Disposition in CNS
June 10-11: Blood-Brain Barrier Conference
* Separate registration required.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10
7:00 am Registration and Morning Coffee
THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER AT SITES OF
PATHOLOGY
8:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Margareta Hammarlund-Udenaes, Ph.D., Professor, Translational PK/PD,
Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University
« 8:05 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: REGULATION
OFTHE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER IN HEALTH AND
DISEASE
Richard Daneman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of
California, San Francisco
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is crucial to ensure proper neuronal
function and protect the CNS from injury and disease. We have
used genomic, genetic and molecular approach to elucidate the cellular and
molecular mechanisms that regulate the formation of the BBB as well as the
mechanisms that lead to its dysfunction during disease.
8:35Targeting Vascular Dysfunction to Improve CNS Health
Robert D. Bell, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Neurovascular Biology Lab Head, Pfizer,
Inc.
The vascular system plays an integral role in maintaining central nervous system
(CNS) health. Both systemic circulatory changes and alterations directly within
the BBB have been suggested to contribute to both the onset and progression
of several neurological conditions. In addition, emerging evidence suggests that
vascular risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, atherosclerosis,
metabolic syndrome, and stroke can negatively impact BBB function. The
relationship between systemic vasculature and BBB in health and disease will
be reviewed.
9:00 Cancer-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Promote Brain Metastasis
Takahiro Ochiya, Ph.D., Chief, Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer
Center, Japan
Brain metastasis is an important cause of mortality in breast cancer patients. A
key event during brain metastasis is the migration of cancer cells through the
blood-brain barrier (BBB), which consists of the endothelium and surrounding cells.
Transfer of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from the cancer cells represents a
novel mechanism of communication between cancer cells and normal cells. Here,
we show that breast cancer–derived EVs promote brain metastasis by destruction
of BBB.
9:25 Do We Always Need to Cross the Blood-Brain Barrier?
Lois A. Lampson, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Brigham  Women’s
Hospital / Harvard Medical School
The BBB does not always impede therapy for the brain. Migratory cells, including
immune effector cells, can enter, and their activity can be modulated before they
enter. Some agents work from outside the brain: systemic antibody can prevent
entry of drugs or pathogens, or even draw material out of the brain. Differences
between the BBB at sites of pathology vs. normal brain can help to concentrate
therapy at target sites.
9:50 Understanding Antibody Penetration through Blood-Brain
Barrier Using Cell Fractionation and Quantitative Proteomics
Arsalan Haqqani, Ph.D., Research Officer, Human Health Therapeutics Portfolio,
National Research Council
Better understanding of mechanism(s) of antibody penetration through BBB is
needed to deliver therapies into the CNS. We describe a multiplexed quantitative
method, involving endosome fractionation and label-free targeted mass
spectrometry, to track and quantify BBB-crossing antibodies in various intracellular
compartments of brain endothelial cells. The results show that the method has
a potential to quantitatively compare the trafficking of multiple BBB-crossing
antibodies, providing an insight into mechanism and antibody characteristics that
favor their BBB transcytosis.
10:05 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
UNDERSTANDING  PREDICTION OF BRAIN
PENETRATION: PRECLINICAL MODELS,TOOLS 
UNMET CHALLENGES
10:50 Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Modeling of the Blood-Brain
Barrier
Eric V. Shusta, Ph.D., Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of
Wisconsin, Madison
A renewable source of human BBB endothelium could prove enabling for brain
research and pharmaceutical development. We demonstrate that endothelial cells
generated from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can be specified to possess
many BBB attributes, including well-organized tight junctions, polarized efflux
transport, and nutrient transporter expression. Importantly, hPSC-derived BBB
endothelial cells also respond to cues provided by other cells of the neurovascular
unit such as human pericytes, astrocytes and neurons to generate very tight
barrier properties.
11:20 FEATURED PRESENTATION: DELIVERY OF
SMALL AND LARGER DRUGS ACROSSTHE BBB
–TO MEASURE ISTO KNOW
Margareta Hammarlund-Udenaes, Ph.D., Professor, Translational
PK/PD, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala
University
Methods for measuring delivery of drugs across the BBB are
now available to accommodate the unbound, active moiety, thereby providing
important information on success rate of compounds for CNS action. The talk
will include discussions on the factors needed to be taken into consideration and
methods of choice, as well as new information on regional differences in BBB
transport and brain distribution. Quantitative results on nanocarrier delivery will
also be discussed.
Blood-Brain Barrier
New Understanding, Strategies and Tools for
Delivering Therapy to the Brain
June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 25
Blood-Brain Barrier
Inaugural
June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA
11:50 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
12:20 pm Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)
or Enjoy Lunch onYour Own
1:00 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
UNDERSTANDING  PREDICTION OF BRAIN
PENETRATION: PRECLINICAL MODELS,TOOLS 
UNMET CHALLENGES
1:30 Chairperson’s Remarks
Richard Daneman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of California, San
Francisco
1:35 MRI-Guided Focused Ultrasound Activated Stem Cell Facilitated
Blood-Brain Barrier Opening
King C. Li, M.D., FRCP(C), MBA, Senior Associate Dean for Clinical andTranslational
Research, Professor and Chair, Department of Radiology,Wake Forest School of Medicine
The objective of this project is to create a remote-controllable stem cell-based
strategy to allow us to open up the blood-brain barrier at the time and place of
our choosing. Drugs and therapeutic agents up to at least 300 nm in size can be
delivered through the blood-brain barrier using this technology. This novel paradigm
utilizing image-guided focused ultrasound and stem cells can potentially be applied
to all diseases that affect the central nervous system.
2:05 New Blood-Brain Barrier Shuttles: Phenotypic Screens and
Targeted Proteomics
Danica Stanimirovic, Ph.D., Director, Translational Bioscience, Human Health
Therapeutics Portfolio, National Research Council of Canada
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) expresses a myriad of receptors and transporters
at its luminal surface, yet only a handful of targets have been used to develop
molecular Trojan horses for brain delivery of large molecules. We have identified
novel receptor-ligand pairs as brain delivery platforms using workflows that
combine `function-first` screening of antibody display libraries and targeted
proteomics to understand their trafficking mechanisms across the BBB.
2:35 Paracellular Portal to the CNS: Are Macromolecules Permitted?
Pankaj Karande, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical  Biological
Engineering, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute
Delivery of macromolecules into the central nervous system (CNS) is a formidable
challenge. The paracellular route has long been considered an exclusive pathway
for entry of small water soluble molecules and ions but it can serve as an attractive
portal for delivery of proteins, polypeptides, and enzymes. We will discuss our
recent discovery of short peptide vectors, PEPDARTs, that specifically target the
paracellular pathway into the CNS for delivery of macromolecular cargo.
3:05 CNS Uptake of Large Molecules and Peptides: PK Profile and
Applications to Drug Discovery  Development
Sara Belli, Ph.D., DMPK Project Leader, Pharmaceutical Sciences/p-RED, Roche
Innovation Center Basel
Large molecules have great potential as CNS therapeutics since they are able to
mimick function of endogenous neuropeptides, reducing expression of disease-
related genes or clearing pathological protein aggregates. Developing novel,
effective, and safe drugs for CNS diseases is hindered by blood–brain barrier
reducing distribution of large molecules candidates to brain. Herein, an overview
on current knowledge with examples of brain targeting approaches will be given
focusing on PK and PKPD profiling.
3:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
»»5:00 PLENARY KEYNOTE PANEL (see page 2 for details)
6:00 Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
7:00 Close of Day
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups
Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures
focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and
the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking.
Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website.
DELIVERINGTHERAPIES ACROSS BBB: CASE
STUDIES  UPDATES FROMTHE INDUSTRY
8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks
Lois A. Lampson, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Brigham  Women’s
Hospital / Harvard Medical School
8:45 BBB Disruption and Drug Delivery in Neurodegenerative Disease
Nga Bien-Ly, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of Neuroscience, Genentech, Inc.
It is generally believed that the BBB is disrupted in many neurodegenerative
diseases thus suggesting that drug delivery is enhanced as a consequence of BBB
leakage. We set out to determine the extent of BBB disruption in mouse models of
neurodegeneration, focusing on antibody permeability and Alzheimer’s disease, by
assessing the differences in brain uptake of control and transferrin receptor (TfR)
bispecific antibodies.These results will aid in determining the necessity of developing
improved drug delivery methods for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
9:15 Engineering Lysosomal EnzymeTherapeutics for the Brain as
IgG Fusion Proteins that Penetrate the Blood-Brain Barrier
Ruben Boado, Ph.D., Vice President, Research  Development, ArmaGen
Technologies, Inc.
BBB-penetration of enzyme therapeutics is enabled by re-engineering recombinant
enzyme as IgG fusion proteins, wherein the IgG transport domain targets a specific
endogenous receptor-mediated transporter within BBB, such as the human
insulin receptor (HIR). The therapeutic domain of the IgG fusion protein exerts the
pharmacological effect in brain once across BBB. Several bi-functional IgG-fusion proteins
have been engineered using a genetically engineered monoclonal antibody directed to the
BBB HIR as the transport domain. First in human trials are planned for 2015.
9:45 FEATURED PRESENTATION: OPENTHE
BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER GATE FOR BIOLOGICS
Per-Ola Freskgard, Ph.D., Vice Director and Senior Leader,
Neuroscience, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La
Roche Ltd.
Although biotherapeutics have vast potential for treating brain
disorders, their use has been limited due to low exposure
across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This talk will describe a Brain Shuttle
technology, which can be engineered into a standard therapeutic antibody or
other modalities for successful BBB transport. These findings will have major
implications for the development of biologics-based treatment of brain disorders.
10:15 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
10:45 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
11:30 Use of a Camelid VHH to Engineer Blood-Brain Barrier Crossing
Bispecific
Graham K. Farrington, Ph.D., Director, Chemical  Molecular Therapeutics,
Biological Drug Discovery, Biogen Idec.
We have engineered a llama single domain VHH antibody FC5 into mono- and
bi-valent proteins fused to a huFc. Upon IV injection in rats up to a 30-fold higher
brain exposure was observed compared to control. Upon IV dosing in a Hargreaves
model of inflammatory pain up to a 60-fold increase in pharmacological potency
was observed. The study demonstrates that modular incorporation of FC5 as the
BBB-carrier arm in bi-specific antibodies or antibody-drug conjugates offers an
avenue to develop pharmacologically active biotherapeutics for CNS indications.
12:00 pm Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) Penetrating Dual Specific
Binding Proteins forTreating Brain and Neurological Diseases
Denise Karaoglu Hanzatian, Ph.D., Principal Research Scientist, Biologics Discovery,
AbbVie Bioresearch Center, AbbVie
12:30 Close of Conference
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 26
MASTERING
MEDICINAL
CHEMISTRY
Twelfth Annual
Case Studies,
Hot Topics 
Med Chem
Strategy
Suggested Event Package:
June 9 Short Course*: Allosteric Modulators of GPCRs, (PAMs NAMs)
June 10-11: Mastering Medicinal Chemistry Conference
June 11-12: Property-Based Drug Design in Medicinal Chemistry Conference
June 11 Dinner Short Course*: Optimizing Physical Properties of Molecules to
Achieve High-Quality Clinical Candidates
* Separate registration required.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10
7:00 am Registration and Morning Coffee
EXECUTIVE PANEL: FUTURE ROLE OF MEDICINAL
CHEMISTRY – SCIENCE,TECHNOLOGY  STRATEGY
8:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Stewart L. Fisher, Ph.D., Principal, SL Fisher Consulting, LLC
8:05 Medicinal Chemistry in the Era of “Big Data”
Paul Greenspan, Senior Director, Discovery Chemistry, Takeda Boston
This briefing will focus on the challenges and opportunities that arise from our
access to ever-larger quantities of SAR data. How does more data lead to better
decision-making? Is our ability to effectively utilize this data keeping pace? What
SAR data-mining approaches are having the greatest impact on drug design?
8:12Target Validation and Reproducibility - A Chemistry Perspective
Mark Bunnage, Ph.D., Vice President, Worldwide Medicinal Chemistry, Pfizer
Reproducibility of the scientific literature is a topic of significant current interest.
This discussion will focus on irreproducibility issues in target validation and what it
means for medicinal chemistry.
8:19 SoYou Want to ImproveYour Medicinal Chemistry?
Jeremy J. Edmunds, Ph.D., Director, Immunology Medicinal Chemistry, Abbvie
When one considers the considerable expense that is associated with developing
a drug, it is clearly the responsibility of the chemist to ensure that they are
preparing the most optimal compound. To achieve this we have focused our efforts
within Abbvie medicinal chemistry toward excellence in design and excellence in
synthesis. Here we will describe the trials and tribulations of this approach.
8:26 Outsourcing of Medicinal Chemistry
David Bauer, Principal Scientist, Head of Medicinal Chemistry Outsourcing, Amgen
The presentation will give an overview of how leveraging external partnerships is
being used at Amgen to support our Medicinal Chemistry organization. The key
components of our outsourcing strategy will be discussed.
8:33 Pre-Competitive Collaboration – HowAstraZeneca’s Open
Innovation Program is Changing theWayWe Deliver Medicine to Patients
Pamela Hill, Open Innovation Program Manager, Emerging Innovations,
AstraZeneca, RD Boston
The AstraZeneca Open Innovation platform has been created to help us identify
and establish mutually beneficial collaborations that will lead to the discovery and
development of new medicines. We provide collaborators with access to late-
stage compounds, our compound collection as well as our cheminformatics and
screening technologies to validate and publish novel science.
8:40 Panel QA with Session Speakers
9:05The Application of Extended HückelTheory for Sponsored by
Pharmacophore Modeling
Michael Drummond, Ph.D., Applications Scientist, Chemical
Computing Group
Pharmacophore models play an essential role in drug discovery. Generating
pharmacophore models which encode accurate molecular recognition features are
highly dependent on properly defined annotation points. Here we have developed
a new approach for pharmacophore modeling which is based on a semi-empirical
method using Extended Hückel Theory (EHT). The pharmacophore features
generated through the EHT annotation scheme take into account ligand resonance
and electron withdrawing effects and are sensitive to non-standard interactions,
such as C-H and halogen bond interactions, during pharmacophore screening.
9:35 Small Molecules in Cancer Immunotherapy
Jerry L. Adams, Ph. D., Director, Medicinal Chemistry,
Immuno-Oncology  Combinations DPU, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals
Modulating the immune system through a small molecule approach offers several
advantages which are complimentary and potentially synergistic to biologic modalities.
Importantly, the successes of checkpoint inhibition provide direction for further advances
in the field of immune-oncology, including what roles small molecule drugs might play.This
talk will provide an overview of the strategy for and targets druggable by small molecules.
10:05 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
EVOLVINGTHE KINOME IN DRUG DISCOVERY
10:50 Kinase Drug Discovery Past, Present, and Future
Mark Bunnage, Ph.D., Vice President, Worldwide Medicinal Chemistry, Pfizer
Over recent years there has been remarkable progress in the medicinal chemistry
design of selective protein kinase inhibitors. There are now over 20 kinase
inhibitor drugs on the market and, with the recent approval of the JAK kinase
inhibitor Xeljanz® (tofacitinib citrate), we are now seeing kinase drugs emerge for
indications beyond Oncology. This presentation will discuss current approaches to
kinase inhibitor drug discovery and share a perspective on future directions.
11:20 Secreted Protein Kinases as Novel Regulators of the
Extracellular Environment
Malcolm Whitman, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Developmental Biology, Harvard
School of Dental Medicine; Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School
Secreted protein kinases, targeting serine, threonine and tyrosine, have recently been
identified and shown to act in the secretory pathway and outside the cell.These novel
kinases are divergent from intracellular kinases and represent a new class of drug
targets for the modulation of secreted protein and extracellular matrix function.
11:50 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
12:20 pm Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)
or Enjoy Lunch onYour Own
1:00 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 27
Mastering Medicinal Chemistry
Twelfth Annual
June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA
EVOLVINGTHE KINOME IN DRUG DISCOVERY
CONTINUED
1:30 Chairperson’s Remarks
Renato Skerlj, Ph.D., Vice President, Drug Discovery and Preclinical Development,
Lysosomal Therapeutics, Inc.
1:35 Akt and RNA Metabolism
Philip N. Tsichlis, M.D., Jane F. Desforges Professor of Medicine, Tufts University
School of Medicine
A phosphoproteomics screen of isogenic cell lines expressing different Akt
isoforms identified RNA metabolism as an Akt target.The phosphorylation of one of the
regulators of RNA metabolism (IWS1) was shown to epigenetically regulate alternative
RNA splicing.The role of other Akt targets in RNA processing is under investigation.
2:05 Using Ovality to Predict Nonmutagenic, Orally Efficacious
Pyridazine Amides as Cell-Specific Spleen
Matt Lucas, Ph.D., Director, Medicinal Chemistry, Discovery Chemistry and
Pharmaceutical Research, Cubist Pharmaceuticals
Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors’ inhibition of spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) has attracted much attention
as a mechanism for the treatment of cancers and autoimmune diseases.The structure-guided
optimization of pyridazine amide SYK inhibitors will be presented, along with an approach that led
to the successful identification of non-mutagenic examples with reduced cardiovascular liabilities.
EMERGING GENE FAMILIES  CHALLENGINGTARGETS
2:35 Solute Carrier Proteins as a Potential Source of New Drug
Targets
David Hepworth, Ph.D., Senior Director, Biotherapeutics Chemistry, Worldwide
Medicinal Chemistry, Pfizer
Solute carriers (SLCs) are biologically important proteins that control movement of
small molecules and ions across membranes. While the SLC family appears to be
generally small molecule druggable and is similar in size to the Class A GPCRs, the
number of drug targets is currently around 10x fewer.The presentation explores this
paradox and provides an overview of the current status of SLC drug discovery.
2:55Targeting IAP and BCL Protein-Protein Interactions with Small
Molecules: Lessons Learned
Brian Aquila, Ph.D., Associate Director, Medicinal Chemistry Oncology Research,
AstraZeneca
3:15Targeting the Arginine Methyltransferases
Kenneth W. Duncan, Ph.D., Associate Director, Molecular Discovery, Epizyme, Inc.
3:35 Modern Drug Research Informatics
Applications
Sponsored by
to CNS, Infectious, Neglected, Rare,
and Commercial Diseases
Barry Bunin, Ph.D., CEO, Collaborative Drug Discovery (CDD)
A modern approach to drug discovery informatics in 5 collaborative case studies
showcasing the CDD Vault will be explored. The CDD Vault manages biological and
chemical private data securely with external data.
3:50 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
6:00 Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
7:00 Close of Day
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
COVALENT AND IRREVERSIBLE INHIBITORS
8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks
Byron DeLaBarre, Ph.D., President  Chief Scientist,The Consulting Biochemist LLC
8:45 Covalent Inhibitors as an Approach for ChallengingTargets
Atli Thorarensen, Ph.D., Research Fellow, BioTx Medicinal Chemistry, Pfizer
Covalent inhibitors provide potential solutions to this difficult target space, but bring
additional challenge in medicinal chemistry design due to inhibitors intrinsic chemical
reactivity.This talk will provide an overview of selective covalent drug discovery
efforts and what key insights are required for successful covalent drug design.
9:05 Discovery of Covalent Inhibitors of Nedd4-1 Ubiquitin
Ligase: First-in-Class Covalent Inhibitor of HECT E3s
Alexander Statsyuk, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Chemistry Department,
Northwestern University
We developed a novel fragment-based drug discovery technology: irreversible
tethering. We used this to discover a covalent small molecule inhibitor of Nedd4-1
ubiquitin ligase. We will discuss the mechanism of action of Nedd4-1 inhibitor, such as
switching Nedd4-1 mediated polyubiquitin chain growth from processive to distributive.
HIT GENERATION  DISCOVERYTECHNOLOGIES:
DNA-ENCODED LIBRARIES, PHENOTYPIC
SCREENS  BEYOND
9:25 Direct and Synergistic Inhibition of the HCV NS5A
Replication Complex
Makonen Belema, Ph.D., Senior Principal Scientist, Discovery Chemistry, Bristol Myers
Squibb Co.
The NS5A protein plays multifunctional roles in the hepatitis C virus replication
cycle, and its inhibitors are integral components of a promising combination of
HCV therapies that secured regulatory approvals recently. Key aspects of the
medicinal chemistry effort that optimized a phenotype screen hit to the first-in-
class NS5A inhibitor daclatasvir and highlights of mode-of-action studies that
revealed considerable synergistic interaction between two distinct classes of
NS5A-interacting molecules will be discussed.
9:55 Hit GenerationTechnologies – From DNA-Encoded Libraries 
Phenotypic Screens, to New Chemical Space
Jörg Holenz, Ph.D., Director, Discovery and Preclinical Sciences, Project Leader,
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
Lead Generation is defining the quality of chemical assets and - given this
importance - has undergone significant changes. New hit generation techniques
have been added to the pool, and only by cleverly combining these, the challenge
to drug novel demanding targets will be met. This lecture will present learnings
from successful lead generation case histories.
10:15 Accounting forWater Energetics in
Drug Design
Sponsored by
Woody Sherman, Ph.D., Vice President, Applications Science, Schrödinger
Water plays a ubiquitous role in biology and is critical in understanding molecular recognition.
While the importance of water is greatly appreciated, a detailed understanding of how to
incorporate water into the drug design process has been elusive. For example, crystallography
provides the location of a subset of water molecules but cannot place waters throughout the
entire binding site.We present strategies for deciding whether it is better to displace, avoid, or
bridge a given water molecule once insight into hydration site energetics are in hand.
10:45 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 28
Mastering Medicinal Chemistry
Twelfth Annual
June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA
11:30Triage of High-Throughput Screening Hits: A PAIN in the Assay
Jonathan B. Baell, Ph.D., Director, Australian Translational Medicinal Chemistry
Laboratory and Professor, Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and
Pharmaceutical Science, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Mathematically, a standard hit rate of say 0.7% necessarily furnishes more false
positives from a high-throughput screen than the few (if any) real ligands for that
target that may lurk within the set of hits identified. This talk will outline some
personal experiences and reflections along with advice on how to efficiently
identify problematic screening hits.
WATER IN DRUG DISCOVERY:
COMPUTATIONAL  NEXT GENERATION DESIGN
11:50Time-Average Solvation Distributions in Drug Design: A Holistic
Approach to Drug Discovery, from Binding Kinetics to Dynamic
Modeling
José Duca, Ph.D., Global Head, Computer-Aided Drug Discovery, Novartis Institutes
for BioMedical Research, Inc.
Our lab has developed a theory from first principles that links solvation to binding
kinetics at a molecular level. We use a comprehensive approach to design
chemical matter with optimized pharmaco(binding)kinetics, redefining the role of
computational medicinal chemistry in drug discovery.
12:10 pm Designing Water-Soluble Molecules in Drug Discovery
Michael A. Walker, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry, Bristol-Myers
Squibb Pharmaceutical Research and Development
A number of strategies have been applied by medicinal chemists in order to
rationally design molecules which exhibit appropriate solubility. A majority of these
approaches are focused on reducing the hydrophobicity of the molecule. This talk
will provide examples where solubility was increased in unexpected ways.
12:30 Close of Conference
property-based
DRUG DESIGNin medicinal chemistry
Driving Drug Discovery Success by Designing Right Physicochemical and Biophysical Properties
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclinical Congress | 29
Suggested Event Package:
June 9 Short Course*: Drug Metabolism and Its Impact on Decisions in Drug
Discovery  Development
June 9 Dinner Short Course*: Understanding and Dealing with Drug
Disposition in CNS
June 10-11: Mastering Medicinal Chemistry Conference
June 11-12: Property-Based Drug Design in Medicinal Chemistry Conference
June 11 Dinner Short Course*: Optimizing Physical Properties of Molecules to
Achieve High-quality Clinical Candidates
* Separate registration required.
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
12:00 pm Registration
PROPERTY-BASED STRUCTURE DESIGN
CONSIDERATION FOR NEW  NON-TRADITIONAL
MOLECULES
2:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
« 2:05 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: EXPLORING
MACROCYCLES FOR DRUG DISCOVERY: NOVEL
LEAD SERIES FOR CHALLENGING PROTEIN-
PROTEIN INTERACTIONS
Nick Terrett, Ph.D., CSO, Ensemble Therapeutics Corp.
Macrocycles are found widely in nature and several are marketed
as drugs with good drug-like properties. This presentation will
illustrate how Ensemble can rapidly generate millions of synthetic macrocycles
using DNA-programmed chemistry, and how they are efficiently screened
against protein-protein interaction targets to identify hit compounds and SAR.
The novel approach will be illustrated with successful examples of lead discovery
programs, including the discovery of novel XIAP and IL17A antagonists.
2:35 Property- and Fragment-Based Design Considerations for
Protein-Protein InteractionTargets, a Case Study
Christopher N. Johnson, Ph.D., CChem FRSC, Director, Medicinal Chemistry, Astex
Pharmaceuticals
Astex has successfully applied fragment-based drug design to protein-protein
interaction targets. Key factors in this success have been (i) detailed structural
understanding of binding interactions between fragment and target protein via x-ray
crystallography and (ii) rigorous control of physicochemical properties.The approach
is exemplified by Astex’s Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein (IAP) project, where potent
dual antagonists of XIAP and cIAP1 were identified, having in vivo anti-tumor activity.
3:05 Computational Design for Improving ADME Properties of
Peptidic Macrocycles
Alan M. Mathiowetz, Ph.D., Associate Research Fellow, Worldwide Medicinal
Chemistry, Pfizer, Inc.
A great deal of progress has been made in recent years in elucidating design principles
for achieving favorable ADME properties in Beyond Rule-of-5 macrocycles. Many of
the important principles, such as minimization of exposed polar surface area to improve
permeability, are dependent upon the overall 3D structure, which can be computationally
predicted and confirmed experimentally. Here we present computational approaches
and property/ADME trends seen in a variety of interesting macrocyclic chemotypes.
3:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
DESIGNING MOLECULES WITH BETTER
DELIVERABILITY ANDTARGETING
4:45 Optimizing Brain Exposure in CNS Drug Discovery
Ruben Alvarez Sanchez, Ph.D., Head, Pharmaceutical Profiling, Drug Disposition
and Safety, F. Hoffmann-La Roche
For drugs actively transported across the blood-brain barrier, unbound plasma and
unbound brain concentrations differ to an extent that is commonly unknown. We
report on approaches to assess and predict unbound brain concentration for P-gp
substrates and how they can be utilized in early CNS drug discovery to enhance
the understanding of PK/PD relationships and support a clinically meaningful
compound optimization.
5:15 Inhalation by Design: Approaches towards Designing Drug
Candidates for Lung Diseases
Peter Jones, Ph.D., Senior Principal Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry-Inflammation
and Remodelling, Pfizer, Inc.
Designing compounds with suitable properties for inhalation present unique
challenges to the medicinal chemist. This talk will discuss a number of programs
from within Pfizer that have addressed this issue, across numerous target classes,
to produce inhaled candidate drug molecules for the treatment of various lung
diseases – Inhibition of GPCRs, PDEs and Kinases have been targeted successfully
via this approach.
5:45 Discovery of Asunaprevir (BMS-650032): An Approved NS3
Protease Inhibitor for theTreatment of Hepatitis C
Paul Scola, Ph.D., Research Fellow  Group Leader, Department ofVirology Chemistry,
Bristol-Myers Squibb Research Co.
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is an insidious liver disease that affects more than
170 million people worldwide. The HCV NS3/4A protease is an essential enzyme
for viral replication and, as such, has been validated as a target for anti-HCV therapy
in clinical trials. In this presentation, the discovery of BMS-650032, a potent and
selective inhibitor of the NS3/4A enzyme, recently approved for treatment of
HCV, will be described. Highlights of this discovery process include the design of
the acylsulfonamide chemotype, as well as optimization of ADME and toxicology
properties within this chemical series.
6:15 Close of Day
FRIDAY, JUNE 12
7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups
Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures
focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and
the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking.
Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website.
PREDICTION AND EVALUATION OF DRUG
PROPERTIES
8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks
Terry Richard Stouch, Ph.D., President, Science for Solutions, LLC
June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA
Fourth Annual
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 30
Property-Based Drug Design
Fourth Annual
June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA
« 8:45 FEATURED PRESENTATION: PROPERTY-
BASED MOLECULAR DESIGN: WHERE NEXT?
Peter Kenny, Ph.D., Visiting Scientist, NEQUIMED-IQSC,
University of São
I will draw the distinction between hypothesis-driven and
prediction-driven molecular design before questioning some of
the assumptions commonly made in drug discovery. Alternatives
to the octanol/water partitioning system will be discussed and relationships
between structures will be outlined as a framework for analyzing biological
activity and physicochemical properties.
9:15 Oral Druggable Space beyond the Rule of 5: Insights from Drugs
and Clinical Candidates
Jan Kihlberg, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Chemistry, BMC, Uppsala University,
Sweden
Analysis of drugs and clinical candidates having MW 500 Da demonstrate
significant opportunities for discovery of cell permeable and orally bioavailable
drugs in physicochemical space far beyond the rule of 5 (bRo5). As compared
to Ro5 compliant drugs, those bRo5 may modulate different kinds of targets,
in particular ones having flat and groove shaped binding sites. Interestingly,
macrocycles appear to have features that provide special opportunities in bRo5
drug space.
9:45 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
10:15 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
11:00 Known Unknowns in Drug Discovery Data
Terry Richard Stouch, Ph.D., President, Science for Solutions, LLC
Data drives Drug Discovery research at all levels and determine the outcome
of many thousands of decisions that govern the progress, success, or failure of
any one project. Yet, even the ‘experimental’ error of this data is often unknown,
under-utilized, or unconfirmed and the actual error has been shown to be even
larger that that. This includes physical property data as well as that from assays,
biomolecular structure determination, and computational modeling. These errors,
their magnitude and genesis will be discussed with a eye toward informed
decision making.
11:25 Physicochemical and Biomimetic Properties to Guide Lead
Optimization
Klara Valko, Ph.D., DSc, FRSC, Senior Scientific Investigator, UK Analytical
Chemistry, RD Platform Technology  Science, GSK
Measurements of physicochemical and biomimetic properties in early drug
discovery are used for the estimation of in vivo distribution and drug efficiency.
The Drug Efficiency Index (DEI) (potency plus drug efficiency) has been shown to
be proportional to receptor occupancy. Simultaneous optimization of potency and
drug efficiency can help guide candidate selection toward compounds of increased
quality and with reduced chance of later stage failures.
11:50 pm Hepatobiliary DrugTransport: Predicting and Optimizing
Pharmacokinetics
Manthena Varma, Ph.D., Senior Principal Scientist, Pharmacokinetics Dynamics 
Metabolism, Pfizer, Inc.
Hepatobiliary transport is a major disposition pathway, and estimating its
contribution to the total systemic clearance is extremely valuable for predicting
clinical pharmacokinetics and understanding the possible mechanisms of hepato-
biliary toxicity and potential drug-drug interactions. Furthermore, the clinical
importance of hepatic drug transporters has attracted potential design strategies
to support liver targeting – a key approach to maximizing the potential therapeutic
index of a compound. Early assessment of drug exposure (PK) is challenging in this
space given the limited information regarding the specific transporter expression
levels, lack of established IVIVE and lack of sizable datasets. This presentation
provide insight into the hepato-biliary transport with relevance to exposure
optimization and the current understanding of the physicochemical and structural
drivers in order to facilitate rational drug design.
12:15pm Phosphatidylcholine Affinity Chromatography and Link to
Compound Promiscuity, Non-Specific Binding and Phospholipidosis
Assessment
John Reilly, Ph.D., Senior Research Investigator, Global Discovery Chemistry,
Novartis Institute of Biomedical Research
In this work, a high throughput chromatographic phosphatidylcholine (PC) affinity
assay has been demonstrated to offer an insight into the prediction of compound
promiscuity, non-specific binding and phospholipidosis-inducing potential (PLIP) of
pharmaceuticals. Results will include 1000 compound study comparing PC affinity
to generic compound promiscuity “Target Hit Rate” assay and the benefit of this
approach over cLogP. Results will also be presented on how his assay has been a
useful tool to predict for non-specific binding for PET ligand tracers and PLIP.
12:30 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
12:45 Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)
or Enjoy Lunch onYour Own
1:30 Session Break
DESIGNING PROPERTIESTO OVERCOME
CHALLENGES IN DISCOVERY, DEVELOPMENT 
CLINIC
2:00 Chairperson’s Remarks
Jan Wahlstrom, Ph.D., Director, Pharmacokinetics  Drug Metabolism, Amgen, Inc.
2:05 A Systems Pharmacokinetics Approach to the Optimization
of Drug Properties to Help MaximizeTherapeutic Index: On the
Quantitative Prediction of UnboundTissue Distribution and its
Implication for Drug Design
Avijit Ghosh, Ph.D., Director, Mechanism Based Drug Disposition
Pharmacodynamics and Metabolism, Janssen RD
In this work, we leverage a mathematical model of the underlying physiochemical
properties of tissues and physicochemical properties of molecules to support the
development of hepatoselective glucokinase activators. A case study using this
approach in the development of hepatoselective glucokinase activators via organic
anion-transporting polypeptide–mediated hepatic uptake and impaired passive
distribution to the pancreas is described.
2:35 Utilizing Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling to
Inform Formulation and Clinical Development
Jan Wahlstrom, Ph.D., Director, Pharmacokinetics  Drug Metabolism, Amgen, Inc.
Physicochemical properties and early ADMET assays guide chemotype evaluation
and rational scaffold alteration. This presentation will focus on the integration of
these approaches with physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling (PBPK) to
enable the prediction of clinical outcomes and to optimize selection of formulation.
3:05The Discovery and Development of an HIV-1 Attachment
Inhibitor Clinical Candidate
Kap-Sun Yeung, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Discovery Chemistry, Pharmaceutical
RD, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.
The inhibition of the attachment of the HIV-1 viral glycoprotein gp-120 to the
host cell receptor CD4 during the first step of the viral entry represents a novel
antiretroviral approach. This talk will discuss the modifications made by medicinal
chemists based on clinical feedback from multiple compounds, discuss a
successful prodrug approach, and describe formulation development leading to a
clinical candidate that is currently progressing to Phase III studies.
3:35 Close of Conference
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 31
Suggested Event Package:
June 9 Short Course*: Allosteric Modulators of GPCRs, (PAMs NAMs)
June 9 Dinner Short Course*: Imaging in Cancer Research: Key Applications,
Modalities and Strategies
June 10-11: Chemical Biology for Target Validation Conference
June 11-12: Chemical Proteomics for Target Validation Conference
June 11 Dinner Short Course*: How to Best Utilize Organotypic 3D Cell
Cultures in Oncology
* Separate registration required.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10
7:00 am Registration and Morning Coffee
PHENOTYPIC SCREENING,TARGET IDENTIFICATION
AND MOA OF NOVEL BIOACTIVE PROBES
8:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Iván Cornella-Taracido, Ph.D., Senior Principal Scientist, Discovery Chemistry, Merck
8:05: Chemical Probe Libraries to Explore and Validate Novel Biology
Iván Cornella-Taracido, Ph.D., Senior Principal Scientist, Discovery Chemistry, Merck
Chemical probes, drug-like or not, have been used for years to identify new
therapeutic targets as well as to perform validation studies directed to assess their
efficacious engagement and pharmacological modulation. Herein I will elaborate
on the physicochemical and biological features of a good tool compound, review
historical work to assemble a comprehensive, properly annotated, collection of
optimal chemical probes and discuss its use towards exploratory phenotype-driven
biology (target discovery) and target validation.
8:35: ATrigger Based Selectivity Mechanism of Cell Death Identified
through Chemical Genetics
Deborah Rothman, Ph.D., Investigator III, Chemical Genetics, Novartis Institutes of
Biomedical Research
Phenotypic drug discovery has gained momentum as a complementary approach
to target based drug discovery in the last decade. Though a phenotypic drug
discovery approach, we have identified the N-BICs series of small molecules,
which selectively kill a subset of cancer cells. Using multiple profiling tools
and techniques, we identified the mechanism of selectivity to be activation of
the compounds by high cellular expression of a phase II metabolic enzyme.
Additionally, we show that the compounds covalently modify cellular proteins as
part of their efficacy mechanism yet are efficiently cleared from animal models.
9:05 Sulfonyl Fluoride Chemistry forTarget Validation, Identification
and Other Applications in Chemical Biology
Lyn Jones, Ph.D., Head, Chemistry, Chemical Biology  Rare Diseases, Pfizer
I will describe the first rational design and synthesis of sulfonyl fluoride covalent
probes that specifically target reactive tyrosine residues in a protein binding site.
Subsequent development of a clickable covalent inhibitor of the mRNA/miRNA
metabolizing enzyme DcpS enabled the measurement of target engagement in
human primary cells for the first time. This technology validated DcpS as a bona
fide target protein of a series of diaminoquinazoline derivatives and the broader
utility of sulfonyl fluoride chemical probes in chemical biology will be described.
9:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
10:05 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
CHEMICALTOOLS MODULATING GENE
EXPRESSION AND PROTEIN HOMEOSTASIS
10:50 Featured Presentation:Targeted Protein Degradation of
Pathological Proteins
Andy Crew, Ph.D., Vice President, Chemistry, Arvinas
Based on an ‘event-driven’ paradigm, targeted protein degradation offers a
novel and broad mechanism to irreversibly inhibit protein function, namely, the
intracellular destruction of target proteins. This is achieved via small molecule
mediated recruitment of the target proteins in question to the E3 ligase
component of the UPS cellular quality control machinery. The application of the
Arvinas degradation platform to identification of potent degraders of TBK1 will
be described.
11:20Targeting the Stress Chaperome in Disease, Diagnosis and
Treatment
Gabriela Chiosis, Ph.D., Associate Member and Lab Head, Molecular Pharmacology
and Chemistry, Sloan Kettering Institute; Associate Attending, Department of
Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Normal cellular physiology is maintained by the coordinated action of the
chaperome, a network of molecular chaperones as well as co-chaperones and
folding enzymes. By using innovative methods, we develop small molecule
chemical tools specifically targeted to the stress chaperome; these act as
“sensors” of the chronic stress, and in turn, of the chronic stress-associated
proteome. I will discuss how by the use of these unique tools we aim to
understand, diagnose and treat cellular processes associated with chronic stress.
11:50 Chemical Modulation of Chromatin Structure
Jun Qi, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, Bradner Lab, Department of Medical
Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
12:20 pm Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)
or Enjoy Lunch onYour Own
1:00 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
NOVEL SYNTHETIC METHODS FOR MODULATION
OF BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES
1:30 Chairperson’s Remarks
Alexander Statsyuk, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry,
Northwestern University
1:35 Small Molecules to Engineer and Explore Human Immunity
David A. Spiegel, Ph.D., M.D., Professor, Department of Chemistry, Yale University
Research in the Spiegel Laboratory utilizes techniques and insights from organic
chemistry to modulate and/or create immunological function, an area termed
“Synthetic Immunology.”This talk will discuss our recent work toward novel
paradigms for immunotherapy by developing and characterizing synthetic constructs
that harness immune responses. Specific topics to be discussed will include the
rational design and biological characterization of immunomodulatory small molecules,
as well as applications in areas ranging from cancer to infectious disease.
June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA
Second Annual
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 32
Chemical Biology for Target Validation
June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MASecond Annual
2:05 Spliceosome Modulation for theTreatment of Mutant SF3B1
Cancers
Gregg F. Keaney, Ph.D., Senior Scientific Investigator, Medicinal Chemistry, H3
Biomedicine
This presentation will describe how the pladienolide natural products were
originally identified to interact with the spliceosome through target identification
cross-linking experiments, and how recently-discovered SF3B1 mutations in
chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)
represent a novel biological target for therapeutic intervention. The total synthesis
of 6-deoxypladienolide D, a structurally-complex macrocyclic natural product, along
with its biological activity in a suite of mutant SF3B1 assays will be described.
2:35 Discovering andValidating DrugTargets Using Synthetic Binding
Shohei Koide, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
The University of Chicago
We have developed “Monobodies,” synthetic binding proteins that can be
introduced into cells as genetically encoded protein. Remarkably, Monobodies to
diverse target proteins are almost always inhibitors of their functions. Like small-
molecule drugs, Monobodies modulate endogenous targets by binding them.
Therefore, investigation of cellular effects of Monobodies and of the structural basis
of Monobody-target interactions accelerates target validation and the discovery
of potentially druggable sites. I will discuss our approach as applied to signal
transduction and epigenetics.
3:05 High-Throughput Generation of Synthetic Peptides Modulating
Enzyme Function
Sachdev Sidhu, Ph.D., Professor, Donnelly Centre for Cellular  Biomolecular
Research, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto
Peptide ligands are promising small-molecule therapeutic candidates for
devastating diseases such as cancer. In principle, some natural proteins could
be used as therapeutic agents, but their target binding affinities often precludes
their use in a clinical setting. Using a phage display strategy and libraries of
variant proteins designed based on crystal structure information, we can evolve
high affinity variants that show increased binding affinity and improved activity
compared to the wild type proteins.
3:35 Modeling PeptideTherapeutics/A Case Study Sponsored by
Irene Meliciani, Ph.D., Head, Sales  Business Development,
Intelligent Pharma
The identification of small molecules which can mimic peptides has great
potential in overcoming difficulties associated with synthesis, or unfavorable
physical properties. Through a case study we applied our ligand-based virtual
screening to determine the similarity of a peptide to a set of small molecules
that were experimentally validated.
3:50 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
»»5:00 PLENARY KEYNOTE PANEL (see page 2 for details)
6:00 Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
7:00 Close of Day
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups
Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures
focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and
the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking.
Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website.
KEYNOTE SESSION:TECHNOLOGICAL
INNOVATIONS
8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks
Lyn Jones, Ph.D., Head, Chemistry, Chemical Biology  Rare Diseases, Pfizer
8:45 FromYeast to Human Neurons and Back Again:
Powerful Platforms for Chemical Biology andTarget
Validation
Susan Lindquist, Ph.D., Professor, Biology, MIT; Investigator,
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Taking advantage of the highly conserved biology of protein folding and
trafficking in eukaryotic cells, we have created yeast models of human
neurodegenerative diseases that recapitulate the basic pathological processes
disrupting protein homeostasis. Significantly, each yeast model exhibits
cellular toxicity through a different mechanism. The unique advantage of these
models is the ability to perform ultra-highthroughput screening of chemical
compound libraries. Hits from these yeast screens rescue patient-derived
neurons. With this validation, we return to yeast and use the power of yeast
genetics to identify targets. This lecture will discuss recent successes and the
future promise of these yeast-to-neurons-to-yeast platforms.
9:30 FITGE-BasedTarget Identification for the
Connection of Rational Drug Discovery with
Phenotypic Screening
Seung Bum Park, Ph.D., Professor, Chemistry, Seoul National University
We developed a new target identification platform, FITGE, which aims
to preserve protein-small molecule interactions under the intact cellular
environment. I will report a phenotype-based discovery of initial hits that
enhance the cellular glucose uptake in myotubes and adipocytes Identification
and rational optimization of initial hits can generate lead compounds with
high potency for PPARg transactivation and cellular glucose uptake. I will also
present our current efforts on the development of novel neuroinflammatory
agents from phenotypic screening and target ID.
10:15 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
10:45 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
CASE STUDIES IN CHEMICAL BIOLOGYTARGETING
PPIs AND ALLOSTERY
11:30 Novel Probes for E3 Ligases: pH Cleavable Photocrosslinkers to
Map E2/E3 Ligase PPI Interface and UbiFlu Novel Fluorescent Probes
Alexander Statsyuk, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry,
Northwestern University
We will present our work toward the development of chemical probes to study the
biochemistry and pharmacology of E3 ubiquitin ligases. First we have developed
a novel class of pH-cleavable, minimalist photocrosslinkers that can be installed
anywhere on the surface of the E2 enzyme using cysteine chemistry. The second
part of this talk will outline the invention of a novel class of fluorescent activity
based probes for E3 ligases called UbiFlu.
12:00 pm Not All mGluR PAMs Are Created Equal: Designing the
Right Allosteric Ligand forYour Clinical Indication
Dario Doller, Ph.D., Director, Discovery Chemistry  DMPK, Global Head of
Chemical Biology, Lundbeck Research USA
Allosteric modulation of glutamate-sensing metabotropic receptors (mGluRs) has
the potential to provide new therapies for the most debilitating CNS diseases (AD,
PD, MS). Advances in our understanding of the chemical biology of these receptors
has enabled the characterization of ligands with distinct phenotype. We will
disclose new results in the area of mGlu4 positive allosteric modulation, including
careful characterization of different tool compounds.
12:30 Close of Conference
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclinical Congress | 33
Suggested Event Package:
June 9 Short Course*: Allosteric Modulators of GPCRs, (PAMs NAMs)
June 9 Dinner Short Course*: Imaging in Cancer Research: Key Applications,
Modalities and Strategies
June 10-11: Chemical Biology for Target Validation Conference
June 11-12: Chemical Proteomics for Target Validation Conference
June 11 Dinner Short Course*: How to Best Utilize Organotypic 3D Cell
Cultures in Oncology
* Separate registration required.
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
12:00 pm Registration
OPENING KEYNOTE SESSION:TECHNOLOGICAL
INNOVATIONS
2:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Markus Schirle, Ph.D., Senior Investigator, Developmental and Molecular
Pathways/Chemogenetics, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research
2:05: BioPlex 1.0: An Orfeome-Based, Mass
Spectrometry-Driven, Human Protein Interaction
Network
Steven P. Gygi, Ph.D., Professor, Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School
We report a scalable affinity-purification mass spectrometry (AP-MS) platform
and identify interacting partners for 2,594 proteins in HEK293T cells. The
resulting network (BioPlex 1.0) contains 23,744 interactions, 86% previously
unknown, among 7,668 proteins. This lecture will highlight network’s
construction and its insights into human disease. Within two years, the
platform described here will be used to determine interacting partners from a
complete pass through the Orfeome collection (~13,000 human genes).
2:50 Mass Spectrometry-based Proteomics in
Preclinical Drug Discovery
Bernhard Kuster, Ph.D., Professor, Co-Founder and Chair,
Proteomics and Bioanalytics, Technische Universität München,
OmicScouts GmbH
Preclinical stages in the drug discovery process require a multitude of
biochemical and genetic assays in order to characterize the effects of drug
candidates on cellular systems and model organisms. Dramatic technological
improvements in mass spectrometry-based proteomic and chemical
proteomic strategies substantially facilitate decision-making throughout
the drug discovery process. Here, we highlight proteomic approaches
suitable for preclinical drug discovery and illustrate the potential of exciting
recent developments.
3:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
PROTEOMICS-ENABLED DISCOVERY
4:45 Proteomics as a ContributingTechnology in Drug Discovery
Kieran Geoghegan, Ph.D., Research Fellow, Pfizer, Inc.
The relationship of proteomics to drug discovery continues to be explored and
developed. Among the trends driving interest in such approaches are the targeting
of proteins with deep controlling effects on cell metabolism, a revived interest in
drugs that form covalent bonds with their targets, and the need to deconvolute the
action of potent compounds for which no molecular target is known. All aspects
of the continuum existing between classical proteomics and chemical biology offer
potential to elucidate highly valued new information about drug action.
5:15Tracking Cancer Drugs in Living Cells byThermal Profiling of the
Proteome
Marcus Bantscheff, Ph.D., Head, Technology, Cellzome GmbH, Molecular Discovery
Research, GlaxoSmithKline
5:45 Proteomics-Based Methods for In-Depth Analysis of Key
Molecular Events inTumorogenesis
Jarrod Marto, Ph.D., Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular
Pharmacology, Dana-Farber
Proteomics-based methods provide a highly parallel readout of multiple biologically
relevant events in a single experiment. Collectively these data provide a detailed
view of key molecular mechanisms in cancer initiation and progression and
can also facilitate drug target discovery and improved characterization of small
molecule-based therapeutics.
6:15 Close of Day
FRIDAY, JUNE 12
7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups
Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures
focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and
the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking.
Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website.
CHEMOPROTEOMIC STRATEGIES FOR INHIBITOR
DEVELOPEMENT
8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks
Alexander Statsyuk, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Chemistry, Northwestern University
8:45 Chemical Proteomic Strategies to Investigate Reactive
Cysteines
Eranthie Weerapana, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Chemistry, Boston College
We have applied chemical proteomics to identify and characterize functional
cysteines in the human proteome. By combining small-molecule probe synthesis
with mass spectrometry-based proteomics, we have identified reactive and
functional cysteines that can be targeted for covalent inhibitor development.
Our small-molecule probes act as pharmacological modulators of diverse
protein activities.
9:15 Serendipitous Discovery of the Selective Inhibitor of the
Ubiquitin System Using Chemoproteomic Approaches
Alexander Statsyuk, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Chemistry, Northwestern University
While designing chemoproteomic probes for UBL proteins based on covalent
Nedd8 E1 enzyme inhibitor MLN4924, we discovered a molecule ABP3 that
potently and covalently labeled ubiquitin and Nedd8 proteins inside A549 cells.
The key to this discovery was the use of click chemistry that allowed us to
visualize and identify protein targets of ABP3, due to the presence of an alkyne
tag in the molecule. Subsequent follow up experiments showed that ABP3 is a
potent inhibitor of Nedd8 ubiquitin conjugation in cells, but not SUMO, ISG15, and
Ufm1 conjugation.
9:45 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available)
10:15 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA
Inaugural
Chemical Proteomics for Target Validation
June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MAInaugural
ADVANCES INTARGET DECONVOLUTION
11:00Towards Comprehensive Coverage of DrugTarget Space in
Chemical Proteomics
Markus Schirle, Ph.D., Senior Investigator, Developmental and Molecular Pathways/
Chemogenetics, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research
Non-covalent approaches have been highly successful for certain target classes.
However, they have a significantly lower success rate for important target classes
that require intact cellular environments. In these cases, covalent strategies such
as photocrosslinking-based experiments using live cell treatment have proven
to be successful but require careful experimental design and optimization. Our
efforts towards a comprehensive chemical proteomics strategy for de novo
target deconvolution that includes covalent and non-covalent approaches will
be presented.
11:30 Case Strudies inTarget Identification and Mechanism of Action
in Drug Discovery
Monica Schenone, Ph.D., Technical and Scientific Leader, Biochemical Target ID,
Proteomics Platform, Broad Institute
12:00 pm Small Molecule Profiling by Protein Stability-Based
Interaction Proteomics (ProSIP)
Kilian Huber, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, Giulio Superti-Furga Laboratory, CeMM Research
Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
We report an unbiased systems-level approach to monitor small-molecule target
engagement in live cells based on protein thermal stability and quantitative
mass spectrometry. The procedure does not require chemical modification
of the compound of interest and in combination with tailored bioinformatic
analysis constitutes a powerful means to assess target binding in a physiological
context. Protein Stability-based Interaction Proteomics (ProSIP) should allow
for the systematic mapping of chemical agents, including metabolites, to their
natural partners.
12:30 Utilizing Chemogenomics to Chemoproteomics to Identify and
Validate NewTargets in Drug Discovery
Erik Hett, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Chemical Biology, Medicinal Chemistry, Pfizer
During this presentation I will share case studies illustrating the the ultization of
gene-family biased small molecule sets in phenotypic screens to identify druggable
targets and to enable target identification, as well as ultilzating activity-based
protein profiling to deconvolute phenotypic hits.
1:00 Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or
Enjoy Lunch onYour Own
1:30 Session Break
BIOORTHOGONALTECHNIQUES FOR LABELLING
AND IMAGING
2:00 Chairperson’s Remarks
Doug Johnson, Ph.D., Associate Research Fellow, Neuroscience, Medicinal
Chemistry, Pfizer
2:05Tandem Photoaffinity Labeling - Bioorthogonal Conjugation in
Medicinal Chemistry
David Lapinsky, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Medicinal Chemistry, Division of
Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University
This lecture willhighlight recent applications of tandem photoaffinity labeling–
bioorthogonal conjugation as a powerful and versatile chemical approach. In
particular, recent applications of this strategy towards affinity-based protein
profiling (AfBPP), drug target identification, binding ensemble profiling, studying
endogenous biological molecules, and imaging applications will be presented.
Additionally, recent advances in the development of ‘all-in-one’ compact moieties
possessing a photoreactive group and clickable handle will be presented.
2:35 A Modular andTraceless Chemical Method to Locate andTrack
Endogenous ProteinTargets in Live Cells
James Chambers, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Chemistry, University of
Massachusetts, Amherst
I will describe out rationale for designing a traceless, chemistry-based probe
that allows for tagging endogenous receptors on neurons. The probe combines
elements of medicinal chemistry, bio-conjugation, chemical biology, and
neurobiology. I will provide a detailed discussion of our design and implementation
for our first probe that was targeted to glutamate-gated AMPA receptors. I will then
discuss our present efforts to modularize the system.
3:05 Chemoproteomics with Clickable Photoaffinity Probes for
NeuroscienceTarget ID and Validation
Doug Johnson, Ph.D., Associate Research Fellow, Neuroscience, Medicinal
Chemistry, Pfizer
This talk will describe how we used clickable photoaffinity probes for (off-)target
identification/validation and to measure target engagement in live cells for three
neuroscience projects at Pfizer. In the first example, we used clickable γ-secretase
modulator (GSM) photoaffinity probes to determine the target of GSMs within the
γ-secretase complex.
3:35 Close of Conference
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 34
WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 35
For sponsorship and exhibit information, please contact:
Joseph Vacca
Associate Director, Business Development
781-972-5431 | jvacca@healthtech.com
Abcam
AMRI
AntiCancer, Inc.
Axiogenesis
Biomodels, LLC
Biopta Ltd
Bruker Corporation
Cellular Dynamics International
Champions Oncology
Charles River
Chemical Computing Group
Collaborative Drug Discovery (CDD)
Halocarbon Products
Hybrigenics
Intelligent Pharma
International Institute for the
Advancement of Medicine
InvivoSciences, Inc.
KIYATEC Inc.
Molecular Sensing, Inc.
Oncodesign
Optibrium
Persomics USA, Inc.
PharmAgra Labs, Inc.
ProQinase
Reaction Biology Corporation
Schrödinger
SCIVAX Life Sciences, Inc.
Simulations Plus, Inc.
Solid Form Solutions Ltd
Studylog Systems, Inc.
Sygnature Discovery
Synthonix
Taconic Biosciences
The Jackson Laboratory
VisualSonics
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T3A: Targeting GPCRs T3B: Targeting Histone Acetylation
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Single Short Course		 $699	 $399
Two Short Courses		 $999	 $699
Three Short Courses		 $1,199	 $899
Please select the short courses you are most likely to attend.
Tuesday, June 9 | 2:00 – 5:00 pm Thursday, June 11 | 7:00 – 10:00 pm (Dinner provided)
SC1: Allosteric Modulators of GPCRs, (PAMs NAMs)
SC8: Optimizing Physical Properties of Molecules to Achieve High-Quality
Clinical Candidates
SC2: Imaging of Blood-Brain Barrier Function SC9: How to Best Utilize Organotypic 3D Cell Cultures in Oncology
SC3: Drug Metabolism and Its Impact on Decisions in Drug Discovery
Development
SC10: 3D Printing
Tuesday, June 9 | 6:00 – 9:00 pm (Dinner provided) SC11: PDX Models Update
SC4: Biased GPCR Ligands: Towards Novel Drug Discovery
SC5: Understanding and Dealing with Drug Disposition in CNS
SC6: Navigating the CiPA Landscape
SC7: Imaging in Cancer Research: Modalities, Agents and Strategies
CONFERENCE DISCOUNTS
Alumni Discount 			 20% Off
Drug Safety Executive Council (DSEC) Members 			 25% Off
Poster Discount 			 $50 Off
POSTER DISCOUNT ($50 Off) Poster abstracts are due by April 24, 2015 Once your registration has been fully processed, we will send an email containing a
unique link allowing you to submit your poster abstract. If you do not receive your link within 5 business days, please contact jring@healthtech.com.
* CHI reserves the right to publish your poster title and abstract in various marketing materials and products.
REGISTER 3 - 4th IS FREE: Individuals must register for the same conference or conference combination and submit completed registration form together for
discount to apply.
ALUMNI DISCOUNT: Cambridge Healthtech Institute (CHI) appreciates your past participation at World Pharma Congress. As a result of the great loyalty you
have shown us, we are pleased to extend to you the exclusive opportunity to save an additional 20% off the registration rate. Please note: Our records must
indicate you were an attendee of World Pharma Congress in the past in order to qualify.
Group Discounts are Available!
Special rates are available for multiple attendees from the same organization. For more information on group discounts contact David Cunningham at 781-972-5472
*Alumni, DSEC Membership, Twitter, LinkedIN, Facebook or any other promotional discounts cannot be combined. Discounts not applicable on Event Short Courses.
If you are unable to attend but would like to purchase the World Preclinical Congress 2015 CD for $750 (plus shipping), please visit WorldPharmaCongress.com.
Massachusetts delivery will include sales tax.
Pricing and Registration Information
June 10-12, 2015 
Westin Boston Waterfront, Boston, MA

World Preclinical Congress 2015 Brochure

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    Final AgendaREGISTER BYMARCH 13 AND SAVE UP TO $400! WorldPharmaCongress.com Preclinical Models in Oncology Imaging in Oncology Targeting GPCRs Predicting Drug Toxicity Blood-Brain Barrier Mastering Medicinal Chemistry Chemical Biology for Target Validation June 10-11 Tumor Models for Immunotherapy 3D Cellular Models Targeting Histone Acetylation Functional Genomics Technologies Property-Based Drug Design Chemical Proteomics for Target Validation June 11-12 Organized by: Cambridge Healthtech Institute PREMIER SPONSOR • 13 conferences covering the hottest topics in preclinical research • 950+ international delegates focusing on preclinical research and the challenges and opportunities in early drug discovery and development • 11 short courses offering interactive discussions with experts in the field • Exclusive training seminar on Applying Pharmacology to New Drug Discovery • Plenary keynote panel featuring experts talking about the breakthrough drugs in recent years • Student fellowships bringing together young researchers looking to make a difference • Expansive exhibit hall showcasing 65+ sponsors exhibitors • Dedicated poster viewing, roundtables and panel discussions for active networking Tackling Translational Challenges June 10-12, 2015 Westin Boston Waterfront, Boston, MA WORLD PRECLINICAL CONGRESS 14th Annual EVENT HIGHLIGHTS:
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 2 Tuesday, June 9 Wednesday, June 10 Thursday, June 11 Friday, June 12 Conference-at-a-Glance Tackling Translational Challenges The World Preclinical Congress (WPC; formerly the World Pharma Congress), now in its 14th year, is making a commitment to focus predominantly on preclinical research and highlight the challenges and opportunities in early drug discovery and development. World Preclinical Congress 2015 brings together some of the hottest topics being discussed in the pharma/ biotech world and provides a unique forum for scientists and clinicians to exchange ideas and collaborate to overcome some of the translational challenges. This coincides with the event moving to Boston, now a premier hub for preclinical activity and alliances. Plenary Keynote Panelists: Clinical Development of Keytruda David Kaufman, M.D., Ph.D., Director/ Senior Principal Scientist, Oncology/ Immunotherapy Clinical Research, Merck Discovery of Ivacaftor, an Orally Bioavailable CFTR Potentiator Peter Grootenhuis, Ph.D., Senior Director, Chemistry, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Harvoni Drug Development Challenges:The Role of Risk in Rapid Development Phillip Pang, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Clinical Research, Gilead Sciences PREMIER SPONSOR CORPORATE SPONSORS CORPORATE SUPPORT SPONSOR Dinner Short Courses* Pre-Conference Short Courses* Novel Preclinical Models in Oncology Translational Imaging in Cancer Drug Development Targeting GPCRs Blood-Brain Barrier Mastering Medicinal Chemistry Chemical Biology for Target Validation Novel Preclinical Models in Oncology Translational Imaging in Cancer Drug Development Targeting GPCRs Blood-Brain Barrier Mastering Medicinal Chemistry Chemical Biology for Target Validation Tumor Models for Cancer Immunotherapy 3D Cellular Models Targeting Histone Acetylation Property-Based Drug Design in Medicinal Chemistry Chemical Proteomics for Target Validation Tumor Models for Cancer Immunotherapy 3D Cellular Models Targeting Histone Acetylation Property-Based Drug Design in Medicinal Chemistry Chemical Proteomics for Target Validation New Models for Predicting Drug Toxicity New Models for Predicting Drug Toxicity Synergistic Use of Functional Genomics Technologies Synergistic Use of Functional Genomics Technologies Applying Pharmacology to New Drug Discovery Training Seminar* Applying Pharmacology to New Drug Discovery Training Seminar* Plenary Keynote Panel Plenary Keynote Panel Wednesday, June 10 | 5:00 pm Our Plenary Keynote Panel this year features senior executives from pharma/ biotech who have played an important role in bringing to market some of the most innovative drugs in recent years. They are here to share their stories on what transpired behind-the-scenes, how they could overcome the translational challenges, and what they see as key drivers in making similar breakthroughs going forward. * Separate registration required. * Separate registration required.
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com Full time graduatestudents and PhD Candidates are encouraged to apply for the World Preclinical Congress Student Fellowship. Applications are due by March 27, 2015. Student Fellowship Hotel Travel Information Conference Venue and Host Hotel: Westin Boston Waterfront 425 Summer St. Boston, MA 02210 T: 617-532-4600 Room Rate: $299 s/d Reservation Cutoff: May 13, 2015 Please visit the hotel and travel page of our website to reserve your sleeping accommodations.You will need to identify yourself as a Cambridge Healthtech Institute conference attendee to receive the discounted room rate with the host hotel. Reservations made after the cut-off date or after the group room block has been filled (whichever comes first) will be accepted on a space- and-rate-availability basis. Rooms are limited, so please book early. Top Reasons to Stay at the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel • Just three miles from Boston’s Logan International Airport • Complimentary wireless internet access in guest rooms • A short walk, bus, taxi or train ride to Boston’s historic sites and family attractions • Minutes from some of Boston’s finest restaurants • Pet friendly We understand that you have many choices when making your travel arrangements. Please understand that reserving your room in the CHI room block at the conference hotel allows you to take full advantage of the conference sessions, events and networking opportunities, and ensures that our staff will be available to help should you have any issues with your accommodations. • Interested students must complete the application for the 2015 Student Fellowship • Fellows are required to present a scientific poster. A poster title and abstract are due at the time of the application. • All applications will be reviewed by the scientific review committee and the accepted students will be notified no later than April 3, 2015 if they were accepted for the 2015 Student Fellowship • Accepted 2015 Student Fellows will receive a discounted conference rate of $195*, which must be paid in full by April 24, 2015. Credit card information is requested at the time of the application and will be charged upon application approval. • This fellowship is limited to 10 students and is for the Main Conference Only*, June 10-12, 2015. • All accepted 2015 Student Fellows will be asked to help promote the conference onsite at their college, and throughout their social media networks. • Students not accepted for the 2015 Student Fellowship, can register at a discounted rate $295*, and will not be required to present a poster * This discounted rate cannot be combined with any other discounts for this event. Your discounted registration does not grant access to any of the short courses or pre-conference events. It also does not include hotel, travel or meals. Take advantage of the discounted group rate! Car Rental Discounts: Special discount rentals have been established with Hertz for this conference. • Visit www.hertz.com to make your reservation and use Hertz Convention Number (CV) 04KL0006 • Call Hertz directly at 800-654-3131 and reference our Hertz Convention Number 04KL0006 World Preclincial Congress | 3
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 4 PRESENT A POSTER AND SAVE $50! Cambridge Healthtech Institute encourages attendees to gain further exposure by sharing their work in the poster sessions. To secure a poster board and inclusion in the conference materials, your abstract must be submitted, approved and your registration paid in full by April 24, 2015. Register online, or by phone, fax or mail. Please indicate that you would like to present a poster. Once your registration has been fully processed, we will send an email with a unique link and instructions for submitting your abstract using our online abstract submission tool. Please see the website for more details. COMPANY TYPE Commercial (Pharma/Biotech) 58% Academic 24% Healthcare/Hospital 8% Government 5% Services/Societies 4% Press 1% GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION USA* 72% Europe 14% Asia 9% Other 5% *USA Breakdown: East Coast 75% West Coast 14% Midwest 11% COMPANY TITLE Scientist/Technologist 42% Executive/Director/Manager 31% Professor 15% Sales/Marketing 12% Reasons you should present your research poster at this conference: • Your poster will be seen by our international delegation, representing leaders from top pharmaceutical, biotech, academic and government institutions • Receive $50 off your registration • Your poster abstract will be published in our conference materials 2014 Attendee Demographics A focused group with a diversified background. The interaction among the attendees was superb. Senior Principal Scientist, Chemical RD, Pfizer“ ”
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 5 June 9, 2015 | Boston, MA *SHORT COURSES Student Fellowship Afternoon Courses | 2:00 – 5:00 pm Allosteric Modulators of GPCRs, (PAMs NAMs) The course will provide an overview on allosteric modulation of class A, B and C GPCRs: screening, molecular pharmacology, signal bias, medicinal chemistry and development challenges. For each of these areas, we will cover the theory and best practices while delving into case studies to highlight key challenges and caveats. Instructors: Craig W. Lindsley, Ph.D., William K. Warren, Jr. Chair in Medicine, Professor of Pharmacology and Chemistry; Director, Medicinal Chemistry; Director, The Vanderbilt Specialized Chemistry Center Corey Hopkins, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor, Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery Imaging of Blood-Brain Barrier Function Topics to be covered: • Review of structure and function of the BBB and delivering therapeutic agents to specific regions of the brain • In vitro imaging, both qualitative and quantitative, microscopy and other imaging techniques • In vivo imaging in animals, both qualitative and quantitative using different imaging modalities, nuclear, ultrasound, MRI and optical • In vivo imaging in humans, both qualitative and quantitative Instructors: King C. Li, M.D., FRCP(C), MBA, Senior Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Research; Professor and Chair, Department of Radiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine Lawrence Berliner, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver; Emeritus, Ohio State University Drug Metabolism and Its Impact on Decisions in Drug Discovery Development This short course will focus on concepts important for those wanting to understand how drug metabolism is applied to drug discovery and development. Topics will include how drugs are metabolized, the enzymes involved and the growing importance of transporters in drug disposition and safety. Those scientists involved in medicinal chemistry, pharmacology and drug metabolism will benefit from this overview. • Biotransformation and the role of metabolism in drug toxicity • Strategies to identify drug metabolites • Enzymes involved in the metabolism of drugs • Metabolism-based drug-drug interactions • Transporters relevant for drug uptake and efflux • Experimental systems to investigate transporters Instructors: David Stresser, Program Manager, Corning Gentest Contract Research Services John Erve, Ph.D., DABT, Jerve Scientific Consulting, Inc. Mingxiang Liao, Ph.D., Senior Scientist I, DMPK, Takeda Pharmaceutical Intl. Company Dinner Courses | 6:00 – 9:00 pm Biased GPCR Ligands:Towards Novel Drug Discovery GPCRs represent the largest class of drug targets in the human genome and about half of the currently marketed drugs work by turning them “on” or “off”. The new paradigm of biased GPCR signaling i.e. activating selective signaling pathways downstream of a GPCR has led to idea of a new class of drugs that are likely to be more effective and have lesser side effects. This concept opens the door for a new generation of drugs and paves the way for utilizing even the current targets with a new perspective. This course will cover: • The basic introduction of biased GPCR signaling paradigm and concepts of biased ligands • How to screen for biased ligands (conventional and emerging approaches and assays) • Case studies of immense therapeutic potential of biased ligands • Examples of biased ligands in clinical trials and their current status • New concepts of ligand bias: approaches for inducing bias from inside the cell   Instructor: Arun Shukla, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute ofTechnology and WellcomeTrust/DBT Allicance Intermediate Fellow Understanding and Dealing with Drug Disposition in CNS Topics to be covered: • Enabling faster compound selection in CNS drug discovery by Pharmacokinetics/ pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) modeling and simulation. • Disposition of Biologics: the absorption, distribution and clearance of bio- therapeutics • Kinetic relationship between systemic circulation and CNS • Understanding Factors that affect Brain ISF/CSF production and clearance and its implications Onset of CNS diseases Drug – drug interaction Dosing strategy for drugs that may have CNS implications.    Instructors: Qin Wang, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Translational Sciences, Biogen Idec Margareta Hammarlund-Udenaes, Ph.D., Professor, Translational PK/PD, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University Navigating the CiPA Landscape Sponsored by This dinner course will provide an important update on the CiPA (Comprehensive in vitro Proarrhythmia Assay) initiative. Present ICH S7A and S7B guidelines regulate non-clinical testing for cardiovascular safety. The ICH guidelines have focused on QT/QTc intervals and potential arrhythmia. Experience has shown, however, that cardiovascular assessment should include more than the hERG assay and evaluation of other ion channels should be considered for a more comprehensive cardiovascular evaluation. The session will introduce and review these ion channel assays, describe other in vitro assays (i.e., stem cells cardiomyocytes), and in vivo and secondary cardiovascular assays. The current pharmaceutical and regulatory thinking process of cardiovascular evaluation will be discussed, including a proposal of modification/elimination of ICH E14. Instructors: Bernard Fermini, Ph.D., Associate Research Fellow, Global Safety Pharmacology, Pfizer Global Research Development Gary Gintant, Ph.D., Research Fellow, Integrative Pharmacology, Abbvie Philip Sager, M.D., FACC, FAHA, FHRS, Consulting Professor of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine; Chair, Scientific Programs Committee, Cardiac Safety Research Consortium Thomas J Colatsky, Ph.D., Director, Division of Applied Regulatory Science, OCP/ OTS/CDER, US Food and Drug Administration Imaging in Cancer Research: Key Applications, Modalities and Strategies Topics to be covered: • Strengths and Limitations of Imaging Modalities • Imaging Agent Design and Synthesis • Novel Cell-Based Imaging Technologies Instructors: Vania Kenanova, Ph.D., Head, Pre-clinical PET/ SPECT/CT Imaging Laboratory, Global Imaging Group, Novartis Institute for BioMedical Research Ned Kirkpatrick, Ph.D., Investigator I, Global Imaging Group, ASI, Novartis Institute for BioMedical Research Quang-Dé Nguyen, Ph.D., Director of the Lurie Family Imaging Center, Senior Scientist, Center for Biomedical Imaging in Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Additional Instructors to be Announced * Separate registration required.
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 6 MEDIA PARTNERS *SHORT COURSES Student Fellowship June 11, 2015 | Boston, MA Dinner Courses | 7:00 – 10:00 pm Optimizing Physical Properties of Molecules to Achieve High-Quality Clinical Candidates Topics to be discussed: • Determination, Evaluation and use of physical properties in drug discover • Discussion of properties such as solubility, ligand efficiency, log P, crystallizations, and solubility • Experimental best practices and case studies Instructor: Terry Richard Stouch, Ph.D., President, Science for Solutions, LLC How to Best Utilize Organotypic 3D Cell Cultures in Oncology The course will provide an overview of the various 3D cell culture models available, their strengths and weaknesses, and where and how these models are being used, specifically for oncology research. The instructors will share their experiences on how they tested and evaluated various cell culture reagents and growth matrices, what worked and what didn’t and what you need to consider when setting up low and high throughput screening experiments using 3D cell cultures in your lab. The challenges working with 3D cell cultures, from experimental design to data analysis will be discussed. Instructors: Arvind Rao, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Geoffrey A. Bartholomeusz, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director of the siRNA Core Facility, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Sophie Lelièvre, D.V.M., LLM, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Basic Medical Sciences; Associate Director, Collaborative Science, NCI-Designated Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University 3D Printing The promise of 3D bioprinting to create human tissues layer by layer is immense. Creating viable 3D screening models can lead to more effective drug development and more accurate drug testing. However, organ and tissue structures vary in complexity, and printing with living cells is complicated. Topics to be covered: • 3D Printer Platforms: Inkjet vs. Pressurized Printing • 3D Modeling (CAT Scans, Laser Scans and CAD) • Scaffold Selection • Cell Source Selection • Bioinks • Vascularization This dinner course is designed for biological researchers who are interested in learning more about 3D bioprinting, applying it to building a living tissue or organ of their choice and understanding the potential role in pharmaceutical drug research. Instructors: Michael Drues, Ph.D., President, Vascular Sciences David Kolesky, Research Scientist, Jennifer Lewis Laboratory, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University Additional Instructors to be Announced PDX Models Update Topics to be covered: • PDX technology: core principles and latest advances • Major applications including novel ones such as, circulating tumor cell-derived PDX advancements • PDX models to study the immune response of cancer patients to their tumors, and others • Utilizing data to inform clinical decisions Instructors: Richard B. Bankert, V.M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York at Buffalo Neal Goodwin, Ph.D., Vice President Corporate Research Development Champions Oncology, Inc. Additional Instructors to be Announced * Separate registration required. OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR SPONSORING ORGANIZATION LEAD SPONSORING PUBLICATIONS SPONSORING PUBLICATIONS WEB PARTNERS MEDIA PARTNERS
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    Course Outline 1. AssayFormats/Experimental Design a. Binding b. Functional Assays c. Null Method Assays 2. Agonism a. Agonist Affinity/Efficacy b. Black/Leff Operational model 3. Biased Signaling (Agonism) a. Mechanism of Biased Signaling b. Quantifying Biased Agonism c. Therapeutic application(s) 4. Orthosteric Antagonism (I) a. Competitive b. Non-Competitive/Irreversible 5. Orthosteric Antagonism (II) a. Partial Agonism b. Inverse Agonism 6. Allosteric Modulation (I) a. Functional Allosteric Model b. Negative Allosteric Modulators (NAMs) 7. Allosteric Modulation (II) a. Positive Allosteric Modulators (PAMs) b. Allosteric Agonism 8. Drug-Receptor Kinetics a. Measuring Target Coverage b. Allosteric Proof-of-Concept c. Application of Real-Time Kinetics 9. Drug Screening a. Design of Screening Assays b. Screening for Allosteric Modulators June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA Thursday, June 11 | 2:00 - 6:30 pm Friday, June 12 | 8:00 am - 3:30 pm Over the past 6 six years, the primary cause of new drug candidate failures (50%) has been failure of therapeutic efficacy. Put another way, drug discovery programs do everything right, get the defined candidate molecule, only to have it fail in therapeutic trials. Among the most prevalent reasons proposed for this shortcoming is the lack of translation of in vitro and recombinant drug activity to therapeutic in vivo whole systems. Drug activity in complete systems can be characterized with the application of pharmacological principles which translate drug behaviors in various organs with molecular scales of affinity and efficacy. Pharmacological techniques are unique in that they can convert descriptive data (what we see, potency, activity in a given system) to predictive data (molecular scales of activity that can be used to predict activity in all systems including the therapeutic one, i.e. affinity, efficacy). The predicted outcome of this process is a far lower failure rate as molecules are progressed toward clinical testing. This course will describe pharmacological principles and procedures to quantify affinity, efficacy, biased signaling and allostery to better screen for new drugs and characterize drug candidates in lead optimization assays. Instructor: Terry Kenakin presently is a Professor of Pharmacology in the Dept of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine. The course is taught from the perspective of industrial drug discovery; Dr. Kenakin has worked in drug industry for 32 years (7 at Burroughs-Wellcome, RTP, NC and 25 at GlaxoSmithKline, RTP. NC). He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Receptors and Signal Transduc- tion and Co-Editor-in-Chief of Current Opinion in Pharmacology and is on numerous journal Editorial Boards. In addition, he has authored over 200 peer reviewed papers and reviews and has written 10 books on Pharmacology. Course Material: Summary sheets, exercises with answers, relevant papers are included as well as a pdf of allslides. The course is based on the book A Pharmacology Primer: Techniques for More Effective and Strategic Drug Discovery. 4th Edition, Elsevier/Academic Press, 2014. The table of contents of this book can be viewed here. WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 7 Applying Pharmacology to New Drug Discovery The System-Independent Quantification of Molecular Drug Properties for Prediction of Therapeutic Utility
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 8 Novel Preclinical Models in Oncology 4th Annual PDX and Other Models to Inform Clinical Trials and Guide Patient Care June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA Suggested Event Package: June 10-11: Novel Preclinical Models in Oncology Conference June 11-12: Tumor Models for Cancer Immunotherapy Conference June 11 Dinner Short Course*: PDX Models Update * Separate registration required. Conferences Dedicated to Preclinical Models in Oncology at World Preclinical Congress 2015 June 10-11 Preclinical Models in Oncology Imaging in Oncology June 11-12 Tumor Models for Immunotherapy 3D Cellular Models WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10 7:00 am Registration and Morning Coffee MODELING FOR CANCER GENOMIC MEDICINE 7:55 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks « 8:00 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: ENGINEERINGTHE CANCER GENOME Tyler Jacks, Ph.D., Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT 8:30 Session Break 8:35 Preclinical Models Uncover a Novel Notch Mutant Oncogenic Driver Class inTriple Negative Breast Cancer Sensitive to a Gamma Secretase Inhibitor Peter Olson, Ph.D., Senior Principal Scientist, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals While the Notch pathway is reportedly activated in breast cancer, the molecular mechanisms leading to hyperactivation are poorly understood. To identify predictive biomarkers for the gamma secretase inhibitor PF-03084014, we sequenced sensitive PDX models and mined The Cancer Genome Atlas. We uncovered a disparate array of alterations in the extracellular and PEST domains in multiple Notch receptors that activated the pathway and were sensitive to drug. These data define a new oncogenic driver class that may respond to Notch targeted therapies. 9:05 Patient Derived Xenograft ClinicalTrial Program Sponsored by Neal Goodwin, Ph.D., Director, Corporate Research Development, Champions Oncology A PDX clinical program to guide patient treatment has engrafted 750 patient specimens with a 70% patient tumor take rate and a 80% correlative treatment accuracy in completed clinical tests. This program has been expanded to support predictive clinical trials for breast, sarcoma, and lung cancers in partnership with clinical trial centers and cooperative trial groups. Ultimately, this program will include matched patient translational studies across numerous patient models for Phase II trial patient stratification. 9:35 Next-Generation Genetically Engineered Cancer Models Professor Dieter Saur, M.D., Consultant and Senior Group Leader, Technische Universität München (TUM), School of Medicine We generated an inducible dual-recombinase based PDAC model that permits spatial and temporal control of gene expression. This tool provides unparalleled access to the native biology of cancer cells and their hosting stroma, and rigorous genetic validation of candidate therapeutic targets. We performed tumor cell- autonomous and non-autonomous targeting, uncovered hallmarks of human multistep carcinogenesis, validated genetic tumor therapy, and showed that mast cells in the tumor microenvironment, which had been thought to be key oncogenic players, are in fact dispensable for tumor formation. 10:05 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing ANALYSING AND LEVERAGING RESULTS 10:50 Statistical Analysis of PDX Studies and Preclinical Phase-II-Like Trials (PP2T) at EMD Serono Anderson Clark, Ph.D., Director, In vivo Pharmacology, Oncology, EMD Serono Research Development Institute At EMD Serono, we use PDX models in Preclinical Phase 2-LikeTrials (PP2T) to support Phase 2 clinical decisions for which the use of statistics has become paramount. Working closely with clinical biostatisticians, we have developed statistical approaches to different aspects of the trials which will be discussed, such as trial design, relationships between preclinical responses and RECIST criteria, responses and how to measure them, and determining treatment differences. 11:20The Art of the Cocktail: Optimizing Multidrug Combinations in Preclinical Studies Arijit Chakravarty, Ph.D., Director, Modeling Simulation (DMPK), Takeda Pharmaceutical International Co. The design of optimal combinations relies on maximizing combination efficacy for a given toxicity budget. This presentation will describe the development of novel mathematical modeling methods (based on tricks used by bartenders to develop recreational cocktails), to visualize and design efficient studies for two-drug (and higher-order) combinations, and their application in a practical drug development context, showing their impact on actual study design, and validation with in vivo datasets. 11:50 Evaluating Efficacy Coupled withToxicity in Sponsored by a Preclinical Model of Head and Neck Cancer Maria L. Mancini, Ph.D., Associate Director Research, Biomodels, LLC Chemoradiation used for the treatment of HNC results in regimen- related mucosal toxicity (mucositis) which impedes optimum cancer therapy and causes significant physiologic and resource adversities. We present a new, highly translational animal model which simultaneously assesses both the targeted efficacy of new anti-tumor agents and their impact on mucositis. 12:05 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 12:20 pm LUNCHEON PRESENTATION: Sponsored by 2nd Generation PDX Models Can Help the Progression of Precision Medicine Jean-François Mirjolet, Ph.D., Technology Director, Oncodesign Panels of PDX models reflecting the genetic diversity of human cancers can increase the predictivity of patients’ tumor response to treatments. But there is still a critical need for better predictive models for novel agents targeting the tumor microenvironment. In addition to the well characterized syngeneic models used for immuno-oncology drug testing, Oncodesign developed highly refined PDX models in microenvironment-humanized mice, demonstrating usefulness in PDX tumor dissemination and immuno-oncology research. 1:00 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 9 Novel Preclinical Models in Oncology 4th Annual June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA IMAGING ADVANCES AND END POINTS IN CANCER RESEARCH 1:30 Chairperson’s Remarks 1:35Translational Imaging in Oncology Daniel P. Bradley, Ph.D., Head, Biomedical Imaging, Takeda Boston, Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co. Daniel will present on a number of programs that he has directly worked on, or working on, that have been developed in translational imaging in oncology. Importantly, this talk will highlight important lessons learned about collaboration, timing, perspectives and science with a hope that other groups in the imaging community can leverage this information for future developments. The Biomedical Imaging Group balances its portfolio between the use of conventional imaging biomarkers used in a novel biological and/or pharmacological context to advanced imaging techniques. 2:05 Non-Invasive and Simultaneous Measurement of Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics in Preclinical Cancer Models Werner Scheuer, Research Leader, Pharma Research and Early Development, Discovery Oncology, Roche Diagnostics GmbH Non-invasive imaging modalities (optical and micro-computed tomography) in combination with ex vivo analysis (3D-multispectral fluorescence microscopy, FACS) are an undispensable tool to assess the anti-tumoral efficacy of new compounds. Proliferation of tumor cells, metastasis, angiogenesis, and induction of apoptosis as well as phosphorylation of kinases can be monitored in mice carrying tumor cells s.c. or orthotopically. The quantification of these pharmacodynamics (Pd) read-outs are combined with optical pharmacokinetics (Pk). The simultaneous measurement of Pd and Pk reduces the number of animals significantly and provides a comprehensive evaluation of new drugs. 2:35 NormalizingTumor Microvasculature and Microenvironment Dai Fukumura, M.D., Ph.D., Deputy Director, Edwin L. Steele Laboratory; Biologist, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School Intravital microscopy techniques and sophisticated animal models have been providing unprecedented molecular, cellular, anatomical and functional insights in tumor biology. Tumor microvasculature is structurally and functionally abnormal hindering drug delivery and inducing a hostile microenvironment that causes ineffectiveness of anti-tumor treatments. Imbalance of pro- and anti-angiogenic factors is causing these pathophysiological features in the tumor. Hence, restoring the balance of these factors in tumors may “normalize” tumor vasculature, improve its function and microenvironment, and enhance the efficacy of cytotoxic therapies. 3:05 Development of Companion Diagnostics: An Imaging Approach Susanta Sarkar, Ph.D., Director, Translational/Clinical Imaging, Sanofi Oncology Development of companion diagnostics will improve the benefit to risk ratio of a given therapy and thus will help reduce drug development costs significantly. A molecular imaging approach allows noninvasive assessment of target expression and its interaction with drugs in situ. This presentation will elaborate on these approaches for the successful development of imaging based companion diagnostics. 3:35 Presentation to be Announced Sponsored by 3:50 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing »»5:00 PLENARY KEYNOTE PANEL (see page 2 for details) 6:00 Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing 7:00 Close of Day THURSDAY, JUNE 11 7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking. Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website. MODELING CANCER HETEROGENEITY 8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks 8:45 ModelingTumor Cell Dormancy in the Mouse Jeffrey E. Green, M.D., Chief, Transgenic Oncogenesis and Genomics Section, Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute Although dissemination of tumor cells often occurs at early stages of cancer, clinical recurrence as metastatic disease may not become manifest until many years later following a period of tumor cell dormancy. Modeling the process of tumor dormancy is critical for understanding mechanisms governing late tumor recurrence and translating this knowledge into potential therapeutic or preventive strategies. Recent advances in studying tumor dormancy and potential translational approaches to improve survival will be presented. 9:15 Applications of CRISPR-Cas9 for in vivo Genome Editing Randall Platt, Biological Engineering, MIT, Laboratory of Feng Zhang CRISPR-Cas9 is a versatile genome editing technology for studying the function of genetic elements. To broadly enable the application of Cas9 in vivo, we established a Cre-dependent Cas9 knockin mouse and demonstrated genome editing using adeno-associated virus (AAV)-, lentivirus-, or particle-mediated delivery of guide RNA in neurons, immune cells and endothelial cells. These genome editing strategies empower a wide range of biological and disease modeling applications. 9:45 Dual Wnt and EGFR-MAPK Dependency of BRAFV600E-Mutant Colorectal Cancer Youzhen Wang, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Aberrant Wnt pathway activation due to inactivating mutations of RNF43 may contribute to the unresponsiveness of BRAFV600E colorectal cancer (CRC) to BRAF inhibitors. To determine if RNF43 mutations confer Wnt dependency in BRAFV600E CRC, we tested three BRAFV600E;RNF43-mutant CRC PDX models with the porcupine inhibitor WNT974, antagonist of Wnt signaling. We found the triple combination of WNT974+LGX818+cetuximab were efficacious in all three models, which suggest the Wnt and EGFR-MAPK pathways may jointly promote tumorigenesis of BRAFV600E-mutant CRC. 10:15 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 10:45 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing 11:30 Preclinical Models for Precision Medicine in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Challenges and Opportunities Livio Trusolino, M.D., Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Torino School of Medicine, Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, IRCC, Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment Our objective is to unravel the signaling pathways and genomic makeups that mediate responsiveness to anticancer therapies, with an emphasis on colorectal cancer. To this aim, we use different technological platforms (phosphoproteomics, next-gen DNA/RNA sequencing) and experimental settings (patient-derived tumorgrafts and patient-derived cancer cell lines). Our pipeline involves the integration of large-scale data for discovery, followed by cell-based mechanistic insight and validation in animal models. This knowledge will form a predictive basis for the rational identification of novel tumor targets. 12:00 pm PANEL DISCUSSION: Modeling and Researching Cancer Metastasis Moderator: Bruce R. Zetter, Ph.D., Charles Nowiszewski Professor of Cancer Biology, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School Panelists: Speakers of the Day 12:30 Close of Conference
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 10 2nd Annual June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA Suggested Event Package: June 10-11: Novel Preclinical Models in Oncology Conference June 11-12: Tumor Models for Cancer Immunotherapy Conference June 11 Dinner Short Course*: PDX Models Update * Separate registration required. Conferences Dedicated to Preclinical Models in Oncology at World Preclinical Congress 2015 June 10-11 Preclinical Models in Oncology Imaging in Oncology June 11-12 Tumor Models for Immunotherapy 3D Cellular Models THURSDAY, JUNE 11 12:00 pm Registration TRANSLATIONAL IMMUNO-ONCOLOGY 2:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks 2:05 PreclinicalTumor Models for Evaluating Bispecific RedirectedT CellTherapeutics Chad May, Ph.D., Director, Oncology Research Unit, Pfizer Strong evidence exists supporting the important role T-cells play in the immune response against tumors. Still, the ability to initiate tumor specific immune responses remains a challenge. We have developed a bispecific protein engineered with enhanced pharmacokinetic properties to extend in vivo half-life, and designed to engage and activate endogenous polyclonal T cell populations via the CD3 complex in the presence of tumors expressing target antigens. 2:35 Joint Presentation: Preclinical to ClinicalTranslation of Anti-PD-1 Blockade David Kaufman, M.D., Ph.D., Director/Senior Principal Scientist, Oncology/ Immunotherapy Clinical Research, Merck Elaine Pinheiro, Ph.D., Associate Principal Scientist, In vivo Pharmacology – Oncology, Merck Research Laboratories Keytruda® (pembrolizumab), a PD-1-specific monoclonal antibody, is approved in the U.S. for advanced melanoma, and is being studied in 30 cancers. We have generated a murine surrogate antibody (muDX400) and determined mechanistic features of PD-1 inhibition in preclinical tumor models. Gene and protein expression signatures reveal determinants of response and resistance. In addition, muDX400 has been combined with chemotherapies, targeted therapies, and other immunotherapies, and the systemic and intratumoral immune landscape has been evaluated. These data will facilitate the clinical development of both pembrolizumab monotherapy and combination therapies. In particular, these data will support the development of novel mechanistic biomarkers that will aid in the customization of immunotherapeutic regimens, elucidation of novel determinants of response, and identification of early indicators of on-treatment response. In turn, data from clinical trials can be used to improve the predictive power of the nonclinical workstream and speed the preclinical development of novel immunotherapeutic agents. 3:35 Presentation to be Announced Sponsored by 4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing 4:45Translational Approaches to Preclinical Evaluation of Immune Oncology Agents Brett Hall, Ph.D., Senior Director Head, Translational Medicine-Oncology, MedImmune An expanding body of basic and translational research has established a solid framework for how the tumor microenvironment (TME) influences cancer biology. The TME influences tumor immune recognition as well as metabolic activity, tumor survival, genomic instability, epigenetic state, metastatic progression, tumor proliferation and therapeutic resistance. For effective clinical translation of immune mediated therapies, it is essential that preclinical models adequately address key immuno-modulatory aspects of the human TME. ENHANCING IMMUNE RESPONSE 5:15 Adoptive Immunotherapy of Cancer Using ex vivo Expanded Vg9Vd2T Cells John Maher, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Lecturer in Immunology, NIHR Biomedical, Research Centre at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London Vg9Vd2 T-cells recognize phosphoantigen intermediates of mevalonate metabolism and thereby play an important role in tumor immunosurveillance. We have developed systems to expand these cells ex-vivo by over 2000-fold in 2 weeks, enhancing the feasibility of clinical immunotherapy using this approach. Expanded cells exhibit potent anti-tumor activity in xenograft models of ovarian cancer and acute myeloid leukemia in a manner that is potentiated by either free or liposome-encapsulated aminobisphosphonates. 5:45 Enhancing Immune Response to DC/Tumor Fusion Cell Vaccination for theTreatment of Hematologic Malignancies Jacalyn Rosenblatt, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School DC/tumor fusion cell vaccination has demonstrated potent immune responses, and clinical responses in a subset of patients. Strategies to augment immune response to vaccination depend on overcoming the immunosuppressive milieu characteristic of patients with malignancy. Combining vaccination with checkpoint blockade and immunomodulatory drugs are being evalauted in clinical trials. In pre- clinical models, we have demonstrated that MUC1 plays a critical role in mediating immune tolerance. Strategies to block MUC1 mediated signalling are being evaluated as a means of augmenting response to immunotherapy. 6:15 Close of Day FRIDAY, JUNE 12 7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking. Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website. Tumor Models for Cancer Immunotherapy Assessing Antitumor Activity and Safety of Immunotherapy Programs
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 11 Tumor Models for CancerImmunotherapy 2nd Annual June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA DESIGNING AND ASSESSING COMBINATIONS 8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks 8:45 Identification of Novel Immune-Modulatory Combination thoughTranscriptomic and Proteomic-Based Analysis ofTumor Models Daniela Cipolletta, Ph.D., Research Investigator, Clinical Translational Oncology, TCO, Novartis Oncology We have used transcriptomic and proteomic approaches to monitor the immune response following perturbation of key onco-pathway and immune-checkpoint nodes in preclinical tumor models. This approach has enabled our understanding of tumor induced immune modulation and the identification of novel combinatorial strategies in specific cancer settings 9:15 Combining RadiationTherapy and Cancer Immunotherapy: Preclinical Assessment andTranslational Approaches Maria Angelica Cortez, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Experimental Radiation Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center The immune-modulating effects of radiation therapy have recently gained considerable interest and there have been multiple reports of synergy between radiation and immunotherapy. However, additional pre-clinical studies are needed to demonstrate the antigen-specific nature of radiation induced immune responses and elucidate potential mechanisms of synergy withimmunotherapy. Here we demonstrate the ability of stereotactic radiotherapy to induce endogenous antigen-specific immune responses when combined with anti-PD-1 checkpoint blockade immunotherapy. 9:45 Personalized Mouse Model for Preclinical Testing Sponsored by of DrugsTargeting Immune Checkpoints Keren Paz, Ph.D., CSO, Champions Oncology The blockade of immune checkpoints is a promising therapeutic avenue for cancer therapy, with durable objective responses observed in patients with various solid tumors. However, current animal models often fail to accurately identify immunotherapies with the greatest clinical potential and there exists a need for reliable preclinical tools to test these drugs directly against human cancers. To circumvent this limitation, Champions Oncology has developed the ImmunoGraft, whereby two innovative technologies, the Champions TumorGraft (a type of patient- derived xenograft) and humanized mice (immunodeficient mice reconstituted with a human immune system), are combined in a single platform. 10:15 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing 11:00 Developing and Deploying Novel Experimental Model Systems in Ovarian Cancer for Improved Drug Discovery Ronny I. Drapkin, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Ovarian Cancer Research Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania The emergence of the fallopian tube as a dominant site of origin for high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas has sparked the development of novel model systems, including PDX and GEM models, that are impacting development of novel drug therapies, methods for early detection and approaches to chemo- and immuno- prevention. Examples of how these models are being integrated to address key clinical issues will be discussed. 11:30 A Rapid Establishment of Patient DerivedTumor Xenograft Microenvironments that Enable Preclinical Evaluations of Chemo- ImmuneTherapeutic Strategies Richard B. Bankert, V.M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, State University of NY at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences We report here a simple and reliable model system in which ovarian tumor cell aggregates implanted intraperitoneally into severely immunodeficient NSG mice establish tumor microenvironments within the omentum within one week. The rapid establishment of tumor xenografts within this small anatomically well-defined site enables the recovery, characterization, and quantification of tumor and tumor- associated T cells. 12:00 pm PANEL DISCUSSION: Designing and Assessing Combinations Panelists: Speakers of the Session 12:30 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 12:45 LUNCHEON PRESENTATION: Humanized Immune System Mice for Immuno-Oncology Applications Sponsored by Leon L. Hall, Ph.D., Senior Director, Global Scientific Development and Translational Discovery Services, Taconic Biosciences, Inc. Mouse models are widely used in preclinical oncology research but species differences can limit efficacy predictions for clinical translation. Taconic Biosciences’ Immune system humanization program is being leveraged to accelerate efficacy and safety testing of novel immunotherapies. An overview of Taconic’s humanization program will include data showing the utility of humanized mice in PDX applications for immuno-oncology drug development. Additionally, recent advances utilizing next generation humanized mice will be presented. 1:30 Session Break TOOLS ANDTECHNOLOGIES 2:00 Chairperson’s Remarks 2:05 Genetic Engineering of the Mouse Immune System toTest Novel Cancer Immuno-Therapuetics Gavin Thurston, Ph.D., Vice President, Oncology Angiogenesis Research, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals One of the challenges in developing clinical immuno-therapeutics is testing these agents in relevant preclinical tumor models. A particular issue has been the lack of cross-reactivity of human-specific therapeutic monoclonal antibodies to murine targets. We have used VelociGene® technology to humanize a variety of targets within the immune system, allowing us to test and compare novel immuno- therapeutics. Examples will be provided for immune modulatory antibodies and bispecific antibodies. 2:35 ImmunoPET Imaging in the Development ofTherapeutic Antibodies Jan Marik, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Imaging, Genentech, Inc. Positron emission tomography with radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies (ImmunoPET) is becoming a valuable tool in translational development of therapeutic antibodies. The half-life of positron emitting radionuclide 89Zr (3.3d) matches well the pharmacokinetics of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) hence good quality images can be obtained and inform about the biodistribution of the drug and/or the targeted antigen. Examples of pre-clinical and clinical use of 89Zr-mAbs in the development of targeted cancer therapeutics will be discussed. 3:05 Imaging the Immune Response to Cancer Michael Dougan, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Medical Oncology and Cancer Vaccine Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Appropriate surrogate endpoints for monitoring immune therapy to cancer are currently lacking. My talk will cover work we are doing in the lab to use single domain camelid derived antibodies conjugated to radioisotypes to image the response to anti-cancer immune therapy by positron emission tomography. We envision this strategy as potentially providing a novel means for tracking immune therapies for cancer, with the potential to guide therapy as well as assist in the generation of new treatment. 3:35 Close of Conference
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 12 Translational Imaging in Cancer Drug Development 6th Annual Novel Imaging Probes and Technologies in Oncology June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA Suggested Event Package: June 9 Dinner Short Course*: Imaging in Cancer Research June 10-11: Translational Imaging in Cancer Drug Development Conference June 11-12: Tumor Models for Cancer Immunotherapy Conference * Separate registration required. Conferences Dedicated to Preclinical Models in Oncology at World Preclinical Congress 2015 June 10-11 Preclinical Models in Oncology Imaging in Oncology June 11-12 Tumor Models for Immunotherapy 3D Cellular Models WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10 7:00 am Registration and Morning Coffee TRANSLATIONAL IMAGING IN ONCOLOGY 7:55 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks »»8:00 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: ENGINEERINGTHE CANCER GENOME Tyler Jacks, Ph.D., Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT 8:30 Session Break 8:35 Improving Decision Making For Drug Discovery and Early Development In Oncology With Imaging Paul McCracken, Ph.D., Director of Imaging, Biomarkers and Personalized Medicine CFU, Eisai Due to high cost and low probability of success, the pharmaceutical industry needs to improve the decision making process for compounds entering Phase I, better using Phase I studies for decision making beyond safety, and improving the quality of compounds entering clinical trials. Imaging biomarkers can significantly contribute to the decision making process, such as supporting target engagement, proof of concept, drug safety, patient selection, and dose selection. 9:05 EnablingTranslational Cancer Research and Drug Development ThroughThe Integration Of Preclinical Imaging Quang-Dé Nguyen, Ph.D., Director of the Lurie Family Imaging Center, Senior Scientist, Center for Biomedical Imaging in Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute The Lurie Family Imaging Center (LFIC), the preclinical arm of the Center for Biomedical Imaging in Oncology (CBIO) at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is a state-of-the-art imaging facility that conducts interdisciplinary in vivo translational and experimental therapeutics studies focused on cancer, with an emphasis on assessment of novel cancer therapeutics, multimodality imaging of cancer, molecular imaging of pharmacodynamic efficacy, development of novel probes, and target validation. 9:35 Click-mediatedTherapy for HER2-positive Breast Cancer Dmitri Artemov, Ph.D., Associate Professor Departments of Radiology and Oncology , The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Treatment of HER2-positive tumors that have innate or acquired resistant to trastuzumab is an important clinical problem. Here we report a two-component delivery system for induced internalization of HER2-targeted nanocarriers with therapeutic cargo based on click-chemistry in situ reaction between the pretargeting and therapy carrier components. This pretargeting strategy provides image guidance for therapeutic applications and has been validated in preclinical models of breast cancer. 10:05 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing TRANSLATIONAL IMAGING IN ONCOLOGY (CONTINUED) 10:50 Use of Echocardiography for Safety De-Risking of Oncology Drug Candidates Terri A. Swanson, MA, LATg, PMP, Preclinical Ultrasound, Global Science Technology Worldwide Comparative Medicine, Pfizer Cardiotoxicity is a common finding in safety studies of oncology drug candidates. Changes in cardiac function are an important endpoint for patients taking these medications. We will discuss the use of high frequency ultrasound echocardiography in the rodent for predicting cardiac safety from oncology candidates and certain classes of compounds. Rodent and large animal echocardiography provides standard clinical endpoints such as ejection fraction, fractional shortening and cardiac output for these studies and can be directly translated to the human clinic. 11:20 Proteomic Imaging of Caveolae to Penetrate SolidTumors Jan E. Schnitzer, M.D., Director, Professor of Cellular Molecular Biology, PRISM, Proteogenomics Research Institute for Systems Medicine Access inside solid tumors is poor yet critical for imaging and therapeutic agents to be effective. These agents rely on passive movement across endothelial barriers to reach targets inside tumors. Our “proteomic-imaging” efforts discovered a new pathway and class of delivery targets for active transport into tumors. In vivo imaging reveals caveolae-targeted antibodies, drugs, imaging agents, and nanoparticles being pumped across endothelium to achieve 100-fold more tumor delivery and efficacy. 11:50 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 12:20 pm Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or Enjoy Lunch onYour Own 1:00 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing IMAGING ADVANCES AND END POINTS IN CANCER RESEARCH 1:30 Chairperson’s Remarks 1:35Translational Imaging in Oncology Daniel P. Bradley, Ph.D., Head of Biomedical Imaging at Takeda Boston, Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co. Daniel will present on a number of programs that he has directly worked on, or working on, that have been developed in translational imaging in oncology. Importantly, this talk will highlight important lessons learned about collaboration, timing, perspectives and science with a hope that other groups in the imaging community can leverage this information for future developments. The Biomedical Imaging Group balances its portfolio between the use of conventional imaging biomarkers used in a novel biological and/or pharmacological context to advanced imaging techniques.
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 13 Translational Imaging in Cancer Drug Development 6th Annual June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA 2:05 Non-Invasive and Simultaneous Measurement of Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics in Preclinical Cancer Models Werner Scheuer, Research Leader, Pharma Research and Early Development, Discovery Oncology, Roche Diagnostics GmbH Non-invasive imaging modalities (optical and micro-computed tomography) in combination with ex vivo analysis (3D-multispectral fluorescence microscopy, FACS) are an undispensable tool to assess the anti-tumoral efficacy of new compounds. Proliferation of tumor cells, metastasis, angiogenesis, and induction of apoptosis as well as phosphorylation of kinases can be monitored in mice carrying tumor cells s.c. or orthotopically. The quantification of these pharmacodynamics (Pd) read-outs are combined with optical pharmacokinetics (Pk). The simultaneous measurement of Pd and Pk reduces the number of animals significantly and provides a comprehensive evaluation of new drugs. 2:35 NormalizingTumor Microvasculature and Microenvironment Dai Fukumura, M.D., Ph.D., Deputy Director, Edwin L. Steele Laboratory; Biologist, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School Intravital microscopy techniques and sophisticated animal models have been providing unprecedented molecular, cellular, anatomical and functional insights in tumor biology. Tumor microvasculature is structurally and functionally abnormal hindering drug delivery and inducing a hostile microenvironment that causes ineffectiveness of anti-tumor treatments. Imbalance of pro- and anti-angiogenic factors is causing these pathophysiological features in the tumor. Hence, restoring the balance of these factors in tumors may “normalize” tumor vasculature, improve its function and microenvironment, and enhance the efficacy of cytotoxic therapies. 3:05 Companion Diagnostic Co-Development Models Susanta Sarkar, Ph.D., Director, Translational/Clinical Imaging, Sanofi Oncology A number of antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) are currently in clinical trials driven by recent technological progress. However, most ADC targets are not universally expressed on a given tumor type and will require a companion diagnostic to select patients that are likely to benefit from the particular ADC. A non-invasive imaging-based companion diagnostic will allow real time measurement of antigen expression in the tumor, thus enabling patient stratification in real time by identifying patients who are likely to respond to the ADC. 3:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing »»5:00 PLENARY KEYNOTE PANEL (see page 2 for details) 6:00 Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing 7:00 Close of Day THURSDAY, JUNE 11 7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking. Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website. CASE STUDIES 8:35 Preclinical Development of Peptide Radiotracers for Detecting Visceral Amyloid Associated with Multiple Myeloma Jonathan Wall, Ph.D., Professor of Medicine, Human Immunology and Cancer Program; Director, Amyloid and Preclinical Molecular Imaging Laboratory, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine Multiple myeloma, the second most common hematologic malignancy in the US, and related plasma cell dyscrasias, are characterized by the secretion of monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains that often deposit as insoluble amyloid fibrils in visceral organs. The abundance of amyloid deposits and their anatomic distribution often inform prognosis and treatment options. At present there are no clinical methods for the non-invasive, quantitative measurement of amyloid. To this end we have generated synthetic, poly-basic peptides that preferentially bind amyloid and, when radiolabeled, can be used for disease detection by molecular imaging. 9:05 PARP1 Status Annotation in Cancers of the Oral Cavity Thomas Reiner, Ph.D., Assistant Member, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Assistant Attending Chemist, Radiochemistry Imaging Sciences Service; Assistant Professor, Weill Cornell Medical College The enzyme PARP1 has attracted attention for its diagnostic and prognostic value, and quantification of PARP1 expression could impact the clinical decision-making process directly. A noninvasive imaging tool that can unambiguously quantify the expression of PARP1 in vivo, however, is an unmet clinical goal. Here, we report on the use of a PARP1 imaging agent as a probe for the early detection of oral cancer, discuss its pharmacological properties and selectivity in vivo, and illustrate its potential impact on future clinical research. 9:45 Utility of 3D Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Imaging in Subject Stratification andTreatment Prediction Srivalleesha Mallidi, Ph.D., Research Fellow, Laboratory ofTayyaba Hasan, Harvard-MIT Prediction of response and tumor recurrence following a given therapy is necessary for effective treatment. In this talk, we demonstrate an approach towards this goal with an example of photodynamic therapy (PDT) as the treatment modality and photoacoustic imaging (PAI) as a non-invasive, response and disease recurrence monitor in a murine model of glioblastoma (GBM). PDT is a photochemistry-based, clinically used technique that consumes oxygen to generate cytotoxic species thus causing changes in blood oxygen saturation (StO2). 10:15 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 10:45 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing IMAGE GUIDED INTERVENTIONS 11:30 Drug and Diagnostic Imaging with Mass Spectrometry Nathalie Agar, PhD, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, Assistant Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Director, Surgical Molecular Imaging »»12:00 PM KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: CLINICAL TRANSLATION OF NEAR-INFRARED FLUORESCENCE IMAGING FOR IMAGE-GUIDED SURGERY John V. Frangioni, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Medicine and Radiology, Harvard Medical School Invisible near-infrared (NIR) light in the 700 nm to 900 nm range penetrates several millimeters into living tissue. In conjunction with target-specific fluorescent contrast agents, NIR light can highlight all desired structures on the surgical field, such as tumors that need to be resected and critical structures that need to be avoided. This talk will introduce the first principles of near-infrared light for surgical guidance and review clinical translation of NIR imaging systems and contrast agents. 12:30 Close of Conference
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 14 Inaugural June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA Suggested Event Package: June 10-11: New Models for Predicting Drug Toxicity Conference June 11-12: 3D Cellular Models Conference June 11 Dinner Short Course*: 3D Printing * Separate registration required. Conferences Dedicated to Preclinical Models in Oncology at World Preclinical Congress 2015 June 10-11 Preclinical Models in Oncology Imaging in Oncology June 11-12 Tumor Models for Immunotherapy 3D Cellular Models THURSDAY, JUNE 11 12:00 pm Registration APPLYING 3D MODELS FORTOXICOLOGY RESEARCH 2:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks Jeffrey Morgan, Ph.D., Professor, Medical Science and Engineering, Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Biotechnology, Brown University « 2:05 FEATURED PRESENTATION: 3D SPHEROIDS FOR INVESTIGATING DRUG UPTAKE, ACCUMULATION ANDTRANSPORT Jeffrey Morgan, Ph.D., Professor, Medical Science and Engineering, Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Biotechnology, Brown University In addition to recapitulating normal and disease phenotypes, the small 3D microtissues formed by multi-cellular spheroids also mimic the physical/ biological barriers to drug penetration that are significant contributors to a drug’s efficacy as well as toxicity.This talk covers the use of micro-mold technology to form long-lived designer spheroids and their use to quantify drug transport. 2:35 Engineered 3D Microsystems: Recapitulating in vivo Form, Function and Responses Christopher S. Chen, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Boston University andWyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University The 3D organization of cells defines the adhesive, mechanical and soluble microenvironment that ultimately governs cell phenotype. Understanding how forces, form and cellular function are related provides a mechanism for engineering 3D cultures that can more faithfully reproduce in vivo function.This presentation discusses both the underlying fundamental insights and examples of engineered cultures that have the potential for enhancing discovery, validation and safety studies. 3:05 WhenTime Is theThird Dimension: Combining Computer Simulation and PrimaryTissue Cell Culture to IdentifyTissue Stem Cell-Toxic Drug Candidates James L. Sherley, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Asymmetrex, LLC Screening out drug candidates that are toxic to tissue stem cells before conventional preclinical testing would accelerate drug development and reduce its high cost. Human tissue stem cell toxicity may also elude animal testing and lead to even more expensive failures due to intolerable toxicity in clinical trials or after marketing. AlphaSTEM is a new computer simulation technology for predicting tissue stem cell toxicity against any human tissue in a relatively inexpensive cell culture format. TAKING SCREENING INTO A NEW DIMENSION 3:35 NanoCulture Plate (NCP): ScaffoldType Sponsored by High-Throughput 3D Cell Culture System M. Mamunur Rahman, Ph.D., PI Lab Director, 3D Cell Culture, SCIVAX USA, Inc. NCP is engineered with micro-patterned square or honeycomb structure on the plate surface that supports cells to form cell spheroid. NCP is prime for many studies, i.e. signaling, hypoxia, live imaging, anti-cancer drug sensitivity screen, primary cancer cell culture, EMT assay, toxicology or regenerative medicine researches, co-culture, and stem cells differentiation. 3:50 Use of Co-Spheroids Systems for the Sponsored by Analysis of the Impact of Stromal Cells on Anti- Cancer Drug Activity Jan E. Ehlert, Ph.D., Head, Cellular Drug Discovery, ProQinase GmbH In cancer treatment, stroma-derived microenvironmental cues are suspected to exert an adversary impact on anti-cancer drug efficacy. For taking such influences into account, we established a spheroid-based co-culture system for the analysis of compound effects on the proliferation of tumor as well as of stromal cells. This modular HTS-compatible assay system generates information on stroma- attenuated drug activity that may prove valuable in early drug development to focus on compounds that remain active under microenvironmental conditions. 4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing 4:45 Challenges Opportunities toward Enabling Phenotypic Screening of Complex 3D Cell Models Christophe Antczak, Ph.D., Laboratory Head, CPC Integrated Lead Discovery, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research More and more complex and three-dimensional cell models derived from primary or iPS cells are described that recapitulate aspects of in vivo tissue organization and function. Challenges toward enabling high-throughput phenotypic assays relying on these emerging models can be overcome by new opportunities in detection technologies. Progress toward enabling live, minimally invasive readouts is key to being able to take full advantage of more physiologically relevant cell models in drug discovery. 5:15 Developing More Disease-Predictive Assays for Phenotypic Screening Fabien Vincent, Ph.D., Associate Research Fellow, Assay Development and Pharmacology, Hit Discovery and Lead Profiling, Pfizer Global Research Development Phenotypic screening promises to positively impact the translation of preclinical discoveries to the clinic. Nonetheless, not all phenotypic screens will offer the same potential in that regard. A critical question then follows: What are the characteristics of the best phenotypic screens? This presentation covers an analysis of this question conducted by a team of Pfizer scientists as well as proposes three specific criteria to help identify and design the most promising screens. 5:45 3D Skin Equivalents for theAssessment of Skin Health Benefits Teresa DiColandrea, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Life Sciences Innovation Core, Procter Gamble Three-dimensional skin and hair equivalents offer the potential for preclinical assessment of technologies for skin health but face challenges in specificity, robustness, scale and cost for integration into screening methods. Examples of characterization and application of 3D models for preclinical studies will be discussed. 6:15 Close of Day 3D Cellular Models Revitalizing Phenotypic Screening
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 15 3D Cellular Models Inaugural June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA FRIDAY, JUNE 12 7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking. Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website. APPLYING 3D MODELS FOR ONCOLOGY RESEARCH 8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks Christophe Antczak, Ph.D., Laboratory Head, CPC Integrated Lead Discovery, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research « 8:45 FEATURED PRESENTATION: 3D PRINTING OF IN VITRO CELL/TISSUE MODELS FOR DRUGTESTING Wei Sun, Ph.D., Albert Soffa Chair Professor, Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Drexel University; Professor and Director, Biomanufacturing Research Center, Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University Rui Yao, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Biomanufacturing Research Center, Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University This presentation reports on the application of 3D cell printing techniques to construct functional in vitro cell/tissue models for drug testing. Examples of printing of HeLa cells for 3D cervical tumor models in vitro and the printing of micro-organ devices will be presented. 9:15 Engineering theTumor Microenvironment ex vivo forTranslation Studies Using Patient-Derived Explants Amir Aref, Ph.D., Instructor, Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School Personalized cancer medicine is based on an emerging knowledge of the cancer mutation repertoire and the tailored application of drugs that target altered genes or pathways in individual patients. This work will enhance studies of tumor cell biology in a physiologic context, open a new avenue for drug screening and biomarker development and accelerate the preclinical evaluation of novel personalized medicine strategies for patients in real time. 9:45 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 10:15 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing 11:00Targeting Biomarker Modulation, Cellular Heterogeneity and EMT in a Microfluidic Model for 3DTumor Growth Imran Rizvi, Ph.D., Instructor, Medicine and Dermatology, Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School Understanding the role of hydrodynamic stress as a physical modulator of genetic, molecular and morphologic heterogeneity in tumor metastases may have important implications in treatment resistance and the design of targeted therapies. The impact of flow on tumor morphology and biomarker modulation was investigated in a microfluidic model for 3D ovarian cancer. Flow-induced shear stress caused an increase in epithelial-mesenchymal transition and increased expression and activation of molecular markers associated with aggressive disease. 11:30 Modeling Pain and Peripheral Neuropathy Using Fibroblast- Derived Nociceptor Neurons Elizabeth D. Buttermore, Ph.D., Research Fellow, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital; Neurobiology Department, Harvard Medical School Current model systems for preclinical pain and peripheral neuropathy studies are not providing adequate options in the clinic. To address this issue, we developed a method for deriving nociceptor neurons in vitro from mouse and human fibroblasts. With these derived neurons, phenotypic screens can be completed to identify novel therapeutic strategies for ailments ranging from chronic pain to chemotherapy-induced neuropathy, with the goal of increased success rates moving into the clinic. 12:00 pm Cancer-on-a-Chip forTarget Identification and Drug Screening Sophie Lelièvre, D.V.M., LLM, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Basic Medical Sciences; Associate Director, Collaborative Science, NCI-Designated Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University Tissue architecture has been long known as an important feature to reproduce in order to identify pathways that control cancer onset and progression. Here I discuss specifically the impact of tissue geometry, notably that of ductal structures, on the architecture and behavior of breast tumors, and the consequences for the development and assessment of therapeutic approaches. 12:30 Drug Discovery with Patient-Specific 3D Engineered HeartTissues Tetsuro Wakatsuki, CSO, InvivoSciences, Inc. InvivoSciences developed an in vitro disease model that recapitulates individual patient’s cardiomyopathy in 3D engineered heart tissues (EHTs) using the patient- derived cells. Automated cell culture and cardiomyocyte-differentiation protocol improved the productivity and reproducibility for generating patient-specific disease models for drug and diagnostics development. 12:45 Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or Enjoy Lunch onYour Own 1:30 Session Break ENGINEERING FUNCTIONAL 3D MODELS FROM ORGANSTO SYSTEMS 2:00 Chairperson’s Remarks (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) « 2:05 FEATURED PRESENTATION: ORGANS- ON-CHIPS: ENGINEERINGTHE CELLULAR MICROENVIRONMENTTO RECREATETRUE HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY AND ADVANCE DRUG DISCOVERY Geraldine A. Hamilton, Ph.D., President and CSO, Emulate; former Senior Staff Scientist, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University Organs-on-Chips are smart in vitro surrogates of the human body that may accelerate the identification of novel therapeutics, ensure their safety and efficacy, and reduce significant drug development costs. We review our Organs- on-Chips platform, which goes beyond conventional 3D cell culture models by recapitulating tissue-tissue interfaces, spatiotemporal chemical gradients, mechanical microenvironments and physiological function in an organ-specific context. Based on experimental data collected from this platform, it is evident that it stands as a more predictive, human-relevant alternative to traditional drug development methods. 2:35 Lab-on-a-ChipTechnologies for Automated High-Throughput Drug Discovery Jeffrey Borenstein, Ph.D., Laboratory Technical Staff, Biomedical Microsystems, Draper Laboratory We have developed a range of technologies capable of automating the screening of compounds in a medium- to high-throughput manner. These technologies have been applied to important problems in cardiovascular diseases, in addition to kidney, liver and lung models. In this presentation we demonstrate the use of these prototype lab-on-a-chip systems in several applications. « 3:05 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: INTEGRATING MULTIPLE ORGANS-ON-CHIPS: WHAT MIGHT WE LEARN, WHAT DO WE NEED AND HOW MIGHT WE DO IT? John P. Wikswo, Ph.D., Founding Director, Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education and Gordon A. Cain University Professor, Vanderbilt University Organs-on-chips (OoCs) are beginning to recapitulate human physiology in compact, two- and three-dimensional tissue models that are more accurate than monolayer monocultures on plastic or matrix, and minimize the dilution of paracrine signals intrinsic to Petri-dish or well-plate culture. Refined OoC microfluidics and analytics are now enabling the study of organ-organ interactions, including physiological regulation and drug toxicity. The next step is to optimize insertion of coupled OoCs into the drug development pipeline. 3:45 Close of Conference
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 16 Targeting GPCRs Inaugural June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA Suggested Event Package: June 9 Short Course*: Allosteric Modulators of GPCRs, (PAMs NAMs) June 9 Dinner Short Course*: Biased GPCR Ligands: Towards Novel Drug Discovery June 10-11: Targeting GPCRs Conference June 11-12 Training Seminar: Applying Pharmacology to New Drug Discovery * Separate registration required. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10 7:00 am Registration and Morning Coffee BIASED SIGNALING 8:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks Conrad Cowan, Ph.D., Head, Biology, Trevena « 8:05 KEYNOTE SPEAKER: SYSTEMS PHARMACOLOGY LINKS GPCRS WITH RETINAL DEGENERATIVE DISORDERS Krzysztof Palczewski, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University A systems pharmacology approach employs signaling pathways to enhance rational therapeutic strategies for treating complex disorders/diseases. Our proposal for systems pharmacology starts with a quantitative transcriptome analysis not only of cells, but also of tissues and organs of interest. Next, a reliable animal model that recapitulates the human condition(s) must be available to investigate combinations of drugs that act on one or several network pathways to select those most suited for human trials. 8:35 Novel Strategies for Biasing GPCR Signaling Jeffrey L. Benovic, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) interact with three families of proteins in a ligand-dependent manner: heterotrimeric G proteins, GPCR kinases and arrestins. These interactions play an essential role in regulating GPCR signaling, trafficking and degradation. In this presentation, I will highlight recent strategies used to bias GPCR signaling with an emphasis on the use of lipidated GPCR peptides (pepducins) to promote GPCR interaction with selective downstream targets. 9:05Translating Bias: from the Bench to the Clinic Conrad Cowan, Ph.D., Head of Biology, Trevena Biased ligands targeting GPCRs can selectively stimulate or inhibit distinct downstream signaling pathways, and may provide improved therapeutic efficacy and/or reduced side effects relative to unbiased ligands. Preclinical and clinical data will be presented on two of our most advanced biased ligand programs, one a β-arrestin-biased ligand of the Angiotensin type II type 1 receptor for acute heart failure and the other a G protein-biased ligand of the μ-opioid receptor for pain. 9:35 Biased Agonists for Dopamine D2 Receptors: Novel Antipsychotic Drugs? John A. Allen, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Neuroscience, Pfizer We have generated biased ligands for various Dopamine receptors to test if selectively engaging signaling pathways will provide new therapeutics for neurological diseases. Using the Dopamine D2 receptor as example, I will describe our effort generating agonists that exclusively activate D2-Gi/o or D2-Beta-arrestin signaling. Agonists that enabled arrestin engagement, but not Gi/o activation, induced prolonged ERK signaling and showed robust antipsychotic activity with reduced motoric side-effects in rodent models. 10:05 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing SELECTIVE SIGNALING 10:50 Ligand Bias in the Interaction of Muscarinic M3 Receptor with a Regulator of G Protein Signaling (RGS) Complex, Gβ5-RGS7 Vladlen Z. Slepak, Ph.D., Professor, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami The G protein β subunit Gβ5 forms obligatory heterodimers with R7 family RGS proteins. Gβ5-RGS7 can directly bind to M3R and has a dual effect: attenuates the Ca2+ release from stores, while augmenting Ca2+ influx across the plasma membrane. M3R-induced insulin secretion was practically eliminated by Gβ5 knockout, consistent with the idea that Gβ5-RGS7 is necessary for Ca2+ influx in beta cells. Responses to oxotremorine-M were insensitive to Gβ5-RGS7 while pilocarpine-induced signals were particularly strongly inhibited. 11:20 Polypharmacology and Multi-Targeted Directed Ligands (MTDL) for GPCRs Ronan Bureau, Ph.D., Professor, Molecular Modelling, CERMN, University of Caen, France The design of new type of ligands (MTDL) able to modulate several biological pathways involved in a specific disease represent a particular challenge. The presentation will concern our last results for alzheimer disease implying 5-HT4 and H3 receptors. 11:50 Structure-Based Computational Approaches for Sponsored by the Identification and Optimization of GPCR Ligands Thijs Beuming, Ph.D., Research Leader, Applications Science, Schrödinger We present computational strategies for GPCR lead identification and optimization, covering a broad range of applicability. First, we developed a customizable modeling protocol to optimize homology models, as well as a probabilistic model to boost virtual screening enrichment by considering explicit water molecules in the GPCR binding site. For optimizing potency, we validated and applied all-atom MD-based free energy calculations (FEP) to a variety of GPCR targets. Advanced hydration site analysis (WaterMap) was used to explain an unintuitive SAR within a series of triazolylpurine analogues. 12:20 pm Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or Enjoy Lunch onYour Own 1:00 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing ANTIBODIES FOR GPCRs 1:30 Chairperson’s Remarks Jeffrey L. Benovic, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University 1:35Targeting GPCRs with Monoclonal Antibodies Trevor Wilkinson, Ph.D., Associate Director, Protein Sciences, Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, MedImmune G-protein coupled receptors represent a challenging target class for the isolation Antibody and Small Molecule Approaches for New Drug Leads
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 17 Targeting GPCRs Inaugural June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA and optimization of therapeutic biologics. We have used a combination of immunization and phage display to isolate functional antagonistic antibodies targeting a chemokine receptor and a formyl-peptide receptor which will be presented as case studies. We also describe how combinatorial mutagenesis approaches have been used to make significant improvements to both affinity and species cross-reactivity of a lead molecule and demonstrate that the optimised antibodies show significantly increased potency in cellular disease assays. 2:05 Using StaR Proteins asAntigens to GenerateAntibodies to GPCRs Ali Jazayeri, Ph.D., Head, Engineering, Heptares GPCRs represent excellent antibody targets given their central role in the pathology of many diseases and cell surface location. However GPCRs make poor antigens due to their conformational flexibility, low expression levels, inherent instability and hydrophobic nature. Using protein engineering approaches we create conformationally stabilised receptors (StaRs) that can be purified to high purity and homogeneity with enhanced half-life. StaRs allow generation of high quality antigens that can be used to raise functional antibodies. 2:35 Nanobodies asTools for Probing GPCR Structure and Function Andrew C. Kruse, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School Heavy-chain only camelid antibodies (nanobodies) have emerged as powerful and versatile tools in GPCR structural biology. Their use has enabled important insights into the structural basis for GPCR activation and allosteric regulation by small molecule ligands, including active-state structures of adrenergic and muscarinic receptors. I will discuss the methods used for identifying conformationally selective nanobodies, and the insights they have offered into the molecular details of GPCR activation and allostery. 3:05 Modulating GPCR Signaling using Conformationally Selective Nanobodies Dean Staus, Ph.D., Robert J. Lefkowitz Lab, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Howard Hughes Medical Institute The signaling cascades induced by ligand binding to a GPCR are mediated by stabilization of specific receptor conformations which leads to the coupling and activation of G-protein and β-arrestin. A total of 18 conformationally selective single domain Camelid antibodies (nanobodies) were tested for their ability to modulate beta-2-adrenergic receptor dependent signaling. When expressed intracellularly (intrabodies), these nanobodies inhibited G protein activation, G protein–coupled receptor kinase (GRK)–mediated receptor phosphorylation, β-arrestin recruitment, and receptor internalization to varying extents. 3:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing »»5:00 PLENARY KEYNOTE PANEL (see page 2 for details) 6:00 Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing 7:00 Close of Day THURSDAY, JUNE 11 7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking. Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website. BIOSENSORS AND LABEL-FREE ADVANCES 8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks Neil Burford, Ph.D., Senior Research Investigator II, Leads Discovery and Optimization, Bristol- Myers Squibb 8:45 Development and Validation of Biosensors for GPCRs Xavier Leroy, Ph.D., Project Leader and Promoter, Associate Director, Drug Discovery, Actelion Pharmaceuticals 9:15 Cell-Based Label-Free Dynamic Mass Redistribution Assays for Elucidating GPCR-Mediated Signaling Stephanie Hennen, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Department of Incretin Biology, Global Research Organization, Novo Nordisk A/S The majority of techniques currently employed to examine signaling behavior of GPCRs requires artificial labels. In contrast to these classical methods, a number of novel label-free technologies have emerged recently that are competent to resolve receptor activity as integrated cellular response. The present talk will introduce a label-free method based on dynamic mass redistribution and attempt to show the strengths of holistic label-free detection as compared with classical functional assays but also highlight the challenges. 9:45 Putting a STOP: Structural Visualization of GPCR Desensitization Arun Shukla, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology and Wellcome Trust/DBT Indian Alliance Intermediate Fellow The functions of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are primarily mediated and modulated by the heterotrimeric G proteins, the G-protein coupled receptor kinases (GRKs), and the β-arrestins. Binding of β-arrestins hinders G protein coupling and leads to receptor desensitization. I will discuss our efforts to understand the structural basis of GPCR-β-arrestin interaction and how this interaction mediates desensitization of GPCRs. 10:15 A Label-Free, Solution-Based Affinity Assay Sponsored by for Allosteric GPCR Ligand Binding Using Back-Scattering Interferometry Richard J. Isaacs, Ph.D., Applied Research Supervisor, Molecular Sensing, Inc Integral membrane proteins such as GPCRs are critical targets for drug discovery but present a host of challenges to the characterization of their binding affinity for small molecules. Determination of allosteric binding in GPCR targets is especially valuable and extremely challenging information to obtain by established binding assay platforms, but can be addressed through a label-free solution-based direct- binding technology, back-scattering interferometry (BSI). 10:45 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing ALLOSTERIC MODULATORS 11:30 Positive Allosteric Modulators of Opioid Receptors Neil Burford, Ph.D., Senior Research Investigator II, Leads Discovery and Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb Opioid receptors are among the most studied GPCRs and are the targets for opiate ligands including morphine, which are key drugs used in the management of pain. However, these opiate ligands also exhibit serious receptor-mediated side effects including tolerance and dependence. The recent discovery of opioid receptor positive allosteric modulators by our lab offers a novel approach for future pain medications because of the potential advantages allosteric ligands have over orthosteric ligands. 12:00 pm mGluR3 PAM as a GDNF-inducer Strategy for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disorders Stephan Schann, Ph.D., Head of Research, Domain Therapeutics Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a peptide that previously showed clinical efficacy for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. mGluR3 constitutes a novel target that could lead to neuroprotection through production of GDNF. This potential was demonstrated with an orthosteric mGluR2/3 agonist and KO mice. Novel small molecules mGluR3 PAMs were recently discovered at Domain. These molecules were characterized in neuroprotection and GDNF production models. Our results show that mGluR3 PAMs shared similar activities with the mGluR3 orthosteric agonist. 12:30 Close of Conference
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 18 Inaugural June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA Suggested Event Package: June 10-11: Chemical Biology for Target Validation Conference June 11-12: Targeting Histone Acetylation Conference June 11 Dinner Short Course*: Optimizing Physical Properties of Molecules to Achieve High-Quality Clinical Candidates * Separate registration required. THURSDAY, JUNE 11 12:00 pm Registration PROBING HDAC INHIBITION 2:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks « 2:05 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: ISOFORM SELECTIVE HISTONE DEACETYLASE INHIBITORS (HDACi) IN MULTIPLE MYELOMA (MM) Kenneth C. Anderson, M.D., Director, Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Kraft Family Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School We have explored the role of broad acting and selective HDACi in MM preclinically and in clinical trials, both alone and in combination with novel agents. Broad acting HDACi vorinostat and panobinostat or HDAC 6 selective HDACi ricolinostat have been combined with bortezomib to block aggresomal and proteasomal protein degradation, respectively. Ricolinostat combined with immunomodulatory drugs lenalidomide or pomalidomide downregulate cMyc. We will update the rationale and use of isoform selective HDACi to both increase response and improve tolerability in MM. 2:35 A Benzoylhydrazide Class of HDAC Inhibitors that Selectively Inhibit Class I HDACs Daiqing Liao, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Florida Class I HDACs are therapeutic targets, and inhibitors specific to these HDACs hold a considerable therapeutic promise for treating cancer and other diseases, but toxicity and poor drug properties of known class I HDAC inhibitors may hamper their clinical applications. This presentation will discuss a novel benzoylhydrazide class of class I HDAC-selective inhibitors, which display unique mechanisms of HDAC inhibition and anti-proliferative effects. 3:05 Chemogenomic Approaches to Spatiotemporal Regulation of HDAC Activity Ralph Mazitschek, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Center for Systems Biology, Chemical Biology Platform, Massachusetts General Hospital HDACs are master regulators of chromatin structure and function. Beyond modulating histones acetylation they are recognized as regulators of non-histone proteins. HDAC inhibitors have been used as tool compounds to study basic biology and recognized as promising therapeutics. However, systemic exposure is often not well tolerated, or does not provide the required resolution in biological model systems. To address these shortcomings we have developed a new approach to control HDAC activity with greater spatial and temporal resolution. 3:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing 4:45 Novel Approaches to the Discovery of Isoform Selective HDAC Inhibitors Florence Wagner, Ph.D., Senior Group Leader, Medicinal Chemistry, Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard While a number of HDAC inhibitors were discovered over the years, the development of highly potent and isoform selective HDACi is critical not only to refine our understanding regarding the relevant isoform(s) for on-target efficacy but also to mitigate potential mechanism-based, dose-limiting side effects. I will present design strategies that our group has employed towards the discovery of novel HDACi with tuned kinetic (residence time) and thermodynamic binding properties for HDACs 1, 2 and 3. 5:15 In Search of Structurally and Mechanistically Novel Deacteylase Probes Angela Koehler, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biological Engineering, MIT and Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT and Associate Member, Broad Institute HDACs regulate numerous biological processes and have been implicated in various diseases, including cancers, psychiatric disorders, metabolic disorders, and inflammatory diseases. Despite significant efforts, many of the biological functions, precise molecular functions, substrates, and binding partners of HDACs are unknown or poorly understood. Selective chemical probes can aid in studying their relevant functions. Toward this end, our lab has employed unbiased binding assays in an effort to uncover molecules with novel patterns of selectivity or chemical structure. 5:45 Imaging HDAC Density and Drug Inhibition in the Human Brain Jacob Hooker, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Radiology, Harvard Medical School and Director of Radiochemistry, Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital Inhibition of HDACs is being pursued as a therapeutic strategy and yet we do not know for most diseases the relationship between HDAC density or function and disease progression. We have developed an imaging agent, [11 C]Martinostat, to quantify HDAC isoforms non-invasively in humans and are using quantitative imaging to determine the relationships between HDAC and disease in the brain and in peripheral organ systems. 6:15 Close of Day FRIDAY, JUNE 12 7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking. Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website. TARGETING SYNERGISTIC PATHWAYS 8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks Wayne W. Hancock, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Pathology and Chief of Transplant Immunology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania 8:45 Novel SystemsTherapeutics Approach to Efficiently Modulate Histone Acetylation Julen Oyarzabal, Ph.D., Director, Translational Sciences, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Spain Targeting Histone Acetylation Innovative Approaches to Modulate HDACs, HATs and Other Epigenetic Targets
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 19 Targeting Histone Acetylation Inaugural June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA We have proposed and validated a systems therapeutics approach, based on a novel mode of action simultaneously targeting two independent but synergistic pathways: phosphodiesterases (PDEs) and HDACs, that significantly induce histone acetylation. Thus, potent HDAC inhibitors are not required to achieve a remarkable level of histone acetylation; minimizing any potential toxicity related to HDAC inhibition. To validate this novel approach an in vitro and in vivo proof-of-concept, focused on Alzheimer´s Disease, using two known pharmacological compounds, as well as novel first-in-class dual inhibitors, will be presented. 9:15 Immunomodulation and HDAC Inhibitors in Breast Cancer Pamela Munster, M.D., Professor, Medicine, Program Leader Development Therapeutics; Director, Early Phase Clinical Trials’ Program, Helen Diller Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco In previous trials we have shown that HDAC inhibitors modulate estrogen receptor signaling and reverse hormone therapy resistance. One of the steps of acquired hormone therapy resistance is believed to involve upregulation of immune pathways and PD-1 and PD-L1 expression. Several groups have shown a differential regulation of cytotoxic and regulatory T-cells by HDAC inhibitors. We are exploring the role of epigenetic priming to immunotherapy and the differential effects of HDAC inhibitors on T-cells in ER+ breast cancer models and a Phase II clinical trial. 9:45 Selective HDAC Inhibitors in Neurodegenerative Disorders Elizabeth Thomas, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute HDACs have been recognized as potentially useful therapeutic targets for a broad range of neurological disorders. Our findings demonstrate that inhibition of HDAC1 and HDAC3 isotypes can relieve disease phenotypes in Huntington’s disease model systems. Further studies in our lab have focused on identifying gene targets of selective HDAC inhibitors. Overall, the knowledge of gene targets of HDAC inhibitors should help advance these compounds into clinical practice for neurodegenerative disorders. 10:15 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing UNRAVELING HAT SIRTUIN BIOLOGY 11:00 CBP/p300/PCAF/GCN5 vs.Tip60/Myst1 in Foxp3+Treg Biology and Anti-Tumor Immunity Wayne W. Hancock, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Pathology and Chief of Transplant Immunology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania Our work aims to identify post-translational modifications regulating Foxp3 and thereby the development and/or function of Foxp3+ T-regulatory (Treg) cells. Using genetic and pharmacologic approaches, we show that targeting of CBP or p300, and GCN5 or PCAF, diminishes Foxp3 acetylation and Treg suppressive function and promotes anti-tumor immunity, whereas Tip60 targeting induces lethal autoimmunity. Our data provide new insights into the roles of HATs in Tregs, and how these may be targeted for cancer immunotherapy. « 11:30 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: CHEMICAL APPROACHESTO UNDERSTANDING HISTONE ACETYLTRANSFERASES Philip Cole, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Director, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University Medical School Lysine acetylation/acylation modifications, first identified on histones, are widespread post-translational modifications (PTMs) on cellular proteins and regulate cell growth and gene expression in normal and disease states. This presentation will discuss chemical methods to interrogate HATs, enzymes responsible for catalyzing protein lysine acetylation, and describe progress toward developing HAT inhibitors as therapeutics. We will also describe novel chemical strategies for developing site-specifically modified acyl-Lys containing proteins to explore the role of particular PTMs in regulating protein function. 12:30 pm Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 12:45 Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or Enjoy Lunch onYour Own 1:30 Session Break UNRAVELING HAT SIRTUIN BIOLOGY (cont’d) 2:00 Chairperson’s Remarks Philip Cole, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Director, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University Medical School 2:05 Bioorthogonal Probes to Interrogate Functions of Histone Acetyltransferases Y. George Zheng, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Georgia Elucidating biological and pathological functions of protein lysine acetyltransferases (KATs) greatly depends on the knowledge of the dynamic and spatial localization of their enzymatic targets in the cellular proteome. We report the design and application of bioorthogonal chemical probes for facile labeling and detection of substrates of the major human KAT enzymes. This study provides powerful molecular tools for labeling and mapping KAT targets in the context of complex biological mixtures at the proteomic level. 2:35 New Insights into Protein Acetylation from Chemoproteomics Jordan Meier, Ph.D., Investigator, Chemical Biology Laboratory, and Head, Chemical Genomics Section, National Cancer Institute A paradox of modern acetylation biology is that while the number of sites of acetylation has climbed rapidly, the number of enzymes thought to catalyze this process has stayed relatively constant. Here we describe the utility of chemical proteomic methods to discover and characterize mechanisms of acetylation in endogenous cellular contexts. Our studies highlight an expanded landscape of lysine acetyltransferases, as well as new strategies to investigate the metabolic regulation and small molecule inhibition of protein acetylation. 3:05 Sirtuin Inhibitors as Anti-Cancer Agents Hening Lin, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University Sirtuins are known as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent deacetylases. We have discovered several novel enzymatic activities, such as desuccinylation and defatty-acylation, for several sirtuins with no robust deacetylase activity. This has led to the identification of unknown protein post- translational modifications and revealed new biology. It has enabled us to develop compounds that can inhibit particular sirtuins selectively. Some of the selective sirtuins inhibitors can kill cancer cells in cell culture and inhibit tumor formation in mouse models. 3:35 Close of Conference
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 20 8th Annual June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA Suggested Event Package: June 9 Short Course*: Drug Metabolism and Its Impact on Decisions in Drug Discovery Development June 9 Dinner Short Course*: Navigating the CiPA Landscape June 10-11: New Models for Predicting Drug Toxicity Conference June 11-12: 3D Cellular Models Conference June 11 Dinner Short Course*: How to Best Utilize Organotypic 3D Cell Cultures in Oncology * Separate registration required. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10 7:00 am Registration and Morning Coffee HOW USEFUL ARE CURRENT IN VITRO AND IN VIVO MODELS 8:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks Gary Peltz, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine 8:05 Current Use of Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes to Assess QT Prolongation and Proarrhythmia Bernard Fermini, Ph.D., Associate Research Fellow, Global Safety Pharmacology, Pfizer Global Research Development An increasing number of published studies support the use of human embryonic and iPSC derived cardiomyocytes for the assessment of drug-induced QT prolongation. While some of the studies conclude that these cells represent a suitable predictive model, others question their value based on reports of mixed phenotype, unforeseen pharmacology, and conflicting ion channel profile. In this presentation we review some of the more controversial issues and attempt to provide a holistic view of the field. 8:35 How Useful Are In vitroTools to Predict Hyperbilirubinemia: Utility of UGT1A1, OATP1B1, OATP1B3, MRP2 and BSEP Inhibition Assays Jae Chang, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, DMPK, Genentech, Inc. Hyperbilirubinemia may arise due to inadequate clearance of bilirubin from the body, a multifaceted process consisting of uptake of bilirubin into hepatocytes facilitated by OATP1B1 and OATP1B3. Once in the hepatocytes, it is extensively glucuronidated by UGT1A1. This talk would 1) provide justification on the potential role of drug transporters in hyperbilirubinemia, 2) show inhibition data against UGT1A1, OATP1B1, OATP1B3, MRP2 and BSEP with marketed drugs and 3) discuss the application of in vitro assays for prediction of hyperbilirubinemia. 9:05 Proteomic Approaches to the Discovery of Preclinical Biomarkers ofToxicity Li-Rong Yu, Ph.D., Associate Co-Director, Biomarkers and Alternative Models Branch, Division of Systems Biology, National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Advances of proteomics and its application to toxicological studies have led to the development of a new discipline, toxicoproteomics. One of the major research areas of toxicoproteomics is to identify novel biomarkers of toxicity. Mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomic approaches have been applied to the identification of biomarkers of multiple organ toxicity in preclinical models. 9:35 Predictivity of in vitro Models Including Co-Cultures for the Detection of Hepatotoxic Drugs in Humans Franck Atienzar, Ph.D., Associate Director, In Silico, In Vitro Toxicology, Non Clinical Development, UCB BioPharma SPRL Drug Induced Liver Injury (DILI) is a major cause of attrition during early and late stage drug development. Consequently, there is a need to develop better in vitro tools for predicting hepatotoxicity in humans. The presentation will focus on the predictivity of different human in vitro models such as primary hepatocytes, HepG2 and co-culture models. Toxicity and metabolism data will be presented to better judge the relevance of such in vitro models. 10:05 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing HOW USEFUL ARE CURRENT IN VITRO AND IN VIVO MODELS (cont’d) «10:50 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: MICE WITH ‘HUMANIZED’ LIVERS: FROM SAFER DRUGSTO LIVER REGENERATION Gary Peltz, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) has become a leading cause of acute liver failure, and for regulatory actions after drug approval. Drugs that produced minimal toxicity in animals sometimes caused significant DILI in humans. The fatalities occurring in 7 of 15 patients treated with fialuridine provides a tragic example of this. We have developed chimeric TK-NOG mice, where transplanted human liver cells replace mouse liver. We recently demonstrated that DILI caused by fialuridine and bosentan were easily detected in chimeric TK-NOG mice, which indicates that their use in preclinical studies could improve drug safety. 11:50 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 12:20 pm Luncheon Presentation to be Announced Heribert Bohlen, M.D., Ph.D., CEO, Axiogenesis AG Sponsored by 1:00 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing EXPLORING ENGINEERED MODELS 1:30 Chairperson’s Remarks Michael Shuler, Ph.D., Samuel B. Eckert Professor of Chemical Engineering and James and Marsha McCormick Chair of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University 1:35 Body-on-a-Chip Devices for DrugTesting: Opportunities and Limitations Michael Shuler, Ph.D., Samuel B. Eckert Professor of Chemical Engineering and James and Marsha McCormick Chair of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University Human surrogates for drug testing can be created using tissue engineered constructs, microfabrication, and PBPK (Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic) models and may be used to make better decisions about which drugs to select for human clinical trials. We will describe our “pumpless” system, results with multi- organ models, and progress toward a 10+ organ human model. We will discuss the limitations of such technologies and potential solutions. 2:05Tissue Chips for Drug Discovery and Screening Kristin Fabre, Ph.D., Scientific Program Manager, Tissue Chip for Drug Screening Program, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), NIH The Tissue Chip Program is supporting development of platforms to mimic human physiology that will recapitulate the complex environment for human multi-cellular New Models for Predicting Drug Toxicity Effective Use of 3D Cells, Stem Cells, Organotypic Cultures and Humanized Animal Models
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 21 New Models for Predicting Drug Toxicity 8th Annual June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA tissues to be studied. Within five years, major organs systems will be developed and applied to the assessment of biomarkers, bioavailability, efficacy, and toxicity of therapeutic agents prior to clinical trials. It will deliver a valid alternative to standard methodologies and will produce human-physiologically relevant findings, reduce animal experimentation, and improve translational research efficacy. 2:35 Human Contractile Engineered Muscle for Drug andToxicity Studies Nenad Bursac, Ph.D., Rooney Family Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University Current in vitro models of human muscle do not exhibit contractile behavior. We engineered electrically and chemically responsive, contractile human muscle tissues (“myobundles”) made of primary myogenic cells. These biomimetic constructs exhibit aligned architecture, multinucleated and striated myofibers, and a satellite cell pool, and respond to electrical stimuli with twitch and tetanic contractions. Use of GCaMP6-reported calcium responses enables long-term non-invasive tracking of myobundle function and response to drugs and provides a platform for predictive drug and toxicology screening. 3:05Towards Organoid Microarrays for Screening Within Neural Tissues Krishanu Saha, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering and Bioethics, University of Wisconsin, Madison Current human pluripotent stem cell-derived neural models consist of 2D disorganized cultures of cell phenotypes representative of only one or a few regions of endogenous tissues. This ignores the vast diversity of cell phenotypes and structured 3D niches that exist in vivo and thereby limits their modeling capacity in regulatory science settings. To overcome these limitations, we used emerging microfabrication methods to generate an array of 3D neural tissues (e.g., organoids) within standard multi-well plates for screening purposes. 3:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing »»5:00 PLENARY KEYNOTE PANEL (see page 2 for details) 6:00 Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing 7:00 Close of Day THURSDAY, JUNE 11 7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking. Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website. PREDICTIVITY OF COMPUTATIONALTOOLS 8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks Yvonne Will, Ph.D., Senior Director, Drug Safety and Head, Science and Technology Strategy, Pfizer RD 8:45 eTOX: Assembling Animal Study Data from 6000 Reports From 13 Pharmaceutical Companies Philippe Marc, Ph.D., Global Head, Informatics, Preclinical Safety, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research In 2010, within the Innovative Medicines Initiative, the eTOX project started to extract data from legacy preclinical toxicology reports with the objective of creating a collaborative preclinical study database. The current version of the database contains data for 1791 small molecule drugs and drug candidates extracted from 6105 reports donated by 13 pharmaceutical companies. The database is currently growing by approximately 180 studies per month, and we envisage the creation of the largest preclinical database available. 9:15 Enhanced Prediction of Drug-Induced Liver Injury by the Development of LiverToxicity Knowledge Base Minjun Chen, Ph.D., Division of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Here, we will introduce our efforts to develop the Liver Toxicity Knowledge Base (LTKB), which focuses on collecting drug properties data and aims to develop predictive models for assessing DILI risk in humans. We will discuss some simple rules derived from drug physiochemical and toxicological properties and its significant association with DILI risk in humans. After confirmation and validation, these DILI predictive rules may support decision-making in drug development or regulatory processes to reduce potential DILI liability. 9:45 An In silico Approach to Predict Intrinsic In vitro Cytotoxicity for Compounds in Primary Human Hepatocytes BinQing Wei, Ph.D., Scientist, Discovery Chemistry, Genentech, Inc. We present work in progress in the development of a computational model that is used to predict the outcome of hepatocyte screening for a set of preclinical compounds with significant accuracy. We show that this model proved very useful in reducing compound attrition for internal projects. Furthermore, the physicochemical property space that this work has implicated as being associated with toxicity may also provide clues toward understanding the underlying mechanism(s) of toxicity. 10:15 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 10:45 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing NEW PARADIGMS FOR SAFETYTESTING 11:30 Bioinformatic and Cheminformatic Approaches to Assess Cardiac Arrhythmias Siobhan Malany, Ph.D., Chemical Biology Team Leader, Chemical Genomics Center, Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute The combination of hiPSC-cardiomyocytes and real-time cellular impedance measurements has provided for higher throughput toxicological screening in physiologically-relevant cellular assays. We have monitored dose-dependent changes in beat rhythm of hiPSC-cardiomyocytes induced by pharmaceutical compounds. For compounds that induce atypical beat patterns, we apply bioinformatic approaches, limit cycle analysis and autocorrelation, and present quantitative results to examine irregular beat patterns induced by channel blockers and provide automated solutions to analyze large kinetic datasets for web-based reporting. 12:00 pm Assay Platforms forToxicity Evaluation in Small Molecules and Nanomaterials Robert Damoiseaux, Ph.D., Scientific Director, Molecular Screening Shared Resource, California Nanosystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles Small molecule and nano-toxicity can follow quite different paradigms, requiring thoughtful use of adequate assay platforms for toxicity evaluation. In this talk we will have a look at the differences in paradigms and their corresponding assay platforms. We will give examples for each and also present a novel laser scanning cytometry based platform for the direct quantification of genotoxic potential of a substance via quantification of the DNA damage response by quantifying H2AX phosphorylation. 12:30 Close of Conference
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 22 Inaugural June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA Suggested Event Package: June 10-11: Chemical Biology for Target Validation Conference June 11-12: Synergistic Use of Functional Genomics Technologies Conference June 11 Dinner Short Course*: How to Best Utilize Organotypic 3D Cell Cultures in Oncology * Separate registration required. THURSDAY, JUNE 11 12:00 pm Registration RNAi CRISPR SCREENS FOR ONCOLOGY 2:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks Charles Gersbach, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University 2:05 An RNAi Screen Utilizing a 3D Spheroid Model Suggests DestabilizingTumor Architecture as a Potential Anti-CancerTherapy Geoffrey Bartholomeusz, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director, siRNA Core Facility, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center The compact architecture of solid tumors results in hypoxia that contributes to chemotherapy/radiation resistance. We propose targeting non-neoplastic components within the tumor architecture as an effective alternative anti-cancer therapy. Using a high throughput RNAi screen and a multicellular tumor spheroid model we identified TLR4 as a potential target. Silencing TLR4 inhibited the expression of E-cadherin, altered the integrity of the spheroid architecture, reduced hypoxia, inhibited the hypoxic tolerance response and sensitized MCTS to radiation. 2:35 Modeling Cancer In vivo Using CRISPR/Cas9 Sidi Chen, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Dr. Feng Zhang, Broad Institute and the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cancer genomics has revealed hundreds to thousands of mutations associated with human cancer. To test the roles of these mutations, we applied CRISPR/Cas9- mediated genome editing platform to engineer specific mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. This results in tumorigenesis in several internal organs in mice. Our method expedites modeling of multigenic cancer with virtually any combination of mutations. 3:05 Combining RNAi and Genome Editing: New Avenues for Orthogonal Validation of Functional Genomic Profiles Samuel Hasson, Ph.D., Principal Investigator, Neuroscience, Pfizer, Inc. RNAi-based functional genomics is a staple of gene pathway and drug target exploration. While great strides have been made in the reagents and workflows for shRNA and siRNA screening, there is a need for tools to provide rapid orthogonal validation of gene candidate that emerge from RNAi campaigns. CRISPR, CRISPRi, and CRISPRa are not only developing into primary screening platforms, they are a promising method to compliment RNAi and enhance the quality of functional genomic datasets. 3:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing USING GENE EDITING FOR DRUG DISCOVERY 4:45 Manipulating Cell Phenotype with CRISPR/Cas9-Based Epigenome Editing Charles Gersbach, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University New methods for programming cell phenotype have broadly enabled drug screening, disease modeling, and regenerative medicine. However many of the current protocols are slow, inefficient, and lead to heterogeneous cell populations.We are exploring genome engineering tools, such as CRISPR/Cas9-based gene regulation and epigenome editing, to more precisely reprogram gene networks and control cellular decision making.We have successfully used these tools to generate cell sources useful for many areas of biotechnology. 5:15 Use of CRISPR/Cas9Technology to Study Retinal Development and Disease Donald Zack, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Advances in human stem cell technology have made possible the differentiation of retinal eyecups in vitro. We have been using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to generate retinal cell type-specific reporter ES and iPS lines and to introduce retinal degeneration-associated mutations. These reporter lines can be used to follow retinal neuronal specification during differentiation, they allow the purification of specific cell types by sorting and immunopanning, and they also are useful for the development of drug screening assays. 5:45 A Versatile Functional Genetics Platform for Malarial Parasites Enabled by Efficient CRISPR-Mediated Genome Editing Jacquin C. Niles, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Functional genetics in the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, has previously been frustratingly inefficient and time consuming. This bottleneck has limited the opportunities to validate and prioritize parasite targets to motivate the development of new therapeutics. We have now established strategies for robustly achieving controllable gene expression, and have integrated these into an experimental framework that facilitates efficient interrogation of virtually any target parasite gene using CRISPR/Cas9 editing. With these technologies, we are querying the essentiality of parasite proteins to validate them as potential drug targets and developing approaches to identify the targets of compounds having antimalarial activity. 6:15 Close of Day Synergistic Use of Functional Genomics Technologies Exploiting RNAi and Gene Editing For Drug Discovery
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclinicalCongress | 23 Synergistic Use of Functional Genomics Technologies Inaugural June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA FRIDAY, JUNE 12 7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking. Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website. EXPLORING NEW ASSAYS PLATFORMS 8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks James Inglese, Ph.D., Head Assay Development Screening Technologies, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) and Adjunct Investigator, National Human Genome Institute (NHGRI) « 8:45 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: GENOME EDITING-ENABLED HTS ASSAYS FOR CHEMICAL BIOLOGY ANDTRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH James Inglese, Ph.D., Head Assay Development Screening Technologies, National Center for AdvancingTranslational Sciences (NCATS) and Adjunct Investigator, National Human Genome Institute (NHGRI) In Parkinson’s disease (PD) loss of function mutations in the Parkin gene (PARK2) are associated with early-onset forms of PD suggesting a role in neuronal survival. We therefore have developed qHTS assays using novel coincidence reporter technology targeting the PARK2 genetic locus to uncover pathways and pharmacological agents that can modulate transcription of this gene. Findings from the qHTS of several thousand drugs and chemical probes using this novel reporter biocircuit-based assay will be discussed. 9:45 High Content RNAi Screening with Persomics: Sponsored by Reduction of Scale and Cost withTurnkey Printed Libraries Neil Emans, Ph.D., CEO, Persomics USA, Inc. RNA interference is routinely used in High Content and Phenotypic screening. However, set-up and operational costs of conventional methods remain beyond the scope of individual labs or limit screens in facilities. Persomics technology miniaturizes, accelerates and de-industrializes RNAi screening. Turnkey, preprinted libraries enable off-the-shelf focused screens and integrate with High Content platforms, and existing image analysis strategies. This lowers cost, labor, waste and overall time for any scale of screening; enabling individual labs or facilities to do more. 10:00 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 10:15 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing 11:00 Massively Parallel Combinatorial Genetics for Developing CombinatorialTherapeutics Timothy Lu, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Synthetic Biology Group, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Department of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology We have developed technologies for the scalable and barcoded assembly of high-order combinatorial genetic libraries. These strategies enable multiplexed tracking of individual genetic combinations with next-generation sequencing in pooled screens. We have used these technologies to perform massively parallel high-order combinatorial genetics in bacteria and human cells and to modulate phenotypes relevant to important human diseases. Insights derived from massively parallel combinatorial genetics can inform the design of effective and novel combinatorial therapeutics. 11:30 Building, Using and Maintaining a Functional Genomics Arsenal Robert Damoiseaux, Ph.D., Scientific Director, Molecular Shared Screening Resource, California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles Functional Genomics is one of the most useful modalities for pre- and post-screen target identification and validation. Functional genomics platforms include cDNA, siRNA, lentiviral shRNA and CRISPR and each platform has unique advantages and constraints. Here, we will discuss these properties, talk about how to organize and build a functional genomics arsenal that contains such a comprehensive set of tools and cover some of the most common issues encountered during maintenance and use of these tools. 12:00 pm Multiplexed Gene Editing of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Krishanu Saha, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering and Bioethics, University of Wisconsin, Madison Human pluripotent stem cells possess unique ability to mature into any cell type of the body, and therefore are attractive platforms for disease modeling, toxicology and regenerative medicine research. We developed multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing tools to insert reporters, knockout or correct candidate genes in patient-specific pluripotent stem cells. Our strategies exploit patterned biomaterial substrates with live-imaging to increase throughput and screening for desired phenotypes in edited cell populations. 12:30 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 12:45 Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or Enjoy Lunch onYour Own 1:30 Session Break REFININGTHE USE OF CRISPRTECHNOLOGY 2:00 Chairperson’s Remarks (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) 2:05 CRISPRTools for Gene Regulation Applications Lei Stanley Qi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Bioengineering, and Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University Precise regulation of genes for activation or repression is an important approach for cell engineering and disease modeling. We develop the bacterial CRISPR system as a toolset for sequence-specific gene regulation. The CRISPR tools enable multiplexable, inducible and high-throughput activation or repression of mammalian genes, allowing genome wide perturbation for probing gene networks. The CRISPR technology thus provides a powerful screening approach to studying gene function and chemical genomics in addition to the RNAi method. 2:35 Small Molecules Modulating CRISPR Editing Sheng Ding, Ph.D., William K. Bowes, Jr. Distinguished Investigator, Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease; Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco CRISPR-Cas9 system has emerged as an effective tool for genome editing, but challenges remain. To enhance CRISPR-mediated gene editing, we screened chemical libraries and had identified distinct small molecules that can enhance either HDR-based gene knock-in or NHEJ-based knock-out. The use of small molecules provides a simple and effective strategy that enhances precise genome engineering applications and facilitates the study of DNA repair mechanisms in mammalian cells. 3:05 Application of Genome Editing to Generate Animal Models for Drug Discovery Myung Shin, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Biology-Discovery, Genetics and Pharmacogenomics, Merck Research Laboratories Recent advances in genome editing have greatly accelerated and expanded the ability to generate animal models. These tools allow generating mouse models in condensed timeline compared to that of conventional gene-targeting knock-out/ knock-in strategies in ES cells. Moreover, genome editing methods have expanded the ability to generate animal models beyond mice. In this talk, we will discuss the application of ZFNs and CRISPRs to generate various animal models for drug discovery programs. 3:35 Close of Conference
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 24 Inaugural Suggested Event Package: June 9 Short Course*: Imaging of Blood-Brain Barrier Function June 9 Dinner Short Course*: Understanding and Dealing with Drug Disposition in CNS June 10-11: Blood-Brain Barrier Conference * Separate registration required. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10 7:00 am Registration and Morning Coffee THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER AT SITES OF PATHOLOGY 8:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks Margareta Hammarlund-Udenaes, Ph.D., Professor, Translational PK/PD, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University « 8:05 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: REGULATION OFTHE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER IN HEALTH AND DISEASE Richard Daneman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of California, San Francisco The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is crucial to ensure proper neuronal function and protect the CNS from injury and disease. We have used genomic, genetic and molecular approach to elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate the formation of the BBB as well as the mechanisms that lead to its dysfunction during disease. 8:35Targeting Vascular Dysfunction to Improve CNS Health Robert D. Bell, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Neurovascular Biology Lab Head, Pfizer, Inc. The vascular system plays an integral role in maintaining central nervous system (CNS) health. Both systemic circulatory changes and alterations directly within the BBB have been suggested to contribute to both the onset and progression of several neurological conditions. In addition, emerging evidence suggests that vascular risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome, and stroke can negatively impact BBB function. The relationship between systemic vasculature and BBB in health and disease will be reviewed. 9:00 Cancer-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Promote Brain Metastasis Takahiro Ochiya, Ph.D., Chief, Molecular and Cellular Medicine, National Cancer Center, Japan Brain metastasis is an important cause of mortality in breast cancer patients. A key event during brain metastasis is the migration of cancer cells through the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which consists of the endothelium and surrounding cells. Transfer of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from the cancer cells represents a novel mechanism of communication between cancer cells and normal cells. Here, we show that breast cancer–derived EVs promote brain metastasis by destruction of BBB. 9:25 Do We Always Need to Cross the Blood-Brain Barrier? Lois A. Lampson, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Brigham Women’s Hospital / Harvard Medical School The BBB does not always impede therapy for the brain. Migratory cells, including immune effector cells, can enter, and their activity can be modulated before they enter. Some agents work from outside the brain: systemic antibody can prevent entry of drugs or pathogens, or even draw material out of the brain. Differences between the BBB at sites of pathology vs. normal brain can help to concentrate therapy at target sites. 9:50 Understanding Antibody Penetration through Blood-Brain Barrier Using Cell Fractionation and Quantitative Proteomics Arsalan Haqqani, Ph.D., Research Officer, Human Health Therapeutics Portfolio, National Research Council Better understanding of mechanism(s) of antibody penetration through BBB is needed to deliver therapies into the CNS. We describe a multiplexed quantitative method, involving endosome fractionation and label-free targeted mass spectrometry, to track and quantify BBB-crossing antibodies in various intracellular compartments of brain endothelial cells. The results show that the method has a potential to quantitatively compare the trafficking of multiple BBB-crossing antibodies, providing an insight into mechanism and antibody characteristics that favor their BBB transcytosis. 10:05 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing UNDERSTANDING PREDICTION OF BRAIN PENETRATION: PRECLINICAL MODELS,TOOLS UNMET CHALLENGES 10:50 Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Modeling of the Blood-Brain Barrier Eric V. Shusta, Ph.D., Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison A renewable source of human BBB endothelium could prove enabling for brain research and pharmaceutical development. We demonstrate that endothelial cells generated from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can be specified to possess many BBB attributes, including well-organized tight junctions, polarized efflux transport, and nutrient transporter expression. Importantly, hPSC-derived BBB endothelial cells also respond to cues provided by other cells of the neurovascular unit such as human pericytes, astrocytes and neurons to generate very tight barrier properties. 11:20 FEATURED PRESENTATION: DELIVERY OF SMALL AND LARGER DRUGS ACROSSTHE BBB –TO MEASURE ISTO KNOW Margareta Hammarlund-Udenaes, Ph.D., Professor, Translational PK/PD, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University Methods for measuring delivery of drugs across the BBB are now available to accommodate the unbound, active moiety, thereby providing important information on success rate of compounds for CNS action. The talk will include discussions on the factors needed to be taken into consideration and methods of choice, as well as new information on regional differences in BBB transport and brain distribution. Quantitative results on nanocarrier delivery will also be discussed. Blood-Brain Barrier New Understanding, Strategies and Tools for Delivering Therapy to the Brain June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 25 Blood-Brain Barrier Inaugural June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA 11:50 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 12:20 pm Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or Enjoy Lunch onYour Own 1:00 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing UNDERSTANDING PREDICTION OF BRAIN PENETRATION: PRECLINICAL MODELS,TOOLS UNMET CHALLENGES 1:30 Chairperson’s Remarks Richard Daneman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of California, San Francisco 1:35 MRI-Guided Focused Ultrasound Activated Stem Cell Facilitated Blood-Brain Barrier Opening King C. Li, M.D., FRCP(C), MBA, Senior Associate Dean for Clinical andTranslational Research, Professor and Chair, Department of Radiology,Wake Forest School of Medicine The objective of this project is to create a remote-controllable stem cell-based strategy to allow us to open up the blood-brain barrier at the time and place of our choosing. Drugs and therapeutic agents up to at least 300 nm in size can be delivered through the blood-brain barrier using this technology. This novel paradigm utilizing image-guided focused ultrasound and stem cells can potentially be applied to all diseases that affect the central nervous system. 2:05 New Blood-Brain Barrier Shuttles: Phenotypic Screens and Targeted Proteomics Danica Stanimirovic, Ph.D., Director, Translational Bioscience, Human Health Therapeutics Portfolio, National Research Council of Canada The blood-brain barrier (BBB) expresses a myriad of receptors and transporters at its luminal surface, yet only a handful of targets have been used to develop molecular Trojan horses for brain delivery of large molecules. We have identified novel receptor-ligand pairs as brain delivery platforms using workflows that combine `function-first` screening of antibody display libraries and targeted proteomics to understand their trafficking mechanisms across the BBB. 2:35 Paracellular Portal to the CNS: Are Macromolecules Permitted? Pankaj Karande, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical Biological Engineering, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Delivery of macromolecules into the central nervous system (CNS) is a formidable challenge. The paracellular route has long been considered an exclusive pathway for entry of small water soluble molecules and ions but it can serve as an attractive portal for delivery of proteins, polypeptides, and enzymes. We will discuss our recent discovery of short peptide vectors, PEPDARTs, that specifically target the paracellular pathway into the CNS for delivery of macromolecular cargo. 3:05 CNS Uptake of Large Molecules and Peptides: PK Profile and Applications to Drug Discovery Development Sara Belli, Ph.D., DMPK Project Leader, Pharmaceutical Sciences/p-RED, Roche Innovation Center Basel Large molecules have great potential as CNS therapeutics since they are able to mimick function of endogenous neuropeptides, reducing expression of disease- related genes or clearing pathological protein aggregates. Developing novel, effective, and safe drugs for CNS diseases is hindered by blood–brain barrier reducing distribution of large molecules candidates to brain. Herein, an overview on current knowledge with examples of brain targeting approaches will be given focusing on PK and PKPD profiling. 3:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing »»5:00 PLENARY KEYNOTE PANEL (see page 2 for details) 6:00 Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing 7:00 Close of Day THURSDAY, JUNE 11 7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking. Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website. DELIVERINGTHERAPIES ACROSS BBB: CASE STUDIES UPDATES FROMTHE INDUSTRY 8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks Lois A. Lampson, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Brigham Women’s Hospital / Harvard Medical School 8:45 BBB Disruption and Drug Delivery in Neurodegenerative Disease Nga Bien-Ly, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of Neuroscience, Genentech, Inc. It is generally believed that the BBB is disrupted in many neurodegenerative diseases thus suggesting that drug delivery is enhanced as a consequence of BBB leakage. We set out to determine the extent of BBB disruption in mouse models of neurodegeneration, focusing on antibody permeability and Alzheimer’s disease, by assessing the differences in brain uptake of control and transferrin receptor (TfR) bispecific antibodies.These results will aid in determining the necessity of developing improved drug delivery methods for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. 9:15 Engineering Lysosomal EnzymeTherapeutics for the Brain as IgG Fusion Proteins that Penetrate the Blood-Brain Barrier Ruben Boado, Ph.D., Vice President, Research Development, ArmaGen Technologies, Inc. BBB-penetration of enzyme therapeutics is enabled by re-engineering recombinant enzyme as IgG fusion proteins, wherein the IgG transport domain targets a specific endogenous receptor-mediated transporter within BBB, such as the human insulin receptor (HIR). The therapeutic domain of the IgG fusion protein exerts the pharmacological effect in brain once across BBB. Several bi-functional IgG-fusion proteins have been engineered using a genetically engineered monoclonal antibody directed to the BBB HIR as the transport domain. First in human trials are planned for 2015. 9:45 FEATURED PRESENTATION: OPENTHE BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER GATE FOR BIOLOGICS Per-Ola Freskgard, Ph.D., Vice Director and Senior Leader, Neuroscience, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Although biotherapeutics have vast potential for treating brain disorders, their use has been limited due to low exposure across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This talk will describe a Brain Shuttle technology, which can be engineered into a standard therapeutic antibody or other modalities for successful BBB transport. These findings will have major implications for the development of biologics-based treatment of brain disorders. 10:15 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 10:45 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing 11:30 Use of a Camelid VHH to Engineer Blood-Brain Barrier Crossing Bispecific Graham K. Farrington, Ph.D., Director, Chemical Molecular Therapeutics, Biological Drug Discovery, Biogen Idec. We have engineered a llama single domain VHH antibody FC5 into mono- and bi-valent proteins fused to a huFc. Upon IV injection in rats up to a 30-fold higher brain exposure was observed compared to control. Upon IV dosing in a Hargreaves model of inflammatory pain up to a 60-fold increase in pharmacological potency was observed. The study demonstrates that modular incorporation of FC5 as the BBB-carrier arm in bi-specific antibodies or antibody-drug conjugates offers an avenue to develop pharmacologically active biotherapeutics for CNS indications. 12:00 pm Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) Penetrating Dual Specific Binding Proteins forTreating Brain and Neurological Diseases Denise Karaoglu Hanzatian, Ph.D., Principal Research Scientist, Biologics Discovery, AbbVie Bioresearch Center, AbbVie 12:30 Close of Conference
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 26 MASTERING MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY Twelfth Annual Case Studies, Hot Topics Med Chem Strategy Suggested Event Package: June 9 Short Course*: Allosteric Modulators of GPCRs, (PAMs NAMs) June 10-11: Mastering Medicinal Chemistry Conference June 11-12: Property-Based Drug Design in Medicinal Chemistry Conference June 11 Dinner Short Course*: Optimizing Physical Properties of Molecules to Achieve High-Quality Clinical Candidates * Separate registration required. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10 7:00 am Registration and Morning Coffee EXECUTIVE PANEL: FUTURE ROLE OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY – SCIENCE,TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY 8:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks Stewart L. Fisher, Ph.D., Principal, SL Fisher Consulting, LLC 8:05 Medicinal Chemistry in the Era of “Big Data” Paul Greenspan, Senior Director, Discovery Chemistry, Takeda Boston This briefing will focus on the challenges and opportunities that arise from our access to ever-larger quantities of SAR data. How does more data lead to better decision-making? Is our ability to effectively utilize this data keeping pace? What SAR data-mining approaches are having the greatest impact on drug design? 8:12Target Validation and Reproducibility - A Chemistry Perspective Mark Bunnage, Ph.D., Vice President, Worldwide Medicinal Chemistry, Pfizer Reproducibility of the scientific literature is a topic of significant current interest. This discussion will focus on irreproducibility issues in target validation and what it means for medicinal chemistry. 8:19 SoYou Want to ImproveYour Medicinal Chemistry? Jeremy J. Edmunds, Ph.D., Director, Immunology Medicinal Chemistry, Abbvie When one considers the considerable expense that is associated with developing a drug, it is clearly the responsibility of the chemist to ensure that they are preparing the most optimal compound. To achieve this we have focused our efforts within Abbvie medicinal chemistry toward excellence in design and excellence in synthesis. Here we will describe the trials and tribulations of this approach. 8:26 Outsourcing of Medicinal Chemistry David Bauer, Principal Scientist, Head of Medicinal Chemistry Outsourcing, Amgen The presentation will give an overview of how leveraging external partnerships is being used at Amgen to support our Medicinal Chemistry organization. The key components of our outsourcing strategy will be discussed. 8:33 Pre-Competitive Collaboration – HowAstraZeneca’s Open Innovation Program is Changing theWayWe Deliver Medicine to Patients Pamela Hill, Open Innovation Program Manager, Emerging Innovations, AstraZeneca, RD Boston The AstraZeneca Open Innovation platform has been created to help us identify and establish mutually beneficial collaborations that will lead to the discovery and development of new medicines. We provide collaborators with access to late- stage compounds, our compound collection as well as our cheminformatics and screening technologies to validate and publish novel science. 8:40 Panel QA with Session Speakers 9:05The Application of Extended HückelTheory for Sponsored by Pharmacophore Modeling Michael Drummond, Ph.D., Applications Scientist, Chemical Computing Group Pharmacophore models play an essential role in drug discovery. Generating pharmacophore models which encode accurate molecular recognition features are highly dependent on properly defined annotation points. Here we have developed a new approach for pharmacophore modeling which is based on a semi-empirical method using Extended Hückel Theory (EHT). The pharmacophore features generated through the EHT annotation scheme take into account ligand resonance and electron withdrawing effects and are sensitive to non-standard interactions, such as C-H and halogen bond interactions, during pharmacophore screening. 9:35 Small Molecules in Cancer Immunotherapy Jerry L. Adams, Ph. D., Director, Medicinal Chemistry, Immuno-Oncology Combinations DPU, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Modulating the immune system through a small molecule approach offers several advantages which are complimentary and potentially synergistic to biologic modalities. Importantly, the successes of checkpoint inhibition provide direction for further advances in the field of immune-oncology, including what roles small molecule drugs might play.This talk will provide an overview of the strategy for and targets druggable by small molecules. 10:05 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing EVOLVINGTHE KINOME IN DRUG DISCOVERY 10:50 Kinase Drug Discovery Past, Present, and Future Mark Bunnage, Ph.D., Vice President, Worldwide Medicinal Chemistry, Pfizer Over recent years there has been remarkable progress in the medicinal chemistry design of selective protein kinase inhibitors. There are now over 20 kinase inhibitor drugs on the market and, with the recent approval of the JAK kinase inhibitor Xeljanz® (tofacitinib citrate), we are now seeing kinase drugs emerge for indications beyond Oncology. This presentation will discuss current approaches to kinase inhibitor drug discovery and share a perspective on future directions. 11:20 Secreted Protein Kinases as Novel Regulators of the Extracellular Environment Malcolm Whitman, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Developmental Biology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School Secreted protein kinases, targeting serine, threonine and tyrosine, have recently been identified and shown to act in the secretory pathway and outside the cell.These novel kinases are divergent from intracellular kinases and represent a new class of drug targets for the modulation of secreted protein and extracellular matrix function. 11:50 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 12:20 pm Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or Enjoy Lunch onYour Own 1:00 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 27 Mastering Medicinal Chemistry Twelfth Annual June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA EVOLVINGTHE KINOME IN DRUG DISCOVERY CONTINUED 1:30 Chairperson’s Remarks Renato Skerlj, Ph.D., Vice President, Drug Discovery and Preclinical Development, Lysosomal Therapeutics, Inc. 1:35 Akt and RNA Metabolism Philip N. Tsichlis, M.D., Jane F. Desforges Professor of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine A phosphoproteomics screen of isogenic cell lines expressing different Akt isoforms identified RNA metabolism as an Akt target.The phosphorylation of one of the regulators of RNA metabolism (IWS1) was shown to epigenetically regulate alternative RNA splicing.The role of other Akt targets in RNA processing is under investigation. 2:05 Using Ovality to Predict Nonmutagenic, Orally Efficacious Pyridazine Amides as Cell-Specific Spleen Matt Lucas, Ph.D., Director, Medicinal Chemistry, Discovery Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Research, Cubist Pharmaceuticals Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors’ inhibition of spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) has attracted much attention as a mechanism for the treatment of cancers and autoimmune diseases.The structure-guided optimization of pyridazine amide SYK inhibitors will be presented, along with an approach that led to the successful identification of non-mutagenic examples with reduced cardiovascular liabilities. EMERGING GENE FAMILIES CHALLENGINGTARGETS 2:35 Solute Carrier Proteins as a Potential Source of New Drug Targets David Hepworth, Ph.D., Senior Director, Biotherapeutics Chemistry, Worldwide Medicinal Chemistry, Pfizer Solute carriers (SLCs) are biologically important proteins that control movement of small molecules and ions across membranes. While the SLC family appears to be generally small molecule druggable and is similar in size to the Class A GPCRs, the number of drug targets is currently around 10x fewer.The presentation explores this paradox and provides an overview of the current status of SLC drug discovery. 2:55Targeting IAP and BCL Protein-Protein Interactions with Small Molecules: Lessons Learned Brian Aquila, Ph.D., Associate Director, Medicinal Chemistry Oncology Research, AstraZeneca 3:15Targeting the Arginine Methyltransferases Kenneth W. Duncan, Ph.D., Associate Director, Molecular Discovery, Epizyme, Inc. 3:35 Modern Drug Research Informatics Applications Sponsored by to CNS, Infectious, Neglected, Rare, and Commercial Diseases Barry Bunin, Ph.D., CEO, Collaborative Drug Discovery (CDD) A modern approach to drug discovery informatics in 5 collaborative case studies showcasing the CDD Vault will be explored. The CDD Vault manages biological and chemical private data securely with external data. 3:50 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing 6:00 Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing 7:00 Close of Day THURSDAY, JUNE 11 COVALENT AND IRREVERSIBLE INHIBITORS 8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks Byron DeLaBarre, Ph.D., President Chief Scientist,The Consulting Biochemist LLC 8:45 Covalent Inhibitors as an Approach for ChallengingTargets Atli Thorarensen, Ph.D., Research Fellow, BioTx Medicinal Chemistry, Pfizer Covalent inhibitors provide potential solutions to this difficult target space, but bring additional challenge in medicinal chemistry design due to inhibitors intrinsic chemical reactivity.This talk will provide an overview of selective covalent drug discovery efforts and what key insights are required for successful covalent drug design. 9:05 Discovery of Covalent Inhibitors of Nedd4-1 Ubiquitin Ligase: First-in-Class Covalent Inhibitor of HECT E3s Alexander Statsyuk, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Chemistry Department, Northwestern University We developed a novel fragment-based drug discovery technology: irreversible tethering. We used this to discover a covalent small molecule inhibitor of Nedd4-1 ubiquitin ligase. We will discuss the mechanism of action of Nedd4-1 inhibitor, such as switching Nedd4-1 mediated polyubiquitin chain growth from processive to distributive. HIT GENERATION DISCOVERYTECHNOLOGIES: DNA-ENCODED LIBRARIES, PHENOTYPIC SCREENS BEYOND 9:25 Direct and Synergistic Inhibition of the HCV NS5A Replication Complex Makonen Belema, Ph.D., Senior Principal Scientist, Discovery Chemistry, Bristol Myers Squibb Co. The NS5A protein plays multifunctional roles in the hepatitis C virus replication cycle, and its inhibitors are integral components of a promising combination of HCV therapies that secured regulatory approvals recently. Key aspects of the medicinal chemistry effort that optimized a phenotype screen hit to the first-in- class NS5A inhibitor daclatasvir and highlights of mode-of-action studies that revealed considerable synergistic interaction between two distinct classes of NS5A-interacting molecules will be discussed. 9:55 Hit GenerationTechnologies – From DNA-Encoded Libraries Phenotypic Screens, to New Chemical Space Jörg Holenz, Ph.D., Director, Discovery and Preclinical Sciences, Project Leader, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP Lead Generation is defining the quality of chemical assets and - given this importance - has undergone significant changes. New hit generation techniques have been added to the pool, and only by cleverly combining these, the challenge to drug novel demanding targets will be met. This lecture will present learnings from successful lead generation case histories. 10:15 Accounting forWater Energetics in Drug Design Sponsored by Woody Sherman, Ph.D., Vice President, Applications Science, Schrödinger Water plays a ubiquitous role in biology and is critical in understanding molecular recognition. While the importance of water is greatly appreciated, a detailed understanding of how to incorporate water into the drug design process has been elusive. For example, crystallography provides the location of a subset of water molecules but cannot place waters throughout the entire binding site.We present strategies for deciding whether it is better to displace, avoid, or bridge a given water molecule once insight into hydration site energetics are in hand. 10:45 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 28 Mastering Medicinal Chemistry Twelfth Annual June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA 11:30Triage of High-Throughput Screening Hits: A PAIN in the Assay Jonathan B. Baell, Ph.D., Director, Australian Translational Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory and Professor, Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences Mathematically, a standard hit rate of say 0.7% necessarily furnishes more false positives from a high-throughput screen than the few (if any) real ligands for that target that may lurk within the set of hits identified. This talk will outline some personal experiences and reflections along with advice on how to efficiently identify problematic screening hits. WATER IN DRUG DISCOVERY: COMPUTATIONAL NEXT GENERATION DESIGN 11:50Time-Average Solvation Distributions in Drug Design: A Holistic Approach to Drug Discovery, from Binding Kinetics to Dynamic Modeling José Duca, Ph.D., Global Head, Computer-Aided Drug Discovery, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Inc. Our lab has developed a theory from first principles that links solvation to binding kinetics at a molecular level. We use a comprehensive approach to design chemical matter with optimized pharmaco(binding)kinetics, redefining the role of computational medicinal chemistry in drug discovery. 12:10 pm Designing Water-Soluble Molecules in Drug Discovery Michael A. Walker, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research and Development A number of strategies have been applied by medicinal chemists in order to rationally design molecules which exhibit appropriate solubility. A majority of these approaches are focused on reducing the hydrophobicity of the molecule. This talk will provide examples where solubility was increased in unexpected ways. 12:30 Close of Conference
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    property-based DRUG DESIGNin medicinalchemistry Driving Drug Discovery Success by Designing Right Physicochemical and Biophysical Properties WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclinical Congress | 29 Suggested Event Package: June 9 Short Course*: Drug Metabolism and Its Impact on Decisions in Drug Discovery Development June 9 Dinner Short Course*: Understanding and Dealing with Drug Disposition in CNS June 10-11: Mastering Medicinal Chemistry Conference June 11-12: Property-Based Drug Design in Medicinal Chemistry Conference June 11 Dinner Short Course*: Optimizing Physical Properties of Molecules to Achieve High-quality Clinical Candidates * Separate registration required. THURSDAY, JUNE 11 12:00 pm Registration PROPERTY-BASED STRUCTURE DESIGN CONSIDERATION FOR NEW NON-TRADITIONAL MOLECULES 2:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks « 2:05 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: EXPLORING MACROCYCLES FOR DRUG DISCOVERY: NOVEL LEAD SERIES FOR CHALLENGING PROTEIN- PROTEIN INTERACTIONS Nick Terrett, Ph.D., CSO, Ensemble Therapeutics Corp. Macrocycles are found widely in nature and several are marketed as drugs with good drug-like properties. This presentation will illustrate how Ensemble can rapidly generate millions of synthetic macrocycles using DNA-programmed chemistry, and how they are efficiently screened against protein-protein interaction targets to identify hit compounds and SAR. The novel approach will be illustrated with successful examples of lead discovery programs, including the discovery of novel XIAP and IL17A antagonists. 2:35 Property- and Fragment-Based Design Considerations for Protein-Protein InteractionTargets, a Case Study Christopher N. Johnson, Ph.D., CChem FRSC, Director, Medicinal Chemistry, Astex Pharmaceuticals Astex has successfully applied fragment-based drug design to protein-protein interaction targets. Key factors in this success have been (i) detailed structural understanding of binding interactions between fragment and target protein via x-ray crystallography and (ii) rigorous control of physicochemical properties.The approach is exemplified by Astex’s Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein (IAP) project, where potent dual antagonists of XIAP and cIAP1 were identified, having in vivo anti-tumor activity. 3:05 Computational Design for Improving ADME Properties of Peptidic Macrocycles Alan M. Mathiowetz, Ph.D., Associate Research Fellow, Worldwide Medicinal Chemistry, Pfizer, Inc. A great deal of progress has been made in recent years in elucidating design principles for achieving favorable ADME properties in Beyond Rule-of-5 macrocycles. Many of the important principles, such as minimization of exposed polar surface area to improve permeability, are dependent upon the overall 3D structure, which can be computationally predicted and confirmed experimentally. Here we present computational approaches and property/ADME trends seen in a variety of interesting macrocyclic chemotypes. 3:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing DESIGNING MOLECULES WITH BETTER DELIVERABILITY ANDTARGETING 4:45 Optimizing Brain Exposure in CNS Drug Discovery Ruben Alvarez Sanchez, Ph.D., Head, Pharmaceutical Profiling, Drug Disposition and Safety, F. Hoffmann-La Roche For drugs actively transported across the blood-brain barrier, unbound plasma and unbound brain concentrations differ to an extent that is commonly unknown. We report on approaches to assess and predict unbound brain concentration for P-gp substrates and how they can be utilized in early CNS drug discovery to enhance the understanding of PK/PD relationships and support a clinically meaningful compound optimization. 5:15 Inhalation by Design: Approaches towards Designing Drug Candidates for Lung Diseases Peter Jones, Ph.D., Senior Principal Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry-Inflammation and Remodelling, Pfizer, Inc. Designing compounds with suitable properties for inhalation present unique challenges to the medicinal chemist. This talk will discuss a number of programs from within Pfizer that have addressed this issue, across numerous target classes, to produce inhaled candidate drug molecules for the treatment of various lung diseases – Inhibition of GPCRs, PDEs and Kinases have been targeted successfully via this approach. 5:45 Discovery of Asunaprevir (BMS-650032): An Approved NS3 Protease Inhibitor for theTreatment of Hepatitis C Paul Scola, Ph.D., Research Fellow Group Leader, Department ofVirology Chemistry, Bristol-Myers Squibb Research Co. Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is an insidious liver disease that affects more than 170 million people worldwide. The HCV NS3/4A protease is an essential enzyme for viral replication and, as such, has been validated as a target for anti-HCV therapy in clinical trials. In this presentation, the discovery of BMS-650032, a potent and selective inhibitor of the NS3/4A enzyme, recently approved for treatment of HCV, will be described. Highlights of this discovery process include the design of the acylsulfonamide chemotype, as well as optimization of ADME and toxicology properties within this chemical series. 6:15 Close of Day FRIDAY, JUNE 12 7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking. Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website. PREDICTION AND EVALUATION OF DRUG PROPERTIES 8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks Terry Richard Stouch, Ph.D., President, Science for Solutions, LLC June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA Fourth Annual
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 30 Property-Based Drug Design Fourth Annual June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA « 8:45 FEATURED PRESENTATION: PROPERTY- BASED MOLECULAR DESIGN: WHERE NEXT? Peter Kenny, Ph.D., Visiting Scientist, NEQUIMED-IQSC, University of São I will draw the distinction between hypothesis-driven and prediction-driven molecular design before questioning some of the assumptions commonly made in drug discovery. Alternatives to the octanol/water partitioning system will be discussed and relationships between structures will be outlined as a framework for analyzing biological activity and physicochemical properties. 9:15 Oral Druggable Space beyond the Rule of 5: Insights from Drugs and Clinical Candidates Jan Kihlberg, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Chemistry, BMC, Uppsala University, Sweden Analysis of drugs and clinical candidates having MW 500 Da demonstrate significant opportunities for discovery of cell permeable and orally bioavailable drugs in physicochemical space far beyond the rule of 5 (bRo5). As compared to Ro5 compliant drugs, those bRo5 may modulate different kinds of targets, in particular ones having flat and groove shaped binding sites. Interestingly, macrocycles appear to have features that provide special opportunities in bRo5 drug space. 9:45 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 10:15 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing 11:00 Known Unknowns in Drug Discovery Data Terry Richard Stouch, Ph.D., President, Science for Solutions, LLC Data drives Drug Discovery research at all levels and determine the outcome of many thousands of decisions that govern the progress, success, or failure of any one project. Yet, even the ‘experimental’ error of this data is often unknown, under-utilized, or unconfirmed and the actual error has been shown to be even larger that that. This includes physical property data as well as that from assays, biomolecular structure determination, and computational modeling. These errors, their magnitude and genesis will be discussed with a eye toward informed decision making. 11:25 Physicochemical and Biomimetic Properties to Guide Lead Optimization Klara Valko, Ph.D., DSc, FRSC, Senior Scientific Investigator, UK Analytical Chemistry, RD Platform Technology Science, GSK Measurements of physicochemical and biomimetic properties in early drug discovery are used for the estimation of in vivo distribution and drug efficiency. The Drug Efficiency Index (DEI) (potency plus drug efficiency) has been shown to be proportional to receptor occupancy. Simultaneous optimization of potency and drug efficiency can help guide candidate selection toward compounds of increased quality and with reduced chance of later stage failures. 11:50 pm Hepatobiliary DrugTransport: Predicting and Optimizing Pharmacokinetics Manthena Varma, Ph.D., Senior Principal Scientist, Pharmacokinetics Dynamics Metabolism, Pfizer, Inc. Hepatobiliary transport is a major disposition pathway, and estimating its contribution to the total systemic clearance is extremely valuable for predicting clinical pharmacokinetics and understanding the possible mechanisms of hepato- biliary toxicity and potential drug-drug interactions. Furthermore, the clinical importance of hepatic drug transporters has attracted potential design strategies to support liver targeting – a key approach to maximizing the potential therapeutic index of a compound. Early assessment of drug exposure (PK) is challenging in this space given the limited information regarding the specific transporter expression levels, lack of established IVIVE and lack of sizable datasets. This presentation provide insight into the hepato-biliary transport with relevance to exposure optimization and the current understanding of the physicochemical and structural drivers in order to facilitate rational drug design. 12:15pm Phosphatidylcholine Affinity Chromatography and Link to Compound Promiscuity, Non-Specific Binding and Phospholipidosis Assessment John Reilly, Ph.D., Senior Research Investigator, Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institute of Biomedical Research In this work, a high throughput chromatographic phosphatidylcholine (PC) affinity assay has been demonstrated to offer an insight into the prediction of compound promiscuity, non-specific binding and phospholipidosis-inducing potential (PLIP) of pharmaceuticals. Results will include 1000 compound study comparing PC affinity to generic compound promiscuity “Target Hit Rate” assay and the benefit of this approach over cLogP. Results will also be presented on how his assay has been a useful tool to predict for non-specific binding for PET ligand tracers and PLIP. 12:30 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 12:45 Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or Enjoy Lunch onYour Own 1:30 Session Break DESIGNING PROPERTIESTO OVERCOME CHALLENGES IN DISCOVERY, DEVELOPMENT CLINIC 2:00 Chairperson’s Remarks Jan Wahlstrom, Ph.D., Director, Pharmacokinetics Drug Metabolism, Amgen, Inc. 2:05 A Systems Pharmacokinetics Approach to the Optimization of Drug Properties to Help MaximizeTherapeutic Index: On the Quantitative Prediction of UnboundTissue Distribution and its Implication for Drug Design Avijit Ghosh, Ph.D., Director, Mechanism Based Drug Disposition Pharmacodynamics and Metabolism, Janssen RD In this work, we leverage a mathematical model of the underlying physiochemical properties of tissues and physicochemical properties of molecules to support the development of hepatoselective glucokinase activators. A case study using this approach in the development of hepatoselective glucokinase activators via organic anion-transporting polypeptide–mediated hepatic uptake and impaired passive distribution to the pancreas is described. 2:35 Utilizing Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling to Inform Formulation and Clinical Development Jan Wahlstrom, Ph.D., Director, Pharmacokinetics Drug Metabolism, Amgen, Inc. Physicochemical properties and early ADMET assays guide chemotype evaluation and rational scaffold alteration. This presentation will focus on the integration of these approaches with physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling (PBPK) to enable the prediction of clinical outcomes and to optimize selection of formulation. 3:05The Discovery and Development of an HIV-1 Attachment Inhibitor Clinical Candidate Kap-Sun Yeung, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Discovery Chemistry, Pharmaceutical RD, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. The inhibition of the attachment of the HIV-1 viral glycoprotein gp-120 to the host cell receptor CD4 during the first step of the viral entry represents a novel antiretroviral approach. This talk will discuss the modifications made by medicinal chemists based on clinical feedback from multiple compounds, discuss a successful prodrug approach, and describe formulation development leading to a clinical candidate that is currently progressing to Phase III studies. 3:35 Close of Conference
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 31 Suggested Event Package: June 9 Short Course*: Allosteric Modulators of GPCRs, (PAMs NAMs) June 9 Dinner Short Course*: Imaging in Cancer Research: Key Applications, Modalities and Strategies June 10-11: Chemical Biology for Target Validation Conference June 11-12: Chemical Proteomics for Target Validation Conference June 11 Dinner Short Course*: How to Best Utilize Organotypic 3D Cell Cultures in Oncology * Separate registration required. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10 7:00 am Registration and Morning Coffee PHENOTYPIC SCREENING,TARGET IDENTIFICATION AND MOA OF NOVEL BIOACTIVE PROBES 8:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks Iván Cornella-Taracido, Ph.D., Senior Principal Scientist, Discovery Chemistry, Merck 8:05: Chemical Probe Libraries to Explore and Validate Novel Biology Iván Cornella-Taracido, Ph.D., Senior Principal Scientist, Discovery Chemistry, Merck Chemical probes, drug-like or not, have been used for years to identify new therapeutic targets as well as to perform validation studies directed to assess their efficacious engagement and pharmacological modulation. Herein I will elaborate on the physicochemical and biological features of a good tool compound, review historical work to assemble a comprehensive, properly annotated, collection of optimal chemical probes and discuss its use towards exploratory phenotype-driven biology (target discovery) and target validation. 8:35: ATrigger Based Selectivity Mechanism of Cell Death Identified through Chemical Genetics Deborah Rothman, Ph.D., Investigator III, Chemical Genetics, Novartis Institutes of Biomedical Research Phenotypic drug discovery has gained momentum as a complementary approach to target based drug discovery in the last decade. Though a phenotypic drug discovery approach, we have identified the N-BICs series of small molecules, which selectively kill a subset of cancer cells. Using multiple profiling tools and techniques, we identified the mechanism of selectivity to be activation of the compounds by high cellular expression of a phase II metabolic enzyme. Additionally, we show that the compounds covalently modify cellular proteins as part of their efficacy mechanism yet are efficiently cleared from animal models. 9:05 Sulfonyl Fluoride Chemistry forTarget Validation, Identification and Other Applications in Chemical Biology Lyn Jones, Ph.D., Head, Chemistry, Chemical Biology Rare Diseases, Pfizer I will describe the first rational design and synthesis of sulfonyl fluoride covalent probes that specifically target reactive tyrosine residues in a protein binding site. Subsequent development of a clickable covalent inhibitor of the mRNA/miRNA metabolizing enzyme DcpS enabled the measurement of target engagement in human primary cells for the first time. This technology validated DcpS as a bona fide target protein of a series of diaminoquinazoline derivatives and the broader utility of sulfonyl fluoride chemical probes in chemical biology will be described. 9:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 10:05 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing CHEMICALTOOLS MODULATING GENE EXPRESSION AND PROTEIN HOMEOSTASIS 10:50 Featured Presentation:Targeted Protein Degradation of Pathological Proteins Andy Crew, Ph.D., Vice President, Chemistry, Arvinas Based on an ‘event-driven’ paradigm, targeted protein degradation offers a novel and broad mechanism to irreversibly inhibit protein function, namely, the intracellular destruction of target proteins. This is achieved via small molecule mediated recruitment of the target proteins in question to the E3 ligase component of the UPS cellular quality control machinery. The application of the Arvinas degradation platform to identification of potent degraders of TBK1 will be described. 11:20Targeting the Stress Chaperome in Disease, Diagnosis and Treatment Gabriela Chiosis, Ph.D., Associate Member and Lab Head, Molecular Pharmacology and Chemistry, Sloan Kettering Institute; Associate Attending, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Normal cellular physiology is maintained by the coordinated action of the chaperome, a network of molecular chaperones as well as co-chaperones and folding enzymes. By using innovative methods, we develop small molecule chemical tools specifically targeted to the stress chaperome; these act as “sensors” of the chronic stress, and in turn, of the chronic stress-associated proteome. I will discuss how by the use of these unique tools we aim to understand, diagnose and treat cellular processes associated with chronic stress. 11:50 Chemical Modulation of Chromatin Structure Jun Qi, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, Bradner Lab, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 12:20 pm Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or Enjoy Lunch onYour Own 1:00 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing NOVEL SYNTHETIC METHODS FOR MODULATION OF BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES 1:30 Chairperson’s Remarks Alexander Statsyuk, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University 1:35 Small Molecules to Engineer and Explore Human Immunity David A. Spiegel, Ph.D., M.D., Professor, Department of Chemistry, Yale University Research in the Spiegel Laboratory utilizes techniques and insights from organic chemistry to modulate and/or create immunological function, an area termed “Synthetic Immunology.”This talk will discuss our recent work toward novel paradigms for immunotherapy by developing and characterizing synthetic constructs that harness immune responses. Specific topics to be discussed will include the rational design and biological characterization of immunomodulatory small molecules, as well as applications in areas ranging from cancer to infectious disease. June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MA Second Annual
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 32 Chemical Biology for Target Validation June 10-11, 2015 | Boston, MASecond Annual 2:05 Spliceosome Modulation for theTreatment of Mutant SF3B1 Cancers Gregg F. Keaney, Ph.D., Senior Scientific Investigator, Medicinal Chemistry, H3 Biomedicine This presentation will describe how the pladienolide natural products were originally identified to interact with the spliceosome through target identification cross-linking experiments, and how recently-discovered SF3B1 mutations in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) represent a novel biological target for therapeutic intervention. The total synthesis of 6-deoxypladienolide D, a structurally-complex macrocyclic natural product, along with its biological activity in a suite of mutant SF3B1 assays will be described. 2:35 Discovering andValidating DrugTargets Using Synthetic Binding Shohei Koide, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago We have developed “Monobodies,” synthetic binding proteins that can be introduced into cells as genetically encoded protein. Remarkably, Monobodies to diverse target proteins are almost always inhibitors of their functions. Like small- molecule drugs, Monobodies modulate endogenous targets by binding them. Therefore, investigation of cellular effects of Monobodies and of the structural basis of Monobody-target interactions accelerates target validation and the discovery of potentially druggable sites. I will discuss our approach as applied to signal transduction and epigenetics. 3:05 High-Throughput Generation of Synthetic Peptides Modulating Enzyme Function Sachdev Sidhu, Ph.D., Professor, Donnelly Centre for Cellular Biomolecular Research, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto Peptide ligands are promising small-molecule therapeutic candidates for devastating diseases such as cancer. In principle, some natural proteins could be used as therapeutic agents, but their target binding affinities often precludes their use in a clinical setting. Using a phage display strategy and libraries of variant proteins designed based on crystal structure information, we can evolve high affinity variants that show increased binding affinity and improved activity compared to the wild type proteins. 3:35 Modeling PeptideTherapeutics/A Case Study Sponsored by Irene Meliciani, Ph.D., Head, Sales Business Development, Intelligent Pharma The identification of small molecules which can mimic peptides has great potential in overcoming difficulties associated with synthesis, or unfavorable physical properties. Through a case study we applied our ligand-based virtual screening to determine the similarity of a peptide to a set of small molecules that were experimentally validated. 3:50 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing »»5:00 PLENARY KEYNOTE PANEL (see page 2 for details) 6:00 Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing 7:00 Close of Day THURSDAY, JUNE 11 7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking. Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website. KEYNOTE SESSION:TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS 8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks Lyn Jones, Ph.D., Head, Chemistry, Chemical Biology Rare Diseases, Pfizer 8:45 FromYeast to Human Neurons and Back Again: Powerful Platforms for Chemical Biology andTarget Validation Susan Lindquist, Ph.D., Professor, Biology, MIT; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Taking advantage of the highly conserved biology of protein folding and trafficking in eukaryotic cells, we have created yeast models of human neurodegenerative diseases that recapitulate the basic pathological processes disrupting protein homeostasis. Significantly, each yeast model exhibits cellular toxicity through a different mechanism. The unique advantage of these models is the ability to perform ultra-highthroughput screening of chemical compound libraries. Hits from these yeast screens rescue patient-derived neurons. With this validation, we return to yeast and use the power of yeast genetics to identify targets. This lecture will discuss recent successes and the future promise of these yeast-to-neurons-to-yeast platforms. 9:30 FITGE-BasedTarget Identification for the Connection of Rational Drug Discovery with Phenotypic Screening Seung Bum Park, Ph.D., Professor, Chemistry, Seoul National University We developed a new target identification platform, FITGE, which aims to preserve protein-small molecule interactions under the intact cellular environment. I will report a phenotype-based discovery of initial hits that enhance the cellular glucose uptake in myotubes and adipocytes Identification and rational optimization of initial hits can generate lead compounds with high potency for PPARg transactivation and cellular glucose uptake. I will also present our current efforts on the development of novel neuroinflammatory agents from phenotypic screening and target ID. 10:15 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 10:45 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing CASE STUDIES IN CHEMICAL BIOLOGYTARGETING PPIs AND ALLOSTERY 11:30 Novel Probes for E3 Ligases: pH Cleavable Photocrosslinkers to Map E2/E3 Ligase PPI Interface and UbiFlu Novel Fluorescent Probes Alexander Statsyuk, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University We will present our work toward the development of chemical probes to study the biochemistry and pharmacology of E3 ubiquitin ligases. First we have developed a novel class of pH-cleavable, minimalist photocrosslinkers that can be installed anywhere on the surface of the E2 enzyme using cysteine chemistry. The second part of this talk will outline the invention of a novel class of fluorescent activity based probes for E3 ligases called UbiFlu. 12:00 pm Not All mGluR PAMs Are Created Equal: Designing the Right Allosteric Ligand forYour Clinical Indication Dario Doller, Ph.D., Director, Discovery Chemistry DMPK, Global Head of Chemical Biology, Lundbeck Research USA Allosteric modulation of glutamate-sensing metabotropic receptors (mGluRs) has the potential to provide new therapies for the most debilitating CNS diseases (AD, PD, MS). Advances in our understanding of the chemical biology of these receptors has enabled the characterization of ligands with distinct phenotype. We will disclose new results in the area of mGlu4 positive allosteric modulation, including careful characterization of different tool compounds. 12:30 Close of Conference
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclinicalCongress | 33 Suggested Event Package: June 9 Short Course*: Allosteric Modulators of GPCRs, (PAMs NAMs) June 9 Dinner Short Course*: Imaging in Cancer Research: Key Applications, Modalities and Strategies June 10-11: Chemical Biology for Target Validation Conference June 11-12: Chemical Proteomics for Target Validation Conference June 11 Dinner Short Course*: How to Best Utilize Organotypic 3D Cell Cultures in Oncology * Separate registration required. THURSDAY, JUNE 11 12:00 pm Registration OPENING KEYNOTE SESSION:TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS 2:00 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks Markus Schirle, Ph.D., Senior Investigator, Developmental and Molecular Pathways/Chemogenetics, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research 2:05: BioPlex 1.0: An Orfeome-Based, Mass Spectrometry-Driven, Human Protein Interaction Network Steven P. Gygi, Ph.D., Professor, Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School We report a scalable affinity-purification mass spectrometry (AP-MS) platform and identify interacting partners for 2,594 proteins in HEK293T cells. The resulting network (BioPlex 1.0) contains 23,744 interactions, 86% previously unknown, among 7,668 proteins. This lecture will highlight network’s construction and its insights into human disease. Within two years, the platform described here will be used to determine interacting partners from a complete pass through the Orfeome collection (~13,000 human genes). 2:50 Mass Spectrometry-based Proteomics in Preclinical Drug Discovery Bernhard Kuster, Ph.D., Professor, Co-Founder and Chair, Proteomics and Bioanalytics, Technische Universität München, OmicScouts GmbH Preclinical stages in the drug discovery process require a multitude of biochemical and genetic assays in order to characterize the effects of drug candidates on cellular systems and model organisms. Dramatic technological improvements in mass spectrometry-based proteomic and chemical proteomic strategies substantially facilitate decision-making throughout the drug discovery process. Here, we highlight proteomic approaches suitable for preclinical drug discovery and illustrate the potential of exciting recent developments. 3:35 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 4:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing PROTEOMICS-ENABLED DISCOVERY 4:45 Proteomics as a ContributingTechnology in Drug Discovery Kieran Geoghegan, Ph.D., Research Fellow, Pfizer, Inc. The relationship of proteomics to drug discovery continues to be explored and developed. Among the trends driving interest in such approaches are the targeting of proteins with deep controlling effects on cell metabolism, a revived interest in drugs that form covalent bonds with their targets, and the need to deconvolute the action of potent compounds for which no molecular target is known. All aspects of the continuum existing between classical proteomics and chemical biology offer potential to elucidate highly valued new information about drug action. 5:15Tracking Cancer Drugs in Living Cells byThermal Profiling of the Proteome Marcus Bantscheff, Ph.D., Head, Technology, Cellzome GmbH, Molecular Discovery Research, GlaxoSmithKline 5:45 Proteomics-Based Methods for In-Depth Analysis of Key Molecular Events inTumorogenesis Jarrod Marto, Ph.D., Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Dana-Farber Proteomics-based methods provide a highly parallel readout of multiple biologically relevant events in a single experiment. Collectively these data provide a detailed view of key molecular mechanisms in cancer initiation and progression and can also facilitate drug target discovery and improved characterization of small molecule-based therapeutics. 6:15 Close of Day FRIDAY, JUNE 12 7:30 am Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups Each discussion group in this session is led by a moderator/s who ensures focused conversations around key issues. Attendees join a specific group and the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas and active networking. Topics for discussion will be made available on the conference website. CHEMOPROTEOMIC STRATEGIES FOR INHIBITOR DEVELOPEMENT 8:35 Chairperson’s Remarks Alexander Statsyuk, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Chemistry, Northwestern University 8:45 Chemical Proteomic Strategies to Investigate Reactive Cysteines Eranthie Weerapana, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Chemistry, Boston College We have applied chemical proteomics to identify and characterize functional cysteines in the human proteome. By combining small-molecule probe synthesis with mass spectrometry-based proteomics, we have identified reactive and functional cysteines that can be targeted for covalent inhibitor development. Our small-molecule probes act as pharmacological modulators of diverse protein activities. 9:15 Serendipitous Discovery of the Selective Inhibitor of the Ubiquitin System Using Chemoproteomic Approaches Alexander Statsyuk, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Chemistry, Northwestern University While designing chemoproteomic probes for UBL proteins based on covalent Nedd8 E1 enzyme inhibitor MLN4924, we discovered a molecule ABP3 that potently and covalently labeled ubiquitin and Nedd8 proteins inside A549 cells. The key to this discovery was the use of click chemistry that allowed us to visualize and identify protein targets of ABP3, due to the presence of an alkyne tag in the molecule. Subsequent follow up experiments showed that ABP3 is a potent inhibitor of Nedd8 ubiquitin conjugation in cells, but not SUMO, ISG15, and Ufm1 conjugation. 9:45 Sponsored Presentation (Opportunity Available) 10:15 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MA Inaugural
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    Chemical Proteomics forTarget Validation June 11-12, 2015 | Boston, MAInaugural ADVANCES INTARGET DECONVOLUTION 11:00Towards Comprehensive Coverage of DrugTarget Space in Chemical Proteomics Markus Schirle, Ph.D., Senior Investigator, Developmental and Molecular Pathways/ Chemogenetics, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Non-covalent approaches have been highly successful for certain target classes. However, they have a significantly lower success rate for important target classes that require intact cellular environments. In these cases, covalent strategies such as photocrosslinking-based experiments using live cell treatment have proven to be successful but require careful experimental design and optimization. Our efforts towards a comprehensive chemical proteomics strategy for de novo target deconvolution that includes covalent and non-covalent approaches will be presented. 11:30 Case Strudies inTarget Identification and Mechanism of Action in Drug Discovery Monica Schenone, Ph.D., Technical and Scientific Leader, Biochemical Target ID, Proteomics Platform, Broad Institute 12:00 pm Small Molecule Profiling by Protein Stability-Based Interaction Proteomics (ProSIP) Kilian Huber, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, Giulio Superti-Furga Laboratory, CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences We report an unbiased systems-level approach to monitor small-molecule target engagement in live cells based on protein thermal stability and quantitative mass spectrometry. The procedure does not require chemical modification of the compound of interest and in combination with tailored bioinformatic analysis constitutes a powerful means to assess target binding in a physiological context. Protein Stability-based Interaction Proteomics (ProSIP) should allow for the systematic mapping of chemical agents, including metabolites, to their natural partners. 12:30 Utilizing Chemogenomics to Chemoproteomics to Identify and Validate NewTargets in Drug Discovery Erik Hett, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Chemical Biology, Medicinal Chemistry, Pfizer During this presentation I will share case studies illustrating the the ultization of gene-family biased small molecule sets in phenotypic screens to identify druggable targets and to enable target identification, as well as ultilzating activity-based protein profiling to deconvolute phenotypic hits. 1:00 Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or Enjoy Lunch onYour Own 1:30 Session Break BIOORTHOGONALTECHNIQUES FOR LABELLING AND IMAGING 2:00 Chairperson’s Remarks Doug Johnson, Ph.D., Associate Research Fellow, Neuroscience, Medicinal Chemistry, Pfizer 2:05Tandem Photoaffinity Labeling - Bioorthogonal Conjugation in Medicinal Chemistry David Lapinsky, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Medicinal Chemistry, Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University This lecture willhighlight recent applications of tandem photoaffinity labeling– bioorthogonal conjugation as a powerful and versatile chemical approach. In particular, recent applications of this strategy towards affinity-based protein profiling (AfBPP), drug target identification, binding ensemble profiling, studying endogenous biological molecules, and imaging applications will be presented. Additionally, recent advances in the development of ‘all-in-one’ compact moieties possessing a photoreactive group and clickable handle will be presented. 2:35 A Modular andTraceless Chemical Method to Locate andTrack Endogenous ProteinTargets in Live Cells James Chambers, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst I will describe out rationale for designing a traceless, chemistry-based probe that allows for tagging endogenous receptors on neurons. The probe combines elements of medicinal chemistry, bio-conjugation, chemical biology, and neurobiology. I will provide a detailed discussion of our design and implementation for our first probe that was targeted to glutamate-gated AMPA receptors. I will then discuss our present efforts to modularize the system. 3:05 Chemoproteomics with Clickable Photoaffinity Probes for NeuroscienceTarget ID and Validation Doug Johnson, Ph.D., Associate Research Fellow, Neuroscience, Medicinal Chemistry, Pfizer This talk will describe how we used clickable photoaffinity probes for (off-)target identification/validation and to measure target engagement in live cells for three neuroscience projects at Pfizer. In the first example, we used clickable γ-secretase modulator (GSM) photoaffinity probes to determine the target of GSMs within the γ-secretase complex. 3:35 Close of Conference WorldPharmaCongress.com World Preclincial Congress | 34
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    WorldPharmaCongress.com World PreclincialCongress | 35 For sponsorship and exhibit information, please contact: Joseph Vacca Associate Director, Business Development 781-972-5431 | jvacca@healthtech.com Abcam AMRI AntiCancer, Inc. Axiogenesis Biomodels, LLC Biopta Ltd Bruker Corporation Cellular Dynamics International Champions Oncology Charles River Chemical Computing Group Collaborative Drug Discovery (CDD) Halocarbon Products Hybrigenics Intelligent Pharma International Institute for the Advancement of Medicine InvivoSciences, Inc. KIYATEC Inc. Molecular Sensing, Inc. Oncodesign Optibrium Persomics USA, Inc. PharmAgra Labs, Inc. ProQinase Reaction Biology Corporation Schrödinger SCIVAX Life Sciences, Inc. Simulations Plus, Inc. Solid Form Solutions Ltd Studylog Systems, Inc. Sygnature Discovery Synthonix Taconic Biosciences The Jackson Laboratory VisualSonics Sponsorship Exhibit Opportunities CHI offers comprehensive sponsorship packages which include presentation opportunities, exhibit space, branding and networking with specific prospects. Sponsorship allows you to achieve your objectives before, during, and long after the event. Any sponsorship can be customized to meet your company’s needs and budget. Signing on early will allow you to maximize exposure to qualified decision-makers. Podium Presentations— Available within Main Agenda! Showcase your solutions to a guaranteed, targeted audience. Package includes a 15- or 30-minute podium presentation within the scientific agenda, exhibit space, on-site branding, access to cooperative marketing efforts by CHI, and more. Breakfast Luncheon Podium Presentations Opportunity includes a 30-minute podium presentation. Boxed lunches are delivered into the main session room, which guarantees audience attendance and participation. A limited number of presentations are available for sponsorship and they will sell out quickly. Sign on early to secure your talk! Invitation-Only VIP Dinner/Hospitality Suite Sponsors will select their top prospects from the conference pre-registration list for an evening of networking at the hotel or at a choice local venue. CHI will extend invitations and deliver prospects, helping you to make the most out of this invaluable opportunity. Evening will be customized according to sponsor’s objectives i.e.: • Purely social • Focus group • Reception style • Plated dinner with specific conversation focus Exhibit Exhibitors will enjoy facilitated networking opportunities with qualified delegates. Speak face-to-face with prospective clients and showcase your latest product, service, or solution. Looking for additional ways to drive leads to your sales team? CHI’s Lead Generation Programs will help you obtain more targeted, quality leads throughout the year. We will mine our database of 800,000+ life science professionals to your specific needs. We guarantee a minimum of 100 leads per program! Opportunities include: • Whitepapers • Webinars • Custom Market Research Surveys • Podcasts Stay Connected The Intro-Net offers you the opportunity to set up meetings with selected attendees before, during and after this conference, allowing you to connect to the key people that you want to meet. This online system was designed with your privacy in mind and is only available to registered session attendees of this event. #CHIWPC15 Additional branding and sponsorship opportunities available! 2015 Exhibitors Sponsors (As of February 12, 2015)
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    ADDITIONAL REGISTRATION DETAILS Eachregistration includes all conference sessions, posters and exhibits, food functions, and access to the conference proceedings link. Handicapped Equal Access: In accordance with the ADA, Cambridge Healthtech Institute is pleased to arrange special accommodations for attendees with special needs. All requests for such assistance must be submitted in writing to CHI at least 30 days prior to the start of the meeting. To view our Substitutions/ Cancellations Policy, go to http://www.healthtech.com/regdetails Video and or audio recording of any kind is prohibited onsite at all CHI events. A series of diverse reports designed to keep life science professionals informed of the salient trends in pharmaceutical technology, business, clinical development, and therapeutic disease markets. For a detailed list of reports, visit InsightPharmaReports.com, or contact Rose LaRaia, rlaraia@healthtech.com, +1-781-972-5444. Barnett is a recognized leader in clinical education, training, and reference guides for life science professionals involved in the drug development process. For more information, visit barnettinternational.com. How to Register: WorldPharmaCongress.com reg@healthtech.com • P: 781.972.5400 or Toll-free in the U.S. 888.999.6288 Please use keycode WPC F when registering! Complimentary news delivered to your inbox Subscribe to New Bulletins or the Weekly Update Newsletter at Bio-ITWorld.com Clinical Trials to the Clinic, subscribe at ClinicalInformaticsNews.com WORLD PRECLINICAL CONGRESS BEST VALUE! EVENT PRICING Includes access to 2 conferences or training seminar, excludes short courses Academic, Government, Commercial Hospital-affiliated Registrations After March 13, 2015 $2,599 $1,179 Advance Registration Rate until May 1, 2015 $2,799 $1,279 After May 1, 2015 and on-site $2,999 $1,379 SINGLE CONFERENCE PRICING Includes access to 1 conference or training seminar, excludes short courses Registrations After March 13, 2015 $1,549 $749 Advance Registration Rate until May 1, 2015 $1,749 $829 After May 1, 2015 and on-site $1,949 $899 Program Selection: When registering please indicate the one conference you will attend: June 10-11, 2015 June 11-12, 2015 T1A: Novel Preclinical Models in Oncology T1B: Tumor Models for Cancer Immunotherapy T2A: Translational Imaging in Cancer Drug Development T2B: 3D Cellular Models T3A: Targeting GPCRs T3B: Targeting Histone Acetylation T4A: New Models for Predicting Drug Toxicity T4B: Synergistic Use of Functional Genomic Technologies T5A: Blood-Brain Barrier TSB: Training Seminar: Applying Pharmacology to New Drug Discovery T6A: Mastering Medicinal Chemistry T6B: Property-Based Drug Design in Medicinal Chemistry T7A: Chemical Biology for Target Validation T7B: Chemical Proteomics for Target Validation SHORT COURSE Single Short Course $699 $399 Two Short Courses $999 $699 Three Short Courses $1,199 $899 Please select the short courses you are most likely to attend. Tuesday, June 9 | 2:00 – 5:00 pm Thursday, June 11 | 7:00 – 10:00 pm (Dinner provided) SC1: Allosteric Modulators of GPCRs, (PAMs NAMs) SC8: Optimizing Physical Properties of Molecules to Achieve High-Quality Clinical Candidates SC2: Imaging of Blood-Brain Barrier Function SC9: How to Best Utilize Organotypic 3D Cell Cultures in Oncology SC3: Drug Metabolism and Its Impact on Decisions in Drug Discovery Development SC10: 3D Printing Tuesday, June 9 | 6:00 – 9:00 pm (Dinner provided) SC11: PDX Models Update SC4: Biased GPCR Ligands: Towards Novel Drug Discovery SC5: Understanding and Dealing with Drug Disposition in CNS SC6: Navigating the CiPA Landscape SC7: Imaging in Cancer Research: Modalities, Agents and Strategies CONFERENCE DISCOUNTS Alumni Discount 20% Off Drug Safety Executive Council (DSEC) Members 25% Off Poster Discount $50 Off POSTER DISCOUNT ($50 Off) Poster abstracts are due by April 24, 2015 Once your registration has been fully processed, we will send an email containing a unique link allowing you to submit your poster abstract. If you do not receive your link within 5 business days, please contact jring@healthtech.com. * CHI reserves the right to publish your poster title and abstract in various marketing materials and products. REGISTER 3 - 4th IS FREE: Individuals must register for the same conference or conference combination and submit completed registration form together for discount to apply. ALUMNI DISCOUNT: Cambridge Healthtech Institute (CHI) appreciates your past participation at World Pharma Congress. As a result of the great loyalty you have shown us, we are pleased to extend to you the exclusive opportunity to save an additional 20% off the registration rate. Please note: Our records must indicate you were an attendee of World Pharma Congress in the past in order to qualify. Group Discounts are Available! Special rates are available for multiple attendees from the same organization. For more information on group discounts contact David Cunningham at 781-972-5472 *Alumni, DSEC Membership, Twitter, LinkedIN, Facebook or any other promotional discounts cannot be combined. Discounts not applicable on Event Short Courses. If you are unable to attend but would like to purchase the World Preclinical Congress 2015 CD for $750 (plus shipping), please visit WorldPharmaCongress.com. Massachusetts delivery will include sales tax. Pricing and Registration Information June 10-12, 2015 Westin Boston Waterfront, Boston, MA