Welcome

The modern pharmaceutical industry faces significant pressure from global price squeezes and a highly competitive market place. Coupled with increased clinical trial failure rates, higher regulatory hurdles have added to the burgeoning cost of drug discovery and development.

As the cost of developing medicines rises and the productivity of the pharmaceutical industry declines, there is an urgent need to increase the probability of demonstrating either that novel therapeutic agents have the desired efficacy in man, or, conversely, establishing unequivocally that the mechanisms targeted by such agents have been pharmacologically modulated in the desired fashion to prove the null hypothesis.

This translation from in vitro potency, through animal models of disease and safety assessment, to appropriate clinical trials in many cases has proved unpredictable and unreliable. In order to address these issues, the industry has introduced the concept of translational science, which it hopes will reinforce the continuum from research laboratory to physician and patient.

The use of preclinical models, sophisticated pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modelling, biomarkers in clinical trials and their impact on regulatory bodies are central elements of the drive for successful drug development.

These key topics will be covered by this meeting. We hope you enjoy this symposium.