EIR Brochure Final 2 Paperturn - Flipbook - Page 5
WEBINAR SERIES: DEVELOPING A NEW DRUG
BACKGROUND:
In Autumn 2021, a 6-part webinar series saw the Experts in
Residence explore the challenging pathway from drug discovery
to commercialisation. The series was created to give the research
.
community a better understanding on how to design a drug
discovery and development program and the key elements to
consider to be successful at raising the right funding at the right
time, but also designing the right drug for the right patients. The
series also explored the regulatory process requirements,
pathways to engaging with pharma, investment opportunities and
commercialisation strategies.
KEY MESSAGES:
Experts in Residence and guest speakers from the pharmaceutical
sector discussed how they work to improve efficiency in the drug
development process and reduce the risks. How do you choose
the right target, and more importantly, how do you validate it?
Engaging with pharma early is a vital process: crucial advice can be
incorporated in your research and commercial strategy which may
ultimately help you to strike the deal you need to ensure continued
development process. Who do you interact with and when, how can
desktop research help to identify key partners? How to understand
market needs? Our Experts in Residence shared their strategy to
ensure continued progression of research projects. The series
highlighted how to find key public and private investment
opportunities in the UK and abroad, ensuring a continuum of funding
through the various translational stages.
OUTPUTS:
A toolkit 'How do you get from an idea to a marketed drug' is
available online for researchers working in the drug discovery and
development area. As always, our enthusiastic Experts in Residence
are available for project specific discussion and personalised
feedback.
20 years ago, projects didn't really start with thinking about the
patient, very much now it is the thinking about the patient that is
the core of everything that we do. What is best for the patient?
Which patient groups would benefit? What is the level of safety risk
the patient will consider? What is the type of medicine the patient
will consider?
Dr Steve Rees
VP Discovery Biology & Discovery Services, AstraZeneca
A key message from the series was to incorporate a regulatory
strategy early on, and use tools and resources such as target
product profiles, regulatory experts and investigator brochures,
to accelerate the development process. While spin outs and
commercial routes are often taken by entrepreneurial academics,
the value in the formation of pre-competitive consortia should
not be forgotten.
As an academic researcher with a keen interest in spinning out my work
in translational medicine, I gained invaluable insight into each critical
aspect of the drug discovery process from target validation to engaging
with pharma and routes towards downstream development.
Dr Hannah Chen
Oxford-Celgene Research Fellow, Nuffield Department of Medicine