FDA Commissioner Crawford to deliver DDT keynote
Newly designated FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford will deliver a keynote address at the 10th Annual Drug Discovery Technology & Development World Congress, scheduled for August 8-11 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center here. Dr. Crawford’s speech, “New Regulatory Directions for the 21st Century,” will explore the theme of the conference “Optimizing the Discovery and Development Interface to Improve Productivity.” His remarks will focus on new regulatory and scientific steps to make the introduction of novel drugs more predictable and less time-consuming. He will also elaborate on the FDA’s reforms designed to facilitate the modernization of drug manufacturing and to strengthen the safety of marketed medicines.
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BOSTON–Newly designated FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford will deliver a keynote address at the 10th Annual Drug Discovery Technology & Development World Congress, scheduled for August 8-11 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center here. Dr. Crawford's speech, "New Regulatory Directions for the 21st Century," will explore the theme of the conference "Optimizing the Discovery and Development Interface to Improve Productivity." His remarks will focus on new regulatory and scientific steps to make the introduction of novel drugs more predictable and less time-consuming. He will also elaborate on the FDA's reforms designed to facilitate the modernization of drug manufacturing and to strengthen the safety of marketed medicines.
The Drug Discovery Technology & Development World Congress expects more than 5,000 pharmaceutical, biotechnology, government and academic researchers, executives and technology providers will participate in event this year.
The scientific program includes five in-depth tracks which examine different facets of the drug discovery industry. This year's focused tracks are: Success Factors in the Transition from Discovery to Clinic; Promising Approaches to Drug Discovery and Drug Development; Rethinking Business Ventures and Deal-Making Paradigm; Gaining Information from Discovery Informatics; and New Developments on Protein & Antibody Therapeutics.
In addition to the five educational tracks, the conference will feature a full day "Emerging & Early Stage Companies Showcase: Innovations of the 21st Century," "Accessing Asia-Pacific: Business Opportunities and Successful Collaborations," and a half-day session on "Introduction to Drug Discovery." In all, the conference program will feature nearly 150 different speakers, sharing their expertise in different facets of drug discovery and development.
IBC Life Sciences, producers of the conference, announced that other keynote presenters this year include Dr. John L. LaMattina, president of Pfizer Global Research and Development and Dr. Robert R. Ruffolo, Jr., president of R&D at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, who will moderate a keynote panel discussion.
LaMattina's address is titled "Pharmaceutical R&D: The World's Hope for Tomorrow's Cures." It will explore issues facing large pharmaceutical companies as they bring drugs to market. Major medicines are facing patent expirations, and patients and payors are demanding value for the limited health care funds available to pay for new medicines. Key players are questioning the viability of the R&D model at big pharmaceutical companies. LaMattina will outline Pfizer's strategy, which is based on the belief that size will be a critical success factor in R&D research.
Ruffolo's panel discussion, "Exploring the Industry and Regulatory Interface in Drug Development," will address ways in which regulatory agencies and companies work together; the impact of rising healthcare costs on government, regulators, industry and patients; the rising cost of clinical trials and drug development, the COX-2 inhibitor controversy; and regulatory burdens and the lack of harmonization.
In addition to the conference program, there will be more 300 exhibits booths featuring prominent companies involved in the drug discovery industry. Among this group of exhibitors conference organizers expect roughly 75 new product launches.
