Title : Feuling drug research and development process with patient-centric and clinically relevant animal models

Abstract:

Despite promising advancements in drug Research and Development (R&D), the transition from preclinical studies to clinical success remains challenging, particularly in oncology where the success rate is only about 5%. This talk provides an insightful analysis of the challenges and opportunities in translational research within the pharmaceutical industry, advocating for a pivot towards approaches that prioritize patient needs and clinical relevance. It emphasizes the need for innovative preclinical models that reflect the complexity of human diseases, including cancer, auto-immune and cardiovascular diseases.

We call for increased collaboration among translational researchers from various fields and organizations to adopt and enhance these advanced methodologies. Highlighting the work at ClinBridge Biotech, we show our dedication to developing translational models that significantly advance drug development. This paper not only shares valuable insights and expert opinions but also reviews the capabilities and future strategies of ClinBridge Biotech in enhancing translational research.

We discuss important efforts in the industry, such as the creation of sophisticated orthotopic tumor models that mimic the TME and clinical conditions, the expansion of humanized cancer models for testing a broader spectrum of immuno-oncology therapies, and the need for robust standard in vivo cancer pharmacology platforms for initial drug testing. The paper also explores the development of in vitro and in vivo pharmacology using Patient-Derived Xenograft (PDX) tumor organoids and resistant cancer cell lines, progress in autoimmune disease models, and the creation of models for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in large animals.

In conclusion, this presentation aims to steer the pharmaceutical R&D sector towards more effective, patient-centered, and clinically applicable translational research models, ultimately improving the translation of drug development from the laboratory to clinical application.

Biography:

Dr. Yang finished his Ph.D. on Cell Biology and completed an extensive Post-Doctoral training at University of Calgary/Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Canada. He has ~30 years of translational and innovative drug development experience on cancer and inflammation from a range of leading pharmaceutical organizations, including Celgene, Amgen, Crown Biosciences, Kosan Biosciences and ImaginAb Inc. He has led or crucially contributed to drug discovery programs involving >20 novel targets in the areas of gene therapy, epigenetics, targeted therapy and I/O, which led to 15 INDs or Phase-III development.

Dr. Yang’s expertise focuses on translational medicine and translational research in cancer and inflammation and he has published ~100 research papers or reports. Dr. Yang currently serves as an Executive Director on translational sciences, State Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drug Development, Simcere Pharma Group. He held several management positions in the biotech industry including Executive Director, Cancer Biology, Global Scientific Research Innovation Organization of Crown Biosciences, Senior Director of Cancer Pharmacology, Crown Biosciences, and Head of Pharmacology at ImaginAb Inc.