Research to Market (R2M) Seminar Series

A Seminar Jointly Organized by

Title : Questions, Answers, Decisions : Biomakers in Pharmaceutical Drug Development

Speaker : Dr. Alain J. van Gool, PhD

Date : Tueday, 16th June 2009

Venue : Centre for Life Sciences (Auditorium, Level 1)

Time : 11.00am - 12.00pm

Biography of Speaker

Dr Alain J. van Gool PhD

Head Molecular Profiling

Translational Medicine Research Centre, Singapore

Dr Alain van Gool was trained as a molecular biologist before joining Schering-Plough (former Organon) in 1999. He has been involved in different phases of the pharmaceutical R&D process by participating in or leading Lead Finding and Lead Optimization teams on menopause, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, contraception and oncology. While based in the Netherlands, Alain headed several technology-based groups focused on the discovery and implementation of biomarkers with various therapeutic teams, including the Genomics and Proteomics Laboratory and the Organon Biomarker Platform. He also initiated and led the Top Institute Pharma consortium on proteomics/metabolomics-based biomarker discovery in cerebrospinal fluid. Per January 2009, Alain heads the Molecular Profiling group as part of the new Schering-Plough Translational Medicine Research Centre in Singapore. He is co-chairing the global Schering-Plough Biomarker Group and is member of the global Schering-Plough Molecular Profiling Group. Alain serves on several scientific advisory boards for translational medicine conferences and has been a frequently invited speaker at such events.

Abstract

Schering-Plough just opened its research facilities in the Biopolis Neuros building, as part of the newly established Translational Medicine Research Centre Singapore. The focus of the centre will be on biomarkers, both regarding discovery and development. In this seminar, Alain will explain in more detail why biomarkers are very much needed to support modern pharmaceutical drug development, and how they can enable a personalized medicine approach to better and more specifically treat patients.

Schering-Plough’s translational approach is based on a question-based approach covering early Research to Proof of Concept in man. The questions address proper exposure, efficacy and safety characteristics of novel drugs whereas the answers to these questions are provided by key biomarkers. Through parallel application of diverse biomarker discovery and validation methodologies, therapeutic teams use this approach to identify and validate biomarkers enabling them to make the right decisions on which drugs to progress. The transition from biomarker strategies to biomarker activities and back will be illustrated by several case studies from various therapeutic areas including neuroscience, oncology and autoimmunity.

This biomarker approach benefits greatly from external collaborations, whereby the collaboration partners join forces to work on mutually interesting translational research projects. Given the remit of Schering-Plough’s Translational Medicine Research Centre Singapore, a focus will be on analysis of clinical samples to drive translational biomarker research.

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