LONDON, October 30 /PRNewswire/ -- London Genetics Limited, an expert in the use of pharmacogenetics in clinical drug discovery and development, has entered an intensive partnering programme following on from its successful pharmacogenetic conference in September(1). The meeting recognised that while pharmacogenetics and genetics have great potential in helping the biopharmaceutical industry overcome its many challenges, early clinical collaboration between companies, academia, regulators and payers is now needed.
The company will over the coming months be attending several conferences in the UK, Europe and the US to highlight its pharmacogenetics expertise. These include in November Bio-Europe 2009 (Vienna)(2), the 5th Annual Burrill Personalised Medicine Meeting (San Francisco)(3), and the International Congress on Genetics and Genomics at the American Heart Association meeting (Orlando)(4), and in December, Genesis 2009 (London)(5).
Pharmacogenetics is the study of how our genetic make-up affects the way in which we metabolise and respond to drugs. As a result, it is expected to play a key role in the future of drug development and healthcare delivery as the industry faces increasing pressure to replenish its pipeline and improve drug safety. By combining its access to genetic expertise with strategic advice on the application of pharmacogenetics in drug development, London Genetics can help companies meet this need for smarter and more efficient drug development. Given the genetic resources of its founding partners, London Genetics has broad therapeutic experience with a focus on cardiovascular drugs and cardiovascular safety.
The London Genetics Pharmacogenetics Conference ‘Harnessing Genetic Knowledge To Improve Clinical Development and Patient Care’, was attended by biopharmaceutical industry executives, as well as academics, regulatory experts and leading geneticists. Debates and conclusions from the conference, covering topics such as improvement of drug safety and the need to show cost-effectiveness, are expected to be covered in a forthcoming publication.
Dominique Kleyn, CEO, commented ‘Following on from our successful inaugural conference, London Genetics is building on the raised profile of pharmacogenetics in drug development with an intensive partnering programme. By working with us throughout the drug development process biopharmaceutical companies will gain the value of the pharmacogenetics expertise they need to increase productivity, as well as drug safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness. Recent deals in the sector provide evidence of the growing enthusiasm in this area and London Genetics is offering practical and concrete support to help companies realise value from it’.
1 London Genetics Limited Pharmacogenetics Conference - Harnessing Genetic Knowledge To Improve Clinical Development and Patient Care, 23rd - 24th September 2009, Tylney Hall, Hampshire, UK
2 BIO-Europe 2009, November 2 - 4 2009, Vienna, Austria
http://www.ebdgroup.com/bioeurope/
3 The Burrill Personalized Medicine Meeting, November 9-10 2009, San Francisco, USA
http://www.burrillandco.com/personalized_medicine_2009/
4 International Congress on Genetics and Genomics at the American Heart Association, November 14-18 2009, Orlando, USA
http://scientificsessions.americanheart.org/portal/scientificsessions/ss/
icgg2009
(Due to the length of this URL, it may be necessary to copy and paste this hyperlink into your Internet browser’s URL address field. Remove the space if one exists.)
London Genetics Limited is a not-for-profit company which expedites pharmacogenetic and biomarker partnerships between industry and academia for more effective targeted drug development, and addition of value to marketed medicines. Established in 2007 with funding from the London Development Agency, its seven founding partners are leading London academic and medical institutions with clinical and genetic expertise and significant patient resources. The company provides pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies with access to this expertise and resource, as well as providing strategic advice on the application of pharmacogenetics for successful drug development. LGL’s area of focus is cardiovascular disease and drug side-effects of a cardiovascular nature. Recent agreements developed by London Genetics include a collaboration between the International Serious Adverse Events Consortium, St George’s University of London and the Drug Safety Research Unit at Southampton, UK. The parties are working on genetic markers for drug-induced cardiac arrhythmia. The company is based at the Imperial College Incubator in London, and has ISO 9001:2008 accreditation. For further information, please go to http://www.londongenetics.com.
About pharmacogenetics
Genetic differences between individuals means that drug response rates are often variable across a population, and this has significant healthcare cost effectiveness implications. Pharmocogenetics, the study of the clinical consequences of genetic differences in the way people metabolise and respond to drugs, is expected to generate better understanding of how drugs work in the body, and therefore give insight into how to develop more efficacious and safer drugs. It also has implications for product life cycle management and the revitalisation of drugs which previously failed in clinical trials. With drug development costs rising and R&D productivity falling, plus increased regulator focus on safety and cost-effectiveness, pharmacogenetics is expected to become increasingly important in drug development. The FDA and the EMEA have recognised this in their Critical Path Initiative and Road Map respectively.
CONTACT: For further information or to meet us at conferences please
contact: London Genetics Ltd, Dominique Kleyn, CEO +44(0)207-594-1838; Emma
Palmer Foster, Strategic Communications Consultant, +44(0)7880-787185,
communications@londongenetics.com
