8th Annual Neurodegenerative Drug Development Summit

 8th Annual Neurodegenerative Drug Development Summit is organized by Hanson Wade and will be held from Feb 25 - 27, 2020 at Hyatt Regency Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.

Main Conference: February 26 - 27, 2020
Pre Conference Workshops: February 25, 2020

Description:
Despite the lack of clinical trial success, new investments are being made in forward-thinking biotechs, digital and blood-based biomarker technologies are advancing, new targets are emerging, and gene therapy is taking the limelight.

The Neurodegenerative Drug Development Summit will unite industry stakeholders to learn how to overcome their translational challenges, share their progress and network for future collaborations to accelerate the development of successful neurodegenerative therapeutics.

This meeting will provide a platform for you to:
• Deepen your biological understanding of neurodegeneration and awareness of emerging targets for more promising target identification and selection
• Mitigate for shortcomings in preclinical models to confidently translate into clinical development
• Review neurodegenerative biomarker advances that will improve scale sensitivity and clinical practicality for monitoring disease progression
• Discover digital developments for their successful integration into clinical settings for earlier diagnosis
• Explore clinical trial design for homogeneous, rapidly progressing patient populations allowing for shorter, less expensive trials with more immediate benefit to patients and attractiveness to payers
• Hear pharmaceutical investment strategies and business models to financially de-risk neurodegenerative drug development
• Genetic profiling of patients to manage clinical heterogeneity for patient stratification

Pre-Conference Workshops:
Workshop A - Exploring Blood-Based Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration
Time: 8.30-11.30 
Description:
Despite the lack of clinical progress for neurodegenerative disorders, the technology and research to characterise the diseases as well as develop diagnostic tools for earlier disease diagnosis and prognosis is rapidly advancing.
At this workshop, you will:
• Hear the latest research on fluid biomarkers of neurodegeneration
• Discover the technology advances that enable the analysis of blood samples
• Discuss the progress and potential opportunity that this technology will serve for neurodegenerative patients

Workshop B - Evaluating Gene Therapy for Neurodegenerative Disorders
Time: 8.30-11.30
Description:
The neurological drug development landscape is being transformed by gene therapies, with recent approvals for neuromuscular disorders. The application of gene therapy for neurodegenerative disorders is promising, despite its challenges such as delivery to target cells. Innovative vector technology is being developed to help improve the target engagement and cell specificity of gene therapy delivery.
Attend this workshop to:
• Assess the pros and cons of gene therapy as a therapeutic for neurodegenerative disease
• Explore the use of vector engineering to improve gene therapy delivery
• Discuss the promising research in this area

Workshop c - Exploring the Role of Neuroimmunology in Neurodegeneration & its Therapeutic Potential
Time: 12.00-3.00
Description:
Review the basic neuroimmunology of the brain to understand the different peripheral and central immune cells, their interactions and how they contribute to brain function or disease pathology. This session will focus on the interaction between innate immune pathways and their influence on neurodegeneration. Join this workshop to:
• Improve your understanding of the different cells involved in the innate immune responses in the brain and understand how they are affected in neurodegeneration
• Explore different approaches for determining microglial function/dysfunction
• Review case studies where neuroimmunological mechanisms are used to target neurodegeneration

Workshop D - The Potential of AI & Digital Biomarker Applications to Support Drug Development
Time: 12.00-3.00
Description:
The development of digital biomarkers is crucial for accurately and objectively assessing neurodegenerative disorders. From digital health tools to mobile applications for drug development, this workshop will expose you to the best in class, interactive and innovative digital assessment technologies that capture meaningful and patient relevant data.
This workshop will:
• Explore digital technologies being developed to monitor neurodegenerative diseases
• Highlight the promising applications of this research
• Address the challenges of integrating digital technologies into clinical trials

Workshop E - Navigating the Preclinical Space in Parkinson’s Disease Drug Development: Genetic & NonGenetic Based Programs
Time: 3:30-6:30
Description:
There are plenty of challenges for neurodegenerative drug developers as they progress to the clinic. This workshop will provide an in-depth discussion as to how
to navigate these challenges to improve the quality of your preclinical research.
Attending this workshop will enable you to:
• Discuss the appropriate use of animal models, both rodent and non-human
primate
• Explore biodistribution, PK and safety of test item
• Ensure target engagement and access to biofluids
• Identify key primary endpoints
• Design preclinical studies with a focus on de-risking clinical trials

Additional details will be posted as soon as information is available.