De-risking on the drug development path
14 December 2023
UCL researchers met with experts from Charles River Laboratories to exchange knowledge on non-clinical drug development, reducing risks on the path to the clinic, and navigating the complex regulatory environment.
Photo 1: Dr. Pamela Tranter, Head of the Translational Research Group at the UCL Translational Research Office, opened the event by introducing how to advance translational research within UCL’s ecosystem.
The event garnered an overwhelming response from over 40 participants, exchanging knowledge about the intricacies and considerations in drug development. It brought together experts from Charles River Laboratories, the UCL Translational Research Office, and UCL scientists to explore considerations for non-clinical drug development, as well as strategies for reducing risk and accelerating timelines to the clinic.
Dr. Sarah Gould, Director and Senior Principal Scientific Advisor at Charles River, shared insights on de-risking and getting to a first in human trial, highlighting relevant case studies. Dr. Ola Epemolu, Principal Research Scientist/Team Leader at Charles River, provided detailed information on drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) support to get drugs through the registration process, sparking meaningful discussions with UCL researchers attending the event.
The event was opened by Dr. Pamela Tranter, TRO’s Head of the Translational Research Group with an introduction to the UCL funding ecosystem and support for drug development and translational research projects, along with insights into advancing translational research within UCL’s ecosystem.
We are grateful for the support from all the speakers and contributors to the event, including:
- Dr Sarah Gould, Director, Senior Principal Scientific Advisor, Charles River Laboratories
- Dr Ola Epemolu, Principal Research Scientist/Team Leader, Charles River Laboratories
- Adam Lafferty, Inside Sales Specialist Ireland & UK, Safety Assessment, Pharma, Charles River Laboratories
- Dr Pamela Tranter, Head of Translational Research Group, Translational Research Office, UCL
- Dr Nicola Ridgway, Senior Business and Innovation Manager, Translational Research Office, UCL
- Dr Simon Newman, Senior Translational Research Manager, Translational Research Office, UCL
Photo 2-4: The symposium is joined by the pharmaceutical company Charles River Laboratories where their experts spoke about their insights in the drug development pathway.
Photos 5-6: Snapshots from the networking session where experts from the industry and UCL researchers continued to exchange ideas.
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