4th Short Course of JSSX

Toshio Teramura
Chairperson of the Short Course
Astellas Pharma Inc.

Prior to opening of the 24th Workshop of the Japanese Society for the Study of Xenobiotics (From April 22 to 23, 2010), the 4th Short Course is scheduled to take place at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Keio University.

The theme will be, How to conduct ADME research for effectively producing new drugs at the drug discovery stage using biomarkers and the PK/PD approach. The theme will be subtitled as, Striving for improving the success rate of clinical POC acquisition.

The current underlying situation is that the accelerated production of molecular drugs has come to a halt and consequently, pharmaceutical companies should shift its paradigm of new drug discovery process from �equantity�f to �equality�f.At the Workshop, presentations by regulatory, academia and industrial specialists will focus on practical applications and development strategies for clinical evaluation. The short course will direct attention to drug discovery so as to enhance the accuracy of prediction from animal to human testing.

In the drug discovery stage, greater importance is being placed on translational research, such as pharmacodynamic parameters involved in drug efficacy in animals as well as clinical evidence related to extrapolation in humans. In consideration of the shift in emphasis from quantity to quality, the ADME researchers of drug discovery, all highly qualified in developmental techniques as well as the mathematical aspects involved, are now required to expedite the search for biomarkers as well as bring about the realization of a highly reliable human PK-PD prediction based on system-biology and clinical evidence, beyond the realm of conventional ADME research.

The Short Course will involve the sharing of information regarding company application of biomarkers or how PK is aligned with PD for human application at the stage of drug discovery. To this end, four young innovative leaders with outstanding performance at pharmaceutical companies have been selected to participate in the course. They will discuss in detail their work experience and original ideas in the development of new drugs. A round-table discussion will follow conclusion of the lectures. All are encouraged to participate in the discussion over a nice lunch box.