Endpoints' half-day summit on October 8 will feature a prominent group of the top executives leading a new generation of UK biotechs in an industry that has undergone major changes in recent years — with more on the way.
We’ll take a look at the evolving design of cancer drug trials, discussing prospective changes that the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and others are calling for; ways in which oncology studies will be adapted in the next couple of years and the influence that will have on developers in general, regardless of disease.
There will also be a panel discussion on UK biotech financial issues in a post-Brexit world — after serious turmoil at a high-profile life sciences investment fund — and regulatory trends that influence the availability of capital. To kick this off Endpoints News will be running a special poll of UK readers in advance of the summit to take the pulse of the biopharma, examining how fundraising has changed, the dominance of a particular public market and the impact new investors from China have had.
Our event will feature a one-on-one fireside chat, an exchange with the audience, with regular opportunities for networking, capped by a mixer with wine, beer and snacks.
The FDA is pushing for more big changes in trial designs. How does that affect your future?Over the past 5 years, the industry has seen a fundamental transformation in the way cancer drug studies are designed and executed. Accelerated approvals have shortened timelines dramatically and set the pace for all disease fields. But the next 5 years could provide even greater change as the FDA pushes through new guidelines that will encourage basket trials, more head-to-head comparisons and a reduced reliance on placebo control groups. Our expert panel will look at the trends, and help define the path that’s now emerging — a trend that will have an impact on everyone in drug development. — Moderated by John Carroll with panelists Bahija Jallal, Malte Peters, Eliot Forster, and Christian Itin.
Has financing European biotech become easier or harder?
2019 has already seen contrasting developments in the world of European biotech. World-leading science and management teams prove that access to global capital is possible, as the recent listings of Morphosys, Autolus and the exit of Nightstarx would attest. Equally private capital continues to flow into high profile companies – as Biontech’s 2nd 300m euro raise in as many years demonstrates. Moreover European companies have proven adept at striking landmark deals to remain independent – Galapagos’ deal with Gilead a striking demonstration of this and the venture industry in Europe goes from strength to strength with new record funds raised.
But the near collapse of Woodford Investment management and with it the so-called patient source of capital that kept many UK biotechs afloat has raised questions as to whether the diversity of funding sources is a strength or weakness in these febrile times. The full impact of Brexit on the investment climate will likely play out in the next fund investment cycle, just as the healthcare world is seemingly entering a new era of speculation over higher drug prices and business models – all of which impact investor sentiment. -- Moderated by Nooman Haque with panelists Arie Belldegrun, Martin Murphy, and Denise Scots-Knight
