Drug Target Review Podcast: Recent Episodes
Drug Target Review
This episode, 'Plasmids: Tackling Supply Chain and Manufacturing Challenges,' explores the critical supply chain and manufacturing hurdles impacting the life science industry, especially in gene therapy. We'll uncover effective strategies for securing plasmids of the necessary grades, vital for advancing life-changing treatments.Join us as we speak with Matthew Hewitt, Vice President and Technical Officer for CGT & Biologics at Charles River Laboratories. Matthew will explore:- Strategies for providing plasmids across all necessary grades, ensuring quality and consistency.- How process standardization can significantly simplify complex supply chains.- The crucial role of maintaining larger material stocks to overcome long-lead time consumable issues.- How these integrated approaches collectively streamline operations and accelerate gene therapy advancements.- His expert insights on the future trajectory of gene therapy.
This episode, 'Translating Promising Drug Candidates from Preclinical Screening to Clinical Trials,' will explore the challenges and successes of moving promising drug candidates from preclinical screening to clinical trials in oncology.Join Dr. Steve Shnyder, Associate Professor at the Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, University of Bradford, as he explores:- The unique challenges in oncology drug development.- Preclinical model limitations and needed innovations.- Translating preclinical insights into effective clinical trial design.- The role of AI and machine learning in overcoming development hurdles.- Real-world case studies of successful oncology drug approvals.
In this episode, we examine how machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) are becoming essential tools for improving image analysis of 3D samples. These technologies are reshaping research workflows by making analysis faster and more insightful.We speak with Professor Jens Christian Schwamborn, Professor of Cellular and Developmental Biology at the University of Luxembourg, and Professor Christophe Deben, Professor of Tumour Biology and Organoids at the University of Antwerp. They share their perspectives on the current challenges in 3D sample analysis and how AI is helping to solve them - reducing processing time and revealing previously inaccessible information.We'll look at the key reasons behind AI’s growing use in 3D image analysis, identify the limitations of existing imaging technologies, and explore how AI is evolving to handle increasingly complex data. We'll also discuss how the availability of large datasets is accelerating this shift and what breakthroughs AI could enable in the near future.
In this episode, we explore the key challenges hindering the widespread adoption of personalised medicine and discuss how overcoming these barriers could transform the future of healthcare. Featuring insights from Seth Lederman, co-founder, CEO, and Chairman of Tonix Pharmaceuticals, and Steve Gardner, CEO of Precision Life and Chair of the UK Bioindustry Association Genomics Board, this conversation addresses the critical issues shaping the field. Topics include the necessary adaptations in healthcare systems to support this shift, the ethical concerns surrounding patient data privacy and genetic information, and the groundbreaking advancements anticipated in the near future.
In this episode, we will discuss how can we leverage microbiomics to translate gut microbiome findings into new therapeutic options
In this episode, we discuss the history of the AAPS Summer Scientific Forum, highlights from the 2024 event, and its goals for the future.
In this episode, we will discuss the unique biology of tRNA and how it can be leveraged to scale the development of genetic medicines. This conversation features Michelle Werner, CEO of Alltrna and CEO-Partner at Flagship Pioneering, and Caroline Köhrer, Vice President, Discovery Platform at Alltrna.
In this podcast episode, we will be investigating the key considerations in selecting an antibody for use in antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). Also, we will be discussing the preclinical models used to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ADCs. This conversation features Dr Philipp Spycher, CSO and co-founder at Araris Biotech, and Dr Rebecca Boohaker, Director of Oncology at Southern Research.
In this episode, we explore advanced toxicity testing methods to enhance the predictivity and reliability of toxicity assessments.This conversation features Professor Ruth Roberts, co-director and co-founder at ApconiX and Dr Oksana Sirenko, Senior Scientist at Molecular Devices.
In this podcast episode, we will be discussing how mRNA vaccines for cancer treatment engage with the immune system to illicit an anti-tumour response, how they could synergise with other cancer treatments, as well as which cancers show most promise for this approach.This conversation features Dr Rebecca Boohaker, Director of Oncology at Southern Research, and Fusataka Koide, Senior Director of Business Development at Southern Research.
In this podcast episode, we will be discussing how new insights into stem cell biology are leading to novel therapeutics in regenerative medicine beyond cell therapy, focusing on degenerative muscle diseases.This conversation features Frank Gleeson, CEO and co-founder of Satellos, and Dr Michael Rudnicki, co-founder and Chief Discovery Officer at Satellos.
Bringing their expertise, we are thrilled to introduce Dr Matthew Nelson, Vice President, Genetics and Genomics, Deerfield Discovery and Development and CEO at Genseeence and Dr Jake Rubens, President of Quoshent Therapeutics and Origination Partner at Flagship Pioneering.Key discussion points:DNA has been called the code of life. How much of this code have we deciphered?How is technology evolving to allow us to better understand the consequences of genetic changes (DNA mutations, epigenetics, etc.) and health and disease? What impact do we expect this to have in drug discovery?How do we go from sequencing the DNA of individuals to making connections to health and disease? What are some examples of gene-disease links we’ve made that have informed drug target selection?This podcast is in association with Molecular Devices. With its innovative life science technology, Molecular Devices makes scientific breakthroughs possible for academic, pharmaceutical, government and biotech customers. Head to moleculardevices.com to find out more.
In this podcast episode, titled ‘Investigating the promising future of organoids’, we will be discussing the ways in which organoids are being used to study diseases and improve drug development. We explore the specific preclinical models organoids are replacing, the current limitations of organoids and how to overcome these, as well as where the field is heading. This conversation features Dr Radhika Menon, Senior Scientist of Neurobiology at Ncardia, Dr Etienne De Braekeleer, Senior Research Scientist at AstraZeneca, and Dr Paige Vinson, Director of High Throughput Screening at Southern Research.
In this podcast episode titled 'Breaking resistance - the future of immunotherapy in oncology' we will be discussing checkpoint inhibitors in cancer therapy, and how primary and secondary treatment resistance are still limiting their clinical success in a variety of cancer types. In this episode, we want to explore the current status and potential solutions to addressing this major hurdle in oncology.This conversation features Christine Schuberth-Wagner, Chief Scientific Officer at CatalYm, and Roy Baynes, Chief Scientific Officer at Eikon Therapeutics.
In this episode titled: CRISPR/Cas: exploring its impact on gene editing, we explore the latest technological advancements in the field and more.This conversation features Dr Pietro De Angeli, Scientist at Tubingen University Hospital, and Dr Maarten Guerts, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology.Key learning points: What comparative safety profiles exist between utilising plasmid DNA, mRNA, and ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) as delivery systems for CRISPR/Cas components in gene editing therapies?In what ways might the use of different ex-vivo applications affect the scalability and feasibility of large-scale gene editing treatments?How might the convergence of CRISPR/Cas technology with Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning improve precision medicine?
In this episode titled: High throughput screening: rapid advancements in drug discovery, we explore the latest technological advancements in the field and more.This conversation features Dr Luke Alderwick, Senior Group Leader in HTS/Hit ID at Early Discovery at Charles River Laboratories (CRL), and Dr Sachin Mahale, Research Leader in High Throughput Screening at Charles River Laboratories.
As we step into the new year, we explore research insights and projections for the field in 2024 in neuroscience.In this episode titled: Navigating the neurological frontier - 2024 and beyond, we want to find out what are the most exciting recent advancements in neuroscience, setting the stage for the future.This conversation features Dr Alessio Travaglia, Director, Translational Science at the Foundation for National Institutes of Health (FNIH), and Dr Steve Hoffman, Associate Vice President, Science Partnerships, Translational Science, and Director of the Biomarkers Consortium at the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH).
In this episode titled: Genetic engineering for allogeneic immunotherapy development, sponsored by Cellistic, we are taking a dive into genetic engineering, its role and relationship with allogeneic immunotherapy.This conversation features Dr Suzanne Snellenberg, Director of Genome Engineering at Cellistic, and Dr Matt Angel, CEO of Eterna Therapeutics.
In this episode titled: Making organoids ready for screening, sponsored by Revvity, we are understanding why researchers are turning to 3D Organoids and how organoids can be made ready for screening.This conversation features Dr Nathan Gödde, Manager of the Australian Organoid Facility at The University of Queensland and Dr Amee George, Manager of the ANU Centre of Therapeutic Discovery at the Australian National University.
A new episode of our podcast is now live! Sponsored by Molecular Devices, we will be discussing the tumour microenvironment in immuno-oncology. We will be covering the key themes of the tumour cells interacting with immune cells and these factors that can affect tumour fate and progression.
This episode is the second part of our series: Cell Talk: A Comprehensive Guide to Next-Gen Cell Therapy. We are defining allogeneic cell therapy as the administration of cells to a patient for therapeutic use, that were not initially taken from that patient.
This conversation features Andy Holt, CCO at Cellistic, and Dr Tracey Lodie, CSO at Quell Therapeutics.
Key learning points:
Specific roles of different immune cells in combating diseases Autologous vs allogeneic therapies Cell therapies for cancer treatment and diseases
In this episode, we’ll be discussing the hot topic that is AI and how AI technology is used in drug discovery, looking specifically at how Biotech & Pharma trying to keep up with emerging technology.
Part 1 of our new series: Cell Talk: A Comprehensive Guide to Next-Gen Cell Therapy, is now live! In this episode titled: A current look into adoptive cell therapies, sponsored by Cellistic, we analyse the current landscape of adoptive cell therapies and discuss how it differs from other cancer treatments.This conversation features Stefan Braam, CTO at Cellistic, and Dr Jo Brewer, CSO at Adaptimmune.
The final episode of our Organoids Miniseries is now live! In this episode, sponsored by Molecular Devices, we discuss the processes involved in scaling up three-dimensional (3D) organoids. This conversation features Dr Vicky Marsh Durban, Chief Executive Officer at Cellesce Limited, and Dr Magdalena Kasendra, who is the Director of Research and Development at Centre for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine.Key learning points:●Process of scaling up 3D high-throughput cell cultures ●Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) versus adult stem cells●Discover different kinds of solutions to overcome challenges related to scaling up 3D organoids.
Part three of our Organoids Miniseries is now live! In this episode, sponsored by Molecular Devices, we discuss how to analyse complex data obtained from organoids. This conversation features Dr Angeline Lim, a Senior Applications Scientist at Molecular Devices and Dr David Egan, Co-founder and CEO of Core Life Analytics.Key learning points:- Examine the differences between analysing three-dimensional and two-dimensional cell models- Learn about the various types of resources required to analyse organoids- Discover different kinds of technology to overcome challenges related to data analysis of organoids.Our speakers:Dr Angeline Lim is a Senior Applications Scientist at Molecular Devices where she specialises in bioimaging and automation. She provides scientific support for the company’s portfolio of ImageXpress® High-Content Imaging Systems and their applications in lab automation, high-throughput phenotypic profiling and 3D models in biology. She has over 10 years of research experience in genetics and cell biology and holds a PhD from the University of California at Santa Cruz, US.Dr David Egan is Co-founder and CEO of Core Life Analytics, a company dedicated to helping biologists analyse their own data. David Egan has over 20 years of experience in high-throughput screening services in both academia and industry. As he witnessed his clients struggle with the analysis of data from high-content screens, he realised this was a widespread problem. This inspired the development of StratoMineR; an intuitive tool that helps biologists to independently analyse their complex datasets.
Tune into this podcast to hear experts discuss imaging and obtaining data from organoids!Part two of our Organoids Miniseries is now live! In this episode, sponsored by Molecular Devices, we cover the advantages of three-dimensional imaging over two-dimensional and how to obtain quality data from organoids. This conversation features Judi Wardwell-Swanson, a Senior Scientist at InSphero and Sebastian Peck, a senior product manager for cellular imaging at Molecular Devices.Key learning points:- Examine why 3D organoids are harder to image compared to 2D cell cultures- Learn about what type of hardware software is used to image organoids at scale- Uncover some advancing imaging techniques that provide detailed data from an organoid.
In this episode, brought to you by Molecular Devices, we cover reducing variability issues in organoids. We speak with Dr Ilya Lukonin, scientist in organoid phenotyping at the Roche Institute for Translational Bioengineering (ITB), and Dr Passley Hargrove, Programme Officer for the US National Health Institute’s Tissue Chip Programme. Listen now to discover factors that cause variability issues, how to standardise your research process, plus much more!Key learning points:●Examine why organoids are not always consistent in structure and how this can lead to variability●Explore how these issues can impact research●Expand your knowledge on how you can solve variability issues in your research.Make sure you don’t miss any new podcasts from Drug Target Review – subscribe to be notified of releases!
In this episode, brought to you by Molecular Devices, we cover three-dimensional (3D) organoids and the automation of complex cell assays. We speak with Ian Shoemaker, Senior Application Scientist at Beckman Coulter Life Sciences and Dr Oksana Sirenko, Senior Manager of Assay Development at Molecular Devices.
Listen now to discover how organoid models are developed, used within our experts' research and how the automation of 3D organoid analysis will evolve in the future, plus much more!
Key learning points: - Why 3D cell models and 3D organoids are useful in disease research and drug screening - What a typical workflow for 3D organoid development and analysis looks like - How to automate organoid development and analysis workflows - What the automation of 3D organoid analysis will aid in the research of complex systems.
Make sure you don’t miss any new podcasts from Drug Target Review – subscribe to be notified of releases!
In this episode of Drug Target Review’s podcast, sponsored by Leica Microsystems, Dr Luke Gammon, Screening Core Facility Manager at Queen Mary University of London, UK discusses multiplexed imaging with Dr David Pointu, Senior Application Specialist at Leica Microsystems.
Tune in to this podcast to understand how multiplexing can provide an advanced imaging technique, the benefits of this method and how data is examined and shared with end users, plus much more!
Key learning points: - How experts utilise multiplexing in their research - The advantages of this imaging method in comparison to other techniques - What samples can be analysed using this platform - What the future is for multiplexing research.
Make sure you don’t miss any new podcasts from Drug Target Review – subscribe now!
In this podcast, in association with Molecular Devices, we cover ELISA assays, their advantages and automation with experts Dr Ana Miletic, Senior Research Scientist and Anna Dey, Senior Research Associate at Kyowa Kirin, as well as Dr Cathy Olsen, Senior Applications Scientist at Molecular Devices.
Listen now to discover how ELISA assays work, why they are highly sensitive and how they are used within our experts' research, plus much more!
Key learning points: - How ELISA assays can support a wide range of research in drug discovery and development - Advantages of ELISA assays compared to other immunoassays - What kind of instrumentation is used for ELISA assays and what elements of an automation platform are most critical for success - What research directions have been opened up through the use of ELISAs.
Make sure you don’t miss any new podcasts from Drug Target Review – subscribe now!
In this podcast, in partnership with Molecular Devices, we cover CRISPR in therapeutic settings and in pharmaceutical discovery with experts Dr Jakob Haaber, Vice President & Head of Delivery Technologies, SNIPR Biome and Dr Richard Fox, Co-Founder, CEO and CTO of Infinome Biosciences.
Tune in to hear about how CRISPR edits genes, how it can be applied to both industrial bioproduction and microbiome engineering and why this field is yet to see more exciting innovation!
Key learning points: - What CRISPR is and how it can be applied therapeutically and for pharmaceutical discovery - The potential of targeting the microbiome with CRISPR-based precision medicines - How to accelerate biomanufacturing processes - The advantages of CRISPR and recent developments - Important considerations for gene editing - The future of CRISPR and how gene editing workflows are evolving.
In this episode of Drug Target Review's podcast, sponsored by Leica Microsystems, Dr Tobi Langenhan, Professor of Biochemistry at the Universität Leipzig, Germany, discusses microscopy in the context of neuroscientific research in conversation with Dr Abdullah Ahmed, Advanced Workflow Specialist at Leica Microsystems.
Listen to this podcast to discover how microscopy can be used to understand the molecular basis of mechanoceptive and synaptic pathways, some of the technologies that can help to overcome these challenges, plus much more!
Key learning points: - Why microscopy is such an important tool in neuroscientific research - The advantages of microscopy over other techniques - How to overcome common challenges encountered in microscopy - How microscopy is applied in the Langenhan lab to investigate synaptic protein assemblies and study the mechanoceptive properties of adhesion-type GPCRs.
In this episode of Drug Target Review's podcast, sponsored by Bio-Rad, we discuss adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors used in gene therapy and how to ensure their quality. Dr Jorge Haller, Director and Head of Analytical Development at Prevail Therapeutics and Dr Mark White, Associate Director of Biopharma Product Marketing at Bio-Rad explore how host cell residual DNA (rDNA) can occur and why it is important to detect this in gene therapy vectors.
Listen to Jorge and Mark explore all this, plus the processes such as PCR that can be used to analyse rDNA throughout the production workflow!
In this episode, we cover the benefits of 3D imaging over 2D, workflows surrounding organoids and how the bottlenecks of 3D imaging can be overcome. Featured are expert speakers, Hilary Sherman, Senior Applications Scientist at Corning Life Sciences and Dr Oksana Sirenko, Research Scientist at Molecular Devices.
This episode of Drug Target Review's podcast covers cell line development and the assurance of monoclonality in cell lines. Featuring expert speakers Dr Natasa Skoko, Group Leader of the Biotechnology Development Unit at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and Dr Hugh Graham, Director of Cell Culture Sciences at MacroGenics.
In this episode of Drug Target Review’s podcast, in association with Molecular Devices, Editor Victoria Rees speaks with Dr Carter Mitchell, Chief Science Officer at Kemp Proteins and Dr Sharath Madasu, Manager of Protein Characterisation at Kemp Proteins about the use of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against SARS-CoV-2 and why the workflow to develop these biologics has changed over the course of the pandemic.
The speakers began by explaining why mAbs are useful against SARS-CoV-2 and how they work to neutralise the virus.
"In particular with SARS-CoV-2, you want to disrupt the binding of spike proteins with ACE2 receptors and most of the neutralising antibodies used disrupt this interaction. We are essentially denying the entry into the host cells," said Madasu.
Madasu and Mitchell then went on to explore the rates of effectiveness seen with antibodies in relation to SARS-CoV-2. While they agreed that the antibodies given Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) worked well against the wildtype virus and for the first several variants that emerged, they said that mAbs were shown to be less effective at neutralising the Omicron variant.
"With the Omicron variant, there are at least 36 mutations that are found on the spike protein... If these mutations result in differential glycosylation, that allows for the virus to be able to evade previously formed immunological responses or evade the neutralisation of mAbs," explained Mitchell.
However, both Mitchell and Madasu said that mAbs remain an effective tool against SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, developing mAbs that can tackle the Omicron variant is essential and having an accelerated discovery and development workflow is thus key.
"The process for antibody development has been established and the pandemic, I believe, created a sense of urgency to develop these antibodies," said Madasu.
The speakers also discussed how automation is crucial in mAb development, saving researchers time and money.
"Traditionally, we grow hybridomas in semi-solid mediums that allows for single cells to form a colony – but it is a slow process,” said Madasu. “Now, we have tools and robotic instruments that can allow us to print single cells into each well, thereby improving both the throughput as well as the efficiency."
“One of the great ways to decrease turnaround time is to implement robotics,” Mitchell summarised.
Mitchell and Madasu concluded that mAbs will be vital in ending the pandemic, working in tandem with other therapeutics and vaccines. Therefore, making sure that development pipelines for mAbs are as efficient as possible will allow patients to receive their required treatments sooner.
Keep an eye out for Drug Target Review’s next podcast, coming soon!
In this episode of Drug Target Review’s podcast, sponsored by Beckman Coulter, Deputy Editor Victoria Rees speaks with Dr Sheraz Gul, Head of Drug Screening and Compound Repurposing at the Fraunhofer Institute and Dr John Fuller, Global Commercial Product Manager at Beckman Coulter about the automation of small molecule discovery and development.
Discussing the drug discovery industry, Gul explained that “what we want to do is try and shrink, or condense, the pre-clinical research stage as much as possible, without any compromise and obtain that critical in vivo data that demonstrates the safety and efficacy of a compound.”
Gul and Fuller agree that automation can really help researchers to mitigate the challenges associated with the discovery of drugs. According to Gul, “the whole pre-clinical process can take five or seven years and we now are using automation and computational methods to try and accelerate drug discovery as much as possible.”
“Some of the specific areas where challenges can be alleviated are automating assays, which are a waste of human resources when done manually,” added Fuller.
Also covered in this episode is how drug development has changed in the hit-to-lead phase. Both Gul and Fuller say that newer technologies like CRISPR, next-generation sequencing (NGS), artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are leading the way when it comes to the evolution of lead generation.
“In terms of new technologies, such as CRISPR and AI, we can now apply as many of these tools as possible to assay systems. For example, we can do cell-based screening and the cell population in that well can go through mass spectrometry analysis or NGS,” explained Gul.
The speakers also discuss the Beckman Coulter Echo Acoustic Liquid Handling platform that can aid researchers to automate their small molecule screening studies, concluding that equipment that saves time and money for researchers will enable molecules to reach the clinic rapidly.
Keep an eye out for Drug Target Review’s next podcast, coming soon!
In this episode of Drug Target Review’s podcast, sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific, Deputy Editor Victoria Rees speaks with Tyler Pascoe, Technical Sales Consultant at Thermo Fisher Scientific and Matt Gruver, Product Manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific about LIMS systems and the company’s upcoming Watson v7.7 release.
We begin by discussing what Watson LIMS is; Pascoe explained that the software is “specifically designed and built to support bioanalytical testing. When an organisation pursues the development of a new therapeutic, bioanalytical testing plays a critical role in that journey to seek regulatory approval.”
“As Watson LIMS is ever-evolving, our focus is to serve all bioanalytical testing customers – really empathising with the user personas that we support and what their daily challenges are, all while reacting to the regulatory landscape in which the majority of our customers operate,” said Gruver.
We also discussed how the Import Study Protocol feature and how the user interface and expanded capabilities will provide a more robust tool for importing sample metadata into study design. “In Watson v7.7, the user interface has been updated to catch errors from within the Import file,” explained Pascoe. “It will also highlight conflicts within the existing design samples. This UI allows users to resolve errors with an integrated feature, which is also backed by audit trail records. So, for any error that cannot be immediately resolved, the user can opt to isolate the discrepant samples, allowing the valid records to be accepted into the study design. This helps to reduce any potential workflow bottlenecks.”
Gruver also explored some of the areas of focus for future Watson v7.7 releases. “Method validation will be our next near-term focus and that is true if you are talking about concentration measurement types of assays, like chromatographic or ligand-binding assays. In that case, we will be addressing any method validation gaps aligned to global ICHM10 guidance. For customers that are generating ADA endpoints and doing method validation for ADA assays, we will be aligned to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance for industry.”
Make sure to keep an eye out for Drug Target Review’s next podcast, coming soon!
In this episode of Drug Target Review’s podcast, Deputy Editor Victoria Rees discusses cell and gene therapies with Dr Sam Wadsworth, Chief Scientific Officer of Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical and Dr Eric Ostertag, Chief Executive Officer of Poseida Therapeutics.
Both will be presenting and speaking at the Cell & Gene Therapy Advancements online summit on 3 – 4 November 2021 – find out more here: https://bit.ly/3Bo44jo
Dr Wadsworth will be joining the session on combatting the immune response to AAV vectors and discussing the challenges associated with AAVs for gene therapy and why engineering better vectors could help to overcome these issues.
In the podcast, he explores why AAV vectors are used to deliver gene therapy and the benefits they offer, as well as ways to reduce the dosage required.
“AAV vectors are ideal for many applications and the basic simple reasons are that they have a great safety profile and they have a long duration of expression,” said Dr Wadsworth. “Today, we have clear proof that AAV vectors can be lifesaving… they have tremendous ability to deliver lifesaving therapies.”
Dr Ostertag will join the session on utilising CAR T-cell therapies against solid tumours and will explore why CAR T-cell therapies are less effective in solid tumours than in blood cancers and how to minimise toxicity to ensure a targeted approach.
In this episode, he covers why CAR T cells have shown success in haematological cancers and promising new developments that mean they could be used for a wide range of tumours.
“Blood tumours are relatively easy to access for a CAR T product and that’s not always the case for solid tumour indications,” said Dr Ostertag. “There are other hypotheses that revolve around the so-called tumour microenvironment; meaning that solid tumours have certain characteristics – hypoxia in the centre of the tumour or checkpoint inhibitors that cause problems with the T cells killing the solid tumours – that can limit success.”
Make sure you don’t miss out and reserve your spot at Drug Target Review’s Cell & Gene Therapy Advancements online summit today: https://bit.ly/3Bo44jo
In this episode of Drug Target Review’s podcast, sponsored by Bio-Rad, Deputy Editor Victoria Rees speaks with Dr Justin Lee from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Professor Vasan from Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Dr Chantal Vogels from Yale School of Medicine, US. The topic of this podcast is focused on SARS-CoV-2 variants and why it is important to do this as quickly and efficiently as possible.
“If emerging variants do have increased transmission, or perhaps have the ability to cause more severe disease, the sooner we know about them, the more effective our public health interventions can be,” said Dr Lee.
The discussion also includes how SARS-CoV-2 variants can be identified and sequenced, as well as some of the advantages and disadvantages to sequencing technologies.
“The variants are essentially detected by comparing against the original Wuhan reference strain and then comparing against it, what has changed. Unless we are able to track these variants, in almost real time, we will have lost the edge if a particular variant emerges that is dangerous… However, in practice it takes a long time for the patient turning positive to the sequencing being completed,” said Professor Vasan.
Also in this episode, Dr Vogels explains how her team developed a PCR assay that can aid in the monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 variants in areas with fewer resources.
“In an ideal situation, you would have the ability to diagnose someone, determine which variant it is and then make an informed decision on how to treat this patient. However, it is hard to do that on a very short time scale. For instance, with next-generation sequencing – which is currently the golden standard for variant identification – it takes time,” said Dr Vogels. “Right now, there is at least some more capacity for sequencing and there is definitely development to sequence more and at a larger scale. However, there are many areas in the world where sequencing is just not accessible and that is because it is expensive, time consuming and you need specific expertise. Without the access to sequencing, it is very hard to do any sort of variant surveillance. But, many places are equipped to run PCR and having a variant PCR can at least help to get a rough idea of population-level variants that are circulating.”
The speakers conclude that identifying and monitoring SARS-CoV-2 variants will be key in ending the pandemic.
Keep an eye out for Drug Target Review’s next podcast, coming soon!
In this episode, DTR’s Assistant Editor, Hannah Balfour, discusses the development of treatments for schizophrenia with Dr Srihari Gopal, the Head of Psychiatry research and development for the Neuroscience Therapeutic Area at Janssen Pharmaceuticals. They also explore some of the most exciting developments in the field, Janssen’s schizophrenia R&D focus, the knowledge gaps that Dr Gopal believes are key to developing more effective therapies and so much more!