IPF Summit in August Aims to Close Gap Between Preclinical Data and Clinical Outcomes

At the 2nd Annual IPF Summit in San Francisco this summer, academic and biopharma experts in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) will again gather to discuss the latest developments in the field.

Taking place Aug. 20-22, the conference aims to close the translational gap between preclinical data and clinical outcomes, a major challenge that hinders the development of truly effective IPF therapies.

This meeting has been designed to be an industry-dedicated networking and discussion forum, where many of the major pharmaceutical and IPF academic experts will participate.

Pharmaceutical and biotech companies, academic researchers, preclinical model providers, and contract research organizations will have the opportunity to engage in an environment necessary to overcome the translational challenges associated with IPF drug development.

Last year’s inaugural meeting was a gathering of more than 90 experts and IPF pharmaceutical therapy developers. They worked together to improve the standardization of diagnostic imaging methods, enhance experimental animal models to exclusively address IPF mechanisms, and they shared novel clinical insights into the disease.

The 2018 Summit will have 18 expert speakers, including: Gerald Nabozny, executive director of inflammation, immunology and respiratory disease research at Boehringer Ingelheim; Joe Arron, senior director of immunology research at Genentech; Jan De Backer, CEO of Fluidda; Fernando Martinez, executive vice chair of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College; and Timothy Blackwell, professor of cell and developmental biology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Pharmaceutical companies including Boehringer Ingelheim, Genentech, GSK, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Celgene will also be represented at the conference.

Treatments currently show great potential to slow IPF progression, but their development also highlights the importance of genetics and disease-associated biomarkers for the success of therapy candidates to reverse fibrosis.

With this in mind, the agenda of the 2nd Annual IPF Summit will focus on reducing the gap between preclinical studies and effective drug development. To do so, the meeting will address:

• Novel robust preclinical models that mimic IPF features;
• Improving the understanding of human genetics in the IPF population and advancing clinical trial patient selection;
• Improving the design of Phase 3 clinical trials in light of a current standard of care and previous Phase 2 trial success;
• Identifying the next generation of IPF targets that could promote tissue regeneration and reversal of fibrosis.

Event organizers say attendees will have the opportunity to acquire “knowledge and connections” that will help them advance their “next 12 months of IPF therapeutic research.”

The venue for the 2018 IPF Summit is The Marker, 501 Geary St. in San Francisco. Register by June 15 to save $400. Registration details can be found online, by email at [email protected], or by calling +1-415-735-3289.