Industry leaders and academic researchers are preparing to convene at the 2nd Next Generation Kinase Inhibitors Summit in Boston this February, where cutting-edge developments in targeted cancer therapeutics will take center stage. The two-day event will showcase innovative approaches to developing more effective and safer kinase inhibitors, with a particular focus on overcoming current therapeutic limitations.
Breakthrough Developments in Kinase Inhibition
MEI Pharma is set to present significant findings on Voruciclib, their novel CDK9 inhibitor. Sandra Wiley, Director of Translational Science at MEI Pharma, will detail how the compound effectively downregulates crucial cancer-associated proteins MYC and MCL1, showing promising anti-proliferative effects in both hematological and solid tumor models.
In a separate session, Pfizer's Principal Scientist Greg Jones will address the critical challenge of resistance in RAS-targeted therapies, presenting new strategies for targeting RAF kinases. This research could potentially lead to more durable treatment responses in cancer patients who develop resistance to current therapies.
Multi-Targeted Approaches and Clinical Applications
Onconova Therapeutics will present their innovative approach to multikinase inhibition, led by Adar Makovski Silverstein, Director of Corporate Development. Their research focuses on developing compounds that can effectively target multiple cancer indications, potentially offering broader therapeutic applications.
Industry-Wide Collaboration
The summit has attracted senior representatives from leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies, including:
- Blueprint Medicines
- Cellestia Biotech
- Forma Therapeutics
- Bayer
- Novartis
- Loxo Oncology at Lilly
- Tango Therapeutics
This gathering of industry leaders underscores the collaborative effort to advance kinase inhibitor development and overcome current therapeutic challenges.
Focus on Enhanced Drug Profiles
A key theme of the summit will be the development of best-in-class kinase inhibitors with improved characteristics, including:
- Enhanced target specificity to reduce off-target effects
- Novel strategies to combat drug resistance
- Improved safety profiles for better tolerability
- Mechanisms to achieve more durable clinical responses
The free-to-attend summit for drug developers and academics represents a significant opportunity for knowledge exchange and collaboration in the rapidly evolving field of kinase inhibitor development.
