February 1-3, 2006 Boston, Massachusetts
- 2 Days, 18 Speakers, 130 learners, no commercial exhibits, 3 Poster Prize awards for best research based on merit.
- Learner type: 36% Senior Scientists, 27% Physicians, 21% Laboratory Scientists, 12% Post-Doctoral Fellows, 4% Other
- Credit type: ACCME
- Sessions focused on new discoveries in the biology of human cancers and their implications for drug development. Experts in bioinformatics and systems biology discussed the use of new technologies for target identification and mapping oncogenic pathways. A diversity of speakers from academia, medicine, and the biopharmaceutical industry addressed the role of signal transduction, imaging, EGFR inhibition, and tumor hypoxia in the drug discovery, screening, development, and validation processes.
- 100% of learners felt the symposium was ‘scientifically rigorous’.
- 100% of learners reported that they would recommend this program to a colleague.
- 100% of learners reported that the content was free from commercial bias.
- Objectives of the course were to:
- Identify new target and validation approaches that are already delivering, or are poised to deliver, the next generation of drug development candidates for screening, resulting from human genome-or proteonome-wide surveys.
- Pursue only preeminent targets as drug development candidates, by dovetailing relative academic and industrial views about what constitutes a cancer drug target.
- Identify and validate tumor stem cells and prioritize these targets for therapy development with attention to safety implications.
- Apply best preclinical and clinical approaches to enable the design of more efficient and predictive clinical trials for newly targeted therapies.
- Nancy Hughes Welsh Young Investigator Prize Awarded to Grand Prize Poster titled: “Expression profiles of osteosarcoma that can predict metastatic potential”.
- Selected learner comments included:
“Speaker list is excellent, location is excellent, run by professionals.”
“More in-depth science discussion compared with big meeting, topics are very up-to-date.”
“Great overview of biomarker detection, target selection, and downstream problems.”
“Clinical, animal modeling all represented.”
“Excellent overview of molecular / discover techniques and research applied to clinical questions.”
“Well designed program, excellent speakers covering cutting-edge issues.”
“Diverse interesting program.”
“This program gives a great overview to what is happening in drug discovery and current therapeutic approaches to cancer treatment.”
- Selected comments about the speakers included:
“Outstanding!”
“I am impressed.”
“I really learned from this talk.”
“Great talk!”
Disclosure of Faculty Relationships
BioSymposia International, Inc., adheres to guidelines of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCCCA), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and all other professional organizations as applicable, stating that programs where continuing education credits are awarded must be balanced, independent, objective, and scientifically rigorous.
As uses for pharmaceutical agents, medical devices, and other products may be presented in the program that are not necessarily the same as those indicated in approved product labeling (but which may reflect clinical experience, professional literature, other clinical sources known to the presenter, or investigational uses of products), we ask the presenter to provide participants with information about relationships with pharmaceutical or medical equipment companies that may have relevance to their lectures. This policy is not intended to exclude faculty who have relationships with such companies; it is simply intended to inform participants of any potential conflicts so that participants may form their own judgments based on full disclosure of the facts. Further, these opinions and recommendations presented during the program or materials related to the program do not imply an endorsement or recommendation on the part of BioSymposia, Inc. These presentations solely represent the independent views of the presenters/authors.
The following faculty provided information regarding significant commercial relationships and/or discussions of investigational or non-FDA approved (off-label) uses of drugs:
George D. Demetri, M.D. discloses that he is the recipient of honoraria from Novartis, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Amgen. He discloses that he is a stockholder in Coley Pharmaceutical Group. He discloses that he serves as a consultant for Novartis, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Amgen. He discloses that he is the recipient of research support from Novartis, Pfizer, and Bristol-Myers Squibb.
John Heymach, M.D., Ph.D. discloses that he is the recipient of honoraria from Pfizer and Astra Zeneca and that he sits on the advisory boards of Pfizer and Astra Zeneca. He also discloses that during his presentation, he will discuss clinical trials of ZD6474 and/or SU11248.
Jeffrey S. Ross, M.D. discloses that he is an employee of Millenium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and serves as a consultant for BioGenex, Inc., Veridex, LLC, and Centocor, Inc. He is the recipient of research grants and/or support from Tripath Oncology, Inc., Veridex, LLC, and BioGenex, Inc. He discloses that he is the recipient of honoraria from and is a member of a speaker’s bureau for Genentech. He discloses that he holds stock in Millenium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., BioGenex, Inc, and Tripath Oncology, Inc.
William R. Sellers, M.D. discloses that he is an employee of Novartis Pharmaceuticals.
The following faculty indicated no significant relationship with commercial supporters and/or discussion of investigational or non-FDA approved (off-label) uses of drugs:
Todd R. Golub, M.D., Daniel A. Haber, M.D., Ph.D., Benjamin G. Neel, M.D., Ph.D., Akhilesh Pandey, M.D., Ph.D., Leonard I. Zon, M.D.
Commercial Support and Other Disclosures
BioSymposia, Inc. (formerly Serono Symposia International, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All of our programs are organized solely to promote the exchange and dissemination of scientific and medical information. No forms of promotional activities are permitted. There may be presentations discussing investigational uses of various products. These views are the responsibility of the named speakers, and do not represent an endorsement or recommendation on the part of BioSymposia, Inc.
This program was supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Serono, Inc. BioSymposia, Inc. personnel are employees of Serono, Inc. and BioSymposia, Inc. also receives other in-kind support from Serono, Inc. in the form of space and administrative services.
