Sponsor or Organizer: Cambridge Healthtech Institute

Description: A critical issue in the evaluation of new bioactive agents is the consideration of QT interval prolongation and the risk of developing torsade de pointes. Determining the key interactions that drugs make with the hERG channel can guide the optimization of candidates to reduce or eliminate hERG current block. Pivotal will be the development of screening assays with higher-throughput, sensitivity and specificity. These improvements will provide an expanding role for biomarkers and repolarization to ensure cardiac safety of drug candidates. Presented will be the current and emerging in vitro and in vivo models of interest that generate systems to test drugs for the potential to predict or anticipate critical safety issues in humans. Case studies to illuminate preclinical strategies which correlate to clinical success will provide new insight to improve the efficiency of therapeutic safety analysis.

Dates: 06/12/2007

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA