Brainmap: Human Molecular Imaging as a Technique to Advance Disease Understanding and Drug Development- Roger Gunn, PhD

 
 
Abstract
The discovery and development of central nervous system(CNS) drugs is an extremely challenging process requiring large resources, timelines, and associated costs. The high risk of failure leads to high levels of risk. Over the past couple of decades PET imaging has become a central component of the CNS drug-development process, enabling decision-making in phase I studies, where early discharge of risk provides increased confidence to progress a candidate to more costly later phase testing at the right dose level or alternatively to kill a compound through failure to meet key criteria. The so called “3 pillars” of drug survival, namely; tissue exposure, target engagement, and pharmacologic activity, are particularly well suited for evaluation by PET imaging. This talk considers how PET imaging of the “3 pillars” has advanced to provide valuable tools for decision-making on the critical path of CNS drug development as well as the methods of biomarker development and quantitative analysis that are critical for their application.  In particular, the talk highlights the more recent evolution and sophistication of these approaches that have led to their increased value.

About the Speaker

Roger Gunn is Chief Scientific Officer at Imanova, Professor of Molecular Neuroimaging in the Division of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London and Visiting Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Oxford. He is originally an applied mathematician who has held positions in academia and industry in the UK and North America. His research interests are focused on the application of mathematical biology and molecular imaging techniques to disease understanding and drug development in the neurosciences.