DAY ONE

DAY 1

7:30 am Registration & Light Breakfast

8:25 am Chair’s Opening Remarks

Examining Next-Gen Clinical Models that Better Recapitulate Chronic & Progressive Fibrotic Diseases to Build Translational Confidence in Early Development Candidates

8:30 am Liver Fibrosis Models: Bridging Preclinical Efficacy with Human Trial Success

  • Yury Popov Co-Director - Pathogens Immunity & Inflammation Translational Hub, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Synopsis

  • Exploring the core disconnect between preclinical liver fibrosis models and clinical trial settings
  • Enhancing translational relevance through refined animal models, optimized preclinical endpoints, and robust study designs
  • Evaluating drug candidate associations with disease severity, progression, and clinical outcomes

9:00 am Cross Regulatory Cytokine Networks & Rebound Inflammation in Fibrotic Disease

  • Kevin Hart Director - Scientific & Associate Research Fellow, Pfizer

Synopsis

  • TGFb blockade in fibrotic models results in dysregulation of potentially compensatory inflammatory pathways
  • Mixed inflammation is observed in fibrotic indications and preclinical models
  • Therapeutic cytokine targeting may require coverage across inflammatory mechanisms to achieve efficacy

9:30 am Developing Advanced Preclinical Models that Better Recapitulate Disease & Patient Heterogeneity & Pathophysiology

Synopsis

  • Explore cutting-edge preclinical models that more accurately mimic the complexity and variability of human fibrotic diseases, capturing the nuances of patient heterogeneity and disease pathophysiology
  • Uncover how advanced preclinical systems improve the predictive power for clinical outcomes, bridging the gap between early research and human trials with greater fidelity

10:00 am Speed Networking

Synopsis

This informal session provides the perfect opportunity to connect with the industry frontrunners and key opinion leaders focusing on fibrosis across the Lung, Liver, Kidney, Cardiac, Gastrointestinal and Scleroderma Landscapes. Establish meaningful connections to build upon for the rest of the conference and gain exclusive first-hand insights into the latest research and developments driving progression across the cross fibrosis disease field.

10:45 am Morning Break

Examining Non-Invasive Measures of Disease Progression Tracking & Clinical Efficacy with Novel Biomarkers & the Latest Technological Advances in Imaging Technologies

11:00 am Round Table Discussion: Leveraging Non-Invasive Biomarkers for Disease Progression Tracking and Clinical Efficacy

Synopsis

This interactive session gives you the opportunity to be part of the discussion, get ready to share ideas and learn from your peers. Amongst your table’s talking points to consider include:

The Role of Advanced Imaging Technologies in Biomarker Development

What are the limitations and challenges of
integrating these imaging technologies into clinical practice?
Share examples where advanced imaging
has significantly impacted fibrosis research

Standardization and Validation of Non-Invasive Biomarkers

What are the critical steps in the
standardization and validation process of
non-invasive biomarkers for fibrosis?
How can we ensure reproducibility and
consistency across different laboratories
and clinical settings?

Translational Applications and Clinical Implementation

How can non-invasive biomarkers be
effectively translated from research to
clinical applications?
What are the potential impacts of these
biomarkers on patient care and treatment
outcomes in fibrosis?

11:30 am Leveraging Mass Spectrometry and Atomic Force Microscopy Technologies to Discover & Quantify Hidden Cardiac Fibrosis

Synopsis

  • Explore how prequalified and validated antibodies are used to visualize ECM proteins and fibrillar collagen through immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry
  • Discover the use of second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) for quantifying fibrotic lesions in living rodents
  • Learn about the application of LC-MS/MS protocols to quantify distinct forms of collagen, crucial for understanding the mechanisms of fibrosis

12:15 pm Lunch Break

Mitigating the Heterogenous & Complex Nature of Fibrotic Diseases with Innovative Therapeutic Strategies

1:15 pm Examining the Molecular Profile of Responders & Non-Responders to Segment Heterogenous Disease Populations

  • Francesco Del Galdo Professor of Experimental Medicine, Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine

Synopsis

  • Examining the molecular and cellular changes in patients who respond to therapy and secondary changes that occur beyond the immediate impact of the drug to reveal critical insights into disease mechanisms and therapeutic efficacy
  • Exploring retrospective analysis to uncover predictive biomarkers and how these can enhance confidence in therapeutic decisions and patient stratification improving patient outcomes
  • Analysis of molecular changes in non-responders compared to responders to uncover insights into potential treatment gaps and the need for additional or alternative therapies

1:45 pm Dynamic Fibrogenesis in Human Precision Cut Tissue Slices: An Unrivalled Preclinical Platform for Testing Novel Therapies

Synopsis

  • Human precision cut tissue slices (PCS) retain the cellular complexity and architecture of the native tissue in culture.
  • Utilizing dynamic models of tissue inflammation and fibrogenesis in lung, liver, kidney, heart and skin.
  • Application of PCS for drug testing, target engagement and assessment of efficacy.

2:00 pm Multiomic Analysis of Real-World Data for Reverse Translation Across Fibrotic Diseases

Synopsis

  • Examine how large-scale patient data sets can inform early-stage drug discovery and how to leverage these patient data sets to identify potential causative targets
  • Highlighting the importance of incorporating primary clinical trial endpoints and fibrosis measurements to increase the probability of anti-fibrotic and clinical efficacy in patients

2.30 Afternoon Break

Exploring Target Product Profile & Expansion Strategies to Shape Future Asset Prioritization

3:00 pm Shaping the Future of Antifibrotic Therapeutics with Exploration of Expansion Opportunities & Key Considerations

Synopsis

This session will explore and evaluate emerging trends, identify innovative approaches to differentiate products and strategic insights on how to advance antifibrotic drug development and patient care across a broad spectrum of diseases. Examine the driving factors behind progress and how best to capitalize on these to explore your future expansion strategies.

3:30 pm Designing Precision Therapies for Fibrosis: Matching Disease Mechanisms with Therapeutic Modalities and Market Needs

Synopsis

  • Explore the alignment of biological disease mechanisms, therapeutic modalities, and target product profiles to design effective and targeted treatments for fibrosis.
  • Discuss critical factors in modality selection, from signaling cascades and cell types to regulatory considerations, optimizing efficacy while minimizing side effects

4:00 pm Panel & Audience Discussion: Collaborative Strategies for Advancing Antifibrotic Drug Development Across Diverse Disease Indications

Synopsis

This panel discussion gathers experts from across the various disease indications to discuss what is needed to collectively advance antifibrotic drug development across the broad spectrum of diseases.

Expect coverage of:

  • With an increase recognition of the complexity and heterogeneity of fibrotic diseases, will combination therapies be necessary to secure clinical efficacy above the current standards of care?
  • What is the true bottleneck halting progression of antifibrotic therapeutics through the clinical and to patients?
  • Do we need to focus on detecting higher risk patients for earlier diagnosis and earlier intervention to prevent late-stage fibrosis?
  • Where should we be directing future research efforts?

4:45 pm Chairs Closing Remarks

5:00 pm Poster Session

Synopsis

Immerse yourself in an engaging session in a relaxed atmosphere that encourages meaningful conversations and discussions. Explore a range of exciting poster presentations and showcase your own research and developments in the Inflammasome therapeutics space. Don’t miss out on the chance to connect, learn, and present. Get ready to be impressed!

End of Day One