Pre-Conference Workshop Day |
Monday, November 17, 2025
Workshop A
8:30 am Engineering Preclinical Models that Better Recapitulate the Chronic & Progressive Nature of Human Fibrosis
- Yury Popov Co-Director, Pathogens Immunity & Inflammation Translational Hub & Associate Professor, Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Synopsis
As antifibrotic drug development moves towards more precise and long-term outcomes, conventional animal models fall short in capturing the full biological complexity of human fibrosis, mimicking the chronic, progressive, and complex nature. This session will explore innovative platforms that better replicate more chronic, multi-dimensional models that not only mimic human disease progression but also improve clinical translation and decision-making confidence.
This workshop will gather experts to:
- Explore the challenges of inducing true fibrotic pathology in vitro and the importance of 3D and organoid platforms to recapitulate collagen deposition, immune-fibrotic interactions, and tissue architecture to overcome the limitations of traditional models
- Move beyond “more blue is worse”, and discuss disease-specific histological patterning, collagen network assessment, and advanced gene expression tools (e.g., single-cell RNA-seq) for better model-to-patient correlation to quantify fibrosis with precision
- Explore kidney and cardiac organoids, lung and liver tissue slices, and engineered muscle systems using iPSC-derived cells to represent chronic disease trajectories to improve human relevance.
10:30 am Morning Break
Workshop B
11:00 am Decoding the Fibrotic Circuitry to Sharpen Discovery with Mechanistic Clarity & Context-Specific Targeting
- John Nicosia Chief Operating Officer, Vasarya Therapeutics
- Leslie Nangle Vice President, Research, aTyr Pharma Inc.
Synopsis
As antifibrotic drug development evolves, a deeper understanding of the cellular
architecture and communication networks that drive fibrosis is critical. This workshop explores fibroblast biology across indications, highlighting how tissue-specific and conserved mechanisms can better inform early target selection and derisk downstream development.
This workshop will gather experts to discuss:
- Dissecting immune–fibroblast, epithelial–fibroblast, and vascular–fibroblast interactions to uncover common vs divergent signaling mechanisms
- Evaluating the therapeutic implications of context-specific TGF-β inhibition (selective targeting of ECM-bound pro-TGFβ1) and navigating the balance between efficacy and toxicity
- How spatial omics, niche-specific activation cues, and cross-organ learnings are enabling more precise, safer antifibrotic strategies.
1:00 pm Lunch
Workshop C
2:00 pm The Big Debate: Pan-Antifibrotics, Fact or Fiction? Dissecting Mechanisms & Organ Specificity & Strategies for Cross-Tissue Success
- Henrik Landgren Scientific Director, Precision Medicine Immunology & Fibrosis, Abbvie
- Anna Zagorska Director, Inflammation & Fibrosis, Gilead Sciences
- Katie McCauley Director & Portfolio Strategy & Fibrosis Research Lead, Novartis
- Daniel Wilcock Principal Translational Scientist, RedX Pharma
Synopsis
As interest grows in developing antifibrotics with cross-indication potential, this workshop critically examines whether a true “pan-antifibrotic” is biologically and clinically feasible. Through real-world data, mechanistic comparisons, and forward-looking trial design strategies, we’ll explore what it would take to deliver a truly universal fibrosismodifying
therapy.
This workshop will gather experts to discuss:
- Reviewing trials of known antifibrotic targets (e.g., LOXL2, galectin-3, autotaxin, integrins) and why translation across organs often fails
- Clarifying what pan-antifibrotic really means, is it shared MoA, cross-organ signal, or a generalized fibrosis resolution mechanism?
- How to design development programs (e.g., patient populations, biomarkers, endpoints) to test and support pan-organ antifibrotic claims in Phase 2 and beyond.