Allergan and CMO at Altheos to speak at Ocular Drug Discovery conference Feb 27-28, 2012 Las Vegas

MONROVIA, CA, January 01, 2012 (Press-News.org) David Woodward, Senior Director of Biological Sciences at Allergan and Barbara Wirostko, Chief Medical Officer at Altheos will give a joint featured presentation entitled "Critical Success Factors in Approving Ophthalmic Drugs: Prostaglandins for Glaucoma/OHT as a Case Study: What Next?" at the 4th Ocular Diseases and Drug Discovery Conference taking place on February 27-28, 2012 in Las Vegas, NV.

The success factors for successful drug discovery may be reflected by the past and present scenario for anti-glaucoma prostanoids. The first in class, latanoprost, became a successful drug despite a high incidence of iridial & periocular hyperpigmentation, ocular surface hyperemia, lash lengthening and even occasional and rechallenge episodes of inflammation (CME). Although they were approved, Pharmacia/ Pfizer had to collect 5 year safety data to support the ocular safety and determine the "long" term outcome of the iridial hyperemia.

More recently prostanoid EP2 receptor agonists have taken center stage. These do not appear to have advanced beyond clinical efficacy studies to date. In looking at the next IOP lowering agent, the hurdle will be high not only for ocular and systemic safety but also for efficacy. Safety has always been but is even more so paramount to the approval process.

GTC's 4th Ocular Diseases and Drug Discovery Conference will bring together a 50-50 mix of academic and high-level industry experts from leading affiliations to discuss and collaborate on the latest research and discovery, safety assessment, and development of drugs for combating and curing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, uveitis and other eye diseases. Leading scientists and researchers include key experts such as M. (Ken) Kengatharan, Barbara Wirostko, David Woodward, Henry F. Edelhauser, Ken Mandell, Bala Ambati, etc. The last annual conference was well attended with representation from key R&D professionals from GSK, Pfizer, B&L, Allergan and Alcon and this year is showing promise of being even bigger and better.

This conference is part of the Targets and Strategies in Drug Discovery Summit and runs concurrently with three other tracks:
1) 3rd Cancer Targets and Therapeutics
2) Oncology Partnering & Deal-Making Conference
3) 2nd Ubiquitin Research and Drug Discovery

For more information, please visit http://www.gtcbio.com

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