Integrative Organs Systems Scientists and Drug Discovery: The Link Between Big Pharma and Academia

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Integrative Organs Systems Scientists and Drug
Discovery The Link Between Big Pharma and
Academia
Glenn A. Reinhart, Ph.D. Senior Group
Leader Integrative Pharmacology Global
Pharmaceutical Discovery Abbott Laboratories
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Integrative Organs Systems Scientists
inPharmaceutical Discovery

• The drug discovery process continues to exploit
  and develop new, reductionist and high throughput
  technologies in the search for novel lead
  molecules for the treatment of new disease
  targets.

• To move toward clinical development a compound
  must demonstrate key in vivo characteristics
• efficacy and specificity in disease state models
• safety, safety, safety
• adequate pharmacokinetic, pharacodynamic and
  metabolic profiles

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Drug Discovery the Path to Clinical Development
Idea
Target Identification
Target Validation
Lead Optimization
Drug Development Candidate
Clinical Development
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Organizational StructureMatrix
Molecular Biology
Pharmacology
Medicinal Chemistry
Project Teams
PK / ADME
Toxicology
Safety Pharmacology
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Organizational StructureProject Team
Therapeutic Area VP
Project Teams
PK / ADME
Toxicology
Integrative Pharmacology
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Organizational StructureModified Project Team
Therapeutic Area VP
Project Teams
In Vivo Pharmacology
PK / ADME
Toxicology
Integrative Pharmacology
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Integrative ScientistsHallmarks of Success

• Strong scientific ability
• Excellent communication skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Flexible expertise
• Depth and Breadth

Top tier, well-published, competitive scientists
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Industry SurveyComparing the Presence of
Integrative Organs Systems vs. Reductionist
Scientists 1991 and 2001

• Definitions
• Integrative Organs Systems Scientists (IOSS)
  are functionally defined as scientists focusing
  on scientific approaches whose aim is to
  understand how intact biological systems function
  at the level of whole animals, organs, and organ
  systems (but not in the clinic) or approaches
  aimed at identifying or describing potential
  clinical effects using whole animals, organs,
  and organ systems.
• Reductionist Scientists are functionally defined
  as scientists focusing on scientific approaches
  whose aim is to identify molecular and cellular
  events, studied in purified form or in isolated
  systems and include genomics, proteomics,
  biochemistry, and cell biology.

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Industry SurveyComparing the Presence of
Integrative Organs Systems vs. Reductionist
Scientists 1991 and 2001

• Distributed via email to gt 120 scientists
  (Industry Scientists per EB 2002 registration)
  AND to members of the Safety Pharmacology
  Society.
• 12 respondents
• 6-7 companies represented
• Big Pharma
• CROs
• USA, France, Germany
• Most departments represented likely have an in
  vivo focus

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Industry SurveyComparing the Presence of
Integrative Organs Systems vs. Reductionist
Scientists 1991 and 2001

• Respondents
• What title best describes you current position
  within your Department in 2001?
• Vice President 1
• Division Chief 1
• Department Head/Director 6
• Department Manager 1
• Group/Team Leader 0
• Lab Manager 2

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Number of Employees in Department
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Numbers of Employees With Degrees
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Number of Open Positions
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Length of Employment
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How many months to find qualified applicants?
IOSS
In General
Reductionist
Others
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Average number of applicants per open position
(total applicants)
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Average number of applicants per open
position IOS Scientists
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Average number of applicants per open
position Reductionist Scientists
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Per open IOSS position qualified vs. unqualified
applicants?
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Are salary adjustments made during recruitment?
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Industry SurveyComparing the Presence of
Integrative Organs Systems vs. Reductionist
Scientists 1991 and 2001

• Based on the Departments represented in the
  survey, it is suggested that in Industry
• A greater number of positions, both filled and
  open, may exist for BS - MS and Ph.D. level IOS
  Scientists relative to 1991.
• A greater number of positions for IOS Scientists
  remain open compared to 1991.
• Duration of recruiting is greater for IOSS than
  Reductionist or other scientists and compared to
  1991. Fewer applicants per position.
• More unqualified candidates may be applying for
  IOSS positions.
• At present, IOS Scientists appear to have longer
  duration of employment (same company) than
  Reductionist or other scientists.

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