Novartis, AstraZeneca and Merck to Keynote Phenotypic Drug Discovery Conference

NEEDHAM, Mass. - Sept. 2, 2014 - PRLog -- For the second time, Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s FAST: Functional Analysis & Screening Technologies Congress will convene a focused group of drug discovery teams to deliberate on the opportunities to maximize information during early stage drug discovery through phenotypic screening. The program responds to the growing evidence that a disproportionate number of first-in-class drugs with novel mechanisms of action come from phenotypic screening, compared to the technology-driven target-based screening.

Now expanded to three days, the Phenotypic Drug Discovery Conference will present new findings and strategies for assay development, selection of physiologically-relevant models and subsequent target identification. Discussions will be led by a notable speaking faculty of senior pharmaceutical and academic research teams, including keynote presenters Novartis’ Dr. Meir Glick, Merck’s Dr. Jing Li and AstraZeneca’s Dr. Anna Collén.

New this year, the conference will feature a dedicated 3D Cellular Models Technology Showcase. Already confirmed to participate are ProQinase presenting their modular HTS-compatible system and MIMETAS presenting their novel microfluidic culture platform.

The conference will be held November 17-19, 2014 in Boston, MA as part of Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s FAST: Functional Analysis & Screening Technologies Congress. To view the final agenda, speaking faculty, program abstracts and registration details, visit http://www.fastcongress.com/Phenotypic-Drug-Discovery.

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