The keynote line up for the 13th Annual Drug Discovery & Development of Innovative Therapeutics World Congress, scheduled for August 4-7, 2008 in Boston, Mass, includes scientific, business, and controversial topics.

The keynote presentations include speakers David M. Mott from MedImmune Inc. and Elliott Sigal, MD, PhD, from Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Keynote panel discussions this year will be led by Federico Goodsaid, PhD from the FDA, and Mark Ratner from FDC Windhover.

The two individual keynote speakers will discuss the scientific and business strategies that are necessary to move to clinical proof of concept quickly. Keynote panel discussions will approach the more controversial topics such as the FDA position on biomarkers and the impact of the 2008 elections on the future of the pharmaceutical/healthcare industry. Presentations include:

4:20 PM, Tuesday, August 5:
Keynote speaker William (Bill) C. Bertrand, Jr., JD, Executive Vice President, Legal Affairs, General Counsel & Corporate Compliance Office, MedImmune, Inc. will present "Risk-Taking & Innovation in Biotechnology: The MedImmune Success Story".

5:00 PM, Tuesday, August 5:
Keynote panel discussion "Biomarker Qualification in Drug Development: A Regulatory/Industry Discussion" will be led by Federico Goodsaid, PhD, Associate Director for Operations in Genomics, Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Office of Translational Sciences, CDER, FDA.

Elliott Sigal

11:20 AM, Wednesday, August 6:
Keynote speaker Elliott Sigal, MD, PhD Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer and President, Research & Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company will discuss "BioPharma of the Future: Blending the Best to Create the Next".

12:00 PM, Wednesday, August 6:
Keynote panel discussion "Leading in a Sea of Change–The Influence of Politics, Change and Innovation on the Future of Pharma/Biotech" will be moderated by Mark Ratner, Contributing Editor, FDC-Windhover.

Source: IBC Life Sciences