Therapeutic Workshops
Pipelines with Promise—A Focus on Emerging Prostate Cancer Treatments
October 28, 2009
2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Twin Peaks South
Progress in the prostate cancer pipeline in 2009 both captured the attention of healthcare investors and drew the oncologist closer to the field. Today prostate cancer affects 1 in 6 men during their lifetimes, and despite remarkable advances in early diagnosis and in the fundamental understanding of prostate cancer biology in the last 30 years, the disease remains a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Targeted therapies, genetic research and combination therapies have been key to driving innovation, and the prostate cancer drug market is projected to experience $2 billion in growth through 2018. Hear from clinical-stage companies and the thought leaders in the field on new therapies in development and implications for clinical practice.
Moderator:
- Jim Birchenough, MD, Director, US Biotechnology Equity Research; Barclay's Capital
Panelists:
- Martin Gleave, MD, FRCSC, FACS, Chief Scientific Officer, OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
- Mitchell H. Gold, MD, CEO, Dendreon Corporation
- Charles J. Ryan, MD, Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine - Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of California, San Francisco
- Howard R. Soule, Ph.D, Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer, Prostate Cancer Foundation
Who's Who
Martin Gleave, MD, FRCSC, FACS
Dr. Gleave is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Urologic Sciences at the University of British Columbia, Director of the Vancouver Prostate Center, Director of Research for the Department of Urologic Sciences at UBC, and Chairs the Genito-Urinary Tumour Group Chair at BC Cancer Agency. He has published more than 230 peer-reviewed papers on clinical and laboratory research in prostate cancer, and currently has more than $50M in peer reviewed funding. Dr. Gleavešs major research focus involves the study of cellular and molecular mechanisms mediating progression of prostate cancer to its lethal stage of androgen independence, and use of this information to develop integrated multimodality therapies that specifically target these mechanisms. His research team employs state-of-the-art high-throughput approaches to target discovery, validation, functionalization, and therapeutic development. He has characterized the functional role of many survival genes in cancer progression, leading to several patented targeted inhibitors, and first-in-man trials of new anti-cancer drugs, OGX-011 and OGX-427 Dr. Gleave is a recipient of many awards, including the NCIC William Rawls Award for contributions to cancer control in Canada, Distinguished University Scholar designation by the University of British Columbia, BC Biotech Innovation and Achievement Award, and the BC Leadership Chair in Prostate Cancer Research.
Mitchell H. Gold, MD
Dr. Gold joined Dendreon in 2001 as the vice president of business development. He subsequently was appointed a director in 2002 and was named the chief executive officer of the Company in 2003. Dr. Gold has led the Company’s corporate development, acquisition and financing efforts in recent years, completing transactions valued at approximately $225 million, including the acquisition of Corvas International, and raising approximately $350 million in capital. Prior to joining Dendreon, he served as the vice president of business development for Data Critical Corporation, a company engaged in wireless transmission of critical healthcare data, now a division of GE Medical. He also served as the co-founder, president and chief executive officer of Elixis Corporation, a medical information systems company. Dr. Gold is a former urologist at the University of Washington and currently serves on the boards of the University of Washington/Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Prostate Cancer Institute and the Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association. Dr. Gold received his B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his M.D. from Rush Medical College in Chicago.
Charles J. Ryan, MD
Charles J. Ryan, MD is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology / Oncology at the Helen Diller Family at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He received his MD from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Dr Ryan completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, where he also served as Chief Resident. He completed a fellowship in medical oncology in the Department of Medicine at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York.
His clinical and research work centers on the design and conduct of clinical trials of novel therapies for androgen-independent prostate cancer, specifically secondary hormonal therapies targeting adrenal androgen signaling, insulin growth factor inhibitors, angiogenesis inhibitors and chemotherapy. Dr Ryan has been actively involved in trials and the development of several agents in prostate cancer. In addition to clinical trials Dr Ryan collaborates with many laboratories researching the role of the androgen receptor and other signaling mechanisms in prostate cancer patients.
Dr Ryan is a member of several honor societies and is the recipient of a Leadership and Service Award and the John Kimberly Curtis Award from the University of Wisconsin Medical School. He received the American College of Physicians/ American Society of Internal Medicine Evergreen Award in 2000 and the American Society of Clinical Oncology Merit Award and Cancer And Leukemia Group B: Young Investigator Award, both in 2003. He was awarded the Donald Coffey Career Development Award from the Prostate Cancer Foundation in 2006 and a California Coalition to Cure Prostate Cancer Award in 2007.
Howard R. Soule, Ph.D
Howard R. Soule coordinates global academic, government and biopharmaceutical sector research activity and is responsible for the implementation of Prostate Cancer Foundation global research strategies. He previously served as managing director of Knowledge Universe Health and Wellness Group, a private investment firm focused on companies in the general areas of disease prevention and treatment. From 1997 to 2004, he was the foundations's executive vice president and chief science officer.
Prior to joining the PCF for his first stint in 1997, Soule was a senior R&D executive for nine years at Corvas International Inc., a public biotechnology company. He was responsible for the discovery and development of innovative products for the treatment of life-threatening cardiovascular diseases. Soule has considerable experience in medical diagnostic and device industries as well.
Soule received a P.hD. from Baylor College of Medicine in virology and epidemiology, and was a postdoctoral fellow in immunology and vascular biology at the Scripps Research Institute.