Current Trends in Collaborative Drug Research: Leveraging target validation data to create valuable partnerships – Feb. 16, 2022

Session Description

During this session our speakers will present and discuss the significance of target validation for early-stage drug discovery and development in academic settings using adMare BioInnovations and U of T IPO approaches (e.g., Bright Angel Therapeutics, Encycle Therapeutics, Zucara Therapeutics). You will learn how target validation increases likelihood of success in the clinic, important considerations during early-stage drug discovery, and the added value of bringing in valuable partnerships with Industry. This session aims to stimulate commercial thinking during research and discovery phase.

The goal of PRiME's Jump Start series is to provide a deep dive into all steps in development of pre-clinical drugs, devices and platforms. We plan to invite experts who will discuss their views on the importance of each step. 

These workshops are open to all Trainees and Principal Investigators.

PRESENTERS

Amie Phinney, PhD, MBA
Senior Director, Partnerships, adMare BioInnovations
As the Sr. Director for the Program Development and Partnership team at adMare BioInnovations, Amie Phinney uses her biomedical research and business background to create and guide scientific collaborations. Most recently, Amie was at Northwestern University in Chicago, where she led an academic-VC partnership aimed at translating academic discoveries into novel therapeutics. Prior to Northwestern University, she gained extensive experience managing academic-pharma collaborations and biotech-pharma alliances at Abbott and AbbVie Labs in Chicago. Amie first transitioned into pharma following post-docs at the University of Toronto and Free University of Amsterdam, as a Sr. Scientist at Solvay Pharmaceuticals in the Netherlands. After five years leading pre-clinical research teams, she transitioned to specialize in managing partnered scientific teams. Amie received her BSc at University of Guelph, her PhD in Biomedical Research at the University of Basel in Switzerland, and her MBA at Lake Forest Graduate School of Management in Chicago.

Jae-Ho Yoo, PhD
Commercialization Manager- Life Sciences, Innovations and Partnerships, UofTJae-Ho Yoo is a Commercialization Manager in the Innovations and Partnerships Office (IPO) at the University of Toronto. Jae-Ho completed a PhD in Biochemistry from McMaster and held Post-Doctoral and Research Scientist positions at MIT. His background includes business and corporate development roles at Fermentas and Thermo Fischer Scientific implementing new product and M&A strategies. For the past ten years, Jae-Ho has managed several research projects previously at McMaster and now at UofT working with researchers and development partners on early-stage small molecule and biologic drug discovery programs. Some of these projects resulted in licensing to start-ups that proceeded to successfully secure investment or exit through an acquisition.

MODERATOR

Milica Vukmirovic
Director, External Programs & Partnerships, PRiME