Complement is an important and integral part of the immune system known to interact with a wide range of tissues and cells across the body. However, only recently has it become an attractive therapeutic target. In this webinar, attendees will gain knowledge on the latest complement therapeutics from drug discovery all the way through to clinical testing.
The introduction of Eculizumab, the pioneering complement modulator, demonstrated that targeting the complement system is well-tolerated, provides beneficial treatment and can potentially save lives. The rise in the number of conditions linked to dysregulation of the complement system clearly underscores the potential of complement-modulating therapeutics.
However, many have failed. This has served as a valuable lesson to scientists and researchers, highlighting the importance of understanding the complexities of the complement system and the need for specialized tools to successfully develop effective drugs.
Over the last few decades, multiple initiatives have been launched — because of both the success with Eculizumab and a better understanding of the complement system — ranging from academic laboratories to large pharmaceutical companies exploring further the potential of regulating the complement system. A considerable number of these complement therapeutics have entered clinical development, and several are even in advanced late trial stages.
Equipped with these insights and the technical advancements in biological drug design, novel complement modulating drugs have emerged that avoid previous pitfalls and increase the chance of clinical success. This has created a promising outlook for those aiming to leverage the potential therapeutic applications of modulating the complement system and bringing it to the clinic to improve the health of patients.
Register for this webinar to hear from experts on next-generation complement therapeutics as they provide perspectives and insights from each stage of the drug development process.
Speakers
Dr. Michael Schwenkert, Chief Technology Officer, Svar Life Science
Michael Schwenkert is Chief Product and Technology Officer (CPTO) of Svar Life Science AB. He studied biology and received his PhD from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (Germany) working on antibodies and antibody fusion proteins for targeting a broad spectrum of neoplasms. After his studies, Michael joined MorphoSys where he worked on identifying immunomodulating antibodies against cancer. Between 2013 and 2019 he worked as Global Sales Manager for Custom Antibodies at Bio-Rad Laboratories. In his current role as CPTO of Svar Life Science, Michael and his team are responsible for product management, technology management and innovation.
Message Presenter
Dr. Christoph Schmidt, Professor of Biochemical Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg
Christoph Schmidt is a Professor of Biochemical Pharmacy at the Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg. He studied pharmaceutical sciences at the LMU Munich (Germany) and received his PhD at the University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom; under the guidance of Prof Barlow), working on the structure and function of the central part of complement factor H. After his studies, Dr. Schmidt moved to the US for his postdoc, where he worked at the innate immunity/protein chemistry laboratory (under the guidance of Prof Lambris), working on developing a complement inhibitor.
Since 2017 he has been a group leader at the Institute of Pharmacology of Natural Products and Clinical Pharmacology at Ulm University in Germany. From April 2023, he has been appointed as a Professor of Biochemical Pharmacy at the Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, where he and his team use numerous biochemical and biophysical techniques to investigate the complement system to design new therapeutic molecules. His work has made fundamental contributions to the complement field, which includes his extensive work on how the cascade is organized and regulated.
Message Presenter
Dr. Előd Körtvély, Principal Scientist, Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center
Előd Körtvély is Principal Scientist at Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED) at Roche Innovation Center in Basel, Switzerland. He studied molecular biology at University Szeged, Hungary where he also received his PhD working on neurobiology. After his studies, Előd joined Prof. Ueffing’s group at Helmholtz Center, Munich, Germany studying the molecular mechanisms driving the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). He developed an interest in the role of the complement system at the Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Tuebingen, Germany. He joined the Roche Ophthalmology discovery team six years ago, where he has been working on various projects. As a Principal Scientist, Előd and his team are responsible for developing molecules targeting the complement system.
Message Presenter
Dr. Sandra Wymann, Senior Manager, Translational Research, CSL Behring AG
Sandra Wymann is Senior Manager Translational Research at CSL Behring AG. She studied medical microbiology and immunology at the University of Bern in Switzerland. Her thesis was focused on Analysis of the Monomeric and the Dimeric Fraction of Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIg). After that she received her PhD in immunology at the University of Bern in Switzerland working on the biological effects of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) and IVIg fractions.
In 2009 she joined CSL Behring AG where she has worked on translational research in various projects, mainly focusing on complement analyses during the last nine years. In her current role as Senior Manager of Translational Research, Sandra Wymann and her team are responsible for developing biomarker strategies for clinical studies as well as in vitro analytics in patient samples derived from non-interventional and observational studies.
Message PresenterWho Should Attend?
This webinar will be of interest to Principal and Senior Scientists working in biomedical research, as well as those with the following job titles who are working with the complement system:
- Research Lab Managers
- Cluster Heads
- Medical Advisors
- Academic Scientists
- Post-Docs
- CEOs/CSOs of Pharma Companies
- Clinical Research Associate
What You Will Learn
Attendees will gain insights into:
- The complement therapeutics landscape
- The different stages of drug development and the experiences of the panelists within these stages
- The importance of understanding the complement-related adverse effects in modern therapeutic approaches
- The tools used in drug development, especially functional assays, and how these can support the development of next-generation complement therapeutics
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