Bio Neuroscience Global Summit, Amsterdam

Drug development in the CNS area is undergoing a renaissance and the recent Bio Neuroscience Global Summit, organized by Broadreach Global and hosted by Amsterdam Neuroscience was an excellent testimony to that. Taking place 14-15 February, the Summit reviewed both the trajectory of science in neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases, methods of enhancing patient selection and clinical trials design, precision medicine approaches in psychiatry, gene therapy and advanced therapies in neurodegenerative disease. It went on to discuss strategies to advance the project pipeline and develop startup – industry relations.

A number of impressive young companies made their pitches, including NRG/ Therapeutics, GAIN Therapeutics, a:head Bio, NeuroSoV, PharmaKure, Stalicla, Neurodex, Golgi Neurosciences, Synendos Therapeutics AG, Mireca Medicines, Kasvu Therapeutics, 2N Pharma, NEGEV Labs, Draig Therapeutis, Pathios Therapeutics. Some of the most prominent investors in the CNS space were in the room and on the podium to share their perspective and expectations. The special nature of the event was surely anchored in Christian Suojonen’s unique convening and moderating skills.

NeuroCentury’s Paweł Świeboda spoke in the opening panel on “CNS Neurosciences and Psychiatry – the need for a new generation of novel therapeutics and the policy and ecosystem requirements to accelerate development”.

iIt was clear in the discussions that the new dynamic in the field is fueled by advances in science but also factors such as the new insights in patient stratification and new ways of delivering molecules. It was noted on numerous occasions that the novelty lies in the growing ability to understand the underlying biology. The latter allows for a more granular approach in drug development, focused on targeting key receptors.