In this webinar, Professor Alexander Breeze provides a historical context for the development of modern biopharmaceutical drug discovery pathways. He compares and contrasts the evolution of biologics (large molecule) development with that of ‘traditional’ small molecule pharma R&D, from which the biopharmaceuticals processes have largely been modelled and adapted.

In this presentation, we explore the scientific and clinical challenges, attrition/risk profiles, economic drivers, and licensing approaches across the key stages in discovery and development for the two contrasting modalities of therapeutic agent. Along the way, Professor Breeze touches on the factors behind the rapid rise in prominence of biopharmaceuticals, as well as the reasons that, despite this apparent conquest by biologics, small molecule therapeutics will remain an important tool in the clinician’s armoury.

Speaker: Professor Alexander L. Breeze, Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds

Chair: Professor Lynne Cox, University of Oxford