Health care sector summits from the marcus evans group.
Archive for July, 2011
Discovery Summit 2011
Jul 6th
Merck on Integrating Drug Discovery
| Johan Luthman, a speaker at the marcus evans Discovery Summit 2011, discusses how integrating drug discovery processes could reap better target identification results. Interview with: Johan Luthman, Early Development Program Leader, Neuroscience & Ophthalmology Research and Development, Merck |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Keep drug discovery focused and integrated, advises Johan Luthman, Early Development Program Leader, Neuroscience & Ophthalmology Research and Development, Merck. The separation in drug discovery of biologics, small molecules and other therapeutic entities is not justified in an industry that is challenged with rising costs and high attrition rates. Major benefits can be achieved by flexible organizational models that focus on the therapeutic question, rather than the drug modality.
A speaker at the upcoming marcus evans Discovery Summit 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada, September 26-28, Luthman shares his expertise on biomarkers and discusses what could help speed up drug discovery.
What can drug discovery scientists learn from your experience with biomarkers?
Johan Luthman: There are three ways of applying biomarkers. First as translational approaches, as a bridge between in vitro and in vivo pre-clinical assays and model systems, to early clinical readouts when examining target engagement and mechanism of action/pharmacodynamic effects. Secondly during the early development stage, as part of the stop-go decision platforms, and thirdly in the late-stage clinical trial, at best as companion diagnostics or at least as supportive read-outs for filing of a drug.
The last application is the most challenging one. It requires extensive qualification work to find how the biomarker links to either the disease (diagnostic biomarkers) or the efficacy of the target on the disease pathophysiology (prognostic biomarkers).
The first two steps tend to be internal activities, since they are intimately linked to drug targets and compounds, while companies may collaborate with academia or other companies in disease biomarker qualification efforts.
The biggest challenge is getting enough data to establish a predictive biomarker. This work can seldom be done by a single company. It has to involve a large patient population, replication and tight interaction with regulatory agencies to discuss their views on the maturity of qualification. This is often done within the framework of pre-competitive consortia; however, by definition drugs are seldom used in such pre-competitive efforts. The linking of the biomarker effect to the drug effect has to be done within a competitive environment.
What would help speed up drug discovery?
Johan Luthman: The industry is struggling in validating targets. This is not new, but attrition rates in the last five to ten years have shown us that we are picking the wrong targets.
We have been too rational in our drug discovery efforts. Diseases are complex. Picking one target and optimizing drugs around it is not working.
There is a requirement for consorted action on several different targets. We talk about Systems Biology and Integrated Biology, but it is difficult to put those into platforms that are solid and translatable. Integrating complex biology into efficient drug hunting is a very difficult task.
We have also learned the hard way that human diseases cannot be modelled sufficiently in animals and even less so in vitro. We must bridge the gap between the animal-induced pathology and human disease pathology. Therefore, most approaches today are not based on modelling diseases in animals, but on key aspects of a disease pathophysiology and even just key physiological processes. We are down to a much more mechanistic pharmacodynamic approach in our models today.
What opportunities can Chief Scientific Officers take advantage of?
Johan Luthman: Finding good targets requires further “humanizing” in the discovery arena. Bringing in more human tissues and “humanized” assays.
Most companies have been poor in how they characterize their drugs pre-clinically. For example, many diseases we work on are chronic diseases but we still evaluate them using acute or semi-acute dosing in pre-clinical systems. We need to think how drugs are used clinically, and apply fully integrated PK(exposure)/PD modelling.
What best practices would you recommend?
Johan Luthman: We need to collaborate more with academia or other basic science groups for obtaining an excellent understanding of the molecular pathophysiology of diseases and how to best apply pre-clinical technical platforms.
Research teams should stay focused on one particular disease at a time, to mature in their thinking and understanding of the disease. People should not be moved between targets and diseases.
Be completely unbiased in terms of therapeutic agents. The separation of biologics, small molecules and other therapeutic entities is not justified. We should fully integrate drug discovery, to attack diseases by all means possible.
Contact: Sarin Kouyoumdjian-Gurunlian, Press Manager, marcus evans, Summits Division
Tel: + 357 22 849 313
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com
About the Discovery Summit 2011
This unique forum will take place at the Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa, Las Vegas, Nevada, September 26-28, 2011. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event. The Summit includes presentations on translating epigenetics into drug discovery, collaborating with the external environment – capitalizing on the benefits of working with academia and introducing biomarkers to minimize drug discovery timelines, costs and improve clinical success rates.
For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com or visit the event website
marcus evans group – life sciences / pharma sector portal
Complementing our summit format, the Pharma Network – marcus evans Summits group delivers peer-to-peer information on strategic matters, professional trends and breakthrough innovations. Lend an ear to fellow experts and live news from our events on our LinkedIn and Twitter accounts!
Please note that the summit is a closed business event and the number of participants strictly limited.
About marcus evans Summits
marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-on-one business meetings. For more information, please visit www.marcusevans.com
All rights reserved. The above content may be republished or reproduced – kindly inform us by sending an email to press@marcusevanscy.com
National Healthcare Summits
Jul 4th
Medical Business Resources, Inc: Boosting Hospital Reimbursement
| Eric Whitrock of Medical Business Resources, Inc., a solution provider at marcus evans National Healthcare CXO and National Healthcare CFO Summits in 2011 and 2012, on automated solutions for reducing the reimbursement gap in healthcare organizations. Interview with: Eric Whitrock, President, Medical Business Resources, Inc. |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Quality of care and cash flow are the lifeblood of healthcare organizations, says Eric Whitrock, President, Medical Business Resources, Inc. However, the seven largest insurers incorrectly pay one in five claims according to the American Medical Association. Reducing this gap in reimbursement is critical, Whitrock adds.
Medical Business Resources, Inc. will be attending the upcoming marcus evans National Healthcare CXO Summit Fall 2011, National Healthcare CFO Summit Fall 2011, National Healthcare CXO Summit Spring 2012, National Healthcare CFO Summit Spring 2012, National Healthcare CXO Summit Fall 2012 and National Healthcare CFO Summit Fall 2012. Ahead of these Summits, Whitrock offers his insights into boosting hospital reimbursement for services provided.
How can healthcare organizations improve their reimbursement rate?
Eric Whitrock: Healthcare organizations need to get data from their patient accounting system, and analyze it for payment patterns by each insurance company. This will identify the accounts that do not meet historic criteria for performance.
For example, if on average the hospital has been reimbursed for 40 per cent of service charges, a percentage lower than that should hit its radar screen.
Healthcare organizations are commonly underpaid due to missing documentation or because the insurance company was waiting for a response of some kind in order to release full or any payment. Our software finds these “needles in the haystack” which they can then follow up on to collect any amounts deficient.
How can this be avoided altogether?
Eric Whitrock: There is a constant process improvement initiative to discover the reasons behind deficient payments. This information would help catch these gaps upstream.
The recovery record of our clients is so accurate, that in essence there is no need for our regular involvement after a few years. But there is a need for the software.
What cost reduction strategies would you suggest?
Eric Whitrock: We recommend developing teams of large balance, middle-balance and low-balance teams who specialize in balance sizes. Amongst those, teams who specialize in particular financial classes such as Medicare, Medicaid or specific insurance providers.
Having the best talent on the largest balances would make the organization more efficient. Most of our clients get more than 80 per cent of their cash from around 20 per cent of their claims, by using the AnswerData suite of software developed by MBR. Deploying employees more strategically and effectively would help get better results.
To improve cash flows and save even more money, we also utilize a strategy whereby we determine the net cash yield value of a population of claims in the revenue cycle, instead of just the balance. This makes it 30 to 40 per cent more effective.
If you were to give one piece of advice to hospital CEOs and CFOs, what would that be?
Eric Whitrock: Benchmark, benchmark, benchmark.
At a glance reports with key financial indicators would help healthcare CFOs and CEOs see how their hospital is performing. Are they going in the right direction?
Can they track their total volume at a glance and analyze patient traffic patterns by zip code? That is very important for CEOs planning acquisitions and expansions. Analyzed data will give different results than if only geography was analyzed.
Contact:
Sarin Kouyoumdjian-Gurunlian
Press Manager
marcus evans, Summits Division
Tel: + 357 22 849 313
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com
For more information on the marcus evans Healthcare Summits, please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com or visit the website
marcus evans group – healthcare sector portal
About Medical Business Resources, Inc.
Medical Business Resources provides the tools and services for healthcare providers to improve net cash receipts and accelerate the revenue cycle. Through the innovation of the AnswerData suite of analytical products, MBR offers exceptional and state-of-the-art advantages to ensure satisfaction and create long term financial and quality of care sustainability.
www.mbrus.com
About marcus evans Summits
marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-on-one business meetings. For more information, please visit www.marcusevans.com
Follow us on Twitter @meSummitsGlobal
All rights reserved. The above content may be republished or reproduced – kindly inform us by sending an email to press@marcusevanscy.com