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3rd Annual Meeting of the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society
October 4-6, 2007, Langenbeck-Virchow-Auditorium, Berlin
Outline
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second meeting of the Oligonucleotide Therapeutic Society that was coorganized by the New York Academy of Sciences in 2005 and 2006 at the Rockefeller University in New York.
Background
Protein drugs such as antibodies successfully entered the clinic. There is much excitment about a next wave of innovation that is expected to come from the second major group of macromolecules: nucleic acids. While gene therapeutic approaches use long nucleic acid molecules, this meeting focusses on the development of short synthetic nucleic acids, so-called oligonucleotides.
The first FDA-approved oligonucleotides, an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide and an aptamer oligodeoxynucleotide, i) confirm the use of antisense and aptamer technologies; ii) they confirm the general applicability of oligonucleotides as drugs and pave the way for major innovation expected from two rapidly evolving nucleic acid-based fields:
- RNA interference (RNAi) The mechanism of RNAi is a breakthrough in understanding biology and for its basic discovery the 2006 nobel prize for medicine has been awarded. Micro-RNA is responsible for RNAi-based physiological regulation of gene expression in many tissues. Short interfering RNA (siRNA) is a powerful RNAi-based technology for silencing of target genes.
- Immunorecognition of nucleic acids Immunorecognition of nucleic acids is based on a completely different mechanism of action: a number of highly specialized protein receptors that recognize certain characteristics of viral nucleic acids trigger a coordinated pattern of antiviral immune responses. Oligonucleotide ligands for those immunoreceptors entered clinical trials. CpG oligonucleotides are currently examined in phase III clinical trials.
Objectives
This meeting is dedicated to oligonucleotides. Oligonucleotides are the molecular basis for a wide spectrum of developments such as antisense, ribozymes, aptamer, spiegelmers, siRNA and immunorecognition of nucleic acids. Those technologies share chemistry, delivery, pharmacokinetics and toxicology of oligonucleotides. Moreover, biological and pharmacodynamic activities may overlap depending on the type of oligonucleotide used.
By bringing together the worlds leading experts in these areas of research we expect strong synergies between different oligonucleotide-based disciplines.
The program of this meeting intends to foster interdisciplinary communication and cooperation that will boost progress in the development of oligonucleotide therapeutics for the benefit of patients awaiting innovative and effective treatment.
Topics
The First Session of the Meeting on Thursday Morning will be dedicated to Clinical Applications of Oligonucleotide Drugs.
The Second Session of the academic program on Thursday afternoon is dedicated to oligonucleotide chemistry.
The Third Session Friday morning addresses basic mechanisms of gene silencing including micro-RNA.
The Fourth Session Friday afternoon is focussed on recent developments in immunorecognition of nucleic acids.
Late Friday afternoon the Fifth Session covers new technologies regarding oligonucleotide delivery.
Saturday morning the Sixth Session is on oligonucleotide-guided gene silencing, and in the afternoon, the Seventh Session is on preclinical models and clinical programs in both gene silencing (part I) and immunostimulation (part II).
With this program the meeting will integrate basic science, drug discovery, and preclinical and clinical research on oligonucleotides, so that those working in academic and industry settings can develop a mutual understanding of the various technologies offered. In addition the conference will foster the employment of oligonucleotides in scientific research and as therapeutic agents in molecular medicine.
