Turning Setbacks into Success: Translational Science in Action

Discover the crucial role of translational science and how laboratory findings are transformed into patient treatments. This session emphasises strategic decisions necessary for successful drug development and discuss case studies where initial failures led to unexpected opportunities. Gain practical insights from a real-world case study on adapting and advancing in the field.

Speaker: John Dulos

With a PhD in Immunology from Utrecht University, John has 30+ years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry.

John has ample expertise and proven track record in research and development and translational science in the industry setting (Organon, Schering Plough, MSD/Merck, Crucell/Johnson & Johnson, TNO Triskelion, Aduro/Chinook and Galapagos) in various disease areas, e.g. cancer (-immunotherapy), autoimmune-, infectious- and muscular and fibrotic kidney diseases.

• Co-inventor and translational lead of anti-PD1 pembrolizumab (Keytruda, MSD/Merck) and awarded inventor of the year in cancer immunotherapy by the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation in 2016
• Co-inventor and project/translational lead of anti-APRIL (BION-1301) for the subcutaneous treatment of IgA Nephropathy which is currently in phase 3 clinical trials at Novartis
• Co-inventor and translational lead of GLPG1972 for the treatment of Duchenne Muscular- and Kidney-diseases
• Currently translational lead for small molecules, biologics antibodies and ATMPs in immunology and oncology at Galapagos

Key learnings:

• Developing a clear translational plan early on
• How clinical failures can redirect to new opportunities
• Utilising multidisciplinary teams for development
• De-risk by applying patient stratification and biomarker strategy