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Drugs targeting multiple kinases, angiogenesis inhibitors, cervical cancer vaccines, breast cancer theranostics, inhalable insulin, and even a brand new treatment for alcoholism: With these types of advances rolling out, it's clear that the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries are continuing to both improve human health and grow new
businesses.
Most people in the field, however, would say it's harder and harder to get those products to market. Dramatic change has occurred, and more is coming. Big companies keep merging, and new technologies keep emerging. Many recently introduced tools
-- such as biomarkers and RNAi -- are true paradigm changers, leading to alterations in the entire R&D structure and through to the
clinic.
Outside influences are also increasingly important. The public is more suspicious than ever of drug makers' motives and more worried about who will pay for new medical advances. No matter what is proposed, it invariably seems unjust to
someone.
All that background helps explain what we will cover. In each issue, we'll describe breakthrough tools and strategies to improve pharmaceutical discovery and development. We will help you understand the best ways to use those tools. And we'll provide a look at where these fields are going, what's still left to be done, and who is farthest ahead in working on those lingering
problems.
But what about the more complicated question
-- Why? We embarked on this project because for the last 14 years Cambridge Healthtech Institute (CHI) has been working hand in hand with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, tool makers, service suppliers, and academics working throughout life sciences. During those years, we have produced more than 400 conferences on everything from QTPCR to drug development in Asia.It's been a breathtaking journey. We hosted some of the earliest meetings on genomic technologies, watching that field soar, plummet, and then reach equilibrium. We also witnessed firsthand RNAi's meteoric rise, the recent dreadful string of drug safety debacles, and the FDA's bold efforts to find some practical solutions to the pharmaceutical industry's worst
problems.
Throughout these ups and downs, CHI has been right in step with our audience. Our experienced staff and their broad network of expert advisors have helped us become the leader in drug discovery and development-related conferences; now we will be able to extend that lead into the world of publishing. We aim to make
Pharma DD your leading source of information and insight about the vital tools, strategies, and developments influencing your projects. This magazine is for decision makers in discovery, development, technology assessment, or licensing at established companies. If you are starting a company, trying to reengineer one, or putting up the funding for one, our magazine should also become a must-read for
you.
More than 50,000 attendees have already participated in past CHI conferences. In the coming year alone, we'll organize more than 200 days of conference programming. As a result, we have already met, or will meet, many of you in person. This magazine will help us forge even more new connections with this exciting
community.
It is with great pleasure that we launch this new magazine, which is currently on a bi-monthly publication schedule. This, our special May
"pre-launch" edition, provides a taste of what's ahead. Our next issue will be available in July 2006. Editor-in-Chief Malorye A. Branca has more than 15 years of experience following this industry. She looks forward to receiving your comments and suggestions so that this publication can be an invaluable tool that you look forward to
receiving.
Phillips
Kuhl
President, Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Publisher, Pharma DD
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