The Drug Development Process - From Discovery to Commercialization™

Course Description

The drug development process involves a series of lengthy steps that determine the degree of success for every drug brought to the market. Decisions made throughout the process affect every aspect of future development and impact heavily on commercialization strategies.

Included in the course content is an overview of the regulatory and pre-marketing steps that occur to ensure a successful launch. The course also covers sales planning and the commercialization decisions that affect the development of the drug.

Topics include:

• Basic concepts of drug discovery and testing
• Scientific, regulatory, and management framework for modern pharmaceutical development
• Pre-clinical study requirements and how information gathered is used for human clinical studies
• The four major clinical phases (1-4) in the drug development process and the rationale for each and an introduction to the special problems of each phase
• The economics of drug development
• Cost/benefit issues in clinical development
• Discovery and development milestones
• The IND Process
• The NDA Process
• FDA Interactions – Application review and approval process
• Patents and exclusivity
• The rationale of government regulations and how they effect the development process
• The relationship between the Code of Federal Regulations and ICH GCP
• Designing optimal clinical trials
• Drug labeling, marketing, and pharmacoeconomic studies
• Project management cross functional teams during the development process

Who Should Attend

Designed for employees who need an understanding of the drug development process, this course provides a detailed picture of the complex and highly interrelated activities of the development cycle for drugs and biologics, from discovery to a successful commercialization. The training will be beneficial for anyone involved in the R&D process. It can also be customized for marketing & sales personnel who need to understand that actions taken during the development process have a significant effect on sales and marketing strategies.

Typical attendees include:

• Research & development scientists
• Clinical monitors and research associates
• Medical and clinical investigators and study coordinators
• Physicians & medical liaisons
• Statisticians & data management professionals
• CMC/pharmaceutical research professionals
• Regulatory affairs professionals
• Project managers
• Financial managers
• Brand team personnel
• Senior sales managers
• Strategic planners

A shorter on-site version of this course is available for administrative/support personnel or those new to the life sciences industry who require an understanding of the steps and terminology used in the development process. We can customize the program to meet the specific needs of your personnel.

Learning Objectives

This course provides an understanding of the interrelated activities throughout the drug development cycle and is designed for R&D, operations and/or marketing and sales management. This course serves as an introduction to the drug development process and will familiarize participants with the steps involved in developing a drug from Discovery to Commercialization. The course is often customized to address specific organizational, departmental or functional issues.

Past Participants' Comments

"This course should be mandatory for all professionals who wish to gain a comprehensive understanding of the Pharmaceutical Industry!" Dr. Asher H., Associate Medical Director, Sanofi-Synthelabo

"This is a wonderful course. I always work in a lab and see only a small part of the whole process of drug development. Now I know my "position" in the whole picture. It makes work more meaningful and enjoyable." Fong Z., Senior Scientist, Shire Labs

"This is a very good course that allows one to fully understand the drug development process. ANYONE who works for a pharmaceutical company should attend this course. The knowledge that I gained during this course will help me to assist not only my boss, the president of the company, but also other staff members in the company." Hiromi G., Executive Assistant, Kyowa Pharmaceutical, Inc.

"I will be going back to my organization and recommending that we have this course delivered in-house for the benefit of a wide number of our associates. The Course Director was very knowledgeable and his ability to communicate his expertise in GCPs would complement our clinical efforts. The GMP aspects of drug development will give us a better appreciation of the "big picture" and how one’s work fits into the overall process leading up to the approval of the NDA." Ruth M., Assistant Director Pharmaceutical Analysis, Shire Labs.

"I think this course is extremely useful. It provides a good overview of the drug development process, which is very helpful for me to look at in a big picture. The Course Director is very knowledgeable and answered all the questions being asked. I look forward to more courses presented by CfPIE." Wu Y., Sr. Scientist, Allergan

"A very comprehensive overview of the Drug Development Process, and was particularly strong regarding the IND and NDA process." Richard E., Manager, Compliance & Training, Sanofi Pasteur