Medical University of Warsaw
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On the search for new drugs - a lecture by Prof. Oliver Plettenburg

Opublikowano:
A man speaking into a microphone, dressed in a suit. Behind him, a screen with a multimedia presentation. In the foreground, from behind, the heads of the audience.
Prof. Plettenburg is the head of the Institute of Medicinal Chemistry, operating within the Helmholtz Zentrum Munich - one of Germany's most recognizable health and environmental research centers. Prof. Plettenburg visited our university at the invitation of the MUW Doctoral School. On Thursday, June 1, he gave a lecture entitled "Drug Discovery in Industry and Academia - from Conceptualization to new Mechanisms and new Modalities."

Prof. Oliver Plettenburg is a specialist in the search for new substances with potential therapeutic use in humans. He gained his experience both in academia (including Scrips Research Institue, now Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen) and in the research laboratories of pharmaceutical companies (including Sanofi).

Search for new drugs

In the first part of the lecture, Prof. Plettenburg focused on discussing how new drugs are developed and the current trends. He also talked about the pitfalls and hopes associated with this process. As someone with ties to both academia and innovation companies, he shared a lot of valuable advice with the audience.

In search of the perfect harmony of the properties of a new substance

In the next part of the seminar, the speaker discussed in detail the parameters of the molecule of the future drug that determine its success in preclinical studies. These include the strength of interaction with the molecular target, parameters of absorption, distribution, metabolism and pharmacokinetics. In addition, he showed how to modify these properties during the process of so-called "optimization of the molecule" to achieve the desired therapeutic properties in target tissues and organs.

Drug from "idea to industry"

Summing up his speech, Prof. Plettenburg pointed out that in the process of discovering and implementing new drugs, while academia and industry represent different approaches and goals, they often complement each other. He cited the discovery of new molecular targets as an example of the important role of university researchers. He also mentioned examples of cutting-edge therapeutic strategies, such as PROTACS, drug-antibody conjugates or RNA-based drugs, whose discovery and development were made possible by the significant involvement of the academic community.

 

A man with a beard speaks into a microphone. In his hand he holds a briefcase. Next to him is a desk with a computer, behind him a white wall on which hangs the WUM emblem.
A standing man dressed in a suit. He looks at a multimedia screen with a presentation and speaks into a microphone. Behind him sit male lecture participants.
A standing man dressed in a suit. He looks at a multimedia screen with a presentation and speaks into a microphone. Behind him sits a group of various people, participants in the lecture. In the background is a white wall with the WUM emblem.