Medicon Valley Alliance and Evotec would like to welcome you to a Boost Seminar 24th of November 2026.
Attrition remains one of the biggest costs in drug R&D, and the later a programme fails, the greater the cost, both financially and in terms of delayed treatment opportunities for patients. Many of the risks behind late failures are visible much earlier, if the right questions are asked in time.
In this Boost Seminar, Evotec scientists follow the path of programs from discovery through preclinical development to the clinic. They show where early decisions change later outcomes: New Approach Methodologies (NAM) for early safety assessment, CNS programmes de-risking through PK-PD, relevant translational models and biomarkers. They then will discuss how an integrated view of risk across disciplines and stages turns assessment into strategic decisions and a solid development plan.
Expect case studies, an open panel discussion, and lunch with the speakers.
Date: Tuesday 24th of November 2026
Time: 8:30 – 13:00
Venue: Medicon Valley Alliance, Arne Jacobsens Allé 15, 2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark – Hub2 Auditorium
Program
| 8:30 | Networking, registration and light breakfast |
| 9:00 | Welcome and introduction to Medicon Valley Alliance David Munis Zepernick, Director, Member Engagement & Communication, Medicon Valley Alliance |
| 9:05 | Welcome note Tim Potter, Senior VP Sales Business Development, Evotec |
| 9:15 | De-risking early with New Approach Methodologies Target safety assessment, NAMS for organ toxicity and mechanism of action, risk assessed before costly studies. With case studies Paul Walker, VP, Head of Toxicology and Innovation, Cyprotex |
| 9:45 | Increasing probability of success for Drug Discovery projects in the Neuroscience area Focus will be on strategies to improve the chances of progressing novel targets through the Drug Discovery process towards clinical success. Topics will include the importance of a robust PK/PD strategy, use of relevant translational models to bridge the preclinical/clinical interface and case studies outlining the successful translation of novel therapeutic approaches to patients. Phil Gerrard, SVP Translational Sciences, Evotec |
| 10:15 | Coffee and Networking |
| 10:30 | Biomarkers for earlier, better decisions Focus on TE/PD biomarkers in late discovery and early clinical trials to show whether a drug works in a human setting. Showing case studies for Neurology, and Immunology with a focus on protein measurements with ultra-high sensitivity and new techniques. Elizabeth van der Kam, SVP Precision Medicine, Evotec, Evotec |
| 11:00 | Continuous De-risking from Candidate Selection to Clinics Focus on a broader, vertically and horizontally integrated approach to de-risking as a continuous process from candidate selection through preclinical development and First-in-Human studies. Holistic risk assessment is translated into strategic decisions and risk mitigation plans that build confidence, strengthen asset value, and accelerate clinical progression. Bozena Adamczyk, VP, Head of Integrated Development Programmes, Evotec |
| 11:30 | Q&A Panel Discussion |
| 12:15 | Lunch & Networking |
| 13:00 | End of Boost Seminar |
Speakers
 |
Elizabeth van der Kam, SVP Precision Medicine, Evotec, Evotec
Elizabeth van der Kam leads the Translational Biomarkers department at Evotec. Her global team discovers, develops, and validates biomarker assays to support research and clinical trials across therapeutic areas. The group provides biomarker consultancy and expertise in immunoassays, Olink, ISH/IHC, FACS, human sample access, and strategy design. They support over 60 clients annually, develop more than 1,000 assays, and manage over 30 clinical studies. Elizabeth holds a PhD in Neuropharmacology and has over 18 years of pharmaceutical industry experience.
|
 |
Paul Walker, VP, Head of Toxicology and Innovation, Cyprotex (an Evotec company)
Paul Walker joined Cyprotex in 2010 and holds the position of VP, Head of Toxicology and Innovation Efficiency. Within this role, he is responsible for the R&D strategy, operations and project management in the Toxicology and Permeability and Transporter Groups. In 2005, Paul obtained his PhD from King’s College London in Molecular Toxicology and, during this time, was awarded the Tadion-Rideal prize for molecular sciences. His research interests have focused on the role of drug metabolism in drug toxicity and in vitro assays to predict toxicity in early drug discovery (New approach methodologies; NAMs). Paul’s team at Cyprotex are focused on: 1. Developing and evaluating novel cellular systems to improve the prediction of toxicity. 2. Evaluating current industry utilized mechanistic endpoint assays in predicting toxicity. 3. The importance of drug metabolism and appropriate cellular models in our mechanistic understanding of toxicity. 4. Integrating in vivo exposure in interpretation of in vitro data, and 5. Modeling approaches combining ADME, PK, Omics technologies and in vitro toxicity assays to assess off and on target safety liabilities. |
 |
Phil Gerrard, SVP Translational Sciences, Evotec
Phil Gerrard is a Translational Sciences leader with more than 38 years of experience in CNS drug discovery and development. He trained in the UK and holds a BSc in Pharmacology and a PhD in Neuroscience and has occupied leadership positions in GlaxoSmithKline, Aptuit and Evotec. Throughout his career, he has contributed to the development of therapies across Neurology and Psychiatry, including programs in neurodegeneration, mood disorders, sleep disorders and addiction. Currently based in Verona, Italy, he leads Translational Science teams across Italy and Germany supporting Neuroscience Drug Discovery and provides Consultancy for clients across the globe. Phil is an experienced scientific leader, published author, and invited speaker at international conferences. |
 |
Bozena Adamczyk , VP, Head of Integrated Development Programmes, Evotec
Bozena Adamczyk is a senior leader with more than 25 years of experience advancing molecules from discovery through integrated development, including preclinical, CMC, regulatory, and compliance activities. She joined Evotec in 2012 and currently holds the position of Vice President, Head of Integrated Development Programs. In this role, she is responsible for scientific project strategy and leads a team of Scientific Project Leaders who integrate scientific, technical, and operational functions across complex programs, accelerating delivery through tailored development strategies, data-driven decision-making, and proactive risk management. She holds an M.Sc. in Pharmacy from Jagiellonian University (Poland), a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Technology from Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), and an M.Sc. in Quality by Design (QbD) from the De Montfort University (UK). She is an author of scientific publications and patents and is certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP), Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Program Manager, and Risk Manager.
|
| Organized by | In collaboration with |
 |
 |