E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

Life in the pharmaceutical Life in the pharmaceutical industryindustry

Elizabeth YoungLead Generation Biology

AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

Presentation OverviewPresentation OverviewMy background

Motivation

AstraZeneca

Drug Discovery Process

A Life in the Day

Industry & AcademiaAdvantages & Disadvantages

A career @ AstraZenecaWhat is required?

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

My backgroundMy backgroundBSc Biological Sci (Hons) 1986-1989

Leicester University

Merck Sharp & Dohme 1989-1991Terlings Park

PhD Insulin signalling 1991-1994Bristol University

Parke-Davis 1994-2000Cambridge UK

AstraZeneca 2000-Loughborough

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

SabbaticalSabbatical

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

Why industry?Why industry?

Application of biological sciences to development of product to meet medical need

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

AstraZeneca International AstraZeneca International

http://www.astrazeneca.com

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

AstraZeneca International AstraZeneca International

http://www.astrazeneca.com

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

Facts & FiguresFacts & Figures

More than 65,000 employees worldwide*18% in the UK, 21% in Sweden, 21% in the US, 40% rest of the world

$15 million every working day on new medicines R&D*

14-18% sales re-invested in R&D$1 billion idea → market

*Source http://www.astrazeneca.com

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

Drugs cost moneyDrugs cost money……1 in 10 drugs in Phase I clinical trials get to market33% marketed drugs do not breakevenBreakeven takes 5-7 yrs from launch1 in 10 marketed drugs is a Blockbuster

More than $1 billion of revenue pa– Lipitor $12b pa

Marketing & sales in 1st yr launch = total R&D spend on drug

4 HTS → 1 Lead Optimisation Project1 HTS >0.5 million compounds

Early failure desirableCost rises as project advances

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

AstraZeneca: People, Culture & ValuesAstraZeneca: People, Culture & ValuesPeople are “most valued resource”Development

Help employees deliver their best & achieve potentialTailored plans for the individualManagement supports learning & development

RewardNot only remunerationFlexibility is an important feature Introduction of choice

ValuesCommitment to Competitiveness & Performance

– Should not compromise Values– Integrity, high ethical standards– Respect individual & environment– Openness, honesty, trust & support each other– Leadership by example @ all levels

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

AstraZeneca: People, Culture & ValuesAstraZeneca: People, Culture & ValuesCommunication

Open & varied lines of communication– Business developments– Roles & targets aligned to Business

Feedback– 2-yearly global employee survey

LeadershipGlobal programmes

– Leadership capabilities– Management skills

WellbeingGlobal Health, Safety & Welfare initiatives

– Work/Life balance promoted– Flexible working

– Charnwood WellBeing Centre

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

AZ Charnwood onAZ Charnwood on--site gymsite gym

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

AstraZeneca R&D CharnwoodAstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

AstraZeneca R&D CharnwoodAstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

Situated on the edge of Loughborough NW Leicestershire28 ha site bordering open meadowland

R&D site– Respiratory & Inflammatory Research Areas

Loughborough’s 2nd largest employer – 1,200 staff– High local profile– Community projects

– “Groundforce” Day @ local children’s special school

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

GroundforceGroundforce Day @ ChildrenDay @ Children’’s Homes Home

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

Drug Discovery ProcessDrug Discovery Process

Pre-CDLead OptimisationHitIdentification

LeadIdentification

Target Identification& Validation

Clinical Dev & Trials Market

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

Lead Generation ProcessLead Generation Process

DISCOVERY DEVELOPMENT

1 2 3 4 5 6 8 97

PrincipleTest.

ConceptTest.

Dev. ForLaunch

LaunchPhase

ProductLCM

CDPre.

LeadOpt.

LeadId.

HitId.

TargetId.

1 2 2.5 3 4 5TG

MS

Lead GenerationLead Generation

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

Lead Generation TermsLead Generation TermsActive

Compound showing activity in a specific target screenOften the output of an HTS

– X % efficacy @ 10 μM

Hit (the basis of an Lead Identification project)Compound with confirmed structure & purity having clear concentration-response activity in follow up screens IC50 10 μM (pIC50 5.0) in a cell-based assay

Lead (the basis of an Lead Optimisation project)Compound amenable to chemical modifications resulting in improved activity & selectivityOne of a set of related compounds displaying a Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR)

– IC50 0.1 μM (pIC50 7.0) in a cell-based assay– Suitable for oral dosing as an investigative tool

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

A life in the dayA life in the day……Laboratory

Compounds arriveAssemble assay

– E.g. cells + compoundsCapture dataAssay development

OfficeData analysisWrite-up & uploadDiscussion with colleaguesSelect compounds for progressionLiterature searchingNew project ideasMeetings

– Team, project, dept, safety etc

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

Industry v AcademiaIndustry v Academia

Advantages

Disadvantages

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

AdvantagesAdvantagesApplied Research

End product Working towards improving people’s QoL

FacilitiesEquipmentGlobal Compound, Reagents & Data collections

Multidisciplinary environment

Commercial environment

BudgetsNo grant applications

New projects

CompensationChoice

– Cash + pension, retail & childcare vouchers, bikes, holiday……

Flexible workingPerformance bonus

– Cash– Shares

Career opportunitieswomen (& men) with familiesDiverse opportunities (e.g.lab & non-lab based)

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

DisadvantagesDisadvantages

Commercial environment

Mergers & Acquisitions

Budgets

Changing projects

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

A career @ AstraZenecaA career @ AstraZeneca

What is required?1st or 2.1 degree &/or PhD

– appropriate subjectPractical experience

– Sandwich year– Work experience

Hugely competitive3 posts, >100 applicants

http://www.astrazeneca.com

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

The 100The 100thth Charnwood HTS: rewarding effortCharnwood HTS: rewarding effort

E A Young AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

Industrial (AZ)Adrian FreemanDavid KeelingJohn Unitt

AcademiaGary Willars, University of LeicesterKen Young, MRC Toxicology, Leicester