Monrovia, CA -- (SBWire) -- 03/21/2012 --Richard Lewis, Principal Scientist, Amgen to give a Presentation on “The Discovery & Optimisation of a Novel Class of Potent, Selective and Orally Bioavailable Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) Inhibitors with Potential Utility for the Treatment of Cancer” at the 7th Protein Kinases in Drug Discovery Conference (May 30-31, 2012 in Boston, MA)

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) is an attractive therapeutic target in Oncology. Cytogenetic translocations and inversions are known to lead to the generation of novel fusion-ALK proteins which have constitutive kinase activity, and contribute to the oncogenic process. The best validated of these fusion proteins include nucleophosmin –ALK (NPM-ALK) which has been characterized in a subset of anaplastic large-cell lymphomas, and a fusion of echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 with ALK (EML4-ALK) which is a driving oncogene in a subset of non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC). The optimization of a novel screening hit to generate potent, kinase selective, and orally bioavailable candidates suitable for clinical development as second generation ALK inhibitors will be described.

Dr. Lewis will disclose a new class of ALK inhibitor, discuss building in kinase selectivity, provide an in-vitro strategy for building in-vivo potency, and address mechanisms of resistance at the 7th Protein Kinases in Drug Discovery Conference in Boston, MA, to be held on May 30-31, 2012. Topics to be discussed at the event include:

Overcoming Challenges in Kinase Drug Development
Trends in Drug Design – Structure/Selectivity/Pathway/Epigenetics
Oncology Kinases & Inhibitor Candidates
Other Kinases & Inhibitor Candidates

Top companies and experts in the field of Protein Kinases will come together to discuss their latest discoveries. Companies participating include ArQule, Avila, Beactica AB, Amgen, Bristol-Myers-Squibb, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Roche, Merck and more!

Keynote & Featured Speakers Include:

Michael Yaffe, Professor, Biology & Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Nathanael Gray, Principal Investigator, Biological Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Craig C Mello, Nobel Laureate & Distinguished Professor, Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School; HHMI

George Church, Professor, Genetics; Director, Center for Computational Genetics, Harvard Medical School

Steven Burrill, Chief Executive Officer, Burrill & Company

This 7th Protein Kinases in Drug Discovery conference is part of the Omics Evolution Summit which consists of five other conferences:

2nd Genomic & Proteomic Drug Discovery
2nd Next Generation Sequencing
Genome-wide Partnering and Dealmaking
2nd Epigentics in Drug Discovery
3rd RNAi Research and Development

For more information, please visit http://www.gtcbio.com