A report from the World Conference on Lung Cancer (September 6-9, 2015 - Denver, Colorado, USA).

The mile-high city of Denver was the site of this year's World Conference on Lung Cancer, which reached its 16th event. The conference scheduled 3 days of intensive scientific research presentations and discussions arranged in oral, mini-oral and poster sessions, plus an array of additional educational sessions. Being the largest international gathering of lung cancer and thoracic malignancy clinicians and researchers, important new research on prevention, screening and treatment of lung cancer and other malignancies of the thorax, with special emphasis on thymoma and mesothelioma, was presented during the conference.

A report from the American Association of Urology Annual Meeting 2015 (May 15-19 - New Orleans, Louisiana, USA).

Sharing knowledge and setting standards were the main goals of the American Urological Association annual meeting 2015 held in the New Orleans Morial Convention Center. A short walk away from the famous French Quarter, and a walk that a very high number of attendees took daily for the duration of the conference to attend plenary, podium and moderated poster sessions wherein the latest research and advances in urologic medicine were being presented. Many novel scientific issues were discussed, notably in the setting of biomarkers cancer diagnosis, treatment and monitoring, but the conference included a vast array of topics covering all diseases affecting the urinary tract.

A report from the 73rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (March 20-24 - San Francisco, California, USA).

With five late-breaking research in dermatology forums, a very intensive program of other forum sessions and a popular electronic poster session with a wealth of new clinical and preclinical research, many of which reflecting advances in the management of skin and skin structure diseases that either endanger the lives of patients or severely limit their quality of life and psychological wellbeing, the American Academy of Dermatology meeting gathered attendees from all around the world to its annual meeting in San Francisco. The following report highlights some of the most relevant new findings directly related with therapy for conditions such as psoriasis, nonmelanoma skin cancer, and other inflammatory, immunological and infectious diseases of the skin.

A report from the European Association for the Study of the Liver's 50th International Liver Congress (April 22-26 - Vienna, Austria).

While Vienna's Prater park offers a varied selection of options, from theme parks to lush gardens and prairies to enjoy the sun, the nearby Messe Wien convention center was the focus of attention in April 2015 for all the scientists, researchers and clinicians interested in viral hepatitis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, hepatocellular carcinoma and a variety of other liver diseases. Treatments and potential new therapeutic strategies for these hepatopathies were discussed during the 50th International Liver Congress organized by the European Association for the Study of the Liver. Echoing epidemiological facts and a high social interest for hepatitis C virus infection, new findings with investigational and potential new therapies for the disease centered much of the attention at the conference. Nevertheless, new research was also reported related to potential improvements in how other liver diseases, particularly hepatitis B virus infection, hepatocellular carcinoma and a range of inflammatory and immune-mediated liver diseases, including rare hereditary diseases that should never be forgotten.

A report from the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) 2015 (February 23-26--Seattle, Washington, USA).

The largest conference on HIV and AIDS, the annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) also encompasses opportunistic and other important pathogens, notably in 2015 hepatitis C virus and the Ebola virus. This year's conference involved 4 days of discussions on highly relevant basic, translational and clinical research and developments in the ongoing battle against these infections.

A report from The Liver Meeting 2014 (November 7-11 - Boston, Massachusetts, USA).

The first waves of winter cold were sweeping across Massachusetts at the time this year's American Academy for the Study of Liver Diseases' Liver Meeting opened gates to a crowd of scientists and researchers from across the globe. The Hynes Convention Center acted as the liver through which new research from many different sources, shaped as oral and poster presentations, was transformed into a story of hope for new, more effective treatments for common liver diseases, particularly viral hepatitis infection and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. As summarized in the following report, novel research was also reported emphasizing novel potential therapies for liver cancer as well as a broad range of liver diseases.

A report from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research 2014 Annual Meeting (September 12-15 - Houston, Texas, USA).

Although the weather was very Texas-unlike, with fog, clouds and even intense rain, the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston was the site for this year's annual meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, where investigators from across the world came to present the latest findings in bone science. Four days of oral and poster presentations encompassing over 1,500 papers discussing a great variety of subjects including preclinical and clinical research aimed at improving the treatment of bone diseases such as osteoporosis and other forms of bone frailty.

A report from the 23rd European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Congress (October 8-12 - Amsterdam, The Netherlands).

The 23rd Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology started in Amsterdam with a day dedicated mostly to courses, during which electronic posters were also available. Scientists and researchers attending the conference had an opportunity for reviewing the latter investigations in dermatology through a series of computer terminals showing posters and allowing for e-mail discussions with the presenters. In a number of presentations, psoriasis was one of the major focuses of interest during EADV. New clinical research with emerging biologics and studies to validate the bioequivalence of biosimilars versus their originator monoclonal antibodies centered the scientific attractions towards which researchers and clinicians attending the conference were drawn. However, among the electronic posters at the conference, the results of initial clinical trials with a number of potential new therapies for other skin conditions were also presented. While shying away from psoriasis, a "late-breaking news in dermatology" session, wherein the results of clinical trials with innovative therapies for cutaneous diseases were reported, included large trials with established drugs aiming at novel indications, as well as first-in-human trials to validate the potential of investigational drugs. This and additional information and data reported during the conference and related with treatment for skin and skin structure diseases are summarized in the following report.

A report from the World Transplant Congress 2014 (July 27-31 - San Francisco, California, USA).

The largest meeting in the field of transplant science, the World Transplant Congress 2014 in San Francisco, attracted scientists in the area from across the world in a joint effort by the three organizing societies: American Society of Transplant Medicine, the Transplantation Society and the American Society of Transplantation. Besides courses, symposia and networking activities, four major poster sessions and four days of oral abstract sessions dedicated to discussing advances in the area of transplantation, including notably, scientific reports on investigational and experimental approaches to immunosuppression and additional medical and pharmacological approaches to facilitate organ procurement and graft engraftment and survival in transplant donors and recipients.

Developments in clinical trials: a Pharma Matters report.

As the pharmaceutical industry strives to meet the ever-increasing complexity of drug development, new technology in clinical trials has become a beacon of hope. With big data comes the promise of accelerated patient recruitment, real-time monitoring of clinical trials, bioinformatics empowerment of quicker phase progression, and the overwhelming benefits of precision medicine for select trials. Risk-based monitoring stands to benefit as well. With a strengthening focus on centralized data by the FDA and industry's transformative initiative, TransCelerate, a new era in trial risk mitigation has begun. The traditional method of intensive on-site monitoring is becoming a thing of the past as statistical, real-time analysis of site and trial-wide data provides the means to monitor with greater efficiency and effectiveness from afar. However, when it comes to big data, there are challenges that lie ahead. Patient privacy, commercial investment protection, technology woes and data variability are all limitations to be met with considerable thought. At the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology this year, clinical trials on psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and other skin diseases were discussed in detail. This review of clinical research reports on novel therapies for psoriasis and atopic dermatitis reveals the impact of these diseases and the drug candidates that have been successful in phase II and III studies. Data-focused highlights of novel dermatological trials, as well as real-life big data approaches and an insight on the new methodology of risk-based monitoring, are all discussed in this edition of Developments in Clinical Trials.

A report from the 74th American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions (May 13-17 - San Francisco, California, USA).

The Moscone convention center became small this year for the sheer number of scientists and doctors attending the 74th American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions, where hundreds of oral presentations and thousands of poster presentations discussing novel research findings related with diabetes, obesity, fatty liver disease and other diabetic-associated medical conditions were presented and discussed by attendees coming from all over the world. A significant number of presentations were related to experimental and investigational therapeutic candidates that are expected to bring new hope for the life of an increasing number of subjects acquiring diabetes worldwide, a phenomenon related to aging and lifestyles that has proved remarkably resistant to the current management strategies, including drug therapies and lifestyle recommendations. Some of these are summarized in the following report.

A report from the 167th American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting (May 3-7 - New York, U.S.A.).

Sharing space with a fashion fair, the American Psychiatric Association's Annual Meeting took place at the Javits Center on the West side of Manhattan where psychiatrists and psychiatry-focused neuroscientists met to discuss the latest advances in antipsychotic, antidepressant and related therapies. Mixing psychiatry with fashion was a psychedelic experience, but the meeting was too busy to give more than a passing glimpse to screens showing the newest trends in fashion. Revival of old styles? That in a sense also happened in psychiatry, with experts defending the current place of lithium in therapeutics. Newest, youngest look? That was also true for psychiatry, with new investigational therapeutics challenging the place of older treatment approaches because of improved efficacy, better safety and tolerability, or easier administration. What about these patchwork trends? This again was met in psychiatry, with combination therapies aimed at a more comprehensive control of underlying processes in diseases such as schizophrenia. And these nice complements, or a few highlights? Psychiatric therapies also include augmentation strategies, which were discussed during this year's meeting along with examples of the previously mentioned approaches that are included in the following report.

A report from the American Academy of Neurology 2014 Annual Meeting (April 26-May 3 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA).

Not far from the Liberty Bell Hall and the historical parks of old Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Convention Center hosted this year's American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting for a full week of integrated science, symposium and general poster sessions. A great amount of research papers were presented and discussed during the meeting by attendees taking refuge from the downpour outside during at least 2 days. But the science was worth staying indoors to witness high-quality research, as summarized in this report.

A report from the 72nd annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (March 21-25 - Denver, Colorado, USA).

March, at 5,000 feet above sea level, is not the best season for having much skin exposed, particularly when snow flurries are coming down on one's face. However, that was the time and place for sharing or getting new knowledge of skin science during this year's annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. At high altitude, a high level of science was constant throughout the meeting sessions, including, notably, the Latest in Dermatology Research symposium held on Saturday March 22, and the electronic poster presentations available to attendees throughout the conference. This report summarizes the most significant new scientific findings reported during the meeting, which have a direct impact on how diseases of the skin are or will possibly be treated in the foreseen future.

A report from the 29th Annual Congress of the European Association of Urology (April 11-15 - Stockholm, Sweden).

The annual congress of the European Association of Urology in Stockholm was packed with mixed poster/oral sessions wherein innovative clinical and preclinical research aimed at improving the care of patients with urinary tract diseases was reported and open for discussion. Not everything that was reported during the meeting can be captured in a single report, but the following text will guide readers through the most significant new findings directly related with pharmacotherapy for overactive bladder, urinary tract cancer and other common medical conditions that endanger the quality of life and life expectancy of many patients worldwide.

A report from the 2014 American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals Annual Meeting (November 14-19 - Boston, Massachusetts, USA).

With freezing cold temperatures outside but great excitement for new research inside Boston's Convention and Exhibition Center, clinical research on recently launched and investigational small molecular drugs and biologics as well as preclinical research with novel compounds acting on new targets that are paving the way to future developments in the therapeutic armamentarium against rheumatoid arthritis and other bone and joint diseases focused the attention of researchers and clinicians attending this year's scientific sessions of the American College of Rheumatology. The conference started with a full-blast poster session during which significant research advancements were disclosed, but parallel abstract sessions were not far behind in attendance, hooking the interest of attendees from across the world.

A report from the American College of Rheumatology 2013 Meeting (October 26-30, 2013 - San Diego, California, USA).

The American College of Rheumatology annual meeting opened in San Diego, California, with a poster session in which prominent clinical and preclinical research into experimental and putative novel therapies for rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions were discussed. The meeting continued through 2 more days of poster presentations and 4 days of very active oral sessions, in which information was discussed on therapeutics and candidate drugs for managing rheumatological diseases ranging from rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus to many other conditions frequently seen in the rheumatology ward. The following report summarizes a selection of oral and poster presentations that reflect the state of the art of current rheumatology pharmacotherapy and what is arising as novel investigational therapy.

A report from the 22nd Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (October 2-6, 2013 - Istanbul, Turkey).

During the annual congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV), Istanbul, a bridge across Europe and Asia, attracted dermatologists from both continents, along with researchers and clinicians from the Americas and other parts of the world, to discuss new advancements in the treatment of common, in many cases severe, diseases that affect not only the skin, but also deep into human bodies. The following report reflects the important fact in dermatology that biologic and targeted therapies are conquering the drug armamentarium well beyond the known area of psoriasis and melanoma into areas such as atopic dermatitis. In fact, early clinical trials with two novel monoclonal antibodies presented during the first day of scientific sessions at EADV demonstrated a favorable efficacy profile that anticipates innovative developments in the strategies for treating atopic dermatitis and possibly other diseases of the skin. Many other topics of interest were also discussed during the meeting's sessions and electronic poster presentations, as summarized in the report.

A report from the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2013 (August 31-September 4, 2013 - Amsterdam, the Netherlands).

Many are the diseases that can affect the heart and the vessels, most of which were discussed during the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2013 in Amsterdam. With an attendance of almost 30,000 delegates buzzing the halls of the RAI convention center, Amsterdam was the capital of cardiologic science this summer, and a big challenge for any attendee trying to get the most out of all the oral and poster sessions missing the minimum of new science being presented. Thomson Reuters Cortellis™ supplements the information for any scientist who missed an important session, with a particular focus on new investigational drugs, many of them still in preclinical research, which will certainly impact how cardiovascular disorders are treated in a foreseeable future. Clinical and preclinical research advance to bring novel therapeutic targets, new drugs and new insight into patient characteristics requiring particular treatment approaches. This report is a sample of the new science discussed during the 5 days of meetings.

A report from the 7th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention (June 30-July 3, 2013 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia).

Effective antiretroviral drugs have been developed that, if continuously administered (although with simplification strategies once a patient's viral titer is suppressed) allow for a functional cure resulting in an almost normal life despite the presence of viral reservoirs. In that sense, observations that combination antiretroviral therapy has an untoward suppressive effect on antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity against T cells permitting the establishment of such viral reservoirs were discussed for its implications in the use of vaccines and/or modulators of the immune function to clear latent infections and the risk for reactivation (Madhavi, V. et al., Abst MOLBPE05). In addition to latent viral reservoirs, individual patient characteristics may also influence response to antiretroviral therapy, as exemplified by the increased likelihood of highly active antiretroviral therapy in patients carrying certain polymorphic variants (rs2229109, rs6961419) of the P-glycoprotein 1 gene (Dias, J. et al., Abst MOPE034). These, and many other important news derived from research into novel approaches to fight HIV infection were discussed during the International AIDS Society (IAS) meeting in Kuala Lumpur, as summarized in the following report.