CDF Oxford - The latest in Translational Research - Breaking down the silos

Firstly, we are delighted to collaborate with The Oxford Science Park for our eleventh Creative Disruption Forum (CDF), which is for industry thought leaders, business leaders (CXOs), Aspiring Leaders, Clinical Ops, R&D Directors of emerging biotech and biopharma companies and the curious.

For this discussion on Translational Research - Breaking Down the Silos, we will have some fantastic keynote interviewees lined up moderated by our resident thought-leader Tony Sedgwick.

All our CDFs so far have been received very well, you will see many photos, positive comments and separate LinkedIn posts from participants and sponsors from our previous events. Here is a small collection of the testimonials:

"These #creativedisruption events are a genuine and wonderful exchange of ideas. An elegantly crafted format by Tony Sedgwick and Graham Combe." - Prashant Shah, Managing Partner, O2h Group and CEO of O2h Discovery.

"So pleased to represent Sitryx at the fantastic #creativedisruption forum. As always, Tony Sedgwick challenged us to think about how we do #drugdiscovery and what opportunities we see in the future." - Jon Ellery, Director of Biology, Sitryx

"Being creatively disruptive with such a great group of people made for a great event." - Suzy Dilly, CEO, Valirx Plc.

Creative Disruption Forum – 14 Sept 2025 - Translational Research - breaking down the silos.

The Creative Disruption Forum, hosted by Tony Sedgwick and Graham Combe at the Oxford Science Park on February 11, 2025, will comprehensively examine the big picture on how we can translate more successful medicines into the clinic given all the new technologies we have to hand and also new complexities with different modalities and new delivery technologies etc. We can do this process of drug discovery and development better, and one thought is we should break down the traditional barrier between discovery and clinical, which we will debate, along discussions about new modalities and complexities.

This is what ChatAI had to say on this topic:

In the wake of groundbreaking advancements in drug discovery, the clinical development landscape is undergoing a transformative shift. As new modalities such as antibody-drug conjugates, RNA interference (RNAi), and gene and cell therapies emerge alongside innovative non-animal models (NAMs) gaining traction with regulators, the imperative for clinical development to keep pace has never been clearer.

Traditionally, the clinical development process has functioned within distinct silos, with discovery teams often operating separately from development teams. This separation can hinder the seamless translation of potent new entities from the lab to the clinic. The increasing complexity and specificity of innovative therapies demand a more integrated approach, where clinical and preclinical teams collaborate from the earliest stages of drug development.

Current thinking suggests that establishing cross-functional teams may be essential for aligning discovery and development efforts. This collaborative model can facilitate the sharing of insights regarding safety, efficacy, and mechanism of action, ultimately accelerating the translation of novel therapeutics into clinical trials.

Regulatory agencies are increasingly open to adaptive pathways and innovative trial designs, which can benefit from real-time data sharing between discovery scientists and clinical teams. Moreover, regulatory frameworks are evolving to accommodate the unique challenges presented by these therapies. Discussions are underway around the necessity of updated guidelines that reflect the capabilities of new technologies, such as NAMs, which can provide valuable insights while adhering to ethical standards.

Ultimately, rethinking the interaction between discovery and development could enhance the efficiency of bringing transformative therapies to patients. By fostering collaboration, encouraging open communication, and promoting agility in research and regulatory processes, the biopharmaceutical industry can better navigate the complexities of modern drug development, ensuring that tomorrow’s breakthroughs reach the clinic in a timely manner.

The Agenda in Summary

10-10.30 am arrival with coffee & teas, biscuits & fruit

10.30-10.35 - Intro from the Host sponsor with housekeeping etc

10.35-10.45—Introductions from our other supporting sponsor

10.45 -12.15 pm - Keynote Interviews

12.15-12.30 pm - coffee & tea break

12.30 - 1.30 pm - Keynote Interviews

1.30-2.30 pm - Light lunch with coffee & refreshments

2.15 - 3.30 pm - Workshops - 6-8 workshops on different topics keeping to event theme

3.30 - 4.00 pm - Coffee, Tea and Refreshment Break

4.00 - 4.45 - Group Leader Workshop Presentations - 5-10 mins each

4.45 - 5.15 pm - Round-up of the day's learnings & Thank you and Goodbyes

5.45 pm - Biotech Buddies in the Oxford Retreat near Oxford Train Station.

ADMISSION FEE for Service Companies such as CROs, CDMOs, Law Firms and Patent Attorneys, Consultancy Firms = £190 - ALL-INCLUSIVE

ADMISSION FEE for Innovative Emerging Life Science Companies and Independent Consultants = £95

Investors can apply for free entry by writing to graham@biosell.co.uk.

Thank you to our sponsors.

More General Information about the Creative Disruption Forum

At all our events, we encourage dialogue in the room with the keynotes and participants expertly moderated by our resident thought leader, Prof Tony Sedgwick. Tony and I have worked together developing our Agile Leaders, Biotech Buddies, #coffeebuddies and now our Creative Disruption Forums over the last eight years. During the pandemic, we did 3-4 #coffeebuddies "shows" weekly, linking our UK community to others worldwide. Our aim for each participant in all our events is to be engaging, informative and entertaining - with no more death by PowerPoint! lol

To spark new thoughts and ideas and build friendships

As organisers, we promise always to entertain, engage, inform and be interactive during our thought-leadership interviews and Creative Disruption workshops. This is to help you spark new thoughts and ideas and build friendships with peers, clients and collaborators.

How do you benefit from attending?

As a "Leader" in the biotech sector, or aspiring leader, you will benefit from this "Creative Disruption" Forum. It will allow you to share common challenges and build deeper connections and trust with your peers. In turn, the aim is to build your confidence when working in areas typically outside your comfort zone by learning and discussing with this / your "Agile" peer-to-peer network.

You can broaden your understanding of the key aspects of the commercialisation journey and how to overcome potential barriers. You can speak to people in a similar position about issues you may not have the opportunity to talk about elsewhere. You can discuss your challenges by learning from other people's experiences to help you find a solution or spark an idea. Why let leaders of emerging companies reinvent the wheel to be successful when we can learn from the experiences of others who have faced similar challenges before?

Chatham House Rules apply - "what goes on in the Forum, stays in the Forum - so to speak!"

Our mission is to help you build your innovation-enabled healthcare business so it is "fit for purpose," genuinely innovative and attractive to the global markets. Helping you build solid, trustworthy networks with your peer group and help spread your creative R&D business network nationally and internationally. Our motivation and focus are on helping you build long-term reliable business relationships and support you on your journey through our supportive business community.

Prof Tony Sedgwick, the self-professed www.ThoughtDisruptor.com, facilitates this workshop. Tony has an esteemed career in academia and business; he is a trained pathologist. His accolades include once being the Global Head of Clinical Reseach at Roche AG, being a VC and being one of the UK's first Biotech CEOs. Tony has now been CEO of four life science companies, Chairman of over 10 Companies, and held many positions within the academic community. He is also an active psychologist, which has helped him develop his passion for "Agile" community group development. He is a Jiu-Jitsu Grand Master VIII and Jiu-Jitsu trainer. Last year, Tony published the book "The Mighty Advisor", which became a number 1 best seller in the Amazon STEM Business Management category.

We will start this Creative Disruption Forum on Tuesday, February 11, with a 10.00 am arrival (followed by a prompt 10.30 am start with interviews of prominent thought leaders).

We promise that our #CreativeDisruption Forum will be like no other life sciences event or business network you have experienced. You will be walking out of the session inspired, educated and more connected.

The Oxford Science Park (TOSP) is majority owned by Magdalen College, Oxford, upholding its research heritage and its strategy to support discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Providing an influential science and technology environment, the Park has ambitious plans to create an additional 600,000+ sq ft of laboratory and office space over the next 3 years. This additional capacity will support the growth of businesses already based on the Park, providing flexible, best-in-class workspace accommodation, and enabling new companies to enjoy the Park’s exceptional environment and collegiate and collaborative ethos.

TOSP is home to 3,350 people and close to 100 businesses. These range from start-ups based in the Magdalen Centre innovation hub to major international companies.

Collaborative Drug Discovery (CDD) provides an intuitive software suite extensively used by creative biologists and chemists working in academic, biotechnology and pharmaceutical settings. Their flagship product, CDD Vault, enables researchers to intuitively organize and analyze both biological and chemical data, and to collaborate with partners through a straightforward web interface. CDD helps scientists register entities, track inventory, manage assay data, capture experiments, calculate Structure-Activity Relationships (SAR), and mine their data for drug candidates. CDD was founded in 2004 and presently serves thousands of researchers doing drug discovery all around the world. Learn more at www.collaborativedrug.com