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Webinar

Early De-Risking: In Vitro Safety Strategies for Pre-IND Success

24 September 2025

2:00pm

Safety data is no longer just a regulatory checkbox – it’s a strategic advantage. Discover how in vitro and computational tools reduce the reliance on animal testing and support smarter, earlier decision-making in drug discovery.

As regulatory expectations evolve, so must the strategies for early drug safety assessment.

The 2024 EU amendment and the FDA Modernization Act mark a clear shift toward reducing animal testing and promoting more ethical, human-relevant science. These developments are accelerating the adoption of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) – particularly in vitro and computational models that better reflect human biology and improve early risk assessment. A key focus of these methods is the early identification of off-target activity, which is more important than ever. Such unintended interactions are often linked to adverse effects and clinical failures, making early safety profiling a critical step in de-risking drug candidates and increasing the chances of development success.

In this webinar, hear from Dr. Emilie Desfosses, Preclinical Safety Director at Eurofins Discovery, as she shares practical approaches for integrating secondary pharmacology data into early-stage risk assessment. The session will cover:

  • How to interpret hit profiles from binding and functional assays
  • Strategies for identifying organ systems at risk based on target activity modulation
  • How to use visualization tools to assess safety margins and compare compound profiles
  • Approaches for prioritizing follow-up studies and refining risk mitigation strategies

Attendees will gain insights into how in vitro and in silico methods can support more informed, human-relevant safety decisions -especially as ethical and regulatory changes continue to reshape preclinical research.

Whether you’re evaluating lead candidates or refining your de-risking strategy, this session offers valuable guidance on improving predictivity and reducing reliance on animal testing.

Key learning points:

  • Understand recent trends in secondary pharmacology and how they’re shaping safer, earlier drug development strategies
  • Explore new visualization and interpretation tools that support earlier integration of safety data
  • Gain insight into the latest IQ-DruSafe recommendations for in vitro secondary pharmacology and what they mean for current practice
  • Learn how functional and binding safety panels contribute to early risk assessment and better compound selection

Interested? Secure your seat now >>

SPEAKER

Emilie DesfossesEmilie Desfosses, PhD. – Preclinical Safety Director

Dr. Emilie Desfosses holds a PhD in Neuropharmacology (2016) and has over six years of experience in pharmaceutical research, with a strong focus on in vivo studies. This hands-on work with animal models has shaped a deep awareness of animal welfare and the importance of ethical considerations in drug development. She has participated in projects as a preclinical Safety representative, primarily in neurology and oncology, working across various therapeutic modalities including small molecules and antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). Her work has been highly translational, contributing to IND-enabling packages and bridging preclinical findings to clinical development. In 2023, she joined Eurofins Discovery as Preclinical Safety Director, where she is dedicated to advancing in vitro safety pharmacology services integrating computational approaches to improve predictivity, enhance early derisking, and reduce reliance on animal testing in drug discovery.

 

FAQs

Is the webinar free?
Yes – there is no charge to watch the webinar, either live or on-demand.

When will the webinar take place?
The webinar will take place live on 24 September 15:00 PM BST. 

I’m busy. Can I watch it later?
The webinar will become available to watch on-demand shortly after the live webinar takes place.

What are the benefits of attending live?
During the live webinar, you’ll be able to ask the speakers your questions, which will then be answered during the live Q&A session towards the end of the webinar.

How long will the webinar be?
This webinar will last for up to one hour.

What do I need to watch this webinar?
All you need is a computer with an internet connection. Be sure to use headphones if in an office environment.

Do I receive a certificate?
Yes, you will receive a certificate if you attend the webinar live. The certificate will be sent with your on-demand video link.