| Pre-Course |
Attendees view introductory lecture prior to the start of the course
|
| Monday, October 5, 2026 |
| 7:45 am |
Continental Breakfast/Networking
|
| 8:30 am |
Welcome and Introductions
Rick Pyter, PhD
Development Consultant and Adjunct Professor
School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin – Madison
Madison, WI
|
| 8:45 am |
Current and Emerging Discovery Approached
Speaker: TBA
|
| 9:30 am |
Physical & Chemical Factors in Candidate Selection and Optimization
Speaker: Rick Pyter, PhD, Development Consultant and Adjunct Professor
School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin – Madison
The key physicochemical factors that distinguish "lead compounds" from "development candidates" will be addressed.
|
| 10:15 am |
Break |
| 10:30 am |
Technical Overview: Drug Substance Synthesis and Process Development
Speaker: Ashok Bhatia, PhD, Director, Pharmaceutical Development, Associate Research Fellow, Process Chemistry, AbbVie
Synthesis/process chemistry challenges (from medicinal chemistry to scalable process); starting materials, intermediates, reagents, solvents, catalysts; particle isolation step; salts, crystal forms and polymorphs; impurity profiles of toxicological and clinical batches including: chirality; genotoxic impurity assessment; working with contractors; elucidation of structure and physico-chem properties; reference standard; level of detail provided in an IND
|
| 11:30 am |
Pharmaceutical Solid Forms: Optimizing Drugs without Changing the Molecule
Speakers:
Lian Yu, PhD, Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Pharmacy, Madison, WI
and
Sichen Song, Postdoctoral Fellow, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Pharmacy, Madison, WI
Solid-state engineering strategies for improving pharmaceutical performance without changing the molecule, including polymorphs, salts, and amorphous drugs.
|
| 12:15 pm |
Lunch |
| 1:00 pm |
Team Exercise #1: Calculation of Drug Requirements through FIM-Introduction
Rick Pyter |
| 1:15 pm |
Team Exercise #1: Small groups work |
| 2:00 pm |
Team Exercise #1 - Sub-Groups Report to Entire Group
Sub-groups present their constructed project plans, highlighting key features, assumptions and critical success factors |
| 2:45 pm |
ADC
Speaker: Ashok Bhatia
|
| 3:15 pm |
Break
|
| 3:30 pm |
Analytical Challenges with Testing Drug Substance
Speaker: James Bernstein, PhD, Pharmaceutical Consultant
Live Oak Pharmaceutical Consulting, Inc.
Overview of analytical chemistry role in DS development; analytical methods used for raw material, intermediates and final DS; analysis of DS; associated release tests, the C of A; method validation requirements; specifications; stability assessment and protocol example; initial retest period and extension; typical level of detail provided in an IND or IMPD for DS.
|
| 4:15 pm |
Anatomy of the Common Technical Dossier ("CTD"): Drug Substance and Clinical Trial Applications in US and EU
Speaker: Sharon Graham, Regulatory Affairs, Chemistry Manufacturing and Controls (RA CMC), AbbVie
Overview of the common technical document format focusing on drug substance submissions of IND's, NDAs, BLAs, ANDAs, and DMFs. US clinical trail applications: types of INDS, US laws, regulations and guidance, and IND submission and review process. Overview of international clinical trial applications in the EU.
|
| 5:00 pm |
Phase Appropriate CMC Development
Speaker: James Bernstein, PhD
Examination of how time, money, and resources can be used efficiently to advance the CMC parts of drug development with consideration of risk and regulatory requirements during the different clinical phases.
|
| 5:30 pm |
Reception at the Pyle Center
|
| Tuesday, October 6, 2026 |
| 7:45 am |
Continental Breakfast/Networking
|
| 8:30 am |
Technical Overview: Oral and Parenteral Drug Delivery and Dosage Form Development
Speaker: Ed Elder, PhD
Overview of major oral and parenteral dosage forms: formulation development stages (excipient compatibility, selection and level optimization, prototype formulation development): DS requirements and development time requirements for different dosage forms; technical considerations with placebos and packaging (container and closure) selection.
|
| 9:30 am |
Analytical Challenges with Testing Drug Product
Speaker: James Bernstein, PhD
Overview of the role of analytical chemistry in DP development; analytical methods used for raw materials, intermediates, and DP; support of DP development; analysis of DP (content, impurities, etc.), associated release tests, the C of A; method validation requirements for Phase 1; specifications; stability assessment and protocol example including packaging; assignment of DP expiration dating; typical level of detail provided in an IND or IMPD for DP.
|
| 10:15 am |
Break |
| 10:30 am |
Technical Overview: Preparation of Toxicology and Clinical Trial Supplies
Speaker: Ed Elder, PhD
Overview of the strategies and other factors associated with design and production of supplies for GLP toxicology and human clinical trials.
|
| 11:15 am |
Anatomy of the Common Technical Dossier ("CTD") Drug Product
Speaker: Sharon Graham, Regulatory Affairs, Chemistry Manufacturing and Controls (RA CMC), AbbVie
Overview of the Common Technical Document focusing on drug product
|
| 11:45 am |
Lunch
|
| 12:45 pm |
CMC Project Management Tools
Speaker: James Bernstein, PhD
Elements of project planning; timing and interdependencies of DS and DP tasks; critical path identification, determining DS and staffing requirements for development, clinical trial supply manufacture & scaleup; project reviews, strategy documents, progress reports and other communication vehicles; CMC team meeting management ( agendas, minutes, decision making approaches, conflict management and other aspects of project team meetings).
|
| 1:30 pm |
Team Exercise #2 Sub-groups construct their project plans
Sub-groups present their constructed project plans, highlighting key features, assumptions, and critical success factors
|
| 1:45 pm |
Team Exercise #1 - Sub-Groups working session
|
| 2:45 pm |
Break |
| 3:00 pm |
Team Exercise #2 Sub-Groups Report to Entire Group
Project Management of Drug Device Combination Products - CMC and Regulatory Considerations
Speaker: Pamela Swatkowski
President, PLS Consulting, LLC, Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin – Madison
Differences in the science, associated project planning and tasks for life cycle management programs, including drug device development and line extensions, will be highlighted.
|
| 3:45 pm |
Quality Assurance and Quality Control for GLP and GMP Materials
Speaker: James Bernstein, PhD
Overview of the regulatory aspects of release and testing of supplies for GLP toxicology and GMP clinical trials.
|
| 4:30 pm |
FDA-Industry Meetings
Speaker: Sharon Graham
Overview of the types of formal FDA meetings, pre-IND, pre-NDA, end of phase (EOP), preparation of questions and briefing documents, meeting conduct.
|
| 5:15 pm |
Adjournment
Evening free to explore Madison
|
| Wednesday, October 7, 2026 |
| 7:45 am |
Continental Breakfast/Networking
|
| 8:30 am |
Creation of a CMC Project Plan for a Drug (small molecule)Device Combination
Speaker: Pam Swatkowski
|
| 9:30 am |
Team Exercise #3: Intro and Sub-Group Working Session
Assemble the appropriate tasks into a coherent CMC project plan that includes timing, key dependencies, responsibilities, etc. One team member will be elected by the team to present the plan to the entire group.
|
| 10:45 am |
Break
|
| 11:00 am |
Team Exercise #3: Sub-Group Report to Entire Group
|
| 11:45 am |
Lunch
|
| 12.:45 am |
Assessing CMC Changes Late in Development
Speaker: Sharon Graham
Assessing CMC changes that occur late in development (during or after Phase 3 and after primary stability batches have been manufactured). Using post approval change guidance to determine what additional data need to be included in the initial NDA to support changes.
|
| 1:30 pm |
Team Exercise #4 - Assessing Changes to Drug Substance and Drug Product: Introduction and Working Session
Moderator: Sharon Graham
|
| 1:30 pm |
Team Exercise #4 - Assessing Changes to Drug Substance and Drug Product: Introduction and Working Session
Moderator: Sharon Graham
|
| 2:30 am |
Break
|
| 2:45 pm |
Team Exercise #4 - Sub-groups report to entire group
Sub-groups present their proposed data packages for their CMC changes made late in development
|
| 3:30 pm |
Expedited Filings and the Effect on CMC Activities
Speaker: James Bernstein, PhD
Major regulatory agencies (FDA, EMA, Health Canada) have various pathways for advancing the speed of development or review for important therapies. Possible effects on the CMC strategy and timeline will be discussed. Sharing of participant experiences will be encouraged.
|
| 4:00 pm |
Challenges with An Outsourcing Model
Speaker: James Bernstein, PhD
Out-sourcing of various CMC activities creates new challenges for CMC team leaders, with additional differentiation occurring between large integrated pharmaceutical organizations and small or virtual pharmaceutical organizations. The different requirements of CMC leaders in these situations will be explored; participant experiences will be of particular value to the discussion.
|
| 4:45 pm |
Open Discussion
|
| 5:30 pm |
Adjournment - Evening free to explore Madison |
| Thursday, October 8, 2026 |
| 7:45 am |
Continental Breakfast/Networking
|
| 8:30 am |
Team Exercise #5: Introduction and Working Session: Creation of a CMC Project Plan for A "Line" Extension
Moderator: Rick Pyter and other faculty
Assemble the appropriate tasks into a coherent CMC project plan that includes timing, key dependencies, responsibilities, etc. One team member will be elected by the team to present the plan to the entire group.
|
| 8:45 am |
Team Exercise #5 - Sub-Groups Working Session
|
| 9:45 am |
Team Exercise #5 - Sub-Group Reports to Entire Group
Sub-groups present their constructed project plans, highlighting key features, assumptions, and critical success factors
|
| 10:30 am |
CMC Project Manager's Responsibilities Part II: Skills and Key Attributes
Speaker: Rick Pyter, PhD
Important skills and attributes of an effective leader will be described.
|
| 11:15 am |
Course Summary and Assessments
Rick Pyter, PhD, & Eric Buxton, PhD, Clinical Professor, Program Director: MS Applied Drug Development, Chair, Division of Pharmacy Professional Development, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Key concepts will be summarized and integrated in closing comments. Attendees will be asked to fill out a course assessment form to help the faculty improve future offerings.
|
| 11:30 am |
Adjournment |