insights from industryPhillip MitchellScience Director of Integrated BiologyCharles River Laboratories
In this interview, industry expert Phillip Mitchell discusses the role of NfL biomarkers in CNS drug discovery, neurodegenerative disease research, treatment monitoring, neurotoxicity detection, and AI-driven biomarker selection.
Can you tell us about your background and current role?
My name is Phillip Mitchell, I am currently Science Director at Charles River Laboratories. I have a background in Biochemistry and a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology. My career spans over 30 years in drug discovery, encompassing roles in academia, biotech, pharmaceutical environments, and more recently, the contract research organization sector.
What are some of the key challenges and recent advancements in biomarkers for central nervous system (CNS) drug discovery?
CNS diseases represent a growing global health burden partly attributed to an aging population. However, even with an improved understanding of disease mechanisms, a high failure rate persists in neuroscience drug discovery, often due to efficacy challenges. Additionally, many clinical trials rely on subjective clinician-rated measures as primary endpoints, which can be time-consuming and prone to variability.
In recent years neuroimaging biomarkers, such as positron emission tomography (PET) ligands, have significantly contributed to the clinical stages of CNS drug development by assisting in dose determination for investigational drugs targeting novel mechanisms. Also the discovery of less invasive, fluid-based biomarkers, particularly in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood, has been instrumental in advancing CNS biomarker research, although notable challenges remain.
One prominent example is neurofilament light (NfL), a structural protein exclusively found in neurons.