Improving target assessment in biomedical research: the GOT-IT recommendations

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Research
• Drug Discovery
• Translational Science

Background:

• Academic research is crucial for identifying novel drug targets and understanding disease associations.
• Transitioning academic discoveries to clinical drug development requires industry involvement and rigorous target assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide recommendations for academic scientists and funders to prioritize target assessment activities.
• To define a critical path for academic research to achieve scientific, licensing, and clinical development goals.
• To enhance the efficiency and robustness of translational research and academia-industry collaboration.

Main Methods:

• Development of the GOT-IT (Goals, Opportunities, Targets, and Implementation Tactics) framework.
• Creation of guiding questions for key areas of target assessment.
• Focus on safety, druggability, assayability, and therapeutic differentiation.

Main Results:

• The GOT-IT framework offers a structured approach to target assessment for academic researchers.
• It highlights critical factors for advancing drug targets from discovery to potential clinical development.
• The framework aims to improve the translation of academic findings into industry-relevant drug candidates.

Conclusions:

• The GOT-IT framework supports academic scientists in navigating the complexities of drug target validation and development.
• Implementing the framework can accelerate the progression of academic research towards industry partnerships and clinical programs.
• Enhanced target assessment is key to fostering successful academia-industry collaborations in drug discovery.