This session will focus on discussions regarding the utilization of molecular biomarkers for evaluation of drug target effect and toxicity. As the focus of many novel drugs is now tumor target effects the drug development community is faced with the challenges of better defining if these effects are occurring, how best to measure them, and what their relevance is to the patient both in terms of efficacy as well as toxicity and/or quality of life. Biomarkers are becoming increasingly more important as we strive to achieve a more personalized medicine approach to patient/tumor treatment selection both in terms of tumor response and drug-related toxicity profiles. In this session, biomarker challenges and updates will be discussed from both a tumor target and toxicity perspective, encompassing both academic and pharma challenges and both direct and surrogate measurements.
Symposium: Molecular Biomarkers of Response and Toxicity

Molecular biomarkers for prediction of toxicity; Mark J. Ratain. Univ. of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Biomarker lessons learned from the development of HER family targeted agents; Carlos L. Arteaga. Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Ctr., Nashville, TN

Challenges toward more relevant biomarkers; Joseph Paul Eder. AstraZeneca LP, Waltham, MA

The future of molecular imaging as a predictive biomarker of response; Anthony F. Shields. Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Inst., Detroit, MI,