The discovery and development of drugs to treat conditions affecting the central nervous system continues to be fraught with challenges and difficulties. A major contributor is our incomplete knowledge of the aetiology and pathophysiology of most CNS disorders, including the dementias, neuropathic pain, mood disorders and the psychoses.

Other contributing factors are:

Poor predictive validity of animal models
Difficulty achieving an acceptable risk/benefit ratio
Poor CNS bioavailability

Despite the failures, the huge unmet need and size of the commercial opportunity continues to fuel intense interest in development of novel
therapeutics for CNS disorders. With the benefit of hindsight and the strong industry experience of the workshop leaders this workshop will explore ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of CNS medicines research This Masterclass aims to address the problems encountered during new CNS drug development, as well as examining why the theory does not always match up to reality.

The workshop will be delivered through a combination of discussions, case studies and lectures, designed to promote a hands-on and
creative approach to CNS medicines research.