Peter Horanyi
Senior Principal Scientist UCB
Seminars
Thursday 3rd December 2026
Panel Discussion: Direct vs Systemic Delivery: Driving Pharma Buy-In, Bottlenecks & Patient Perception
2:30 pm
- Compare direct CNS delivery and systemic administration in terms of tissue exposure and selectivity, and their impact on target-site concentration, dose, and efficacy–toxicity balance
- Assess the limitations of systemic approaches that rely on plasma pharmacokinetics as a surrogate for efficacy versus direct delivery strategies that prioritise disease-site exposure
- Evaluate adoption barriers and translational challenges for direct delivery relative to systemic modalities, including device integration and demonstration of tissue-level pharmacological advantage
- Explore how patient, clinician, and commercial perspectives shape trade-offs between invasiveness and the potential for improved efficacy and reduced toxicity through targeted delivery
Thursday 3rd December 2026
Panel Discussion: Beyond TfR1: Evaluating Next‑Generation BBB Receptors for Systemic Biologic Delivery to the Brain
9:30 am
- Which alternative BBB receptors (e.g. CD98hc, insulin receptor, LRP1, basigin) show the most promise beyond TfR1 for achieving sufficient brain uptake without compromizing safety or peripheral PK?
- How can we optimize receptor affinity, valency, and trafficking profiles to balance efficient transcytosis with minimal lysosomal degradation or target-mediated clearance?
- What preclinical models and translational biomarkers are most predictive for comparing receptor performance and de-risking clinical success across different shuttle platforms?
- How should developers prioritize receptor selection based on modality (e.g. antibodies, enzymes, oligonucleotides) and indication-specific needs for brain distribution and cellular targeting
Tuesday 1st December 2026
Integrating Systemic & Direct Delivery Approaches – Breaking Down the Silos
1:00 pm
Challenging the artificial separation between systemic and direct delivery, exploring how these complementary approaches can work in unison rather than competition to advance CNS therapeutics.
This workshop will gather experts to:
- Challenge the “invasiveness stigma” by comparing direct CNS delivery to widely accepted neurosurgical procedures like DBS electrode placement, examining why one is embraced while the other faces resistance
- Understand CSF circulation dynamics and anatomical constraints that determine when intrathecal delivery fails versus when intraventricular or cisternal approaches succeed, optimizing delivery route selection
- Design rational decision frameworks for selecting systemic versus direct delivery based on disease location, patient population, dosing frequency, and therapeutic window requirements
Wednesday 2nd December 2026
Chair’s Opening Remarks
8:55 am
Thursday 3rd December 2026
Chair’s Opening Remarks
9:20 am
Thursday 3rd December 2026
Chair’s Closing Remarks
3:00 pm
