Tackling a decline of pharmaceutical success
Bart Ellenbroek A Victoria University of Wellington researcher will discuss why pharmaceutical industry success rates
are so low and suggest solutions to tackle this crisis at an inaugural professorial lecture next Tuesday.
Professor Bart Ellenbroek, from the School of Psychology, will focus on why the pharmaceutical industry is less
successful, in terms of new drug registrations when there has been increasing expenditure on research and development
over the last few decades.
“This is particularly evident in the fields of oncology and brain disorders, where success rates of drug development
projects have dropped below 10 percent,” says Professor Ellenbroek.
“As a result, many large pharmaceutical companies have completely withdrawn from investing in developing treatments for
brain disorders, even though one in three individuals in the Western world will suffer from a brain disorder in their
lifetime.”
Professor Ellenbroek is an expert in the field of neuroscience and behavioural pharmacology. He joined Victoria
University in 2011, moving from Germany to New Zealand to take up the role of associate professor in the School of
Psychology.
His research programme, currently including four PhD students, focuses on why some individuals are more susceptible to
developing certain psychiatric disorders, with the aim of improving prevention and treatment of these disorders.
Lecture details:
Crisis? What Crisis?
6pm, Tuesday 23 September
Hunter Council Chamber, Level 2, Hunter Building, Gate 1 or 2, Kelburn Parade, Kelburn Campus
RSVP by Friday 19 September. Phone 04-463 5810 or email rsvp@vuw.ac.nz with ‘Ellenbroek’ in the subject line.
ends