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Acceptance of Campfire Session at 39th ECNP Congress 2026 Highlighting Urgent Need to Rethink Development in CIAS

March 26, 2026

IDEA Pharma Announces Acceptance of Campfire Session at 39th ECNP Congress 2026 Highlighting Urgent Need to Rethink Development in CIAS

Dr. Alexander Gray, Chief Medical and Innovation Officer, will attend 39th The European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Congress, October 2026 as faculty member and lead expert in Campfire Discussion CA08 – CIAS drug development – is it time for a revolution?
CIAS (Cognitive Impairment Associated with Schizophrenia) pharmacological development continues to meet significant challenges and represents critical unmet patient need

Thursday, March 26th, 2026, London, England – IDEA Pharma today proudly announces acceptance of campfire session ‘CIAS drug development – is it time for a revolution’ by the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ENCP) for presentation at the 39th ECNP Congress 2026 to be held in Munich, Germany 10th – 13th October. Attending as lead expert for the session, is IDEA Pharma and SAI Chief Medical and Innovation Officer, Dr. Alexander Gray, the session will take place 13.55-14.40CET, Sunday October 11th 2026 and will be moderated by Professor Armida Mucci, University Campania, “L Vanvitelli” Italy.

Dr. Gray comments “Despite many drug development programs in CIAS from multiple companies, we are yet to have any licensed pharmacotherapeutic interventions for the cognitive impairment found in many patients with schizophrenia. We know that this remains a significant area of need for these patients, with a substantial impact on their daily lives and ability to find and maintain employment. Recent trial failures have highlighted multiple concerns over the construct of CIAS itself as it relates to schizophrenia as a whole, as well as the challenges of measuring outcomes that matter to patients, their carers, and clinicians. I am delighted that the ECNP has agreed to host this session to bring together multiple professions to discuss this difficult therapeutic challenge.”

Dr. Alexander Gray is an expert in pharmaceutical strategy with 30 years’ experience. A trained physician, he has advised on over 100 clinical development programs, helping shape the strategy and positioning of biopharma assets from early-stage trials through to commercialization. He specializes in drug development strategy and its alignment with patient therapy goals across not only neuropsychiatry but also oncology and immunology. He holds a Doctor of Medicine and a First-Class Honours BSc in Immunology, both from University College London. He is an Honorary Lecturer in drug development at University College London.

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About IDEA Pharma and SAI

IDEA Pharma, a division of SAI, is a global strategic consultancy practice, recognized as the leading experts in pharmaceutical innovation, path-to-market strategy, and decision intelligence. IDEA Pharma provides deep clinical and commercial expertise to Pharma and Biotech clients, with SAI capabilities in market research, competitor intelligence, benchmarking and market access and pricing. SAI has a global presence with offices in Europe, the United States and Asia.

To learn more, please visit, https://www.sai-med.com/, https://www.ideapharma.com or follow us on LinkedIn, and YouTube