Highlights of the Program

2 days business program:

Learn from real-world case studies by industry leaders.

SHOWCASING INNOVATION:

Discover the latest technology and techniques from across the industry.

leaders talk:

Hear from top-level experts about how to stay ahead in a fast-changing industry.

MULTIPLE STREAMS:

A business program that is multi-disciplinary, giving you a broad view of the industry.

SMART TECHNOLOGIES:

Explore the latest smart and AI-driven solutions, and see how they can be used in your business.

roundtable discussion:

Join talks with industry peers. Share ideas, make connections, and find new partners.

Program

Day 1 :
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
REGISTRATION AND MORNING REFRESHMENTS
09:30 - 09:40
OPENING ADDRESS
09:40 - 10:05
COLLAGEN HYBRIDIZING PEPTIDES: VERSATILE DRUG CARRIERS FOR TARGETING REMODELING COLLAGEN ACROSS DIVERSE PATHOLOGIES
Michael Seungju Yu
The University of Utah

Michael Seungju Yu

The University of Utah

  • Highlighting the burden of denatured collagen in ECM tied to fibrosis, cancer, and autoimmunity
  • Binding denatured collagen in mouse ECM with IV-injected collagen hybridizing peptide (CHP)
  • Coupling CHP to small molecules and biologics, including mAbs, via a simple, adaptable scaffold
  • Showing disease-relevant efficacy of CHP–drug conjugates in a rheumatoid arthritis mouse model
10:05 - 10:10
Q&A SESSION ON COLLAGEN HYBRIDIZING PEPTIDES
10:10 - 10:40
SPEED NETWORKING SESSION
  • Exchange business cards and get connected in short one-to-one meetings
  • Start the conversation to arrange a more formal meeting later on in the conference
  • Share your professional background and discuss your biggest business issues - don't forget your business cards!
10:40 - 11:00
MORNING COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA
11:00 - 11:30
PANEL DISCUSSION ON PEPTIDE DRUG
11:30 - 11:55
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF PERSONALIZED PEPTIDES FOR CELL THERAPIES
Yvonne Ware
BioNTech US Inc.

Yvonne Ware

BioNTech US Inc.

  • Understanding the process of eliciting specific T cell responses via peptide-based cell therapies
  • Presenting the process in the clinic and showcasing Phase 1 safety and efficacy results
  • Unveiling the intricacies of manufacturing personalized peptides and how to overcome the challenges
11:55 - 12:00
Q&A SESSION ON PERSONALIZED PEPTIDES FOR CELL THERAPIES
12:00 - 12:25
PEPTIDE DELIVERY: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
Kinkini Roy
Aviceda Therapeutics

Kinkini Roy

Aviceda Therapeutics

  • Targeting delivery to specific tissues while overcoming hepatic clearance mechanisms
  • Directing peptide therapies extrahepatically to improve exposure at intended sites
  • Comparing oral, injectable, and nasal routes with opportunities and challenges for peptides
12:25 - 12:30
Q&A SESSION ON PEPTIDE DELIVERY LANDSCAPE
12:30 - 13:30
NETWORKING LUNCH AND VISITING THE PEPTIDE DRUG EXHIBITION
13:30 - 13:55
DE NOVO DESIGN OF PROTEASE-ACTIVATED ANTIMICROBIAL PROTEINS
Sagar Bhattacharya
University of California, San Francisco

Sagar Bhattacharya

University of California, San Francisco

  • Strategizing a de novo protein design to site-specifically deliver peptide drugs
  • Incorporating peptide sequences into helical bundles to limit off-target interactions
  • Achieving 10–50× activity masking in vitro by MIC readouts with a protease-activated model
13:55 - 14:00
Q&A SESSION ON PROTEASE-ACTIVATED PEPTIDE DELIVERY
14:00 - 14:25
SYNTHESIS OF N-BETSYLATED AMINO ACIDS USING AQUEOUS BUFFERED SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE SOLUTION
John Mancuso
Sygnature Discovery

John Mancuso

Sygnature Discovery

  • Reporting a one-step route to Betsyl-protected amino acids starting from free amino acids
  • Generating Bts-Cl in situ via sodium betsylate under buffered oxidation to avoid epimerization
  • Enabling SPPS and solution assembly using COMU or TCFH/NMI with orthogonal, mild deprotection
14:25 - 14:30
Q&A SESSION ON IN-SITU BTS-CL AND BETSYLATED AMINO ACIDS
14:30 - 14:55
OMNIULTRA: AN IN VIVO DISCOVERY SYSTEM FOR NOVEL MINI-PROTEINS AND STRUCTURED PEPTIDES
Yasmina Abdiche
OmniAb, Inc.

Yasmina Abdiche

OmniAb, Inc.

  • Engineering a cow-inspired transgenic chicken for Abs with ultra-long CDRH3 on a human VH scaffold
  • Harnessing purpose-built genetics and a divergent host to reveal paratopes for cryptic epitopes
  • Constructing multispecifics and radioligands from isolated UL-CDRH3 mini binders with delivery gains
14:55 - 15:00
Q&A SESSION ON UL-CDRH3 MINI-BINDER DISCOVERY AND USES
15:00 - 15:30
AFTERNOON COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA
15:30 - 15:55
CONTINUOUS FLOW LIQUID-PHASE PEPTIDE SYNTHESIS (CFLPPS): A SUSTAINABLE AND SCALABLE PLATFORM FOR NEXT-GENERATION PEPTIDE MANUFACTURING
Dongxin Zhang
PharmaBlock

Dongxin Zhang

PharmaBlock

  • Positioning LPPS as an industrial workhorse for short peptides and complex chemical edits
  • Uniting LPPS with continuous flow to raise efficiency, safety, and precise process control
  • Assembling peptides with fragment-first CFLPPS and enzymatic ligation to enable scale
  • Documenting scale-up with immobilized enzymes for greener, continuous manufacturing
15:55 - 16:00
Q&A SESSION ON PEPTIDE MANUFACTURING WITH CFLPPS SCALE-UP
16:00 - 16:25
WHY INNOVATOR COMPANIES NEED TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR SUPPLY CHAINS
Kenneth Drew
Flamma Group

Kenneth Drew

Flamma Group

  • Mitigating risk through geographically diverse suppliers while balancing cost and speed
  • Managing CDMO partners and their key raw suppliers to control cost drivers and timelines
  • Evaluating solid versus liquid phase routes, including fragment versus block assembly choices
16:25 - 16:30
Q&A SESSION ON SUPPLY CHAIN CONTROL, CDMOS, AND STRATEGY
16:30 - 16:55
EXPLORING IP CONSIDERATIONS FOR PEPTIDE DRUG PRODUCTS TO ENSURE PATENT APPLICATION SUCCESS
Mi Cai
Foley Hoag LLP

Mi Cai

Foley Hoag LLP

  • Outlining the core patent implications for peptide drugs across composition, use, and claims
  • Exploring how to patent known peptides via chemical edits, reformulation, and added indications
  • Defining the data packages needed to support patentability across multiple peptide claim types
16:55 - 17:00
Q&A SESSION ON IP STRATEGIES FOR PEPTIDE DRUGS
17:00 - 18:00
NETWORKING DRINKS RECEPTION
Day 2 :
THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2026
09:00 - 09:30
MORNING REFRESHMENTS
09:30 - 09:40
OPENING ADDRESS
09:40 - 10:05
AI-DRIVEN PEPTIDE ENGINEERING FOR ENHANCED ENDOGENOUS GLP-1 SECRETION VIA MULTI-GPCR ACTIVATION
Zohar Barbash
Lembas

Zohar Barbash

Lembas

  • Integrating AlphaFold GPCR modeling, energy scoring, and residue tuning to design L-cell agonists
  • Iterating design–test–learn cycles with cell screens to raise GLP-1 secretion potency sevenfold
  • Translating leads across cell and animal models to confirm endogenous GLP-1 release and efficacy
10:05 - 10:10
Q&A SESSION ON AI-DRIVEN PEPTIDE ENGINEERING
10:10 - 10:35
DISCOVERING PEPTIDE LIGANDS TO TARGETS VIA SCREENING PHAGE-DISPLAYED COMBINATORIAL PEPTIDE LIBRARIES
Brian Kay
Tango Biosciences, Inc.

Brian Kay

Tango Biosciences, Inc.

  • Discovering peptide ligands via screening linear, cyclic, and macrocyclic phage libraries
  • Characterizing mid-nanomolar to low-micromolar affinities and improving with focused libraries
  • Illustrating therapeutically relevant targets with representative case studies
10:35 - 10:40
Q&A SESSION ON COMBINATORIAL PEPTIDE LIBRARIES
10:40 - 11:05
AI-DESIGNED THERAPEUTIC PEPTIDES FOR HUMAN AND ANIMAL HEALTH
Octávio Franco
Peptidus Biotech

Octávio Franco

Peptidus Biotech

  • Architecting a multi-layer AI platform to design safe, stable peptides via generative models
  • Expediting development from in silico to in vitro and in vivo with manufacturability checks
  • Addressing infections, skin healing, and metabolic control with preclinical animal evidence
  • Detailing a 6-8-month roadmap covering critical aspects like formulation and delivery methods
11:05 - 11:10
Q&A SESSION ON AI-DESIGNED THERAPEUTIC PEPTIDES
11:10 - 11:30
MORNING COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA
11:30 - 11:55
TRENDS IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE OF PHARMACEUTICALS, MEDICAL DEVICES, AND OTHER DRUG RELATED PRODUCTS
Jonathan Zielinski
Cassidy Levy Kent

Jonathan Zielinski

Cassidy Levy Kent

  • Tracing a decade of U.S. tariff swings on pharma, devices, and drug-related imports
  • Examining impacts on development, manufacturing, and supply as firms balance protection and sourcing
  • Navigating trade tools, country risks, and compliance pathways to plan amid policy uncertainty
11:55 - 12:00
Q&A SESSION ON TARIFF TRENDS AND TRADE STRATEGY FOR DRUGS
12:00 - 12:25
DISTINGUISHING THE ROLES OF ERK1 AND ERK2 AND DISCOVERY OF THERAPEUTIC PEPTIDES FOR TARGETING THE MAP KINASE PATHWAY IN ONCOLOGY AND NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES
Girish Nallur
Vistara Bioscience LLC

Girish Nallur

Vistara Bioscience LLC

  • Distinguishing Erk1 versus Erk2 functions where current tools blur isoform-specific roles
  • Identifying peptides that selectively engage Erk2 for oncology and neurodegenerative targets
  • Developing a clinical plan summarizing current findings and next steps for peptide candidates
12:25 - 12:30
Q&A SESSION ON ERK ISOFORMS AND PEPTIDE THERAPEUTICS
12:30 - 12:55
AI-GUIDED MULTI-OBJECTIVE OPTIMIZATION OF PEPTIDES: BALANCING TARGET AFFINITY AND MEMBRANE PERMEABILITY
Alan Nafiiev
Receptor.AI

Alan Nafiiev

Receptor.AI

  • Building predictive models to assess peptide target binding and passive membrane diffusion
  • Balancing affinity and permeability with AI-driven multi-objective peptide design strategies
  • Accelerating discovery with case studies validating balanced affinity–permeability designs
12:55 - 13:00
Q&A SESSION ON AI MODELS FOR PEPTIDE OPTIMIZATION
13:00 - 13:25
INHALED PEPTIDES VERSUS INJECTIONS, THE HEAVY LIFTING HAS BEEN DONE!
John Patton
Dance Biologics Inc.

John Patton

Dance Biologics Inc.

  • Pioneering insulin’s role in validating inhaled delivery as an alternative to injections
  • Quantifying pharmacokinetics for inhaled peptides across absorption, variability, timing
  • Securing proof of concept through staged safety and efficacy in early clinical studies
  • Aligning formulation, device, and packaging to molecule and indication while sharing lessons
13:25 - 13:30
Q&A SESSION ON INHALED PEPTIDES
13:30 - 13:45
FEEDBACK & RAFFLE DRAW
13:45 - 15:00
NETWORKING LUNCH

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