Cambridge Healthtech Insitute’s 8th Annual
Novel Drug Modalities
Tackling Difficult-to-Drug Targets with Glues, Chimeras, Condensates, Conjugates, Peptides
September 29 – October 1, 2026
The application of innovative design and screening technologies—including artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML)—is rapidly expanding the accessible chemical space for therapeutic development. Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s Novel Drug Modalities conference brings together chemists, biologists, screeners, and assay developers to highlight the discovery, design, and optimization of emerging modalities beyond traditional small molecules, such as proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs), molecular glues, proximity inducers, drug conjugates, and peptide-based therapeutics, redefining what is druggable in modern drug discovery.
Coverage will include, but is not limited to:
- Advances in PROTACs and heterobifunctional chimeras, from design to optimization
- Rational design of monovalent molecular glues and proximity inducers
- New therapeutic entities for drugging difficult targets, including those with challenging binding pockets and surfaces for protein–protein interactions
- Covalent drugs and targeted modulators for engaging unconventional and cryptic binding sites
- AI/ML-enabled drug design and lead optimization for novel chemical entitities
- Predictive AI/ML models for assessing drug-like properties and safety
- Peptide-based therapeutics and conjugates for tackling new disease indications
- Synthetic biology approaches enabling novel therapeutic concepts and modalities
Who should attend:
- Medicinal chemists driving the design and synthesis of next-generation drug-like molecules
- Discovery scientists advancing programs through hit-to-lead, lead optimization, and target engagement
- Assay developers and screening specialists seeking innovative approaches to uncover high-quality hits and leads
- Computational scientists applying AI-driven virtual screening and integrated DMTA workflows
- Chemists and biologists exploring tools and strategies for evaluating emerging drug modalities
- AI/ML and data science experts building and modeling novel chemical entities
- Scientists focused on developability, including prediction and optimization of drug-like properties
The deadline for priority consideration is March 13, 2026.
All proposals are subject to review by session chairpersons and/or the Scientific Advisory Committee to ensure the overall quality of the conference program. Additionally, as per Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s policy, a select number of vendors and consultants who provide products and services will be offered opportunities for podium presentation slots based on a variety of Corporate Sponsorships.
Opportunities for Participation: