Workshop Day | Tuesday 25th March, 2025

9:00 am Light Breakfast & Check-In

10:00 am Workshop A: Implementing AI & In Silico Technologies to De-Risk the Discovery of Induced Proximity Therapeutics & Accelerate Their Translation

Synopsis

The development of induced proximity therapeutics, such as protein degraders and molecular glues, is a rapidly evolving field with significant potential to revolutionise patient lives. While AI can predict surface complementarities, illustrate PK-PD profiles, and design novel compounds, the practical implementation of AI remains complex and costly. Applying AI and molecular dynamics to molecular glue discovery is still in its infancy. It is therefore important to rigorously evaluate the appropriate use of these tools to enable the highest impact. To do this, this workshop will cover the following points:

  • How can we design computational approaches to fit the needs of the user?
  • Comparing the strengths and weaknesses of machine learning approaches and molecular dynamics simulations
  • To what extent can a computational platform enable the discovery and optimisation of molecular glues?

12:00 pm Lunch Break & Networking

1:00 pm Workshop B: Enhancing Oral Bioavailability of Bivalent Degraders to Improve Patient Exposure & Maximise Therapeutic Efficacy

  • Peggy Scherle Group Vice President, Incyte Corporation
  • Zoran Rankovic Director & Professor - Chemical Biology & Protein Degradation, Institute of Cancer Research
  • Andy Pike Project leader, DMPK, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca

Synopsis

The development of PROTACs and other heterobifunctionals holds immense promise for targeted therapies. However, their large molecular size presents significant challenges in achieving oral bioavailability. Traditional methods for ensuring bioavailability, such as the rule of five, do not apply to these larger bifunctional molecules. This workshop will delve into the complexities of making PROTACs orally bioavailable, exploring the current hurdles and innovative strategies to overcome them.

  • Learn about the specific difficulties in achieving oral bioavailability for large bifunctional molecules like PROTACs and gain insights into optimising these properties for better absorption
  • Discover high-throughput methods and the potential of leveraging extracellular receptors to enhance oral bioavailability, ensuring a more consistent and effective approach
  • Gain practical knowledge on optimising current in vitro assays and models to predict the solubility and permeability of your drugs to achieve the desired exposure in patients

3:00 pm Afternoon Break & Networking

3:30 pm Workshop C: From Hit to Lead – Navigating Key Checkpoints for Go/No-Go Decisions on Turning Your Initial Hits into Functional Induced Proximity Drugs

Synopsis

The journey from identifying a hit to creating a lead is a critical phase in drug discovery. This workshop will explore the methodologies and strategies used to transform hits into promising leads and eventually effective functional molecules for degradation and beyond. We will explore how discovery programmes may be run, the challenges faced, and the innovative solutions being implemented.

  • Determine the criteria for deciding to progress a hit to a full molecule and understand what the important checkpoints along the way are
  • Learn from the experiences of industry leaders through real-world case studies showing how to turn a hit into a lead to a functional compound
  • Understand how different programmes are run and how to effectively attack the problem of identifying hits and progressing them to leads

5:30 pm End of Pre-Conference Workshop Day