ELRIG announces inaugural US drug discovery conference
Drug Discovery USA 2026 to focus on emerging multifunctional small molecule and biologic approaches to drug difficult targets
27 Apr 2026
ELRIG has launched Drug Discovery USA 2026. This inaugural event, will take place at Pfizer in Cambridge, MA from June 16–17, and will offer the drug discovery communities in Europe and the US the opportunity to connect and discuss emerging multifunctional small molecules and novel biologic modalities to drug difficult targets.
ELRIG has appointed Prof Aled Edwards (Structural Genomics Consortium), Dr. Marija Tadin-Strapps (Pfizer) and Dr. Swarna Balasubramanian (AstraZeneca) as conference directors to help bring the bespoke scientific programme together, securing leading speakers from across academia and industry to share their insights.
Pfizer and Drug Discovery News (DDN) have also partnered with ELRIG, enabling the organization to deliver Drug Discovery USA on an open-access basis for optimum accessibility in this new geography.
Recent advances in chemical biology and protein engineering are expanding the boundaries of which proteins can be modulated pharmacologically. The two-day conference programme will cover emerging multifunctional small molecule and biologic approaches that are reshaping early‑stage drug discovery by providing versatile and accessible platforms to modulate challenging targets through mechanisms beyond simple inhibition. How these are opening new avenues for disease intervention and precision medicine will also be discussed.
There will also be a poster award for Early Career Professionals, an exhibition hall with a Breakthrough Zone where start-up companies can showcase their science, and the opportunity to network with the global drug discovery community.
Sanj Kumar, CEO of ELRIG, said, “ELRIG Drug Discovery USA expands the reach of our renowned, free-to-attend events, providing US-based scientists with easier access high-quality science and networking opportunities, while also acting as a bridgehead for international life science companies to engage with the wider community.
Our conference directors have put together an outstanding speaker line-up of world-leading scientists and we are delighted to have the support of our event partners, Pfizer and DDN to help connect the drug discovery communities in Europe and the US.”