ELRIG announces inaugural US drug discovery conference

ELRIG, a not-for-profit, volunteer-led organization dedicated to the global drug discovery community, today announced the launch of Drug Discovery USA 2026. The inaugural event, taking place at Pfizer in Cambridge, MA from 16-17 June, offers 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 program 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 program 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 and discuss how these are opening new avenues for disease intervention and precision medicine.

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.

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."

Sanj Kumar, CEO, ELRIG

Prof Aled Edwards, CEO of Structural Genomics Consortium, commented: "Continued innovation in molecular design, delivery, and mechanistic understanding will be critical to fully realize the promise of these next‑generation modalities. We look forward to hearing the latest developments from foremost scientists in the field over the two-day conference."

Dr Swarna Balasubramanian, Director BD Search and Evaluation, Respiratory and Immunology at AstraZeneca, said: "This scientific conference provides a vital platform for the international drug discovery community to connect with peers across all levels of academia and industry and to share the latest ideas on how cutting‑edge small‑molecule and biologic approaches are redefining what is druggable - and why this progress is vital for advancing transformative, life‑changing therapies."

Andrea Corona, Senior Editor at DDN, said: "DDN is excited to support ELRIG as it expands its renowned open-access events to the United States. This forum will strengthen connections between the European and US drug discovery communities and highlight cutting-edge strategies for tackling challenging targets."