Main Conference Day 1 - 2026 - European Time GMT+1
Tetraspanins are a superfamily of four-transmembrane proteins that serve as key organizers of membrane proteins and signaling complexes, playing essential roles in immune cell function. I will share our latest insights into the functions of the tetraspanins CD37 and CD20 in lymphocytes and B cell lymphoma. I will also introduce a novel immunotherapeutic platform that targets CD37 and CD20, demonstrating superior efficacy compared to current standard-of-care antibody therapies
This presentation celebrates fifty years of hybridoma technology that ultimately led to over 200 antibody therapeutics benefiting millions of patients. The evolution of antibody formats will be traced including bispecifics, antibody-drug conjugates, and CAR T cells. Future progress will surely be accelerated by artificial intelligence including multi-parameter optimization. Advances in conditional antigen binding and targeted delivery promise to expand the reach of antibodies to previously undruggable targets and diseases.
The unusually long plasma half-lives of IgG and albumin are regulated by the Brambell receptor, also known as the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). A detailed understanding of how this receptor controls the intracellular and transcellular trafficking of its ligands is therefore essential for the rational design of long-acting protein therapeutics. Here, I will discuss why this complex biology should be considered for all antibody- and albumin-based formats engineered to optimize pharmacokinetics and transcellular transport properties, including receptor antagonists targeting antibody-mediated autoimmune diseases.
Although the first antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) was approved more than 25 years ago, progress was slow over the next 2 decades. There has been a surge of ADC approvals since 2019, with both traditional payloads as well as newer payload and linker technologies. Despite improved clinical activity vs. standards of care for different indications, ADCs have inherent toxicities that were somewhat unanticipated and have highlighted the limitations to current technologies. Recent efforts involve improved conjugation technologies, refining linker design and discovery of more targeted payloads, which will be the focus of this presentation.
Production of bsAbs remains challenging, especially for bsAbs with two distinct light chains, as chain mispairing constrains throughput, yield, and purity. We introduce Quick ‘n’ Clean, an HTP platform for producing diverse bsAb formats, automating steps from expression to purification. The platform rapidly generates bsAbs in both double-tag and tagless formats with high purity and yield. Tagless bsAbs suit ADC conjugation, in vitro assays, and in vivo studies. Quick ‘n’ Clean enables rapid optimal pairing screening and streamlines downstream workflows, establishing a next-gen platform for bsAb R&D.
Complex antibody modalities like multispecifics and Fc-fusions are widening the disconnect between discovery-stage expression and manufacturability, as transient expression systems often don't predict how these molecules will perform when manufactured at scale using stable cell lines. Asimov's Rapid Pools platform addresses this challenge by generating high-throughput stable CHO expression pools using a new high-efficiency transposase, CHO-K1 GS host, and AI-driven vector design. By providing early, CLD-relevant expression and product quality data, Rapid Pools enables developers to derisk lead selection and advance from lead candidate to lead clone RCB within 10 weeks, accelerating the path to the clinic.
The ATUM Antibody Engineering Platform integrates generative AI with a fit-for-purpose design. Using sparse, high-quality wet-lab data, the platform employs machine learning to navigate vast sequence spaces, generating antibody variants optimized for both biological potency and manufacturability. This data-driven approach ensures molecules are tailored for specific clinical applications from inception. By bridging the gap between in silico design and high-titer production via discoCHO and the Leap-In Transposase® technology, ATUM minimizes development risks and significantly accelerates the timeline from initial concept to stable, drug-ready therapeutic candidates.
In this presentation, I will describe how allometric scaling from the Tg276 humanized FcRn model enables accurate early-stage projection of antibody clearance and half-life in humans. I will outline the translational performance of the model across diverse antibody formats and show how the Tg276 model supports efficient lead selection, reduces reliance on NHP studies, and accelerates therapeutic antibody development.
Bispecific T cell engagers (TcEs) must create an effective immunological synapse, yet how their structural features control potency is poorly defined. We combined solution structural analyses and synapse imaging on supported lipid bilayers to show that both intermembrane distance and complex rigidity critically determine TcE activity. Formats producing close contacts and reduced molecular flexibility enhanced co-stimulatory interactions and cytotoxic responses. These findings provide actionable design principles for next-generation TcE therapeutics.
Successful development of a T-cell engager relies on specifically localizing cytotoxicity to tumor cells of interest with minimal off-tumor activity across the body. Cartography's ATLAS and SUMMIT platforms analyze genome-wide expression profiles to optimally select single antigens and antigen pairs whose expression are restricted to cell populations of interest. This talk will discuss how these platforms have translated into the development of CBI-1214 and other T-cell engagers in Cartography’s pipeline.
Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) are rapidly changing the clinical treatment of cancer, and these sophisticated therapeutics have multiple interactions within the tumor microenvironment (TME) that are important for drug design. In this talk, I will share our experimental and computational results highlighting the impact of the TME on the ADC, including macrophage and protease effects, and the impact of the ADC on the TME, such as immune activation.
Conditional logic-gated bispecific ADCs can be optimised to enable precise tumour targeting while delivering deeper and broader efficacy by integrating dual-antigen recognition. This approach enhances potency, mitigates on-target/off-tumour toxicities, and addresses intratumoural heterogeneity. The talk will highlight engineering principles, preclinical validation, and translational insights advancing this next-generation ADC modality.
OASIS is a European research program dedicated to optimizing the clinical use of antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) by addressing resistance mechanisms. Through a multimodal approach integrating spatial tumor microenvironment profiling, genomics, liquid biopsies, and artificial intelligence–driven predictive modeling, OASIS aims to identify biomarkers of response and guide patient stratification. The project brings together academic, clinical, industrial, and patient partners to accelerate precision oncology.
Our logic-gated CD3 Switch-DARPins are designed to overcome current limitations of T-cell engagers, such as the lack of clean targets and poor therapeutic windows. We developed a MSLNxEpCAM-targeted Switch-DARPin that contains CD2 costimulation and a masked CD3 moiety that is released to activate T cells only when both TAAs are co-expressed on target cells. This format allows for increased tumor specificity via rational selection of tumor target combinations.
To address critical challenges in ADC discovery, such as elucidating mechanisms of resistance and systematically identifying synergistic payload combinations, Turbine integrates transcriptomic, genomic, and protein–protein interaction data into computational “virtual cell” models. These models are trained on perturbation-response profiles to accurately recapitulate cellular behavior. In this presentation, we highlight the application of our virtual-cell–based screening framework for prioritizing synergistic payload partners, complemented by automated in vitro validation and mechanistic simulations that enable detailed interrogation of resistance pathways.
As the field increasingly recognizes the limitations of traditional cytotoxic payloads, differentiation through novel mechanisms of action has become essential. Amanitin-based ADCs, with their unique inhibition of RNA polymerase II, exemplify this next wave of innovation, designed to overcome resistance mechanisms. The Phase I/IIa experience with HDP 101, an anti-BCMA ADC with amanitin as novel payload, provides a clear view of the translational path associated with developing a first in class ADC payload. During dose escalation and at doses below the MTD, HDP‑101 has demonstrated objective responses, including complete remissions, in patients refractory to currently available therapies, including prior treatments directed at the same target.