PM Workshops; All Day Training Course; AM Early Career SessionSunday, 13 December 2026 - PT (Pacific Time, GMT-08:00)

Clustering of death receptor 5 (DR5) can trigger apoptosis signaling, with higher order clustering inducing stronger signaling. Ozekibart (INBRX-109) is a tetravalent DR5 agonist precisely engineered to drive higher order but controlled clustering of DR5. This results in enhanced potency against tumor cells relative to lower valency agonists (e.g., bivalent conventional antibodies and trimeric recombinant ligand), while minimizing the potential for toxicity that has been seen with higher valency agonists.

Molecular design increasingly shapes the clinical development of next-generation biologics. This presentation will discuss how translational PK/PD and quantitative clinical pharmacology inform decision-making from first-in-human dose selection through dose escalation, regimen optimization, and ultimately selection of approved dosing regimens. Case studies from emerging biologic modalities will illustrate how molecular attributes influence pharmacology, clinical development strategy, and dose selection across the development continuum.

Generative biology is opening new ways to design therapeutic proteins with developability in mind from the start. I’ll discuss how predictive models, experimental data, and engineering workflows can be combined to explore sequence space, flag liabilities, and prioritize candidates with better manufacturability and therapeutic potential.

We present an integrated computational and experimental cascade for developability assessment and optimization of variable domains within multispecific antibodies. Key elements include automated sequence fragmentation of multispecifics, domain-level property annotation, and physics- and ML-guided optimization of individual variable domains within defined property constraints, increasing the likelihood that domain-level improvements translate into well-behaved multispecific constructs without compromising antigen binding.

As biologic modalities continue to diversify, understanding how molecular format influences developability has become increasingly important. This presentation will describe J&J's approach to biophysical characterization during discovery and candidate selection and share insights from datasets spanning multiple therapeutic formats and engineering platforms. Examples will illustrate format-dependent trends in key developability attributes and discuss how these learnings guide molecule design, optimization, and selection.

Reducing viscosity remains a major challenge for high-concentration antibody formulations. We present a hybrid physics-based and machine learning framework for screening novel excipients that mitigate antibody self-association. The approach rapidly identifies promising formulation additives while providing molecular insights into excipient-mediated modulation of protein–protein interactions, enabling rational formulation design.

Generative AI is transforming antibody engineering, making immunogenicity a critical design parameter. This presentation highlights EpiVax's integrated platform combining AI-driven immunogenicity prediction, human PBMC and whole blood assays, and reverse translation of clinical immunogenicity data to create continuous learning models that optimize antibody design, reduce development risk, and accelerate the development of safer, more effective therapeutic antibodies.

Are you within 10 years of completing your Master’s or Ph.D. and under the age of 35? If so, unlock a range of exclusive benefits by selecting the "Early Career Scientist" pass when you register. This session will spotlight short, novel research presentations from early career scientists in the antibody engineering and therapeutics community. You’ll also hear inspiring advice from distinguished mid-career scientists, plus enjoy the opportunity to connect and network with peers. You’ll also receive free admission to the afternoon pre-conferences workshops on December 13 and the opportunity to present a free poster during the main conference. Please Note: Access to the early career scientists session is only available to those who register for the main conference by selecting the “Early Career Scientist” pass. All passes subject to approval by conference organizers.

To be considered for a short oral presentation in this session, or for general information about this session, please contact Michael Keenan at Michael.keenan@informa.com