BIOCONJUGATION INSIGHTS

Bioconjugation Spotlights 2025

April

Launch Edition
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Launch Edition

The inaugural edition of Bioconjugation Insights features a wide variety of stakeholders from across the bioconjugation space, sharing their perspectives on recent progress, current challenges, and future directions in the field.

Confirmed contributors to this special edition include:

  • Rakesh Dixit - (Cofounder, President and CSO of Regio Biosciences, CEO of Bionavigen, and CSO of Tmab Therapeutics)
  • Moein Moghimi - (Professor of Pharmaceutics and Nanomedicine, School of Pharmacy, and Research Professor, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University; and Adjoint Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado-Denver Medical Center)
  • Michelle Morrow - (CSO, Avacta Therapetics)
  • Helen Bright - (CSO, Centauri Therapeutics)
  • Yu-Tzu Tai - (Associate Director, ADC & Translational Research, Oxford Biotherapeutics)

June

Evolving ADCs:  expanding horizons
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Evolving ADCs: expanding horizons

  • Diversifying the therapeutic uses of ADCs—what will follow the example of drugs such as Kadcyla and Adcetris?
    • Addressing the limitations of ADCs in non-cancer disease areas and identifying viable targets
      • Minimizing systemic toxicity in ADCs for chronic and autoimmune diseases
  • Enhancing site-specific conjugation to minimize heterogeneity in ADCs
  • Navigating IP challenges to open up opportunities in the ADC landscape
  • Adoption of bi/multifunctional payloads and innovative linker chemistries for precise drug release and stability
    • Integration of bispecific approaches to target multiple pathways or diseases simultaneously
  • Designing rapidly clearable ADCs and leveraging structure-activity relationships (SAR) to minimize off-target effects
  • Managing geopolitical risk and harnessing dual-sourcing strategies for ADC supply chains


July

Targeting precision: bioconjugates in diagnostics  and imaging
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Targeting precision: bioconjugates in diagnostics and imaging

  • Enhancing sensitivity and specificity in bioconjugates for imaging applications
  • Overcoming challenges in scaling production of PET and SPECT imaging agents
  • Developing more robust conjugation methods for fluorescent and luminescent probes
  • Addressing biocompatibility and immune response risks in diagnostic bioconjugates 
  • Solving issues of cross-reactivity and false positives in biomarker detection assays
  • Troubleshooting the integration of bioconjugates into theranostics applications
  • Success factors in scaling up production of radioconjugates and ensuring stability during manufacturing
  • Addressing gaps in the analytical toolkit for the characterization of radioconjugates and imaging agents
  • Enhancing linker chemistries in nanoparticle conjugates to allow for controlled release of imaging agents

September

New frontiers: how are oligonucleotide, peptide,  and other emerging conjugates extending the reach  of the field?
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New frontiers: how are oligonucleotide, peptide, and other emerging conjugates extending the reach of the field?

  • Identifying and addressing key gaps in regulatory/CMC guidance for oligonucleotide and peptide conjugates
  • Enabling accurate characterization of non-ADC bioconjugates through standardized analytical tools (HPLC, mass spectrometry) 
  • Will advancing these tools improve real-time monitoring of conjugate efficiency and degradation kinetics?
  • Realizing the therapeutic potential of oligonucleotide-based conjugates in targeted medicine
  • Advances in peptide-based drug delivery to overcome endosomal escape barriers 
  • How and where is PEGylation being incorporated, and to what effect? (e.g., to decrease immunogenicity)
  • Quantifying the clinical potential of bioconjugates for regenerative medicines and vaccine development
  • Exploring the application of conjugated peptides in vaccines and chronic disease treatments to enhance immune response
  • Solving regulatory hurdles for next-generation vaccine conjugates

October

Driving improvements in the delivery and stability  of next-generation bioconjugates, including oligo,  polymer and enzyme
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Driving improvements in the delivery and stability of next-generation bioconjugates, including oligo, polymer and enzyme

  • Enhancing stability and delivery of oligonucleotide conjugates in vivo
    • Maintaining the structural and functional integrity of the bioconjugate components during the manufacturing process
  • Ensuring biocompatibility and controlled release in polymer-drug conjugates
  • Addressing stability challenges in nanoparticle-based conjugates
  • Tackling immunogenicity in polymer- and enzyme-conjugated therapeutics through sustained drug release
  • Developing robust analytical tools for assessing stability and characterizing increasingly complex bioconjugates 
  • Improving cell targeting and endosomal escape mechanisms for nanoparticle-drug conjugates

November

Overcoming challenges in the ADC manufacturing  and R&D ecosystems
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Overcoming challenges in the ADC manufacturing and R&D ecosystems

  • Addressing in vivo challenges related to ADC stability to maintain therapeutic activity until reaching the target
    • Stabilizing ADCs in physiological environments while ensuring efficient payload release
  • Overcoming endosomal escape inefficiencies for improved cytosolic access
  • Innovating linker design to address stability, biocompatibility, and release kinetics
    • Assessing the pros and cons of traditional versus emerging ADC manufacturing processes and technologies 
  • How to successfully apply click chemistry and enzymatic approaches in bioconjugate manufacturing?
  • Leveraging next-generation analytical tools for enhanced ADC characterization
  • Breaking new ground in antigen targeting and validation
  • Optimizing drug-antibody ratio (DAR) to maximize efficacy while minimizing toxicity
  • Improving dosing regimens—assessing the available tools and strategies (e.g., ADME profiling)