Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s Inaugural
Innovative Linker & Bioconjugation Chemistries
Linkers for Novel Conjugated Therapies, Targeted Payload Delivery, and New Screening Assays
April 20-21, 2027
Linkers are no longer simply chemical connectors—they are central design elements for next-generation conjugated therapies and the demand for smarter, more tunable linker strategies has never been greater. Across emerging modalities such as antibody-drug conjugates, degrader conjugates, radiopharmaceuticals, and peptide conjugates, linker design can shape target engagement, selectivity, stability, intracellular trafficking, payload release, pharmacokinetics, tissue penetration, biodistribution and safety.
This new conference on Innovative Linker & Bioconjugation Chemistries brings together medicinal chemists, chemical biologists, DMPK scientists, delivery specialists, computational researchers, translational leaders, and technology innovators to explore how linker chemistry can be used strategically throughout the drug discovery and development process. Designed for practical problem-solving and scientific exchange across cross-functional areas, the conference will spotlight the innovations transforming linkers into an important tool for drug development—in drug design, screening and delivery.
Coverage will likely include:
- Designing linkers and spacers for small molecule-drug conjugates, degrader-antibody conjugates (DACs); peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs), antibody-oligo conjugates (AOCs), bispecific antibody-drug conjugates; radioconjugates
- Novel cleavable and non-cleavable linkers, tunable payload release mechanisms, tissue- and cell-specific delivery strategies
- Site-specific bioconjugation chemistries (cysteine/lysine conjugation, click chemistry, and more)
- Linkerology: Designing optimal ternary complexes for protein degraders
- Advances in payload-linker chemistry and linker architectures
- Optimizing drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR): impact on drug permeability, stability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and safety
- AI/ML modeling for linker design, optimization of linker-payload systems, mechanistic characterization and prediction of linker behavior in vivo
- Analytical assays and chemical biology screens for linker characterization and optimization
The deadline for priority consideration is October 5, 2026.
All proposals are subject to review by session chairpersons and/or the Scientific Advisory Committee to ensure the overall quality of the conference program. Additionally, as per Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s policy, a select number of vendors and consultants who provide products and services will be offered opportunities for podium presentation slots based on a variety of Corporate Sponsorships.
Opportunities for Participation:
- To submit a podium presentation, please click here.
- To become a sponsor, click here.
- To present a poster, click here.