Advancing Small Molecule Drug Discovery – New Developments in DEL Technology

Biotech, Drug Discovery & Development, Life Science, Pharma, Preclinical,
  • Monday, September 22, 2025 | 1pm EDT (12pm CDT / 10am PDT)
  • 60 min

DNA-Encoded Library (DEL) technology is a powerful and proven platform for hit identification, significantly expediting the early-stage discovery of small-molecule drugs. This webinar will explore recent advancements and applications of DEL technology, providing attendees with a comprehensive understanding of how various DEL platforms are being leveraged to address persistent challenges in identifying new molecules.

The session will begin with a foundational overview of DEL technology and its core principles, followed by a discussion of recent advances in noncovalent DELs, including case studies on challenging targets and new on-DNA chemistry methods that expand accessible chemical space. The featured speakers will also examine the strategic utility of covalent DEL platforms through a detailed success story on identifying selective covalent inhibitors. Furthermore, the emerging relationship between DEL technology and fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) will be discussed.

The webinar will also explore practical strategies for integrating transparent small molecule screening platforms into research workflows, highlighting their efficiency and accessibility.

Register now to learn how cutting-edge DEL technologies can accelerate small molecule drug discovery.

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Speaker

Alex Shaginian, Vice President of Business Development and Chemical Sciences, HitGen

Alex Shaginian earned his PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA in Finance and Strategy from Babson’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business, graduating as Valedictorian of his MBA class.

Alex began his industrial career as a Senior Scientist in Medicinal Chemistry at Ardea Biosciences (acquired by AstraZeneca for $1.3B), where he specialized in the design and synthesis of new drug candidates targeting HIV, cancer and gout. In 2009, Alex joined GSK as a Principal Scientist and specialized in the development of novel on-DNA chemical transformations as well as the design and production of DNA-encoded libraries.

Among Alex’s notable achievements at GSK are pioneering a program that targeted novel chemical space with the DEL technology and the design and production of GSK’s most extensive and only 6-cycle library of 2.5 trillion macrocyclic peptides. In 2016, Alex joined HitGen, where he currently works as Vice President of Business Development and Chemical Sciences. His primary responsibilities entail negotiating business deals, establishing new partnerships, analyzing DEL selection output and generating hit proposals. Alex has co-authored over 15 scientific publications and patents.

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Who Should Attend?

This webinar will appeal to the following industries and professionals:

Company industries:

  • Biotechnology research
  • Pharmaceutical company
  • Medical research institution
  • Universities specializing in biomedicine

Audience title:

  • Chemistry research
  • Biology research
  • New drug development
  • Small molecule research

What You Will Learn

Attendees will gain insights into:

  • Technology Fundamentals: The core principles and current capabilities of non-covalent and covalent DEL technologies
  • Chemistry Innovations: New developments in DEL chemistry that expand the accessible chemical space for DEL screening
  • Platform Applications: Gain insights into recent success stories applying DEL technology to find hits against challenging targets
  • Practical Integration: Discover how accessible DEL tools can be leveraged to enhance and accelerate early-stage drug discovery workflows

Xtalks Partner

HitGen_Logo

HitGen Inc.

HitGen Inc. (SSE: 688222.SH), is a drug discovery research company with headquarters in Chengdu, China, and subsidiaries in Cambridge, UK, and Houston, USA. HitGen has established leading technology platforms to enable the discovery and optimization of small molecules and nucleic acid drugs. Our key technology platforms include world-leading DNA-encoded library technology (DEL), fragment-based drug discovery and structure-based drug design technologies (FBDD/SBDD), as well as the emerging technology platforms for oligonucleotide-based therapeutics (OBT), and targeted protein degradation technology (TPD). Through our diverse and flexible business models, we have built up collaboration partnership with several hundred biopharmaceutical research organizations worldwide. HitGen has multiple programmes from early discovery to clinical trial stage.

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