The Art and Science of Cyclic Peptide Drug Design: From Experimental Discovery to AI-Driven Computation and the Road Ahead
Wed, May 27, 2026 | 11AM EDT / 8AM PDT / 4PM BST / 5PM CESTCyclic peptides have a special power in the therapeutic space — they’re larger and more specific than small molecules, and more permeable and cost-effective than antibodies. These qualities enable them to conquer two of the biggest challenges in modern drug development: prosecuting flat intracellular protein-protein interactions (PPIs) and achieving oral bioavailability for demanding targets.
With over 40 FDA-approved drugs, a global market projected to top $260 billion by 2030, and breakthrough oral agents (JNJ-2113, MK-0616), the field has never been more exciting yet technically demanding. This includes the challenge of translating AI-designed peptides into real-world validated molecules, requiring emerging experimental strategies for rapid synthesis and validation.
This webinar will provide a structured, methodical deep dive into the current cyclic peptide discovery and optimization landscape.
What you will learn
- The fundamental design principles of cyclic peptides: why macrocyclization confers superior affinity, protease resistance, and membrane permeability
- Ways to critically assess computational approaches and AI output, from Rosetta-based GenKIC anchor extension to diffusion-model-based de novo design to physics-informed AI
- How dominant experimental discovery platforms differ, and how to level up lead optimization through conformational entropy control, rational potency improvement, and strategies for permeability and metabolic stability
- How AI-designed peptides are validated through direct-to-biology (D2B) high-throughput synthesis and rapid no-purification screening
- How integrated peptide platforms support end-to-end translation from design to IND-enabling development
Speakers
