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Drug Hunter

Molecules of the Year Symposium

November 19, 2026

About 

📍MassBio, Cambridge, MA

Join Drug Hunter for our inaugural Symposium — an invite-only, one-day scientific meeting celebrating the breakthrough molecules and discovery teams shaping the future of drug discovery.

Preliminary Agenda

8:00am – 4:00pm | Symposium
4:00pm – 6:00pm | Happy Hour Mixer

🍴 Breakfast, Lunch, and Happy Hour provided

Who is Attending

Senior leaders and executives in drug discovery across pharma and biotech

Any profits will be donated to the American Cancer Society.American Cancer Society logo_hero

 

Details

How to Attend

Due to high interest, the symposium is invite-only. If you are interested in attending this exclusive event, please apply to attend.

Agenda

Time Session
8:00-8:30 AM
 Registration, Breakfast & Networking
8:30–8:45 AM Welcome & Drug Hunter Overview
8:45-8:50 AM Opening Remarks
  Molecules of the Year
8:50-9:25 AM Invention of Lipfendra — Abbas Walji, Merck
9:25-10:05 AM The Discovery of PAXLOVID — Dafydd Owen, Pfizer
10:05-10:20 AM Coffee Break
10:20-10:55 AM Harness Cutting-Edge Tools in Drug Discovery to Identify Potent and Selective IRAK4 Degraders — Yi Zhang, Kymera Therapeutics
10:55-11:40 AM Aficamten (CK-274): A Journey from Early Discovery to FDA Approval  — Grace Chuang, Cytokinetics
11:40 - 11:50 AM Molecule of the Year Nomination
11:50 AM–12:40 PM Lunch & Networking
  Keynote Presentation
12:40–1:30 PM Discovery of Daraxonrasib, a RAS(ON) Multi-Selective Tri-Complex Inhibitor  — Jan Smith, Revolution Medicines
1:30-1:45 PM Coffee Break
  Emerging Modalities in Drug Discovery
1:45-2:20 PM DAC Platform — Christopher Phelps, Nurix
2:20-3:00 PM Covalent Allosteric Target Modulation and the Discovery of VVD-037, a First-in-Class KEAP1 Activator — David Weinstein, Vividion
3:00-3:50 PM Panel Discussion
  Dean Brown; Wendy Young; Dan Erlanson
3:50–4:00 PM Closing Remarks
4:00-6:00 PM  Networking Mixer

Passes

Invite-Only Admission

$1500

  • Limited tickets are available. Apply to attend.

APPLY TO ATTEND

Speakers

Dean Brown-4
Dean Brown

Senior Vice President and Head of Research, Jnana Therapeutics

Symposium Chair
Jan Smith-1
Jan Smith

CSO, Revolution Medicines

Keynote Speaker

Dafydd Owen
Dafydd Owen

Senior Scientific Director, Pfizer

Speaker

Grace Chuang-1
Grace Chuang

Senior Research Fellow, Cytokinetics


Speaker

Christopher Phelps
Christopher Phelps

SVP and Head of Early Drug Discovery, Nurix

Speaker

David Weinstein
David Weinstein

SVP, Head of Medicinal Chemistry, Vividion Therapeutics

Speaker

Yi Zhang
Yi Zhang

 Senior Director of Medicinal Chemistry, Kymera

Speaker
Abbad Walji
Abbas Walji

Senior Director, Discovery Chemistry, Merck

Speaker

Wendy Young-2
Wendy Young

Scientific Advisor

Panelist

Dan E
Daniel Erlanson

Chief Innovation Officer, Frontier Medicines

Panelist

Apply to Attend

Past Drug Hunter Events

We've been hosting mixers, private dinners, and on-site seminars for years. We're now thrilled to host our first full-day Symposium!