Join us for our next webinar with Alexis Denis, SVP Head of Drug Discovery Iktos, and Christopher Housseman, Drug Discovery Group Lead Iktos.
Registration, July 2nd 2026
Session #1: Register here for 9:00 CET - 17:00 JP session
Session #2: Register here for 17:00 CET - 11:00 EST session
Can't join us July 2nd? Register to receive the recording!
Abstract
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) is reshaping small-molecule drug discovery across the pharmaceutical industry. By combining advanced data analysis, structural modeling, molecular design, binding prediction, retrosynthetic planning, and multi-parameter optimization of physicochemical and DMPK properties, AI has the potential to significantly accelerate and improve the drug discovery process. In parallel, the emergence of AI-driven autonomous synthesis platforms is enabling the rapid, flexible, and efficient production of newly designed compounds, further shortening design–make–test cycles.
During this presentation we will illustrate the application of AI in drug discovery with 3 examples of fast hit discovery to H2L with two kinase PIM1 and PKMYT1, and DNA Polymerase Theta (PolQ), PKMYT1 and PolQ being both synthetic lethal targets in oncology. We will also cover PD-L1, an immune checkpoint protein in oncology, making use of Multi-Parametric Optimization (MPO) and Machine Learning (ML) models to discover innovative scaffolds and guide drug design towards advanced nanomolar lead series. We will go through each step of the AI generation and execution of the synthesis using a mix combination of robotic synthesis and bench chemistry to deliver nM inhibitors on the 4 programs with completely novel scaffolds or unprecedented modifications of existing series.
Speakers
Alexis Denis, PhD
SVP, Iktos' Head of Drug Discovery
Alexis Denis, PhD in organic chemistry, has 37 years of leadership, management and scientific excellence in Drug Discovery and Medicinal Chemistry within major pharmaceutical companies and biotechs R&D: Aventis, Pfizer, Mutabilis, GSK, Oncodesign, Galapagos, Iktos.
His broad expertise covers all the aspects of Drug Discovery: Hit to Lead and Lead optimization to preclinical and clinical candidates, physchem and AI/ML driven Lead Optimization, SBDD and molecular modelling, fragments, prodrugs, boron based medicinal chemistry and DMPK.
He has been working in several therapeutic areas: oncology, anti-infective, inflammatory and metabolic diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, developing new drugs in many target classes such as kinases, proteases, nuclear receptors, GPCRs...
During his career, he contributed to the development of several drug candidates and clinical candidates going to Phase I and beyond including a marketed antibacterial. He is the co-author of more than 60 patents and research papers.
Christopher Housseman, PhD
Iktos' Drug Discovery Group Lead
With over 17 years of experience in drug discovery, Christopher completed his Ph.D. in organic synthesis at ICSN-Gif-sur-Yvette. He further solidified his expertise with a post-doctoral fellowship at the Max Planck Institute in Germany in 2007.
Christopher's career at Galápagos spanned ten years, starting in 2008 as a Senior Scientist and then Lead Chemist in Medicinal Chemistry. During this time, he contributed to projects across a broad range of therapeutic areas, including fibrosis, anti-infective, cystic fibrosis, oncology, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and osteoarthritis (OA), and gained experience with fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD).
In 2018, he transitioned to Oncodesign for two years, serving as a Program Director. Key programs included a collaboration with Servier Team on the LRRK2i program (Parkinson's disease) and with BMS on HPK1i (immuno-oncology).
Since joining Iktos in 2020 as Head of the Medicinal Chemistry Team, Christopher has been involved in over 40+ projects in collaboration with both large and mid-size pharmaceutical companies.
When he's not focused on medicinal chemistry, Christopher enjoys an active life, which includes cycling and running with his two sons, reading, and appreciating good food and beers!
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This webinar will cover research topics and results that are part of the recently awarded European Innovation Council (EIC) grant, supporting our continued efforts to advance and scale our robotics platform.
