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Two popular topics discussed at the 2026 BIO International Convention were developments in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and AI in biology. Held on June 22-25 in San Diego, California, read on for a quick recap.

AI is changing antibody discovery, but model performance depends on the quality of the experimental data used to train, validate, and refine predictions. Antibody researchers increasingly need more structured, comparable, and biologically meaningful datasets that link sequence design to expression, binding, and developability outcomes.

Antibody discovery has become increasingly sequence-rich. Display technologies, single B cell workflows, computational design, and AI-enabled antibody engineering can now generate large numbers of candidate sequences for evaluation. However, a larger sequence pool does not automatically translate into better lead candidates.

Biointron, a leading contract research organization specializing in antibody discovery, expression, and optimization for global biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, has released RushData, a new service for antibody discovery uniquely suited for AI/ML driven workflows.AI-driven antibody

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are chemical or structural changes made to a protein after it has been synthesized. These include addition of carbohydrate chains, oxidation of amino acid side chains, deamidation, disulfide bond formation or disruption, and proteolytic cleavage.

Research recap on Antibody Engineering & Therapeutics Europe 2026. Antibody innovation is clearly advancing towards engineered, data-driven, and conditionally active therapeutics.

May 2026 saw deal activity across oncology, immunology, infectious disease, and autoimmune indications. Large strategic collaborations highlighted continued pharma interest in ADCs, multispecific antibodies, T-cell engagers, and antibody-based delivery platforms.

In this article, we explore the major trends shaping the future of targeted cancer drug delivery, and why integrated expertise in antibody discovery, engineering, and conjugation is becoming increasingly important for successful ADC development.

Site-specific conjugation limits payload attachment to defined positions on the antibody instead of allowing reaction across many accessible residues. As ADC design becomes more sophisticated, this level of control is increasingly important.

Affinity maturation can improve binding to the intended target, but it can also alter the antibody paratope (the antigen-binding surface) in ways that create patch-associated nonspecific interactions. These liabilities may then require re-engineering before a candidate can progress as a therapeutic lead.

ADC development is no longer limited to the antibody-linker-toxin model. The field is moving toward a broader class of targeted conjugates, often described as XDCs, in which X can represent a wide range of targeting scaffolds, payload classes, and conjugation strategies.

Read for a recap of trends in PEGS 2026. The event brought together industry leaders from the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors to discuss protein and antibody engineering, drug development, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and AI/ ML-driven biologics research.