Dr. Lipeng Lai of XtalPi to Speak at SAPA-NE 2026 Annual Conference on AIDD’s Decade of Transformation and Future Innovation

On June 13, 2026, Dr. Li Peng Lai, Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of XtalPi, will be invited to attend the event held in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.The 28th SAPA-NE 2026 Annual Conference.During this period, Dr. Lai Lipeng will share his outlook and insights on the future direction of the industry, starting from the decade-long transformation in AI-driven drug discovery (AIDD).

From a Niche Computational Tool to a Core R&D Pillar,

A Detailed Analysis of the Ten-Year Evolution of AIDD and Reflections on Industrial Development

Dr. Li Peng Lai will attend this conference.“Commercial, BD & Strategy”Thematic Forum, and delivered a presentation titled《Beyond the Hype: How AI and Open Science are Architecting the Next Era of Drug Discovery》’s excellent sharing.

Over the past decade, AI-driven drug discovery (AIDD) has evolved from a niche computational tool into a core pillar of pharmaceutical R&D. This presentation will systematically review the development trajectory of AIDD and outline the key milestones that have propelled the industry to its current inflection point. It will also provide an in-depth analysis of cutting-edge AI technologies—including generative models, large language models (LLMs), and biological foundation models—demonstrating how they transcend the boundaries of traditional pattern recognition and reshape the landscape of the therapeutics industry. Furthermore, the discussion will center on the core of this industrial transformation: the data-first paradigm, as well as the critical value of open science communities in democratizing innovation. It will elucidate how collaborative ecosystems enhance AI predictive capabilities, accelerate the translation of breakthrough therapies into clinical practice, and ultimately benefit a broader patient population.

Empowered by Core Technology Platforms,

Accelerating the Implementation and Innovation of AI-Driven Drug Discovery

● PepiX™ Peptide Drug Development Platform

Focusing on peptide drug development, the platform integrates precise AI-driven design, high-throughput wet-lab screening, and automated synthesis capabilities to establish an efficient closed-loop workflow combining dry and wet experiments. Additionally, the platform houses a proprietary library of over 2,000 non-canonical amino acids (NCAAs). Leveraging these capabilities, it is prioritizing the resolution of key development challenges in brain/eye-delivery peptides, oral peptides, and radionuclide drug conjugate (RDC) cyclic peptide carriers, aiming to overcome traditional bottlenecks in peptide therapeutics regarding stability, permeability, oral bioavailability, development timelines, and success rates.

● Kodexia™ siRNA Drug Development Platform

Focusing on siRNA drug development, we pioneered the application of generative AI to break through sequence space limitations, significantly shortening the design cycle for best-in-class (BIC) siRNA candidate molecules. Our approach simultaneously optimizes modification patterns, enhances durability, and reduces off-target toxicity during sequence design. By integrating wet-lab capabilities, we have established an efficient closed-loop system combining computational and experimental workflows. Currently, the platform is strategically prioritizing development in metabolism, kidney diseases, dual-target therapies, and extrahepatic delivery.

About the 2026 SAPA-NE Annual Meeting

SAPA (Sino-American Pharmaceutical Professionals Association) is a non-profit organization established in the United States in 1993. Headquartered in New Jersey, it aims to serve professionals of Chinese heritage in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. SAPA-NE, one of SAPA’s key chapters in the New England region of the United States, was founded in 1998. Currently, SAPA-NE serves over 1,000 pharmaceutical and biotechnology professionals in the New England area and beyond, dedicated to fostering industry communication and collaboration while promoting innovation and development in the biomedical field.

This year's SAPA-NE Annual Meeting is themed“AI at the Bench: From Models to Medicines” Centered on this core theme, the conference focuses on the practical application and value realization of artificial intelligence technologies in pharmaceutical R&D. It brings together industry leaders and experts from top global pharmaceutical companies and leading AI-driven biopharmaceutical institutions to engage in multi-dimensional, in-depth discussions on key topics including AI-enabled drug discovery, clinical development, regulatory compliance, real-world data applications, CMC R&D, and commercialization strategies, directly addressing frontier hotspots and critical pain points in industry development.