Smarter Libraries, Better Hits: Quality, Diversity, and AI/ ML Enable DEL Success

About this webinar

For too long, DNA-encoded libraries (DEL) have been viewed primarly as a number game. At Novalix, we take a different approach: DEL screening is a powerful way to identify valuable drug-like hits, amenable for optimization by medicinal chemists to fuel the next generation of drug candidates.

In this webinar, we will demonstrate how thoughtful design, high-quality standards in library synthesis, and strategic use of AI/ML models propels DEL as a valuable tool for hit identification and expansion.

Two case studies will be presented relying on these pillars and making the difference. The first one will show the potential of harnessing the synergy of DEL and PROTAC technologies to quickly deliver PROTAC degraders. The second case study will illustrate the power of DEL screening, combined with AI/ML to achieve excellent starting points for drug discovery projects.

The Novalix webinar will take place at:

3.00 p.m. GMT (UK, Lisbon)
4.00 p.m.   CET (Paris, Madrid, Frankfurt etc.)
11.00 a.m.  ET (New York, Boston)
8.00 a.m. PT (San Francisco, LA)

Learning objectives

· The design and synthesis of high-fidelity drug-like DNA-encoded libraries
· Using AI/ML models trained on large DEL datasets to identify novel chemotypes
· Applications of these technologies in drug discovery

If you are unable to attend the webinar, you can still register to access the replay.

Discover our speakers

This webinar will be presented by:

Miguel Angel Pena Piñón
Associate Director of DEL
Miguel is a well-seasoned chemist with more than 20 years of experience. He obtained his PhD in Organic Synthesis from the University of A Coruña, Spain, and continued his scientific career with a postdoctoral position in Carsten Bolm’s group at RWTH Aachen University. He further broadened his expertise through industry experience at Janssen, working as a medicinal chemist. After two years, he joined Novalix as a Project Manager in Chemistry. In 2017, Miguel transitioned into the field of DNA-encoded libraries (DEL), taking on project management responsibilities and developing deep expertise in this technology. Today, with 10 years of experience in DEL, he serves as Associate Director of DNA-Encoded Libraries at Novalix, where he leads and oversees library synthesis.

Dr Bertrand Vivet
Senior Research Fellow Drug Discovery

Bertrand Vivet earned his PhD in biomolecular chemistry from the University of Montpellier, France, in the laboratory of Professor Jean Martinez. He began his industry career in 2000 at Sanofi in France as a medicinal chemist, working on the discovery of small-molecule ligands targeting kinases, ion channels, phosphodiesterases and phosphatases. With over 21 years of experience as team leader and project manager, Bertrand has successfully led projects in oncology, immuno-oncology, rare diseases, diabetes, and infectious diseases, guiding programs from hit identification through to clinical candidate selection. At Novalix, he leads the design of DNA-encoded libraries and oversees affinity-selection data analysis to identify hit compounds.

Dr Ruel Cedeno
Head of Cheminformatics

Ruel Cedeno speciales in artificial intelligence and machine learning for drug discovery. He earned his PhD in Physics from the University of Aix-Marseille, where he received the Eiffel Excellence Award and the AMU-ED Best Thesis Prize. He has authored over 15 peer-reviewed publications at the intersection of computational and pharmaceutical sciences. At Novalix, he leads a team of computational chemists in close collaboration with medicinal chemists and DEL scientists. His expertise in computational drug discovery has been demonstrated not only through successful client projects but also by top performance in international AI/ML competitions, including the 2025 Antiviral Challenge and the DREAM DEL-ML Drug Discovery Challenge.

Webinar sponsored by Novalix

Organizer: Cambridge Healthtech Institute