University of Hyderabad hosts global drug discovery programme

Hyderabad: More than 250 researchers, academics and industry professionals from across the world have gathered at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) for a six-day international programme on medicinal chemistry, drug discovery and development.

The Medicinal Chemistry, Drug Discovery & Development India (MCADDI) 2026 programme began on Sunday, October 25, at the university’s School of Life Sciences.

It has been jointly organised by the Federation of Asian Biotech Associations (FABA) and Biocon Academy and will end on October 30.

The programme focuses on emerging approaches to drug discovery and the development of new and affordable treatments amid challenges such as drug resistance, infectious diseases and non-communicable disorders.

AI-led drug discovery, biological therapeutics and drug safety

It covers artificial intelligence applications in computational chemistry, identification and validation of biological targets, next-generation biological therapeutics, and the assessment of absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) properties to establish drug safety and efficacy.

The programme also examines how academic research can be translated into market-ready treatments through collaboration between industry and academia.

The inaugural session was addressed by University of Hyderabad Vice-Chancellor (in-charge) Prof. J. Anuradha, School of Life Sciences Dean Prof. Anand K. Kondapi, and Department of Animal Biology head Prof. Kota Arun Kumar.

Prof. Pallu Reddanna, executive president of FABA; co-organisers Dr Balu Balasubramanian of Strategic Pharma Innovation-Sourcing Center LLC, USA, and Dr Jagath Reddy Junutula, co-founder and CEO of Aarvik Therapeutics, USA, highlighted the need for an integrated approach to drug development.

The academic sessions began with a lecture by Prof. Thomas Prisinzano of the University of Kentucky, USA, on medicinal chemistry principles, drug-likeness parameters and optimisation of ADME profiles. Dr Manjunath Ramarao of Aragen addressed biological target identification and validation, screening methods, and strategies to validate promising drug candidates.

A CEO Conclave scheduled for October 29 will bring together industry leaders. The event will also feature the Dr B.S. Bajaj Memorial FABA Excellence Award, the FABA Lifetime Achievement Award and the FABA Shantha Biotech Innovation Awards 2026.

The programme aims to strengthen research capabilities and promote translational innovation in drug discovery and biopharmaceutical development.

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