2025 Preclinical Form and Formulation for Drug Discovery Gordon Research Conference and Gordon Research Seminar - The use of complex datasets, combined with new experimental and computational approaches to drive both mechanistic understanding and critical decision making in pharmaceutical development of challenging drug molecules (including nucleic acids, proteins, peptides and multifunctional small molecules) enables more efficient advancement of promising therapies, bringing new treatments for unmet medical needs to patients faster. The purpose of the 2025 Gordon Research Conference and Seminar (GRC/GRS) on Preclinical Form and Formulation for Drug Discovery is to accelerate the translation of promising drug candidates into commercial medicines by: (1) disseminating the latest scientific and technical advances relevant to materials characterization, formulation and delivery of chemical, protein and nucleic acid medicines; (2) fostering a scientific network inclusive of all scientists; (3) educating and engaging the next generation of scientists. This GRC/GRS brings together expertise and unpublished data on a variety of therapeutics to highlight the form and formulation challenges and opportunities that span these modalities and integrate cross-cutting techniques and approaches. These therapeutics include bispecific and multi-functional small molecules, peptides, proteins, and nucleic acids therapies with broad applications ranging from infectious diseases to oncology. Formulation and characterization technologies cover both novel experimental and in silico approaches, as well as the application of artificial intelligence to drug characterization, formulation design, and delivery, with the ultimate goal of discovering general principles and tools that can be applied to many drugs to prevent failure and inefficiency. Dissemination and discussion of new knowledge and technologies are necessary to enable broad use and further progress that will translate more drugs efficiently into the clinic. Form and formulation can also enable solutions to critical global health challenges, and this meeting will amplify the need for World Health Organization zone 4 stability and distribution requirements, low cost, and easy to administer formulation and delivery systems. This conference will share successes, continuing difficulties, and lessons learned from academic, industrial, government, and non-profit scientists to meet the needs of patients across the world. An important component of this meeting is training the next generation of scientists and the combination of the Gordon Research Conference, for scientists at all career stages, and the Gordon Research Seminar, for graduate student and postdoctoral scientists, enables early career scientists to share their research and interact personally with leaders in the field to grow their networks and nurture their career goals.
