A New Milestone in Industry Engagement: 2bind Sponsors PEGS Boston for the First Time

May 2026, Regensburg, Germany – 2bind GmbH, a leading contract research organization (CRO) serving the global drug discovery and development sector, was for the first time a corporate sponsor of PEGS Boston 2026, one of the most prominent conferences in the field of protein and antibody engineering. The sponsorship reflects 2bind’s growing presence in the international antibody development community and its commitment to engaging directly with scientists, developers, and industry leaders at the forefront of biologics research and development.

Key Facts

• Corporate Sponsorship: 2bind supported PEGS Boston as a corporate sponsor for the first time, underscoring its commitment to the antibody engineering and development community.
• Exhibition Booth: 2bind maintained a booth throughout the conference, providing a platform for direct engagement with attendees and showcasing its pharma services portfolio.
• Luncheon Presentation: 2bind’s CEO Dr. Cosimo Kropp gave a 30-minute luncheon presentation titled Overcoming Challenges in Antibody Development, highlighting scientific and practical challenges encountered throughout the process and outlining 2bind’s approaches to addressing them.
• Poster Presentations: 2bind contributed to the scientific program at PEGS Boston with the presentation of two posters: The Format Matters: Stabilities of Bispecifics and Binding Kinetics Measured on Cells – Pain or Gain?

Scientific Contributions at the PEGS Boston 2026 and Industry Engagement

PEGS Boston is widely considered one of the key meeting points for the protein and antibody engineering community, bringing together researchers, biotech founders, and pharmaceutical developers from across the globe. 2bind’s participation as a corporate sponsor provided the company with a highly visible platform to present its scientific work and engage with its clients and partners in a focused and collaborative setting.

At a 30-minute luncheon presentation titled Overcoming Challenges in Antibody Development, 2bind’s CEO Dr. Cosimo Kropp guided attendees through each critical phase of the antibody development process, addressing the unique challenges each stage presents. Beginning with the screening phase, the presentation highlighted how high-throughput screening (HTS) approaches, using target-specific binding assays such as ELISA, HTRF, and flow cytometry alongside real-time affinity measurements, enable efficient candidate shortlisting while keeping material consumption to a minimum.

Moving into lead selection, it was demonstrated how comprehensive kinetic data measured directly on living cells via Single-Cell Interaction Cytometry (scIC), in combination with cell-based functional assays, provides the confidence needed to make one of the most critical decisions in antibody development: the selection of a lead and a backup candidate. The session concluded with the pre-formulation stage, demonstrating how 2bind’s signature buffer plates and the Qick’n’Tidy™ buffer platform enable the systematic scouting of formulation spaces, the assessment of buffer effects, and the structured definition of optimal formulation conditions. The presentation offered relevant insights across all stages of antibody development, from early discovery through to lead optimization.

2bind’s scientific presence at PEGS Boston was further complemented by two poster presentations (accessible at https://2bind.com/science-and-publications/). The Format Matters: Stabilities of Bispecifics examined the impact of molecular format on the stability of bi- and multispecific antibodies — molecules that combine variable domains from different antibodies to create constructs with enhanced therapeutic potential and novel modes of action compared to classical monospecific IgGs. Using a multiparametric PANTA assay, aggregation risks were assessed across a reference panel of Her2xCD3 bispecifics generated with the variable domains of Trastuzumab and humanized OKT3, demonstrating how format selection directly influences aggregation behavior and developability.

Binding Kinetics Measured on Cells – Pain or Gain? addressed the scientific value and practical considerations of measuring real-time binding kinetics directly on target cells via Single-Cell Interaction Cytometry (scIC). By calculating KD values from association and dissociation rates using native target cells rather than purified proteins, scIC enables kinetic analyses of hard-to-purify targets such as GPCRs and provides insights into antibody-receptor interactions in their native membrane environment. The poster presented a direct comparison of affinities measured via scIC against two classical methods, contextualizing the advantages and challenges of cell-based kinetic measurements within a broader methodological framework.

Beyond its scientific contributions, 2bind’s presence at PEGS Boston 2026 served as an important opportunity to strengthen relationships with existing clients and establish new connections within the antibody engineering and biologics development community. The exhibition booth provided a dedicated space for in-depth conversations about 2bind’s expanding service portfolio.