Registration fees:
Regular: $60

Join us for happy hour, dinner, and a lecture by Raymond Evers of Johnson & Johnson
William Penn Inn, 1017 Dekalb Pike, Gwynedd, PA 19436
July 29, 2026, 6:00 – 9:00 pm

Role of Drug Transporters in the Disposition of Antibody-Drug Conjugates, PROTACs, and Macrocyclic Peptides

Abstract
Emerging therapeutic modalities—including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), and macrocyclic peptides (MCPs)—are transforming drug discovery by enabling modulation of previously undruggable targets. However, their atypical physicochemical properties introduce significant challenges across discovery, development, and regulatory evaluation. In particular, the role of transporters in governing absorption, distribution, and clearance is not well understood. Key challenges include the pharmacokinetics and tumor distribution of ADC payloads, limited absorption and low oral bioavailability of PROTACs, and intestinal permeability and systemic disposition of MCPs. Moreover, these modalities may act as both victims and perpetrators of drug–drug interactions, including intracellular interactions, further complicating translation of in vitro data. A mechanistic understanding of transporter contributions and other disposition pathways is essential to improve prediction of exposure, efficacy, and safety. In my presentation, I will summarize current knowledge, provide examples of how transporters can affect disposition of new modalities, and highlight critical knowledge gaps.

Biography
Dr. Raymond Evers is a Senior Director in Preclinical Sciences & Translational Safety at Johnson & Johnson, where he leads a Global Translational ADME team. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Amsterdam, with research conducted at the Max Planck Institute. His early work on transcriptional regulation evolved into a focus on drug transporters and multidrug resistance during postdoctoral training.

He began his independent career in Frankfurt before joining Merck, where he established a transporter and in vitro technologies group, and moved to Johnson & Johnson in 2020. His research focuses on drug transporters, enzymes, drug–drug interactions, and the establishment of translational models across modalities, including small molecules, peptides, antibody-drug conjugates and protein degraders.

Dr. Evers has authored over 100 publications with more than 18,000 citations (h-index 57), serves in editorial roles, and received the ISSX Distinguished Accomplishment in Drug Discovery and Development Award in 2019.