What’s in Store for 2026?
Accelerate Neuropsychiatric Drug Development with Precision, Translation & Regulatory‑Ready Innovation
Uniting 100+ global leaders across pharma, biotech, academia, clinical research, regulatory affairs, investment, and patient advocacy, the 9th Neuropsychiatric Drug Development Summit is the industry’s most focused forum for advancing safer, more effective, and biologically grounded mental health therapeutics. As persistent challenges including placebo response, patient heterogeneity, and Phase II/III failure continue to stall promising assets, this meeting is designed to sharpen translational decision‑making and align the field around precision‑driven solutions.
With 35+ expert speakers and a deeply technical program spanning discovery biology through late‑stage clinical execution and regulatory strategy, attendees gain critical insight into precision psychiatry frameworks, EEG and sleep biomarkers, neuroplasticity‑driven mechanisms, patient‑selection strategies, and approvable endpoints, with a clear focus on derisking development and delivering meaningful patient impact.
Agenda Focus
This year’s agenda dives into neuroplastogens and psychedelics, ketamine derived and non hallucinogenic rapid acting therapeutics, muscarinic M1/M4 innovation, orexin and sleep wake biology, and emerging neurometabolic and dopaminergic strategies, alongside the translational tools required to make these mechanisms succeed clinically.
Attendees will explore EEG and sleep EEG standardization, AI enabled signal detection, speech and digital biomarkers, genetics anchored models, and multimodal endpoint strategies to improve patient stratification and overcome the Phase II/III roadblock.
Dedicated EEG and Clinical & Regulatory tracks address how biomarkers, novel COAs, cognition, functional quality of life and real world measures can be operationalized, validated, and aligned with evolving FDA and EMA expectations.
Industry leaders from AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, Lundbeck, Neumora, Otsuka, COMPASS Pathways, Delix Therapeutics, MapLight Therapeutics, Gilgamesh, Alkermes, and more will share hard won lessons from recent successes and failures, alongside enabling perspectives from CROs, AI and biomarker technology partners, and clinical experts. Patient centred voices and real world implementation insights ensure discussions remain grounded in clinical meaningfulness, scalability, and commercial viability.
Together, the Summit delivers the strategic clarity, scientific rigor, and collaborative momentum required to unlock the next era of precision neuropsychiatric drug development.
Key Features for 2026:
EEG Focus Day
EEG Focus Day Returns with new insights in standardization predictivity, AI & utility, and wake /sleep EEG
Expanded Investment Insights: Pharma BD & VC Panel
Explore the Catalysts Driving Deal-Making Momentum in Neuropsychiatry & Discover What Investors are Seeking from the Next Wave of Readouts
More Regulatory Content than Ever Before
8+ New Presenting Companies Including
2026 Unmissable Highlights
From Symptoms to Biology: Advancing Precision Psychiatry
Explore how EEG, genetics, molecular biomarkers, and AI‑enabled tools are shifting psychiatry toward biologically grounded development and precision patient stratification, with insights from AbbVie, Lundbeck, Neumora, Alto Neuroscience, COMPASS Pathways, and Otsuka.
Modernizing Preclinical Models to Improve Translational Predictivity
Learn how next‑generation, genetics‑anchored models and circuit‑level readouts are replacing legacy behavioural assays to improve human predictivity, featuring leaders from Otsuka, Broad Institute, Alkermes, Neurosterix, and XYLO Therapeutics .
Overcoming the Phase II/III Roadblock in Neuropsychiatry
Unpack hard‑won lessons from recent late‑stage successes and failures to tackle placebo response, trial heterogeneity, endpoint sensitivity, and global execution challenges, with pharma and biotech perspectives from Lundbeck, AbbVie, Neumora, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Johnson & Johnson.
Redefining Endpoints: Digital, EEG & Novel COAs for Regulatory‑Ready Trials
Examine how EEG, sleep biomarkers, speech analytics, digital endpoints, and new COAs are reshaping signal detection and regulatory engagement, with case studies from Alto Neuroscience, Boehringer Ingelheim, COMPASS Pathways, Neurocrine Biosciences, Biogen, and Transpharmation.
Where Science Meets Strategy: Investment, Deal‑Making & Partnering in Neuropsychiatry
Hear directly from pharma, biotech, and investors on how capital is flowing into neuroplastogens, muscarinics, psychedelics, and precision CNS platforms, with participation from AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb, MapLight Therapeutics, Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals, Novo Holdings, Vida Ventures, Stifel, and Cowen.
Harnessing Neuroplasticity & Circuit Biology to Unlock Next‑Generation Therapeutics
Dive into the mechanistic science behind rapid‑acting antidepressants, psychedelics, ketamine‑derived agents, and non‑hallucinogenic neuroplastogens, with translational and clinical insights from COMPASS Pathways, Seaport Therapeutics, Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals, Definium Therapeutics, Lundbeck, and University‑industry collaborators.
Divide & Conquer
Pre-Conference Workshop Day
- James Cronican, Vice President, Head of Experimental Medicine Neuroscience & Mental Health, Boehringer Ingelheim
- Steve Levine, Chief Patient Officer, COMPASS Pathways
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EEG Focus Day
- Derek Buhl, Scientific Director, AbbVie
- Michael Chen, Chief Scientific Officer, Seaport Therapeutics
- Joseph T. Coyle, Director, Laboratory for Psychiatric and Molecular Neuroscience, McLean Hospital, Eben S. Draper Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
- Michael Chen, Chief Scientific Officer, Seaport Therapeutics
- Samir Koirala, Vice President & Head of Neurobiology Research, Alkermes
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Track 1: Preclinical & Translational
- Samir Koirala, Vice President & Head of Neurobiology Research, Alkermes
- Jordan Smoller, Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
- Matt Harlin, Senior Director, Discovery Research, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Companies (U.S.)
- Mikahil Kalinichev, Chief Executive Officer, Neurosterix
- Morgan Sheng, Core Institute Member, Co-director of the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute
- Sam Banister, Chief Scientific Officer & Co-Founder, XYLO Therapeutics
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Track 2: Clinical & Regulatory
- Guy Goodwin, Chief Medical Officer, COMPASS Pathways
- Michael Chen, Chief Scientific Officer, Seaport Therapeutics
- Jenny Barnett, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Monument Therapeutics
- Jens Wendland, Chief Medical Officer, Kynexis Therapeutics
- Pranab Kalita, Head of Clinical Development, Experimental Medicine, Neuroscience & Mental Health, Boehringer Ingelheim
- Shobi Ahmed, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Sama Therapeutics
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Explore the Full Event Guide
- 35+ World Class Speakers with Cutting Edge Insights
- 10+ Hours of Face-to-Face Networking Opportunities
- 3 Days of Unmissable Data-Driven Content
- 2 Dedicated Tracks of Content Spanning Discovery to Access for the Whole Team
Attending Companies Include
Explore the Agenda
Dive into 2 tracks, spanning discovery – clinical development and access, 3 preconference day workshops and 35+ expert speakers shaping the future of psychiatric R&D
Partner With Us
Showcase your solutions, connect with decision makers, and position your company as the go-to provider in neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopment research
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Network with pharma, biotech, diagnostics, academia, consortia, and regulatory voices driving real-world adoption