MOEsaic / R-group analysis / Matched molecular pairs / Similarity and substructure searching / Descriptor calculations / Conformational searching / Molecular alignments / Pharmacophore modeling and searching

This workshop focuses on essential in silico methods for guiding drug discovery projects in the absence of protein structural information. Participants will explore SAR analysis through R-group profiling and matched molecular pairs (MMP) analysis using MOEsaic to determine relationships within a chemical series. The session covers molecular descriptor calculations and their application in identifying property correlations. Additionally, molecular alignments and conformational analyses of a congeneric series will be examined to assess the impact of ligand substituents. The workshop also includes an approach for developing pharmacophore queries and offers guidance on managing and manipulating MOE databases.

Virtual screening compound libraries / Descriptors / Molecular Fingerprints / QSPR modeling / Database filtering / Pharmacophore modeling / Pharmacophore-guided docking / Template-based docking / Compound design

This workshop explores the suite of MOE applications for small-molecule virtual screening. Participants will learn to prepare small-molecule databases for screening, filter databases using substructure matching and property values, and build QSAR/QSPR models and fingerprint similarity models as screening filters. The session will cover creating and searching pharmacophore queries and performing small-molecule docking. A complete virtual screening workflow will be presented, including the creation of de novo structures using MOE’s Scaffold Replacement and Medchem transformation tools.

Protein Engineering / Protein Properties / Protein Contacts / Developability / Molecular surfaces / Hot spot analysis / Antibody modeling

This workshop focuses on structure-based antibody design. Topics such as protein-protein interaction analysis, in silico protein engineering, affinity modeling, and antibody homology modeling will be covered. Participants will explore an antibody-antigen co-crystallized complex by generating and examining molecular surfaces and visualizing protein-protein contacts in 3D. Antibody properties will be evaluated using specialized protein property descriptors and protein patch analysis. The session will also cover the application of protein engineering tools for affinity and property optimization in the context of antibody developability. Additionally, participants will learn to optimize antibody homology models, including identifying glycosylation sites and their selective modification using a specialized MOE Project antibody database. The full workflow for high-throughput antibody homology modeling, from sequence to structure to property calculations for developability analysis, will be demonstrated.

Structure preparation / Non-natural amino acids / Protein Design / Conformational searching / Distance restraints / Peptide-Protein docking / Protein-Ligand Interaction Fingerprints (PLIFs)

This workshop focuses on methods for analyzing and optimizing peptide-protein interactions in the binding site. Participants will learn peptide-protein structure preparation, peptide sequence optimization using both natural and non-natural amino acids, and perform conformational analysis. Peptide-protein docking will be demonstrated, along with tools for analyzing protein-ligand interactions to assess contact points. Advanced conformational searching techniques using distance restraints will also be described.

Molecular surfaces and maps / Ligand interactions / Torsion Analysis / Ligand optimization / Capturing design ideas / Docking / Protein alignments and superposition

This workshop introduces MOE applications for interactive structure-based design. Participants will explore techniques such as active-site visualization, protein-ligand contact analysis, and ligand modification/optimization within the receptor pocket. Key milestones will be recorded using Capture, enabling review and sharing of design sessions with colleagues. The workshop will also cover the docking module and its application in assessing ligand flexibility. Additionally, a protocol for aligning and superposing protein complexes in the context of protein selectivity will be examined.

Scaffold replacement / Medicinal chemistry transformations / Fragment linking / R-group screening / Ligand growing / Pharmacophores / BREED / Fragment databases

This workshop focuses on fragment-based drug design tools in MOE. Participants will explore combinatorial fragment design and scaffold replacement in the receptor active site, along with strategies for fragment linking and growing. The session will also feature methods for generating closely related derivatives using medicinal chemistry transformations and the reaction-based combinatorial builder. Additionally, participants will learn to apply pharmacophores and 2D/3D descriptors to guide drug design processes.

Alignments and superposition / Loop and linker modeling / Protein-Protein docking / Protein-Ligand Interaction Fingerprints (PLIFs) / Epitope analysis / Homology modeling / Solubility analysis / QSAR modeling / 2D hot spot mapping

This workshop covers essential methods for aligning protein sequences, superposing structures, loop modeling, building fusion protein models, and conducting protein-protein docking. Participants will learn techniques for grafting and refining antibody CDR loops, as well as using a knowledge-based approach to scFv fusion protein modeling with the Linker Modeler application. The session will also cover protein-protein docking of an antibody to an antigen and epitope mapping. Finally, the workshop will guide participants through a complete workflow for generating a QSAR model to predict and analyze protein/biologics solubility.

Protein-Ligand Interaction Analysis / Protein-Ligand Docking / Pharmacophore Modeling / High-throughput Docking / Template-Based Docking / Covalent Docking

This workshop will explore some variants of protein-ligand docking to predict the binding of small-molecule structures to a protein target. Pharmacophore-guided docking will be used to preserve key interactions, whereas template-based docking will efficiently position congeneric series of compounds in the binding site. Reaction-based covalent docking will generate poses for covalently bound ligands. Analysis of docking results and techniques to achieve high-throughput docking will also be addressed.

Scaffold Replacement / Ligand Growing / R-group Screening / Bioisosteric Transformations / Pharmacophore Modeling

This workshop will focus on applications for fragment-based drug design, covering methods such as scaffold hopping, fragment growing and R-group exploration to generate novel compound ideas, then optimize and score the structures in the pocket. The use of molecular descriptors and pharmacophore models to guide these computational methods will also be discussed. In addition, an SBDD method for generating closely related analogs through bioisosteric replacements will be presented.

Protein-Ligand Interaction Analysis / Pharmacophore Modeling / Docking / Protein-Ligand Interaction Fingerprints (PLIF) / Fragment-based Design / Scaffold Replacement

Protein Alignments and Superposition / Loop and Linker Modeling / Homology Modeling / Protein-Protein Docking / Epitope Analysis / Protein Properties / Protein Solubility Prediction / Protein Patches (2D and 3D) / Biologics QSAR/QSPR Modeling

Pharmacophore Modeling / Docking / Fragment-Based Design / Scaffold Replacement / R-Group Screening / Project Search / Protein-Ligand Interaction Fingerprints (PLIF)

This workshop explores advanced Structure-Based Drug Design (SBDD) workflows for drug discovery projects, covering a broad range of topics from pharmacophore query generation to protein-ligand interaction fingerprints (PLIF). Participants will learn about the application of pharmacophores in protein-ligand docking, scaffold replacement, and R-group screening. Additionally, the workshop will present a method for querying a 3D project database, as well as techniques for generating and analyzing protein-ligand interaction fingerprints (PLIF).

Forcefield Parametrization / Forcefield Development / Forcefield Validation / Atom-type Free Parametrization / AmberEHT Forcefield

A new methodology to determine bonded forcefield parameters is presented. A coordinate-free Hückel calculation is the basis for chemical perception and the results are used in combination with physical chemistry relationships to determine parameters for bond lengths, angles and torsions (with associated force constants). Comparisons to quantum mechanical torsion profiles are presented to validate the resulting parameterizations.

Structure preparation / Sidechain rotamer exploration / Electron density maps / Solvent analysis with 3D-RISM

The webinar will cover methods for evaluating, analyzing and refining protein models derived from X -ray crystallographic data. Topics related to protein structure preparation and side-chain conformational analysis and placement will be discussed. Visualization and interpretation of electron density maps for assessing protein models will be described. The 3D-RISM method for predicting and refining the placement of solvent molecules in protein models will also be presented.

Structure preparation / Interaction analysis / Patch analysis / Protein contacts / Protein properties / Virtual mutagenesis

The webinar covers methods for analyzing and optimizing peptide-protein interactions in the active site. Using a model system consisting of MDMX protein and a peptide ligand modelled from p53, key contacts and interactions will be identified. Properties of the peptide ligand will be calculated, and opportunities for optimisation of the peptide will be derived by calculating protein patches and other properties for the receptor. We will then see how to mutate the residues in the peptide ligand to optimise binding, both by editing one residue at a time, and by "residue scanning" / virtual mutagenesis, which allows us to investigate the effects of multiple mutations together, thereby identifying beneficial changes.

RNA Modeling / Capture Design Ideas / AMBER:EHT Forcefield / High-Throughput Biologics Screening / R-group-Activity-Relationship Heatmaps / Predict ECD and ORD

CCG is pleased to announce the 2024 release of the Molecular Operating Environment, MOE. In this webinar we will present new features and enhancements in MOE 2024.06, extending the suite of computer-aided molecular design applications to include: Capture - Document and Share Design Sessions / Pharmacophore-guided High-throughput Biologics Virtual Screening / Map 2D Protein Patch Differences and Ensemble Averages / Updated Amber: EHT Forcefield Parameters from Atom Hybridization Character / Predict ECD and ORD Spectra to Determine Stereochemistry and Conformational Ensembles / Support for Non-natural RNA Bases, Ribose Backbones, and Ionization/Tautomeric States / Interactive Database Viewer Property Filter

The Japanese MOE Forum is a free online UGM event organized by MOLSIS, a distributor of MOE for Asia. Guest speakers from Japan and China will deliver scientific talks on diverse topics, while application scientists from Chemical Computing Group and MOLSIS will present the latest updates on MOE and PSILO. The event also includes scientific poster sessions, MOE and PSILO demonstrations, and virtual networking. Presentations will be in English, Japanese, or Chinese, with simultaneous interpretation available. Video recordings allowed by the speakers will be made available to registered attendees only.

SAR Analysis / Pharmacophores / Psychedelics / Virtual Screening

Psychedelic compounds are powerful substances that alter cognitive and sensory functions. Psilocybin (magic mushrooms), mescaline (peyote cactus) and Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) are tryptamine- and phenethylamine-based classical psychedelic compounds which primarily act as agonists and partial agonists against the serotonin 5-HT2A receptors. The overall hallucinogenic properties of psychedelic compounds are highly sensitive to structural features of the compounds and subject to cross-reactivity with monoaminergic receptors. To probe the SAR space of serotonergic hallucinogens, we have applied matched molecular pairs analysis in conjunction with conformational analysis to determine key pharmacophoric elements that contribute to agonist/partial agonist behavior.

Targeted Protein Degradation, Heterobifunctional Degraders / Molecular Glues / Ternary Complex Modeling / Protein-Protein Docking

Targeted protein degradation has emerged in recent years as a new modality to control protein levels in vivo. Among the many competing degradation technologies, most research to date has focused on heterobifunctional protein degraders (such as PROTACs), although inherent concerns about the molecular properties of these “large small molecules” has sparked intense interest in the development of smaller degraders, such as molecular glues. As a rule, molecular glues are smaller and are thus more attractive as potential therapeutics – but because a single molecule is responsible for simultaneously binding to two disparate proteins, the rational discovery of molecular glues to date has proven difficult. In this work, we will discuss multiple computational techniques implemented in MOE for modeling ternary complexes containing molecular glues. Special focus will be paid to lessons learned from our well-established PROTAC modeling toolset. In particular, it will be shown that the most effective molecular glue models result from treating molecular glues as “linkerless PROTACs.” Finally, recent work in developing techniques to prioritize prospective molecular glue designs based on their predicted degradation efficacy will be presented.