This year’s Drug Delivery to the Lungs (DDL) meeting will introduce a few innovations to its regular program of scientific lectures, industry and poster exhibitions, including the new DDL Incubator. DDL 2026 will take place December 9-11 at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), with over1,100 inhaled and nasal drug delivery experts expected to attend.
The Incubator, described as “a session dedicated to exploring the funding options available to start-ups, biotech founders and similar stakeholders,” will take place on the morning of December 9, prior to the start of the regular DDL programming. In addition to presentations on funding options for OINDP-related start-ups — including angel financing, venture capital, bootstrapping, licensing, and acquisition — the session will offer innovators an opportunity to pitch ideas to an expert panel. Attendance at the Incubator session is free for DDL 2026 delegates, however, separate registration is required.
Five OINDP-related projects will be selected for the pitch session, with pitches being evaluated by a panel of industry veterans who have experience in getting respiratory start-ups “from bench to market.” DDL committee member Will Ganley, who will be one of the moderators for the Incubator, says that unlike the RespireX pitch competition, which debuted last year, the DDL pitch will be focused on innovators at very early stages who are looking for advice on how to convert their ideas into a business or how to advance past the basics of forming a business.
In addition to presenting their projects to the panel and to an audience of OINDP experts, all of the participants selected will get access to personalized advice from volunteer mentors on topics ranging from IP protection to commercialization. The morning program will also include a structured networking event with zones for discussing finance, development, commercial, and clinical topics.
Ganley encourages all DDL delegates to register for the Incubator session: “Innovative ideas in inhaled drug delivery need a whole ecosystem to succeed. The Incubator brings DDL’s strong community of entrepreneurs, investors, scientists, service providers and industry experts into one room. Come along, discover some of the brightest new ideas in the field and maybe become part of helping a new idea take its next step towards success.”
Another event taking place prior to the start of the main DDL programming is a lunchtime event for PhD students and early career researchers sponsored by the DDL New Researcher Network (NRN). The same group will also hold a session at the end of the day that includes invited speakers, drinks, and nibbles. Both NRN events, which require prior registration, are open only to PhD students and new and early career researchers.
The regular DDL sessions will begin in the afternoon with presentation of the DDL Annual Lecture by David Cipolla of Insmed, who will be talking about “Development Challenges with Inhaled Formulations.” Two other award sessions are included in the scientific program: the DDL Emerging Scientist Award and the Pat Burnell Young Investigator Award. Winners of the Pat Burnell Award and the poster prizes will be announced in the Pentland Auditorium at the end of the final session that afternoon.
