LA-GLOBAL
LA-GLOBAL is a brand new conference from CELT Global Health on Thursday 29 - Friday 30 October 2026, at The Spine in Liverpool UK. It will spotlight progress and innovation, and foster partner commitments for the year ahead, incorporating enlightening presentations, keynote speakers, panels and networking.
About LA-GLOBAL
Long-acting therapeutics are transforming how we prevent and treat HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, hepatitis C virus, and a growing number of co-infections and comorbidities. But scientific innovation alone is not enough. Turning breakthrough research into real-world health impact - equitably, and for the people who need it most - demands a global, coordinated response.
LA-GLOBAL (the Long-Acting Gathering for Learning, Opportunity, Breakthroughs, Access and Leadership) exists to make that happen. Bringing together researchers, policymakers, funders, clinicians, and advocates from across the world, LA-GLOBAL is the meeting place where evidence, policy, and market action converge.
Our mission is clear: to accelerate the translation of long-acting science into equitable health outcomes, particularly for communities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where the need is greatest and access has historically lagged furthest behind.
LA-GLOBAL Objectives
Through a programme combining plenary discussions, technical tracks, implementation showcases and policy dialogues, LA-GLOBAL's objectives are to:
- Advance knowledge and understanding in the science and technology of long-acting therapeutics through open scientific exchange
- Promote global health equity by prioritising meaningful LMIC participation and facilitating access to advances in long-acting therapeutics for the populations most in need
- Foster interdisciplinary collaboration across the long-acting pipeline, encompassing formulation and materials science, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (PK/PD), clinical implementation, modelling, biologics, manufacturing, paediatric and maternal health
- Support and develop early- and mid-career researchers (ECRs) through dedicated opportunities for presentation, recognition, and mentorship
- Facilitate a sustainable series of annual conference event through ongoing engagement with key stakeholders, CELT Global Health partners and Sponsorships partner commitments and coordinate a forward agenda that translates conference insights into tangible health and policy actions
- Disseminate outputs, including reports, white papers, thought pieces, peer-reviewed publications, and lay-accessible public-facing content, arising from the Conference.
LA-GLOBAL will incorporate enlightening presentations, keynote speakers and panels that will be aimed at highlighting progress, spotlighting innovation and foster partner commitments for the year ahead. The event will be aimed at prioritising attendance of participants from low- and middle-income countries.
LA-GLOBAL's speakers
Plenary talk
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We're excited to announce that the Plenary talk for LA-GLOBAL will be presented by Professor Charles Flexner from Johns Hopkins University.
Prof. Flexner's talk will be titled "From discovery to implementation: Why are long-acting anti-infectives so important, and why aren’t more people using them?"
Keynote speakers
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Each LA-GLOBAL theme has a keynote speaker and we're pleased to announce them:
- Advances in long-acting manufacturing - Professor Ryan Donnelly from Queen's University Belfast
- Frontiers in long-acting drug delivery - Professor René Holm from the University of Southern Denmark
- Maternal and paediatric health - Professor Elaine Abrams from Columbia University
- Biological performance of long-acting therapeutics - Dr Alison Cave from Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
- Preclinical pharmacology and pharmacometrics - Professor Pieter Annaert from KU Leuven.
Their titles can be found on LA-GLOBAL's agenda page.
Register
Tickets are available on our LA-GLOBAL registration page on the University of Liverpool online shop.
Abstract submission
Abstract submission is now closed for LA-GLOBAL 2026.
LA-GLOBAL themes
LA-GLOBAL's programme and agenda are organised around 5 themes.
Advances in long-acting manufacturing
Overseen by scientific committee members: Professor Steve Rannard and Professor Sheng Qi
Long-acting medicines come in many formats. Topics include: advances in the generation of long acting medicines, such as, but not limited to microarrays, in situ forming implants and injectable drug dispersions; new approaches to long-acting therapeutics and descriptions of translational programmes.
Frontiers in long‑acting drug delivery
Overseen by scientific committee members: Professor Sheng Qi and Dr Wing Man Lau
Long‑acting drug delivery systems are reshaping therapeutic practice by sustaining exposure and maximising clinical outcomes across the body. This session highlights cutting‑edge advances in implants, injectables, and device‑based platforms designed for both systemic and localised delivery. We will explore long‑acting technologies across ocular, otic, nasal, pulmonary, dermal, brain, and bladder routes, showcasing innovations that enable prolonged release, enhanced targeting, and new treatment possibilities for diverse clinical needs.
Biological performance of long-acting therapeutics: From exposure to response
Overseen by scientific committee members: Professor Neill Liptrott and Dr Tao You
Long-acting therapeutics rely on complex materials delivery systems and formulations that interact closely with the immune system and host biology. This theme will examine how biocompatibility immune responses and particle-biomaterial interactions influence safety efficacy and durability and how these biological insights can be integrated with PBPK and other pharmacometrics models (such as ordinal models for clinical adverse drug reactions) and vice versa to predict and improve clinical performance.
Preclinical pharmacology and pharmacometrics
Overseen by scientific committee members: Professor Andrew Owen and Dr Tao You
Focus on predictive animal models, in vitro–in vivo correlations, dose‑fractionation, and safety pharmacology for prolonged exposures. Topics include but are not limited to better in vitro systems, population PK/PD, PBPK, and model‑informed drug development to provide better prediction or interpretation of human performance, and using clinical data to evaluate the performance of preclinical models for PK and efficacy.
Maternal and paediatric health
Overseen by scientific committee members: Dr Adeniyi Olagunju and Professor Andrew Owen
Long‑acting therapies can improve adherence and outcomes for mothers and children. Topics include but are not limited to new age‑appropriate formulations, drug transfer across the placenta, infant exposure through lactation, maternal‑foetal pharmacokinetics, with consideration of dosing flexibility and administration acceptability.