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From Hit Identification to Lead Optimization: Building Scientific Continuity in Early Drug Discovery

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SHANGHAI, May 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On May 20, 2026, Viva Biotech hosted a V-Experts in Conversation webinar, “Managing Complexity in Modern Drug Discovery: A Practical Approach to Integrated Screening & Chemistry.” Moderated by Victoria Ouroutzoglou, the roundtable featured Dr. Bing Xia, Vice President & Head of Early Discovery Platforms, and Dr. Tim Dwight, Senior Director of Medicinal Chemistry & Business Development.

The discussion focused on how teams can make informed decisions when target biology, assay readiness, chemical tractability, and development requirements evolve in parallel. The speakers discussed how an integrated screening and medicinal chemistry workflow can support decision-making from hit identification through lead optimization.

Dr. Xia emphasized that hit identification is highly target-dependent. Strategy selection should begin with target context, including biological validation, tractability, assay readiness, structural information, protein availability, resource constraints, and the IP and competitive landscape. Depending on the target, fragment-based drug discovery, virtual screening, HTS, DEL, ASMS, or SPR may each provide suitable entry points.

The webinar also highlighted V-DEL-facilitated target triage as one of Viva Biotech’s practical approaches for early target and modality assessment. By integrating DEL screening outcomes, protein science expertise, protein QC and conformational-state assessment, and an AI-powered V-DEL Friendly Index, this approach can help assess ligandability, rank targets or constructs, prioritize resources, and inform suitable modality directions.

The speakers noted that primary screening readouts are only the starting point. To advance a hit with confidence, teams need layered validation, including purity and liability checks, dose-response confirmation, orthogonal assays, selectivity and counter-screening, cytotoxicity assessment, and biophysical binding studies. Viva Biotech’s internal “promiscuous frequent hits” dataset also supports informed triage and helps reduce the risk of advancing misleading hits.

From the medicinal chemistry perspective, Dr. Dwight emphasized that design–make–test–analyze cycles require clear hypotheses and close coordination across medicinal chemistry, AIDD/CADD, biology, DMPK, and project teams. Structure-based design, SAR analysis, FEP, MD simulations, ADMET prediction, and AI/ML-supported modeling can all contribute to focused compound prioritization.

The discussion reinforced that integration is less about placing capabilities under one roof, and more about connecting the right data, expertise, and decision points, including go/no-go criteria. Through integrated protein science, structural biology, screening, medicinal chemistry, AIDD/CADD, biology, and DMPK, Viva Biotech supports a continuous discovery workflow from target understanding to validated hits and lead optimization with greater rigor, efficiency, and scientific discipline.

 

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SOURCE Viva Biotech

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Teen-Founded Nonprofit Busy Buzzy Bots Reaches 11,000+ Kids Through STEM Education–and It Is Just Getting Started

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Sparking curiosity among underprivileged students through hands-on STEM education.

SAN FRANCISCO, June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — STEM education has become an increasingly important part of today’s world, but for many students, it still feels distant, overly academic, or inaccessible. Without opportunities to build, experiment, and explore hands-on projects, many underserved children never develop an interest in science and technology. Youth-led nonprofit Busy Buzzy Bots (BBB) was created to help spark that curiosity.

Addressing Community Needs With BBB

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Bay Area students Saahithi Madhuvarsu and Saaketh Madhuvarsu identified a gap in STEM accessibility affecting underserved K-12 students. While still students themselves, the siblings helped establish Busy Buzzy Bots to provide more direct access to STEM education opportunities for children in under-resourced communities.

“BBB addresses this through hands-on community workshops, affordable STEM kits, and a volunteer network that helps bring STEM learning directly to underserved students,” Saahithi stated.

An Organization Dedicated to STEM Accessibility

Busy Buzzy Bots is led by young founders who believe students become excited about STEM when they are allowed to create firsthand. Saahithi and Saaketh developed the organization to make STEM learning more engaging and accessible for students who may not otherwise have exposure to robotics kits or coding programs.

The nonprofit operates primarily through volunteer support, allowing donations and resources to remain focused on student programming. Through workshops, mentorship initiatives, STEM kits, and coding activities, BBB works directly with students and educators in underserved communities.

Measurable Impact in the San Francisco Bay Area

Busy Buzzy Bots has grown from a student-led initiative into a STEM nonprofit with measurable community impact across the San Francisco Bay Area. To date, BBB reports that it has directly helped more than 7,500 underprivileged children, distributed 800+ STEM kits, and conducted more than 55 workshops and community events focused on hands-on STEM learning.

In addition to STEM kits, BBB organizes coding camps and interactive workshops intended to introduce students to practical STEM applications in an accessible setting. The organization states that these initiatives are designed to help students build familiarity with coding, engineering concepts, and problem-solving skills through direct participation.

“Over the years,” Michael Wittner wrote for Patch, “Busy Buzzy Bots has developed and distributed DIY STEAM kits that teach children essential science and engineering skills through fun and creative projects. From building small robots to experimenting with electric circuits, these kits are designed to spark curiosity.”

Awards and Accolades

For its contributions in the nonprofit space, BBB has received recognition for its work. Most notably, the organization was acknowledged as a Top-Rated nonprofit by GreatNonprofits in 2024. BBB has also been invited to exhibit at Maker Faire for four consecutive years and was recently recognized among the event’s frequent exhibitors, a nod to its growing presence in youth-led STEM education initiatives. These milestones reflect BBB’s momentum within the San Francisco Bay Area and its continued impact in STEM education.

BBB has also received multiple awards at children’s business fairs and community events for originality, creativity, and community impact. These milestones reflect BBB’s momentum within the San Francisco Bay Area and its continued impact in STEM education.

Saaketh states that community volunteers continue to play an important role in helping expand workshops, distribute STEM kits, and mentor students participating in BBB programming.

Ambition for the Future

As Saahithi Madhuvarsu and Saaketh Madhuvarsu continue growing Busy Buzzy Bots, the organization plans to expand its reach through additional workshops, coding camps, STEM kits, volunteer engagement, and community partnerships across underserved communities.

BBB states that its long-term goal is to help reach 10,000 underserved students by 2030 through continued growth in coding camps, STEM kit distribution, workshops, and community partnerships. Through these initiatives, the organization aims to increase access to STEM education for students who may otherwise face barriers to participation.

Media Contact:
Busy Buzzy Bots
Vidya Madhuvarsu
busybuzzybots@gmail.com
San Francisco, CA

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Driven Tech Named to CRN Solution Provider 500 List for 2026

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NEW YORK, June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Driven Tech, Inc., a platform-led systems integrator focused on helping organizations operationalize AI, modernize infrastructure, and secure digital operations, announced today that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has recognized Driven on the 2026 CRN Solution Provider 500 list at #236.

CRN’s annual Solution Provider 500 list recognizes North America’s largest solution providers by revenue and serves as a prominent benchmark of the IT channel’s leading technology integrators, managed service providers, consultants, and solution providers.

Driven made its debut on the Solution Provider 500 in 2024 at #340 and has climbed 104 positions over the past two years, reflecting the company’s continued growth and expanding role in helping customers modernize infrastructure, strengthen security, and operationalize AI.

Driven continues to deliver industry-leading customer satisfaction, achieving an NPS score of 92.0 and a CSAT score of 94.5. These results reflect the company’s commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and measurable customer outcomes.

“We’re honored to be recognized again by CRN,” said Vinu Thomas, COO and President of Driven Tech. “Less than five years ago, Driven was a concept on a piece of paper built around a simple idea: create a different kind of systems integrator. One that starts with security, intelligence, and business outcomes, then works its way down to the infrastructure required to enable them. This recognition reflects the dedication of our team, the trust of our customers, and the continued momentum behind our vision of AI-Driven Digital Foundations, Pervasive Security, and Applied Intelligence.”

The recognition comes at a time of significant growth for Driven, including the recently announced acquisitions of TekBay and ADEX. Together, the organizations significantly expand Driven’s capabilities across AI engineering, data science, intelligent automation, and multi-cloud platforms while strengthening its global engineering and delivery footprint.

“The Solution Provider 500 list highlights those companies generating the highest revenue through leadership in business and service innovation,” said Jennifer Follett, Vice President, U.S. Content and Executive Editor at CRN, The Channel Company. “This recognition highlights those organizations that consistently demonstrate agility and sustained growth amid rapidly evolving industry demands and technological change. Congratulations to every company that earned a well-deserved place on this year’s Solution Provider 500.”

Coverage of the 2026 Solution Provider 500 list will be featured online at CRN.com/SP500.

About Driven Tech, Inc.

Driven Tech, Inc. is a platform-led systems integrator helping organizations navigate the convergence of AI, data, security, cloud, and infrastructure. Through its core platforms of AI-Driven Digital Foundations, Pervasive Security, and Applied Intelligence, Driven helps customers securely modernize operations, operationalize AI, and build intelligent, data-driven enterprises for the future.

Website
https://driven.tech/

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/driven-technologies

X
https://x.com/driven_tech

Tripper Allen
Marketing
Oxford + Bond
tripper.allen@oxfordandbond.com

This release was issued through WebWire®. For more information, visit http://www.webwire.com.

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SOURCE Driven Technologies

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TruTrade Announces Access to the R400 Pro Demo Experience

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Qualified individuals can now experience R400 Pro through our demo platform before deciding whether to continue

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TruTrade, a software company focused on AI-driven trading technology, today announced the launch of its R400 Pro Demo, providing qualified individuals with the opportunity to experience the platform firsthand before deciding whether to continue using the software.

Designed for cash brokerage accounts, R400 Pro was developed to provide a more structured trading experience through advanced AI-driven execution technology. The platform emphasizes simplicity, automation, and operational consistency through a streamlined one-click user experience.

The R400 Pro Demo allows participants to work directly with the TruTrade team throughout the installation and onboarding process while becoming familiar with the platform’s functionality, workflow, and overall user experience through a dedicated demo account.

“We believe the best way to understand a platform is to experience it firsthand,” said Brian Nutt, Co-Founder of TruTrade. “The R400 Pro Demo gives individuals the opportunity to see how the platform operates while working directly with our team throughout the onboarding process.”

The introduction of the R400 Pro Demo comes as increasing numbers of individuals continue exploring technology-driven approaches to market participation. TruTrade believes that providing prospective users with direct access to a hands-on demonstration allows them to make more informed decisions about the technology they choose to utilize.

“With R400 Pro, we don’t ask you to believe it—we let you experience it,” said Danny Rebello, Co-Founder of TruTrade. “This demo allows qualified individuals to explore the platform firsthand and determine whether it is the right fit for their needs.”

Upon completion of the demo period, participants may choose whether to continue using the platform. There is no obligation to continue beyond the demonstration period.

For additional information about R400 Pro or to request access to the Demo, visit https://trutrade.io.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/trutrade-announces-access-to-the-r400-pro-demo-experience-302795895.html

SOURCE TruTrade

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