RExPO26: A collective movement to revolutionize the future of Systems Medicine, AI and Drug Repurposing

The impressive scale of RExPO26 illustrated the huge amount of mental power gathered under one roof. With over 120 attendees – from 24 countries across Europe, the United States, Australia, Taiwan and beyond –, 55 speakers, 17 poster presentations, and 58 publications showcased across 11 dynamic sessions and 2 interactive workshops, the numbers speak for themselves, underscoring how far the field has evolved. Yet, beyond the statistics, it was the interdisciplinary quality, the vibrant energy and the amazing community character that proved the overarching sense of a shared purpose and commitment for action towards sustainable solutions to the world’s most pressing unmet healthcare needs.

This year’s programme spanned a wide spectrum of topics and expertise ranging from cutting-edge research and breakthrough technological advancements to the critical importance of scientific integrity. Discussions went in depth into network medicine, drug repurposing and rare diseases, while actively solidifying international coalitions, celebrating late‑breaking innovations and showcasing the next generation of researchers.

At the heart of it was the 2026 Honorary Lecture by Joseph Loscalzo of Harvard Medical School, who challenged the audience to rethink traditional medical definitions by asking a simple question: What is disease? By shifting the paradigm from symptoms to causes, Loscalzo’s talk encapsulated the fundamental philosophy of systems medicine that drives REPO4EU.

A highly anticipated highlight this year was the official public release of the REPO4EU Platform, the revolutionary one-stop shop for everyone in drug repurposing. Through dedicated talks, a hands-on workshop and a video presentation the key features of the platform were introduced, inviting scientists at every level, clinicians and the wider ecosystem to change how they work and unite under one collaborative, evolving, online workspace. The mission is clear: to focus on what matters most – advancing patient therapies. What lies ahead? Bela Bihari, General Manager of Egnosis – the technology partner leading the platform architecture development – stressed that “now, we are at this stage where gathering valuable community feedback is of utmost importance to fine‑tune the final version.”

Beyond digital infrastructure, the conference boldly emphasized that drug repurposing relies fundamentally on robust coalitions. A prime example of this was the ceremonial handover of a Memorandum of Understanding between REPO4EU and BBMRI-ERIC, the European Research Infrastructure for biobanking and biomolecular resources. Jens Habermann, Director General of BBMRI-ERIC, underlined this as a great step forward for all stakeholder groups. “By bringing the assets of both sides together, this collaboration will accelerate innovation, leverage clinical research, and boost European competitiveness, ultimately for the benefit of patients,” he added.

As the global medicine and life sciences landscape undergoes a major digital revolution, the role of AI and LLMs naturally took center stage. RExPO26 featured extensive discussions on how advanced computational capacity and AI can accelerate therapeutic strategies. Yet, despite the enthusiasm for cutting-edge technology, the takeaway was clear: AI is a tool to complement scientific rigor. Hermann Mucke, CEO of H.M. Pharma Consultancy, captured this perfectly, urging the community to “invest our ingenuity and our human capability of intuition to work with AI in the right way.”

The newly introduced session on Open Science, Research Integrity & Quality Publishing raised the voices on the growing challenges of paper mills and data available upon request, highlighting how the forces shaping trust in science must be better organized. Nina Tscheke, COO of ScienceOpen and co-chair of this year’s conference, showcased best practices in open science publishing and the latest developments on Drug Repurposing Central, the dedicated publication and research portal of REPO4EU.

However, it was the closing session on Rare Diseases & Translational Network Medicine that electrified the energy in the room. Christina Kyriakopoulou, Scientific Policy Officer of the European Commission, delivered a powerful message pointing to the current situation for millions of patients: “There is no approved therapy for 90-95% of rare diseases, and drug repurposing is the most promising way to get the right treatment for them.”

While the science of drug repurposing is rapidly advancing, the economic and regulatory frameworks often lag behind. Recognizing that science cannot be disconnected from market realities, a pivotal session focused on Aligning IP Strategy, Investment Incentives & Reimbursement in Drug Repurposing.

Experts debated the complexities of integrating IP strategies with reimbursement designs, indication-specific prescribing, early health technology assessments (HTAs) and market access planning. One of the most significant actionable outcomes of the conference was the announcement of the formation of a Core Special Interest Group (SIG), which will bring together key national‑level stakeholders to, collaboratively, pave the way for promising repurposed therapeutics to truly reach the patients who need them.

As the doors of the Futurium closed, the work ahead continues. In the coming months, the transition from the newly launched beta version of the REPO4EU Platform to a fully refined global infrastructure will be a central priority. Strengthening the existing synergies and pursuing new powerful coalitions that amplify the impact of drug repurposing across medicine and patient needs remains essential, a point underscored in the opening speech by Monica Ensini, Policy and Programme Officer at the EC’s Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Overcoming the hurdles in the field of reimbursement with the support of the SIG sits at the top of the REPO4EU agenda.

The momentum generated in Berlin demonstrated the strength of a unified drug repurposing ecosystem and we are on a mission to sustain this collaborative energy until we meet again next year. As Harald Schmidt, REPO4EU Coordinator stated: “RExPO is always a perfect place for networking and finding collaborators. If you missed it this year, see you next year in Athens!”