IO Summit 2018 Show Preview: Informing immuno-oncology

Be Boston-bound for erudition in the newest science, technology and techniques in cancer immunotherapy

Mel J. Yeates
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Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Sixth Annual Immuno-Oncology Summit
August 27–31, 2018
Boston, Seaport World Trade Center
 
Informing immuno-oncology
 
Be Boston-bound for erudition in the newest science, technology and techniques in cancer immunotherapy
 
Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s Immuno-Oncology Summit once again graces Boston with its sixth annual outing, though this time heading to the Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center.  Situated just across Fort Point Channel from downtown Boston, this year’s location is closer to the heart of the city, giving attendees myriad options for food, beverages and entertainment—when they aren’t busy gleaning new information. 
 
So what’s new for the Immuno-Oncology Summit in 2018? Cambridge Healthtech Institute (CHI) notes that the summit now has a track on bispecific antibodies, as well as a new neoantigen-targeted therapies track, which highlights personalized immunotherapy approaches. Immuno-oncology (IO) biomarkers coverage has been expanded to three days in order to cover predictive biomarkers, companion diagnostics and immune profiling, and coverage of adoptive T cell therapy has been expanded to three days to span discovery and development.
 
With an expanded exhibit hall and a new “Partnering Forum” to highlight emerging companies and investment opportunities, there’s plenty of opportunity to acquire new information, according to CHI, which emphasizes that the annual meeting focuses on the latest applied research. The comprehensive five-day, 12-track program covers immunomodulatory antibody engineering, emerging immuno-oncology targets, combination immunotherapy, preclinical and translational IO, predictive biomarkers and companion diagnostics, adoptive T cell therapy, oncolytic viruses and personalized cancer vaccines.
 
“The Immuno-Oncology Summit brings together a unique and international mix of large and medium pharmaceutical and biotech companies, leading universities and clinical research institutions, government and national labs, CROs, emerging companies and tool providers—making the summit a perfect meeting place to share experience, foster collaborations across industry and academia and evaluate emerging technologies,” CHI notes of the event. “Now in its sixth year, the IO Summit consistently delivers a cutting-edge agenda, 600-plus senior delegates and a sold-out exhibit hall. Please join us in Boston for comprehensive scientific coverage and unparalleled networking opportunities.”
 
Also among the highlights this year is the plenary keynote session, which kicks off on Tuesday, Aug. 28, at 4:15 p.m. Dr. Jennifer Brogdon, the director of the Exploratory Immuno-Oncology operations at Novartis, will present “CAR-T Therapy for B Cell Malignancies,” followed by “Walking on the Moon: Reflections on the Work of the Cancer Moonshot and the Future of the Biden Cancer Initiative” by Dr. Gregory C. Simon, president of the Biden Cancer Initiative.
 

Conference programs
 
August 27-28
 
Immunomodulatory Therapeutic Antibodies for Cancer
Emerging Targets, Combinations and Antibody Engineering for Next-Generation Immunotherapy
Featured Presentations:
  • “New Immune Checkpoints for Human Cancer Immunotherapy” by Dr. Xingxing Zang of Albert Einstein College of Medicine
  • “The Development of Agonist OX40 Monoclonal Antibody for Cancer Immunotherapy—Navigating the Bench to Bedside Journey” by Dr. Niranjan Yanamandra of GlaxoSmithKline
 
Rational Combination Cancer Immunotherapy
Data Drives Combinatorial Strategies and Successes
Featured Presentation:
  • “Rational Combination of Immunotherapy, It Is Science, Not Logic” by Dr. Samir N. Khleif of Georgetown University Medical Center
 
Immuno-Oncology Biomarkers 1
Quantitative Immune Profiling and Immune Monitoring
Featured Presentation:
  • “Exosomes and Their Cargo as Tumor Biomarkers” by Dr. Samir Hanash of MD Anderson Cancer Center
 
Oncolytic Virus Immunotherapy
Commercializing the Exciting Potential of Oncolytic Virotherapy
Featured Presentations:
  • “Unlocking the Full Potential of Cancer Immunotherapy” by Dr. David Kirn of IGNITE Immunotherapy
 
Training Seminar 1
CAR-T Engineering for Protein Scientists
Dr. Dina Schneider of Lentigen Technology Inc.
 
August 28-29
 
Bispecific Antibodies for Cancer Immunotherapy
Engineering Next-Generation Biotherapeutics in Immuno-Oncology
Featured Presentations:
  • “The Immune Force Awakens with Novel Bispecific Biotherapeutics: Challenges and Opportunities” by Dr. Rakesh Dixit of MedImmune
  • “Bispecific Technology for Multiple Avenues of T Cell Activation” by Dr. John Desjarlais of Xencor
  • “Mechanisms of Action for the Application of BiTE Antibodies in Immunotherapy Combinations” by Dr. Tara Arvedson of Amgen
 
Preclinical and Translational Immuno-Oncology
Predictive Preclinical Models and Translational Strategies for Cancer Immunotherapy
Featured Presentations:
  • “3D Model to Mimic the Microenvironment” by Dr. Litao Zhang of Bristol-Myers Squibb
  • “The Role of Genetically Engineered Mouse Models of Cancer in Profiling Novel Immune Targeting Therapies” by Dr. Elizabeth Hardaker of AstraZeneca
 
Immuno-Oncology Biomarkers 2
Predictive Biomarkers and Companion Diagnostics
Featured Presentations:
  • “Immunophenotyping to Differentiate Responder and Non-Responder Patients in Cancer Immunotherapy” by Dr. George Poste of Arizona State University
  • “Predictive Biomarkers in Colon Cancer and Mismatch Repair Deficient Tumors” by Dr. Robert Anders of Johns Hopkins University
 
Adoptive T Cell Therapy 1: Discovery
Engineering Immune Cells for More Effective Immunotherapies
 
Training Seminar 2
Immunology for Drug Discovery Scientists
Dr. Masha Fridkis-Hareli and Dr. Tatiana Novobrantseva of Verseau Therapeutics
 
August 30-31
 
Emerging Immuno-Oncology Targets
Novel Targets and Pathways for Cancer Immunotherapy and Combinations
Featured Presentation:
  • “T Cells against Tumor Neoantigens: How Many Are Likely Needed for Clinical Efficacy and Can Contemporary Vaccines Get Us There?” by Dr. Andrew Allen of Gritstone Oncology
 
Personalized Cancer Vaccines
Featured Presentations:
  • “Neoantigen-Based Vaccines for Breast Cancer” by Dr. Keith Knutson of the Mayo Clinic
  • “Neoantigen Approaches as Personal and Precision Cancer Therapeutics” by Dr. Richard Gaynor of Neon Therapeutics
 
Neoantigen Targeted Therapies
Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy in the Genomic Era
Featured Presentations:
  • “Neoantigen-Based Vaccines for Breast Cancer” by Dr. Keith Knutson of the Mayo Clinic
  • “T Cells against Tumor Neoantigens: How Many Are Likely Needed for Clinical Efficacy and Can Contemporary Vaccines Get Us There?” by Dr. Andrew Allen of Gritstone Oncology
 
Adoptive T Cell Therapy 2: Development
Case Studies and Clinical Progress of CAR, NK, TCR, and TIL
Featured Presentations:
  • “A Translational Perspective of Development of Yescarta (Axicabtagene Ciloleucel), a First-in-Class CAR T Cell Product for Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma” by Dr. Adrian Bot of Kite, a Gilead Company
  • “Stress-Resistant T Cell Therapy for Solid Tumors” by Dr. Prasad S. Adusumilli of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
  • “Tricked-Out CARs: Next-Generation Approaches to Enhance and Optimize CAR T Cell Function” by Dr. Benjamin Boyerinas of bluebird bio
 
Immuno-Oncology Investing & Partnering Forum
Facilitating Partnering, Funding & Investment to Advance Immuno-Oncology Drugs
  • “State of the Industry Keynote Presentation” by Dr. Ilan Zipkin of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
 

Short Courses
Dinner Short Courses
(separate registration required)
 
Tuesday, August 28
6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
 
Short Course 1: Bioinformatics for Immuno-Oncology and Translational Research
Dr. Yuriy Gusev of Georgetown University
 
Short Course 2: Next-Generation Immunotherapies: Part 1
A two-part dinner workshop series featuring presentations on the latest immunotherapy technologies from emerging companies. Learn about engineering the next-generation immunotherapies coming down the pipeline, including bi-specific and multi-specific antibody constructs, fully recombinant antibody prodrugs, innovative multivalent therapeutics, immunotherapeutic fusion proteins, antibody-drug conjugates and other innovative approaches.
Featured presentations:
  • “Unbiased Functional Screening of Large Bispecific Antibody Panels to Unlock Novel Biology” by Dr. Mark Throsby of Merus NV
  • “Development of MabPair Technology, a Novel Platform for Developing Bifunctional Antibody Products” by Dr. Wei Yan of Sound Biologics
  • “ProTIA – Bispecific T Cell Engagers That Combine Tumor Antigen Binding, Local Protease Activation, and Polymer Exclusion from Normal Tissues” by Dr. Volker Schellenberger of Amunix
  • “Probody Therapeutics: Antibody Pro-Drugs Designed for Safer and More Effective Cancer Therapies” by Dr. W. Michael Kavanaugh of Cytomx Therapeutics
  • “ADAPTIR Bispecific Proteins: Stable, Manufacturable Therapeutics for Cancer Immunotherapy” by Michael Comeau of Aptevo Therapeutics
 
Wednesday, August 29
6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
 
Short Course 3: Next-Generation Immunotherapies: Part 2
Featured presentations:
  • “Targeted VH Humabodies as Novel Multifunctional Immunotherapies” by Dr. Phil Bland-Ward of Crescendo Biologics
  • „KAHR Medical Dual Signaling Proteins (DSP) Platform – The Next Generation of Cancer Immunotherapy” by Dr. Adam Foley-Comer of KAHR Medical, Ltd.
  • “Hexavalent TNFR-SF Agonists: A Unique Class of Biologics for Cancer Immunotherapy” by Dr. Christian Gieffers of Apogenix
  • “Optimization of a Bispecific Anti-CD3 Antibody-Small Molecule Conjugate for the Treatment of Ovarian Cancer” by Dr. Harun Rashid of Ambrx
  • “Enhancement of Anti-Tumor Immunity via Targeted Alteration of the Microbiome” by Dr. Bruce Roberts of Vedanta Biosciences
  • “Clinical Development of Dendritic Cell-Based Immunotherapies for Cancer” by Dr. Marnix Bosch of Northwest Biotherapeutics
 

Miscellaneous offerings
 
Highlighting emerging companies
The Immuno-Oncology Investing and Partnering Forum will play host to an “Emerging Company Showcase” as part of the program agenda. This showcase allows immuno-oncology companies to pitch their drug, device, diagnostic, or software to an audience of investors, CEOs and executives in the field.
 
Training seminars
Cambridge Healthtech Training Seminars offer real-life case studies, problems encountered/solutions applied and extensive coverage of the basic science underlying each topic. Experienced training seminar instructors offer a mix of formal lectures, interactive discussions and activities to help attendees maximize their learning experiences. These immersive trainings will be of value to scientists from industry and academic research groups who are entering new fields—and to those working in supporting roles that will benefit from an in-depth briefing on a specific aspect of the industry.
 
Exhibits
The exhibit hall will be open Tuesday, Aug. 29, from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with the welcome reception taking place during the final hour; Wednesday, Aug. 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Thursday, Aug. 30, from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., just before exhibitors need to begin dismantling their areas.

Mel J. Yeates

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