Led by:

• Philip Arlen, President and Chief Executive Officer at Precision Biologics
• Adam Drake, Senior Director of In Vivo Pharmacology at Ichnos Sciences

Discussion topics:

• Challenges and solutions delivering to targets
• Monoclonal antibody functionality
• Tumour targeting and coming up with novel targets
• Finding the right clinical starting dose in early trial strategy
• Moving beyond T cell engagers

Science Exchange Leader:

• Anne Diers, Senior Director, Research, Candel Therapeutics

Session Topics:

• Challenges with selecting animal models for immunotherapies
• Exploring engineered mouse models for human IO
• Using ex vivo human immune modelling
• Unique strategies for modelling HSV viral vector therapies

Discussion Group Leader:

• Bruno Gomes, Head of Early Biomarker Development Oncology, Roche

Discussion Group Topics:

• What we know about checkpoint inhibitors predictive biomarkers
• Identifying the right patient population for cancer immunotherapies
  • Preclinical efforts
  • Clinical trial design and Patient enrichment strategies
• Digital biomarkers in immuno-oncology

Discussion Group Leader:

• Vibha Jawa, Executive Director, Bristol Myers- Squibb

Discussion Group Topics:

• Tracking the progress of cell therapies
  • Expansion and persistence
  • Adaptation
• Concerns with Gene Editing
  • Beyond the predominant variants
  • Safety and CNC
  • Efficacy

Discussion Group Leaders:

• Zsuzsanna Izsvák, Group Leader, Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine
• Pramod Srivastava, Professor Immunology, University of Connecticut

Topics:

• Challenges in prediction of neoepitopes from sequencing data
• Neoepitopes from non-canonical regions of the genome
• Logistical challenges in genomics-driven immunotherapy
• Are non-viral approaches competitive in the field of immuno-oncology?
• Challenges of simultaneously shortening the manufacturing time/cost and improving biosafety measures of engineered T cell products.
• Challenges in establishing effective measures to identify potential toxicity/biosafety risks in producing more feasible, cost-effective and moderately expanded cell products.
• How to combine product efficacy and safety with better potential for clinical outcomes – machine learning?

Discussion Group Leaders:

• Pini Tsukerman, Co-Founder, Chief Scientific Officer, Nectin Therapeutics
• Russell LaMontagne, President and Chief Executive Officer at Boston Immune Technologies and Therapeutics

Topics:

• What have we learned from the current generation of checkpoint inhibitors
• Making ICIs more effective
• What are the current therapies entering the clinic?

Discussion leaders:

• Aldo Pourchet, Co-founder of Omios Biologics
• David Krige, Head of Translational Sciences, Accession Therapeutics
• Abhisek Mitra, Senior Scientist, AstraZeneca

Introduction:

• What is the state of the field now?

Discussion topics:

• Molecular tropism and Immuno oncology tumour models; exploring the efficacy and predictivity of pre-clinical tumour models
• Delivering the oncolytic viruses to the tumour sites. Is IV delivery important for the success of the field? And what are the different options?
• Challenges to oncolytic virus replication and spreading within the tumour mass. Is IT delivery effective?
• Oncolytic viruses or vaccine vectors? Do they have to replicate?
  • Which is more important – oncolysis or anti-cancer immune stimulation?
• Do we need to use vectors for delivery of therapeutic transgenes?
  • And do you need transgenes or is the vector enough?
• Combination strategies
  • Are these therapeutics going to be active as monotherapy, or will they need to be used in combination?

Discussion Leaders:

• Jonathan Davis, Vice President of Innovation and Strategy at Invenra
• Christopher Fraser, Director of Antibody Discovery and-Immunotherapy at QLSF Biotherapeutics, Inc.

Discussion Group Topics:

• Broadening the scope of tumour targeting beyond the current limited realm of target antigens
• Advantages and disadvantages of discovery formats
  
  • Utilities for building bispecifics
  • Flexibility
  • Efficiency

Discussion Leaders:

• Nagy Habib, Head of R&D and CMO, MiNA Therapeutics
• Arcangelo Liso, Full Professor, Head of Hematology Laboratory at University of Foggia

Topics:

• Is there a blood test that could tell you whether a tumour is myeloid rich?
• Do you need to neutralise all the components of the tumour microenvironment (cancer associated fibroblasts, macrophages, dendritic cells, etc), or is one component enough?
• How to target cancer associated fibroblasts?

Discussion Topics:

• How to make cell therapies more accessible
• Expanding the range of antigens targeted in the solid tumour environment
• “Armouring” therapeutic cells for solid tumours
• Other specific challenges with targeting solid tumours

Discussion Leaders:

• Michael Zaiac, Head of Medical Affairs Oncology Region Europe, Novartis

• Paul Rennert, Acting CEO, CSO, Aletabio