Treatment for many patients with previously incurable metastatic disease has been revolutionized by agents targeting the CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1 pathways—the first generation of immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, since only a subset of patients
responds to treatment, strategies targeting other immunomodulatory mechanisms become necessary. An increased understanding of the tumor’s interactions with the microenvironment and the immune system is providing new therapeutic opportunities.
Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s Immuno-Oncology Targets conference will cover next-generation targets in immuno-oncology and explore strategies for development.
Final Agenda
Wednesday, June 20
11:00 am Registration Open (America Foyer)
11:50 Bridging Luncheon Presentation: From Syngeneic to Humanized Mouse Models: Addressing the Needs for Novel Immunotherapies
Philippe Slos, PhD, Study Director, Oncodesign
Discovery of novel immunotherapy represents a main and intense focus of research in oncology. Proof-of-concept studies in animals represent a challenge and require well-characterized and appropriate animal models with most of the time customized approaches.
Some recent development and data generated for immune checkpoint modulators, adoptive cell transfer therapy, vaccines and bispecific T cell engagers will be presented.
12:20 pm Dessert and Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing (America Ballroom)
1:00 PLENARY KEYNOTE SESSION
Essex South
2:30 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing (America Ballroom)
3:10 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Li Peng, PhD, Vice President, Biotherapeutics Discovery, Palleon Pharmaceuticals
3:15 Targeting the CD200 Checkpoint Blockade: A New Avenue for Immunotherapy
Michael Olin, PhD, Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, University of Minnesota; CSO, OX2 Therapeutics
3:45 New Immune Checkpoints for Human Cancer Immunotherapy
Xingxing Zang, PhD, Louis Goldstein Swan Endowed Chair and Professor, Microbiology and Immunology & Medicine,
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Dr. Zang will discuss function, structure, and immunotherapy of immune checkpoints B7x, B7-H3, HHLA2, TMIGD2, ICOS, Tim-3.
4:15 A New Immunomodulatory Strategy of Releasing Immunosuppression in Tumor Microenvironment
Li Peng, PhD, Vice President, Biotherapeutics Discovery, Palleon Pharmaceuticals
Cancer therapy has been revolutionized by inhibiting immune-checkpoints to harness the power of the immune system in fighting cancer. Immune-checkpoint inhibitors, anti-CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1 mAbs, have proved to achieve a durable response in a subset
of cancer patients. However, the majority of patients are still resistant to the first generation of I/O drugs. Enormous effort is pursued to identify new immunomodulatory strategies. Here we describe a novel approach of blocking an immunosuppression
pathway involved in the innate and adaptive response.
4:45 PANEL DISCUSSION: Novel Immunomodulatory Strategies
Moderator: Li Peng, PhD, Vice President, Biotherapeutics Discovery, Palleon Pharmaceuticals
Panelists: Sourav Ghosh, PhD, Associate Professor, Neurology and Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine
Michael Olin, PhD, Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, University of Minnesota; CSO, OX2 Therapeutics
Xingxing Zang, PhD, Louis Goldstein Endowed Chair and Professor, Microbiology and Immunology & Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Chen Zhu, PhD, Lab Head, Sanofi Oncology
This discussion will cover the following topics:
- Compare immunomodulatory strategies of antagonizing inhibitory receptors vs. agonizing stimulatory receptors
- How innate immune system-based IO strategies complement and synergize the T-cell checkpoint-based therapies
- How to identify immunomodulatory strategies tailored for different tumor phenotypes
- Discuss emerging IO strategies such as microbiome and glycoimmune checkpoints
5:45 Close of Day and Dinner Short Course Registration*
*Separate registration required.
Thursday, June 21
7:30 am Registration Open (America Foyer) and Morning Coffee (Foyer)
8:30 Chairperson’s Remarks
8:35 Phase Ib/II Study of Lacnotuzumab (MCS110) Combined with Spartalizumab (PDR001) in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors
Jennifer Mataraza, PhD, Group Lead, Translational Immuno-Oncology, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research
9:05 Immunophenotyping and Therapy Efficacy in Murine Tumor Models
Britnie James, PhD, Senior Vice President, Pre-Clinical Services, Immunology and Oncology, Pre-Clinical
Laboratory Services, MD Biosciences, Inc.
The immune phenotype of a patient’s tumor pre/post treatment can have a large role in response to therapy. To address this role, we have been immunophenotyping the tumor microenvironment and peripheral organs in multiple pre-clinical tumor
models. By understanding the changes in immune status. with therapeutic intervention over time, we hope to correlate these immune phenotypes to tumor burden and/or survival.
9:35 Find Your Table and Meet Your Moderator
9:40 Interactive Breakout Discussion Groups
This session features various discussion groups that are led by a moderator/s who ensures focused conversations around the key issues listed. Attendees choose to join a specific group and the small, informal setting facilitates sharing of ideas
and active networking.
Emerging Targets in Immuno-Oncology
Quamrul Hassan, PhD, Group Leader, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, EMD Serono
- Advancement in technology to validate targets in immuno-oncology
- Chemo-genomic approach in target validation
- Mechanistic preference in target selection: stimulatory vs. inhibitory
- Modality of inhibition in selecting targets: small molecules vs Biologics
- Phenotypic Screen to target generation and validation
Modeling Innate and Adaptive Immunity in Murine Models
Marcus Bosenberg, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Dermatology and Pathology,
Yale University, Co-Leader, Genomics, Genetics and Epigenetics Program, Yale
Cancer Center
- Can animal models of cancer immunology predict human responses?
- How should preclinical models be used to guide drug development i immunology?
- How can existing models be improved?
10:20 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing (America Ballroom)
11:05 CD38, an Emerging Immunotherapy Target
Chen Zhu, PhD, Lab Head, Sanofi Oncology
CD38 is a type II transmembrane enzyme-cum-receptor. Since multiple myeloma cells express high levels of CD38, targeting CD38-expressing myeloma cells by antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), phagocytosis (ADCD) and complement dependent
cytotoxicity (CDC) has demonstrated promising clinical activity in heavily pretreated relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) patients. In addition, as multiple lines of immune cells express CD38, the biological function of CD38 could
be further explored for its potential application in tumor immunotherapy.
11:35 An Innate Immune Checkpoint in Cancer Immunotherapy
Sourav Ghosh, PhD, Associate Professor, Neurology and Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine
T cell checkpoint inhibitors (TCIs) have greatly enhanced the success rate of immunotherapy. Notwithstanding, overall response rate remains limited. We have identified an innate immune checkpoint that limits dendritic cell function, as well as
induces tissue repair program in macrophages. Since innate immunity is an obligate prerequisite for adaptive immunity, we hypothesize that the inhibition of this novel checkpoint could improve anti-tumor immune responses, including in TCI-resistant
tumors.
12:05 pm TNFR2 Targeting in Cancer: Select Treg Elimination and Direct Tumor Killing
Denise L. Faustman, MD, PhD, Director, Immunobiology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Associate
Professor, Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Although many surface targets are a focus of immune-oncology therapies, a unique target is the TNFR2 receptor which is not only concentrated on the Treg cells of the tumor infiltrate but also now a newly identified and prevalent oncogene for
diverse human tumors. In this presentation, we present human data for the efficacy and novel properties of dominant TNFR2 antagonistic antibodies on diverse fresh human cancers and their associated Tregs.
12:35 Networking Luncheon in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing (America Ballroom)
1:55 Chairperson’s Remarks
Andrew Weinberg, PhD, Chief, Laboratory of Basic Immunology, Providence Health & Services
2:00 Understanding Costimulatory Agonists to OX40 for Cancer Immunotherapy
Andrew Weinberg, PhD, Chief, Laboratory of Basic Immunology, Providence Health & Service
Immune agonist Abs that target T cells have been shown to have potent therapeutic properties in cancer-bearing hosts. In particular, anti-OX40 agonist Abs target CD4 and CD8 T cells as well as Tregs and understanding the role of their stimulatory
activity on each cell type will be discussed. Dosing and timing of delivery will also be discussed as they have quite different properties when compared to checkpoint blockade Abs.
2:30 Combination Approaches with Immune Agonist Antibodies
Patrick Mayes, PhD, Executive Director, Head, IO Antibody Research, Incyte
This presentation will cover the unique challenges of agonist mAb design and development as well as strategies for improving activity through combinations.
3:00 Preclinical Characterization of a Novel STING Agonist, MK-1454
Saso Cemerski, PhD, Principal Scientist, Merck Research Labs
MK-1454, a novel STING agonist, induces potent cytokine responses and activates several immune cell types in vitro including MDSCs and M2-macrophages, key suppressive myeloid cells in the TME. MK-1454
induces robust anti-tumor activity in mouse syngeneic tumor models and cytokine production and gene expression changes in ex vivo-stimulated human primary tumors. MK-1454 is currently being evaluated
in cancer patients both as monotherapy and in combination with Keytruda.
3:30 ATOR-1017 - A Tumor-Directed Fcγ-Receptor Cross-Linking Dependent 4-1BB Agonistic Antibody
Karin Enell Smith, PhD, Senior Scientist, Preclinical Development, Alligator Bioscience
AB
ATOR-1017 is an IgG4 antibody binding to the co-stimulatory receptor 4-1BB with a unique functional profile compared to the two 4-1BB antibodies currently in clinical development. The functional activity is dependent on cross-linking mediated
by Fcγ receptors, which directs the immune activation to the tumor area where 4-1BB as well as certain Fcγ receptors are highly expressed. This reduces the risk of inducing systemic immune activation and liver toxicity.
Therefore, ATOR-1017 has the potential to be a best-in-class 4-1BB antibody in terms of risk-benefit profile.
4:00 Close of Conference