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7:30 am
Welcome Coffee & Registration
Humanised Mouse Model: Where Do We Draw the Line?
8:40 am Development of NK Humanized Mice Models for the In Vivo Evaluation of NK Cells Engagers and/or Immune-Modulators Targeting NK Cells
Synopsis
- Development of robust in vivo models that allow the engraftment and maintenance of fully functional human NK cells
- Evaluation of several strains of immunodeficient transgenic mice for human cytokines (IL-15)
- Determination of optimal parameters of NK engraftment
- In vivo efficacy pilot studies in these NK humanized mice models using an anti-CD20 Ab
9:10 am Challenges & Solutions For In Vivo Modelling the Immunological Activity of Bi- And Multi- Specific Therapeutics
Synopsis
- Methods for addressing lack of mouse cross-reactivity
- Biomarker endpoints from mouse studies
- Clinical decision making aided by in vivo pharmacology data
9:40 am Session reserved for
Synopsis
10:10 am To Immunocompromise or Not to Immunocompromise: The Effect of the Immune System in Humanised Mice Models
Synopsis
- Species cross-reactivity: Is this enough to recapitulate the human immune system?
- Assessing the significance of loss of cross-reactivity
- Overviewing the implications of no adaptive and innate immune system on tumour modelling capability?
- How does this help us improve our translatability into clinic?
10:40 am Session reserved for
Synopsis
11:10 am
Structured Speed Networking & Morning Refreshments
Deep Dive into Next Generation IO Tumor Models: Advanatges & Limitations
12:00 pm Panel Discussion: Outsourcing: Minefield of Alternate Models – When, What, How & Where?
Synopsis
Preclinical and translational scientists in IO are facing a new wave of emerging, advanced models and the million £ question of what model do you need, when do you need it are not easy to answer, with many variables
to consider.
This panel will discuss:
- Discussion of the alternate key models: their benefits and shortfalls
- Customised vs off the shelf models?
- Understanding what industry is looking for and how industry can provide for those needs effectively
- Sharing examples of effective and less effective collaboration to streamline future efforts balancing between cost, speed to clinic vs industry’s gold standard when choosing your model
12:45 pm
Networking Lunch
Invigorating Novel Preclinical Pipelines
1:45 pm Session reserved for
Synopsis
2:00 pm Immunologically Cold & Treatment-Resistant Tumours In ImmunoCompetent Animals: Basis For Treatment and Modelling
Synopsis
- Investigating human oncogene-driven cancer as a basis for murine tumour modelling
- Developing chemotherapy-refractory tumour models
- Modelling relapse in animals
- Assessing sensitizing ‘cold’ tumours to immunotherapy using chemo and radiotherapy
- Exploring combination therapy modelling
Improving Your Biophysiological Understanding by Dissecting Tumour Microenvironment (TME)
2:30 pm The Ying & Yang Of The Tumour & The TME: Biological Perspective
Synopsis
- Gaining insight into the cross-talk between different cells in the TME and the tumour to gain an understanding of tumour pathophysiology
- Verifying to what extend do those interation have on tumour progression and pathophysiology
- Exploring the variation of cell subtypes in the TME and how that impacts modelling success
- Addressing the key challenges facing TME modelling and benchmarking the extent to which a better understanding of the TME could improve clinical success/translatability
3:00 pm Case Study: QPCTL is a Small Molecule Drug Target Modulating the Innate Immune Response
Synopsis
- Introduction into the Cell-Seq platform to identify novel drug targets
- Identification of QPCTL as a new target that impacts CD47 and several chemokines
- Preclinical evaluation of QPCTL inhibition
3:30 pm Session reserved for
Synopsis
4:00 pm
Afternoon Refreshments & Networking
4:30 pm Oncolytic Viruses which Target The TME and Induce Adaptive Immunity
Synopsis
- Developing oncolytic virus to target and kill cancer cells following a precision medicine strategy
- Modulation of the TME with oncolytic virus: inducing increase infiltration of immune cells resulting in an anti-tumour environment
- Assessing a new opening for defeating resistance to immune checkpoint blockers
5:00 pm Panel Discussion: Cutting Cancer Off At The Knees: Analysing the Preclinical Potential of Reprogramming/Repolarising Pro-Tumour Immune Cells
Synopsis
The aggression of tumours is hugely linked with tumour survival mechanisms resulting in high-grade tumours. Assessing the implication of suppressor cells on the progression of tumours. Tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) make up around 50% of the solid mass in a variety of human solid cancers (e.g., lung, breast and pancreatic) which are polarised into the M2 phenotype and support immune suppression, tumour growth, angiogenesis, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are activated under pathological conditions and can induce further immunosuppressive cells and inhibit the antitumoral immune response, therefore posing a great immunotherapy target however, this panel is going to discuss the potential of repolarising these cells to aid in the antitumoral immune response thereby improving preclinical and translational success.
This panel will discuss:
- The immune suppressive phenotype: insight into whether it’s fixed or flexible?
- Can the suppressive phenotype be reverted e.g. for example macrophage reprogramming from M2 to M1?
- Discussion around both immunosuppressive tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs)
- The efficacy of targeting folate-targeted Toll-like receptor 7 agonist (FA-TLR7-1A) for reverting the inflammatory phenotype. Off target effects/Systemic activation concerns?
- How does this help us improve our translatability into clinic?
- Implications of blocking tumour-derived granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on TAMs, resulting in anti-tumour T-cell immunity leading to tumour regression
5:45 pm Chair’s Closing Remarks & End of Day One
6:00 pm Poster Session
For full details on each session, please view the event guide.