7:20 am Registration & Morning Coffee
8:15 am Chair’s Opening Remarks
Understanding Model Selection Strategies for Different Cancer Types & Modalities
8:20 am Plenary Panel: How Do You Select the Best Model for Your Study & Achieve the Best Balance of Preclinical Tumour Models?
Synopsis
Moderated by: Adam Drake, Head of In Vivo Pharmacology Ichnos Science
• Addressing the lack of fit-for-purpose models and the next steps to improve this
• Strategies to select the most appropriate model for your cancer study
• Understanding how to combine different tumour models for a study and leveraging them to get the optimal results
9:00 am Assessing Techniques to Improve the TME For Therapeutic Discovery & Development
Synopsis
- Highlighting the importance of designing tumour models that accurately represent the immune component to effectively evaluate immuno-oncology therapies
- Uncovering methods for TME remodelling to promote immune activation
- Implementing tumour models including CDX/PDX mice and 3D tissue model systems to assess combination therapies of cancer vaccines with checkpoint inhibitors
9:30 am Overcoming Resistance & Exploring Treatment Strategies in MDS/AML
Synopsis
• Identifying the specific challenges associated with modelling MDS and their impact on translatability to the clinic
• Presenting findings from NRASD12/BCL-2 mouse models of HR-MDS/AML demonstrating the ability to overcome resistance to Venetoclax, a BCL-2 inhibitor, by utilizing a Mek inhibitor
• Presenting recent findings from the newly established RAS/p53R172H model of AML, highlighting ongoing investigations and preliminary results
10:00 am Morning Break & Networking Coffee
Synopsis
As the tumour model community is reunited, this valuable session will ensure you get the chance to reconnect with peers and make brand new connections too! This structured networking opportunity will pair you with fellow attendees for several 3-minute introductions, ensuring you have the opportunity to meet and network with your academic and industry colleagues!
Enhancing Model Predictability to Improve Clinical Translatability
10:45 am Breakout Roundtable Discussions
Synopsis
This session is your opportunity to share your most pressing challenges, and work as a group to come up with solutions that you can implement right away! Each topic area will have several small groups, and each group will have 20 minutes to discuss ways to overcome barriers in implementing these models for combination therapy and immuno-oncology. Groups will then share their findings with all attendees, giving you maximum exposure to new ideas!
Elaborating on the current challenges in the industry to select a tumour model that will represent their question and
study the best
Topic: Mouse Models (CDX, PDX & more)
Synopsis
• Reviewing the reasons and context for use
• Spotlighting methods to optimize translatability to patients
• Determining analysis strategies for combination efficacy and safety
Topic: Patient-derived cell lines
Synopsis
• Highlighting the different preclinical tumour models in use
• Reviewing the reasons and context for use
• Determining analysis strategies for combination efficacy and safety
Topic: Organoids & more
Synopsis
• Highlighting the different preclinical tumour models in use
• Reviewing the reasons and context for use
• Determining analysis strategies for combination efficacy and safety
11:15 am Spotlighting Techniques to Model Bladder Cancer for Drug Discovery
Synopsis
• Overcoming challenges to model bladder cancer more accurately
• Potential applications in drug discovery and development
• Uncovering strategies to improve clinical translatability
11:45 am Comfort Break
12:00 pm Gain the Greatest Insight from IND-Enabling Studies with CertisAI™ and Advanced Cancer Models
Synopsis
- Accelerating drug discovery with in silico models that save time and money — predict therapeutic efficacy, disease indications, and model selection, identify biomarker signatures and more
- Ensuring clinical accuracy with advanced orthotopic PDX models that reliably mirror the behavior of cancer in their human counterparts
- Reducing variability between in vitro and in vivo studies by employing matched pairs of PDX models and 3D cell cultures derived from the same PDX models
12:30 pm Reintroducing the 3Rs & Uncovering Some Perspectives from Working with Regulators
Synopsis
• A 3Rs perspective through a respiratory case study
• Lessons learned from non-animal testing approaches and what this means for toxicity studies and more
• Biopharma wants to understand what data (in vivo versus in vitro) regulators would accept
1:00 pm Lunch Break
Implementing Models in Immunotherapies
2:00 pm Supercharging Biologics Discovery & Development by Leveraging Tumour Models
Synopsis
• Identifying the key challenges in optimising monoclonal antibody candidates using tumour models
• Exploring a method to enhance the therapeutic potential of monoclonal antibodies through rational design and in vivo validation in tumour models
• Discussing strategies for effectively translating preclinical data into clinical applications
2:30 pm Preclinical Mouse Models for I/O Research
Synopsis
- Syngeneic models with dual genetic background
- Human Fc-dependent activity evaluation
- ADC in vivo and in vitro with bystander effects
3:00 pm Advancing Bispecific Discovery & Development
Synopsis
• Identifying the key challenges in optimizing bispecific antibody candidates using tumour models
• Exploring a method to enhance the therapeutic potential of bispecific antibodies through rational design and in vivo validation in tumour models
• Discussing strategies for effectively translating preclinical data into clinical applications, including safety assessment and dosing strategies
3:30 pm Afternoon Refreshment Break
4:00 pm Harnessing Tumour Models to Explore CD40 Therapies on Tumour Myeloid Cell Populations
Synopsis
- Discussing the relevance and translational potential of 2D culture models for understanding the mechanisms and optimizing CD40-based therapies
- Examining the effects of CD40 agonists or combination therapies on myeloid cell polarization, antigen presentation, and T cell activation
- Presenting and interpreting data from dissociated tumour models in 2D culture to elucidate the mechanistic insights and identify potential therapeutic strategies
Implementing Models in Immunotherapies & Combination Studies
4:30 pm Leveraging Existing Models to Support the Discovery of An Emerging Modality
Synopsis
• Introducing Prokarium’s work in the field
• Evaluating the available systems and methodologies for testing human-specific drugs in the context of bladder cancer
• Highlighting strategies for effective interaction with CROs to develop bladder cancer models that accurately recapitulate disease characteristics and facilitate immunotherapy studies
5:00 pm Session Details to be Confirmed
5:30 pm Chair’s Closing Remarks
5:35 pm Drinks Reception & Poster Session
Synopsis
Join this dedicated drinks reception and poster session to witness some of the latest and greatest in the field whilst learning more about your like-minded colleagues!