Post-Conference Focus Days: Friday, September 20
Tackling Solid Tumors
Advancing Armoring Strategies to Boost Persistence in the Solid TME
9:00 am Affini-T Platform Technologies Enable the Generation of Potent & Tolerable TCR-T Cells
Synopsis
- TAILOR TCR discovery platform uses predictive algorithms to identify highly functional and specific TCRs against diverse targets
- TUNE Synthetic Biology platform programs cell persistence in the TME to enhance durability with switch receptors, co-receptor, and other armoring technologies
- THRIVE Engineering and Manufacturing platform allows for scalable manufacturing with gene editing technologies to generate a robust engineered product with > 95% central memory/stemness phenotype
9:30 am Armoring Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TIL) with Membrane-Bound IL-15 Improves T-Cell Phenotype & Enhances Persistence in Melanoma
Synopsis
- OBX-115 engineered TIL therapy utilizes the cytoDRiVE® platform to enable regulation of membrane-bound IL15 (mbIL15) using a drug-responsive domain (DRD), obviating the need for IL2 administration
- mbIL15 selectively expands CD8+ T-cells with no IL2-like toxicity and reduced exhaustion, while supporting antitumor activity and persistence, and can re-activate expansion of persistent antigen-experienced OBX-115 TIL
- OBX-115 TIL have produced a 50% response rate in a first-in-human study, including two complete responses, without any dose-limiting toxicities
10:00 am Morning Break & Networking
Benchmarking Methods to Master Effective Solid Tumor Trafficking & Penetration
11:00 am Harnessing a Cancer-Specific Target Discovery Engine to Uncover Novel Solid Tumor Antigens
Synopsis
- E-antigens are a novel class of tumor antigens
- E-antigens are druggable by multiple immunotherapeutic modalities
- Advanced pre-clinical development of clinical-grade targets for solid tumor therapy
11:30 am Mediating a Dual Targeted Approach with TCR-NKs to Address Solid Tumor Heterogeneity
Synopsis
- Epigenetically Encoding Functional Persistence in T-Cells
- TET2 loss uncouples proliferation and effector function in CAR-T cells
- SUV39H1 disruption promotes functional persistence of CAR-T cells
- Contrast the differences in TET2 and SUV39H1 deficient CAR T cells
12:00 pm Lunch Break & Networking
Harnessing Cell Type to Mediate Solid Tumor Infiltration
1:00 pm Employing Innate Cells to Promote Infiltration of Solid Tumors
Synopsis
- Engineering macrophage cells to express a CAR or TCR to specifically target and kill tumor cells
- Harnessing macrophages to maximize potency without co-stimulation
- Overcoming manufacturing challenges to ensure scalable production
1:30 pm Engineering TIL to Thrive in Hard-to-Treat Solid Tumors Using CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing
Synopsis
- Harnessing the advantages of polyclonal TIL products to elicit anti-tumor responses
- Rational design of engineered TIL, or eTIL, boosts anti-tumor potency and persistence
- eTIL may improve the overall patient experience with TIL therapy
2:00 pm Afternoon Break & Networking
Potentiating Targeting Ability through Novel Combination Approaches
2:30 pm Leveraging Viral Immunotherapies to Potentiate CAR-T Response through Combination Therapy
Synopsis
- Developing a novel viral immunotherapy platform to overcome barriers to cell therapy efficacy
- Leveraging intratumoral delivery to boost CAR-T efficacy in solid tumors
3:00 pm Panel Discussion Combining Cell Therapies with Synergistic Treatments to Prevent Antigen Escape
Synopsis
- Uncovering combination assets to synergize cell therapies and potentiate anti-tumor response
- Mitigating against combinatorial toxicities to promote safe tumor regression
3:30 pm CellPryme is a Novel Agent that Improves Cell Phenotype, Improves Tumor Control & Overcomes Immunosuppressive TME
Synopsis
- CellPryme is a small molecule with up to Phase II clinical experience
- A single exposure of CellPryme during CAR-T expansion significantly increases memory phenotype resulting in exhaustion resistant cells with improved persistence, tumor trafficking/penetrance, and tumor/cell killing
- Combining CellPryme with conventional CAR-T therapy increases CAR-T cell proliferation and overcomes the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment to improve CAR-T performance
Automation & Manufacturing Technology
Automating Manufacturing Processes to Reduce Costs & Transform Efficiency
9:00 am Employing End-to-End Automation Boost Manufacturing Productivity
Synopsis
- Integrating multiple manufacturing devices from various stages to create an end-to-end process
- Utilizing this process to improve robustness of production, reduce failure rates and decrease cost of goods
9:30 am Leveraging Modular Automation to Minimize Error while Maintaining Flexibility
Synopsis
- Reducing manual input and operator variability to improve product consistency and quality while preventing handler error
- Improving process comparability through automated systems to increase reproducibility
- Harnessing closed systems to prevent contamination and batch loss
10:00 am Morning Break & Networking
11:00 am Panel Discussion: Evaluating Technologies to Boost Productivity, Minimize Error & Reduce Costs
Synopsis
- Discussing how automated technologies can improve product quality and consistency
- Evaluating when to implement automation to optimize cost and long-term benefit
- Reviewing how to create flexible manufacturing processes to facilitate implementation
12:00 pm Lunch Break & Networking
Facilitating Technology Implementation to Enable Smooth Integration
1:00 pm Round Table Discussion: Let’s Plug & Play: Streamlining Integration of Automation & Novel Technologies into Manufacturing Processes to Achieve Operational Excellence
Synopsis
- Assessing if the equipment is suitable for the manufacturing of the type of product as well as scale needed
- Determining whether equipment is compatible with technical processes including manufacturing facility to facilitate integration
- Reviewing how to train personnel to operate automated systems to ensure optimal efficiency and smooth operation
2:00 pm Afternoon Break & Networking
Harnessing Technology & Instrumentation to Facilitate Scale-Up
Employing Bioreactors to Produce Large-Scale T-Cell Products
Synopsis
- Optimizing GMP media production utilizing automation
- Improving efficiency of current manufacturing systems to accelerate production and reduce error
- Increasing production efficiency to promote manufacturing scale-up and capacity increase
Enabling Analytical Instrumentation & Automation to Aid Comparability & Scale-Up
3:00 pm Leveraging Instrumentation to Accelerate Release Testing & Minimize Human Input
Synopsis
- Appreciating the analytical challenges faced to identify opportunities for technology implementation to optimize controls and characterization
- Examining how requirements evolve throughout clinical trials to optimize analytical strategy
3:30 pm Enabling Automated Process Monitoring for Production to Boost Efficiency & Product Quality
Synopsis
- Incorporating continuous process monitoring into automated systems to measure quality and efficiency
- Applying monitoring to detect analytical comparability and flag inconsistency and feedback into process improvement