BioInsights - Spotlights

IMMUNO-ONCOLOGY INSIGHTS

Spotlights 2023

Nonclinical tools update: emerging technologies

February

Nonclinical tools update: emerging technologies

Pelin Candarlioglu

Pelin Candarlioglu, Chair of Industry Advisory Board at European Organ On Chip Society (EUROoCS)

Guest Editor: Pelin Candarlioglu
Emerging animal models
- Humanized mice
Cell models and organoids
Xenografts/patient-derived xenografts
In vitro versus in vivo models
3D cell technologies
Enhancing preclinical predictivity
- Addressing the lack of translatability from preclinical activity for various agents and combos

Clinical development strategy

March

Clinical development strategy

Expanding the reach of immuno-oncology
- Targeting earlier lines of treatment
The changing global regulatory landscape
Clinical trials:
- Logistics and practicalities
- Innovation in clinical trial design
Addressing the intensifying patient recruitment challenge
Modernizing eligibility criteria
- Diversity and inclusion
- Different patient groups (children, the elderly etc)

Modality/platform development trends

April

Modality/platform development trends

David Dilillo

David Dilillo, Senior Director, Immuno-Oncology

Checkpoint inhibitors 2.0 – where are we now, and what’s next?
The rebirth/evolution of cytokine agents
The next generation of multipecifics
ADCs
Intralesional therapy
Myeloid-directed therapies
mRNA-based therapeutics
Cellular immunotherapy
Oncolytic virotherapy

Combination therapy

May

Combination therapy

How to further rationalize I-O combination therapy development
- Addressing PD1 refractory disease: identifying, characterizing and classifying patients into subgroups to tailor therapy effectively
Emerging technologies or trial designs to better elucidate the contribution of different agents in a combination
How can we improve the outcome with combination drugs without increasing the costs?
Can multispecific I-O drugs replace combination therapies and reduce cost?
How to best combine I–O drugs with ADCs?
- Safety challenges
Translational approaches for IO combination trials

Overcoming mechanisms of tumor resistance part 1: Breaking into the TME

June

Overcoming mechanisms of tumor resistance part 1: Breaking into the TME

Addressing microenvironmental challenges
Overcoming TME issues by targeting monocyte macrophage populations
For cell immunotherapy, how can we make cells that address the known immunologic barriers?
Key enabling technologies unlocking the secrets of the TME

Overcoming mechanisms of tumor resistance part 2. What progress is being made in solid tumors?

July

Overcoming mechanisms of tumor resistance part 2. What progress is being made in solid tumors?

With CAR-Ts approved for blood cancers, how do we translate this success into solid tumor malignancies?
Cell therapy approaches: T cells, NK cells, macrophages. What will be successful?
Multispecifics vs. CAR Ts in solid tumors – how do they compare and which will come out on top?
As various modalities (cytokines, CAR-T, T cell engagers, ADCs, oncolytic virotherapy) make more headway into solid tumours, how can these modalities complement and/or synergize with checkpoint blockade?
Combinations in solid tumors

Novel targets and pathways

September

Novel targets and pathways

Commercial and academic perspectives on novel target discovery
Aligning academic and industry priorities
Industry has the money but academia has the novel ideas – who is going to take/fund risks?
How can the I-O space move past the low hanging fruit?
Optimal selection of tumor antigens (expression patterns, antigen escape, expression on normal tissue)
Moving the needle on combinations – what modalities/approaches will be involved?

Biomarker discovery and patient selection

October

Biomarker discovery and patient selection

Clinical biomarker discovery and development
- Novel biomarker assays
Why hasn’t the promise of diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers been fulfilled?
Is there a path forward for peripherally available biomarkers (serum, blood based, liquid biopsy) for I–O therapies? Or is it only biopsy driven or in situ (i.e. what’s happening in the TME) biomarkers that are important?
Patient selection and precision medicine
- AI/patient data
- Optimal patient characteristics
- Clinical NGS
Are we measuring response the right way?
Alternative ways to measure response – cDNA, PET scans, imaging
- Applying AI and machine learning tools to make more educated decisions. (furthering the partnership between mathematics, computational biology, big data management, and raw biology)
- Harnessing precision medicine for combination therapy decision-making

Safety: preclinical and clinical

November

Safety: preclinical and clinical

Preclinical safety
- Addressing the lack of translatability in preclinical evaluation of immunotoxicity
- What tools/platforms are demonstrating potential to aid in the prediction of toxicity?
Clinical safety
- Balancing toxicity and efficacy
- Addressing patients who develop I–O-related toxicity with no response to therapy
- Lack of clinical management options for toxicity