Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s Inaugural
Next-Generation Immunotherapies
Engineering Next-Gen Biotherapeutics in Immuno-Oncology
August 8-9, 2019
Cambridge Healthtech Institute's Inaugural Next-Generation Immunotherapies conference will feature presentations on the latest immunotherapy technologies from emerging companies. Learn about engineering the next-generation immunotherapies
coming down the pipeline, including bi-specific and multi-specific antibody constructs, fully recombinant antibody prodrugs, innovative multivalent therapeutics, immunotherapeutic fusion proteins, antibody-drug conjugates, small molecules, engineered
cells, and other innovative approaches.
Final Agenda
THURSDAY, AUGUST 8
7:45 am Registration Open and Morning Coffee
Harbor II
8:30 PLENARY KEYNOTE SESSION
PANEL DISCUSSION: Partnering and Licensing in Immuno-Oncology
Big pharma and biotech are under pressure to compete in the booming Immuno-Oncology market and to capitalize on new technologies and innovations to bring next-generation immunotherapies to the patients. This insider panel will share what they look for
in a partner or investment, and discuss opportunities for collaboration or in-licensing of novel immunotherapies, IO targets or biomarkers, and potential combination therapies.
Melinda Griffith, JD
Vice President, Strategic Alliances; Chief Legal Counsel, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
Michael Woo, MBA
Head, Search & Evaluation, Immuno-Oncology, Business Development & Licensing, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Inc.
Kathryn McCabe, PhD
Senior Director, Business Development, Emerging Technology and Innovation, Eli Lilly and Company
Scott M. DeWire, PhD
Global Head, Business Development and Licensing, Cancer Immunology, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Philip Arlen, MD
President & CEO, Precision Biologics
9:30 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall. Last chance for poster viewing.
10:10 Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Carolyn Edwards, PhD, Principal Scientist, Crescendo Biologics
10:15 CUE-101, a Novel Fc Fusion Protein for Selective Targeting and Expansion of Anti-Tumor T Cells for Treatment of HPV-Driven Malignancies
Steve Quayle, PhD, Senior Director, Pharmacology, Cue Biopharma
CUE BioPharma’s ImmunoSTATs are proprietary biologics that incorporate, in a single molecular framework, the key signals needed to selectively modulate antigen-specific T cells: namely, the HLA-peptide complex to target the TCR along with relevant
co-stimulatory/co-inhibitory signals, dependent upon the disease indication. The protein framework of ImmunoSTATs is based on an Ab Fc backbone and is extremely modular and flexible, which permits for targeting of diverse patient populations and different
diseases. The lead clinical candidate CUE-101 is comprised of HLA-A*0201 bound to a peptide epitope derived from the HPV16 E7 protein (amino acid residues 11-20) along with affinity-attenuated human interleukin-2 (IL-2) to selectively activate and
expand HPV16 E711-20-specific CD8+ T cells for HPV-driven malignancies, such as head and neck cancer and cervical cancer.
10:45 HERA-CD40L: A Unique Hexavalent CD40 Agonist for Cancer Immunotherapy
Christian Gieffers, PhD, Vice President, Early Drug Development, Apogenix AG
The hexavalent HERA-CD40L is a member of a novel class of TNFR superfamily agonists having the natural ligand conformation in common. The biological in vitro and in vivo activities
of HERA-CD40L – determined by immune cell activation, repolarization of M2 macrophages and anti-tumor efficacy in mouse models – demonstrated superiority over other agonistic formats like bivalent antibodies without requiring crosslinking
events. Therefore, HERA-CD40L is an excellent candidate for further development into a next-generation CD40 agonistic immuno-oncology drug.
11:15 CB307, a Novel T Cell Enhancing Humabody Therapeutic for PSMA-Positive Tumors
Carolyn Edwards, PhD, Principal Scientist, Crescendo Biologics
Agonistic monoclonal antibodies targeting CD137/4-1BB have shown much preclinical promise but their clinical development has been slowed primarily due to treatment-limiting liver toxicity. Developed using the Crescendo Mouse™, CB307 is a novel half-life
extended bispecific Humabody VH targeting CD137 and prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA). The design of CB307 enables agonism of CD137 selectively in the presence of PSMA positive tumor cells enabling tumor-selective T cell activation while minimizing
systemic toxicity.
11:45 Optimization of E. coli SoluPro Using Synthetic Biology for the Scalable Production of Protein Therapeutics
Sean McClain, CEO, AbSci
AbSci has developed a scalable E. coli cell line with a semi-oxidized cytoplasm that facilitates disulfide bond formation and protein folding. A synthetic biology strategy that modulates rates of gene expression, protein expression, and protein
folding enables production of soluble, high titer and quality proteins, including next generation biologics.
12:15 Enjoy Lunch on Your Own
1:40 Chairperson’s Remarks
Willem Overwijk, PhD, Vice President, Oncology Research, Nektar Therapeutics
1:45 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: Cytokine Engineering for Immuno-Oncology Using Polymer Conjugation
Willem Overwijk, PhD, Vice President, Oncology Research, Nektar Therapeutics
Many of the pathways critical for immune system engagement are driven by binding of cytokines and other ligands to their cognate receptors. However, cytokines act at very short range for brief periods in a context-dependent manner, and therefore have
poor properties for use as systemic medicines. Application of advanced polymer conjugation can alter the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties to optimize their use as anti-tumor medicines. This talk will describe several methods of optimizing
cytokines such as IL-2 and IL-15 for medicinal applications.
2:15 Intratumoral Anchoring of Immunomodulators Potentiates Systemic Immunotherapy
K. Dane Wittrup, PhD, Carbon P. Dubbs Professor, Chemical Engineering and Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cytokines are plagued by high toxicity and narrow therapeutic windows due to systemic exposure and activation. We have engineered collagen-binding cytokines that are efficiently retained following intratumoral administration and find that persistent local
activation unexpectedly leads to improved tumor control at contralateral and metastatic sites, likely due to improved T cell priming in the tumor draining lymph node. This approach shows strong promise for potentiating multiple systemic immunotherapies.
2:45 Refreshment Break
3:15 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: Immunocytokine Strategies in Prostate Cancer
Ravi Madan, MD, Clinical Director, Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, National Cancer Institute
To this point immunotherapy has yielded minimal benefits in prostate cancer beyond Sipuleucel-T and immune checkpoint inhibitors in small subsets of patients. New strategies are required to augment immune responses in men with advanced prostate cancer.
Immunocytokines may have pleiotropic effects in the tumor microenvironment and has the potential to enhance clinical outcomes in prostate cancer.
3:45 Deep-Primed™ Immune Cell Therapeutics
Thomas Lars Andresen, PhD, CSO and Co-Founder, Torque Therapeutics
4:15 Intratumoral Cytokine Therapy; Regaining Anti-Tumor Immune Responses with IL-12
Kellie Malloy, Chief Clinical Development Officer, OncoSec
Checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs), while transforming cancer immunology, have not improved responses for the majority of patients. Researchers are exploring intratumoral cytokines for CPI resistant patients. Intratumoral cytokines avoid toxicities commonly
associated with intravenous cytokine administration, while enabling a whole-body immune response. Intratumoral modalities include gene therapy via plasmid-based electroproration (EP), viral and RNA platforms. Plasmid-based EP is advantageous because
it can transfect millions of tumor cells with relevant genes.
4:45 Close of Day
FRIDAY, AUGUST 9
8:30 am Breakout Discussion Groups with Continental Breakfast
9:30 Chairperson’s Remarks
Roger R. Beerli, PhD, CSO, NBE-Therapeutics AG
9:35 Novel Immune-Stimulatory ADCs (iADCs) for Effective Targeting of Solid Tumors
Roger R. Beerli, PhD, CSO, NBE-Therapeutics AG
This presentation will cover: 1) exploring site-specific conjugates with ultra-potent anthracycline toxins; 2) discovering immune-oncology function of NBE’s iADCs; and 3) reviewing preclinical validation of a ROR1 targeting iADC.
10:05 TPST-1120 Antagonism of PPARα Metabolic Checkpoint Suppresses Tumor Growth and Stimulates Anti-Tumor Immunity
Chan Whiting,
PhD, Senior Vice President, R&D, Tempest Therapeutics
Tumors evolve fatty acid oxidation (FAO) metabolism to promote their own survival and to suppress tumor-specific immunity. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) is the principal transcription factor that regulates the expression
of FAO genes. TPST 1120 is a first-in-class selective competitive antagonist of the human PPARα. TPST-1120 induces direct tumor cytotoxicity and generates potent anti-tumor immunity. Preclinical studies indicate TPST-1120 confers anti-tumor
efficacy as a monotherapy and augments response when combined with anti-cancer agents including anti-PD1 therapy. A Phase 1/1b open-label, dose-escalation and dose-expansion study of TPST-1120 as a single agent or in combination with systemic anti-cancer
therapies is initiated.
10:35 Small Molecule Approaches to Enhancing Immunity in the Tumor Microenvironment
David Wustrow, PhD, Senior Vice President, Discovery and Preclinical Development; RAPT Therapeutics
Tumors negatively modulate the immune system through a variety of mechanisms. Studies have revealed that regulatory T cells (Treg), myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and T cell anergy can play important roles in suppressing the immune response
to cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment. This talk will highlight FLX’s platform to identify and develop small molecules which target mechanisms of tumor immune suppression.
11:05 Close of Conference