Immuno-Resistance and Sequencing Symposium

A Pre-Conference Program; additional registration is required.

Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021^*7:30 a.m.–6 p.m. EST
Independence Ballroom (Marriott Marquis)

*Dates and times subject to change.

Program Purpose

While immunotherapy treatments, particularly anti-PD-1 therapies, have improved outcomes for some patients, the issue of post-treatment relapse remains a large problem. The proper choice of treatment after relapse on checkpoint inhibition is, therefore, a critical issue to solve. This symposium will explore the preclinical and clinical data on sequencing of immunotherapies, in order to improve patient outcomes and ensure the field of immunotherapy remains at the forefront of oncology care.

Program Organizers

Elizabeth M. Jaffee, MD – Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University
Samir N. Khleif, MD – Georgetown University Medical Center
Ira Mellman, PhD – Genentech, Inc.
Padmanee Sharma, MD, PhD – The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Target Audience

The target audience for this symposium includes basic, translational, and clinical researchers from all work settings with an interest in the biological foundation of resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors and methods to overcome this.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:

Describe the current understanding of resistance to and relapse on checkpoint inhibitor therapies
Outline the biological fundamentals of immunotherapy sequencing and the effects on the immune profile and tumor microenvironment
Summarize clinical advancements in sequencing of immune therapies for cancer

SITC's Immune-Resistance and Sequencing Symposium is supported in part by grants from Alkermes, Inc., AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Bristol Myers Squibb, Genentech, Inc., Merck Sharp & Dohme, Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Pfizer, Inc. and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (as of Nov. 1, 2021)

Program Schedule*
*Program schedule subject to change.

Session I: Novel Primary vs. Adaptive Resistance Mechanisms 7:30–9:15 a.m. EST
7:30 a.m.	Introduction Samir N. Khleif, MD – Georgetown University Medical Center
7:35 a.m.	Anti-PD1 Resistance – Different Flavors Samir N. Khleif, MD – Georgetown University Medical Center
7:55 a.m.	Dissecting the Complexity of HLA Loss in Cancer Christian Hammer, PhD – Genentech, Inc.
8:15 a.m.	Dissecting Evolution of Clinical Immunotherapy Resistance David Liu, MD, MPH, MS – Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
8:35 a.m.	Immune Checkpoint Therapy: Identification of Resistance Mechanisms Padmanee Sharma, MD, PhD – The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
8:55 a.m.	Session I Panel Discussion Moderator: Ira Mellman, PhD – Genentech, Inc. Panelists: Session I Speakers Michael B. Atkins, MD – Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center
9:15 a.m.	Break
Session II: Myths vs. Knowledge on Clinical Therapeutic Mechanisms – Lessons Learned 9:30–11:10 a.m. EST
9:30 a.m.	Single Agent Trials, Lessons Learned - OX40 Agonists are Still Alive Andrew D. Weinberg, PhD – Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Portland Medical Center
9:50 a.m.	Role of Tim3 in Myeloid Cells Vijay K. Kuchroo, DVM, PhD – Center for Neurologic Diseases, BWH
10:10 a.m.	Anti-PD1 and IDO1 Inhibition: Lessons Learned Lance Leopold, MD – Incyte
10:30 a.m.	Priming the Immune System to Provoke Checkpoints: The Path to Maintaining the Immunotherapy Momentum Elizabeth M. Jaffee, MD – Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University
10:50 a.m.	Session II Panel Discussion Moderator: Andrew D. Weinberg, PhD – Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Portland Medical Center Panelists: Session II Speakers
Session III: Understanding the Biology of Therapeutic Pillars – Targeted Pathways and Future Direction 11:10 a.m.–2:20 p.m. EST
11:10 a.m.	VISTA Targeting of T cell Quiescence and Myeloid Suppression Overcomes Adaptive Resistance J. Louise Lines, PhD – Dartmouth College
11:30 a.m.	Human Costimulatory Bispecific Antibodies in Cancer Immunotherapy Dimitros Skokos, PhD – Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
11:50 a.m.	Lunch Break
1:20 p.m.	In Pre-clinical Models Metabolic Manipulations Improve the Efficacy of T cell Immunotherapy of Melanoma Hildegund Ertl, MD - The Wistar Institute
1:40 p.m.	Molecular Mechanisms of T cell Exhaustion and Relevance for Immunotherapy of Cancer E. John Wherry, PhD – University of Pennsylvania
2:00 p.m.	Session III Panel Discussion Moderator: E. John Wherry, PhD – University of Pennsylvania Panelists: Session III Speakers
Session IV: Resistance Reversal Strategies & Sequencing 2:20–4:20 p.m. EST
2:20 p.m.	Cellular Mechanisms of Cancer Immunity Response and Resistance Ira Mellman, PhD – Genentech, Inc.
2:40 p.m.	Epigenetic Reprogramming of T cell Differentiation to Enhance Cellular Therapy Benjamin Youngblood, PhD – St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
3 p.m.	Mapping Immunosuppressive Cell in the Tumor Microenvironment Miriam Merad, MD, PhD – Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
3:20 p.m.	Machine Learning for Spatial Multi-omics in Cancer Immunotherapy Elana Fertig, PhD – Johns Hopkins University
3:40 p.m.	Autophagy and Immunometabolism Regulation of CD8+ T cell Antitumor Immunity Julian J. Lum, PhD – BC Cancer
4 p.m.	Session IV Panel Discussion – Rational Combination Design Moderator: Samir N. Khleif, MD – Georgetown University Medical Center Panelists: Session IV Speakers
4:20 p.m.	Break
Session V: Developmental Process 4:35–6 p.m. EST
4:35 p.m.	Novel Immunotherapy Clinical Trial Design Osama E. Rahma, MD – AstraZeneca
4:55 p.m.	Combinations of Agents without Single-agent Activity Kald Abdallah, MD, PhD – Bristol Myers Squibb
5:15 p.m.	Regulatory Considerations for Cancer Immunotherapeutic Development – anti-PD-(L)1 resistance Marc Theoret, MD – Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
5:35 p.m.	Session V Panel Discussion Moderator: Kald Abdallah, MD, PhD – Bristol Myers Squibb Panelists: Session V Speakers
5:55 p.m.	Closing Remarks Samir N. Khleif, MD – Georgetown University Medical Center

SITC Related Resources

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Immuno-Resistance and Sequencing Symposium