The 39th Annual Meeting Keynote Address will be given by Rafi Ahmed, PhD, FAIO from Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Ahmed’s presentation on T Cell Exhaustion will be followed by time for questions from the audience.

This 30-minute session will highlight two selected Late-breaking Abstracts who will each showcase their work in a 15-minute oral presentation.  

This fast-paced session will feature six oral presentations from select basic science abstracts with time for Q&A.  

This fast-paced session will feature six oral presentations from select clinical abstracts with time for Q&A. 

Among the cells of the immune system is a highly dynamic composition of lymphocytes known as B cells. To maintain tissue homeostasis, B cells leverage contextual information to mature towards diverse phenotypes and functions that include immune suppression and eliciting immune mediated cytotoxicity. Indeed, B cells can form regulatory B cells which engage T cells and other immune cells with molecular messages to protect tissues from autoimmunity and suppress cytotoxic responses. Yet, under other molecular signals, B cells can be induced to ignite and amplify effector immune responses when functioning as organizers of cytotoxic immune cell aggregates where they engage in molecular exchange and antigen presentation. Likewise, B cells are well appreciated for their differentiation into antibody secreting cells to elicit local and systemic immunity. In line with these diverse and critical functions, B cell heterogeneity, activation, and function is being shown to be critical to tumor progression, cancer patient survival, and responses to chemo and immune therapy. Together, this contemporary research on B cells has made it clear that there are abundant opportunities to improve immunotherapy by control of B cell function. In this session, we emphasize (1) the therapeutic utility of B cells, (2) showcase new strategies to mechanistically ignite B cell anti-tumor functions, and (3) discuss how B cells can be modulated within and outside cellular neighborhoods i.e. tertiary lymphoid structures.  

In less than a decade, several discoveries propelled the gut microbiome from the dark matter to one of the “hallmarks of cancer”. Recent studies revealed that the baseline microbiome composition correlated with the anti-cancer response, the risk of immune-related toxicities and the development of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). This intricate relationship is linked through several mechanisms including microbiome-associated molecular patterns, cross-reactive antigens, bacterial metabolites and immune checkpoint expression.

Furthermore, harnessing the microbiome using fecal microbiota transplantation, probiotics and prebiotics demonstrated that shifting the microbiome composition can enhance immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) response and improve GVHD. In this session, we will focus on the development of user-friendly strategies to profile microbiome composition as a novel biomarker. We will review the ongoing strategies to improve the microbiome composition for patients amenable to ICI treatment or allogeneic stem cell transplantation. In sum, the aim of this session is to understand and review the mechanisms by which bugs can become new cancer drugs.

Selected abstracts will be presented in 10-15 minute oral presentations. 

Cancer immunotherapy has transformed cancer care over the past decade with more than 25 FDA approved medicines in the clinic. Immune activation focused novel modalities have demonstrated compelling efficacy and achieved regulatory approvals in hematologic malignancies over the past decade. Beyond the first wave T cell checkpoint blockade, developing next wave novel IO therapeutics in solid tumor have been challenging, but the tide has turned. 2024 is a breakthrough year for new and pending FDA approvals of both cell therapies and complex biologics in multiple solid tumor indications focusing on reinvigorating the anti-tumor immune response. In this session you will learn about the development and commercial launch of these exciting new immuno-oncology products including tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, T cell receptor engineered T cells, T cell engaging bispecific antibodies, next generation cytokines and more.

In humans, the immune component of the tumor microenvironment is likely shaped over many years. Tumor genetics and epigenetics, host genetics, and a lifetime of acute and chronic environmental exposures likely contribute to the immune composition of the tumor. These factors influence the natural history of the malignancy and its response to all forms of therapy including immune modulation. Recent data suggest that tumor immune microenvironments can be grouped into a limited number of phenotypes which could provide insights into pathogenesis and approaches to treatment. In this session, speakers will describe the spectrum of tumor immune microenvironments as revealed by analyses of histopathology, sequencing, and immune monitoring, characterizing commonalities and site-specific differences as they relate to the primary tumor site and/or site of metastases.

Cellular therapies offer great promise as a cancer therapy. They are living biological drugs, and often personalized, which gives them unique properties, characteristics, and great variability. These factors have made adhering to existing regulatory requirements challenging and requires significant collaboration and interactions with the FDA and other health authorities. Commercializing approved cellular therapies requires novel strategies for adoption, patient access, and cost. Though in early stages, new paradigms for manufacturing and delivery of autologous cell therapies, namely point of care manufacturing, have emerged that may reduce cost to manufacture and increase patient access. Collaboration with health authorities is critical for point of care manufacturing to have regulatory success. This session will first provide an update on SITC’s Release Criteria Summit. During the one-day virtual summit, topics include stakeholder feedback, summaries, current state, and future directions identified during the one-day virtual summit. The session will then expand upon some of the concepts discussed during the release criteria summit and we will hear about Iovance Biotherapeutics’s experience with regulatory approval of the first and only FDA-approved T cell therapy for a solid tumor indication. Finally, we will hear about how new manufacturing strategies are being developed to reduce costs and increase access for patients and discussion on regulatory perspectives. 

Cell and gene therapies have made a great breakthrough in the immuno-oncology field. Technological advances have created opportunities for genetically engineered immune cells to be “redirected” against tumor cells. As such, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells are now part of the routine clinical care for many hematological malignancies, but improvements are still needed. A better understanding of the mechanisms of action and the progress in molecular interventions are paving the way for the development of new generations of cellular immunotherapies. Innovative engineering methods will certainly lead to next-generation cell therapies with enhanced efficacy and/or reduced toxicity, notably for targeting low antigen-expressing tumors and solid cancers. This session will focus on genome and protein engineering strategies to optimize cell therapies for hematological and solid tumors.

This Session will explore how the underlying biology of combination therapies in solid tumors and how those combinations may change and overcome specific mechanisms of resistance to immune therapy in a spectrum of malignancies. The Session also aims to discuss provocative questions concerning novel combination immunotherapeutic development armed with a deeper biological understanding of how rational combinations and sequences of therapies can overcome specific resistance mechanisms, attendees will be equipped to design effective clinical trials leading to better patient outcomes.

Natural Killer (NK) cells and Type 1 Innate Lymphoid Cells (ILCs) play a critical role in the innate immune response by detecting and destroying neoplastic cells independently of prior antigen exposure. Their therapeutic modulation represents an emerging frontier in cancer immunotherapy.

In this session at the SITC conference Dr. Marco Colonna will provide a detailed overview of ILCs, highlighting their potential in cancer immunotherapy. Dr. Rezvani will present on the engineering of NK cells, discussing the latest strategies and preclinical evidence that underscore the translation of this strategy to the clinic. Dr. Eric Vivier will present on the application of NK cell multi-specific engagers, focusing on their design, mechanism of action, and their evolving role in the targeted treatment of cancer. Each presentation aims not only to educate but also to encourage dialogue on how these innovations can be best integrated and optimized within current clinical frameworks.

The tumor immune microenvironment is a crucial predictor of response to immunotherapy. Tumors infiltrated by activated T cells, a cancer immune phenotype referred to as “immune-inflamed,” are most likely to respond to immune checkpoint blockade. However, approximately one-third of cancer patients have tumors that spatially compartmentalize T cells to the periphery of the tumor, referred to as the “immune-excluded” phenotype, and these tumors have a poor response rate to immunotherapy. The research we will discuss today has the potential to impact the future of immunotherapy, offering novel approaches for improved treatments and outcomes.

This session will highlight the latest research defining the cellular and molecular mechanisms of immune exclusion. It will feature an active debate on whether the physical versus the functional barrier prevents immune cell infiltration into the tumors. It will also explore the relevant crosstalk between stromal cells, myeloid cells, and lymphocytes that contributes to the immune-excluded immunophenotype. Based on the identified immune cell crosstalk, novel approaches to overcome immune exclusion will be discussed. The session will combine the perspectives of clinicians, pathologists, and basic science researchers from academia and industry to take a multi-prong approach to overcoming the challenges of immune exclusion.

This session will highlight some of the great basic and clinical research in Immuno-Oncology being done by Latin American scientists. One of SITC’s strategic goals is to extend the reach of the Society beyond North America, Europe, and Australia and integrate Latin American clinicians and researchers into our community. This session will feature talks from senior scientists doing basic and clinical research on cancer vaccines, including neoantigen discovery, vaccine development, and combinations with checkpoint inhibitors. The session will also feature short presentations of outstanding selected abstracts.

The official start of the second full day begins with a welcome from one of the Organizers behind the Annual Meeting programming. 

Established in 2005, the Richard V. Smalley Memorial Award is presented each year to a luminary in the field that has significantly contributed to the advancement of cancer immunotherapy research.  It is the society’s most prestigious award and serves to honor those that have been pioneers in their work and made a notable impact worthy of high regard and recognition by their peers.

Genomic instability is a core feature of cancer evolution, but beyond tumor-intrinsic effects, it can also contribute to pro- or anti-tumor immune responses. Genomic instability leading to DNA damage and mutations increase the potential neoantigen burden and may therefore contribute positively to anti-tumor immunity. By contrast, chromosomal instability may lead to chronic activation of innate and adaptive immune pathways, ultimately mediating immune evasion by tumor cells. This session will focus on the role of understanding chromosomal instability in cancer evolution in the clinic, and then dive into the mechanistic underpinnings of how chromosomal instability and chronic interferon signaling may facilitate immune evasion and resistance to current immunotherapies. 

This 30-minute session will highlight two selected Late-breaking Abstracts who will each showcase their work in a 15-minute oral presentation.  

This fast-paced session will feature six oral presentations from select basic science abstracts with time for Q&A.  

This fast-paced session will feature six oral presentations from select clinical abstracts with time for Q&A. 

Join SITC President Leisha Emens, MD, PhD for oral presentations from the top four scoring Young Investigator Award abstract authors. The Presidential Award recipient will be selected following the session and will be announced at the Awards Ceremony that evening at 6:40–7:10 p.m. CT. 

Explore the different roles CD4+ T cells play in tumor immunity. Topics will include antigen recognition, regulatory T cells, and the importance of CD4+ CAR T cells.

This session delves into the critical role of lymphodepletion as a preparatory step in adoptive T-cell therapies. The speakers will explore the foundations, current practices, and future directions of lymphodepletion strategies to optimize the efficacy of T-cell administration in cancer treatment. Dr. Goff will provide an insightful overview of lymphodepletion, sharing her extensive experience with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and early CAR-T. This talk will highlight key clinical outcomes and lessons learned from pioneering treatments at the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Ruella will discuss the specific applications of lymphodepletion in CAR-T and TCR-engineered T-cell therapies. His presentation will cover the practical aspects of patient preparation, focusing on optimizing treatment efficacy and patient safety. Dr. Paulos will delve into the mechanistic insights and the importance of preclinical models in understanding lymphodepletion. Her talk aims to bridge the gap between laboratory findings and clinical applications, providing a robust scientific foundation. Lastly, the panel discussion will explore emerging strategies and innovations designed to enhance the safety and effectiveness of lymphodepletion. The session will examine potential advancements that could revolutionize how patients are prepared for adoptive T-cell therapies. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of the various facets of lymphodepletion, including current techniques, challenges, and innovative approaches on the horizon. This session is designed for clinicians, researchers, and healthcare professionals involved in the field of cancer immunotherapy, offering critical insights that could shape future treatment protocols.

Due to their complexity, designing cell-based immunotherapy trials to integrate with other therapies, be efficiently implemented and then be quickly evaluated for efficacy is difficult.  New technologies can assist in these goals.  This session looks at how some of those methods can accelerate the identification of tumor from which tumor-reactive T cells can be expanded ex-vivo, the selection of patients more likely to respond, and then provide early endpoints of treatment efficacy.  Because the common epithelial cancers result in the vast majority of cancer deaths, the application of these approaches towards tumor infiltrating lymphocyte therapy for these cancers will be highlighted.

Selected abstracts will be presented in 10-15 minute oral presentations. 

Myeloid cells are a major component of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and can promote tumor progression and resistance to immunotherapy; conversely, they can also contribute to anti-tumor responses. This program will explore the opposing roles (ie the Yin and Yang) of myeloid cells. This program will explore the recent advances in the field including underlying biology and diversity of myeloid cells, myeloid signaling pathways, regulation of myeloid cells and therapeutic approaches to target myeloid cells in immuno-oncology. The session aims to bring the field together to educate and promote myeloid cell targeting with the overall goal of making the TME more permissive and expanding tumor specific T cells. This session is relevant to basic, translational, and clinical researchers and physicians and will provide an overview of the diversity, functions and therapeutic targeting of myeloid cells in cancer. 

This session will explore various aspects of CAR-T and their impact on patients. First we will evaluate the financial toxicities to the patients and its potential harms with cellular therapies. Next we will discuss alternative models of cell therapy manufacturing and how it may increase accessibility to these products to different populations and its global implications. Lastly, we will review the role of disparities and how they impact access to care.

This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the evolving role of predictive biomarkers in immunotherapy, focusing on both current advancements and future directions. The discussion will begin with an exploration of the integration of predictive biomarkers in immuno-oncology, covering the latest state-of-the-art developments and their clinical implications. Following this, the session will delve into the use of novel omics biomarkers to enhance patient selection, including insights into cutting-edge techniques such as spatial transcriptomics. The session will also address the critical issue of biomarkers for immune-related adverse events, examining their current state and the potential impplications for clinical practice. Finally, the session will explore how model systems in drug development can drive advancements in immunotherapy. Through these discussions, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the dynamic landscape of predictive biomarkers in immunotherapy, equipping them with the knowledge to address current challenges and seize future opportunities.

Join our session to explore the latest advancements in CAR-T cells and bispecific T-cell engagers for the treatment of hematological malignancies. Discover the unique advantages, challenges, and opportunities of these novel therapies in revolutionizing patient outcomes. Learn about the current innovation in cell therapy and drug design but also the specific adverse events of such constructs. Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights from leading experts in the field and to access the latest advances from selected SITC abstracts.

Selected abstracts will be presented in 10-15 minute oral presentations. 

TBA

The official start of the last day begins with a welcome from one of the Organizers behind the Annual Meeting programming

New single cell spatial pathology technologies are enabling a better understanding of the tumor microenvironment and how immune cells interact with cancer cells in response or resistance to cancer immunotherapies. The analysis of patient biopsy samples at unprecedented multidimensionality and resolution uncovers new biology and better understanding of how the immune system can treat cancer. In this session, two invited speakers that are at the forefront of the field will present analyses of patient biopsies, and three proffered speakers will be invited from the submitted abstracts that are thematically aligned with the session, followed by an expert discussion of the three oral presentations.

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the field of immunotherapy has opened new avenues for research, diagnosis, and treatment. This session will explore cutting-edge AI-driven solutions and innovations to improve patient outcomes, streamline clinical workflows, and as a tool to assist in the discovery of new therapeutics. We will feature three invited talks from leading experts in academic biomedical centers and industry, followed by an in-depth panel discussion addressing critical challenges and propose solutions for implementing AI practices effectively and realistically, in the hope of shaping the future of immunotherapy.