A Message from the President

Dear Colleagues,

This week we anticipate welcoming 5,000 scientists, clinicians, industry professionals and others to the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer’s 34^th Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs (SITC 2019) in National Harbor, Md. Our society and our Annual Meeting have been growing rapidly for two key reasons; the unprecedented success of cancer immunotherapy in the clinic, and the hope and expectations we all share that continued research in our field will produce more effective treatments for patients. From the small group that formed the society in the early 1980s, we have now grown to almost 3,000 members. By working together to promote research, education and the careers of our members, we can achieve the primary goal of the Society, which is to improve the lives of cancer patients.

At SITC 2019, we will once again gather together to hear and discuss the latest research and to develop new ideas and collaborations for the lab and clinic. The depth and quality of cancer immunotherapy research at our upcoming meeting is evident in the nearly 1,000 abstracts submitted to SITC 2019, as well as the SITC 2019 late-breaking abstract titles. The meeting organizers have worked diligently to bring the best science to the meeting, and to make the meeting a forum for discussion of the latest clinical advances. Along these lines, I’m excited to announce that we’ve added a new session to the 34^th Annual Meeting programming on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 7 a.m., bringing together world experts to discuss the clinical implications of the most recent phase III immunotherapy trials in non-small cell lung cancer (more details are below). We hope you’ll join us!

On behalf of the society, I want to thank everyone who chose to bring their latest data to SITC 2019; I look forward to seeing your presentations this week in National Harbor and the engaging discussions that will follow.

Finally, I would also like to emphasize how much we value and appreciate the commitment of veteran and new members to our society. As we prepare to travel to National Harbor, I’d like to remind you that the 2019 SITC member dues cycle closes with the opening of our Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs. Those who join SITC or renew their membership while attending SITC 2019 will receive the value of nearly 14 months of SITC membership. As a small token of appreciation, SITC members who renew their membership in National Harbor will also receive an exclusive SITC backpack and individuals who become a new SITC member will receive a society-branded water bottle. More information will be available when you arrive at SITC 2019 and receive your registration materials.

I look forward to seeing you all this week in National Harbor!

Sincerely,

SITC President

34^th Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs (SITC 2019)
Nov. 6-10, 2019, in National Harbor, Md. • View Schedule

Online registration for SITC 2019 is now closed, but you can still join us in National Harbor! Onsite registration for SITC 2019 programming begins today (on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019) and continues through the balance of the conference (Sunday, Nov. 10, 2019).

SITC members receive discounted registration to all society meetings, including SITC 2019. If you are not currently a SITC member, you can join the world’s leading member-driven organization dedicated solely to cancer immunotherapy by clicking here.

Additional Program Details

34^th Annual Meeting
Nov. 7–10, 2019

34^th Annual Meeting Organizers

• Ana Carrizosa Anderson, PhD – Harvard Medical School
• Marianne Davies, DNP, AOCNP – Yale School of Nursing
• Stefani Spranger, PhD – Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT
• Ahmad A. Tarhini, MD, PhD – Emory University and Winship Comprehensive Cancer Center

Annual Program Committee

• Chair: Sandra Demaria, MD – Weill Cornell Medicine
• Davide Bedognetti, MD, PhD – Sidra Medicine
• Patrick Hwu, MD – University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
• Krista Rubin, MS, FNP-BC – Massachusetts General Hospital
• Dario A.A. Vignali, PhD – University of Pittsburgh

The 34^th Annual Meeting provides a multidisciplinary educational and interactive environment focused on improving outcomes for current and future patients with cancer by incorporating strategies based on basic and applied cancer immunotherapy.

New Session Announced: Point-Counterpoint: New Data and Controversies on Immunotherapy Combinations in the First-Line Treatment of NSCLC
Nov. 9, 2019, 7–7:45 a.m.

Faculty

• Naiyer A. Rizvi, MD – Columbia University Medical Center
• Julie R. Brahmer, MD – Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins
• Roy Herbst, MD, PhD – Yale Cancer Center

Panel Moderators

• Jedd D. Wolchok, MD, PhD – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
• Mario Sznol, MD – Yale Cancer Center

Join your colleagues in the Cherry Blossom Ballroom at 7 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, for this exciting new session, “Point-Counterpoint: New Data and Controversies on Immunotherapy Combinations in First-Line Treatment of NSCLC.” Co-chaired by Mario Sznol, MD, and Jedd D. Wolchok, MD, PhD, this session will explore treatment options for advanced non-small cell lung cancer which have greatly expanded with the success of checkpoint inhibitors in this disease. Several immunotherapy-containing regimens are FDA-approved for first-line treatment of NSCLC, and many others have demonstrated promising outcomes in late-phase clinical trials. However, with the emergence of these many treatment options, many considerations and controversies have arisen. In this session, many of these points will be discussed by experts in the field, including the role of immunotherapy single agents, immunotherapy combinations, and immunotherapy plus chemotherapy in 1L NSCLC, as well as the activity of these regimens in biomarker-defined populations, such as PD-L1+ or TMB-high patients.

SITC Collaboration with ASH to Kick-off SITC 2019, to be Live Streamed
Nov. 7, 2019, 1–5 p.m.

Session Co-Chairs

• Katayoun Rezvani, MD, PhD – The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
• John M. Timmerman, MD – University of California, Los Angeles

SITC will collaborate with the American Society of Hematology (ASH) for an exciting SITC 2019 session on Thursday, Nov. 7, that will also be live streamed to a global audience. The session, “Lessons and Challenges from the Immunotherapy of Hematologic Malignancies: Informing the Next Generation of Cancer Immunotherapies,” will offer attendees a deeper understanding of the predictors and mechanisms of tumor escape, the contribution of the tumor microenvironment, and how this knowledge can be used for the development of novel immune therapeutic agents for the treatment of all types of cancer.

Live Webcast

Click the following links to learn more and register for the live webcast of this exciting SITC 2019 program:

• Register Now
• Webcast Registration Rates
• Program Information

Hot Topic Symposium: Modifiable Host Factors and Immune Response
Nov. 10, 2019, 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.

Symposium Co-Chairs

• Jennifer A. Ligibel, MD – Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• Jennifer McQuade, MD, MS, MA, LAc – The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Patient responses to immunotherapy are influenced by a seemingly infinite number of factors. In this Hot Topic Symposium, the patient-specific impact on immune responses will be discussed. Modifiable lifestyle factors including obesity, exercise, nutrition, and the microbiome not only influence the development of cancer but also may impact responsiveness to various treatments. A comprehensive understanding of the myriad of immune responsiveness factors will enable strides toward personalized cancer immunotherapy, ensuring maximal benefit for the most patients.

Pre-Conference Programs
Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019
World Immunotherapy Council’s 3^rd Young Investigator Symposium
8 a.m.–1 p.m.

WIC Symposium Organizers

• Samir N. Khleif, MD – Georgetown University
• Jose A. Lopez-Martin, MD, PhD – 12 de Octubre University Hospital & Research Institute
• Brad Nelson, PhD – BC Cancer – Deeley Research Centre
• Graham Pawelec, PhD – University of Tuebingen
• Barbara Seliger, MD, PhD – Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
• Joe Yeong, MBBS, PhD – Singapore General Hospital

SITC and the World Immunotherapy Council (WIC) are dedicated to advancing cancer immunotherapy and, likewise, the future leaders of the field. This program will provide the opportunity for young scientists and future leaders from throughout the world to interact, fulfilling the World Immunotherapy Council’s mission to facilitate rapid development and global dissemination of cancer immunotherapies through scientific exchange.

Novel Multi-Targeted Therapeutic Platforms
2–6:30 p.m.

Program Organizers

• Alessandra Cesano, MD, PhD – ESSA Pharma Inc.
• Edward Cha, MD, PhD – Genentech
• Leena Gandhi, MD, PhD – Eli Lilly
• Israel Lowy, MD, PhD – Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
• Salil Patel, PhD – Bristol-Myers Squibb
• Eric Rubin, MD – Merck & Co., Inc.

With the approval of the first bispecific T-cell engager in 2018, and with many more such multi-targeted antibodies in clinical trials, there has been a resurgence of interest in these multi-functional platforms. Other related platforms, such as cytokine fusions and CAR T cell approaches, are also making their mark on the cancer treatment landscape. As these agents make their way into the clinic, however, many important scientific and clinical questions have been raised. During this half-day program, multi-targeted therapeutic platforms will be discussed by experts in the field, along with the opportunity for investigators to submit their own related work for consideration at this unique symposium.

Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019
Primer on Tumor Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy™
8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Primer Organizers

• Michael Curran, PhD – The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
• Jonathan Powell, MD, PhD – Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

The understanding of cancer immunobiology has increased dramatically in recent years, leading to the successful development of novel immune-based treatment options to improve cancer patient outcomes. The SITC Primer on Tumor Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy™ is designed to provide a foundation for understanding core immunology principles as they relate to basic and clinical research in immunotherapy of cancer.

Workshop on Intratumoral Immunomodulation
8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Workshop Organizers

• Nina Bhardwaj, MD, PhD – The Tisch Cancer Institute at The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Adi Diab, MD – The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Immunotherapy treatments inherently rely on the presence of immune cells, both systemic and localized to the tumor microenvironment. Immunologically “hot” tumors, such as melanoma, have demonstrated enhanced responses to immunotherapy treatments; however, many tumors are “cold,” lacking the necessary immune components for a successful treatment. Many techniques, including radiotherapy, synthetic immunomodulators, oncolytic viruses, and certain systemic treatments, have been shown to manipulate the immune status of the treated tumor microenvironment, and even those tumor sites elsewhere in the body (abscopal effects). Such manipulations can increase the presence of desirable immune infiltrates and potentially lead to favorable treatment outcomes. In this workshop, the current status of intratumoral immunomodulation will be presented and future directions for the field will be discussed, along with their implications for current and forthcoming immunotherapy treatments.

Grant Writing Workshop: The study section black box: A look inside the grant review process
6–8 p.m.

Grant Writing Workshop Organizers

• David Aggen, MD, PhD – Columbia University Medical Center/NYPH
• Ana Carrizosa Anderson, PhD – Harvard Medical School
• Lorenzo Falchi, MD – Columbia University Medical Center
• Saman Maleki, PhD – Western University
• Claire Vanpouille-Box, PhD – Weill Cornell Medical College

This two-hour program features two sessions. The first session will open with an overview of the grant submission process, briefly outlining funding opportunities and how to navigate those. Session one will also address critical points of government and private sector grant submissions. The second session will consist of a “mini-study section,” allowing attendees to experience how a study section evaluates a grant proposal, which will help attendees identify points that determine the success or failure of a grant proposal and help them optimize the process of grant re-submission.

Additional Activities at SITC 2019

Presidential Breakfast & Membership Business Meeting
Friday, Nov. 8, from 7–7:45 a.m.

Join SITC President Mario Sznol, MD, and Vice President Patrick Hwu, MD, for this annual gathering of members. Enjoy a hot breakfast as we review highlights of the past year and learn more about the strategic direction of the society. Meet and network with recently elected executive leadership, set to assume their SITC roles in January.

Meet JITC Editor-in-Chief in the SITC Booth
Friday, Nov. 8, from 4:20–4:50 p.m. and on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 1–1:30 p.m.

Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC) Editor-in-Chief Pedro J. Romero, MD, will be available to meet and answer your questions about the society’s official open access, peer-reviewed journal during SITC 2019! Visit the SITC booth on Friday (4:20–4:50 p.m.) and Saturday (from 1–1:30 p.m.) of the 34^th Annual Meeting to learn more about JITC and exciting new initiatives ahead in 2020.

SITC 2019 Award Ceremony
Saturday, Nov. 9, from 6:30–7 p.m.

The SITC 2019 Award Ceremony will feature recipients of the 2019 Young Investigator Awards, 2019 Presidential Award, JITC Best Paper Award, as well as the winners of SITC's 2019 fellowships.

The CheckPoints Band Party
Saturday, Nov. 9, from 8:30–11:30 p.m.

Don’t miss out on catching the riveting return performance by The CheckPoints, SITC’s very own house band featuring luminaries in the cancer immunotherapy field. Click here to learn more about The CheckPoints.

Early Career Scientist Activities

Meet-the-Expert Lunch
Thursday, Nov. 7, from Noon–1 p.m.

The Meet-the-Expert Lunch will focus on unique issues related to early career scientist career development and will give the opportunity to attendees to interact with experts in key fields of immunotherapy. Click here to learn more about this event.

Early Career Scientist Networking Event
Thursday, Nov. 7, from 9–11 p.m.

This event, hosted by the SITC Early Career Scientist Committee, will allow all early career scientist attendees to meet colleagues and make early connections that can be fostered throughout the rest of the conference. Click here to learn more about this event.