Immune Monitor - December 2025

By SITC Communications posted yesterday

  

A Message from the President

As 2025 draws to a close, I am humbled by the resilience of our community. Throughout the year, many of us faced disruption in our clinics and labs with the uncertain and shifting funding paradigm. However, thanks to each of you, 2025 was a year of remarkable progress for our community.

Like our members, SITC’s leadership remained steadfast and future focused. At the biotech strategic meeting at the NYSE, we explored opportunities to advance TCEs, bispecifics and in vivo CAR T approaches. Our summit on expanding access to cell therapies for solid tumors brought together experts to examine pathways into the community clinics for these emerging indications. We expanded the conversation further at our Leveraging Biomarkers Workshop, underscoring the urgent need to accelerate biomarker discovery and integration. And this year, we proudly saw the full Next Wave of Immuno-Oncology: A Roadmap from the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) series published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC), marking a significant contribution to the field and a cornerstone for future innovation. 

Each of these initiatives directly advances SITC’s mission to bring 100 novel agents to patients by 2034 and with 13 novel agents approved in the last two years, we’re well on our way to achieving that goal. Coupled with expanding modalities is SITC’s vision to see these lifesaving therapies approved in earlier lines of treatment. This year, SITC held many programs focused on perioperative immuno-oncology. Notably, over 31% of FDA approvals involving immuno-oncology (so far) this year were for neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant indications. This momentum speaks not only to the scientific advances occurring across our community but also to the promise these therapies hold for patients in the years ahead.

As we close out the year, I am reminded that the progress we saw in 2025 is a direct reflection of the dedication and passion of our members, volunteers, partners and staff.

Thank you for your continued commitment to SITC and to the field of cancer immunotherapy. I look forward to all that we will achieve together in 2026.
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Program Spotlight
CANCER IMMUNOTHERAPY WINTER SCHOOL
Last Chance to Save on Registration for 2026 Cancer Immunotherapy
Winter School!

Cancer Immunotherapy Winter School, Feb. 16–18, 2026 in Boston, MA or virtually, offers essential IO education, the latest advancements in the field. There are ample opportunities to develop new relationships with faculty, including program organizers Kristin Anderson, PhD – University of Virginia, Chrystal Paulos, PhD – Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University, Ryan J. Sullivan, MD – Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital and program advisor Daniel J. Powell Jr., PhD – University of Pennsylvania.

In addition, you will have opportunities to expand your professional network with peers, faculty and other thought leaders through small group breakout sessions.

Register before Dec. 20 to save up to $250 off regular rates.
Learn More and Register

Spring Scientific: Next-generation Cellular Therapies, T cell Engagers, and Combinations, March 25–27, 2026

This program will feature in-depth exploration of recent scientific breakthroughs related to next-generation cellular therapies, T cell engagers, and combinations. You won't want to miss the newly announced Keynote Speaker, Kristen M. Hege, MD – Board Member, Mersana, Adaptimmune, Kelonia, KSQ and EvolveImmune presenting CAR-T Lessons Learned Guiding Next Gen Cell Therapies.

Spring Scientific offers opportunities for oral and poster presentations – submit your abstract for consideration (including encore abstracts!) by Jan. 15, 2026!
Submit Abstract or Register

Share Your Insights on FDA’s Project Optimus

SITC invites you to participate in a survey on the FDA’s Project Optimus, the agency’s effort to reform dose optimization and selection in oncology drug development. This survey will help identify current limitations and guide recommendations for improvement as part of SITC’s ongoing Global Regulatory Initiative. 
Survey

JITC Special Series — SITC 40th Anniversary: I-O Progress and Potential

JITC is proud to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of SITC with a special series of articles from luminaries in the field of immuno-oncology. Numerous SITC Fellows of the Academy of Immuno-Oncology and Richard V. Smalley Memorial Award recipients put pen to paper to provide their insights into current achievements in various areas of the field while also sharing their personal, forward-looking vision of where the field is moving in the upcoming decades.
SITC 40th Anniversary: I-O Progress and Potential will form a roadmap to the future of I-O that touches on areas of opportunity while also celebrating 40 years of SITC driving breakthroughs in cancer immunotherapy. Check the collection throughout 2025 and into 2026 for new publications.
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