Pre-Conference Focus Day

Tuesday, September 20 | 2022

10:20 am Chair’s Opening Remarks

Novel Formats of Multi-Specifics

10:30 am A Productive Relationship for NK Cell Engagement: Multispecific Two-In-One Antibodies

  • Harald Kolmar Department Head Applied Biochemistry, Technical University of Darmstadt

Synopsis

  • Establishing a generic strategy for the generation of trispecific common light chain antibodies
  • Applying the technology which is based on chicken immunization, antibody discovery and humanization to the isolation of two-in-one antibodies, where the VL domain targets EGFR and the VH domain PD-L1
  • Displaying high tumor selectivity in combination with generating CD16 NK cell engagement potent antibodies

11:00 am Evaluating Novel formats & Testing Efficacy in Fully Immunosufficient in vivo Models

  • Erin Meermeier Research Associate Scientist - Division of Hematology and Oncology, Mayo Clinic

Synopsis

  • Presenting findings, using a mouse model of multiple myeloma and anti-BCMA/ CD3 bispecific antibody
  • Predicting the risk of immunotoxic events like CRS  in vivo models
  • Addressing mechanisms of acquired resistance to T cell engager therapy

11:30 am Anticalin Proteins as Key Components in Advanced Multispecific Formats

Synopsis

  • Serving robust and highly precise building blocks for target binding in therapeutic bi- and multispecific formats
  • Precision targeting and receptor engagement in immuno-oncology can be realized by IgG-Anticalin fusion proteins tailored to the biologic situation
  • Monospecific Anticalin and bispecific Duocalin proteins for inhibition of TNF superfamily receptors in therapy of autoimmune diseases can be endowed with half-life extending modules binding to serum proteins

Immune Cell Modulators with Multi-Specifics

Chaired by: Nimish Gera, Vice President – Biologics Research, Mythic Therapeutics

10:30 am Programmable Half-Life & Anti-Tumour Effects of Bi-Specific T-Cell Engager-Albumin Fusions with Tuned FcRn Affinity

  • Ken Howard Associate Professor and Group Leader, Aarhus University

Synopsis

  • Exploit FcRn-driven cellular recycling of albumin as an alternative to an Fc half-life extension approach
  • Inclusion of albumin sequences with different FcRn affinity to tune cellular recycling and pharmacokinetics of bi-specific T-cell engagers
  • Evaluation in humanised albumin/FcRn murine models

11:00 am Rationale Design of the Next Generation Bifunctional Checkpoint Inhibitors

  • Wei Yan President & Chief Executive Officer, Sound Biologics

Synopsis

  • Improve therapeutic window of dual-targeting immune checkpoint inhibitors
  • Delving into a novel platform to develop bifunctional antibody product

11:30 am IGM-2323 – High Avidity IgM-Based CD20xCD3 Bispecific Antibody for Enhanced T Cell Dependent Killing with Minimal Cytokine Release

  • Liqin Liu Senior Director of T Cell Engagers, IGM Biosciences

Synopsis

  • Outlining current state of bispecific antibodies that are largely based on IgGlike scaffolds
  • Providing provide high avidity binding to CD20, an scFv fused to the N-terminus of J-chain to provide monovalent engagement of CD3 on T-cells and HSA fused to the C-terminus of J-chain to improve pharmacokinetics
  • Demonstrating preclinical IGM-2323 data is highly effective at complement-dependent cytotoxicity and T-cell dependent cellular cytotoxicity killing of tumor cells with minimal cytokine release

12:00 pm
Lunch & Networking

1:00 pm Multimerization of Single-Domain Antibodies Targeting Viral Glycoproteins for Enhanced Potency

  • Kalyan Pande Associate Principal Scientist – Protein Engineering & Modalities, Merck

Synopsis

  • Identification of cross-reactive single-domain antibodies
  • Engineering of single-domain antibodies targeting different epitopes into multivalent format for enhanced potency

1:30 pm Roundtable Discussion – Understanding Different Formats Behavior to Identify Which One Works Best

Synopsis

  • Harnessing NK Cell in Cancer Therapies by Antibody-Based NK Cell Engager Therapeutics
  • Clarifying how formats behave specifically in the system, NK/ Gamma-Delta/ Macrophages/ Immuno-cytokines
  • Evolving opportunities within different targets and mechanisms of action to learn which is the best method
  • Discussing a case study on blockers, agonist or antagonist

1:00 pm LAG3-Targeted IL15/IL15Rα-Fc (LAG3 x IL15) Fusion Protein for Preferential TIL Expansion

Synopsis

  • Engineering LAG3 x IL15 bispecific Fc fusions for optimal activity to LAG3+ TIL with minimal peripheral activity
  • Demonstrating potent activity and high selectivity for LAG3+ cell populations in multiple in vitro and in vivo models
  • Showing a promising profile of selective delivery to LAG3+ cells and may preferentially expand LAG3+ TIL in patients with cancer, while potentially avoiding systemic toxicity due to off-target activation and expansion of peripheral lymphocytes

1:30 pm Roundtable Discussion – Evaluating Tumor Toxicity for Immune Cell Re-Targeting

  • Nimish Gera Vice President - Biologics Research, Mythic Therapeutics

Synopsis

  • Tackling the toxicity of cytokine release for immune cell re-targeting
  • Reviewing advancements in the field and learning its true potential for success
  • Discussing the challenges associated with NK cell engagers compared to T cells as a new T-Cell or NK cells as newer therapies
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DAY ONE