8:00 am Check-In, Badge Collection & Morning Coffee
8:50 am Chair’s Opening Remarks
Building a Consensus on Modeling Protocols to Empower Translation to the Clinic
9:00 am Syngeneic Models to Support Bispecific T Cell Engager Drug Development
Synopsis
- Model development to recapitulate the target expression and the tumor microenvironment
- Uncovering strategies for combination treatments
- Understanding mechanisms of treatment resistance
9:30 am Preclinical Research in the Age of FDA Modernization & AI
Synopsis
- What makes a model truly translational
- Why genomic and clinical context matters
- How to align preclinical strategy with modern FDA expectations
10:00 am Generation & Characterization of a Post-Checkpoint Inhibitor Mouse Tumor Model of Resistance
Synopsis
- Mouse models that mimic the patient population in the clinic who have acquired resistance to checkpoint therapies
- Combination efficacy of our clinical assets in the IO refractory tumor models
- Leveraging these findings to improve translation to benefit Post-CPI patients
10:30 am Integrating Functionalized MultiOmics in Drug Discovery
Synopsis
- Unlock multi-omic depth to drive translational impact. Discover how deep, clinically aligned multi-omic datasets enable precise target discovery, biomarker development, and improved prediction of drug response, critical for advancing therapies with higher clinical relevance
- See how functionalized tumor models power decision-making, go beyond genomics to uncover causal pathways and mechanisms of action, accelerating confidence in lead selection and combination strategies
- Discover how integrating biologically validated models with AI enables more predictive and scalable approaches to drug discovery, reducing attrition and guiding smarter investments in R&D pipelines
11:00 am Morning Break & Speed Networking
Synopsis
As the tumor modeling community comes together once again, this session offers the perfect opportunity to reconnect with peers and forge new connections. Through a series of structured 3-5 minutes introductions, you'll be paired with fellow attendees, making it easy to expand your network and engage with industry colleagues!
Applications in Drug Discovery
& Screening
& Screening
11:45 am Genetically Engineered Mouse Models to Empower Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma Therapeutic Improvement
Synopsis
- Whole exome sequencing in patients informs the generation of faithful mouse models to study DLBCL development and progression
- Single cell RNA sequencing allows to study B-cell lymphomagenesis and the concomitant T-cell-mediated immune response
- The combined analysis of asymptomatic animals at multiple time points and mice with lymphoma informs potential therapies for patients
12:15 pm Pre-Lunch Pulse: What’s Challenging You Day-to-Day? Reflections on the Morning Sessions
Synopsis
Join us for an informal, open-floor conversation where attendees can share the real-world challenges they face in applying tumor models to drug discovery and development. This is a chance to reflect on insights from the morning sessions, exchange ideas, and connect with peers over shared experiences – just before we break for lunch. Whether you're here to listen or contribute, this relaxed session is designed to spark meaningful dialogue and set the tone for continued conversations over lunch.
12:25 pm Lunch Hosted by Element Biosciences
Synopsis
Invite only networking lunch with experts from Element Biosciences
Applications for Efficacy Evaluation & Biomarker Discovery
Synopsis
Track Moderator: Hongyu Xue, Director, In Vivo Pharmacology, Oncology Research, Bayer
11:45 am Mastermind Session:Discussing the Different in vitro, in vivo, ex vivo & in silico Models in Use
Synopsis
- What models do you use, and in what context do you use them for?
- What challenges have you encountered, and how have you overcome them?
- What is the optimal number of preclinical models to accurately predict response in the clinic?
12:15 pm Screening Models for ADC Treatment
Synopsis
- Multiple in vitro assays can be utilized to determine ADC binding kinetics, cytotoxicity, internalization, and bystander assays to determine which tumor model and which ADC is best suited to assess ADCs in an in vivo model
- Efficacy in an in vivo model is an important step in assessing ADCs in a complex system
12:25 pm Lunch Break & Networking
1:25 pm Advancing Targeted Protein Degrader Identification Through Mathematical Models
Synopsis
- Spotlighting the development and use of mathematical models and theories to empower targeted protein degradation development
- Clarifying the interplay between different parameters responsible for modulating the pharmacodynamics response of TPDs
- Discussing the findings from these models and theories to gain a deep and intuitive understanding of the mechanism by which PROTACs and glue binders induce targeted protein degradation
1:55 pm Adaptable & Hemodynamic Human Endothelial Cells for Immunotherapeutic Organoid Tumor Targeting
Synopsis
- Exploring the integration of multiple cell types, including immune cells and stromal cells, to create more physiologically relevant models
- Discussing how this device can be implemented for drug screening purposes and to uncover the molecular basis of tumor resistance and metastasis
- Showcasing a case study illustrating how this device provided critical insights into CAR-T development, and potential combination strategies
1:25 pm Selection & Characterization of in vivo Models to Empower ADC Development & Decision-Making
Synopsis
- Discussing the challenges in choosing the right in vivo model that expresses the target of interest and matches the genetic profiles observed in the patient population
- Highlighting the rationale behind selecting the right cell-derived or patient-derived model
- Leveraging findings from models to inform decision-making
1:55 pm Advancing Cell Therapies Through Diverse Tumor Models
Synopsis
- Challenges in evaluating allogeneic cell therapies preclinically
- Rationale of selecting different tumor models to assess allogeneic cell therapies
- Assessing strategies to improve infiltration and persistence in tumor microenvironment
2:25 pm Afternoon Networking Break & Refreshments
Uncovering the Translational Relevance of Multiple Tumor Models
3:00 pm Smarter Models, Faster Approval: Leveraging Mouse Clinical Trials to Accelerate Drug Development
Synopsis
- Further presentation details to be announced
3:30 pm Patient-Derived Tumor Spheroids to Model the Tumor Microenvironment & Accelerate Drug Development
Synopsis
This session is a pre-recording*
- Applying patient-derived tumor spheroids to model the tumor immune microenvironment including T cell infiltration and function, tumor fibrosis, CAF and endothelial cell biology
- Modeling the specific treatment response of compounds on the patient tumor immune environment and cancer epithelial cells using single cell RNASeq and proteomics
- Understanding how patient-derived tumor spheroids accelerate drug development using liver and pancreatic cancer as examples
4:00 pm Novel Applications of Humanized Mouse Models in Immuno-Oncology: Drug Evaluation & Target Identification Methods
Synopsis
This session is a pre-recording*
- Using primed immune cells with cancer cells in co-inoculated models to overcome GVHD issues
- In vivo efficacy testing using fresh patient samples to best recapitulate the tumor microenvironment
- Target identification leveraging CRC (conditional reprogrammed cells) with fast in-vivo validation
4:30 pm Enhancing the Clinical Relevance of Brain Tumor Research Through Orthotopic Mouse Models
Synopsis
- Reiterating the importance of using multiple models to get a holistic view on oncology research
- Comparing subcutaneous versus orthotopic models to understand which model better replicates the tumor microenvironment
- Exploring the predictive power of orthotopic models in evaluating therapeutic response to lead better translation to the clinic for glioblastoma and pediatric brain tumors