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Wednesday, September 17
7:30 am Breakfast Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or Morning Coffee
8:15 Chairperson’s Remarks
James M. Olson, M.D., Ph.D., Member, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; Professor, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington; Attending Physician, Seattle Children’s Hospital; Founder, Presage Biosciences and Blaze Bioscience
8:20 Next-Generation Patient-Derived Prostate Cancer Xenograft Models
Yuzhuo Wang, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, BC Cancer Agency and Vancouver Prostate Centre; Associate Professor, Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia; Leader, Living Tumor Laboratory - Biography
At the Living Tumor Laboratory, we have developed > 200 transplantable patient-derived “high fidelity” xenograft models (> 30 prostate cancer models). These xenografts retain all the salient features of the donor tumor, including pathology, growth dynamics, global gene expression, genome structure and response to therapy including resistance development. The xenografts are powerful systems for development of novel therapeutics, cancer discovery and translational oncology. This presentation will focus on properties of such next-generation models and examples of their applications.
8:50 Understanding Cancer Stem Cells in Human Melanoma Using a Patient-Derived Tumor Xenograft Model
Mayumi Fujita, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine - Biography
To understand the complex biology of cancer stem cells in human melanoma, we established a patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDTX) model of human melanoma and used functional properties (side population and aldehyde dehydrogenase activity) to enrich cancer stem cells. We will explain how to isolate and analyze their properties using this model, show effects of tumor isolation methods on phenotypes and cancer stem cell functions, and summarize recent findings on cancer stem cells in human melanoma.
9:20 Patient-Derived Pancreatic Tumor Xenograft Models Bridging Preclinical Drug Discovery and Translational Clinical Development
Pia M. Challita-Eid, Ph.D., Director, Applied Molecular Biology, Agensys, Inc. - Biography
The advantage of PDX models over cell line xenograft models in predicting clinical efficacy of novel therapies has been largely realized in drug development. But are tumor characteristics stable and maintained during extensive passaging for drug screening? Whole-genome molecular characterization to compare genomic profiles of xenograft models to corresponding original patient tumors, and examination of models’ genomic stability after extensive passaging, validates the model and leads to important preclinical translational information guiding clinical trial designs using a precision medicine approach.
9:50 Advances in Patient-Derived Xenograft Models
Walter Ausserer, Ph.D., Senior Business Unit Manager, In Vivo Pharmacology Services
The Jackson Laboratory is investigating novel strategies for facilitating and accelerating PDX-based research. We have established an open resource of more than 300 early-passage tumors with detailed characterization data that can be queried by tumor site, gene variant and expression level. Many of these tumors are available off-the-shelf in engrafted mouse cohorts for rapid study enrollment.
10:20 Coffee Break, Last Chance for Exhibit and Poster Viewing
Featured Presentation
11:00 Development of New Therapeutic Agents Targeting Key Cancer Stem Cell Pathways
Timothy Hoey, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Cancer Biology, OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Cancer stem cells (or tumor-initiating cells) mediate tumor progression, metastasis and recurrence after therapy. Using our platform of patient-derived xenografts, we have developed first-in-class biologic agents that block key CSC pathways, including Notch, Wnt and RSPO-LGR. We have developed five therapeutics currently in clinical testing: anti-DLL4 (demcizumab), anti-Notch2/3, anti-Notch1, anti-FZD (vantictumab), and Fzd8-Fc. In addition, we have developed two new clinical candidates: anti-DLL4/VEGF and anti-Rspo3. These agents inhibit tumor growth through multiple mechanisms including a reduction of CSC frequency.
11:30 PANEL DISCUSSION: The Promise of Tumor Tissue and Cell Models for Personalized Medicine
Patient-derived xenograft and cell models help researchers reveal genomic variants in cancer patients that could lead to better tailored and more actionable clinical care. This panel brings together experts from academia and industry to discuss technologies and strategies for optimizing tumor collections via such models to improve cancer therapies.
Moderator:
Walter Ausserer, Ph.D., In Vivo Pharmacology Services
Panelists:
Pia M. Challita-Eid, Ph.D., Agensys, Inc.
Mayumi Fujita, M.D., Ph.D., University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine
Timothy Hoey, Ph.D., OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
James M. Olson, M.D., Ph.D., Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Presage Biosciences and Blaze Bioscience
Vinagolu K. Rajasekhar, MSc, MPhil, Ph.D., Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
12:00 pm Close of Session
12:15 Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or Enjoy Lunch on Your Own
(Sponsorship Opportunities Available)
Biomedical researchers and drug developers require accessible, high-quality biospecimens that allow them to extract reliable and useful data. Oncology experts, for instance, use patient-derived tumor collections to connect datasets, pinpoint and assess variants within cancer patients post-diagnosis and zero in on the data that matter when tailoring therapies. Early, strategic collaborations with the biobanks that house specimens can be mutually beneficial, maximizing the financial and technological investments of the operation managers who collect, store, annotate and distribute the biological samples (“biobankers”) and supporting the research goals of the scientists who need those samples (“biousers”) – all to fulfill the promise of personalized medicine.
This session brings together both partners in a co-presentation to illustrate their collaboration and elaborate on the following issues:
- How does the partnership work?
- What are the bottlenecks?
- What does each bring to the table?
- What are the needs?
- Ultimately, what are the scientific results?
1:30 Chairperson’s Remarks
Katheryn Shea, Vice President, Bioservices, Precision for Medicine
1:35 Case Study #1: A Clinical Trial of Cellular Adoptive Immunotherapy in Patients with Melanoma: Integrating Biospecimen Procurement and Therapeutics
Sylvia M. Lee, M.D., Research Associate, Immunology Program, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Medical Oncologist, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
Stephen Schmechel, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, UW Medicine Pathology and Director, NWBioTrust, University of Washington - Biography
Infusion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes after combination chemotherapy may provide benefit in patients afflicted with melanoma. This presentation will highlight successful operationalization of a cellular adoptive immunotherapy clinical trial integrating biospecimen procurement and laboratory science.
2:20 Case Study #2: Implementation of a Centralized Biorepository at a Large Academic Medical Center
Victoria M. Blanc, Ph.D., Director, University of Michigan Health System Central Biorepository
W. Troy Shelton, M.S., P.M.P., Vice President, Operations, International Genomics Consortium
The University of Michigan Health System(UMHS) identified the need for a centralized biorepository due to the existing structure being fragmented, non-standardized and costly. A phased development of an individual investigator-driven UMHS Central Biorepository began from the ground up in early 2013. This case study describes lessons learned to date by the UMHS and The International Genomics Consortium (IGC), its partnering consultants.
3:05 Case Study #3: Talk Title to be Announced
Colin Collins, Ph.D., Professor, Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia and Senior Research Scientist and Director, Laboratory for Advanced Genome Analysis, Vancouver Prostate Centre
Yuzhuo Wang, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, BC Cancer Agency and Vancouver Prostate Centre; Associate Professor, Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia; Leader, Living Tumor Laboratory
3:50 Closing Remarks
4:00 Close of Conference
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