SC7: Immunotherapy in the 21st Century: More Specificity, More Potency, Better Targeting

Co-instructors:
Christian Klein, Ph.D., Head, Oncology Programs, Roche Pharmaceutical Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Zurich

Jos Melenhorst, Ph.D., Director, Product Development & Correlative Sciences Labs, University of Pennsylvania

Part One: Antibody-Based Cancer Immunotherapy

Christian Klein, Ph.D., Head, Oncology Programs, Roche Pharmaceutical Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Zurich

This short course will give an overview of validated and emerging targets for cancer immunotherapy; mechanisms of action of antibody-based cancer immunotherapy; ADCC-enhanced antibodies and how to improve the immune effector function of antibodies; T cell bispecific antibodies and their comparison to CAR-T; and checkpoint inhibitory and agonistic antibodies.

• Validated and emerging targets for cancer immunotherapy
• Mechanism of action of antibody-based cancer immunotherapy
• ADCC-enhanced antibodies and how to improve the immune effector function of antibodies
• T cell bispecific antibodies and their comparison to CAR-T
• Checkpoint inhibitory and agonistic antibodies

Part Two: Cellular Immuno-Gene Therapy of Cancer

Jos Melenhorst, Ph.D., Director, Product Development & Correlative Sciences Labs, University of Pennsylvania

I will discuss current cellular therapies of cancer, and how the synergy of basic biology, translational research, and biotechnology have allowed us to better target tumour cells, enhance the potency of our treatment, and look for new ways to collaborate across the immune system in achieving our goal of long-term remission in even poor risk patient groups.

• Cellular therapy in context: the historical context of cell-based therapy of cancers
• Scientific break-throughs: Synthetic synergy of antibodies and T cells
• Clinical translation of scientific discoveries: chimeric antigen receptor-redirected T cells ride the waves
• Cytokine release syndrome: what it is, what it means, how we manage it
• On the road to targeting all tumors with CARs
• Collaboration in the immune system