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Thursday, February 4
8:25 AM Chairperson's Remarks
Tugrul Kararli, Ph.D., President & Founder, Pharmacircle
8:30 Tumor Targeting Theory-Kinetic & Diffusive Processes that Determine Antibody Macro & Microdistribution
K. Dane Wittrup, Ph.D., C.P. Dubbs Professor, Chemical Engineering & Biological Engineering, Associate Director, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
A diverse array of tumor targeting agents ranging in size from peptides to nanoparticles is currently under development for applications in cancer imaging and therapy. However, it remains largely unclear how size differences among these molecules influence their targeting properties. Here we develop a simple, mechanistic model that can be used to understand and predict the complex interplay between molecular size, affinity, and tumor uptake.
9:00 Nanoparticle Agents for Tumor Targeting and Penetration
Shuming Nie, Ph.D., Wallace H. Coulter Distinguished Faculty Chair in Biomedical Engineering, Director of Emory-Georgia Tech Cancer Nanotechnology Center, Professor of BME. Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering, and Hematology and Oncology, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology
Nanoparticles have functional and structural properties not available from discrete molecules or bulk materials. When conjugated with monoclonal antibodies, peptides or small molecules, nanoparticles can be used to target malignant tumors with high specificity and affinity. We developed a new class of biocompatible and nontoxic nanoparticles for in vivo tumor targeting and detection based on self-assembled nanostructures and pegylated colloidal gold.
9:30 Delivery of Antibodies - Market Analysis & Overview
Tugrul Kararli, Ph.D., President & Founder, Pharmacircle
10:00 Sponsored Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)
10:30 Poster Competition Refreshment Break & Raffles in the Exhibit Hall
11:30 Engineered Antibodies for Molecular Imaging of Cancer
Anna M. Wu, Ph.D., Professor, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Cancer-targeting antibodies have been optimized for in vivo imaging by conversion into fragments such as diabodies, minibodies, and scFv-Fc. Recombinant fragments recognizing a variety of cell-surface markers have been labeled with positron-emitting radionuclides (I-124, Cu-64, F-18) for positron-emission tomography (PET) detection of tumors in preclinical models. ImmunoPET represents a broad platform for conducting "immunohistochemistry in vivo" to address biological questions in living organisms, including target expression, target coverage, and response to therapy.
12:00 Advanced Polymer Conjugate Technology for Optimization of Cancer Therapeutics
Christine Loehrlein, Ph.D., A.D., New Products and Technology Strategy Research, Nektar Therapeutics
Conjugation of a therapeutic agent to polyethylene glycol and other polymers is a general strategy that can be used to optimize pharmacological parameters of that drug, with the ability to affect both its efficacy and side effect profile. Nektar's Advanced Polymer Conjugate Technology platform can be used to enable a wide range of molecules, including proteins, peptides, small molecule oral and parenteral drugs, and antibody fragments. Nektar is currently using this approach to develop advanced oncolytics with sustained exposure to tumor cells, and exploring opportunities to extend this technology to other cancer therapeutics.
12:30 Luncheon Presentation (Sponsorship Opportunity Available) or Lunch on Your Own
1:45 Ice Cream Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall
2:15 Plenary Keynote Introduction
2:25 Chips, Clones and Living Beyond 100
Paul J.H. Schoemaker, Ph.D., M.B.A., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Decision Strategies International, Inc.; Research Director, Mack Center for Technological Innovation, The Wharton School; Adjunct Professor of Marketing, The Wharton School Adjunct Professor, Wharton School of Business
As information technologies and life sciences continue to converge, new business opportunities and challenges will arise for the field of diagnostics and beyond. This keynote reviews the deeper forces shaping the future of the biosciences, from social and economic to technological and political, including the stresses they will introduce for existing business models and healthcare. Not only will bioconvergence introduce new products, services and competitors, it may create entirely new industries on a scale larger than the computer revolution has to date. Several broad scenarios will be painted for the state of the biosciences in 2025 and the forces that might take us there, summarizing a multi-year strategy study conducted and supervised by the speaker at the Wharton school.
3:05 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall
3:45 Chairperson's Remarks
Bob D. Brown, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Research, Dicerna Pharmaceuticals Corp.
3:50 LNA Antimirs - Pioneering microRNA Therapeutics
Henrik Orum, M.Sc., Ph.D., VP and CSO, Santaris Pharma
Short, single stranded LNA oligonucleotides delivered systemically as naked molecules are able to potently and safely inhibit therapeutically attractive miRNAs in a range of tissues in experimental animals. The presentation will provide an update on the unique features of LNA oligonucleotides in miRNA therapeutics with particular emphasis on the pre-clinical and clinical development of SPC3649, an LNA AntimiR targeting miRNA-122.
4:20 Pre-clinical and Clinical Development of Atu027 (siRNA-lipoplex/AtuPLEX) for Oncology
Klaus Giese, Ph.D., CSO, Silence Therapeutics plc
Atu027 refers to a liposomally formulated siRNA targeting PKN3 expression in the vascular endothelium. Pre-clinical studies in rodents and non-human primates demonstrated that intravenous administration is well tolerated and gives rise to RNAi-mediated suppression of PKN3 gene expression. Various proof-of-concept experiments on mouse tumor xenografts suggest profound inhibition of tumor progression and particularly of metastasis, which laid the foundation for therapeutic application in oncology. Atu027 is currently tested in a Phase-I clinical trial on subjects with advanced solid cancers. Pre-clinical data emphasizing pharmacological activity in mouse models and an update on the current Phase-I study will be discussed.
4:50 Talk Title to be Announced
Ian MacLachlan, Ph.D., CSO, Tekmira Pharmaceuticals
5:20 Talk Title to be Announced
Bob D. Brown, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Research, Dicerna Pharmaceuticals Corp.
5:50 Close of Day
Short Courses | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Download Brochure