Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s 2nd Annual

Next-Generation Immunotherapies

Improving Immunotherapy Safety & Efficacy

7 November 2024


The Next-Generation Immunotherapies conference will delve into the next frontier of immunotherapy development beyond Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies. We invite speakers to examine strategies to target novel pathways, share updates on optimising therapeutic window while minimising toxicity for immunocytokines, multispecifics, and cell-based therapies. The debate between CARs and TILs will be highlighted, discussing off-the-shelf potential, toxicity management, and improving persistence. Advances in engineered immune cells, cancer vaccines and the complexities of combination therapies will also be discussed. This conference aims to provide a forum for researchers to collaborate and discover the next breakthroughs in immunotherapy.

Coverage will include, but is not limited to:

  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors—Anti-PD1 and Beyond
    • Overcoming primary and acquired resistance to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies
    • Developing next-generation checkpoint inhibitors targeting novel pathways—LAG3, TIM-3, STING, TLR, etc.)
    • Novel delivery methods such as intratumoral injection
    • Therapeutic approaches targeting immune checkpoints—bispecifics, multispecifics, ADCs, etc.
  • Immunocytokines
    • Optimising cytokine selection, dosing and delivery routes
    • Developing novel immunocytokine formats—bispecifics, fusion proteins etc.
    • Strategies to improve tumor specificity and reduce off-target effects—balancing efficacy with toxicity
    • Overcoming immunosuppressive effects at high doses
  • CARs vs TILs
    • Managing severe toxicities like CRS and neurotoxicity
    • Developments in off-the-shelf CAR T cell products
    • Improving persistence and trafficking of CAR-T cells and TILs
    • Addressing manufacturing complexity and scalability for CAR-T and TIL therapies
    • Engineered immune cells—TCR-engineered T cells, NK cells
  • Immune-targeting Cancer Vaccines
    • Advances in vaccine platforms—mRNA, viral vectors
    • Identifying neoantigens for therapeutic cancer vaccines
    • Vaccine delivery and antigen presentation
  • Combination Approaches
    • Identifying rational combinations based on synergistic MOA
    • Sequential or simultaneous? 
    • Determining optimal sequencing and scheduling of combination therapies
    • Managing potential additive toxicities—knowing where the toxicity comes from
    • Considerations when combine anti-PD1 with another pathway, e.g., cytokine, ADCs, bispecifics, vaccines?
    • Preclinical models and biomarker-driven patient selection for combination approaches

The deadline for priority consideration is 29 March 2024.

All proposals are subject to review by session chairpersons and/or the Scientific Advisory Committee to ensure the overall quality of the conference program. Additionally, as per Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s policy, a select number of vendors and consultants who provide products and services will be offered opportunities for podium presentation slots based on a variety of Corporate Sponsorships.

Opportunities for Participation:

For more details on the conference, please contact:

Mimi Langley
Senior Conference Director
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Phone: (+1) 781-972-5439
Email: mlangley@healthtech.com

For sponsorship information, please contact:

Companies A-K
Jason Gerardi
Sr. Manager, Business Development
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Phone: (+1) 781-972-5452
Email: jgerardi@healthtech.com

Companies L-Z
Ashley Parsons
Manager, Business Development
Cambridge Healthtech Institute
Phone: (+1) 781-972-1340
Email: ashleyparsons@healthtech.com