2023 Agenda Day 1

Download your copy of the 2023 full event guide for a comprehensive view of both conference days.

2023 Conference DAY 1

7:30 am Registration & Morning Networking Coffee

8:20 am Chair’s Opening Remarks

  • Cecilia Schott Vice President, Global Head Precision Diagnostics, Novartis AG

Spearheading Liquid Biopsy Development for Early Screening to Tailor Personalized Medicines

8:30 am The Rise of Liquid Biopsy Assays & the Promise of Early Screening for Improved Patient Outcomes

Synopsis

  • The number of liquid biopsy assays are increasing as are the trials for their evaluation
  • Assays have increasing sensitivity
  • Early screening will result in better outcomes for cancer patients

9:00 am Introducing an Improved Tumor Fraction to Measure ctDNA Levels, & How to Incorporate ctDNA Monitoring to Gain Early Insights & Advance Clinical Research

  • David Fabrizio Vice President - Early Clinical Development, Foundation Medicine

Synopsis

  • Data on the value of tumor fraction for drug development and the need to move beyond median variant allele frequency (VAF) as a measure of ctDNA
  • Current use cases for ctDNA monitoring in early-stage disease and clinical research
  • How different approaches to ctDNA monitoring can meet the needs for those use cases, and the benefits of considering a portfolio approach

9:30 am Panel Discussion on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I): Expediting Liquid Biopsy Development & Validation for Early Screening to Advance Equity in Personalized Treatment

  • Steven rosen Mentor Harvard, Wyss Institute at Harvard University
  • Shadi Swaidani Principle Scientist, Recursion Pharmaceuticals
  • Minakshi Guha LBx Strategy Lead, Precision Medicine and Companion Diagnostics, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.
  • Lorena Diéguez Research Group Leader, INL - International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory

Synopsis

  • What are the benefits of capturing a diverse and inclusive genetic and molecular characteristic for advancing equity in early screening?
  • When examining research on biomarkers and clinical trials, do you believe there is a significant lack of inclusion in the design and execution of studies, and if so, what measures should be taken to address this deficiency?
  • Do patients of all demographics have equal access to clinical trials and personalized treatment? What are some of the operational barriers that impede patient access to clinical trials?
  • What should the ultimate impact be when it comes to approving drugs applicable to everyone, and what is the estimated timeline for achieving this level of inclusivity in pharmaceutical research and development?
  • What strategies can be implemented to address disparities in early cancer screening or inclusion in clinical research?
  • What steps are being taken to validate liquid biopsy assays across diverse patient populations, considering variations in genetic and molecular profiles, to tailor inclusive personalized treatment strategies?

10:00 am Next Generation Multiomic Liquid Biopsy Testing: Biomarkers, Redefined

  • Johan Skog Chief Scientific Officer, ExosomeDx, a Bio-Techne Brand

Synopsis

  • Exploring an integrated multi-analyte bioinformatics platform which provides comprehensive transcriptomic, genomic, and proteomic insights
  • Leveraging the combined power of exosomes and cfDNA for improved liquid biopsy sensitivity
  • Case study: Using multi-omics analysis to achieve higher performance in colorectal cancer biomarker discovery

10:30 am Morning Break & Speed Networking

Synopsis

An opportunity to network, discuss and collaborate with LBx leaders passionate about accelerating patient access to early and affordable detection and surveillance tests

Monitoring Cancer Patients using CTCs & cfDNA to Enable Personalized Treatments

11:30 am Harmonizing MRD Assessment Using ctDNA to Enable Clinical Implementation

  • Mohan Bolisetty Biomarker & Diagnostics, WW Medical Oncology, Bristol Myers Squibb

Synopsis

  • Emerging data to highlight the clinical utility of ctDNA based MRD assessment 
  • Current technical and clinical gaps for clinical implementation
  • Need for cross functional consortium to develop pathways to clinical implementation 

12:00 pm NeXT Personal for Ultra-sensitive MRD Detection & Response Monitoring

Synopsis

  • Tumor-informed whole genome sequencing based technology with superior sensitivity and high specificity
  • Clinical Evidence from TRACERx demonstrating the applicability of NeXT Personal in early stage lung cancer
  • How ultra-sensitivity matters and is clinically meaningful

12:30 pm Standardizing New CTC Assays for Patient Monitoring & Personalized Treatment

  • Lorena Diéguez Research Group Leader, INL - International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory

Synopsis

  • Demonstrating the value of CTC assays for monitoring and surveillance
  • Delving into the power of unbiased isolation of CTCs using standardized methods
  • Exploring the clinical application of CTCs for disease surveillance and patient monitoring

1:00 pm Lunch & Networking Break

Unifying Screening Frameworks for Multi-Cancer Early Detection & MRD to Enable Clinical Implementation

2:00 pm Multi-Cancer Early Detection: Leveraging a Methylation-Based Platform Across the Cancer Care Continuum

  • Megan Hall Distinguished Scientist, VP Corporate Affairs, GRAIL

Synopsis

  • Addressing the cancer pandemic with multi-cancer early detection
  • The underlying technology, clinical data, and real-world evidence supporting population-scale implementation of a multi-cancer early detection test in cancer screening
  • How the methylation-based platform can be leveraged across the cancer care continuum, including in symptomatic patients and in a post-diagnosis setting

2:30 pm Panel Discussion: Creating Consensus on Lexicons, Standards & Frameworks for MCED and MRD Tests for Community Benefit

  • Angela Silvestro Director, Precision Medicine and Companion Diagnostics, GlaxoSmithKline Plc
  • Daniel Stetson Director, AstraZeneca
  • Jonathan Beer Senior Director - Diagnostic Sciences and Solid Tumors, Bristol Myers Squibb
  • Amanda Young Senior Director - Lifecycle Product Development, Foundation Medicine

Synopsis

  • What are the current standards and framework development, awareness, education and access coordination for MCED and MRD testing?
  • How will standardizing early detection strategies impact the mitigation of the morbidities resulting rare and currently unscreened cancers?
  • What is the importance of standardizing terms in emerging areas of liquid biopsy use for pharma, IVD developers, and others in the field who use or interpret these tests?

3:15 pm Afternoon Networking Break

Unravelling Liquid Biopsy’s Promise to Monitor CNS Disease to Establish Clinical Validity

4:00 pm Developing a Liquid Biopsy Using the Cerebral Spinal Fluid for Clinical Diagnostics to Establish Validity

  • Ching Lau Martin J. Gavin Endowed Chair and Chief of Hematology-Oncology, Connecticut Children's Medical Center

Synopsis

  • Recognizing LBx as an emerging standard-of-care for patients with brain tumors
  • Exploring the utilization of liquid biopsies in paediatric brain tumors
  • Establishing clinical validity and standards of using CSF samples

4:30 pm Empowering Precision Ophthalmology: The Role of LBx

  • Liya Xu Assistant Professor, Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Synopsis

  • Demonstrating LBx Applications in Retinoblastoma and Uveal Melanoma: Showcasing specific examples of how LBx is utilized in the diagnosis and management of retinoblastoma and uveal melanoma, highlighting its effectiveness in detecting genetic alterations and guiding personalized treatment decisions
  • Future Potential: LBx for Intraocular Disease Diagnosis and Prognosis, Companion Diagnostics (CDx): Discussing the promising role of LBx in the future of ophthalmology, particularly in diagnosing and prognosticating intraocular diseases. Emphasizing the potential for LBx to serve as companion diagnostics, aiding in treatment selection and monitoring therapeutic responses
  • Collaboration for Advancing Next-Generation Ophthalmology: Highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts between various stakeholders in ophthalmology, including healthcare professionals, researchers, and pharmaceutical companies. Focusing on the facilitation of new drug development and personalized medicine approaches for treating intraocular diseases through the utilization of LBx technologies

5:00 pm Chair’s Closing Remarks & End of Conference Day One

5:15 pm Drinks Reception in Partnership with Personalis

Scientific Poster Session

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