Wafik El-Deiry, Director of the Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, recently posted on LinkedIn:

“Listening to Alice Shaw, Novartis at AACR24.

IAG933, a YAP-TEAD inhibitor published recently in Nature Cancer. Opportunity for combos to target oncogene driven cancers, persister cells. Currently phase 1 in progress. Dr. Alice Shaw spoke about directions in ADC’s in cancer therapy. Spoke about SDZ475 at Novartis and recently launched DYP688 clinical evaluation, starting to validate target-target ADC approach. She also spoke about PIT565. More about PIT565 preclinical and phase 1 clinical studies. Potential alternative to CAR-T.

Dr. Alice Shaw spoke about the T-Charge platform that preserves T-cell stemness.
Clinical studies with CAR-T’s targeting BCMA or CD19 and emerging clinical data from last couple of years in DLBCL. She discussed directions with T-Charge for solid tumors at Novartis, AACR24. Dr. Alice Shaw also discussed radio immunotherapy active agents, Precision radiation medicine, mechanisms, directions with RLTs. Dr. Alice Shaw spoke about directions in radioligand therapeutics RLT at Novartis.

Target expression and uptake of therapy are important as is the need for biomarkers of resistance. There is interest in RLT combos to enhance efficacy. DNA repair, immune checkpoint blockade and DNA damaging chemo mentioned as candidates for combos. Also opportunity with other isotopes such as alpha emitters that offer advantages including less toxicity to adjacent tissue.

Question and Answer with Dr. Alice Shaw.

‘Innovation is everywhere’ and ‘it’s on all of us to look for partnering opportunities.’
‘A broadly applicable cancer preventive vaccine would be incredible’ throughout industry but ‘would need to be vetted.’
Target Discovery: ‘a focus on discovery of targets… but also known targets are important to advancing the field on research side.’
Engaging surface targets: ‘there are many modalities but also guiding principles with lots of knowledge in the field.’

FDA Dr. Summers asks about drug expansion. The expansion is ex vivo with T-Charge.

Question about rare tumors with YAP fusions and opportunities for partnering. Question about FAP+ whether radioligands have targeted mesothelin followed by CAR-T. Too early but FAP is felt to be a good target on CAFs. There’s also bystander effect from radiotherapy that can kill tumor cells.”

Source: Wafik El-Deiry/LinkedIn