PENSACOLA, FL, USA, September 18, 2024 - Farcast Biosciences to Deliver Keynote Address at hubXchange’s Immuno-Oncology Xchange in San Francisco 2024

Farcast Biosciences today announced that it has been selected to deliver the Keynote Opening Address during hubXchange’s West Coast Immuno-Oncology Xchange, taking place on September 24th in San Francisco, California. The event serves as a collaborative forum, bringing together thought leaders and subject matter experts in the field of Immuno-Oncology from diverse backgrounds, including pharma, biotech, and life sciences, to collaboratively discuss and find solutions to key obstacles facing drug research, development, and patient care today.

Farcast Biosciences’ Opening Keynote Address, “Unlocking Tumor-Immune Dynamics: How TruTumor Histoculture Reveals Head and Neck Cancer Responses to Checkpoint Therapy” will dive into the outcomes of a recent study where TruTumor was used to analyze and characterize TME (tumor microenvironment) responses to anti-PD1 therapy in head and neck cancer patients.

"We are thrilled to have Farcast Biosciences deliver the Keynote at this year’s Immuno-Oncology Xchange in San Francisco. Their cutting-edge TruTumor platform represents a significant leap forward in understanding the tumor microenvironment and its role in immunotherapy responses. It’s collaborations like these that foster innovation and push the boundaries of what is possible in cancer research. We are delighted to have Farcast as our leading partner" said Clarence Maguire-Swartz, Founder & Managing Director,  hubXchange.

Keynote and Opening Address Abstract:

Dynamic interactions in the tumor microenvironment influence patient responses to immune modulating therapies. Current preclinical models fail to capture this complexity accurately, often leading to poor translation into human clinical trials. Using our proprietary TruTumor platform, we analyzed responses to anti-PD1 therapy in head and neck cancer patients. By integrating spatial, genomic, proteomic, and cellular multiomic analyses, we assessed immune cell populations, T-cell activity, cytokine levels, and tumor cytotoxicity. Patients were stratified into five sub-cohorts, with extremes showing the best and worst responses. High responders had robust T-cell reinvigoration and increased tumor cytotoxicity, while non-responders showed immune suppression and tumor progression. Some intermediate responders demonstrated improved results with anti-CTLA4 and anti-PD1 combinations, evident from better T-cell ratios and enhanced tumor cytotoxicity. This approach provides a valuable tool for studying drug responses in human-derived tumors, offering insights into mechanisms, pharmacodynamics, and potential biosignatures for predicting responses before clinical trials.

Speaker: Christopher Davitt, PhD, Director, Partnership and Commercial Strategy, Farcast Biosciences.

"I am honored to present the Keynote and Opening Address at hubXchange’s Immuno-Oncology Xchange in San Francisco. The opportunity to present the work of the Farcast team, to meet with leaders in the field, and to discuss how novel insights into the mechanisms of action and deep characterization of the tumor microenvironment can revolutionize drug discovery, development, and ultimately enhance patient care is very exciting," said Christopher Davitt, PhD, Director of Partnerships and Commercial Strategy at Farcast Biosciences.

Farcast will also present a poster: “Large Tumor Fragment 3D Tissue Culture Enables Multiomic Characterization of Differential T cell Responses within the Native Tumor Microenvironment Across Multiple Indications”, detailing the use of TruTumor to characterize T-cell responses to checkpoint inhibitors across multiple solid tumor indications, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, stomach adenocarcinoma, and ovarian cancer.

More information about this event: https://bit.ly/47eNxQj