As cancer researchers know, the annual AACR Conference is the flagship event for the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the premier and largest organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. It is an exciting event bringing together scientists, clinicians, advocates, industry leaders, and even Nobel laureates from around the world to share their latest findings, announce ground-breaking results, discuss new ideas, and foster collaborations in order to advance cancer research and therapies. AACR23 was held in Orlando, Florida this year with over 21,000 attendees. The event was jam-packed with plenary sessions, workshops, poster presentations, exhibitor spotlights, networking events and more, and as usual, did not disappoint.
(At the entrance to the AACR23 Conference at the Orlando Convention Center)
The sessions covered a broad spectrum of topics related to cancer research, including cancer biology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Sessions covered everything from President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Program, updates on immunotherapies, advances in population sciences in the era of omics and the utility of organoid models in the age of immunotherapies. Vendor exhibit booths, poster sessions, and networking events provided ample opportunities for networking and seeding conversations for future collaborations.
(Bird’s eye view of the AACR23 exhibit booths at the Orlando Convention Center.)
(The NCI exhibit booth.)
Some key highlights from the meeting include:
1. Moderna and Merck showed the first randomized clinical evidence that their melanoma vaccine mRNA-4157, in combination with pembrolizumab, can reduce the risk of relapse for patients, compared to pembrolizumab alone.
2. KRAS is seeing a surge of new therapies trying to limit side effects, indicating a new era in targeting KRAS. Indeed, the plenary program kicked-off at AACR2023 with a session titled: “Beating KRAS: A 30-year Overnight Sensation.” Eli Lilly presented the first clinical data on its KRAS G12 inhibitor, and seeking to differentiate their Phase I candidate from the competitive KRAS space by making it the first to gain approval as a first-line treatment.
3. Palleon Pharmaceuticals, founded in 2016 and pioneering the field of glycol-immunology, showed promising Phase 1 data for E-602, a first-in-class glyco-immune checkpoint inhibitor. The compound is based on the Nobel Prize-winning work of Stanford biochemist Carolyn Bertozzi.
4. Clinical applications for AI and mathematical oncology – broadly indicating the importance of biomarkers and integrative data analysis for prognostic and predictive benefit and the necessity of incorporating immune-monitoring as part of clinical trials.
5. Genomic profiling found fewer therapeutic targets in patients with African ancestry. Meaniing there are fewer effective immunotherapy treatment options for many African ancestry patients compared to other ancestry groups even though they have a higher incidence of certain cancers. With more diverse populations included in research studies, there is an opportunity to find new targets that might benefit these patients.
Now it is time to roll up our sleeves and get some exciting work done!! Discovery to cure!!!