Explore the Agenda
8:00 am Registration & Light Breakfast
8:50 am Chair’s Opening Remarks
Advancing Next-Generation Technologies to De-Risk Development & Expedite the Evaluation of Novel Therapeutic Strategies
9:00 am A Novel Approach for Glioma Therapy: Targeting Cell Membrane Lipids with Melitherapy
- Innovating Melitherapy as a platform that specifically targets lipids within the cell membrane, offering a unique approach that contrasts with traditional protein-focused drug design
- Using synthetic fatty acids to modify the composition and fluidity of the cell membrane, which interferes with membrane-associated proteins responsible for disease processes like tumor growth
- Sharing MIN-001-1203 trial of 2-hydroxyoleic acid in patients with advanced solid tumors, including malignant glioma, has shown very promising results, highlighting the potential for significant clinical benefit
9:30 am Precise ADC Drug Discovery & Development From Bench to Bedside
- Outlining how advanced computational methods and high-throughput screening of omics data are used to precisely identify and validate novel targets for antibody-drug conjugates, ensuring a strong scientific rationale from the outset
- Discussing the crucial role of patient-derived xenografts and patient-derived organoids in evaluating ADC efficacy and safety
- Detailing the process of translating a successful ADC candidate into a clinical setting
10:00 am Accelerating GBM Drug Development with Innovative Patient-Derived Models of the TME
- Advancing organoids and xenografts for high-throughput screening and biomarker identification to effectively evaluate novel therapeutic strategies and reduce failure risk
- Discussing the maintenance of genetic and molecular heterogeneity of human tumors to provide a more predictive platform for preclinical research
- Modelling recurrent tumors with patient-derived models to replicate selection pressure from prior therapies
10:30 am AI-Enabled Drug Discovery & Development for Glioblastoma
- Discussing how artificial intelligence is being used to analyze complex genomic, proteomic, and clinical data to identify novel drug targets and accelerate the discovery of new therapies for glioblastoma
- Optimizing clinical trial design and patient stratification, helping to identify the right patients for specific treatments and accelerate the path to regulatory approval
- Highlighting how machine learning models are being developed to predict individual patient response to different therapies, enabling personalized treatment strategies and improving outcomes in this difficult-to-treat cancer
11:00 am Morning Refreshments & Networking
11:30 am Assessing the Current in Engineered Rodent Models of GBM to Align with Regulatory Requirements
- Evaluating the utility of genetically engineered mouse models, xenograft cell lines, and syngeneic models to determine their relevance and effectiveness in glioblastoma research
- Learning how to use these advanced models to accurately simulate the glioblastoma microenvironment and enhance the effectiveness of preclinical drug testing
- Identifying the most suitable modelling approaches for ensuring that preclinical findings are reliable and can be successfully translates into clinical applications
12:00 pm Amplifying the GBM Family Voice: Real-Time Insights to Accelerate Trial Design and Enrollment
- Sharing how the GBM AI Agent—an anonymized, real-time support platform engages thousands of glioblastoma families worldwide
- Capturing the lived experience behind treatment choices, clinical trial interest, and barriers to participation
- These insights act as a continuous, global focus group, offering researchers, biotech, and advocacy leaders actionable intelligence to refine trial design, strengthen recruitment, and ensure cutting-edge therapies reach the patients who need them most
12:30 pm Panel Discussion – Future Directions in GBM Models
- Moving beyond traditional models to accurately replicate the TME and immune system of the human brain
- Outlining the technological innovations that are needed to make glioblastoma models truly predictive
- Standardizing models to ensure they are credible for regulatory submission and inform personalized medicine
1:00 pm Installing GPS on CAR T Cells: First-in-Human Phase I Trial of 8R-70CAR in Glioblastoma
- First-in-human Phase I clinical trial of 8R-70CAR T cells in GBM
- Novel IL-8 receptor “GPS” design to improve CAR T cell trafficking
- Early clinical signals of extended survivals
1:30 pm Lunch & Networking
Exploring the Advancements in Liquid Biopsies & Combination Therapies in Bringing Precision Medicine to GBM Patients
2:30 pm Roundtable – Breaking Down Barriers in the Traditional Dogma of Drug Development for GBM to Overcome Delays in Bringing Combination Therapies to Patients
- How can the GBM field move beyond traditional IP models to foster collaboration for combination therapies?
- How can the GBM community standardize preclinical models, data, and trial designs to prevent the wasteful duplication of work?
- What changes are needed in trial design and regulatory pathways to overcome the delays in bringing combination therapies to market?
3:00 pm Panel Discussion – Leveraging Advanced Liquid Biopsies as a Next Generation Diagnostic Technique for GBM Assessments
- Discussing the limitations of traditional liquid biopsies using ctDNA for GBM monitoring
- Exploring innovative techniques to capture and analyse circulating tumour cells from blood or CSF samples
- Assessing the clinical utility liquid biopsies for GBMs to inform active genetic mutations and methylation status for treatment guidance
3:30 pm Afternoon Refreshments & Networking
3:31 pm Advancing Novel Modalities in Glioblastomas
4:00 pm Navigating the Use of Small Molecules to Treat GBMs Through Improved BBB Crossing
- Exploring the advantages of small molecules in GBM treatment including crossing the BBB effectively and reaching tumour cells in the CNS
- Designing small molecules to selectively target specific molecular pathways and genetic alterations driving GBM growth and resistance
- Highlighting the role of small molecules within combination therapies to optimize their use alongside other treatments
4:30 pm Advancing the Use of Cancer Vaccines in Glioblastoma to Reprogram the Patient’s Immune System
- Discussing the importance of tumor antigen selection and balanced immunity in vaccine design
- Addressing the tumor microenvironment to enhance cancer vaccines
5:00 pm Advancing the Use of Cancer Vaccines in Glioblastoma to Reprogram the Patient’s Immune System
- Designing vaccines to prime and activate the patient’s own immune system to recognize and attack specific GBM cells
- Identifying and utilizing GBM specific tumor antigens to develop targeted and effective vaccine strategies
- Focussing on GBM vaccines in combination with other modalities to overcome the TME and boost anti-tumor response