Denotes a link to the speaker's bio page.

Scroll down for the full agenda or download the programme in PDF format.

For any enquiries about speaking opportunities or hosting a roundtable discussion please email Amanda Rafferty

This opening session will discuss the backdrop of national regulatory and policy frameworks enabling the advancement of precision oncology, examining the barriers and possible solutions being found to overcome these. A panel of leading experts will share their own perspectives on the following points, followed by extended audience Q&A discussion.

• Identifying the current legal, regulatory and ethical obstacles restricting the advancement of precision medicine
• Exploring ways in which regulatory frameworks need to adapt to overcome these obstacles, and enable innovation and delivery, esp with regards to:
  • data access and sharing
  • the use of AI and machine learning in precision oncology
• Examining how the disease and drug classification and reimbursement system could change to enable a broader, biological approach
• Assessing the effectiveness of European Reference Networks and how these could be enhanced and aligned with national healthcare systems:
  • how close are we to enabling cancer treatment across borders?

 Dr Tuula Helander, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Social Affairs & Health and Secretary General, Finnish Cancer Institute

 Prof Dr Klaus Cichutek, President, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut

 Dr Denis Lacombe, Director General, European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC)

 Prof Dr Ulrik Lassen, Head of Department of Oncology, Rigshospitalet

Description to Follow

 Dr Andreas Penk, Regional President Oncology International Developed Markets, Pfizer

The effective implementation of precision medicine needs collaborative approaches, both national and cross-border. Identifying and bringing together different stakeholders, and finding appropriate financial mechanisms are key elements; as well as a need to encourage multi-institutional and cross-border collaboration and facilitate transparent and effective data-sharing. This session will explore what can, and is being, achieved, through different European projects.

 Prof Stefan Fröhling, Acting Managing Director, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg & Head, Division of Translational Medical Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)

 Prof Dr Nisar P. Malek, Medical Director, Center for Personalised Medicine (ZPM), University Hospital Tübingen

 Dr John Rowell, Chief Operational Officer, Cancer Core Europe

This session is intended to give participants the opportunity to discuss a specific topic in a more informal, participative format. Delegates may choose one roundtable to attend, and each table will be led by a facilitator who will outline some structured points for discussion and encourage optimum debate and exchange of ideas.

A. Optimising Big Data, AI and E-Health Solutions to Advance Precision Medicine

B. Computational Biology for Drug Discovery: Leveraging Cancer Genomics Data to Aid Discovery of Novel Targets and Biomarkers

 Joshua Armenia, Senior Scientist Oncology Bioinformatics, AstraZeneca

C. Innovative Approaches to Clinical Trial Design

 Prof Dr Kjetil Taskén, Head & Director, Institute for Cancer Research - Norwegian Radium Hospital and Group Leader, Dept of Cancer Immunology, Oslo University Hospital. Professor, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo

D. Creating an Effective Learning Health System for Oncology Precision Medicine

 Prof Brendan Delaney,  Chair in Medical Informatics & Decision Making, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London

E. Immuno-Oncology: Exploring Advances in Cancer Immunotherapies

F. Liquid Biopsy: Circulating Tumour DNA & Bloodborne Biomarkers as Diagnostic Tools

 Dr Leticia De Mattos-Arruda, Principal Investigator & Group Leader Precision Oncology Research, IRSICAIXA Foundation, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol

G. Making it a Reality: Implementing Precision Oncology into Clinical Practice

 Prof Dr Ulrik Lassen,Head of Department of Oncology, Rigshospitalet

H. Overcoming Drug Resistance in Precision Oncology

Each roundtable facilitator will share the key learning points from their table discussion with the audience.

Description to Follow

A greater understanding of disease and the realisation that cancer can no longer be defined in basic terms, is having a significant impact on clinical trials and drug development. Innovations in clinical trial design, and better understanding how to classify patients, including selection for novel cancer immunotherapies, has the potential to accelerate research and drug development so that the right therapies can rapidly be delivered to the right patients.

However, new approaches to clinical trials and the development of precision oncology require a change in the approach to research and data-gathering and its application to clinical practice. There is a growing need to analyse a broader range of clinical outcomes within research, treatment evaluation and reimbursement decisions. This session will explore the implications of re-thinking clinical trial design and some of the results already being achieved.

Panellists:

 Prof Dr Jürgen Wolf, Medical Director, Centre for Integrated Oncology & Chair, Lung Cancer Programme, Dept. of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne

 Prof Andrew V. Biankin, Regius Professor of Surgery, Director, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, Executive Director, International Cancer Genome Consortium, Director, Glasgow Precision Oncology Laboratory, Chair, Precision-Panc Therapeutic Development Platform, University of Glasgow

 Dr C. Benedikt Westphalen, Head, Molecular Diagnostics and Therapy Program and Molecular Tumor Board, CCC München – Comprehensive Cancer Center, University Hospital Munich

The understanding of tumour structure and evolution in cancer is fundamental to the advancement of precision oncology, enabling the identification of genomic alteration in key genes and pathways that can then be targeted with appropriate therapies. However molecular heterogeneity presents major challenges to effective cancer therapy and much effort is still needed to understand the molecular biology and clinical behaviour of heterogeneous and constantly evolving tumours and unravel the mechanisms of drug resistance in order to drive the development of effective precision strategies.

Panellists:

 Dr Maud Kamel, Scientific Manager, Department of Drug Development and Innovation (D3i), Institut Curie

 Prof Dr Kjetil Taskén, Head & Director,Institute for Cancer Research - Norwegian Radium Hospital and Group Leader, Dept of Cancer Immunology, Oslo University Hospital. Professor, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo

 Prof Sibylle Mittnacht, Professor of Molecular Cancer Biology, UCL Cancer Institute

 Prof Dr Albrecht Stenzinger, Head of the IPH Center for Molecular Pathology, Institute of Pathology & Translational Lung Research Center, University Hospital Heidelberg

A significant barrier to the advancement of precision medicine in practice is regarding economics, the perception of “value” and developing effective reimbursement mechanisms to meet the requirements of the payer. This session will examine the potential challenges encountered when demonstrating the economic case for precision oncology and assess the key criteria on which decisions on where to invest are made. It will also discuss solutions for deploying new evidence-based testing and technologies quickly and efficiently, and managing the difficult balance between value economics and optimum patient care.

Panellists:

 Dr Bettina Ryll, Member, ESMO Founder, Melanoma Patient Network Europe

 Prof Dr Maarten J. Postma, Professor in Pharmacoeconomics, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy & Chair Global Health Economics,University Medical Centre Groningen

 Dr Gerhard Schillinger, Specialist in Neurosurgery & Head of Medical Staff, AOK-Bundesverband

This session will explore advances in, and the application of, innovative technologies and research developments, which can enable earlier cancer diagnosis as well as a wider range of precision treatment options and likely outcomes.

Exploring How to Move towards Precision Immunotherapy

 Prof Dr Ulrich Keilholz, Professor of Medical Oncology & Director, Charité Comprehensive Cancer Center

Challenges, Opportunities and Newest Applications for Molecular Tumour Diagnostics

 Dr Christian Ruiz, Head Diagnostic Laboratory Department, Medical Genetics & Pathology & Co-Director Research Department, Pathology, Universitätsspital Basel

Other innovations to be discussed include:

• Digital Pathology and Bioinformatics for Precision Oncology
• Innovations in Imaging Technology and Radiology
• Using Artificial Intelligence to Analyse & Predict the Behaviour of Cancer Cells
• Liquid Biopsy as a Precision Diagnostic Tool