Ron Levy, Professor of Medicine & Chief, Division of Oncology at Stanford University Will Give a Featured Presentation at the 5th ImmunoTherapeutics & ImmunoMonitoring Conference (Jan 31 – Feb 1, 2013 in San Diego, CA)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / PRURGENT
Ron Levy, Professor of Medicine & Chief, Division of Oncology at Stanford University will give a Featured Presentation on “Antibody Therapy of Cancer: Targeting the Cancer Cell and Targeting the Immune System” at the 5th ImmunoTherapeutics & ImmunoMonitoring Conference (Jan 31 – Feb 1, 2013 in San Diego, CA)
Monoclonal antibodies can be therapeutic for cancer by carrying drugs, toxins or radioactive agents. They can also work by delivering a death-inducing signal through critical receptors on the cancer cell. But, in addition they can work in consort with NK cells and macrophages to induce antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicy (ADCC). This latter mechanism can be enhanced by a second antibody that targets the killer cells, inducing it to kill more efficiently. Advantages of such combination strategies include: the application to multiple existing antibodies (across multiple different diseases), feasibility (from a regulatory perspective) of combining with previously approved agents and the assurance that one of the ingredients - the antitumor antibody - has proven efficacy on its own. Clinical trials are now under way to test this concept. If successful, monoclonal antibody therapy may take a great leap forward.
Dr. Levy's research has focused for more than 20 years on monoclonal antibodies to B cells. He was the first to successfully treat human lymphoma with a monoclonal antibody, and went on to make important contributions to the development of rituximab (Rituxan®). He is currently conducting clinical trials of a lymphoma vaccine. His research concentrates on the study of malignant lymphoma, using the tools of immunology and molecular biology to develop a better understanding of the initiation and progression of the malignant process. Dr. Levy has received international acclaim for his work using the body's own arsenal to fight cancer. In 1982 he shared the first Armand Hammer Award for Cancer Research, and was later awarded the Ciba-Geigy/Drew Award in Biomedical Research, the American Society of Clinical Oncology Karnofsky Award, the General Motors Charles Kettering Prize, the Key to the Cure Award by the Cure for Lymphoma Foundation, the Medal of Honor by the American Cancer Society, the Evelyn Hoffman Memorial Award by the Lymphoma Research Foundation of America, the 2004 Damashek Prize from the American Society of Hematology and in 2009 he won the King Faisal International Prize.
Network with clinical immunologists, pathologists, and pharmacologists, as well as practicing clinicians and R&D scientists to discuss the newest developments in the field. Leading experts from the scientific and clinical arenas and industry will present about novel findings and developments in the constantly changing area of immunological assays and procedures. They will also discuss recent advances in immunotherapy, as they relate to various immunotherapy modalities, specific cancers, cell subsets, animal models, and tumor microenvironment. Potential clinical feasibility and commercial potential of the newest data obtained from leading biomedical research laboratories will also be discussed.
Get an update of the state of the art in immunomonitoring, novel strategies to identify and validate biomarkers predictive for clinical efficacy, novel strategies to identify and clinically develop synergistic combination therapies, and outlook on novel druggable targets for immunotherapy.
This conference is also part of the 2nd Novel Immunotherapeutics Summit, which consists of three other concurrent conferences and an optional workshop:
2nd Novel Immunotherapeutics Summit:
Workshop: Immune Responses in Tumor Microenvironment
Track: 5th Immunotherapeutics & Immunomonitoring
Track: 11th Cytokines & Inflammation
Track: 2nd Allergy Research & Drug Discovery
Track: Immunotoxicity & Immunogenicity
To view the Program Agenda Click Here.
To view the updated Speaker List Click Here.
To view the Workshop’s Program Agenda Click Here.
For more information, please visit www.gtcbio.com | 
