Key Points
- In July, the Foundation and its partners held a workshop to assess progress and define next steps related to the field of focused ultrasound and cancer immunotherapy.
- This was the Foundation’s fifth workshop on cancer immunotherapy since 2015.
- The workshop’s presentations, discussions, and action items have now been summarized in a white paper.
In July 2023, the Focused Ultrasound Foundation, Cancer Research Institute (CRI), and Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) hosted the 5th workshop on focused ultrasound and cancer immunotherapy in Arlington, VA. The purpose of the workshop was to share and assess the progress made since the previous workshops and to ensure that the community continues along the optimal path toward clinically relevant combination therapies. More than 50 experts participated in the two-day event.
Presentations at the meeting addressed the following areas:
- The focused ultrasound landscape
- The immuno-oncology clinical trial landscape
- Comparative medicine trials
- Biomarkers, imaging, and measuring treatment effects
- Clinical trials and immuno-monitoring
- Beyond checkpoint inhibitors: combination therapies
- Clinical roadmaps
- Collaborations with pharma
The primary objectives of this workshop were to assess the state of the field, review burning questions outlined in previous workshops, develop an action plan for projects that address the knowledge gaps in the field, and create a collaborative environment to facilitate the rapid achievement of goals.
The workshop’s presentations and discussion have now been summarized in a white paper.
“The Foundation’s focused ultrasound immuno-oncology landscape analysis served as a jumping off point for the workshop,” said Jessica Foley, PhD, the Foundation’s chief scientific officer. “Additional presentations and engaging discussion by the group helped us identify critical knowledge gaps and develop a clear path forward.”