Imaging in Immuno-Oncology

Presenters: Chaitanya Divgi, M.D. |Senior Medical Director, Oncology Imaging, Invicro

David Leung, M.D., Ph.D. | Medical Director for Oncology Imaging, Bristol-Myers Squibb

The discovery that immunomodulators that enhance the immune response to cancer has led to the adoption of therapies that target tumor immune components. These therapies bring about significant increases in survival for a range of malignancies. However, they are expensive and have considerable side-effects.

There are currently no reliable non-invasive surrogate measures for efficacy. This represents an unmet need for such measures, to decrease ineffective therapy and patient morbidity. Moreover, early identification of a lack of efficacy can potentially bring about prompt institution of more effective therapies.

Imaging has been utilized to identify response to therapy, with the assumption that imaging response (or progression-free survival) and overall survival are closely associated. This webinar will review the current status of imaging in immunomodulatory (IO) therapies; promising future directions in imaging biomarkers for IO, and barriers to adoption of imaging surrogates for IO therapeutic efficacy.

At the end of the webinar, the participant should:

Have a clear understanding of current methods for imaging biomarkers in IO
Become aware of developments in IO imaging, with a focus on molecular imaging
Become familiar with the potential and the pitfalls of imaging in IO

Chaitanya Divgi is a nuclear medicine physician-scientist with 30+ years experience in Ivy League institutions leading programs in Nuclear Oncology imaging & therapy. Dr. Divgi leads the scientific and clinical aspects of oncologic imaging, with a focus on drug development design. Previous experience includes over twenty years at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, since 2001 as a professor of Radiology (Nuclear Medicine) and Internal Medicine (Immunology); Chief, Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine and Professor, Radiology and Radiation Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania, followed by Vice Chair Radiology- Research at Columbia University, City of New York. He holds an MD from Bangalore University, India. Chaitanya trained in Nuclear Medicine at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Bombay, India, and again at MSKCC, New York.

David is accountable for oncology imaging, including strategy and execution in both the preclinical and clinical space. Prior to joining BMS in 2015, David was a practicing academic radiologist and nuclear medicine physician specializing in molecular imaging and nuclear medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, where he maintains an adjunct professorship. David also serves as a board member of the New York State Board for Medical Physics.

David received his Ph.D. in chemistry and his M.D. from the Medical Scientist Training Program at Columbia University. His research interests include synthesis of novel PET radiotracers for oncology and other therapeutic areas

Imaging in Immuno-Oncology

CHAITANYA DIVGI, M.D.

Senior Medical Director, Oncology Imaging, Invicro

DAVID LEUNG, M.D., PH.D.

Medical Director for Oncology Imaging, Bristol-Myers Squibb