2026 SITC EU Immuno-Oncology
Drug Development Summit

Sept. 3–4, 2026 in Lausanne, Switzerland at the Agora Cancer Research Center

Register Now

Register NowBrowse ScheduleView OrganizersRegistration RatesHotel Info

Thank you to our partners. 

Collaborative Partner

Marketing Partner

Marketing Partner

The 2026 EU Immuno-Oncology Drug Development Summit will educate and engage the European IO community on the next wave of IO therapeutics and ensure that active, innovative, new therapies are rapidly and appropriately moved into clinical testing.

Organizers

Madiha Derouazi, PhD
Swiss Biotech Association 

Ivan Diaz-Padilla, MD, PhD
Ipsen

Pedro Romero, MD

Pedro Romero, MD
Novigenix

Michael Stumpp, PhD
Molecular Partners AG

Zhen Su, MD, MBA
Marengo Therapeutics

Schedule

Sept. 3–4, 2026 in Lausanne, Switzerland at the Agora Cancer Research Center, Rue du Bugnon 25A, CH-1011 Lausanne

Please note that the schedule is subject to change.

DAY 1 – Sept. 3, 2026
8–8:05 a.m. Opening Remarks
8:05–8:55 a.m. Keynote Address: Intersection of IO and Autoimmunity
E. John Wherry, PhD – University of Pennsylvania

Session I: Beyond PD-1 (8:55–10:25 a.m.)

8:55–9:15 a.m. Modality Update: Perspectives, Challenges, and Opportunities
Antoine Italiano, MD, PhD – Gustave Roussy
9:15–9:35 a.m. Vaccines
Lisa H. Butterfield, PhD – Independent Consultant
9:35–9:55 a.m. Multi-/Bi-specific Antibodies
Cedrik M. Britten, MD – Immatics Biotechnologies
9:55–10:25 a.m. Panel Discussion
Moderator: Zhen Su, MD, MBA – Marengo Therapeutics
Arati V Rao, MD – Pfizer Inc.
Pablo Umana, MD – Biotech Start-up, Switzerland
Ilhan Celik, MD – BioNTech

10:25–10:40 a.m. Break

Session II: Autoimmunity and Oncology (10:40 a.m.–12:10 p.m.)

10:40–11 a.m. Immune Cell Engager (including T-Cell Engagers)
Anna Farago, MD, PhD – Amgen
11–11:20 a.m. CAR T
Denis Migliorini, MD – University of Geneva
11:20–11:40 a.m. Role of Regulatory T Cells (Tregs)
To be announced 
11:40 a.m.–12:10 p.m. Panel Discussion w/ Investor Perspective
Moderator: Beverly Lu, PhD –Yosemite
Anne Kerber, MD – BMS
Jackson Egen, PhD – Gilead Sciences
Additional panelists to be announced

12:10–1:10 p.m. Lunch

Session III: Novel Modality – Antibody-drug Conjugates (1:10–2:40 p.m.)

1:10–1:30 p.m. B7-H3
Solange Peters, MD, PhD – Lausanne University Hospital
1:30–1:50 p.m. Immune Payload
Michael Alonso, PhD – Bolt Biotherapeutics
1:50–2:10 p.m. ADC – IO Combination
Ignacio Duran, MD, PhD – University Hospital “Marqués de Valdecilla”
2:10–2:40 p.m. Panel Discussion
Moderator: Ivan Diaz-Padilla, MD, PhD – Ipsen
Aurelien Marabelle, MD, PhD – Gustave Roussy
Claire Friedman, MD – Eli Lilly
Solange Peters, MD, PhD – Lausanne University Hospital

2:40–2:55 p.m. Break

Session IV: Regulatory Considerations: Paving the Way for Innovation (2:55–4:35 p.m.)

2:55–3:55 p.m. Panel Discussion: Global Regulatory Perspectives & Clinical Trial Design 
Moderator: Michael Stumpp, PhD – Molecular Partners
Hilke Zander MSC, MDRA – Paul Ehrlich Institute
Erin Larkins, MD – Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 
Antoine Italiano, MD, PhD – Gustave Roussy 
Richard Baird, MD, PhD – Cambridge Cancer Center
Elena Garralda, MD PhD – Molecular Cancer Therapy Research Unit (UITM)
3:55–4:35 p.m. Panel Discussion: Pre-Clinical Models 
Moderator: Pedro Romero, MD – Novigenix
Ekaterine Asatiani, MD – Incyte
Chinatsu Sakata-Sakurai, PharmD – Astellas Pharma
Jackson Egen, PhD – Gilead Sciences 
Jan Lichtenberg, PhD – InSphero 

4:35 p.m. Closing Remarks
4:35–5:30 p.m. Networking Reception
DAY 2 – Sept. 4, 2026
8–8:05 a.m. Opening Remarks

Session V: Next Wave IO Platforms (8:05–8:45 a.m.)

8:05–8:45 a.m. Panel Discussion: Next Wave IO Platforms
Moderator: Zhen Su, MD, MBA – Marengo Therapeutics
Jackson Egen, PhD – Gilead Sciences
Chinatsu Sakata-Sakurai, PharmD – Astellas Pharma
Anna Farago, MD, PhD – Amgen
Christian Klein, PhD – Biotech start-up

Session VI: Next Wave Combination Therapy (8:45–10:15 a.m.)

8:45–9:05 a.m. Radioimmunotherapy
Ken Herrmann, MD, MBA – Universitätsklinikum Essen
9:05–9:25 a.m. Biomarkers in Radioimmunotherapy
Pedro Romero, MD – Novigenix
9:25–10:55 a.m. Immunogenic Cell Death
Guido Kroemer, MD, PhD – University of Paris Descartes
9:45–10:15 a.m. Panel Discussion
Moderator: Michael Stumpp, PhD – Molecular Partners
Anne Kerber, MD – Bristol Myers Squibb
Arati V Rao, MD – Pfizer Inc.
George Coukos, MD, PhD – Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research
10:15–10:30 a.m. Break

Session VI: Investment Panel (10:30–11:25 a.m.)

10:30–11:25 p.m. Panel Discussion: Biotech Innovation in Europe and its Partnership with the US
Moderator: Zhen Su, MD, MBA – Marengo Therapeutics
Beverly Lu, PhD – Yosemite
Max Klement, PhD – Novo Holdings 
Joern-Peter Halle, PhD – BVG 
Jasper Bos, PhD – Forbion 
Francesco De Rubertis, PhD – Medicxi 

11:25–11:30 a.m. Closing Remarks

Program Description

The 2026 EU Immuno-Oncology Drug Development Summit will educate and engage the European IO community on the next wave of IO therapeutics and ensure that active, innovative, new therapies are rapidly and appropriately moved into clinical testing.

The program will be a key forum for continuing exploration and discussion of best practices for modern IO drug development, including study design, regulatory pathways and emerging technologies.

Target Audience

The target audience for this program is investors and physicians and scientists in academia, industry (including emerging biotech companies), and regulatory agencies in the US and Europe who have an interest in the strategic, preclinical, clinical and regulatory aspects of efficient IO drug development.

Learning Objectives

Understand Optimal Clinical Trial Design

Understand optimal clinical trial design specific to immuno-oncology therapeutics (including trial designs, dose-finding, and endpoints) that reflect regulatory expectations and requirements.

Integrate Objectives

Integrate scientific and regulatory objectives to develop preclinical and clinical strategies that drive efficient development of immuno-oncology therapeutics.

Foster International Relationships

Foster international relationships between regulatory agencies, industry/biotech members, and academic investigators in Europe and the US to develop effective strategies for the development of immuno-oncology therapeutics through discussion of case studies, lessons learned and looking ahead across mechanisms (including deeper dives into immune cell engagers, cell therapies and AI for IO drug development).

Describe Key Resources

Describe key informational resources and implement best practices regarding the development of immuno-oncology therapeutics across treatments beyond PD-I (Multi-/Bi-specific Antibodies), novel modalities (Antibody-drug Conjugates (ADCs)), and next-wave combination therapies (Radioimmunotherapy, Immunogenic Cell Death targets, Oncolytic Virus, etc).

Registration Rates

Early Rates
Ends Aug. 4 at 11:59 pm		 Regular
Ends Aug. 28 at 11:59 pm		 Onsite
Member – Regular $450 $650 $700
Member – Industry $1,320 $1,520 $1,570
Member – Student $225 $425 $475
NM – Regular $720 $920 $970
NM – Industry $1,650 $1,850 $1,900
NM – Student $350 $550 $600

Hotel Options

Please be advised that SITC does not have a hotel block of rooms available for the program. As such, attendees will be responsible for booking their own accommodations. For reference, please find a list of suggested hotels in the Lausanne area within reasonable distance of the AGORA Cancer Research Center: 

  • Hotel Carlton Lausanne - Avenue de Cour 4, 1007 Lausanne
  • Hotel Royal Savoy and Spa - Avenue d'Ouchy 40, 1006 Lausanne
  • Hotel des Patients CHUV - Avenue de la Sallaz 8 , 1005 CH Lausanne
  • Lausanne Palace - Rue du Grand-Chêne 7-9, 1003 Lausanne
  • Hotel Beau Rivage - Chemin de Beau-Rivage 21, 1006 Lausanne
  • Hotel D'Angleterre - Pl. du Port 11, 1006 Lausanne