Pre-conference Corporate Satellite Round Table Discussion

Please note: this Round Table is fully booked

Date: Wednesday 27 September
Time: 09:30 - 11:45 hrs.

Reinvigorating the PNH testing discussion in PNH and BMFS

Do you have expertise or interest in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria?
PNH is a rare and potentially life-threatening blood disease most often diagnosed in individuals between 30 and 50 years of age. It is characterized by complement-mediated damage, leading to symptoms such as anemia, thrombosis, severe infections, and bone marrow failure.
GPI deficiency testing by flow cytometry-based is considered the gold standard for diagnosing PNH and monitoring PNH clone populations. While significant progress has been made in standardizing GPI deficiency testing since the release of the ICCS-ESCCA consensus guidelines, there are still challenges and opportunities to address. During this round table, we will discuss the current PNH testing landscape, including challenges, solutions, and opportunities.

Free of charge, but pre-registration required. Your active participation in the discussion is expected and appreciated. Max. number of attendees: 10. 

ESCCA Industrial Partner Presentations are scheduled as plenary session in the programme, and are listed in chronological order here below.

IPP01 - ESCCA Industrial Partner Presentation by BD

Date: Wednesday 27 September
Time: 15:00-15:30 hrs. 

MM MRD analysis using BD technology 

Speaker: Dr. rer. nat. Ricarda Schwab, Dep. of Hematology, Oncology and Reumathology - Heidelberg University Hospital

MM MRD analysis using BD technology

Introduction: In Multiple Myeloma (MM), measurable residual disease (MRD) has been shown to be a strong predictor of the depth of response to therapy and long-term outcome. As a result, MRD is being assessed in almost all clinical trials now and starts to enter routine clinical practice. Working as a central laboratory, our flow cytometry lab (Hematologic diagnostics, Heidelberg university hospital) is involved in multiple phase II and III clinical trials as well as clinical research to detect MM MRD. To guarantee reproducible, high-quality results, establishing a standardized workflow was key. 
Methods:  We set-up a standardized workflow based on the well-established EuroFlow™ Next Generation Flow (NGF) protocols for MM MRD and BD’s total solution offering, including pre-titred tubes for staining of the samples (BD Cytognos™ MM MRD kit), harmonization of instrument settings (BD FACSLyric™) and analysis of the data using the by Euroflow™ developed software and its MM MRD-specific databases for semi-automated analysis (BD Infinicyt™). 
Results:  We showcase how using the complete BD solution for MM MRD measurement and analysis enabled us to set NGF as a standard method for detection of MRD in MM studies in our lab. Data generated by us are being used by the German Speaking Multiple Myeloma Group (GMMG) and the Deutsche Studiengruppe Multiples Myelom (DSMM) and our partners in pharmaceutical industry for the primary or secondary endpoints of their studies. 
Conclusion: By using the complete solution for MM MRD analysis provided by BD, we were able to set NGF as a standard method for detection of MRD in MM patients in our lab. Our standardized approach contributes to the evaluation of MM treatments in current clinical trials and clinical research and will be key when MM MRD measurements enter routine clinical practice.

IPP02 - ESCCA Industrial Partner Presentation by Symex:

Date: Wednesday 27 September
Time: 16:00-16:30 hrs. 

Evaluation of the XF-1600 10-color flow cytometer for the detection of measurable residual disease in multiple myeloma

Speaker: Jordi Petriz, Institut de Recerca Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Badalona (Barcelona), Spain

Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who achieve measurable residual disease (MRD)-negative status after treatment have a better prognosis than those who do not. Flow cytometry has been used in a number of studies to evaluate the efficacy of different treatments for MM. These studies have shown that MRD negativity is associated with improved outcomes, including longer progression-free survival and overall survival. The 8-color panel is a valuable tool for monitoring patients with MM and for predicting their risk of relapse. The panel can be used to detect even small amounts of residual disease, which can help doctors to adjust treatment plans and to identify patients who are at risk of relapse. The 8-color panel is also an important tool for clinical trials. It can be used to evaluate the efficacy of new treatments for MM and to identify patients who are most likely to benefit from these treatments.
The validation process has been tailored to the specific intended use of the XF-1600™ flow cytometer (Sysmex) including tests for accuracy, precision, linearity, and dynamic range for each antigen. In addition, the validation process has been carried out by qualified personnel specifically trained for this purpose. The XF-1600 has been used to evaluate the simultaneous expression of APC-CD19, PE-CD27, AC7-CD38, PO-CD45, PE-DL-CD56, AF700-CD81, PC7-CD117, PCP5.5-CD138. The samples used for validation were representative of the types of specimens that are used in clinical practice to ensure that the XF-1600 flow cytometer is able to produce accurate results for a variety of samples. The results of the XF-1600 were specifically compared to routine clinical analyses performed on the DxFLEX™ (Beckman Coulter) flow cytometer for 28 MRD MM tests that were obtained at the hematology cytometry laboratory of the Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital. The 8-color panel used in this study was developed by consensus among all clinical hematology diagnostic laboratories in hospitals affiliated with the Institut Català de la Salut (Catalonia, Spain).
A Bland-Altman analysis found that the average difference between XF-1600 and DxFLEX results was 0.03746, with a 95% confidence interval of -1.361 to 1.436. This suggests that there is no statistically significant difference between the measurements obtained on the two flow cytometers. The linear regression equation y = 0.9362x + 0.1956 supports this finding, as it accurately predicts the value of DxFLEX from the value of XF-1600 (R2 = 0.9811). The results of this study demonstrate that the XF-1600 flow cytometer is a valuable tool for studying MM MRD in clinical diagnostic applications.

IPP03 - ESCCA Industrial Partner Presentation by Beckman Coulter

Date: Thursday 28 September
Time: 11:15-11:45 hrs. 

HematoFlow revisited: when cytometry becomes a natural extension of hematology analyzers

Speaker: Olivier Pradier, CHIREC Hospital Brussels, Belgium

HematoFLOW is the concept of integrating Hematology Analyzers and Flow Cytometry Assays with an automated sample preparation system, reflex rules, and a paperless, digital data report to the LIS. Since 2018, at the Delta Hospital of the CHIREC non-university hospital group, we have routinely implemented an evolution of the original HematoFlow with several improvements to achieve a complete fusion of diagnostic cytometry with the HematoFlow platform. This allows us to optimize our resources by using the same technologist to analyze hematology controls and all cytometry samples. With two DxH900s, one CellMek SPS sample preparation system, and a 10-color Navios flow cytometer (currently replaced by a 13-color DxFlex flow cytometer), we have developed several assays (including reflex-tests) to analyze the majority of cells circulating in the blood. This includes the enumeration of hematopoietic cells and blasts, reactive lymphocytes, circulating plasma blasts, as well as B lymphocytes (for early detection of circulating lymphomas). 

Our revisited HematoFlow is a sensitive, specific, and accurate alternative to conventional digital microscopy and it is much easier to train technicians and maintain their competence. With the automation of sample preparation provided by the CellMek SPS system, a single technician can perform the control of hematology analyzers and routine cytometry, including samples that require washing (such as the kappa lambda analysis, which is completed in 34 minutes by the CellMek SPS system). This allows us to run a high number of tests per day, including Saturdays and Sundays. 

IPP04 - ESCCA Industrial Partner Presentation by Cytek

Date: Thursday 28 September
Time: 15:00-15:30 hrs. 

Design and Optimization of a Multi-Color Panel for Diagnosis and Follow Up of Childhood B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemias (B-ALL) on the Cytek® Northern Lights™ - CLC Flow Cytometer

Speaker: Dr. Manuel Ramirez, Head of Oncology Research Lab, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain

Flow cytometry is routinely used in clinical laboratories for the diagnosis of childhood leukemias and to quantify levels of residual disease during and after treatment. The Cytek® Northern Lights™ - CLC full spectrum flow cytometer has provided a powerful new tool for simultaneously identifying and analyzing multiple antigens in hematological malignancies. With this technology, we have the ability to combine up to 25 markers in one tube, thus gaining greater insight and efficiency in the acquisition and analysis of patient samples. As with any flow cytometry assay, careful panel design and assay optimization are essential. In this presentation, we will discuss the process of designing and optimizing a 24-color B cell panel for diagnosis and follow up in childhood B-ALL, including considerations for choice of fluorochromes.

Our data reveals that the unique full spectrum approach of the Cytek® Northern Lights™ - CLC flow cytometer, complemented by a novel optical design and robust unmixing algorithm, increases laboratory efficiency by allowing more information to be gleaned from a single tube, saving time and resources.

Please join us on Thursday, September 28, 2023, from 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM to learn more.

Corporate Lecture by Standard BioTools

Date: Friday 29 September
Time: 12:00 - 12:30 hrs.

Standardizing longitudinal and multi-site CAR-T immune-monitoring with ready-to-use and validated 45+ marker flow cytometry panels

Speaker: Hester Koppejan

Development and manufacture of novel CAR T cell products can  be very challenging and time-consuming due to the complexity of  live-cell products, incomplete understanding of their mechanisms  of action, difficulties in product characterization and variability of  the starting material. To ensure patient safety and product quality,  a number of quality control tests must be performed throughout the  manufacturing process and for product release. These tests include  confirming the identity, purity, potency and safety of the final CAR T  cell product. It is necessary for assays to be standardized, robust,  cost-effective and easily harmonized from site to site to allow  routine analysis and comparison of samples.

Two case studies presented here illustrate how standardized single tube, high-dimensional cytometry panels with CyTOF® can provide  in-depth characterization of CAR T cells both during the preclinical  production phases and for monitoring in a single assay during  clinical research trials