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In Chicago, more than 40,000 people from around the world involved in cancer research gathered to learn about the latest developments in treating the disease at the 2018 ASCO® Annual Meeting hosted by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO®). The 2018 ASCO® Annual Meeting took place from June 1 through June 5 at the McCormick Place convention center, and Astellas made a strong showing with its growing oncology portfolio.

Data

The 2018 ASCO® Annual Meeting featured 2,515 abstracts for publication. Astellas contributed several abstracts, as well as one oral session with partner Seattle Genetics. The companies presented on enfortumab vedotin, a compound in development for treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer previously treated with checkpoint inhibitor therapy. The session featured Jonathan E. Rosenberg, M.D. medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, who presented updated results from the EV-101 study of enfortumab vedotin (EV) in patients with metastatic urothelial cancer.

Astellas also co-supported three well-attended symposia:

• Newest Advances and Strategies in Prostate Cancer: Science and stories on the Evolving Treatment Landscape and Implications for Patient Care
• Making Therapeutic Choices for Diverse AML Populations: Exploring New Science, More Effective Treatment Options, and Impact on Patient Care
• Advancing Care in Prostate Cancer: Evolving Standards of Care Throughout the Disease Continuum

C3 Prize

On May 31, Astellas launched its C3 Prize® competition for the third consecutive year. The C3 Prize is an annual global challenge to find innovative, non-treatment ideas to improve the lives of cancer patients, their caregivers and loved ones. This year, the C3 Prize is focused on improving cancer care in underserved regions of the world. Read more from Mark Reisenauer, Senior Vice President, Oncology, about the history of the C3 Prize.

Connections

The 2018 ASCO® Annual Meeting was a great opportunity to connect with various oncology stakeholders. Of note, the Stakeholder Engagement team organized an advocacy breakfast featuring a TED-style talk by Astellas Americas President Percival Barretto-Ko.

The Astellas Exhibit Booth

While the primary focus was on this year's high-profile research, the highlight for many attendees was the exhibit floor, including Astellas’ booth. The high-traffic, state-of-the art booth featured:

• An "underwater" section on FLT3 mutation positive AML
• A "storybook" about the C3 Prize, and
• A "bonsai tree" featuring information about Astellas’ oncology pipeline

Conclusions

Building a strong presence at the 2018 ASCO® Annual Meeting required months of planning and preparation from teams all across Astellas. This year’s significant presence demonstrates that in just over a decade, Astellas has continued to build a leadership position in oncology.