Last month, the TAONas-LUAD consortium reunited in Barcelona for its third Annual Meeting, an important milestone as the project enters its final year. The meeting, held on May 5–6, brought together partners from all participating institutions, alongside our advisory teams, for two days of exchange, reflection, and planning.
The gathering provided a great opportunity for face-to-face discussions, with active participation from Antonio Maraver (INSERM), the Valcárcel Lab and TBDO teams from CRG, Jérémie Parot (SINTEF), and several members of the Inveniam Group team. The Asphalion team also joined to support the regulatory pathway and coordinate interactions with regulatory agencies.
As in previous years, we welcomed our Scientific Advisory Board members, Dr. Roy van der Meel and Dr. Adrian Krainer, whose valuable discussions and insights continue to guide the scientific and strategic direction of the project. Their presence, together with that of Biotech Advisor José Luis Cabero, added great value to the discussions and planning.
The first day of the meeting focused on the business development dimension of TAONas-LUAD. Discussions covered the roadmap for a potential spin-off, envisioned as the vehicle to bring our therapeutic solution closer to clinical application. Maria Buxadé, who recently joined the team, will be leading the spin-off incorporation and fundraising strategy, working hand in hand with Inveniam.
The second day shifted the focus to scientific and technical progress. It opened with the first of two working sessions with the Scientific Advisory Board, followed by a series of presentations covering the latest advances across the consortium. From preclinical development to formulation, team members shared progress and openly discussed the challenges encountered over recent months. These sessions helped set the course for the months ahead.
The meeting concluded with strategic decisions on the next steps around testing the lead candidate in PDX models, exploring combinatory approaches with existing therapies, and our current position towards regulatory studies and GMP-compliant production.
As the TAONas-LUAD project approaches its final phase, the meeting in Barcelona marked a moment of alignment and renewed focus on the work ahead.