This project is supported by an independent educational grant from the BioNTech-BMS Alliance.
This expert-led CME podcast features Dr. Edward Garon and Ann Fish-Steagall, who discuss the evolving role of PD-(L)1 × VEGF bispecific therapies from both clinical and patient care perspectives. Dr. Garon discussed the biological rationale for dual-pathway inhibition, emerging clinical evidence, and considerations for integrating bispecific therapies into the treatment landscape. Ann Fish-Steagall, drawing on her expertise in patient services and clinical operations, explores access to clinical trials, shared decision-making, patient education, financial toxicity, and the practical challenges of monitoring and managing treatment with novel therapies.Through practical and informal conversational discussions, this podcast highlights the importance of personalized patient selection, multidisciplinary collaboration, proactive toxicity monitoring, and clear communication with patients and caregivers.
This podcast is divided into two parts:
Part 1: Why New Therapies Are Needed
This segment explores the limitations of current treatments, the theoretical rationale behind dual PD-(L)1 and VEGF pathway inhibition, and the potential role of bispecific antibodies in addressing immune suppression, angiogenesis, and treatment resistance in lung disease. It also incorporates the patient perspective, covering unmet needs, access to clinical trials, shared decision-making, and how to explain complex treatment concepts to patients.
Part 2: Effectively Integrating New Bispecific Antibodies into Treatment Regimens
This section explores practical considerations for patient selection and how to incorporate emerging clinical evidence into treatment decisions, while actively monitoring and managing both immune-mediated and VEGF-related toxicities through a multidisciplinary approach.
Who Should Listen?
- Medical oncologists
- Pulmonologists
- Nurses
- Registered nurses
- Physician assistants
- Pharmacists
Instructors
Edward Garon, MD currently serves as Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and is an Associate Professor at UCLA. As a leader in the field his clinical and research interests focus on biomarker development, and innovation in clinical trials. Dr. Garon has led numerous national and international Phase I–III clinical trials, including studies that contributed to the approval of various therapies and companion diagnostic tests.
Ann Fish-Steagall, BSN, RN, currently serves as Senior Vice President of Patient Services at the LUNGevity Foundation. Ann is an experienced healthcare professional and patient advocate with a background in nursing. Prior to joining the LUNGevity Foundation, she served as a research nurse at the University of North Carolina and as Director of Clinical Operations at Biologics by McKesson, where she led patient management programs. Ann integrates a patient-centered approach into her work.
Disclosure of Financial Interests
Partners in Clinical Education requires all individuals with the authority to control the content of this educational activity to disclose all financial relationships with ineligible companies that occurred within the past 24 months. An ineligible company is defined as an organization whose primary business is the manufacture, marketing, sale, resale, or distribution of medical products for or to patients.
All relevant financial relationships of individuals with the authority to control the content of this educational activity are listed below and have been mitigated in accordance with Partners’ policies. No other individuals involved in the planning of this activity have relevant financial relationships.
Ann Fish-Steagall, serving as a faculty member for this educational program, for this educational activity, has no financial relationships to disclose.
Professor Edward Garon, serving as a faculty member for this educational program, has the following relevant financial relationships: serves as a consultant for AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Arrivent, Bayer, Bicycle, Black Diamond Therapeutics, BridgeBio, Boehringer Ingelheim; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Daiichi Sankyo; GlaxoSmithKline; Gilead; Hexagon; I-Mab; IO Biotech; iTeos; Merck; Nuvalent; Oxford Bio; Pfizer; Regeneron; Samsung; Sanofi; Sanofi-Aventis; Strata; Synthekine; Transcode; Verastem. Research grants/research support (institutional) from ABL-Bio; Arrivent; AstraZeneca; Bayer; BridgeBio; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Daiichi Sankyo; Eli Lilly; Genentech; Gilead; Iovance Biopharmaceuticals; Merck; Novartis; Prelude; Regeneron; Synthekine; TILT Biopharmaceuticals. Intellectual Property on New Motif Epitopes in Cancer Immunotherapy
Joint Accreditation Statement
To support the improvement of patient care, this event was jointly organized and implemented by “Partners in Advancing Clinical Education” (Partners) and MedAll. Partners has received joint accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education to healthcare teams.
Physician Continuing Medical Education
Partners has designated this permanent material for a maximum of 0.5 _AMA PRA Category 1 Credits_™. Physicians should claim only the credits commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Nursing Continuing Professional Development
This nursing continuing professional development activity awards a maximum of 0.5 ANCC contact hours.
Physician Assistant (PA) Continuing Medical Education
Partners has been authorized by the American Association of Physician Assistants (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credits for activities that meet AAPA CME standards. This activity has been designated for 0.5 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid through July 14, 2027. Physician assistants should claim only those credits commensurate with their level of participation.
Unlabeled Use Disclosure
This educational activity may include discussions of published and/or investigational uses of drugs that have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The activity organizers do not recommend the use of any drug outside its labeled indications. The views expressed during the educational activity represent solely the personal opinions of the presenters and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizers. For discussions regarding approved indications, contraindications, and warnings, please refer to the official prescribing information for each product.
Disclaimer
Participants bear an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to improve patient outcomes and advance their professional development. The information presented in this activity is not intended to serve as a guide for patient management. Before adopting any procedures, medications, or other diagnostic or therapeutic regimens discussed or recommended in this activity, clinicians must evaluate the patient’s condition and any potential contraindications and/or risks associated with use, consult the relevant manufacturer’s product information, and compare it with recommendations from other authoritative sources.
Instructions for Earning Credits
This self-study activity is expected to take approximately 0.5 hours to complete. To successfully complete this activity and earn continuing education credits, learners must follow these steps between September 10, 2026, and July 14, 2027:
- Review the learning objectives and disclosure information
- Study the educational content
- Successfully complete the activity’s post-test
- Complete the activity evaluation
This continuing education activity is effective September 10, 2026, and valid through July 14, 2027.
Estimated time to complete this activity: 30 minutes