AACR 2025: Charting the future of cancer research with spatial omics, AI, and plushies

This year’s AACR conference in Chicago delivered exactly what you’d expect from one of the world’s leading cancer research events: cutting-edge science, packed sessions, and more than 22,000 researchers, clinicians, and innovators from more than 81 countries. And yes, there was some fierce competition over who had the best conference goodies (we like to think Owkin was certainly a strong contender with our plushy claw machine!).

Beyond the buzz, AACR 2025 was a strong reminder that we are in a transformational era of cancer research. From spatial omics and agentic AI to the next generation of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), the conversations, posters, and presentations reflected a shared sense of progress and possibility.

The power of collaboration and data sharing

The opening ceremony set a powerful tone. AACR President Patricia LoRusso underscored the organization’s mission to reduce cancer disparities and improve care for all patients. Data sharing emerged as a key theme: public repositories and collaborative efforts were framed as essential tools in accelerating discovery and translating findings to the clinic. This vision will soon be realized in AACR’s own neoadjuvant biomarker-driven clinical trial in gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma, designed to match patients to therapies and potentially avoid invasive surgeries.

Spatial omics and single-cell tech take center stage

Spatial biology dominated discussions, they featured prominently in talks, posters, and even presidential keynotes. From high-resolution mapping of tumor microenvironment to multimodal integration with single-cell data, researchers are increasingly using new technologies to understand cancer on both a spatial and molecular level. As Muhammad Shaalan Beg from the National Cancer Institute noted, “we are in an unprecedented era for oncology drug development.”

The convergence of these tools with AI and large language models (LLMs) is reshaping how we make clinical decisions, enabling true multimodal analysis of a patient’s cancer journey. At Owkin, we are contributing to this transformation through MOSAIC, the world’s largest spatial and multiomics atlas in oncology, encompassing data from more than 2,000 patients across ten cancer types and multiple cutting-edge modalities, including single cell and spatial omics. With AI at its core, MOSAIC is designed to uncover deeper insights into tumor biology and accelerate therapeutic discovery.

ADCs evolve: Innovation, complexity, and opportunity

"ADCs are here to stay". This statement from Mythili Shastry of the Sarah Cannon Research Institute captured the energy across AACR this year, where antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) remained a major focus. With over 430 assets entering the clinic and 12 FDA-approved to date, ADCs are redefining treatment paradigms for both solid tumors and hematological malignancies.

Yet, the excitement is tempered with the complexity of optimizing ADCs, especially in translating preclinical success into clinical impact. Many talks outlined the delicate balance of ADC design: optimizing DAR (Drug-to-Antibody Ratio), linker stability, payload potency, and tumor distribution. The key takeaway? More potency or higher DAR isn’t always better. Understanding the pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and resistance mechanisms is essential and this is where AI and spatial biology can make a profound difference.

Next-generation innovations, including dual-payload ADCs, bispecific ADCs (bsADCs), non-internalizing formats, and novel carriers, are pushing the field forward. BsADCs, in particular, show promise in enhancing tumor specificity and overcoming resistance but require sophisticated design strategies that balance structure, chemistry, and payload selection.

At Owkin, we are leveraging AI-driven models and multimodal datasets, including spatial omics, to support rational ADC development. By uncovering deeper biological insights, we empower our partners to bring the next generation of ADCs to patients more efficiently and with greater confidence in success.

The biomarker challenge: predicting who will benefit

A recurring theme has been the urgent need for better biomarkers. This challenge remains a critical hurdle in advancing oncology research. In the context of ADCs, the complexity of drug mechanisms, ranging from payload sensitivity and target expression to internalization dynamics, makes patient selection especially difficult. From predicting who will respond to treatment to minimizing off-target toxicity, refining biomarker strategies is key to optimizing outcomes. As Joshua Drago of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, stated, “The best candidate biomarkers for ADCs are protein-based or multi-omic, quantitative, and multiplexed.”

AI, molecular imaging, and multimodal data are increasingly being used to generate these insights, yet the field agrees: simple biomarkers may not be enough. More sophisticated approaches to patient stratification will be essential to guide the next wave of targeted therapies.

Owkin at AACR: launching the future of agentic AI

For Owkin, AACR 2025 was an exciting moment to showcase our vision for agentic AI in cancer research. We unveiled K-Navigator, AI-powered research co-pilot designed to revolutionize biomedical science. K Navigator is an agentic playground where researchers can explore, refine, and validate hypotheses, accelerating the quality and pace of their discoveries. With K Navigator, Owkin moves closer to its vision of developing the world’s first Biological Artificial Superintelligence (BASI).

We were thrilled by the considerable energy and enthusiasm from the research community and proud to see Owkin leading the intersection of biology, AI, and clinical impact.

Let’s keep pushing the boundaries together

In conclusion, AACR’s unique role in supporting the full lifecycle of cancer research, from bench to bedside, mirrors Owkin’s own commitment to bridging biology and technology to create better treatments, faster. If this year’s conference proved anything, it’s that collaboration, innovation, and agentic AI are the keys to unlocking the next era of breakthroughs.

We left Chicago inspired, energized, and more committed than ever to our mission.

Let’s keep pushing the boundaries together. If you are planning to be at ASCO, please come and meet us at booth #22155.

Book a meeting here.