Immuno-Oncology | Specialty

A New Generation of Cytokine-Based Immunotherapy Takes Shape

March 30th 2023

Nearly 40 years after the first cytokine-based therapy was approved for the treatment of patients with hairy cell leukemia, investigators are taking a fresh look at ways to leverage these signaling proteins to enhance immunotherapies and vaccines in other cancers.

FDA Grants Full Approval to Pembrolizumab for Select Patients With MSI-H or dMMR Solid Tumors

March 29th 2023

The FDA has granted full approval to pembrolizumab for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with unresectable or metastatic microsatellite instability–high or mismatch repair–deficient solid tumors that have progressed following previous treatment and who have no satisfactory alternative options.

Dr Mitzman on the Emergence of Immunotherapy in Early-Stage NSCLC

March 23rd 2023

Brian Mitzman, MD, FACS, FCCP, discusses the emergence of immunotherapy as a treatment option for patients with early-stage non–small cell lung cancer.

Improved Understanding of Biomarkers in Tumor Microenvironment Key for Treatment Decisions in NSCLC

March 23rd 2023

Brian S. Henick, MD, discusses the importance of expanding on the current knowledge of biomarkers and the tumor microenvironment to enhance treatment approaches for patients with non–small cell lung cancer.

Dr. Chao on Key Trials Leading to FDA Approvals in Metastatic NSCLC

March 21st 2023

Yvonne Chao, MD, PhD, discusses key trials leading to FDA approvals in metastatic non–small cell lung cancer.

Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapies Continue to Improve Patient Outcomes in Lung Cancer

March 20th 2023

Updated data from key trials in non–small cell lung cancer continue to demonstrate the superiority of immunotherapy and targeted therapy regimens for non–small cell lung cancer treatment, but the optimal use of these agents in the adjuvant vs neoadjuvant settings is still contested.

SRK-181 Alone or With Anti–PD-(L)1 Therapy Elicits Early Efficacy in Select Solid Tumors

March 15th 2023

When the fully human IgG4 monoclonal antibody SRK-181 was given as a monotherapy or in combination with anti–PD-1 or PD-L1 agents in patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors, it was found to be generally well tolerated and to demonstrate early indications of efficacy.

Further Understanding of Immune Mechanisms in Tumor Microenvironment Is Key to Advancing Immunotherapy in Solid Tumors

March 14th 2023

Although the immune system plays a vital role in attacking tumor cells, the immune mechanisms vary from tumor to tumor, and factors in the tumor microenvironment can reduce the effectiveness of the body’s immune response.

Will Immunotherapy Become a Standard of Care for Glioblastoma?

March 10th 2023

Given the current lack of positive phase 3 immunotherapy trials for glioblastoma, a misconception held by oncologists and neuro-oncologists is that immunotherapy has no place in this malignancy.

Durvalumab-Based Treatment Before and After Surgery Improves EFS in Early-Stage NSCLC

March 9th 2023

Durvalumab plus neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery and adjuvant single-agent durvalumab significantly improved event-free survival vs neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery alone in patients with resectable stage IIA-IIIB non–small cell lung cancer.

Pembrolizumab Plus Standard Therapy Falls Short in mCRPC, EGFR-Mutant NSCLC Trials

February 28th 2023

The addition of pembrolizumab to standard therapies failed to improve survival outcomes in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in the KEYNOTE-641 trial and patients with EGFR-mutated non–small cell lung cancer in the KEYNOTE-789 trial.

FDA Provides Guidance on Registrational Path for PDS0101 Triplet in HPV+, ICI-Refractory Head and Neck Cancer

February 27th 2023

The FDA has provided PDS Biotechnology Corporation with guidance on the required contents of a design for a potential registrational trial examining PDS0101 in combination with PDS0301 and an FDA-approved immune checkpoint inhibitor in patients with recurrent or metastatic human papillomavirus–positive, ICI-refractory head and neck cancer.

Tislelizumab Plus Chemo Approved in China for PD-L1–High Advanced Gastric/GEJ Adenocarcinoma

February 27th 2023

The National Medical Products Administration of China has granted approval to tislelizumab in combination with fluoropyrimidine and platinum chemotherapy in the frontline treatment of patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma with a high PD-L1 expression.

Bria-IMT Plus Retifanlimab Continues to Show Early Clinical Benefit in Advanced Metastatic Breast Cancer

February 23rd 2023

The combination of the targeted immunotherapy Bria-IMT and retifanlimab demonstrated signs of clinical benefit and was found to be well tolerated in patients with advanced metastatic breast cancer.

Dr. Patil on Unmet Needs With the Use of Immunotherapy in NSCLC

February 23rd 2023

Pradnya D. Patil, MD, FACP, discusses unmet needs that remain to be addressed with the use of immunotherapy in patients with non–small cell lung cancer.

Abatacept/Ruxolitinib May Reduce Cardiotoxicity Associated With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

February 23rd 2023

French investigators evaluated a potential solution to reduce myotoxicity and improve survival for patients with cancer receiving treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

FDA Grants Breakthrough Therapy Designation to mRNA-4157/V940 Plus Pembrolizumab in High-Risk Melanoma

February 23rd 2023

The FDA has granted a breakthrough therapy designation to the investigational personalized mRNA cancer vaccine mRNA-4157/V940 in combination with pembrolizumab for the adjuvant treatment of patients with high-risk melanoma following complete resection.

Traveling Through the Lung Cancer Treatment Paradigm: Taking Advantage of Neoadjuvant Therapy

February 22nd 2023

In this third episode of OncChats: Traveling Through the Lung Cancer Treatment Paradigm, Aaron Franke, MD, discusses the expanding role of neoadjuvant therapy in non–small cell lung cancer and efforts to better identify patients who can benefit from curative-intent treatment.

Salvage Checkpoint Inhibitors Reduce Peri-ASCT Progression in R/R Hodgkin Lymphoma

February 17th 2023

Checkpoint inhibitor–based salvage regimens significantly reduced the likelihood that patients with relapsed/refractory classic Hodgkin lymphoma undergoing transplant would need further salvage therapy vs conventional salvage regimens.

Maveropepimut-S Plus Pembrolizumab and Cyclophosphamide Shows Early Promise in R/R DLBCL

February 13th 2023

The combination of maveropepimut-S, pembrolizumab, and intermittent low-dose cyclophosphamide elicited responses in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, according to preliminary findings from the phase 2b VITALIZE trial.