Immuno-Oncology | Specialty

FDA Approves Pembrolizumab for Advanced Esophageal or GEJ Cancer

March 22nd 2021

The FDA has approved pembrolizumab for use in combination with platinum and fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy for patients with metastatic or locally advanced esophageal or gastroesophageal carcinoma who are ineligible for surgical resection or definitive chemoradiation.

Atezolizumab Improves DFS Over BSC in PD-L1+ Resectable, Early-Stage NSCLC

March 22nd 2021

The PD-L1 inhibitor atezolizumab was found to improve disease-free survival over best supportive care when used as an adjuvant treatment in patients with PD-L1–positive, stage II-IIIA non–small cell lung cancer, meeting the primary end point of the phase 3 IMpower010 trial.

Chemo Reigns Control in Early-Stage TNBC, But Immunotherapy, ADCs Gain Ground in Metastatic Setting

March 20th 2021

Anthracyclines and taxanes remain a backbone in the early-stage setting of triple-negative breast cancer as further evaluations of immunotherapy in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings needs to be conducted—efforts that will continue to shape the treatment paradigm.

Tilsotolimod/Ipilimumab Fails to Improve ORR in PD-1 Refractory, Advanced Melanoma

March 19th 2021

The combination of tilsotolimod plus ipilimumab failed to improve objective response rate over ipilimumab alone in patients with advanced melanoma who are refractory to a PD-1 inhibitor, missing the primary end point of the phase 2 ILLUMINATE-301 trial.

Santos Spotlights Success With Checkpoint Inhibition in Frontline Metastatic NSCLC

March 18th 2021

Edgardo Santos, MD, FACP, discusses advances made with immunotherapy regimens in the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer and areas of active investigation.

As FDA Review Approaches, Finn Reflects on the Utility of Pembrolizumab, Nivolumab in HCC

March 17th 2021

Richard S. Finn, MD, discusses the data with pembrolizumab and nivolumab that support their utility in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Pembrolizumab Approved in Europe for Adult and Pediatric Relapsed/Refractory Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma

March 17th 2021

The European Commission has approved an expanded label for pembrolizumab for use as a single agent in the treatment of select adult and pediatric patients aged 3 years and older who have relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

Immunotherapy Research Instigates More Questions Than Answers in Ovarian Cancer

March 15th 2021

Robert Wenham, MD, MS, FACOG, FACS, discusses the basis for combining chemotherapy, PARP inhibitors, and VEGF inhibitors with immunotherapy in ovarian cancer and ongoing research with ADCs in the field.

Cemiplimab Phase 3 Trial Stopped Early Due to OS Benefit in Advanced Cervical Cancer

March 15th 2021

A phase 3 trial evaluating single-agent cemiplimab will be stopped early due to positive results demonstrating an overall survival benefit over chemotherapy in patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer who previously received chemotherapy.

FDA Will Reassess 6 Immunotherapy Accelerated Approvals

March 12th 2021

Six indications for immune checkpoint inhibitors granted under the FDA’s accelerated approval process that later failed confirmatory clinical trials are being reassessed as the agency continues an industry-wide evaluation of the pathway.

Checkpoint and PARP Inhibition Remain the Focus of Ongoing Research in TNBC

March 10th 2021

The field of triple-negative breast cancer is pushing to improve treatment by answering questions regarding biomarkers of response, defining the utility of neoadjuvant approaches, and exploring potential combinations with checkpoint inhibitors and PARP inhibitors.

Frontline Nivolumab Plus Chemo Shows Practice-Changing Potential in GI Cancers

March 5th 2021

Yelena Y. Janjigian, MD, discussed the promise of nivolumab plus chemotherapy in patients with PD-L1–positive advanced gastric cancer, GEJ cancer, and esophageal adenocarcinoma, as well as important biomarkers that should be used to guide sequencing decisions.

Frontline ICI Therapy Gains Traction Across NSCLC Settings

March 4th 2021

Treatment strategies for patients with advanced-stage non–small cell lung cancer have shifted away from platinum-based doublet chemotherapy and toward combination strategies that include immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Merck Withdraws Pembrolizumab Metastatic SCLC Indication in the United States

March 2nd 2021

Merck has withdrawn pembrolizumab from the US market for the treatment of patients with metastatic small cell lung cancer who experienced disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy and at least 1 previous line of treatment.

Immunotherapy Is on the Cusp of Major Breakthroughs in Multiple Myeloma

March 1st 2021

Immune therapy has evolved rapidly in multiple myeloma, and the field is on the verge of major improvements in outcomes.

Dostarlimab Gets Positive EU Opinion in Recurrent or Advanced MSI-H Endometrial Cancer

February 26th 2021

February 26, 2021 - The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use granted a positive opinion to dostarlimab as a treatment for patients with recurrent or advanced microsatellite instability–high/mismatch repair deficient endometrial cancer who have progressed on or following platinum-based chemotherapy.

KTE-X19 Continues to Elicit Durable Responses in Relapsed/Refractory MCL

February 24th 2021

February 24, 2021 - The CAR T-cell product KTE-X19 continues to demonstrate durable clinical benefit in patients with relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma, with an overall response rate of 92%.

CAR T-Cell Therapy Explodes on the Scene in Heavily Pretreated Multiple Myeloma

February 24th 2021

Binod Dhakal, MD, discusses the potential impact of ide-cel, orva-cel, and cilta-cel in multiple myeloma therapy.

Dr. Naing on the Potential Implications of Immune-Related Adverse Effects in Cancer

February 23rd 2021

Aung Naing, MD, FACP, discusses potential immune-related adverse effects in oncology.

Caribou and AbbVie Initiate Development Partnership for CAR T-Cell Products

February 23rd 2021

February 23, 2021 - AbbVie and Caribou Biosciences, Inc have entered into a collaboration and license agreement for the research and development of chimeric antigen receptory T-cell therapeutics.