Dr. Hamid on Immunotherapy Approaches in Melanoma

Omid Hamid, MD, chief, Translational Research and Immunotherapy, director, Melanoma Therapeutics, The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute, discusses different immunotherapy approaches that oncologists are currently exploring in melanoma.

Several trials are investigating the tumor microenvrionment in melanoma, explains Hamid. He references the OX40 agonist, which has been found to have potential immunostimulatory activity as it selectively binds to and activates the OX40 receptor. Hamid also mentions the 4-1BB monoclonal antibody, which possesses strong antitumor properties and has been investigated in clinical trials involving patients with melanoma.

Hamid is most excited about clinical trials that are currently accruing refractory patients with melanoma and are aiming to reinvigorate the immune environment to yield responses from these individuals. He says it is important to note that the majority of patients who are treated with checkpoint inhibition are not those who actually derive benefit from those agents, and he hopes to see those numbers improve in the near future.