Challenges faced when identifying patients for combination immunotherapy. (August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ernstoff, Marc S; Gandhi, Shipra; Pandey, Manu; Puzanov, Igor; Grivas, Petros; Montero, Alberto; Velcheti, Vamsidhar; Turk, Mary Jo; Diaz-Montero, Claudia Marcela; Lewis, Lionel D; Morrison, Carl
• Is Part Of: Future oncology. Volume 13:Number 18(2017)
• Page Start: 1607
• Page End: 1618
• Publication Date: 2017-08
• Subjects: atezolizumab -- avelumab -- immune checkpoint inhibitors -- immunotherapy -- ipilimumab -- nivolumab; Oncology -- Periodicals; 616.99405
• DOI: 10.2217/fon-2017-0218
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1479-6694

Abstract

In 1996, Jim Allison demonstrated that blocking the immune regulatory molecule CTLA-4 with anit-CTLA4 antibody led to enhance tumor responses in mice. It would take an additional 15 years for human studies to confirm the potency and clinical efficacy of anti-CTLA4, ultimately leading to US FDA approval of the first checkpoint inhibitor, ipilimumab. Now with a plethora of immune-modulating agents demonstrating single agent safety and benefit across many tumor types, investigation on the optimal combination of immune-based therapies has begun in earnest. While there are many challenges, a central one is how to select which combination for which patient is the best. Here we review the current approaches that a practitioner can use to achieve this therapeutic goal.