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Punekar SR, Weber JS. Intratumoral Therapy to Make a "Cold" Tumor "Hot": The Jury Is Still Out. Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:5007-5009. [PMID: 36161479 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-2427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Tilsotolimod, an oligodeoxynucleotide TLR9 agonist, administered intratumorally, has been clinically evaluated. This compound has demonstrated the ability to induce changes within the tumor microenvironment, to convert noninflamed cold tumors into inflamed hot tumors, with the hope that these tumors will be more responsive to immune checkpoint blockade. See related article by Babiker et al., p. 5079.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salman R Punekar
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Jeffrey S Weber
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
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2
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Dimitriou F, Hauschild A, Mehnert JM, Long GV. Double Trouble: Immunotherapy Doublets in Melanoma-Approved and Novel Combinations to Optimize Treatment in Advanced Melanoma. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book 2022; 42:1-22. [PMID: 35658500 DOI: 10.1200/edbk_351123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors, particularly anti-PD-1-based immune checkpoint inhibitors, have dramatically improved outcomes for patients with advanced melanoma and are currently deemed a standard of care. Ipilimumab/nivolumab is the first combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors to improve progression-free survival and overall survival in the first-line setting, with durable responses and the longest median overall survival, 72.1 months, of any drug therapy approved for advanced melanoma. However, its use is limited by the high rate of severe (grade 3-4) treatment-related adverse events. More recently, the novel immune checkpoint inhibitor combination of nivolumab/relatlimab (anti-PD-1/anti-LAG3) showed improved progression-free survival compared with nivolumab alone in the first-line setting and was well tolerated; thus, it is likely this combination will be added to the armamentarium as a first-line treatment for advanced melanoma. These changes in the treatment landscape have several treatment implications for decision-making. The choice of first-line systemic drug therapy, and the decision between immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy or combination therapy, requires a comprehensive assessment of disease-related factors and patient characteristics. Despite this striking progress, many patients' disease still progresses. Several new agents and therapeutic approaches are under investigation in clinical trials. Intralesional treatments hold promise for accessible metastases, although their broad application in the clinic will be limited. Prognostic and predictive biomarkers, as well as strategies to reduce treatment-related toxicities and overcome resistance, are required and are now the focus of clinical and translational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florentia Dimitriou
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Axel Hauschild
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Germany
| | - Janice M Mehnert
- NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Georgina V Long
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Department of Medical Oncology, Royal North Shore and Mater Hospitals, Sydney, Australia
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3
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Gerard CL, Delyon J, Wicky A, Homicsko K, Cuendet MA, Michielin O. Turning tumors from cold to inflamed to improve immunotherapy response. Cancer Treat Rev 2021; 101:102227. [PMID: 34656019 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2021.102227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment landscape for a number of cancers over the last few decades. Nevertheless, a majority of patients still do not benefit from these treatments. Such patient-specific lack of response can be predicted, in part, from the immune phenotypes present in the tumor microenvironment. We provide a perspective on options to reprogram the tumors and their microenvironment to increase the therapeutic efficacy of immunotherapies and expand their efficacy against cold tumors. Additionally, we review data from current preclinical and clinical trials aimed at testing the different therapeutic options in monotherapy or preferably in combination with checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- C L Gerard
- Precision Oncology Center, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Switzerland
| | - J Delyon
- Precision Oncology Center, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Switzerland
| | - A Wicky
- Precision Oncology Center, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Switzerland
| | - K Homicsko
- Precision Oncology Center, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Switzerland; Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michel A Cuendet
- Precision Oncology Center, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Switzerland; Molecular Modelling Group, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, NY, USA.
| | - O Michielin
- Precision Oncology Center, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Switzerland; Molecular Modelling Group, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Yuan J, Khilnani A, Brody J, Andtbacka RHI, Hu-Lieskovan S, Luke JJ, Diab A, Marabelle A, Snyder A, Cao ZA, Hodi FS. Current strategies for intratumoural immunotherapy - Beyond immune checkpoint inhibition. Eur J Cancer 2021; 157:493-510. [PMID: 34561127 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2021.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has revolutionised cancer treatment through restoration of host antitumour immune response. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) confer durable responses in only a subset of patients. Mechanisms of ICI resistance to improve durable response rates and overall survival are an area of intense clinical research. Robust clinical development is ongoing to evaluate novel combination therapies to overcome ICI resistance, including targeting immunoregulatory pathways in the tumour microenvironment. Intratumoural (IT) immunotherapies such as toll-like receptor agonists, stimulator of interferon-induced gene agonists, retinoic-inducible gene I-like receptor agonists and oncolytic viruses may represent potential combination treatment options to overcome ICI resistance. Use of IT immunotherapies in combination with ICIs may alter the tumour microenvironment to address resistance mechanisms and improve antitumour response. Optimisation of IT immunotherapy clinical trials will elucidate resistance mechanisms, facilitate clinical trial design, define pharmacodynamic predictors that identify patients who may most benefit and inform clinical development of combination immunotherapy regimens. Here we provide an overview of IT immunotherapy principles, mechanisms of action, categories of IT immunotherapeutics, emerging data, clinical development strategies, response assessment, dose and schedule determination, clinical trial design and translational study design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianda Yuan
- Department of Translational Oncology and Early Oncology Development, Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Rd, Kenilworth, NJ, 07033, USA.
| | - Anuradha Khilnani
- Department of Translational Oncology and Early Oncology Development, Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Rd, Kenilworth, NJ, 07033, USA.
| | - Joshua Brody
- Department of Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Pl, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
| | - Robert H I Andtbacka
- Seven and Eight Biopharmaceuticals Inc., 343 Thornall Street, Suite 520, Edison, NJ, 08837, USA.
| | - Siwen Hu-Lieskovan
- Department of Internal Medicine-Oncology, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, 2000 Cir of Hope Dr #1950, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA.
| | - Jason J Luke
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Hillman Cancer Center, 5115 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15232, USA.
| | - Adi Diab
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
| | - Aurelien Marabelle
- Department of Therapeutic Innovation and Early Trials, Gustave Roussy, University of Paris-Saclay, 114 Rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805 Villejuif, France.
| | - Alexandra Snyder
- Department of Translational Oncology and Early Oncology Development, Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Rd, Kenilworth, NJ, 07033, USA.
| | - Z Alexander Cao
- Department of Translational Oncology and Early Oncology Development, Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Rd, Kenilworth, NJ, 07033, USA.
| | - F Stephen Hodi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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5
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Garon EB, Spira AI, Johnson M, Bazhenova L, Leach J, Cummings AL, Candia A, Coffman RL, Janatpour MJ, Janssen R, Gamelin E, Chow LQM. A Phase Ib Open-Label, Multicenter Study of Inhaled DV281, a TLR9 Agonist, in Combination with Nivolumab in Patients with Advanced or Metastatic Non-small Cell Lung Cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:4566-4573. [PMID: 34108179 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-0263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Although PD-(L)1 inhibitors have shown efficacy in advanced/metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), many patients do not respond to this treatment and more effective combinations with acceptable toxicities are needed. To assess the potential benefit of combining localized innate immune stimulation with checkpoint blockade, the TLR9 agonist DV281 was combined with nivolumab in a phase Ib study. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients after one or two prior lines of systemic therapy were enrolled in a dose-escalation study with a 3+3 design. DV281 was administered via inhalation in five dose cohorts at 1 to 25 mg; nivolumab 240 mg was administered intravenously every 2 weeks. Safety, tolerability, pharmacodynamics, and response to treatment were assessed. RESULTS Twenty-six patients with advanced NSCLC enrolled. Baseline programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression was present in 16 patients (61.5%); 21 (80.7%) had received previous anti-PD-1/PD-L1. Thirteen patients (50%) had stable disease, nine (34.6%) had progressive disease, and four (15.4%) were not evaluable. Median duration of disease control was 124 days. Adverse events were seen in 16 patients (61.5%), mostly grade 1/2 chills, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, diarrhea, and rash; there was only one grade 3 adverse event (dyspnea). Pharmacodynamic assessment, measured by IFN- inducible gene expression, showed target engagement in all dose cohorts. Systemic pharmacodynamic responses plateaued in the 2 highest dose cohorts. CONCLUSIONS DV281 with nivolumab was well tolerated with target engagement observed at every dose. Pharmacodynamic advantages at doses above 10 mg were unclear. The long duration of disease control in 50% of patients suggests clinically relevant activity in this population of heavily pretreated patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward B Garon
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Santa Monica, California.
| | - Alexander I Spira
- Department of Medicine, Virginia Cancer Specialists, Fairfax, Virginia
| | | | | | - Joseph Leach
- Allina Health Virginia Piper Cancer Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Amy L Cummings
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Santa Monica, California
| | - Albert Candia
- Dynavax Technologies Corporation, Emeryville, California
| | | | | | - Robert Janssen
- Dynavax Technologies Corporation, Emeryville, California
| | - Erick Gamelin
- Dynavax Technologies Corporation, Emeryville, California
| | - Laura Q M Chow
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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6
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Human Anti-tumor Immunity: Insights from Immunotherapy Clinical Trials. Immunity 2020; 52:36-54. [DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2019.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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