Hasty Briefsbeta

Immunotherapy drug eliminates aggressive cancers in clinical trial

15 hours ago
  • #immunotherapy
  • #cancer research
  • #clinical trials
  • CD40 agonist antibodies showed promise in animal models but had limited impact and severe side effects in human trials.
  • Rockefeller University engineered an enhanced CD40 antibody (2141-V11) to improve efficacy and reduce side effects.
  • Phase 1 trial results showed tumor shrinkage in 6 out of 12 patients, with 2 achieving complete remission.
  • The drug induced systemic immune responses, shrinking non-injected tumors, a rare outcome in cancer treatments.
  • 2141-V11 binds tightly to CD40 receptors and engages an Fc receptor, making it 10 times more effective.
  • Direct tumor injection minimized toxicity compared to intravenous administration.
  • Tumors developed tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS), linked to better immunotherapy responses.
  • Ongoing trials explore 2141-V11's effects on bladder, prostate, and glioblastoma cancers.
  • High T cell clonality in patients correlated with complete remission, suggesting immune system prerequisites for drug efficacy.
  • Future research aims to identify predictors of response and convert non-responders into responders.