Articles tagged with Cancer Immunotherapy
A phase 1 clinical trial demonstrates the efficacy of third-generation anti-CD19 CAR T-cells in treating relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas without causing neurotoxicity. The study also shows a robust response rate of 52% and improved safety profile compared to previous CAR T-cell therapies.
A new study from Indian Institute of Science finds that certain types of cancer cells respond well to IFN-γ activation, while others don't. The researchers suggest approaches to make non-responsive cancer cells better respond to immunotherapy by targeting their metabolism.
Researchers at the University of Turku found that bexmarilimab therapy alters macrophage behavior to promote anti-tumor immune defense. The therapy was well-tolerated and stabilized disease progression in patients with advanced-stage cancer, inducing tumor-associated macrophage and lymphocyte activation.
Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center analyzed the mechanisms of action of anti-PD-1/CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1/LAG-3 combination therapies, identifying specific subtypes of CD4 T cells that become activated. The study found differences in how these therapies affect CD4 T cells, leading to distinct anticancer effects.
Researchers Haval Shirwan and Esma Yolcu design a molecule, SA-4-1BBL, that mobilizes immune cells to target cancer cells. The molecule shows promising results in preventing lung cancer by triggering the immune system's defense mechanism.
Adding immunotherapy atezolizumab to chemotherapy and bevacizumab improved overall survival by 32.1 months compared to 22.8 months with standard therapy alone. The two-year survival rate was also higher, with 60% in patients treated with the experimental combination.
Researchers from Japan have discovered a novel targeted molecular therapy using microRNA-451a to suppress the progression of gemcitabine-resistant biliary tract cancers. The study found that miR-451a significantly diminished cell proliferation, induced cell death, and reduced chemoresistance in cancer cells.
Scientists have developed a drug-eluting hydrogel that provides sustained, pH-dependent drug co-delivery and promotes anti-tumor immune responses, reducing tumor cell proliferation and growth. The treatment shows promise in treating hepatocellular carcinoma, with enhanced efficacy compared to traditional methods.
Researchers confirm that pancreatic cancer triggers a response in the immune system, but T cells struggle to infiltrate tumors. This finding could guide future treatment development for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a deadly form of pancreatic cancer.
Researchers discovered an alternative immune response involving NK and CD4+ T cells that can recognize and attack cancer cells when the usual recognition marker B2M is missing. This finding holds potential for developing more effective combination cancer immunotherapy treatments.
Researchers have successfully mapped the entire HLA class II landscape, predicting how pathogens are displayed on cell surfaces. The mapping reveals that multiple HLA variants play essential roles in autoimmune disorders and organ rejection, highlighting their potential for developing immunotherapy treatments.
A phase 2 trial found that durvalumab is safe and may benefit overall survival in non-small cell lung cancer patients with borderline performance status. The study also showed stable quality of life and a lower incidence of severe treatment-related adverse events compared to platinum doublet chemotherapy.
Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital validated GRP78 as a promising but complex target for CAR T-cell immunotherapy. However, they discovered that some tumors trick the immune cells into expressing GRP78, turning off their own cancer-killing ability.
Two phase-3 clinical trials demonstrate a significant increase in overall survival and progression-free survival for bladder cancer patients treated with immunotherapy combinations. The studies show a 22% reduction in the risk of death compared to chemotherapy alone, providing a promising new approach for treating advanced bladder cancer.
The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has been awarded a $5 million NIH grant to establish a state-of-the-art center dedicated to discovering and developing novel therapeutic targets for cancer therapy. The Center will utilize cutting-edge technologies and interdisciplinary collaborations to accelerate the translation of scientif...
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a novel cancer immunotherapy compound that targets the enzyme TC-PTP, found in both cancer cells and T cells. Deleting this enzyme promotes antigen presentation, alerting the immune system to tumor cells, while stimulating T-cell activation enhances their ability to fight and destroy tumors.
Researchers led by Dr. Ming Li at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center investigate the molecular mechanisms of immune regulation and its role in cancer. They aim to uncover new biological insights to target the immune system for cancer therapy, building on recent advancements in immunotherapy.
Researchers have discovered that disrupting a single gene, SUV39H1, can restore the expression of multiple genes in CAR T cells, making them more potent and long-lasting. This approach has shown improved effectiveness against multiple cancers in mice, potentially expanding patient eligibility and reducing side effects.
A team of researchers developed a gel delivery system that overcomes challenges in intratumoral therapy. The gel contains an imaging agent and can hold a high concentration of drug for slow release. In preclinical models, the treatment induced tumor regression and improved survival in immunotherapy-resistant colon and breast cancer.
Researchers using cancer as a model system are uncovering basic principles of immune cell communication and spatial dynamics. Understanding these principles can lead to new treatments for various diseases, including viral infections and cancer.
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center found that combining immunotherapy with an investigational ATR kinase inhibitor improved anti-tumor effects in studies using mice. This approach could be especially effective for patients with mismatch repair deficient tumors who do not respond to immunotherapy alone.
Researchers at UCLA have developed a new method to engineer more powerful immune cells that can potentially be used for 'off-the-shelf' cell therapy to treat challenging cancers. Gamma delta T cells with high expressions of CD16 surface marker exhibited increased ability to recognize and kill cancer cells.
Researchers have discovered that mitochondrial respiration failure leads to genetic and metabolic reprogramming of T cells, causing their functional exhaustion. However, pharmacological or genetic optimization of cellular metabolism can increase T cell longevity and functionality.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute have engineered novel monoclonal antibodies that engage Natural Killer cells through Siglec-7, a conserved glyco-immune marker, to fight against cancer. These new approaches demonstrate preclinical feasibility and potential for treating treatment-resistant ovarian cancers.
A new tool has been developed to rapidly grow cancer-killing white blood cells, called T cells, which could advance the availability of immunotherapy. The bioreactor is 30% faster than current technologies and can be self-contained in a sterile cabinet.
Researchers from the Max Planck Research Group aim to investigate the local immune system of the liver to develop new immunotherapy strategies for metastatic diseases. They will examine tissue and tumor samples using state-of-the-art techniques to identify key molecules and checkpoints in complex cellular interaction networks.
A team of researchers at Kyoto University has found that a deficiency in the enzyme B4GALT3 inhibits tumor growth in mice. The study shows that reduced glycosylation on T cell surfaces correlates with increased CD8+ immune cells infiltrating tumors.
Researchers at Institute for Systems Biology have made a breakthrough discovery about T cells, finding that the genetically encoded T-cell receptor sequence determines a T cell's function. This fundamental discovery has huge potential for developing custom immune responses to specific antigens.
A Phase III trial found that patients who received perioperative immunotherapy had a 32% lower chance of disease recurrence, progression, or death compared to those who only received chemotherapy. The treatment also showed higher rates of pathologic complete response and improved event-free survival.
Researchers saw a major pathologic response in over half of surgical specimens from patients treated with neoadjuvant pembrolizumab. The treatment shrank over half of advanced melanomas, according to exploratory analyses presented at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2023.
A clinical trial has shown that combining chemotherapy with immunotherapy nivolumab significantly improved outcomes in patients with advanced bladder cancer. The study found nearly twice as many patients with no evidence of disease after treatment, and a median complete response of 37.1 months.
Researchers found that tumour cells escape immunotherapy by losing or changing BCMA and GPRC5D targets on their surface. This understanding has led to the suggestion of periodically profiling myeloma cells throughout a patient's treatment course to adapt treatment strategies.
Researchers are testing a single target to weaken tumors and strengthen immune cells in pediatric brain tumor patients. The goal is to improve the effectiveness of CAR-T therapy, which has shown promise but also leads to exhaustion of immune cells.
A new cancer immunotherapy that targets two immune-evading tumor tactics has shown promising results in an early clinical trial. The drug, tebotelimab, blocks both PD-1 and LAG-3 proteins, leading to a double-digit response rate in patients with advanced solid tumors or blood cancers.
Researchers developed a nanocapsule that reduces lactate levels and releases hydrogen peroxide, recruiting and activating immune cells to attack tumors. The approach increased immune cell activity by 2-5-fold, improving cancer immunotherapy success rates.
Researchers developed VIGex, a gene expression signature predicting patients' response to immunotherapy. The tool classifies solid tumors into three categories based on the inflammatory status of the tumor microenvironment, helping identify patients most likely to benefit from immune-based therapies.
A phase 2 clinical trial found that serial blood tests can identify patients who benefit from additional immunotherapies, suggesting a potential early marker of treatment response. The study also showed that ctDNA analyses correlated with tumor size and survival, making it a promising strategy for guiding therapy.
A new cancer drug candidate has been found to restore the effectiveness of the immune system in fighting tumors, including melanoma, bladder cancer, leukemia, and colon cancer. The drug works by lowering a toxic compound called MTA, which impairs normal functioning of immune cells and blocks immunotherapies.
Researchers discovered a new role for extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in a pathway activated by interferon-gamma that leads to cancer cell death. Hyperactivation of ERK causes stress in cells, triggering cell death through specific proteins DR5 and NOXA.
Researchers discovered NKG2A receptors as potential targets to overcome immunotherapy resistance in breast cancer, offering a promising approach for treating immunotherapy-resistant triple-negative breast cancer patients.
Researchers have developed a new approach to treating invasive bladder cancer, combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy, which may preserve quality of life. In a phase 2 clinical trial, approximately 43% of patients achieved complete response without surgical removal of the bladder.
Researchers have made significant progress in using immunotherapies prior to surgery, leading to better biomarkers and more effective combination therapies. This approach has shown promise in various cancer types, including lung cancer, triple-negative breast cancer, melanoma, and gastrointestinal cancers.
The American Society for Radiation Oncology announced the winners of its new combination therapy challenge, which aims to improve prostate cancer treatments using relugolix in combination with radiation therapy. The three winning research proposals will receive funding over four to five years.
Researchers analyze neuroendocrine tumors at single cell resolution, unlocking key insights into tumor biology and potential evolution of tumor characteristics. The study reveals heterogeneity within tumor subtypes and identifies potential targets for immunotherapy treatment.
A Rice University-led team of researchers has been awarded $45 million to develop a new sense-and-respond implant technology that could improve immunotherapy outcomes for patients with difficult-to-treat cancers. The technology, called THOR, aims to provide real-time data from the tumor environment to guide more effective therapies.
Researchers discovered that fine-tuning mitochondrial energy production reduces melanoma tumor growth and enhances immune response in mice. The study reveals that manipulating mitochondrial electron transport increases expression of immune genes and makes tumor cells more visible to killer T cells.
Researchers at the Swiss Cancer Center Léman have discovered a way to prolong the functionality of CAR-T cells, which are used against blood cancers. By inhibiting a specific metabolic mechanism, they created CAR-T cells with enhanced immune memory, capable of fighting tumour cells for longer.
Researchers found that beta-blockers can revive exhausted killer T cells, making them better cancer fighters. The study discovered a link between the sympathetic stress response and immune system response to cancer.
New research from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory suggests that high tumor mutation burden does not guarantee an effective immune response in patients with mismatch repair deficiency. The study found that tumors with identical mutations across all cells responded to immunotherapy, while those with subclonal mutations did not.
Patients with stage 1-3 non-small cell lung cancer treated with combination immunotherapy before surgery had a better major pathological response rate than those receiving single-agent therapy alone. The NeoCOAST platform trial found that targeting multiple cancer pathways through therapy may be superior to a single treatment.
A new study sheds light on the molecular mechanisms behind immunotherapy's lack of response in certain types of cancer. Researchers found that intratumoral heterogeneity damps the immune response, leading to diminished effectiveness.
A team of Chinese and UK researchers has identified superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) as a potential target for reversing drug resistance in ovarian cancer. By using nanoparticles to deliver siRNA that reduces SOD1 levels, the study showed reduced growth and decreased resistance to cisplatin in female mice.
Researchers found that tumors with metastasis to the brain respond better to immunotherapy due to effective priming outside the brain. Glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, does not respond well due to impaired priming step.
Mayo Clinic researchers found that cells expressing PD-1 and PD-L1 within a certain distance of each other can predict the success of immunotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer. This spatial analysis may help select patients most likely to benefit from treatment, improving outcomes and minimizing unnecessary treatments.
Researchers developed a new strategy to target CD45, a surface marker found on nearly all blood cells, using CRISPR base-editing. This approach aims to overcome challenges in CAR T cell therapy, which currently targets specific cancer types, and could expand treatment options for virtually all blood cancers.
Scientists engineer bacteria to target cancer cells, utilizing NIR fluorescence and photothermal conversion to selectively eliminate malignant cells. The study demonstrates effective optical and immunological functions in a mouse model of colon cancer.
Researchers found a combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab can extend progression-free survival and improve response rates in patients with resistant metastatic melanoma. The treatment showed a 37% improvement in progression-free survival compared to ipilimumab alone.
Researchers have developed an oncolytic virus that can 'warm up' cold tumors and improve immunotherapy outcomes. The virus was engineered to carry a gene encoding a TGF-β inhibitor, which greatly increased survival rates in mice with aggressive melanoma and other cancers.
Researchers examine translational studies on peripheral surrogates of tumor burden, including circulating tumor DNA, miRNA, and HPV-specific antibodies, to inform chemotherapy and immunotherapy strategies. These biomarkers show promise as prognostic and predictive markers of response to treatment.
Researchers find immunotherapy treatment anti-CTLA-4 leads to greater survival in mice with glioblastoma and discover new way cells kill cancer by triggering microglia, specialized immune cells in the brain. This breakthrough could lead to more effective treatments for human brain cancer.