All articles tagged with #immunotherapy
Using intravital two-photon microscopy, researchers watched CD169-expressing macrophages in the skin’s hypodermis engulf live melanoma cells without T or B cells, a finding that depletion of these macrophages worsened tumor growth and that similar macrophage populations were found at human melanoma margins—suggesting a way to turn ‘cold’ tumors ‘hot’ and possibly enhance responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
A Northwestern University study finds that montelukast, an FDA-approved asthma drug that blocks CysLTR1, can reprogram pro-tumor neutrophils and slow tumor growth in mice and human tumor samples, improving immunotherapy responses across several cancers, including triple-negative breast cancer—potentially fast-tracked to trials since the drug is already approved.
A small Bristol randomized trial suggests the anti-inflammatory drug tocilizumab, which blocks IL-6R, may benefit people with treatment-resistant depression. Those given the drug showed greater improvement across measures and higher remission rates (54% vs 31%) with a number needed to treat of 5, though the small sample size means results are preliminary and require confirmation in larger studies; this points to a potential new, tailored immunotherapy approach for patients not responding to standard antidepressants.
A widely used asthma medication may enhance the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapies, potentially improving patient responses when used in combination, though further clinical validation is needed.
ImmunityBio presented indirect treatment comparison analyses at AUA 2026 showing nogapendekin alfa inbakicept-pmln (NAI) plus BCG achieving higher and longer-lasting complete responses than nadofaragene firadenovec-vncg in BCG-unresponsive NMIBC with CIS (anytime CR 69.7% vs 53.4%; median CR duration 22.1 vs 9.7 months; cystectomy-free HR 0.40). In comparison with TAR-200, NAI+BCG had a higher 12‑month CR (49.2% vs 45.9%) and substantially fewer treatment-related adverse events (61.7% vs 83.5%) based on MAIC analyses. Results are from unanchored indirect comparisons and should be interpreted with caution, but support IL-15–driven, bladder-sparing immunotherapy potential in NMIBC with CIS. The company also cites ongoing BCG development efforts, including Tokyo strain and recombinant BCG programs.
A HKU-led preclinical study using a fatty liver disease mouse model and single-cell RNA sequencing suggests Resmetirom, FDA-approved for MAFLD, could prevent or slow fatty liver–related liver cancer by lowering the cancer-promoting MDK pathway and reshaping immune cells. Resmetirom reduced liver fat and tumor growth and lowered MDK levels, with stronger effects when combined with MDK inhibitors. Researchers plan biomarker validation and clinical trials combining Resmetirom with immunotherapy or targeted therapies to pursue a prevention-first approach for high-risk patients.
Dartmouth researchers find that the common blood pressure drug telmisartan can markedly enhance the cancer drug olaparib, boosting DNA damage and immune signaling to potentially extend PARP inhibitor benefits to more patients, with two clinical trials already launched in prostate and ovarian cancer.
A phase 1 trial of GNOS-PV01, a personalized DNA vaccine for unmethylated MGMT glioblastoma, is safe and elicits broad immune responses by targeting up to 40 patient-specific neoantigens, transforming the tumor microenvironment from cold to hot and reducing the likelihood of tumor escape; results show two-thirds progression-free at six months and two-thirds overall survival at one year, with one patient recurrence-free nearly five years post-diagnosis, supporting larger trials and expansion to all GBM types.
A phase 1 trial at Siteman Cancer Center shows a personalized neoantigen DNA vaccine (GNOS-PV01) for glioblastoma is safe and elicits robust immune responses; among nine patients, about two-thirds had no progression at six months and two-thirds were alive at one year, including a long-term recurrence-free survivor, indicating potential benefit and the need for larger trials.
Inhibrx reports phase 2 HexAgon results showing INBRX-106, a hexavalent OX40 agonist, added to Merck’s Keytruda, doubling the objective response rate to 44% vs 21.4% for Keytruda alone in treatment‑naïve, high PD-L1 HNSCC (CPS ≥20), with three complete responses in the combo arm. Progression-free survival data will be shared in Q4, and a phase 3 study is planned for Q3, with expansion into NSCLC and other combinations on the roadmap. Reuters‑reported interest from Merck and others could fuel takeover talks if data remain favorable.
In the NEOPRISM-CRC trial, 32 patients with stage II-III MSI-H/MMR-deficient colorectal cancer received up to nine weeks of pembrolizumab before surgery instead of chemo; after ~33 months of follow-up, none have recurred and 59% had no detectable cancer after treatment, a sharp contrast to the typical ~25% recurrence with standard surgery-plus-chemotherapy. The study also linked blood-based tumor DNA clearance and pre-treatment immune profiling to predicting who will respond, suggesting biomarkers to tailor therapy.
In a 32-patient trial of stage 2–3 bowel cancer with MMR-deficient/MSI-high tumors, a short course of pembrolizumab before surgery kept all patients cancer-free for nearly three years; early data showed 59% had no signs of cancer at surgery, and long-term follow-up found no recurrences, a result that may surpass standard chemotherapy for this subset but is limited by size and specificity. Researchers also used tumor DNA blood tests to monitor response and aim to predict who will benefit. Presented at AACR 2026; longer follow-up is needed.
A UK-led NEOPRISM-CRC trial treated stage II/III MMR-deficient/MSI-H bowel cancer with up to nine weeks of pembrolizumab before surgery. After ~33 months of follow-up, none of the 32 patients have recurred, and 59% had no detectable cancer at surgery, suggesting preoperative immunotherapy may provide durable control compared with standard surgery followed by chemotherapy. Researchers are also using personalized blood tests and immune profiling to predict responders and monitor remaining disease.
A small NEOPRISM-CRC trial at University College London treated stage II/III colorectal cancers with MSI-H/MMR-deficient tumors using pembrolizumab before surgery. After nearly three years of follow-up, no patient experienced cancer recurrence, suggesting neoadjuvant immunotherapy could spare or reduce chemotherapy for this 10–15% subset of bowel cancers, though larger studies are needed to confirm efficacy and applicability.
A Nature study in mice shows gut bacteria, particularly segmented filamentous bacteria, can enhance anti-PD-1 cancer immunotherapy via antigenic mimicry, implying the microbiome may influence treatment outcomes; human relevance remains unproven, but the finding fuels hope for microbiome‑based strategies to improve cancer therapies such as CAR T-cell approaches.