Current progress and latest therapeutic options in immuno-oncology (PubMed, Dtsch Med Wochenschr)
For solid cancers, these comprise the antibody-drug-conjugate Mirvetuximab Soravtansine for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, the monoclonal antibody Zolbetuximab for Claudin-18.2 positive gastric adenocarcinoma and the checkpoint inhibitor Tislelizumab for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. For the treatment of relapsed or refractory hematologic B cell malignancies, the use of bispecific T cell engaging antibodies like the BCMA-CD3 targeting Teclistamab and CD20-CD3 targeting Glofitamab were approved by the EMA recently.Combinatorial approaches of conventional chemotherapy and checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma, urothelial carcinoma and endometrial carcinoma received recent approval.A CD38 antibody-based bridging therapy for the treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and the Glofitamab-based approach in combination with Gemcitabine and Oxaliplatin for relapsed DLBCL are the latest additions for hematologic malignancies after promising clinical trials.The first T cell products for the treatment of solid cancers using either tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes or TCR-engineered peripheral blood T cells were approved by the FDA in 2024, for the treatment of advanced melanoma (Lifileucel) and synovial sarcoma (Afamitresgene autoleucel). To further expand the success of T cell products to solid tumors, promising preclinical studies suggest solutions to main obstacles, such as modular CAR T cells, targeting of two antigens simultaneously or generation of cytokine-secreting 4th generation CAR T cells.