Biotech Strategy Blog

Commentary on Science, Innovation & New Products with a focus on Oncology, Hematology & Immunotherapy

Posts tagged ‘CD19’

Is TIM–3 the next important checkpoint target?

One of the most important challenges in cancer immunotherapy is overcoming immune resistance. For example, even with the high response rates seen in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with CAR – T cell therapy, a significant number of patients relapse after an initial response.

Chinatown Honolulu

Chinatown, Honolulu 2016

Could immune resistance be reversed or prevented by the addition of appropriate checkpoint blockade? Which ones matter though, that is the critical question?  Rather than randomly picking ones to try, we need scientific evidence regarding these choices.

This post explores some of the latest data presented at the BMT Tandem meeting on the role of T cell immunoglobulin mucin–3 (TIM–3) and PD–1 upregulation in causing resistance.

If you’re not already a sub and want to read our coverage of ASH, BMT Tandem and the forthcoming AACR 2016 annual meeting, you can purchase individual access below. This week only – inspired by the story of Eddie Aikau in Hawaii – we have a special offer that we’ve never done before (and may never do again) of $75 off a quarterly subscription. The deal ends tomorrow Friday March 4th at 12 noon HST. Check it out!

Subscribers can login to read more about the latest data on how alternative checkpoint inhibitors may have a role to play in cancer treatment.  Welcome to the new folks who signed up this week, good to see y’all!

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ASH15 Multiple Myeloma Preview

This year has been an unprecedented Grand Cru year for the field of multiple myeloma, with no less than four drugs approved by the FDA to date… the fourth one just this morning while writing this preview!

  • Panobinostat (Farydak) in relapsed/refractory disease in combination with bortexomib plus dexamethsone after at least 2 prior therapies.
  • Daratumumab (Darzalex) received accelerated approval based on phase 2 data and is human CD38-directed monoclonal antibody that is indicated for the treatment of patients who have received at least three prior lines of therapy.
  • Ixazomib (Ninlaro) is the first oral proteasome inhibitor and is approved in combination with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone, in people who have received at least one prior treatment.
  • Elotuzumab (Empliciti) is a monoclonal antibody against CS–1/SLAMF7 approved today in combination with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone after 1–3 lines of prior therapy.

There are also many promising new agents in development and quite a few that may well not make it to market as a result of newer, better tolerated agents coming through.

To learn more about our insights on multiple myeloma, subscribers can log in to read our latest ASH 2015 Preview.

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Will CAR T cells give new therapies for NHL and CLL a run for their money?

During the recent American Society of Hematology meeting, much of the focus in immuno-oncology was squarely on the pediatric and adult data using the chimerica antigen receptor T cell product being developed by Novartis, CTL019, in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP, not to be confused with the chemotherapy regimen!) and U Penn, respectively. We wrote about that data earlier this year.

There are, hovever, other interesting CAR T cell therapies in clinical development, including those from Juno (based on the MSK and Fred Hutchinson partnership), Bluebird in partnership with Celgene and one that actually had data at ASH, which didn’t receive much attention from the NCI and Kite Pharma. This therapy was evaluated in a trial of non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) patients.

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