A groundbreaking clinical trial has demonstrated the effectiveness of a novel immunotherapy drug, 2141-V11, in treating aggressive cancers. The study, published in Cancer Cell, shows that six out of 12 patients experienced significant tumor shrinkage, with two experiencing complete remission.
Researchers at Rockefeller University engineered an enhanced CD40 agonist antibody to improve efficacy and reduce side effects. The new approach involves injecting the drug directly into tumors, rather than systemically. This method resulted in mild toxicity, unlike previous treatments that caused severe adverse reactions.
The trial included patients with various types of metastatic cancer, including melanoma and breast cancer. Notably, the treatment’s effect was not limited to injected tumors; surrounding tissues also showed signs of immune activity, indicating a systemic response.
Tissue samples revealed the presence of immune cells, including dendritic cells, T cells, and mature B cells, which formed aggregates resembling lymph nodes within the tumors. This finding suggests that 2141-V11 creates an immune microenvironment within the tumor, potentially replacing it with healthy tissue.
The study’s success has sparked new clinical trials exploring the drug’s effectiveness in other aggressive cancers, including bladder cancer, prostate cancer, and glioblastoma. These trials aim to understand why some patients respond to 2141-V11 and how to improve its efficacy for others.
Source: https://www.rockefeller.edu/news/38120-immunotherapy-drug-eliminates-aggressive-cancers-in-clinical-trial