IMMUNOTHERAPY IN THE CLINIC
ANTIBODIES
WHAT IS IMMUNOTHERAPY? MAKING STRIDES FORWARD
I B
mmune cells defend the body by
setting off alarms, killing invading cells,
and generating specific antibodies that
remain in the body, so the cells can
be recognized and killed in the future.
However, cancer cells are very good
at hiding and evading these defenses.
Immunotherapy seeks to improve this
protection by blocking the ability of
cancer cells to hide and by enabling the
body’s immune system to recognize
cancer cells more easily. The MMRF
is actively pursuing new avenues of
research to rapidly bring the most
effective of these strategies to patients.
uilding on the results of this
meeting, the MMRF is committed
to investing at least $15M over the
next three years in a new MMRF
Immunotherapy Initiative to rapidly
advance promising therapies to the
clinic. The cornerstone of this initiative
will be the creation of a network of
leading immune centers of excellence,
which will collaborate on the following:
■ ■ Standardization of immune
assays across centers and trials
■ ■ Translational research to better
understand the role of the immune
system in cancer defens e and how
to augment this protective activity
■ ■ Planning and conducting
innovative immunotherapy
trials using the most promising
combinations of immune agents
Excitement of
immunotherapy is
well deserved and
progress is breathtaking,
but it ain't over.
— Rick Klausner, MD, founder of Juno
Therapeutics and GRAIL, and former
director of the National Cancer Institute
ACCEL E RATO R • S U M M ER 2017
■ ■ Approved: Darzalex (daratumumab)
and Empliciti (elotuzumab)
■ ■ Under investigation:
indatuximab, isatuximab,
milatuzumab, and tabalumab
IMMUNE CHECKPOINT
INHIBITORS
Cancer cells can hide from the immune
system by turning “off” the signals
usually seen by immune cells that allow
them to attack intruders. Checkpoint
inhibitors work to turn “on” the body’s
immune response by blocking these
“off” signals from myeloma cells.
■ ■ Under investigation: atezolizumab,
Keytruda (pembrolizumab), Opdivo
(nivolumab), and Yervoy (ipilimumab)
VACCINES
For cancer, vaccines are a type of
treatment, rather than prevention.
The vaccines in development “train”
immune cells to recognize myeloma
cells so they can attack and kill them.
■ ■ Under investigation: both cell-
based and non-cell-based vaccines
ENGINEERED T CELLS
T cells, a type of immune cell, can be
removed from the body and genetically
engineered to recognize specific target
proteins on the surface of myeloma
cells. These altered cells are grown
in large numbers and infused back
into the patient, where they can
then attack and kill myeloma cells.
■ ■ Under investigation: chimeric
antigen receptor T cells, or
CAR-T therapy, targeting CD19,
BCMA, and κ light chains
5
MMRF Convenes Top
Minds in Cancer at
the Immune Therapy
Summit in Boston;
Co-Chairs: Ivan
Borrello, MD (Johns
Hopkins Medicine),
Kathy Giusti (MMRF
Founder), Rick
Klausner, MD (Juno
Therapeutics)
Monoclonal antibodies for myeloma
help the patient’s own immune
system recognize cancer cells
and flag them for destruction.