Checkpoint blockade therapies has become a gold standard for cancer immunotherapy. However, only in minority of cancer patients did these antibody therapies show significant benefits. Many think that a multi-pronged approach to cancer therapy could tip the balance in favor of anti-tumor therapy.
For sure, data from mouse studies support this line of thinking. For example, this week Nature Medicine published a mouse study showing dramatic benefits of immunotherapy when four different approaches were combined:
1. Anti-cancer Antibody (A)
2. Long-lived IL-2 (I)
3. Checkpoint PD1 inhibitor (P)
4. Cancer Vaccine (V)
Referred as AIPV this experimental tetra-pronged immunotherapy could clear an established solid tumors (melanoma, breast cancer, adenocarcinoma) in 75%-80% of mice.
Success of AIPV therapy depended mostly on CD8 T cell and NK cells.
Of note, however, frequency of IFN-γ+ CD8 T cells did not correlate with anti-tumor effectiveness.
Interestingly, through AIPV could induced endogenous anti-cancer antibodies that transferred protection in naive hosts against intravenous tumor inoculum, B cell deficient mice were still protected against tumors when immunized with AIPV.
Finally, AIPV protected against autochthonous [endogenously developed] tumor in BrafCA PtenloxPTyr::CreERT2 mice.
In summary, this mouse study shows that multi pronged immunotherapeutic approach could significantly improve survival rate during cancer therapy. The authors claimed that "AIPV therapy was associated with minimal systemic toxicity, as mice did not show weight loss or substantial elevation in the amounts of liver enzymes in the blood".
Of course, it is difficult to compare outcome in mouse study versus human study. In humans, even single approach with anti-PD1 antibody frequently leads to lung or liver toxicity. Now imagine injecting cancer patients with 4 different immunotherapeutics. So, we have a long way to go before immuntherapy will show the same acceptable-level effectiveness in humans as it does in lab mice.
David Usharauli
Interestingly, through AIPV could induced endogenous anti-cancer antibodies that transferred protection in naive hosts against intravenous tumor inoculum, B cell deficient mice were still protected against tumors when immunized with AIPV.
Finally, AIPV protected against autochthonous [endogenously developed] tumor in BrafCA PtenloxPTyr::CreERT2 mice.
In summary, this mouse study shows that multi pronged immunotherapeutic approach could significantly improve survival rate during cancer therapy. The authors claimed that "AIPV therapy was associated with minimal systemic toxicity, as mice did not show weight loss or substantial elevation in the amounts of liver enzymes in the blood".
Of course, it is difficult to compare outcome in mouse study versus human study. In humans, even single approach with anti-PD1 antibody frequently leads to lung or liver toxicity. Now imagine injecting cancer patients with 4 different immunotherapeutics. So, we have a long way to go before immuntherapy will show the same acceptable-level effectiveness in humans as it does in lab mice.
David Usharauli
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