A Virtuous Cycle: What The Immuno-Oncology Revolution Means For Other Disease Areas

Execs from Merck, Pfizer, Bristol, Abbvie and smaller biopharmas weigh in on how developments in cancer research may benefit other disease areas, especially autoimmune and neurological conditions.

Shutterstock: Ralwel
• Source: Shutterstock: Ralwel

Approval in 2011 of Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s CTLA-4 checkpoint inhibitor Yervoy (ipilimumab) in melanoma signaled the start of the immunotherapy revolution in the field of cancer therapy, followed by the PD-1 inhibitors and with new mechanisms nearing the market. Data presented at the Society for Immunotherapy and Cancer (SITC) annual meeting in November revealed that PD-1/L1 inhibitors such as Bristol's Opdivo (nivolumab) and Merck & Co. Inc.'s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) are being tested in about 1,500 clinical trials, of which 74% are evaluating combination approaches with other immunotherapies and traditional targeted agents. (Also see "Bristol's Strong SITC: IDO, 1L Kidney Cancer And New Mechanism Data Bode Well" - Scrip, 14 November, 2017.)

Development has been fueled by high unmet need and regulatory willingness to speed approvals for drugs aimed at life-threatening diseases

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