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VIDEO: Novel immune checkpoint blockade, vaccine-based therapies show promise in glioblastoma
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Novel therapies are beginning to refute the dogma that immune therapy does not work in patients with primary brain tumors, according to Manmeet Ahluwalia, MD, director of the Brain Metastases Research Program at the Cleveland Clinic and neuro-oncology section editor for HemOnc Today.
“In recent years, there has been mounting evidence that [the dogma] is not true and there have been a number of vaccine-based approaches, as well as immune checkpoint blockade-based therapies that have been evaluated in [patients with glioblastoma],” he said.
In this video, Ahluwalia highlights several phase 2 and phase 3 trials that have demonstrated that immune checkpoint blockade- and vaccine-based therapies benefit patients with glioblastoma.
One trial he highlights – the CheckMate 143 – has initially demonstrated that the use of nivolumab (Opdivo, Bristol-Myers Squibb) may have some benefit in patients with recurrent glioblastoma. The initial results, according to Ahluwalia, demonstrated a median OS of 10.5 months and a 1-year OS of approximately 40%, which contrasts with the average of 6 to 9 months OS with treatment with bevacizumab (Avastin, Genentech).
Additionally, Ahluwalia discusses results from a phase 3 trial that demonstrated the combination of rindopepimut (Rintega, Celldex Therapeutics) and bevacizumab increased survival as compared with patients who were treated with just bevacizumab.
Ahluwalia mentions to, “stay tuned to the results from these [trials] in this patient population” as more results are due to continue to come out.