Pembrolizumab for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting programmed death protein 1 (PD-1) receptor and its ligand, PD-L1, have recently led to significant and durable improvements in the clinical outcomes of some types of cancers including lung cancer.

Areas covered: Pembrolizumab was approved by the US FDA for the treatment of advanced or metastatic NSCLC whose disease has progressed after other treatments and with tumors that express PD-L1. In the phase I KEYNOTE-001 trial, the overall response rate (ORR) was 19.4%, the median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 3.7 months and 12.0 months for 495 unselected NSCLC patients. Strong PD-L1 expression (≥ 50%) was associated with higher ORR, longer PFS, and longer OS. The phase II/III randomized KEYNOTE-010 trial demonstrated that pembrolizumab improved OS versus docetaxel in patients with previously treated NSCLC.

Expert opinion: Pembrolizumab, demonstrated durable response and prolonged OS especially in NSCLC patients with high expression of PD-1, thereby suggests a new treatment paradigm. However, many issues remain to be explored, including the identification of other robust biomarkers that can accurately predict the immune-responsiveness of tumors. Along with the identification of predictive biomarkers, further understanding of the tumor microenvironment is necessary to improve treatment outcomes through combinations of immunotherapy or combined with other targeted therapies.     

Pembrolizumab for the first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer

Introduction: Platinum-based chemotherapy had long played a role as standard therapy for the first-line treatment of advanced or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, immune checkpoint inhibitors such as pembrolizumab, a monoclonal antibody that prevents programmed death protein 1 (PD-1) receptor, have brought a paradigm shift in this field.

Areas covered: In this article, we review the relevant literatures and ongoing trials on the first-line treatment of pembrolizumab. Especially, in two pivotal phase III trials, KEYNOTE-024 and ?189, both pembrolizumab monotherapy and combined pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy significantly prolonged overall survival (OS) compared to the existing platinum-based chemotherapy. Currently, multiple trials with combination therapy of pembrolizumab and other agents have been conducted, and further evidences are expected to be created.

Expert opinion: Immune checkpoint inhibitors that block the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway are essential drugs for advanced or recurrent NSCLC, among which pembrolizumab becomes one of the standards of care in the first-line of NSCLC. For further improvement in efficacy of pembrolizumab, it is necessary to clarify the identification of biomarkers exclusive to PD-L1 expression, predictive factors for patients who benefit most from the agent.     

The role of checkpoint inhibitors immunotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer in the elderly

Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibition is a novel treatment modality that has brought a new hope to patients with advanced NSCLC. Several molecules targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4) or programmed cell death 1 receptor/programmed death ligand-1 (PD1/PD-L1) pathways are under evaluation in NSCLC and three of them are currently approved: nivolumab and atezolizumab for advanced NSCLC after prior chemotherapy and pembrolizumab for advanced NSCLC expressing PD-L1 ≥ 1% after at least one prior chemotherapy regimen and > 50% as a first-line response.

Areas covered: To date, the efficacy and toxicity of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the elderly is unclear because available studies involved mainly a low number of elderly patients. In this paper, the authors discuss the frailty of the elderly patient and the challenges of choosing the best therapeutic strategy, focusing on the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Expert opinion: There are several outstanding goals that need to be met for the proper and safe use of immunotherapeutic drugs. In terms of the elderly, it is true that age-tailored clinical trials are needed to confirm the real impact of immunotherapy and harmonize the standard of care in this specific demographic.     

晚期非小细胞肺癌免疫治疗进展

肺癌是我国最常见的恶性肿瘤之一,其中非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)约占85%,且大部分NSCLC患者在确诊时疾病已进展至晚期,病死率较高。近年来,临床对于晚期NSCLC的治疗已从传统的手术治疗、化学治疗、放射治疗、靶向治疗走向了免疫治疗。免疫检查点抑制剂(ICIs)治疗晚期NSCLC体现出了良好的抗肿瘤活性,尤其体现在细胞毒性T淋巴细胞相关抗原-4(CTLA-4)、程序性死亡受体-1(PD-1)、程序性死亡配体-1(PD-L1)抑制剂。基于此,本文将重点综述CTLA-4、PD-1、PD-L1抑制剂在晚期NSCLC中的治疗进展,以期提高患者的临床获益率,为临床选择合理治疗方案提供参考。     

免疫检查点抑制剂相关心肌炎分子机制研究进展

免疫检查点抑制剂（immune checkpoint inhibitors, ICIs）已成为目前应用最广的恶性肿瘤免疫疗法，主要包括CTLA-4（cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4）抑制剂、PD-1/PD-L1（programmed death protein-1/ligand-1）抑制剂和LAG-3（lymphocyte activation gene-3）抑制剂。ICIs导致的最致命的免疫相关不良反应（immune-related adverse events, irAE）之一为免疫检查点抑制剂相关的心肌炎（immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated myocarditis, ICIAM）。ICIs联合治疗时ICIAM的发病率多高于单药治疗。其分子机制主要包括免疫检查点作为新抗原、肿瘤同源抗原的异位识别、免疫检查点心脏保护的阻断、自身抗体和炎症因子的产生以及微生物的调节作用等。目前已有多种治疗ICIAM药物及非药物性方案。对于ICIAM分子机制的探索和治疗管理方案的进步仍需多学科共同努力。     

肿瘤免疫治疗:回顾与展望

随着肿瘤免疫学的迅速发展, 免疫治疗逐渐引起肿瘤治疗领域专家的重视, 相关研究为晚期肿瘤患者提供了新的治疗机会。以程序性死亡受体1及其配体、细胞毒性T淋巴细胞相关抗原4为代表的免疫检查点抑制剂是目前晚期肿瘤临床治疗的研究热点, 已有多种免疫检查点抑制剂获得美国食品药品监督管理局批准用于晚期肿瘤免疫治疗, 其不仅安全性高, 且在晚期黑色素瘤、非小细胞肺癌、肾癌、尿路上皮癌、非霍奇金淋巴瘤中展现出令人振奋的治疗效果, 有效延长了患者生存期。嵌合抗原受体T细胞疗法也是目前免疫治疗领域的明星产品之一, 对急性白血病、非霍奇金淋巴瘤等血液系统恶性肿瘤展现出强大持久的治疗效果, 以Simpuleucel-T为代表的肿瘤疫苗曾一度成为肿瘤免疫治疗里程碑式的成功范例。肿瘤免疫治疗已取得了突破性进展, 研究前景不可估量。     

Immune-related adverse events induced by programmed death protein-1 inhibitors from the perspective of lymphoma immunotherapy

Lymphoma, which is highly malignant, stems from lymph nodes and lymphoid tissue. Lymphoma cells express programmed death-ligand 1/2(PD-L1/PD-L2), which binds with programmed cell death 1 protein(PD-1) to establish inhibitory signaling that impedes the normal function of T cells and allows tumor cells to escape immune system surveillance. Recently, immune checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapies such as PD-1 inhibitors(nivolumab and pembrolizumab) have been introduced into the lymphoma treatment algo...     

Optimizing Patient Selection to Maximize Drug Efficacy: the Expanding Role of Pharmacogenomics in the Clinical Development of Pembrolizumab for the Treatment of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) is a potent and highly selective humanized monoclonal antibody of the immunoglobulin G4κ class directed against the immune checkpoint programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1). Binding to PD-1 prevents its interaction with natural ligands and allows for the reactivation of the immune response against cancer cells. The list of approved indications of pembrolizumab is fast expanding, including its use as first-line treatment of metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which is a complex and evolving disease. Pharmacogenomics significantly contributed to understanding this complexity, allowing for the identification of molecular biomarkers and novel pharmacologic targets. This approach has delivered more effective and less toxic drugs for advanced NSCLC. In our opinion, pharmacogenomics played a key role in the approval of pembrolizumab as frontline therapy for NSCLC with high expression of the PD-1 ligand, which occurs in ∼30% of patients. Moreover, an analysis conducted on the ongoing clinical trials sponsored by the drug's patent holder shows that the characterization and validation of additional pharmacogenomic biomarkers of response has the potential to extend the frontline clinical use of pembrolizumab in NSCLC.     

肿瘤免疫检查点抑制剂相关肺炎的管理

以免疫检查点程序性死亡因子-1（programmed death 1，PD-1）抑制剂、程序性死亡因子配体-1（programmed death ligand 1，PD-L1）抑制剂及细胞毒性T淋巴细胞相关蛋白4（cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4，CTLA-4）抑制剂为代表的肿瘤免疫治疗，近年来在肿瘤治疗中广泛开展，有效延长了肿瘤患者的生存期，但也可能导致免疫治疗相关不良事件（immune-related adverse events，irAEs）。免疫检查点抑制剂（immune checkpoint inhibitor，ICIs）相关肺炎是常见的irAEs之一，可导致部分肿瘤患者治疗暂停、治疗失败、甚至威胁生命。正确了解ICIs相关肺炎的临床特点，早期诊断并恰当治疗，对影响肿瘤患者的预后、延长生命有重要意义。     

Pembrolizumab for the treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Pembrolizumab is a novel monoclonal antibody that targets the interaction between programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1). Pembrolizumab has shown significant clinical efficacy in Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL), but results in non Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) are mixed. Some NHL subtypes, which share certain genetic features with HL, such as alterations in chromosome 9p24.1 and expression of PD-L1, have shown promising responses in early phase trials.

Areas covered: In this review, we provide an overview of pembrolizumab as a compound, and present the available clinical efficacy and safety data in the treatment of diffuse large B cell lymphomas.

Expert opinion: Current early phase data suggest that single agent pembrolizumab in NHL demonstrates both efficacy and a favorable safety profile. However, it is anticipated that future treatment strategies will be biomarker-driven and incorporate pembrolizumab into combination therapies with chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy agents.     

Pembrolizumab for the treatment of head and neck squamous cell cancer

Introduction: Groundbreaking progress in cancer immunotherapy in the recent years has revolutionized the field of oncology with unprecedented survival rates in multiple cancer types. Head and neck cancers comprise the sixth most common cancer type in the United States with estimated 14,620 deaths in 2019. Two checkpoint inhibitors, e.g. antibodies against programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), are currently FDA approved for second-line therapy of recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). Pembrolizumab is one of the two approved anti-PD-1 antibodies and under active investigation of its role in managing HNSCCs.

Areas covered: This review provides an in-depth discussion of pembrolizumab’s structural features, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy data, toxicity profile, ongoing studies, and competing agents including the standard of care options in the context of treating HNSCCs.

Expert opinion: Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy is already an integral part of HNSCC management, especially in the recurrent and/or metastatic stage, and is preferable to conventional cytotoxic therapies due to a generally more favorable toxicity profile. Pembrolizumab’s role in treating HNSCC is highly anticipated to expand over to other contexts such as definitive combination therapy and neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced HNSCC.     

Research status on immunotherapy trials of gastric cancer

The breakthrough of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has created extensive opportunities for cancer immunotherapy. Especially, the block of programmed death-1/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) axis using ICIs has become a new therapeutic strategy to treat advanced gastric cancer (GC). However, in the past decade, single-arm and randomized trials for single-drug ICI therapy showed that the therapeutic effect was not satisfactory, including clinical trials for advanced GC. However, after selecting suitable predictive biomarkers and developing a combination of anti-angiogenic targeted drugs and other chemotherapeutic drugs, the objective response rate and progression-free survival of patients with gastric cancer were improved significantly. The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved treatment with pembrolizumab for patients with advanced GC with PD-L1 expression or microsatellite instability-high/mismatch repair deficiency. In this review, the updated data from the latest trial results of combination immunotherapy for GC are presented. Based on the outcome of combination therapy, we discuss its possible molecular mechanism and summarize effective predictive biomarkers. We also discuss possible problems stemming from results of other clinical trials of ICI treatment and propose other directions for ICI therapy.     

PD-1/PD-L1 antagonists in gastric cancer: Current studies and perspectives

Immune checkpoints release suppressive signals for T cells, which enable the tumors to escape from immune destruction and provide a new concept that uses the capabilities of the immune system as a therapeutic target for tumors. At present, programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) has become the most promising therapeutic target. PD-1/PD-L1 blockades exhibit long-lasting antitumor efficacy and safety in patients with various cancers, such as melanoma and non-small-cell lung cancer. Moreover, PD-L1 is highly expressed in the peripheral blood and tumor specimens of patients with cancer, and the expression of PD-L1 is positively correlated with various pathological features and may serve as a predictor of poor prognosis or a diagnostic tool. Clinical trials have verified that PD-1/PD-L1 blockade therapy benefits patients with advanced gastric cancer or gastroesophageal junction cancer. Furthermore, there are many molecules involved in the regulation of PD-1/PD-L1 expression, and the modification of these molecules via drugs and combinations with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors may further improve the efficacy of immunotherapy for gastric cancer. In this review, the efficacy, safety, and possible combination treatment options of PD-1/PD-L1 in gastric cancer are reviewed in experimental and clinical settings.     

Companion diagnostic assays for PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors in NSCLC

The immune checkpoint inhibitors pembrolizumab and nivolumab together with their diagnostic assays have recently been granted market authorization for treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer in the USA. The two assays, PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx and PD-L1 IHC 28-8 pharmDx (both by Dako, Glostrup, Denmark), are the first PD-L1 IHC assays to obtain regulatory approval through the Premarket Approval process. This approval is supported by recent clinical studies that have shown a positive correlation between PD-L1 expression and the outcome following treatment with different PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors. These diagnostic assays are able to identify the group of non-small-cell lung cancer patients who will benefit most from treatment with the immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, so far, it is only the PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx assay, which is linked to the use of pembrolizumab, that has obtained regulatory status as a companion diagnostic.     

参与调控细胞程序性死亡蛋白1及其配体1信号通路的研究进展

细胞程序性死亡蛋白1及其配体1(PD-1/PD-L1)通路已经成为研究热点,无论在抗肿瘤还是在抗炎方面均取得了一定的成果,但具体的机制目前尚不完全清楚。本文介绍了PD-1及PD-L1的分子结构、功能以及与其他通路之间的关系。PD-1蛋白是免疫抑制分子,与其配体PD-L1结合起促进细胞凋亡的作用。在肿瘤或炎症中,JAK/STAT、NF-κB、MAPK、PI3K以及TIM-3/Gal-9等其他信号通路被激活,诱导免疫细胞及肿瘤细胞高表达PD-1及PD-L1,使免疫细胞活性降低,消耗增加,募集减少,从而使机体抗肿瘤、抗炎能力下降。PD-1/PD-L1与JAK/STAT、NF-κB、MAPK、PI3K以及TIM-3/Gal-9等其他信号通路也起相互调控作用。PD-1/PD-L1抑制剂与JAK/STAT、NF-κB、MAPK、PI3K以及TIM-3/Gal-9等通路抑制剂联合应用,在抗肿瘤以及肿瘤耐药性方面取得了突破性进展。然而,相对于PD-1/PD-L1对肿瘤作用的研究而言,PD-1/PD-L1在炎症方面的研究相对较少,无相应的药物应用于临床,需要大量的基础研究支持。     

程序性死亡因子-1抑制剂在血液系统恶性肿瘤治疗中的研究进展

免疫检查点抑制剂(immune checkpoint inhibitors,ICIs)的应用是一种新型免疫治疗手段。阻断程序性死亡因子-1(programmed death 1,PD-1)与其配体(PD-L1)结合,可避免免疫逃逸,恢复机体免疫应答,发挥其抗肿瘤效应,是目前抗肿瘤治疗中炙手可热的方法之一。PD-1抑制剂在越来越多的实体瘤治疗中表现出较好疗效,但在血液系统恶性肿瘤中的应用仍相对有限。本文回顾PD-1抑制剂在血液系统恶性肿瘤中的临床研究,探讨其临床应用前景。     

Avelumab: combining immune checkpoint inhibition and antibody-dependent cytotoxicity

Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibition holds great promise for selected tumors. The human monoclonal antibody (mAB) avelumab is directed to programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and is supposed to inhibit the immunosuppressive PD-L1/PD-1 interaction and, furthermore, effect antibody-dependent cytotoxicity (ADCC) lysis of tumor cells.

Areas covered: This article presents an overview of the current means to activate the antitumor immune defense by targeting PD-1 or PD-L1 with mABs and their possible role in ADCC-mediated tumor cell elimination.

Expert opinion: Avelumab contains a Fc region which can bind cognate receptors on immune effector cells and induce ADCC-mediated tumor cell lysis, in contrast to other mABs directed to PD-1/PD-L1 which lack the ability to trigger ADCC due to belonging to the IgG4 subclass or possessing a mutated Fc region. Preclinical and clinical data indicate that avelumab can be safely administered to cancer patients with a toxicity profile comparable to other mABs and without lysis of PD-L1-positive activated immune cells. This antibody yielded durable responses in a phase II trial in advanced Merkel cell carcinoma patients. Tumor cell lysis by avelumab prevents cells from resorting to alternative checkpoints as shown by targeting PD-1 and the upregulation of TIM-3.     

An evaluation of avelumab for the treatment of genitourinary tumors

ABSTRACT

Introduction

The immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) programmed cell death protein and ligands 1 (PD1- and PD-L1) as well as cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 have demonstrated clinical efficacy in genitourinary cancer. While different ICI exist, focus of the current study work was to evaluate the PD-L1 antibody avelumab within this framework of ICI.     

TYRO3 induces anti–PD-1/PD-L1 therapy resistance by limiting innate immunity and tumoral ferroptosis

Immune checkpoint blockade therapy has demonstrated promising clinical outcomes for multiple cancer types. However, the emergence of resistance as well as inadequate biomarkers for patient stratification have largely limited the clinical benefits. Here, we showed that tumors with high TYRO3 expression exhibited anti–programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death ligand 1 (anti–PD-1/PD-L1) resistance in a syngeneic mouse model and in patients who received anti–PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. Mechanistically, TYRO3 inhibited tumor cell ferroptosis triggered by anti–PD-1/PD-L1 and facilitated the development of a protumor microenvironment by reducing the M1/M2 macrophage ratio, resulting in resistance to anti–PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. Inhibition of TYRO3 promoted tumor ferroptosis and sensitized resistant tumors to anti–PD-1 therapy. Collectively, our findings suggest that TYRO3 could serve as a predictive biomarker for patient selection and a promising therapeutic target to overcome anti–PD-1/PD-L1 resistance.