| Abstract: | Importance of the field: Immunotherapeutic approaches to treating NSCLC via either adoptive transfer of immunity or stimulation of the endogenous immune system have shown increasing promise in recent years.Areas covered in this review: Talactoferrin alfa is an oral immunomodulatory agent currently in late-stage clinical trials that acts through dendritic cell recruitment and activation in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue.What the reader will gain: Talactoferrin is a recombinant human lactoferrin that is a member of the transferrin family of iron-binding glycoproteins. Lactoferrins have multiple known biological activities including cancer protection, cellular growth and differentiation and antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. This review discusses the proposed mechanism of action of talactoferrin-alfa and outlines the pre-clinical, Phase I and II data in NSCLC. The ongoing Phase III trials are discussed.Take home message: The current role of Talactoferrin alpha in the treatment of NSCLC is described and we explore potential future roles for this drug in both early stage and advanced stage disease. |
