Immunology

Function, regulation, and manipulation of the immune system and inflammatory responses

Overriding the Immune System’s Brakes without Crashing

by
red_traffic_light_green_traffic_light

There are now many types of anti-cancer drugs that target the immune system, including those that override the immune system’s natural regulatory processes. These processes function as the brakes on the immune system. The FDA-approved immune checkpoint inhibitors are Keytruda (pembrolizumab), Opdivo (nivolumab), Tecentriq (atezolizumab), and Yervoy (ipilimumab). Several investigational drugs [MK-4166, GWN323, MS-986156, INCAGN01876, … Read more

Fighting Cancer with the Immune System: Lessons from CAR T Cell Therapy

by
CAR-T-cell-killing-cancer-cell-illustration

The Promise of CAR T Cell Therapy Many strategies that train the immune system to recognize and attack cancer are in development or undergoing clinical trials (1). However, these strategies have the potential to cause life-threatening consequences, as evidenced by the latest report of the death of another patient receiving CAR T cell therapy (2). CAR … Read more