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Addressing current challenges and future directions in immuno-oncology: expert perspectives from the 2017 NIBIT Foundation Think Tank, Siena, Italy

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Abstract

A collaborative think tank involving panellists from immuno-oncology networks, clinical/translational investigators and the pharmaceutical industry was held in Siena, Italy, in October 2017 to discuss the evolving immune-oncology landscape, identify selected key challenges, and provide a perspective on the next steps required in the translation of current research and knowledge to clinical reality. While there is a trend of combining new agents (e.g., co-stimulator agonists) with a PD-1/PD-L1 treatment backbone, use of alternative combination therapy approaches should also be considered. While the rapid evolution in systems biology provides a deeper understanding of tumor and tumor microenvironment heterogeneity, there remains the need to identify and define genuinely predictive biomarkers to guide treatment and patient selection. Cross-specialty and cross-sector collaboration, along with a broader collective data-sharing approach are key to optimizing immuno-oncology therapy in clinical practice. Continued support of younger research-clinicians is essential for future success in clinical, translational and basic science investigations.

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Abbreviations

ALC:

Absolute lymphocyte count

AMC:

Absolute monocyte count

ANC:

Absolute neutrophil count

GITR:

Glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor

Hi-TIDe:

Human integrated tumor immunology discovery engine

MEK:

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase

NIBIT:

“Network Italiano per la Bioterapia dei Tumori” (Italian Network for Tumor Biotherapy)

BRAF:

Proto-oncogene B-Raf

SLiPs:

Short-lived proteins

SITC:

Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer

TIL:

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte

TME:

Tumor microenvironment

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Acknowledgements

The panel was organized with support of the NIBIT Foundation. The authors wish to thank Michael Smith (IntraMed, Milan) and Iain O’Neill (Medical Writer) for providing medical writing and editorial support.

Funding

The panel and the development of this paper were supported by the NIBIT Foundation. The contents and topics of the panel discussions and of this paper were not influenced by the sponsor.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Immuno-Oncology, Medical Oncology and Immunotherapy, Istituto Toscano Tumori, University Hospital of Siena, V.le Bracci, 16, 53100, Siena, Italy

    Michele Maio

  2. Italian Network for Tumor Bio-Immunotherapy Foundation, Center for Immuno-Oncology, Istituto Toscano Tumori, University Hospital of Siena, 53100, Siena, Italy

    Michele Maio & Vincenzo Russo

  3. Lausanne Branch, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland

    George Coukos

  4. Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland

    George Coukos

  5. Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Soldano Ferrone

  6. Earle A. Chiles Research Institute at the Robert W. Franz Cancer Center, Providence Cancer Institute, Providence Portland Medical Center, 4805 NE Glisan, Portland, OR, 97213, USA

    Bernard A. Fox

  7. Cancer, Immune Control and Escape Team, Cordeliers Research Center, INSERM UMRS 1138, Paris, France

    Wolf H. Fridman

  8. Merck, ZI de l’Ouriettaz, 1170, Aubonne, Switzerland

    Patrick L. Garcia

  9. An Affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

    Patrick L. Garcia

  10. Oberursel, Germany

    Michael Lahn

  11. Laboratoires Pierre Fabre, 45 Place Abel Gance, 92100, Boulogne-Billancourt, France

    Olivier Provendier

  12. Unit of Immuno-Biotherapy of Melanoma and Solid Tumors, Division of Experimental Oncology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, Milan, Italy

    Vincenzo Russo

  13. Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Nonnenwald 2, 82377, Penzberg, Germany

    Dominik Rüttinger

  14. Cancer Research Institute, 29 Broadway, New York, NY, 10006-3111, USA

    Aiman Shalabi

  15. Biocenter, Division of Bioinformatics, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Zlatko Trajanoski

  16. Malvern, PA, USA

    Jean Viallet

  17. Ludwig Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, USA

    Jedd D. Wolchok

  18. Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medical and Graduate Schools, New York, NY, 10065, USA

    Jedd D. Wolchok

  19. Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, 1 Letterman Drive, San Francisco, CA, 94129, USA

    Ramy Ibrahim

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  1. Michele Maio
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  2. George Coukos
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  4. Bernard A. Fox
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  14. Jedd D. Wolchok
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  15. Ramy Ibrahim
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Contributions

All authors participated in the panel discussions. MM and RI conceived the review together with key participants. The manuscript was developed from panel notes with input from MM, ML, BAF, GC, JW and RI. All authors critically contributed to the final manuscript draft and approved the final version.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michele Maio.

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Conflict of interest

Michel Lahn was an employee of Incyte Biosciences International Sarl, Geneva, Switzerland, at the time of this panel and holds stocks of Incyte. Dominik Reuttinger is an employee of Roche Pharmaceuticals. Patrick L Garcia is an employee of Merck KGaA. Olivier Provendier is an employee of Laboratoires Pierre Fabre. Michele Maio is a consultant/advisory board member for Bristol-Myers Squibb, Incyte, Merck Sharp & Dohme Oncology, Roche, Astex Pharmaceuticals, Amgen, AstraZeneca and Merck Serono. Ramy Ibrahim is an advisory board member for Harpoon, Arcus, Immunovaccine and ImaginAB. Aiman Shalabi was a consultant at the Cancer Research Institute, New York, NY, USA, at the time of this panel. All other authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Maio, M., Coukos, G., Ferrone, S. et al. Addressing current challenges and future directions in immuno-oncology: expert perspectives from the 2017 NIBIT Foundation Think Tank, Siena, Italy. Cancer Immunol Immunother 68, 1–9 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-018-2285-y

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