Antibody Therapy in Oncology

Abstract

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for cancer therapy have achieved considerable success in recent years and now provide important tools for managing a range of cancers, most notably in the case of haematological malignancies. This success builds on a long history of scientific and clinical investigation that aimed to understand the complexities of target selection, antibody engineering and immune regulation of tumour growth. Here we give an overview of the ups and downs of the history of mAb drugs and their current status. Particular focus will be given to the latest immune-stimulating mAbs, such as ipilimumab and nivolimumab, which have shown promise in difficult-to-treat solid tumours, including metastatic melanoma and lung cancer, and whose mechanism of action is not to attack the tumour cells directly, but to boost existing anticancer immunity to levels that can deal with advanced disease. An attractive feature of this therapeutic strategy is the durable objective responses which are being seen in responding patients. The future for these and many other mAb-based drugs is very encouraging but will depend on the deep understanding of cancer biology, including its stroma and molecular regulation, on innovative approaches to target and antibody selection and on clever clinical trials that will guide appropriate development strategies, leading towards more specific and less toxic therapies for human cancer.