Recently approved and emerging monoclonal antibody immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer

ABSTRACT

Introduction

CTLA-4/PD-1/PD-L1- directed immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are one of the standard therapies for the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, some new classes of monoclonal antibodies are emerging as promising therapies for advanced NSCLC.

Areas covered

Therefore, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the recently approved as well as emerging monoclonal antibody immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of advanced NSCLC.

Expert opinion

Further and larger studies will be needed to explore the promising emerging data on new ICIs. Future phase III trials could allow us to properly assess the role of each immune checkpoints in the wider context of the tumor microenvironment and thus the best new ICIs to use, the best approach and the most effective subset of patients to select.

KEYWORDS:

• LAG-3
• TIM-3
• TIGIT
• B7-H3
• ICI
• sintilimab
• camrelizumab
• tislelizumab

Article highlights

• CTLA-4/PD-1/PD-L1- directed ICIs are one of the standard therapies for the treatment of advanced NSCLC

• Some new classes of monoclonal antibodies are emerging as promising therapies for advanced NSCLC

• Several different early clinical trials have explored ICIs blocking new immune checkpoint (mainly LAG-3, TIM-3, B7-H3, and TIGIT), reporting interesting results

• Future larger trials will allow us to properly assess the best new ICIs to use and the best approach, alongside the most effective subset of patients to select

• On a translational level, these data will also help us better understand the role of each of these new immune checkpoints in the wider context of tumor microenvironment

Declaration of interest

C Gridelli declares honoraria from AstraZeneca, BMS, MSD, and Roche for speaker bureaus and for being an advisory board member. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Article highlights

• CTLA-4/PD-1/PD-L1- directed ICIs are one of the standard therapies for the treatment of advanced NSCLC

• Some new classes of monoclonal antibodies are emerging as promising therapies for advanced NSCLC

• Several different early clinical trials have explored ICIs blocking new immune checkpoint (mainly LAG-3, TIM-3, B7-H3 and TIGIT), reporting interesting results

• Future larger trials will allow us to properly assess the best new ICIs to use and the best approach, alongside with the most effective subset of patients to select.

• On a translational level, these data will also help us better understand the role of each of these new immune checkpoints in the wider context of tumor microenvironment.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.