Emerging monoclonal antibody therapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

ABSTRACT

Introduction

The incidence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is increasing, particularly among younger populations. It is projected that the number of new cases will increase by almost 50% by 2040, with market revenues expected to triple in the same period. Despite the recent introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) into the therapeutic armamentarium, the vast majority of patients with recurrent and/or metastatic (R/M) HNSCC fail to derive durable benefits from systemic therapy.

Areas covered

This article aims to review the multiple monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) regimens currently under development, targeting various growth factors, immune checkpoints, immune costimulatory receptors, and more.

Expert opinion

So far, the combination of anti-EGFR and ICI appears to be the most promising, especially in HPV-negative patients. It will be interesting to confirm whether the arrival of antibody-drug conjugates and bispecific mAb can surpass the efficacy of anti-EGFR, as they are also being tested in combination with ICI. Furthermore, we believe that immune costimulatory agonists and various ICIs combination are worth monitoring, despite some initial setbacks.

KEYWORDS:

• Recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC)
• monoclonal antibody
• Immune checkpoint inhibitors
• anti-EGFR
• anti-VEGF
• Immune costimulatory agonists
• bispecific antibody
• antibody–drug conjugate

Declaration of interest

D Soulières participated to advisory committees and received research grants from Merck, Adlai Nortye, Eisai and GalaxoSmithKline, and received research grants from Bicara, Bristol Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca.

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.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.