Personalized immunotherapy (AGS-003) when combined with sunitinib for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Abstract

Introduction: AGS-003 is a novel autologous dendritic cell vaccine currently in Phase III clinical development in combination with sunitinib for patients with intermediate- and poor-risk clear cell metastatic renal cell carcinoma (ccmRCC).

Areas covered: In addition to research published within the past 15 years demonstrating the efficacy of novel targeted therapies, early-phase clinical trial results recently published for AGS-003 in combination with sunitinib are discussed, as well as the ongoing Phase III clinical trial Autologous Dendritic Cell Immunotherapy (AGS-003) Plus Standard Treatment of Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Expert opinion: AGS-003 in combination with sunitinib is a rational step forward for the clinical management of patients with ccmRCC. If the Phase III Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma trial is positive, this treatment modality will provide a significant survival benefit with minimal toxicity and could change the standard of care for ccmRCC.

Keywords:

• AGS-003
• autologous dendritic cell vaccine
• immunotherapy
• mTOR
• overall survival
• renal cell carcinoma
• sunitinib
• targeted therapy
• VEGF

Acknowledgments

Writing assistance was provided by Cadence Research and Consulting, with funding from Argos Therapeutics. Dr Figlin acknowledges the Spielberg Family Chair in Hematology Oncology in support of his cancer research efforts at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.

Declaration of interest

This paper was supported in part by ARGOS therapeutics, with writing/editorial assistance received from Zachary Moore of Cadence Research and Consulting. The author has 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. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.