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News & Trends - Pharmaceuticals

Next gen precision immunotherapy in advanced cancer

Health Industry Hub | August 16, 2024 |

Pharma News: Making headlines with Australia’s first advanced melanoma patient treated using a new precision cancer immunotherapy, Western Australia’s use of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) to target cancer is being spearheaded by Fiona Stanley Hospital.

While CAR T-cell therapy involves collecting T cells from the bloodstream, TIL therapy takes a different approach. In TIL therapy, the crucial cells are extracted directly from the patient’s tumour.

The Phase 3 randomised controlled trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety of combining Amtagvi (lifileucel) with pembrolizumab compared to pembrolizumab alone in patients with untreated, unresectable, or metastatic melanoma.

Early results from Iovance Biotherapeutics’ clinical trial are promising. Approximately 40% of patients whose cancers responded to Amtagvi showed no progression of the disease a year after the one-time infusion treatment.

There are several limiting factors for using Amtagvi in patients. Among them is that patients need to be relatively healthy to receive it, including normal heart and lung function. This is not always the case for people with advanced cancer who have undergone other treatments. 

“This incredible achievement is the result of the tireless dedication and collaboration of our Pathwest team, nursing, research, clinical trials, and medical staff, as well as the invaluable support from Iovance Biotherapeutics.

“A special thanks to Dr Ranjit Kanchur for his outstanding work on the surgical harvest. We would also like to thank Peiling Tan from our trials unit, who has worked day and night to help us get to this stage and ensure everything ran smoothly for our first patient,” the hospital stated.

“We are immensely proud to offer this innovative therapy, bringing hope and cutting-edge treatment to those who need it most. Together, we are pushing the boundaries of cancer care and making history in the fight against melanoma,” the hospital added.

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