A Primer On Cancer Immunotherapy Part 2: The Cancer Immune Response & Mechanisms Of Resistance

By Ashley Herrick

Immunotherapy has led to substantial advances in cancer therapy in recent years. Still, unpredictable response rates and immune-related adverse events have hampered the widespread use of immune checkpoint therapy to treat cancers. To tackle these challenges, sponsors are increasingly looking to combination therapies as a strategy for improving response and overcoming resistance.

In our previous post, we addressed the goals of immunotherapy, characteristics of an ideal target, and major approaches in use today. In this blog, we examine the rationale for combination therapies, mechanisms of resistance, and where we go from here.