A new study conducted by scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine has demonstrated the efficacy of a combination immunotherapy against colorectal cancer. The study, published in the journal Oncogene, found that patients treated with an experimental immunotherapy prior to surgery saw about 80% to 90% of the cancer cells killed, reducing the likelihood of the cancer returning.
Colorectal cancer is one of the most diagnosed cancers in the United States, with over 150,000 new cases estimated this year. Advanced cases of the cancer, especially if it spreads to other parts of the body, are more likely to be fatal. Immunotherapies, which harness the body’s immune system to fight cancer, have shown promising results in recent years. However, for the majority of colorectal cancer patients, immunotherapies have not been effective.
In the study, 12 patients with advanced colon and rectal cancers were treated with a combination of two immunotherapies developed by biotech company Agenus: botensilimab and balstilimab. Both drugs target different ways in which tumors evade the immune system, allowing the body to attack the tumors. The treatment was administered a few weeks before surgical removal of the tumors.
After surgery, the tumors were examined by pathologist Erika Hissong, who found that most of the tumors were comprised of inflammation and reactive changes in the tissue caused by the immune system attacking the cancer cells. This suggests that successful surgery means the cancer is less likely to return.
The study is still ongoing, with only two patients’ results reported so far. However, the full results for all twelve patients are expected to be available in the coming months. Based on the promising early results, the researchers believe it may be possible to reduce or eliminate the need for chemotherapy after surgery, which is currently standard in these cases.
This combination immunotherapy has also shown positive results in other studies. In a phase 1 clinical trial, it nearly tripled one-year survival rates for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. The treatment has also received fast track designation from the FDA and larger clinical studies are underway.
Agenus CEO Garo Armen expressed optimism about the therapy, stating, “The observed clinical benefit in solid tumors underscores the program’s game-changing potential.” The company plans to prioritize the therapy’s commercialization and aims to file for approval in 2024.
While the study has some limitations, including a small sample size and a lack of comparisons with other treatments, the researchers are confident in the effectiveness of the immunotherapy based on the mechanisms of action observed. The full results and future trials will provide more comprehensive analyses.
This breakthrough in immunotherapy for colorectal cancer brings hope to patients and may potentially change the standard of care for the disease. Further research and clinical trials will continue to evaluate the treatment’s efficacy and safety.