Avelumab: A Novel Anti-PD-L1 Agent in the Treatment of Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Urothelial Cell Carcinoma

Critical Reviews in Immunology
Amanda TeetsRahul Deshmukh

Abstract

Long-term treatment in the setting of metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) and urothelial carcinoma (UC) has shown that current first-line chemotherapeutic agents are losing effectiveness and that there are limited treatment options available outside of radiation therapy and surgical interventions. The use of immunotherapeutic agents such as monoclonal antibodies has been considered a promising alternative for cancers that progress despite treatment with radiation therapy, surgery, and/or chemotherapeutic agents. Cancer cells escape immune surveillance by interrupting immune checkpoint pathways, resulting in dysregulation of T-cell function and so preventing its antitumor effects. In early 2017, avelumab (BAVENCIO®), a PD-L1-blocking monoclonal antibody agent, was approved for the treatment of metastatic MCC and UC. Trials that evaluated avelumab for the treatment of metastatic MCC and UC were the JAVELIN Merkel 200 Trial and the JAVELIN Solid Tumor trial, respectively. Efficacy results for both trials showed positive overall response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival rate (PFS). A strong safety profile was also established for avelumab. This review provides a brief introduction to checkpoint inhibitors and focuses on ...Continue Reading

Citations

Jul 19, 2020·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Cody BarbariRahul R Deshmukh
Feb 14, 2021·International Immunopharmacology·Abolfazl MaghrouniAmirhossein Sahebkar
Mar 3, 2020·Translational Oncology·Luisa BarruetoRahul R Deshmukh

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Cell Checkpoints & Regulators

Cell cycle checkpoints are a series of complex checkpoint mechanisms that detect DNA abnormalities and ensure that DNA replication and repair are complete before cell division. They are primarily regulated by cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases, and the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome. Here is the latest research.

Related Papers

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics
Julie M Collins, James L Gulley
Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy
Mairead BakerIsaac Brownell
Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology
Maria Rita GaiserIsaac Brownell
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved