Abstract
Advances in our understanding of the complexities of the immune system, T-cell and B-cell responses and cytokines provided the scientific basis to explore different approaches to harness its potential in the fight against cancer. A myriad of effective therapeutic options have emerged, namely monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), antibody drug conjugates (ADC), bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs), oncolytic viruses, cancer vaccines, and adoptive cell immunotherapy.
Since the introduction of the anti-C20 mouse/human chimeric mAb, rituximab, for various subtypes of B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) over two decades ago, there has been an unprecedent development of novel immunotherapeutic agents or treatment modalities for hematologic malignancies, with several already approved by the US Food Drug Administration (FDA).
In multiple myeloma (MM) and NHL, immunotherapy has been particularly successful. Pivotal trials have led to the approval of numerous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy products for relapsed and/or refractory MM and B-cell NHLs. Bispecific antibodies (BiAbs) are among the most promising agents for these conditions and we are optimistic that BiAbs will eventually become part of future treatment algorithms for these diseases. ADCs also represent a novel mechanism of action with significant activity against MM and NHLs.
In this collection, we provide the most recent updates in CAR T-cell therapy, BiAbs, and ADCs for patients with MM and B-cell NHLs; and we appraise their emerging key therapeutic role in these malignancies while acknowledging remaining challenges.
