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The number of mutations in a tumor’s genome may predict how well a patient will benefit from treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors, drugs that take the brakes off the immune system, according to a largescale study published yesterday (January 14) in Nature Genetics. Although previous research has already indicated that higher tumor mutational burden (TMB) is tied to better treatment outcomes, the current work, which includes data from more than 1,600 patients across multiple cancer types, provides some of the strongest and most detailed evidence for the link yet.
Checkpoint inhibitor drugs work by blocking protein receptors that regulate the activity of T cells and other immune system components, thus boosting these cells’ antitumor activity. Bristol-Myers Squibb’s nivolumab (Opdivo) and Merck’s pembrolizumab (Keytruda) have made progress in clinical trials of late, with the latter therapy receiving regulatory approval from the US Food and Drug Administration in ...
