Unlocking new horizons in oncology: ivonescimab's dual-target approach to anti-VEGF/PD-1(L1) therapy

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Dual blockade of PD-1/PD-L1 and VEGF pathways is a promising cancer immunotherapy strategy.
• Combining immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) with antiangiogenics presents challenges in toxicity and cost.
• Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) offer a potential solution by targeting both pathways simultaneously.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of bispecific antibodies targeting both PD-1/PD-L1 and VEGF pathways in cancer treatment.
• To explore the potential of novel therapeutic strategies for enhancing antitumor immunity and mitigating immunosuppression.

Main Methods:

• Preclinical and clinical studies investigating the combined inhibition of PD-1/PD-L1 and VEGF pathways.
• Development and evaluation of first-in-class PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibodies, such as ivonescimab.

Main Results:

• Simultaneous inhibition enhances antitumor immunity by reversing T-cell exhaustion, normalizing vasculature, and countering immunosuppression.
• Ivonescimab, a PD-1/VEGF BsAb, has shown promise and received approval in China for specific non-small cell lung cancer indications.
• Ongoing global evaluations are assessing the broader applicability of PD-1/VEGF BsAbs in various solid tumors.

Conclusions:

• PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibodies represent a novel and potentially more effective therapeutic strategy compared to combination therapies.
• This approach may offer improved efficacy with potentially mitigated toxicity for cancer patients.
• Further clinical trials are necessary to establish the full therapeutic potential and applications of these BsAbs.