OnCo
ideasIdea

Photoimmunotherapy as an in situ vaccine with PD-1 blockade

Bursting tumour cells with light releases their contents to the immune system; adding immunotherapy might turn a local treatment into a body-wide one.

Cetuximab sarotalocan causes immunogenic cell death and, in animal models, abscopal responses with checkpoint blockade. A phase 2 with pembrolizumab in recurrent HNSCC has been run in the US.

Hypothesis
Photoimmunotherapy of accessible lesions plus pembrolizumab produces responses in non-illuminated lesions at a higher rate than pembrolizumab alone.
Rationale
Rapid necrotic-type death releases antigens and DAMPs while leaving immune cells intact; EGFR-targeting spares dendritic cells.
What would test it
Randomised phase 2 in recurrent/metastatic HNSCC with ≥1 illuminable and ≥1 distant lesion; endpoint distant-lesion response.
Maturity
early clinical

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