ESMO 2025 | Overcoming resistance to checkpoint inhibitors with targeted IL-2 therapy
Martina Imbimbo, MD, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland, highlights the potential of targeted IL-2 therapy to overcome resistance to checkpoint inhibitors by stimulating exhausted T cells. IL-2 can be effective in melanoma and kidney cancer even after PD-1 inhibition, making it a promising approach to enhance the efficacy of checkpoint inhibitors. This interview took place at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2025 Congress in Berlin, Germany.
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Transcript
So this is a very important question. So the issues that we know the checkpoint inhibitors, they work, but not for all the patients. Sometimes the mechanism is really the lack of cells. So IL-2 is a very good drug because we know that it stimulates T cells. The problem was that it was also stimulating other cells. So with this targeted approach, we could really try to reach those exhausted T cells in order to stimulate and to overcome resistance...
So this is a very important question. So the issues that we know the checkpoint inhibitors, they work, but not for all the patients. Sometimes the mechanism is really the lack of cells. So IL-2 is a very good drug because we know that it stimulates T cells. The problem was that it was also stimulating other cells. So with this targeted approach, we could really try to reach those exhausted T cells in order to stimulate and to overcome resistance. We know that IL-2 can work in melanoma and kidney cancer even after PD-1 inhibition. So we think this could be a good way really to overcome resistance to checkpoint inhibitors.
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