ASCO 2017 | Preliminary results from the study on M7824 in solid tumors

James Gulley, MD, PhD from the Centre for Cancer Research, Bethesda, MD discusses the safety, pharmacodynamics and activity of M7824 in metastatic or locally advanced solid tumors. Preliminary results from the clinical trial (NCT02517398) demonstrates that M7824 has a similar side effect profile to PD-1 and PD-L1 targeting agents, apart from the risk of keratoacanthoma, which is a skin lesion that erupts in sun-damaged skin. Keratoacanthoma is often seen in drugs targeting TGF-beta. This TGF-beta targeting characteristic of M7824 is extremely beneficial as the excess presence of it in the tumor microenvironment enhances the spread of the tumor, and can substantially dampen an immune response. Moreover, results on pharmacodynamics and activity of the drug are very encouraging, which warrant further research. Recorded at the American Society of Oncology (ASCO) 2017 Annual Meeting held in Chicago, IL.