Immunotherapy Overview

Immunotherapy is a treatment method that fights disease by activating or enhancing the body's immune system, and has made significant progress in the field of cancer treatment. Its core principle is to help the immune system identify and attack abnormal cells (such as cancer cells), rather than directly killing cells. The main content is divided into three categories:checkpoint inhibitors(such as PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors),cell therapy(such as CAR-T cell therapy) andcancer vaccine. Among them, checkpoint inhibitors are the most widely used, cell therapy has outstanding effects on blood tumors, and vaccines are still in the exploratory stage. The advantage of immunotherapy is that it is durable and targeted, but it may cause immune-related side effects.

Checkpoint inhibitors: breakthrough therapies

Checkpoint inhibitors are the mainstay of current immunotherapy. They restore the attacking ability of T cells by blocking the "brake" signals of cancer cells to immune cells (such as the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway). Representative drugs includePembrolizumab (Keytruda)andNivolumab (Opdivo), has been approved for use in various cancers such as lung cancer and melanoma. According to clinical trial data, about 20%-40% of patients can benefit in the long term. Such drugs are produced by pharmaceutical companies such as Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb, etc. However, it is important to note that they may cause side effects such as pneumonia and enteritis and require strict monitoring.

Cell therapy: precise attack on blood tumors

CAR-T cell therapy specifically identifies cancer cells by extracting the patient's own T cells, genetically modifying them, and infusing them back into the body. 2017,Kymriah from NovartisIt became the first approved CAR-T product for the treatment of leukemia, with a remission rate of more than 80%. However, this therapy is expensive (approximately US$500,000/course) and may cause severe reactions such as cytokine storm. Domestic pharmaceutical companies such as Fosun Kite (product nameAkilensai Injection) is also gradually advancing related technologies to provide patients with new options.

Cancer vaccines and future directions

Cancer vaccines are designed to prevent or treat tumors, but currently onlyHPV vaccine(such as Merck's Gardasil) has remarkable results in preventing cervical cancer. Therapeutic vaccines such as Provenge (for prostate cancer) have limited effectiveness, and researchers are exploring new technologies such as mRNA vaccines. In the future, immunotherapy will focus on combination therapy (such as combined with radiotherapy), reducing side effects and improving accessibility. Directions such as personalized vaccines and bispecific antibodies have also received much attention.

Summary and Outlook

Immunotherapy has brought revolutionary breakthroughs to diseases such as cancer, but its application still faces limitations in cost, side effects and indications. With the development of technology, combination strategies and localization (such as Hengrui Medicine’s PD-1 inhibitorCamrelizumab) will promote popularization. Patients need to choose a plan under the guidance of a doctor and scientifically understand the efficacy and risks. Immunotherapy is not only a medical progress, but also a change in human's concept of fighting diseases - from "killing by external forces" to "activating oneself."

Citing sources: 1. "Immunotherapy for Cancer" by the American Cancer Society (ACS) 2. Approval documents from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) 3. Related reviews from the medical journal "Nature Reviews Drug Discovery" 4. Public data from the official website of the manufacturer (Merck, Novartis, etc.)