Watch This Insatiable Alligator Turn A Huge Python Into Its Afternoon Snack #azanimals.

RT @John_Will_I_Am: Do YOU do TCR-Seq? Looking for better ways to analyze your data? If so, look no further and be sure to stop by the Conv….

Epic Checkpoints concert. Move over E Street Band. #SITC2018

RT @BernardAFox: “All the non-believers are immunologists since the Nobel Prize” heard at @sitcancer #SITC2018 @MDAndersonNews @HopkinsKimm….

RT @John_Will_I_Am: Excited to release DeepTCR, a python package for uncovering structure in TCRSeq data using unsupervised and supervised….

Stay tuned for anti-PD-1 + PARP inhibitor combos in three cancers with only single digit response rates to anti-PD-1 single agent – breast, ovarian and prostate ca. ORR could go to >20% ORR. And NOT only for BRCA-pathway mutant cancers. Could benefit >300K additional pts/yr.

1st clear evidence of survival benefit for kidney ca with combo of a “targeted” drug – a VEGF receptor TKI (Pfizer's axitinib)- together with a checkpoint inhibitor (Merck's Keytruda). Most impressive combo yet. More TKI+CPI combos to roll out in next yr.​.

Congrats to Jim Allison and Tasuku Honjo on Nobel for immune checkpoints. and to the wonderful clinical researchers and their courageous patients who turned science into transformative cancer therapy.

FDA approves Libtayo - Regeneron's anti-PD1 - for advanced cutaneous squamous cancer with a near 50% response rate. 6th PD-1 pathway blocker approved and 14th cancer type with an FDA approved immunotherapy. More to come in the next year.

Misperception in IO is the “Hyperprogression” phenomenon whereby anti-PD1 can “induce” tumors to grow faster. Many cancers reach an acceleration pt when aggressive clones take over. If that occurs after anti-PD1 started, looks like hyperprogression. Sloppy interpretation of data!

Keytruda (Merck’s anti-PD1) granted FDA priority review for 1st rx of Merkel Cell cancer (MCC) – the 2nd most deadly skin cancer – based on >50% response rate lasting yrs. Chemo never helped w/ MCC. 47% pathologic CR rate when anti-PD1 given before surgery for operable MCC. Wow!.

I’m concerned the right-to-try-bill/law, which allows “terminally ill pts” to try drugs not FDA approved for their condition, will divert cancer pts AWAY from clinical trials better suited to their disease. Real unmet challenge is improving pts’ accessibility to the right trials.

Combination #immunotherapy (anti-PD1+anti-CTLA4) showed a 56% response rate in melanoma brain metastases, which develop in more than 1/4 of pts – the scariest place for a cancer recurrence. Half the responses are complete! Could be another IO game-changer.

#immunotherapy checkpoint inhibitor anti-PD-1 (Keytruda) just approved for first treatment of Head&Neck cancer – beats chemo. First major advance in treatment of this cancer in over 20 yrs. Many combo trials expanding on anti-PD-1 coming on line.

2 more wins in lung ca. Anti-PD1(Keytruda)+chemo approved as first treatment for squamous lung ca & another anti-PD1(Opdivo) approved for small cell lung ca after 2 chemo failures – needs to be tested earlier. IO now brings hope for EVERY type of lung ca.

Interesting story emerging re possible synergy btwn anti-PD-1 therapies & drugs targeting receptor for VEGF – the major tumor angiogenesis growth factor. A # of VEGF receptor targeted drugs + anti-PD-1 show increased response rates in kidney, liver, uterine ca & mucosal melanoma.

Great speaking with Dr. Bill Nelson on this week’s Cancer Matters podcast.

Recent FDA approval of Yervoy+Opdivo combo for MSIhigh colon cancer offers an additional immunotherapy option. However, combo is significantly more toxic than Opdivo or Keytruda alone so remains to see if combo offers a superior risk/benefit.