Immune checkpoint blockade therapy for cancer: An overview of FDA-approved immune checkpoint inhibitors
Abstract
Although T lymphocytes have long been appreciated for their role in the immunosurveillance of cancer, it has been the realization that cancer cells may ultimately escape a response from tumor-reactive T cells that has ignited efforts to enhance the efficacy of anti-tumor immune responses. Recent advances in our understanding of T cell immunobiology have been particularly instrumental in informing therapeutic strategies to overcome mechanisms of tumor immune escape, and immune checkpoint blockade has emerged as one of the most promising therapeutic options for patients in the history of cancer treatment. Designed to interfere with inhibitory pathways that naturally constrain T cell reactivity, immune checkpoint blockade releases inherent limits on the activation and maintenance of T cell effector function. In the context of cancer, where negative T cell regulatory pathways are often overactive, immune checkpoint blockade has proven to be an effective strategy for enhancing the effector activity and clinical impact of anti-tumor T cells. Checkpoint inhibitors targeting CTLA-4, PD-1, and PD-L1 have yielded unprecedented and durable responses in a significant percentage of cancer patients in recent years, leading to U.S. FDA approval of six checkpoint inhibitors for numerous cancer indications since 2011. In this review, we highlight the clinical success of these FDA-approved immune checkpoint inhibitors and discuss current challenges and future strategies that must be considered going forward to maximize the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade therapy for cancer.
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Disruption of the CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1 axis using checkpoint inhibitors induces tumor remission and has led to FDA approvals for hematologic and solid cancers.
“Disruption of this axis using checkpoint inhibitors induces tumor remission and has led to a series of FDA approvals for hematologic and solid cancers.97,98”
From Overcoming Resistance to Drugs Targeting KRAS Mutation (2020) · cites this paper as [98]
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- Authors
- Hargadon, K. M., Johnson, C. E., & Williams, C. J.
- Affiliations
- Hampden–Sydney College (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hargadon, Kristian M.
- Venue
- International Immunopharmacology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-09
- Volume
- 62
- Pages
- 29-39
- ISSN
- 1567-5769 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2810896552
- Semantic Scholar
- a2398fefc516f77a632c69fd63698789cb752c4b
- Cited by
- 1,211
- References
- 24
- Citations by year
- 2026: 61 · 2025: 124 · 2024: 143 · 2023: 189 · 2022: 200 · 2021: 213 · 2020: 176 · 2019: 88 · 2018: 14
- FWCI
- 12.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Immunopharmacology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Thomas F. and Kate Miller Jeffress Memorial Trust
- Bank of America
- Arthur Vining Davis Foundations
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immunotherapy and Immune Responses
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › T-cell and B-cell Immunology
- Keywords
- immune checkpoint blockade, immune checkpoint inhibitors, FDA-approved drugs, CTLA-4, PD-1, PD-L1, tumor immune evasion, antitumor T cells, cancer immunotherapy, T cell regulation
- MeSH terms
- Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological, Animals, Humans, Immunotherapy, Neoplasms, T-Lymphocytes, United States, United States Food and Drug Administration, B7-H1 Antigen, CTLA-4 Antigen, Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor
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