Immunotherapy

One of cancer’s crafty tricks involves manipulating the host’s immune cells to protect tumors instead of fighting them. Now researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have turned the tables again, transforming these cells back into cancer killers.

Aging comes for us all – but perhaps the unpleasant symptoms don’t have to. In a new study, scientists have found a kind of anti-aging immunotherapy, reinvigorating immune cells to better clear out defunct cells that contribute to the aging process.

A new review article is presenting a promising case for phenformin, an old diabetes drug related to metformin, being repurposed as an adjunct to new immunotherapy cancer treatments. A phase 1 clinical trial is underway to test the novel combination.

A new article is reporting promising results from a Phase 1 human trial testing a vaccine designed to help a patient's immune system better target brain tumors. The data suggests the vaccine is safe and stimulates a significant immune response.

Infections of Cryptococcus fungi are potentially fatal, because the immune system has a hard time fighting off the invaders. But now researchers have given it a helping hand by adapting a cancer immunotherapy technique called CAR T cell therapy.

One of the most promising emerging cancer therapies is CAR T cell immunotherapy, where a patient’s own immune cells are supercharged to fight tumors. Now researchers have found a way to refresh exhausted immune cells and get them back into battle.

New research is outlining the long-term efficacy of a novel type of cancer vaccine. The research followed eight skin cancer patients and found the experimental treatment offers durable and persistent immune responses to cancer cells up to four years later.

CAR T cell immunotherapy is a promising cancer treatment that supercharges natural tumor-hunting cells, but it can backfire with potentially deadly results. Now, scientists have engineered off switches for these immune cells.

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel condition triggered by an overactive immune system. Now researchers have developed a new kind of immunotherapy for Crohn’s that delivers a “triple punch” by tweaking the responses of different immune cells.

A form of cancer immunotherapy has been adapted into a new potential treatment for type 1 diabetes. In mouse studies, scientists tweaked immune cells to fight off rogue T cells that damage insulin-producing cells, preventing diabetes from developing.

A new Harvard study highlights missing pieces of the puzzle in the relationship between cancer and obesity. The team finds that cancer cells can use the higher fat availability to starve immune cells of fuel and prevent them from targeting tumors.

EPFL scientists have demonstrated a new method to make immunotherapy more effective and directed against cancer. The team designed microparticles containing drugs that are only released when T cells physically squeeze them, on contact with cancer.