A Novel Immunotherapy Strategy May Improve Melanoma Treatment
Source: docwirenews, March 2025
A study has uncovered a novel method to enhance immunotherapy for melanoma by targeting a protein known as macrophage receptor with collagenous structure, or MARCO. The findings showed that blocking MARCO in combination with anti-CTLA4 therapy appreciably slows tumor progression in melanoma. The findings were reported in Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer.
These results, which came from an analysis conducted by Moffitt Cancer Center, found that MARCO inhibiting alters certain immune cells in the tumor, which results in increased immune cells entering the tumor, thereby enhancing the efficacy of anti-CTLA4 therapy. This novel approach, as noted by the researchers, may help overcome resistance to current treatments, particularly in “cold” tumors with limited immune cells.
The investigators further noted that their analysis highlights that the treatment combination of an anti-MARCO monoclonal antibody with anti-CTLA4 therapy markedly increases immune cell infiltration. “Our findings provide strong evidence that targeting MARCO can enhance the effectiveness of existing immunotherapies without requiring macrophage depletion,” said James Mulé, PhD, associate center director for Translational Science at Moffitt and lead author of the study via a press release. “This discovery paves the way for new combination treatment strategies that could improve outcomes for patients with melanoma and potentially other cancers.”