Pembrolizumab-ATRA combination shows benefit in metastatic melanoma
Source: Healio, February 2023
The addition of all-trans retinoic acid to pembrolizumab conferred benefit to patients with metastatic melanoma, according to results of a phase 1b/phase 2 trial published in Clinical Cancer Research.
The combination extended PFS and duration of response, and also increased complete response rate, compared with prior clinical trials of pembrolizumab (Keytruda, Merck) monotherapy for similar patient populations.
“We would like to believe it is the effect on the MDSCs that is enhancing the efficacy of pembrolizumab in these patients,” researcher Martin D. McCarter, MD, professor of surgical oncology at University of Colorado School of Medicine, told Healio. “We demonstrate some supporting data to suggest this relationship but cannot prove for sure that was the mechanism. For example, it could have been patient selection in a relatively small study.”