Istari Oncology Inc. services

The tumor environment contains all the ingredients needed to mount an anticancer immune response—tumor antigens, antigen presenting cells (APCs, including tumor-associated macrophages [TAMs] and dendritic cells), and T cells—but activation of the immune system to generate that antitumor response is complex and multifaceted. By “taking the brakes off” the immune response, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of many solid tumors. However, many patients never respond to these agents, and responders often develop resistance. Potential reasons include a lack of preexisting anticancer T cells at the time of ICI administration or the inability of anticancer T cells to overcome the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME).