The National Institutes of Health expects doctors will find more than 2 million new cancer cases in 2025. They also predict around 600,000 people will die from cancer in the U.S. that year.
Even though cancer death rates are improving, this shows the need for better and safer treatments.
A New Step in Cancer Treatment
Researchers from Rockefeller University tested a new drug called 2141-V11. It is a CD40 antibody drug made to shrink tumors and reduce side effects.
The drug gave positive results in the phase 1 human trial. Half of the patients had smaller tumors, and in two patients, cancer was completely gone. The best part is that the drug did not cause serious side effects.
Common Cancer Treatments
There are many ways doctors treat cancer today. For small or localized cancers, surgery to remove the tumor can sometimes be enough.
When cancer spreads to other parts of the body, stronger treatments are needed. These include chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy.
What is Immunotherapy?
The American Cancer Society explains immunotherapy as using the body’s own immune system to fight cancer.
There are many types of immunotherapy. Some examples are immune checkpoint inhibitors, CAR T-cell therapy, and monoclonal antibodies. The new drug 2141-V11 belongs to the monoclonal antibody group.
How 2141-V11 Works
Researchers in this study focused on CD40 antibodies. Older CD40 drugs caused serious side effects in humans. So, scientists made a safer version called 2141-V11.
Instead of giving the drug through veins, doctors injected it directly into the tumor. This reduced the risks of liver problems and body-wide inflammation.
Details of the Human Study
The study included 12 people between the ages of 42 and 89. All of them had metastatic cancers like breast cancer and melanoma.
Patients got injections of 2141-V11 into their tumors every 3 weeks. Each time, the dose was increased slowly.
Results and Side Effects
Doctors carefully checked blood tests and side effects during treatment. Most side effects were mild, like fever or pain where the drug was injected.
Ten people had side effects, and seven had treatment-related ones, but none were severe. Three patients had serious health issues, but they were not linked to the drug.
In total, tumors shrank in six patients. Two patients went into complete remission — one with melanoma and one with breast cancer.
Expert Opinions
Dr. Wael Harb, a cancer doctor not part of the study, explained how the drug works. He said 2141-V11 activates immune cells inside the tumor.
These immune cells create training centers that teach T-cells to fight cancer. The T-cells then travel through the body to attack other tumors.
Dr. Harb found the drug’s safety promising but said larger studies are needed before strong conclusions can be made.
What’s Next for 2141-V11?
Dr. Juan Osorio, one of the study authors, shared that phase 2 studies are already happening in the U.S. These studies are testing the drug on hard-to-treat cancers like bladder, prostate, and brain cancers.
Early signs are positive, but not all patients respond the same way. Researchers are now studying which patients may benefit most from the treatment.
