Therapeutics: Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK); programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1; B7-H1; CD274)

Mouse studies suggest combining anti-PD-L1 antibodies with the BTK inhibitor ibrutinib could help treat cancer. In a mouse model of PD-L1- and BTK-positive leukemia that did not respond to inhibitors of either target, an anti-PD-L1 antibody plus ibrutinib increased anti-tumor T cell responses, decreased tumor growth and increased survival compared with the anti-PD-L1 antibody alone. In mouse models of BTK-negative breast or colon cancers, the combination therapy decreased tumor growth and metastasis and increased survival compared with either treatment alone. Next steps include testing the combination in patients.

Pharmacyclics Inc. and Johnson & Johnson market Imbruvica ibrutinib to treat several cancers. ...