Cancer

Mouse studies suggest inhibiting DDR2 could enhance the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapies for bladder, breast and colorectal cancers, melanoma and sarcoma. In mouse models of bladder and breast cancers, an shRNA targeting DDR2 plus an anti-PD-1 mAb decreased tumor volume compared with either treatment alone. In a mouse model of metastatic melanoma, the combination therapy decreased the number of pulmonary metastases. In the bladder cancer model and in mouse models of colorectal cancer and sarcoma, Sprycel dasatinib, which inhibits DDR2, plus the anti-PD-1 mAb decreased tumor volume compared with either agent alone. Next steps could include testing Sprycel in combination with anti-PD-1 therapies in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of the cancers...