Continuum conundrum

One of the hopes of researchers developing immunostimulatory agents such as those targeting toll-like receptors, CD28 and CTLA-4 has been to generate specific and potent immune responses without the side effects of older approaches like cytotoxic chemotherapy. But some immunostimulatory agents are generating their own inflammatory and autoimmune side effects, bringing the typical "euphoric" early stage of development to an end.

This doesn't mean that these agents should be dropped. But clinicians will have to learn to use these new classes of agents, either by managing dose and regimen, treating the side effects, or pursuing more selective targets with fewer side effects. ...