The power of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes to fight melanoma

Tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy uses a person’s own immune cells to fight advanced melanoma, offering new hope for patients who have limited treatment options. 

This week, we have a conversation with Brian Gastman, EVP of medical affairs at Iovance Biotherapeutics, about TILs and the company’s pipeline.

Iovance recently submitted a marketing authorization application to the European Medicines Agency for lifileucel, a TIL cell therapy, for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma previously treated with a PD-1 blocking antibody, and if BRAF V600 mutation positive, a BRAF inhibitor with or without a MEK inhibitor. 

If approved, lifileucel will be the first and only approved therapy in this treatment setting in all European Union member states.

The submission is supported by positive clinical data from the C-144-01 clinical trial in patients with advanced post-anti-PD1 melanoma.

Iovance’s Amtagvi is the first FDA-approved T cell therapy for a solid tumor indication. 

00:47-04:44: About Iovance Biotherapeutics
04:44-07:57: What is polyclonal tumor infiltrating lymphocyte treatment?
07:57-14:55: What is the production process for TILs?
14:55-18:32: Are there any limiting factors for TIL treatment?
18:32-20:59: Is early intervention important?
20:59-21:22: Does better psychology help?
21:22-22:06: Are other companies working on TILs?
22:06-27:25: Clinical trials 
27:25-29:25: How do you address cost?
29:25-34:21: Iovance’s pipeline
34:21-35:30: Can TILs be improved?
35:30-37:21: Where does the TIL space go from here?

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