Cancer Immunotherapy Program

Novel Treatments and Clinical Research

Monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of cancer

By far the biggest breakthrough in cancer therapy in the past 30 years, Stanford was the first institution in the world to develop and use monoclonal antibodies to treat cancer. We are now pushing the boundaries to develop new ways to make monoclonal antibodies even more effective in fighting cancer.

FDA approved treatments

Research at Stanford has led to the development of a number of targeted therapies that are now FDA approved: 

• Rituximab, the first FDA approved monoclonal antibody for the treatment of cancer and now used to treat lymphoma and many autoimmune diseases, was developed based on the work of Stanford physician scientist Ronald Levy, MD.
• Provenge, the first FDA approved therapeutic vaccine for cancer, was developed based on the work of Stanford physician scientist Edward Engleman, MD.
• Stanford also offers other cutting edge targeted therapies that are FDA approved:
  • Ipilimumab, a monoclonal antibody currently approved for the treatment of Melanoma.
  • High Dose Interleukin-2, a cytokine signaling molecule approved for renal cell carcinoma.

Clinical protocols for new treatments

Stanford is developing innovative immune system-boosting drugs that target various mechanisms of action, as well as multi-modality treatments that combine immunotherapies:

• Anti-PD1 and anti-PDL1 monoclonal antibodies
• Cytokines, including Interleukin-15
• HyperAcute®-Pancreas (algenpantucel-L) immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer

Clinical protocols for cancer vaccines

In an attempt to limit the toxicity that can result from systemic treatment, Stanford is developing new cancer vaccines and combination therapies: 

• In situ vaccinations to stimulate immune response, including intra-tumoral delivery of ipilimumab and other monoclonal antibodies for melanoma, lymphoma and colon cancer
• Combination vaccines plus cytokines: Provenge plus Interleukin-7 for castrate resistant prostate cancer
• Vaccine plus cellular immunotherapies: Immunotransplant for mantle cell lymphoma
• Vaccine trials for ovarian cancer
• PROSTVAC – a novel “off the shelf” prostate cancer vaccine

Cellular immunotherapies

Stanford is developing new protocols to isolate a patient’s own immune cells, reprogram the T-cells and reinfuse them back into the patient in order to combat cancer:

• Adoptive T cell transfer to redirect the immune system against various cancers
• Beginning in 2014, Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cells for ALL, CLL and B-cell Lymphoma

Blood and marrow transplantation

Stanford has long been a leader in innovation in the field of blood and marrow transplantation which relies upon immune reactivity of donor derived cells to cure patients with a broad range of hematological malignancies. Areas of active investigation include the use of immune regulatory cells to reduce the risks of immune mediated graft vs host disease and to direct the immune system towards recipient malignant cells through isolation, activation and expansion of specific natural killer and T cell populations.