Pan-integrin inhibitor GLPG-0187 promotes T-cell killing of mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancer cells by suppression of SMAD/TGF-β signaling.

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death and the third most common cause of cancer. As the five-year survival with advanced metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is 14%, new treatment strategies are needed. Immune checkpoint blockade, which takes advantage of an individual's immune system to fight cancer, has an impact in the clinic; however, for CRC, it is only effective and approved for treating mismatch repair (MMR)-deficient cancer.

Broad spectrum integrin inhibitor GLPG-0187 bypasses immune evasion in colorectal cancer by TGF-β signaling mediated downregulation of PD-L1.

Integrin receptors have long posed as a potentially attractive target for disrupting cancer hallmarks. Promising preliminary findings with integrin inhibition as an adjuvant to chemotherapy have not translated to clinical success. However, the effect of integrin inhibition on tumor-immune cell interactions remains largely unexplored.