Blockade of TGF-β and PD-L1 by bintrafusp alfa promotes survival in preclinical ovarian cancer models by promoting T effector and NK cell responses.

Background: Failure of immunotherapy in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) may be due to high levels of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in ascites or tumour immune microenvironment (TIME). Here, we test whether coordinated blockade of TGF-β and PD-L1 with bintrafusp alfa (BA) can provoke anti-tumour immune responses in preclinical HGSC models.

Methods: BA is a first-in-class bifunctional inhibitor of TGF-β and PD-L1, and was tested for effects on overall survival and altered TIME in syngeneic HGSC models.