An Allogeneic Multiple Myeloma GM-CSF-Secreting Vaccine with Lenalidomide Induces Long-term Immunity and Durable Clinical Responses in Patients in Near Complete Remission.

Purpose: This proof-of-principle clinical trial evaluated whether an allogeneic multiple myeloma GM-CSF-secreting vaccine (MM-GVAX) in combination with lenalidomide could deepen the clinical response in patients with multiple myeloma in sustained near complete remission (nCR).

Patients And Methods: Fifteen patients on lenalidomide were treated with MM-GVAX and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV; Prevnar) at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months.

Results: Eight patients (53.

Adoptive transfer of activated marrow-infiltrating lymphocytes induces measurable antitumor immunity in the bone marrow in multiple myeloma.

Successful adoptive T cell therapy (ACT) requires the ability to activate tumor-specific T cells with the ability to traffic to the tumor site and effectively kill their target as well as persist over time. We hypothesized that ACT using marrow-infiltrating lymphocytes (MILs) in multiple myeloma (MM) could impart greater antitumor immunity in that they were obtained from the tumor microenvironment. We describe the results from the first clinical trial using MILs in MM.

Tadalafil augments tumor specific immunity in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose: To determine if phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors can augment immune function in patients with head and neck cancer through inhibition of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC).

Experimental Design: We performed a randomized, prospective, double blinded, placebo controlled, phase II clinical trial to determine the in vivo effects of systemic PDE5 inhibition on immune function in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Results: Tadalafil augmented immune response, increasing ex vivo T-cell expansion to a mean 2.

Targeting immune suppression with PDE5 inhibition in end-stage multiple myeloma.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) play a significant role in tumor-induced immune suppression. Targeting their function could improve antitumor therapies. Previously, we demonstrated that phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibition in MDSCs augmented antitumor immunity in murine models.

Lenalidomide-induced immunomodulation in multiple myeloma: impact on vaccines and antitumor responses.

Purpose: To show that the immunomodulatory drug lenalidomide can be used in patients with relapsed multiple myeloma to augment vaccine responses.

Experimental Design: Early phase clinical trial of patients with multiple myeloma who received at least one prior therapy. Patients were treated with single-agent lenalidomide and randomized to receive two vaccinations with pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine (PCV) on different schedules.