Dr. Hamid on the Integration of TIL-Based Therapy Into Melanoma

Omid Hamid, MD, chief, Translational Research and Immunotherapy, director, Melanoma Therapeutics, director, Melanoma Center and Phase I Immuno-Oncology Program, The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute, discusses the integration of tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL)–based therapy into the melanoma armamentarium.

Several TIL-based therapies are in clinical development for patients with melanoma, as well as for use in other solid tumors, such as cervical cancer and lung cancer, Hamid explains. Moreover, centralized processes for TIL production are being developed, which will allow adoptive T-cell therapies to be more widely accessible to patients. As such, the therapy can be given regionally, but produced centrally, Hamid adds.

Melanoma is a disease in which TIL-based therapies could have utility, Hamid says. Melanoma has immunotherapeutic options with checkpoint inhibitors as monotherapies or in combination regimens; however, viable therapies have been difficult to develop for second- or third-line use.

Lifileucel (LN-144) is a promising cryopreserved autologous TIL-based therapy that demonstrated long-term responses in patients with heavily pretreated advanced or metastatic melanoma who progressed on checkpoint inhibitor therapy, Hamid concludes.