NorthWest Biotherapeutics Inc (NWBO)

[longfellow95]

Strictly speaking, the Eli-lilly drug Olaratumab is a monoclonal antibody, which is normally described as a targeted therapy, rather than an immunotherapy. In this case, it was supposed to provide benefit for sarcoma, so I imagine it could be described as an immunotherapy. It is being trialled with doxorubicin, a long-established Chemo drug.

But all the drugs ending in ...mab are monoclonal antibodies, including the well known ICI's such as Nivolumab (Nivo or Opdivo), Pembrolizumab (Keytruda), Ipilimumab (Ipi or Yervoy) which definitely are considered immunotherapies, although they are supposed to facilitate immune defence, rather than actually bring it about.

It would be a mistake to think that chemotherapy is yesterdays drug per se and immunotherapy is todays, by the way, imo.

There have been recent examples where adding Keytruda or Nivo to an established chemo has worsened survival.

http://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2018/12/17/last-month-in-oncology-with-dr-bishal-gyawali-november-2018/

I'm far from convinced that adding an ICI to any form of DCVax would provide a net benefit.
It may help in some indications and make things worse in others.
Nobody knows.
An ICI added to DCVax would certainly introduce a toxicity profile that is not there with DCVax on its own.

Apart from cash, that might be another reason why the DCVaxL/Nivo GBM trial has been allowed to slide by NWBO. The ICI's are proving not to be the paradigm shift that they are often claimed to be!