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The Italian Network for Tumor Bio-Immunotherapy (NIBIT) Foundation: ongoing and prospective activities in immuno-oncology

  • Focussed Research Review
  • Published:
Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The ongoing revolution in cancer immunotherapy stems from the knowledge that distinct immune-checkpoints regulate the physiological crosstalk between and among immune cells by delivering inhibitory or activating signals. These notions, and the availability of mAb directed to diverse immune-checkpoint molecules, have led to a significant clinical improvement in cancer treatment. In this scenario, further achievements are undoubtedly to be expected from the contribution of novel, proof-of-principle clinical trials designed to explore the therapeutic efficacy of new immunotherapy-based combinations and treatment sequences. Along these lines, the clinical translation of pre-clinical evidence generated by non-profit research entities is likely to provide a significant contribution to gaining new insights that will further boost the field of cancer immunotherapy. To pursue this goal, and to provide comprehensive educational programs in immune-oncology (I-O), several national and global networks have been revitalized or newly established in recent years. This rapidly evolving scenario led the Board of Directors of the Italian Network of Tumor Bio-Immunotherapy (NIBIT) to establish the NIBIT Foundation. This Focused Research Review summarizes the main ongoing and prospective I-O activities of the NIBIT Foundation.

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Abbreviations

BM:

Brain metastasis

CII:

Cancer immunology, immunotherapy

CIO:

Center for immuno-oncology

CNS:

Central nervous system

CRI:

Cancer research institute

DCR:

Disease control rate

DHA:

DNA hypomethylating agents

DL:

Dose level

DOR:

Duration of response

IITs:

Investigator-initiated trials

I-O:

Immuno-Oncology

ir:

Immune-related

MM:

Metastatic melanoma

MMESO:

Malignant mesothelioma

MTD:

Maximum tolerated dose

NIBIT:

Network Italiano per la Bioterapia dei Tumori (Italian Network for Tumor Bio-Immunotherapy)

ORR:

Objective response rate

PFS:

Progression-free survival

PICI:

Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy

TESLA:

Tumor neoantigEn SeLection Alliance

UHS:

University Hospital of Siena

W:

Week

WIC:

World Immunotherapy Council

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the PICI’s medical writer who did the final language editing of the manuscript.

Funding

This work was supported in part by the NIBIT Foundation and by the Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (IG 2014 ID 15373; IG 06/30/C/9).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Immuno-Oncology, Medical Oncology and Immunotherapy, University Hospital of Siena, Istituto Toscano Tumori, Viale Mario Bracci, 16, 53100, Siena, Italy

    Anna Maria Di Giacomo, Alessia Covre, Gianluca Giacobini & Michele Maio

  2. Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Ramy Ibrahim & Jaclyn Lyman

  3. Center on Aging Sciences and Translational Medicine (CeSI-MeT), Gabriele d’ Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy

    Pier Giorgio Natali

Authors
  1. Anna Maria Di Giacomo
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  2. Alessia Covre
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  3. Gianluca Giacobini
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  4. Ramy Ibrahim
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  5. Jaclyn Lyman
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  6. Pier Giorgio Natali
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  7. Michele Maio
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Contributions

AMDG and MM wrote the first draft of this paper based in part on the talks of RI at the NIBIT 2017 meeting in Siena. AC and GG wrote the section “Educational Activities”. JL and RI wrote the section “Collaboration with the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy” PGN revised the manuscript. All authors critically discussed the manuscript, contributed to its contents, and checked and approved the final version.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anna Maria Di Giacomo.

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Conflict of interest

Anna Maria Di Giacomo served on the advisory board of Bristol-Myers Squibb, Incyte, Pierre Fabre, Glaxo Smith Kline and she is a member of the scientific board of directors of the NIBIT Foundation; Ramy Ibrahim is a member of the scientific advisory board of: Arcus, Harpoon, Immunovaccine and ImaginAB;Jaclyn Lyman is a PICI employee; Pier Giorgio Natali is a member of the scientific board of directors of the NIBIT Foundation; Michele Maio served on advisory boards of Bristol-Myers Squibb, Roche-Genentech, Merck Sharp Dohme and AstraZeneca-MedImmune, and he is the president of the NIBIT Foundation. The authors declare that there are no other conflicts of interest.

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Di Giacomo, A.M., Covre, A., Giacobini, G. et al. The Italian Network for Tumor Bio-Immunotherapy (NIBIT) Foundation: ongoing and prospective activities in immuno-oncology. Cancer Immunol Immunother 68, 143–150 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-018-2286-x

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