Abstract
Ipilimumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that activates the immune system by targeting the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4), a co-receptor with inhibitory properties expressed by T lymphocytes. Ipilimumab was the first immune-checkpoint inhibitor which received an indication by the regulatory agencies for the treatment of a solid tumor after the results of a phase 3 trial in patients with advanced melanoma. Later, but only in the United States, it was also approved by the FDA for the adjuvant treatment of high-risk, resected melanoma. Ipilimumab lost its role as a frontline and adjuvant treatment of patients with melanoma after the results of phase 3 trials with anti-PD-1 drugs, which outperformed the anti-CTLA-4 agent in terms of both efficacy and safety. The purpose of this chapter is to report the most relevant results of ipilimumab from selected clinical trials and real world studies, to discuss how the introduction of ipilimumab into clinical practice challenged the evaluation of tumor response and management of toxicity, and to discuss the role of ipilimumab in the era of anti-PD-1 agents.
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Spagnolo, F., Tanda, E., MandalĂ , M. (2021). Ipilimumab in Melanoma: An Evergreen Drug. In: Rutkowski, P., MandalĂ , M. (eds) New Therapies in Advanced Cutaneous Malignancies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64009-5_10
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