Abstract

Novel immunotherapeutic agents for castration-resistant prostate cancer: update from clinical trials

Author(s): Nishith Singh, Ravi Madan, James L Gulley

Immunotherapy has been recognized as a viable therapeutic approach since the regulatory approval of the autologous cell-based vaccine sipuleucel-T in 2010. Emerging preclinical evidence and early-stage clinical studies point to a potential synergy between currently available immunotherapeutic agents and standard anticancer therapies such as radiation and chemotherapy. Several other immunotherapeutic platforms, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors and DNA- and peptide-based vaccines are also in development and clinical testing. Based on the logistics of their production, these platforms are broadly categorized as patient-specific or off-the-shelf. Together, they are beginning to transform the therapeutic landscape in prostate cancer. This article reviews the rationale behind immunotherapeutic approaches in castration-resistant prostate cancer, plus the latest available clinical data.