Ajay V. Maker

TL;DR: Administration of anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibody plus peptide vaccination can cause durable objective responses, which correlate with the induction of autoimmunity, in patients with metastatic melanoma.

TL;DR: There is not evidence to support a synergistic effect of CTLA-4 blockade plus IL-2 administration, because the 22% objective response rate is that expected from the sum of these two agents administered alone.

TL;DR: The results suggest that the antitumor effects of CTLA-4 blockade are due to increased T cell activation rather than inhibition or depletion of T regulatory cells.

TL;DR: This study examined the ability of a fusion protein of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and diphtheria toxin (Denileukin Diftitox) to eliminate regulatory T lymphocytes based on their expression of high-affinity IL-2 receptors and found that the increased numbers of lymphocytes in patients resulting from treatment with IL-1 were not susceptible to Denileuk in DIFTitox.

TL;DR: Higher serum levels and prolonged administration of anti-CTLA-4 antibody resulted in a trend toward a greater incidence of grade III/IV autoimmune toxicity than previously reported, but did not seem to increase objective response rates.