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Currently available and under development immunotherapy products

Immunotherapy has fundamentally expanded modern cancer medicine in recent years. The focus is no longer exclusively on the direct destruction of tumor cells, but on the targeted activation and modulation of the body's own immune system to better recognize and fight cancer cells.

Numerous approved immunotherapy products are already available today, including antibodies, checkpoint inhibitors, and cell-based therapies. At the same time, a large number of innovative immunological therapy approaches are in clinical development, targeting new target structures, improved efficacy, and more individualized application.

immunotherapy for cancer patients dendritic cell therapy

Cell-based immunotherapies (from the patient's own blood or tumor tissue)

Dendritic cell therapy

  • Approval: GMP laboratories for manufacturing

  • Type: Dendritic cell therapy (autologous).

  • Mode of action: Activation of T cells against 200 different types of cancer, with over 200,000 studies worldwide.

  • Side effects: Fever, chills, flu-like symptoms.

 

CAR-T cell therapies

(autologous genetically modified T cells)

Approved products:

  • Kymriah® (tisagenlecleucel) – ALL, DLBCL

  • Yescarta® (axicabtagene ciloleucel) – DLBCL, mantle cell lymphoma

  • Tecartus® (brexucabtagene autoleucel) – mantle cell lymphoma

  • Breyanzi® (lisocabtagene maraleucel) – B-cell lymphomas

  • Abecma® / Carvykti® – multiple myeloma (BCMA-targeted)

Principle: The patient's own T cells are equipped with an artificial antigen receptor (CAR) in the laboratory and specifically attack tumor cells.

Side effects: cytokine release syndrome (CRS), neurotoxicity, fever.

 

TIL therapy (tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes)

  • Status: Clinical trials (primarily for melanoma, breast cancer, and lung cancer).

  • Product example: Lifileucel (Iovance) – Approval for advanced melanoma in preparation (FDA review 2025).

  • Principle: Lymphocytes from tumor tissue are multiplied in the laboratory and reinfused.

 

NK cell therapies (natural killer cells)

  • Products: Still in development (e.g., GTB-3550, FT516, CYNK-001).

  • Principle: Activated NK cells attack tumor cells non-specifically.

  • Side effects: Mostly mild – fever, chills.

 

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (monoclonal antibodies)

These drugs block “brakes” in the immune system so that T cells remain active.

Approved active ingredients:

  • PD-1 blockers: Pembrolizumab (Keytruda®), Nivolumab (Opdivo®), Cemiplimab (Libtayo®)

  • PD-L1 blockers: Atezolizumab (Tecentriq®), Durvalumab (Imfinzi®), Avelumab (Bavencio®)

  • CTLA-4 blockers: Ipilimumab (Yervoy®)

Application: Many types of cancer (melanoma, lung, kidney, bladder, breast, head and neck, endometrium, etc.)

Side effects: Autoimmune reactions (thyroid, skin, intestine, liver), fatigue.

 

Oncolytic virus therapies

Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC, Imlygic®)

  • Approval: advanced melanoma.

  • Principle: genetically modified herpes virus that infects and destroys tumor cells, thereby stimulating an immune response.

  • Side effects: fever, chills, local inflammation.

Other candidates (in studies): Pexa-Vec, Reolysin, DNX-2401, Rigvir.

 

Therapeutic cancer vaccines mRNA or peptide vaccines

  • Examples:

    • BNT111 (BioNTech) – melanoma

    • mRNA-4157 (Moderna/Merck) – melanoma and others

    • UV1 (Ultimovacs) – melanoma, prostate, lung

  • Principle: Vaccination with tumor antigens (synthetic or mRNA-based).

  • Status: Phase II/III studies – some promising results.

  • Side effects: mostly mild (redness, fever, fatigue).

 

Cytokine and interleukin therapies

Active ingredients:

  • IL-2: Aldesleukin (Proleukin®)

  • IL-15 analogues: N-803 (Anktiva™) – first FDA approval in 2024 (bladder cancer)

  • IFN-α: Roferon-A®, Intron-A® (rare today)

Goal: General activation of the immune response.

Side effects: Fever, chills, drop in blood pressure, exhaustion.

 

Combination therapies & immunomodulators

  • Immune system building and adjuvant programs: e.g., ImmuSeroForte®, β-glucans, thymus peptides.

  • Combinations with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or hormone therapy are increasingly being investigated.

 

Summary – approved & clinically relevant immunotherapies

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Dendritic cell therapy, GMP manufacturing

CAR-T cells Kymriah®, Yescarta®, Abecma®, etc. Approved Blood cancer / lymphomas

Checkpoint inhibitors Keytruda®, Opdivo®, Tecentriq®, Yervoy® Approved Many solid tumors

Oncolytic viruses Imlygic® Approved Melanoma

mRNA/peptide vaccines BNT111, mRNA-4157, UV1 Clinical trials Solid tumors

TIL/NK cell therapies Lifileucel, FT516, CYNK-001 Clinical trials Melanoma, lung, breast

Interleukin/immunomodulators Aldesleukin, Anktiva™ Partially approved Bladder, kidney

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The information on dendritic cell therapy presented on this website is for medical education purposes only and does not replace personal medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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