Editorial: First Regulatory Approval for Adoptive Cell Therapy with Autologous Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) - Lifileucel (Amtagvi)

Med Sci Monit. 2024 May 1:30:e944927. doi: 10.12659/MSM.944927.

Abstract

On February 16, 2024, the US Food and Drug Agency (FDA) granted accelerated approval to lifileucel (Amtagvi), an adoptive immune cell therapy with autologous ex vivo-expanded tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) for adult patients with advanced or unresectable melanoma progressing after treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors and, if BRAF V600 mutation-positive, BRAF/MEK inhibitors. The clinical studies supporting this regulatory approval have highlighted the complexity of the treatment manufacturing process and the requirements for patient selection, a pretreatment lymphodepletion regimen, followed by a single infusion of lifileucel (Amtagvi), and up to six treatments with high-dose IL-2, with the potential for adverse events at each stage of treatment. In early 2024, expert consensus guidelines were published on best practices and patient management for adoptive cell therapy with autologous, ex vivo-expanded TILs, and an international TIL Working Group was formed in anticipation of further regulatory approvals bringing these treatments to the clinic. This editorial aims to provide an update on the importance of a first approval for adoptive cell therapy with autologous, ex vivo-expanded TILs and the challenges of implementing a complex, time-consuming, and potentially costly immunotherapy.

Publication types

  • Editorial

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive* / methods
  • Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating* / immunology
  • Melanoma* / immunology
  • Melanoma* / therapy
  • Transplantation, Autologous / methods
  • United States
  • United States Food and Drug Administration

Substances

  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
  • lifileucel