avelumab

Avelumab, classified as a checkpoint inhibitor, is an immunotherapy that hinders the proteins responsible for suppressing the immune system’s ability to target cancer cells.

Immunotherapy is generally considered to be less toxic than chemotherapy for cancer patients. However, these new treatments are associated with side effects, known as treatment-related adverse events (trAEs), which can vary in severity (6).

In patients with PD-L1-positive tumors, the objective response rate was 55.2% when treated with avelumab plus axitinib and 25.5% with sunitinib. At a median follow-up for overall survival of 11.6 months and 10.7 months in the two groups, 37 patients and 44 patients had died, respectively.

Zynyz, Incyte Corporation’s retifanlimab-dlwr, received accelerated approval from the Food and Drug Administration on March 22, 2023. This approval is specifically for adult patients who have metastatic or recurrent locally advanced Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC).

Chemotherapy has a rapid effect, reducing tumor size and destroying cancer cells, while immunotherapy’s effects are more gradual. Dr. believes that neither treatment is necessarily superior to the other, but rather that they should be used strategically and possibly in combination.

Avelumab is classified as an antineoplastic medication that works by modifying the immune system to effectively manage the proliferation of cancer cells.

Your healthcare provider will administer BAVENCIO® (avelumab) to you every two weeks through an intravenous infusion that will take approximately 60 minutes.

Ipilimumab and nivolumab are both immune checkpoint inhibitors that function by inhibiting proteins in the body that can hinder the immune system from targeting cancer cells. Nivolumab, also referred to as a PD-1 inhibitor, blocks a protein on T cells known as PD-1.

KEYTRUDA is an immunotherapy that does not involve chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Instead, it works with your immune system to assist in the fight against cancer.

The overall survival rate at 24 months for all patients treated with avelumab was 56%. Among patients with stage IIIB MCC, the survival rate at 24 months was 88%, while for those with stage IV MCC, the rate was 49%. In patients who received avelumab as their first-line treatment, the survival rate at 24 months was 58%, whereas for those who received avelumab as a second-line or later treatment, the rate was 45%.

It is uncommon for individuals to experience a decrease in strength or sensation in their arms and legs. This occurrence may be attributed to inflammation of the nerve pathways, known as peripheral neuropathy. In rare cases, if the inflammation affects the brain, consciousness may also be impacted, resulting in encephalitis.

As of June 4, 2021, the median follow-up period was 38.0 months and 39.6 months for the two groups. Out of the total patients, 67 (19.5%) had been treated with avelumab for at least 2 years. The overall survival (OS) was consistently longer in the group receiving avelumab plus best supportive care (BSC) compared to the group receiving BSC alone, with a hazard ratio of 0.76 (95% CI, 0.63 to 0.91) and a two-sided P-value of 0.0036.

To summarize, avelumab has proven to be a successful and well-tolerated treatment option for patients with advanced urothelial cancer who have not seen progression after chemotherapy, as well as for those who have experienced disease progression following platinum-containing chemotherapy. It is now considered the standard treatment in these specific situations.

The price of Bavencio intravenous solution (20 mg/mL) can vary depending on the pharmacy, but it is typically around $1,931 for a 10 milliliter supply.

Typically, panitumumab is administered for as long as it continues to be effective and the side effects remain manageable.

Avelumab (BAVENCIO, EMD Serono, Inc.) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on June 30, 2020.

Immunotherapy drugs have varying effectiveness in different types of cancers, with some patients experiencing miraculous results while others do not respond at all. The overall response rates for these drugs are approximately 15 to 20%.

Avelumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody, functions by obstructing the interaction between PD-L1 found on tumor cells and PD-1 present on T cells. This action effectively hinders immunosuppression within the tumor microenvironment, leading to a decrease in tumor growth.

Avelumab injection is prescribed for the treatment of urothelial cancer, which is a type of cancer that affects the lining of the bladder and other parts of the urinary tract. It is specifically used for cases where the cancer has spread to nearby tissues or other parts of the body, and the patient’s condition has worsened either during or within 12 months after receiving platinum chemotherapy medications.

Pembrolizumab, also known as Keytruda®, is a monoclonal antibody that selectively targets and inhibits the PD-1 receptor. It was previously called lambrolizumab.

Monoclonal antibody type: Whole antibody
Source: Human
Target: PD-L1
Clinical data: Not provided

PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors have distinct biochemical efficacy. Unlike PD-L1 inhibitors, PD-1 inhibitors do not interfere with the binding of PD-L2 to the receptor, which plays a role in inhibiting the immune response.

BAVENCIO (avelumab) is a medication that has the potential to treat specific types of cancers by collaborating with your immune system. However, it is important to note that BAVENCIO may also trigger your immune system to mistakenly attack healthy organs and tissues throughout your body, potentially impacting their normal functioning. In some cases, these complications can be severe or even life-threatening, potentially resulting in death.

BAVENCIO® (avelumab) is approved for the maintenance therapy of individuals with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) who have not experienced progression after initial treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy.

PD-1 is a target for checkpoint inhibitors, such as nivolumab (Opdivo) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda).

The interaction between PD-L1 and PD-1 prevents T cells from eliminating tumor cells in the body (left panel). However, when the binding of PD-L1 to PD-1 is obstructed using an immune checkpoint inhibitor such as anti-PD-L1 or anti-PD-1, T cells regain their ability to destroy tumor cells (right panel).

It is important to monitor patients who are receiving avelumab for any indications of IRRs, such as pyrexia, chills, flushing, hypertension, dyspnea, wheezing, back pain, abdominal pain, and urticaria. If the IRRs are mild or moderate (grades 1 or 2), the infusion rate of avelumab can be slowed or interrupted (refer to Table 1).

PD-1 inhibitors and PD-L1 inhibitors are a class of anticancer drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors. These drugs work by blocking the activity of PD-1 and PD-L1 immune checkpoint proteins found on cell surfaces. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are becoming increasingly important in the treatment of various types of cancer.

Avelumab is a type of human IgG1 monoclonal antibody that has the ability to bind specifically to PD-L1. By doing so, it prevents the interaction between PD-L1 and the inhibitory T-cell receptor known as PD-1. This blockade of PD-L1 removes the suppression of T-cell activity, which in turn leads to T-cell-mediated and adaptive immune responses against tumors.

Avelumab (BAVENCIO, EMD Serono, Inc.) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on June 30, 2020.

The avelumab strategy had a 38.49% probability of being cost-effective in the simultaneous competition of the three strategies. The PD-L1-guided strategy had a 48.82% probability of being cost-effective in the same competition. In patients with PD-L1-positive status, the avelumab strategy had an 87.51% probability of being cost-effective.

Not everyone responds to it. Immunotherapy drugs have varying effectiveness across different types of cancer, and while they can be life-changing for some, they do not work for all patients. The overall response rates are approximately 15 to 20%.

According to the researchers, the average cost of immunotherapy in 2015 was $228,504, while chemotherapy cost $140,970. In 2016, the average cost of immunotherapy decreased to $202,202, while chemotherapy cost $147,801.

Many immunotherapy treatments are expensive due to several factors. Firstly, immunotherapy is a relatively new form of cancer treatment, which means that the research and development costs associated with developing these medications are high. Additionally, immunotherapy medications often have high launch prices and experience significant annual increases in cost. These factors contribute to the overall high cost of immunotherapy treatments.

The pilot clinical trial study (NCT02956551) evaluated the effectiveness of a personalized neoantigen pulsed DC vaccine for advanced lung cancer. The study found that the objective effectiveness rate was 25% and the disease control rate was 75%. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5.5 months, and the median overall survival (OS) was 7.9 months.