Although immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, durable responses are limited to select patients, particularly those with immunogenic or “hot” tumours that are densely populated by cytotoxic T-cells. Meanwhile, patients with refractory tumours show exclusion of immune effector cells, and these “cold” tumours are characterized by abundant immune suppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells and alternatively-activated macrophages.
Dr Poh will present her work on a novel myeloid cell-specific drug target that can reverse the immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment of solid cancers and improve the efficacy of immunotherapy.