New Cancer Treatment Shrank Tumors in Half of Patients in Small Clinical Trial

Small phase one trial shows promising results, with six of 12 patients experiencing tumor shrinkage and two achieving complete remission.

Vink Fan/Shutterstock

A new class of cancer drug in development shrank the tumors in six of 12 advanced cancer patients in a clinical trial, without causing severe side effects seen with previous versions of this class of drugs, according to a recent report.

The treatment uses CD40 agonist antibodies, a type of immunotherapy that uses the body’s immune system to attack cancer.