Cancer ResearchHDAC Inhibitor Plus Checkpoint Blocker Tested in Advanced Lung Cancer Trial
Researchers at Mirati Therapeutics tested whether combining mocetinostat, an oral HDAC inhibitor, with durvalumab, a PD-L1 immune checkpoint blocker, could improve outcomes in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer. The idea was that HDAC inhibition might prime the immune system to respond better to checkpoint blockade by altering gene expression in tumor cells. The trial enrolled 83 participants and tested three doses of mocetinostat alongside durvalumab. The study was ultimately terminated before completion. While the combination approach represented a promising immunotherapy strategy, the trial's early termination limits conclusions about efficacy and safety. This research reflects a broader effort to enhance immunotherapy response rates in hard-to-treat cancers through epigenetic priming.
