A vision of immuno-oncology: the Siena think tank of the Italian network for tumor biotherapy (NIBIT) foundation
Authors: Maio Michele , Lahn Michael , Di Giacomo Anna Maria , Covre Alessia , Calabrò Luana , Ibrahim Ramy , Fox Bernard ,   The Siena Think Tank, Abrignani Sergio , Paola Allavena , Anichini Andrea , Ardizzoni Andrea , Gregorio Aversa , Azab Mohammad , Ballas Marc , Barberis Massimo , Bayless Nicholas L. , Bell Bryan , Bifarini Andrea , Blank Christian , Brodin Petter , Camerini Roberto , Ennio Carbone , Ceccarelli Michele , Francesca Colizzi , Connolly John , Sandra Coral , Cornelissen Robin , Eggermont Alexander , Eid Joseph , Fajgenbaum David , Ferretti Elisabetta , Ferrone Soldano , Finotello Francesca , Flaherty Keith , Ester Fonsatti , Elisabetta Fratta , Fridman Catherine Sautès , Fridman Wolf H. , Garcia Patrick , Gherardini Pier Federico , Goonewardene Asthika , Hacking Graham , Heller Kevin , Hulett Tyler W. , Michael Imperiale , Jacobson Daniel , Janek Martin , Joho Stefanie , Keer Harold , Kleif Samir , Kotecha Nikesh , Kotter Mark , Krogan Nevan , Lanzavecchia Antonio , Locatelli Franco , Lollini Pier-Luigi , Mantovani Alberto , Melacarne Alessia , Melillo Giovanni , Menden Michael , Minerva Daniela , Moretta Lorenzo , Namouni Fouad , Natali Pier Giorgio , Necchi Andrea , Nisticò Paola , Cosimo Paga , Giuseppe Palmieri , Pardoll Drew , Paz-Ares Luis , Plessala Kimberly , Peters Solange , Prins Robert M. , Provendier Olivier , Rappuoli Rino , Rescigno Maria , Ruettinger Dominik , Seliger Barbara , Sette Alessandro , Luca Sigalotti , Spasic Marko , Tortora Giampaolo , Trajanoski Zlatko , Tunici Patrizia , Vitale Chiara , Wigginton Jon , Yadav Mahesh , Yu Haochen 
Published: July 2021

Background

The yearly Think Tank Meeting of the Italian Network for Tumor Biotherapy (NIBIT) Foundation, brings together in Siena, Tuscany (Italy), experts in immuno-oncology to review the learnings from current immunotherapy treatments, and to propose new pre-clinical and clinical investigations in selected research areas.

Main

While immunotherapies in non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma led to practice changing therapies, the same therapies had only modest benefit for patients with other malignancies, such as mesothelioma and glioblastoma. One way to improve on current immunotherapies is to alter the sequence of each combination agent. Matching the immunotherapy to the host’s immune response may thus improve the activity of the current treatments. A second approach is to combine current immunotherapies with novel agents targeting complementary mechanisms. Identifying the appropriate novel agents may require different approaches than the traditional laboratory-based discovery work. For example, artificial intelligence-based research may help focusing the search for innovative and most promising combination partners.

Conclusion

Novel immunotherapies are needed in cancer patients with resistance to or relapse after current immunotherapeutic drugs. Such new treatments may include targeted agents or monoclonal antibodies to overcome the immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment. The mode of combining the novel treatments, including vaccines, needs to be matched to the patient’s immune status for achieving the maximum benefit. In this scenario, specific attention should be also paid nowadays to the immune intersection between COVID-19 and cancer.