enoblituzumab + retifanlimab

Enoblituzumab + retifanlimab is an investigational combination therapy being studied primarily for head and neck cancers. **Enoblituzumab** is a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets **B7-H3 (CD276)**, a checkpoint molecule overexpressed in many tumors but limited in normal tissues, thus enhancing immune-mediated tumor cell killing, primarily through **antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC)** and reversing T-cell suppression. **Retifanlimab** is a humanized monoclonal antibody inhibiting **programmed death protein 1 (PD-1)**, thereby blocking the interaction of PD-1 with **PD-L1/PD-L2** and reinvigorating exhausted T-cells. The combination is designed to coordinate engagement of both innate (NK cell mediated) and adaptive (T-cell mediated) immune responses to maximize tumor regression. The combination specifically aimed at recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) as first-line therapy, but the phase 2 clinical trial was terminated due to safety concerns, primarily fatal hemorrhagic events, although most deaths were attributed to disease progression or unrelated to study drugs. Both drugs were developed by MacroGenics, and the trial design and rationale relied on preclinical evidence showing enhanced immune activation and tumor cell cytotoxicity when both agents are used together[1][3][4].

Other names

enoblituzumab + retifanlimab