Immune-checkpoint blockade aptamers as a feasible clinical alternative to monoclonal antibodies

The recent U.S. FDA approval of monoclonal antibodies against CTLA4 (ipilimumab) and PD1 (nivolumab and pembrolizumab), together with the increasing number of clinical trials for new immune-checkpoint blockade antibodies in monotherapy and in combinations, have emphasized the therapeutic potential of using immunomodulatory antibodies to elicit an effective protective immunity for cancer immunotherapy. However, the treatment of cancer patients with immune-checkpoint blockade antibodies, not devoid of toxicity, is associated with severe auto-inflammatory immune responses. It is urgent to identify new therapeutic immune-checkpoint blockade reagents with more manageable side effects. The chemically synthesized single-strand oligonucleotide aptamers have substantial advantages versus antibodies in terms of cost production and handling side effects.