Ipilimumab

Ipilimumab (trade name Yervoy, formerly known as MDX-010 and MDX-101), is a monoclonal antibody that works to activate the immune system by targeting CTLA-4, a protein receptor that downregulates the immune system.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) can recognize and destroy cancer cells. However, an inhibitory mechanism interrupts this destruction. Ipilimumab turns off this inhibitory mechanism and allows CTLs to function.

Ipilimumab is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of melanoma, a type of skin cancer. It is undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), small cell lung cancer (SCLC),bladder cancer and metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

The concept of using anti-CTLA4 antibodies to treat cancer was first developed by James P. Allison while he was Director of the Cancer Research Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. Clinical development of anti-CTLA4 was initiated by Medarex, which was later acquired by Bristol-Myers Squibb. As of 2013 the cost was $120,000 for a course of treatment. For his work in developing ipilimumab, Dr. Allison was awarded the Lasker Award in 2015.