immune checkpoint inhibitor

[ ih-myoon chek-point in-hib-i-ter ]

noun

, Immunology, Pharmacology.

1. a drug that targets and blocks certain proteins produced by T cells and other immune system cells in order to minimize the proteins’ restraints on cell activity, thereby freeing those cells to kill cancer cells more effectively.

Word History and Origins

Origin of immune checkpoint inhibitor¹

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

One such treatment uses immune checkpoint inhibitor drugs to unleash the immune system by releasing the natural brakes that keep immune T cells quiet, a feature that prevents the body from harming itself.

From Science Daily

"Cutaneous melanoma, which affects the skin, is the poster child of immunotherapy. It responds incredibly well to immune checkpoint inhibitor drugs," said Kammula.

From Science Daily

"All of the major advances in cancer treatment in recent years -- immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, CAR T cell therapy, cancer vaccines -- they're all rooted in basic research," says Joan Massagué, PhD, Director of the Sloan Kettering Institute and MSK's Chief Scientific Officer.

From Science Daily

Durvalumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting PD-L1, has previously been approved for treating specific patients with biliary tract cancer, liver cancer, small cell lung cancer and NSCLC.

From Science Daily

A study from 2021 found a high TMB could predict whether patients would respond well to a type of immune checkpoint inhibitor known as pembrolizumab.

From Science Magazine