FDA Approved Immune Check Point Inhibiting Antibody Therapies That Target PD-1, PD-L1 or CTLA-4

Immune checkpoint inhibiting immunotherapies:

These are the class of monoclonal antibody therapies that prevents T-cell inhibition and promotes the activation and proliferation of effector T cells. Two such receptors CTLA-4 & PD-1 that are expressed in T cells transduce inhibitory signals after binding to its ligand. 

The monoclonal antibodies targeted against these receptors or their ligands have been shown to increase the tumor-killing activity of T cells. 

Figure 1: Immune Check Point Inhibiting Monoclonal Antibodies and its Target in T cells and Tumors. Pembrolizumab (Keytruda), Nivolumab (Opdivo), and cemiplimab (Libtayo) block PD-1 expressed in T cells. Atezolizumab (Tecentriq), Avelumab (Bavencio), and Durvalumab (Imfinzi) block PD-L1 expressed in tumor cells. Ipilimumab (Yervoy) blocks CTLA-4 antigen present in T cells
 

PD-1 inhibiting antibodies: 

These monoclonal antibodies block the PD-1 signaling by binding to its ligand PD-1 expressed in the T cells. Examples include

• Pembrolizumab (Keytruda)
• Nivolumab (Opdivo)
• Cemiplimab (Libtayo)

PD-L1 inhibiting antibodies: 

These monoclonal antibodies block the inhibitory PD-1 signaling by binding to its ligand PD-L1 expressed in the tumor cells. Examples include

• Atezolizumab (Tecentriq)
• Avelumab (Bavencio)
• Durvalumab (Imfinzi)

CTLA-4 Inhibiting antibodies: 

These monoclonal antibodies block the inhibitory CTLA-4 signaling by binding to CTLA-4 expressed in the tumor cells. Example include

• Ipilimumab (Yervoy)

Indications of Immune Check Point Inhibiting Antibody Therapies

Immune checkpoint inhibiting antibody therapies have shown promise in the treatment of

• Melanoma,
• Small Non-Cell Lung Cancer, 
• Urothelial Carcinoma, 
• Renal Cell Carcinoma etc. 

Refer to prescribing information for the indication of each drug.