(186al) Reengineering the Tumor Microenvironment to Enhance Nano-Immunotherapy

Nanotherapeutics have been approved for cancer patients, but their effect on survival has been limited and often less than other approved drugs. Immunotherapy has revolutionized treatment of multiple malignancies. Unfortunately, most patients do not benefit from the current immunotherapies and many encounter immune-related adverse effects. In contrast, nanomedicine can reduce some toxicities. The abnormal tumor microenvironment (TME) is a major impediment to the success of both nano- and immune-therapies. Specifically, the barriers posed by the TME not only limit drug delivery but also limit their efficacy even when they accumulate in tumors. The recent approval in breast cancer patients of nab-paclitaxel with an immune-checkpoint blocker demonstrates the potential of combining nanomedicine and immunotherapy. Here, I present strategies to harness the potential of nanotechnology-based immunotherapy by reengineering the abnormal TME.