What is Amtagvi prescribed for?
Amtagvi is prescribed to treat adult patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma previously treated with a PD-1 blocking antibody, and if BRAF V600 mutation positive, a BRAF inhibitor with or without a MEK inhibitor.
What is the name of the drug and what does it do?
The newly approved drug is called Amtagvi (generic name: lifileucel). It is pronounced “am-tuh-gah-vee” and it is a a cellular therapy designed to treat adult patients with advanced skin cancer, specifically melanoma (a type of skin cancer caused by UV light exposure) that cannot be removed with surgery or has spread to other parts of the body.
Amtagvi is a type of T cell immunotherapy that helps the immune system fight cancer cells.
In T cell immunotherapy, T cells are extracted from the patient’s body, modified or activated in a laboratory setting to better recognize and attack cancer cells, and then infused back into the patient.
These engineered T cells can then target and destroy cancer cells more effectively, potentially leading to better treatment outcomes for the patient.
How does it work?
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer often caused by exposure to ultraviolet light. Amtagvi works by using the patient’s own T cells, which are a type of immune cell, to target and destroy cancer cells.
These T cells are extracted from the patient’s tumor tissue, processed in a lab, and then infused back into the patient to help fight the cancer.
What did the research discover?
In a study with 73 patients who had advanced melanoma and tried other treatments, Amtagvi worked well.
About 31.5% of patients responded to Amtagvi, with 4.1% having a complete response and 27.4% having a partial response. Among those who responded, many kept doing well without the cancer getting worse or causing death at six, nine, and 12 months.
This shows Amtagvi could be a helpful treatment for advanced melanoma when other treatments haven’t worked.
What are some of the side effects?
- Chills
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Fast heart rate (tachycardia)
- Diarrhea
- Swelling (edema)
- Rash
- Low blood pressure (hypotension)
- Hair loss
- Infections
- Low oxygen levels (hypoxia)
- Shortness of breath
What are the dosage recommendations and how is it prescribed?
The dosage recommendation for Amtagvi should be followed as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Amtagvi is typically administered as a single dose through infusion (IV).
Source:
FDA Approves First Cellular Therapy to Treat Patients with Unresectable or Metastatic Melanoma [Internet]. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2024 [cited 2024 Jun 28]. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-cellular-therapy-treat-patients-unresectable-or-metastatic-melanoma
