Insight

Maria Babak: Critical advancement in the treatment of mCSCC and laCSCC

Maria (Masha) Babak/LinkedIn

Dec 25, 2024, 03:51

Maria Babak: Critical advancement in the treatment of mCSCC and laCSCC

Maria Babak, Head of The Babak Lab and an Assistant Professor at the City University of Hong Kong, shared a post by The Babak Lab on LinkedIn, adding:

“This FDA approval marks a critical advancement in the treatment of metastatic and locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

The efficacy results, particularly the high ORR and durability of response, provide hope for patients with limited treatment options.

Cosibelimab-ipdl’s safety profile and convenient tri-weekly infusion schedule could also make it a more accessible choice for many patients.

What do you think about the impact of PD-L1 inhibitors like this one on the future of oncology? Let’s share perspectives below!”

Quoting The Babak Lab’s post:

“FDA Approval of Cosibelimab-ipdl for mCSCC and laCSCC.

The FDA has approved cosibelimab-ipdl (Unloxcyt) for adults with metastatic or locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (mCSCC or laCSCC) who are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation.

Key Highlights:

This PD-L1 blocking antibody demonstrated promising efficacy:

ORR: 47% for metastatic cases and 48% for locally advanced cases.
Median DOR: Not reached in mCSCC, 17.7 months in laCSCC.

Safety Profile: Common side effects include fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, rash, and more.
Dosage: Administered as a 1,200 mg IV infusion every three weeks.

This approval offers a significant step forward for patients with advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma who have limited options.

What are your thoughts on this advancement? Let’s discuss in the comments below!

Explore more here.”

Maria Babak

Maria (Masha) Babak is the Head of The Babak Lab and an Assistant Professor at the City University of Hong Kong. In November 2020, she joined the City University of Hong Kong as an assistant professor. Dr. Babak received the Graeme Hanson-AsBIC Early Career Award in 2022.

Her research interests are at the intersection of chemistry, biology, and medicine, with a focus on the discovery and preclinical development of anticancer drugs for resistant and aggressive cancers with limited treatment options, such as malignant pleural mesothelioma and brain metastases. She received the Yvonne Award by OncoDaily in the “mentorship” category.