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Mar 25, 2025, 08:22

Steven O’Day on the latest innovations and the future of immunotherapy

Steven O’Day, Chief Medical Officer at Agenus, joined Chris Hayden in a recent episode of The Top Line podcast to talk about one of the most exciting shifts in cancer treatment: the next wave of immunotherapy.

In the conversation, Dr. Steven O’Day broke down what makes immunotherapy such a game-changer compared to traditional cancer treatments. With more than three decades of experience treating cancer patients, Dr. O’Day explained why activating the immune system—rather than directly targeting tumors—offers a more durable and potentially curative approach. He said,

“Unlike chemotherapy, which directly attacks cancer but often loses effectiveness, immunotherapy activates the immune system—especially T cells—to recognize and destroy cancer over time. It’s a slower start, but when it works, it can lead to long-lasting responses and even cures.”

However, not all cancers respond equally. Dr. O’Day pointed out that while “hot” tumors like melanoma are visible to the immune system, most of the solid tumors, including colorectal cancers are considered “cold” and don’t trigger a strong immune response.

That’s where Agenus comes in. Their lead immunotherapy candidates, botensilimab (BOT) and balstilimab (BAL) are designed to change that. Dr. O’Day explained:

“It’s a one-two punch, BOT primes the T cells, gets them activated and ready, and BAL keeps them from getting exhausted during the fight. Together, they’re helping the immune system see and attack cold tumors like colorectal cancer.”

As Dr. O’Day put it, these innovations could mark the beginning of a “Revolution 2.0” in immuno-oncology—where powerful, targeted immune-based therapies are no longer limited to just a few cancer types, but expand to include the tougher, colder tumors that affect the majority of patients.

Listen to the full episode of The Top Line for more insights from Dr. O’Day and the future of immunotherapy.

Also, don’t miss Dhan Chand’s insightful speech from the Global Cancer Movement, where Vice President of Research at Agenus, talks about the potential of Botensilimab in treating refractory colorectal cancers. In his talk, Botensilimab: A Novel Anti-CTLA-4 Therapy Effectively Treats Refractory Colorectal Cancers, Dhan Chand explains how this innovative treatment is making a real difference for patients whose cancers haven’t responded to traditional therapies.