Nature reviews. Clinical oncology
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The traditional regulatory drug approval paradigm comprising discrete phases of clinical testing that culminate in a large randomized superiority trial has historically been predominant in oncology. However, this approach has evolved in the current era of drug development, with multiple other development pathways now being utilized. Indeed, treatment approaches designed on the basis of an improved understanding of cancer biology have led to unprecedented responses in early phase trials, sometimes resulting in drug approvals in the absence of large-scale trials. ⋯ Moreover, new FDA regulatory paradigms have enabled the rapid review and accelerated approval of certain drugs in the absence of survival data. Regulatory approvals based on large-cohort trials with surrogate or intermediate clinical end points or on non-inferiority trials, as well as new tumour-agnostic indications, also set important precedents in the field. In this Viewpoint, we asked two leading oncologists involved in clinical drug development, an expert in regulatory science and prescription drug policy and a prominent patient advocate, to provide their opinions on the implications of these changes in regulatory practices for patient care.
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The past decade has seen the emergence of immunotherapy as a prime approach to cancer treatment, revolutionizing the management of many types of cancer. Despite the promise of immunotherapy, most patients do not have a response or become resistant to treatment. Thus, identifying combinations that potentiate current immunotherapeutic approaches will be crucial. ⋯ Studies have revealed key roles of epigenetic processes in regulating immune cell function and mediating antitumour immunity. These interactions make combined epigenetic therapy and immunotherapy an attractive approach to circumvent the limitations of immunotherapy alone. In this Review, we highlight the basic dynamic mechanisms underlying the synergy between immunotherapy and epigenetic therapies and detail current efforts to translate this knowledge into clinical benefit for patients.