Summary

Biomarkers are needed to identify patients who benefit most from targeted or immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in metastatic melanoma. This webinar will share an analysis of biomarkers using pre-treatment melanoma samples from the dabrafenib plus trametinib arm of the randomized, Phase III COMBI-v trial using the HALO® image analysis platform combined with gene expression analysis using the Nanostring nCounter technology.

This is believed to be the first large-scale analysis of gene expression signatures, tumor cell interactions and T- and B-cell interactions by digital pathology in patients treated with targeted therapy. Distinct T-cell/B-cell signatures at baseline demonstrated prognostic value, as high T-cell/low B-cell signatures were associated with prolonged survival vs. high T-cell/high B-cell signatures.

Patients with high B-cell signatures had high tumor B-cell infiltration associated with a modified tumor cell phenotype. Recent findings show high T-cell/high B-cell signatures at screening correlated with improved response to ICIs vs. low B-cell signatures. B cells may be potential biomarkers to identify patients who could achieve improved clinical benefit.