Combination immuno-oncology therapy with pembrolizumab, an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody targeting immune evasion, and standard chemotherapy for patients with the squamous and nonsquamous subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer

Immuno-oncology drugs that inhibit immunosuppressive receptors (CTLA4, LAG3, PD-1, TIGIT and TIM3) or activate immunostimulatory receptors (4-1BB, GITR, ICOS and OX40) are emerging as promising therapeutics for cancer patients (1-3). PD-1 (CD279 or PDCD1), consisting of the extracellular N-terminal loop and immunoglobulin variable (IgV) domain, a single transmembrane domain and intracellular ITIM and ITSM motifs, is a representative target of immuno-oncology therapy (4-6).