The Development of STING Agonists and Emerging Results as a Cancer Immunotherapy

New therapies are needed to potentiate the effects of current immunotherapies and overcome resistance. The stimulator of interferon genes genes (STING) pathway is an innate immune activating cascade that may enhance current cancer immunotherapies. Preclinical data has shown that the addition of a STING agonist enhances the effect of current treatments such as immune checkpoint inhibitor antibodies and radiation therapy. Early phase trials have demonstrated modest efficacy of STING agonists and revealed new mechanistic and technical challenges. STING agonists are a new class of agents that activate the immune response to improve tumor control. A wide range of preclinical experiments, translational data, and ongoing clinical trials support the therapeutic use of STING agonists in patients. Trials to determine optimal drug combinations and novel delivery mechanisms are continuing in development.