Immune checkpoint

These pathways are crucial for self-tolerance, which prevents the immune system from attacking cells indiscriminately.

However, some cancers can protect themselves from attack by stimulating immune checkpoint targets.

For the related basic science discoveries, James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo won the Tang Prize in Biopharmaceutical Science and the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2018.

[2][3] Four stimulatory checkpoint molecules are members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily—CD27, CD40, OX40, GITR and CD137.

[52][38] Checkpoint inhibitor drugs have seen growth in pharmaceutical research in cancer by companies including Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck, Merck KGaA, Roche and AstraZeneca.

Immune checkpoints in the tumour microenvironment
Immune checkpoints of immunosuppressive actions associated with breast cancer
Cancer Therapy by Inhibition of Negative Immune Regulation (CTLA4, PD1)