Designing A Better Future For Immuno-Oncology: The Power Of ‘Iterative Innovation’

Insights From Peter Sandor, Primary Focus Lead IO, Astellas Pharma

26 Jul 2021

We are at a pivotal point in the reassessment of our approach to innovation, with the value of ‘design thinking’ and an ‘iterative innovation approach’ becoming the most promising solutions to solving the scientific and biological challenges of the future.

Activating the body’s own immune system to fight off cancer is not a new concept. There have been great strides forward in recent years, with CAR-T cell therapies, immune checkpoint inhibitors and other successes revolutionizing the field. But cancer is smart and can outmaneuver even the most precise therapies – evading the body’s immune system or hiding from it, disabling the immune response and rendering immunotherapies ineffective.

Having seen the transformative potential of immuno-oncology treatments in cancer patients who do respond, the global scientific community is resolutely...