Mechanism of Pathway: Phosphatidylserine, an Immune-Modulating Checkpoint, Ushers in the Next Wave of Immuno-Oncology Targets
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is an immune checkpoint distinct from PD-1/PD-L1, CTLA-4, and other antagonists or agonists of T-cell activation
Tumors compromise the body’s normal immunosuppressive process of clearance/disposal of dying cells through PS-signaling mechanisms to evade immune detection
PS exposure in the tumor microenvironment is immunosuppressive and increases in response to chemotherapy and radiation therapy
Bavituximab is an investigational monoclonal antibody that targets PS and is believed to override PS-mediated immunosuppressive signaling in tumors prevalent in the tumor microenvironment, as well as to provide an immune-activating signal through Fc-γ receptor signaling