IMMUNOLOGY2026™ Conference Recordings For Attendees-Optimizing Cancer Antibody Effectiveness: Pharmacology and Mathematical Modeling to Achieve Better Clinical Outcomes

Optimizing Cancer Antibody Effectiveness: Pharmacology and Mathematical Modeling to Achieve Better Clinical Outcomes

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The speaker described research on TNF superfamily receptors, especially TNFR2, and why many therapeutic agonist/antagonist antibodies have failed clinically. She argued that the usual drug-development approach of escalating to maximum tolerated dose can be wrong for these functional antibodies because their effects are bimodal: too little dose gives no receptor clustering, an intermediate dose is effective, and too much dose blocks the needed interactions. Her lab found that TNFR2 antibodies can stabilize a previously unrecognized antiparallel dimer structure, forming hexagonal “beehive” networks that selectively target highly activated tumor Tregs while sparing normal Tregs. This can also unleash T effector cells. She proposed this may apply broadly to the TNF receptor family and noted that companies like Pfizer and AbbVie are finding similar structures. The talk concluded that dosing strategy, especially subcutaneous vs. IV delivery, may be key to making these antibodies successful.

Meta Tag

Date April 16, 2026 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM

Room 156

Session Understanding Immune Responses to Optimize Immune Intervention

Speaker Denise Faustman

Track Translational and Interventional Immunology (TI)

Year 2026

Keywords

TNFR2

TNF superfamily receptors

agonist antibodies

beehive networks

dose strategy

April 16, 2026 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM

156

Understanding Immune Responses to Optimize Immune Intervention

Denise Faustman

Translational and Interventional Immunology (TI)

2026