The Clinical TIL Experience in Melanoma: Past, Present, Future
James W. Smithy, Adam J. Schoenfeld, Allison Betof Warner
Abstract
• The recent approval of lifileucel by the US Food and Drug Administration marks the culmination of decades of research on tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy for the treatment of advanced melanoma. • Current challenges and opportunities for enhancement of TIL therapy are highlighted • Engineering TILs to improve efficacy and reduce toxicity is an active area of clinical and translational investigation. The recent approval of lifileucel by the US Food and Drug Administration in February 2024 was the culmination of over 3 decades of research in adoptive cell therapy with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) for unresectable melanoma. In this review, we highlight key historical data for TIL therapy in melanoma as well as ongoing efforts to improve its efficacy and applicability.