Lifileucel plus pembrolizumab shows durable responses in first-line advanced melanoma
Published on 25 October 2026
Dr Andrew Furness speaks to ecancer about the final analysis of cohort 1A of the IOV-COM-202 study, evaluating lifileucel, a tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) cell therapy, in combination with pembrolizumab as first-line treatment for advanced melanoma.
He reports encouraging antitumour activity, with an objective response rate of 62% and a complete response rate of 29.2% among patients receiving the specified lifileucel dose, with most responders maintaining their responses for at least 12 months.
Dr Furness explains that molecular analyses demonstrated greater persistence of tumour-derived T-cell receptors in responding patients, providing insights into the potential mechanisms underlying durable treatment responses.
He also highlights a safety profile consistent with previous experience and suggest that these findings support further investigation of lifileucel plus pembrolizumab in the ongoing phase III TILVANCE-301 trial.
You can also read the news story here.