What is the MOA of Loqtorzi (toripalimab)?

Official answer

by Drugs.com

Loqtorzi (toripalimab) is an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody that binds to the PD-1 protein on T-cells (a type of immune cell) and blocks it from binding to its ligands (PD-L1 and PD-L2) found on the surface of some cancer cells. This helps to kill the cancer by increasing the response of the immune system.

Loqtorzi is under investigation for the treatment of advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a rare type of head and neck cancer, but is not yet approved by the FDA for this use. If approved, it would be the first PD-1 cleared in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Loqtorzi is under development by Shanghai Junshi Biosciences and Coherus BioSciences, Inc.

Loqtorzi is known as an immune checkpoint inhibitor and is given via an intravenous infusion.

Examples of other common immune checkpoint inhibitors used to treat cancer include pembrolizumab (Keytruda), ipilimumab (Yervoy), and nivolumab (Opdivo).

How does Loqtorzi work in cancer?

Loqtorzi works with the immune system to help fight cancer and is considered an immunotherapy treatment.

The immune system helps to guard the body from infections due to bacteria, viruses, and even cancer. The immune system has a memory, too, and it can remember and recognize when foreign invaders, such as cancer, attempt to inhabit our body.

However, the immune system is not perfect in fighting these intruders. It appears some tumors can 'turn off' the ability of cancer-fighting cells such as T-cells (a type of white blood cell) to attack these foreign cells.

Loqtorzi is classified as an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody. T-cells (a type of white blood cell found in our body) help protect us from infection and may help fight cancer. When PD-L1 (a protein found on some cancer cells) binds to another protein called PD-1 (found on T cells), it has a negative effect - it keeps T cells from killing the cells that contain PD-L1, including the cancer cells.

Normally, this mechanism (immune checkpoint) is used to help prevent our body from attacking normal cells, but when it happens with cancer cells, the cancer can grow unchecked.

That’s where immune checkpoint inhibitors come into play. Immune checkpoint inhibitors like Loqtorzi bind to PD-L1 and block (prevent) its binding to PD-1. This releases the “brakes” on the immune system and leaves T cells and their immune response free to kill cancer cells.

Examples of checkpoint proteins found on T cells or cancer cells include PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4/B7-1/B7-2.

Which immune checkpoint inhibitors are approved?

The number of immune Checkpoint Inhibitors approved by the FDA has skyrocketed in recent years. These medicines now play a major role in cancer treatment for some of the most advanced cancers. These include:

How do I get Loqtorzi?

Although toripalimab (Loqtorzi) is not yet approved by the FDA, you may be eligible to enroll in an ongoing clinical trial. To learn more about available clinical trials for toripalimab, you can look at the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Clinical Trial Finder on their website and talk to your cancer specialist.

Clinical studies have already been submitted to the FDA and an approval decision on Loqtorzi is expected in the near future. The biological license application (BLA) for FDA approval was supported by the clinical studies POLARIS-02 and JUPITER-02.

This is not all the information you need to know about toripalimab (Loqtorzi) for safe and effective use and does not take the place of your doctor’s directions. Review the full product information and discuss this information and any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider.