Passing through checkpoints
A new breed of cancer treatments highlights what’s possible when industry concentrates its efforts
The success of immune-harnessing checkpoint inhibitor cancer drugs is a shining example of a fruitful relationship between academic and industrial research. This year’s Nobel prize in medicine, awarded to pioneers in the field, directly recognises the contribution of academic research in establishing the basic science. But also, indirectly, industrial research in harnessing these discoveries and developing successful cancer medicines.