Durvalumab in combination with Tremelimumab for recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck – first line

Durvalumab in combination with tremelimumab is in clinical development for the first line treatment of people with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell cancer of the head and neck. Cancers that are known collectively as head and neck cancers usually begin in the squamous cells that line the moist, mucosal surfaces inside the head and neck (for example, inside the mouth, the nose, and the throat). These squamous cell cancers are often referred to as squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck.
Cancerous cells produce proteins to stop the body’s natural immune response to recognise and respond to the disease. Durvalumab and tremelimumab are drugs that act in different unique ways to stimulate the body’s natural defences that fight the cancer cells. The combined effect of the two products may produce a stronger and more targeted immune response against the cancer cells when compared to current treatments.