Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42423743›Full record

ReviewCancer chemotherapy and pharmacology2026

Anti-PD-1 single-chain variable fragments in cancer immunotherapy: from molecular engineering to clinical translation.

Zahraa AlKhafaje, H Malathi, Aniruddh Dash, J Precilla Selvakumari, Gurjant Singh, Aashna Sinha, Muath Suliman, Aseel Smerat

Abstract readReview
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In one paragraph

Review in Cancer chemotherapy and pharmacology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Zahraa AlKhafajeDepartment of Medical Analysis, Medical Laboratory Technique College, The Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq.
H MalathiDepartment of Biotechnology and Genetics, School of Sciences, JAIN (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, India.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6198-8428
Aniruddh DashDepartment of Orthopaedics, IMS and SUM Hospital, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan, Bhubaneswar, 751003, Odisha, India.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5068-8323
J Precilla SelvakumariDepartment of Nursing, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-7840-4745
Gurjant SinghDepartment of Physiotherapy, University Institute of Allied Health Sciences, Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, India.
Aashna SinhaSchool of Applied and Life Sciences, Division of Research and Innovation, Uttaranchal University Dehradun, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3550-6442
Muath SulimanDepartment of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia. imahmood@kku.edu.sa.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6638-2433
Aseel SmeratFaculty of Educational Sciences, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, 19328, Jordan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-4600-509X

Funding

Deanship of Scientific Research, King Khalid University RGP.02/304/46
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The programmed death-1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint is a core regulator of T-cell exhaustion and immune evasion in cancer. While PD-1/PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies have changed the landscape of cancer immunotherapy, there are barriers to broader application due to their large size, potential for systemic toxicities, and high production costs. In this review article, we will focus on therapeutic development, functional applications, and translational advances of anti-PD-1 single-chain variable fragments (scFvs). Advances in phage-display libraries, immunization methods, and antibody engineering have helped develop high-affinity scFvs with novel structural and mechanistic properties. Direct functional applications incorporating anti-PD-1 scFvs are bispecific and trispecific constructs, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), immunotoxins, nanoparticles, and biological vector carriers that incorporate checkpoint blockade with targeted cytotoxicity or immunostimulation. Engineered immune cells, such as armored CAR-Ts, NK cells, and MSCs, can secrete or display anti-PD-1 scFvs within the tumor to provide localized checkpoint inhibition, enhance effector-cell persistence, and remodel the tumor microenvironment. Oncolytic and non-replicating viral vectors can further confine scFv activity to tumors, coupling checkpoint blockade with oncolysis, cytokine expression, or bispecific T-cell engagers. Early-phase clinical trials are currently studying TILs and CAR-TILs engineered to secrete scFvs and oncolytic HSV-1 encoding multifunctional checkpoint payloads across a variety of solid tumors. Taken together, anti-PD-1 scFvs represent a modular platform for localized checkpoint inhibition and potentially improved cost-effectiveness compared with systemic antibodies. Future work should prioritize rational combination strategies and well-designed clinical trials that integrate anti-PD-1 scFv platforms with other immunotherapies and standard treatments to maximize clinical benefit.

Indexed as

Immune Checkpoint InhibitorsImmunotherapyNeoplasmsProgrammed Cell Death 1 ReceptorSingle-Chain AntibodiesAnimalsHumansProtein EngineeringImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsPDCD1 protein, humanProgrammed Cell Death 1 ReceptorSingle-Chain AntibodiesCancerImmunotherapyProgrammed death-1Single-chain variable fragmentsVirotherapy

Identifiers

PMID42423743

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.