How can small molecule drugs help boost the immune system?

Small molecule drugs target immune cell protein-protein interactions to modulate their function and counteract pathological mechanisms. Small molecule drug-based preclinical and clinical studies are an active area of research in cancer immunotherapy. This includes inhibitors for the CBP/EP300 bromodomain, the deubiquitylase USP7, as well as the T-cell response regulating proteins IDO1 and TDO.1

Reference:
1. Y. Zheng, et al., "Enhancing Adoptive Cell Therapy of Cancer through Targeted Delivery of Small-Molecule Immunomodulators to Internalizing or Noninternalizing Receptors," ACS Nano 11(3):3089-3100, 2017.