Abstract 7223: A triplet therapeutic strategy targeting MEK, BCL-XL, and EGFR, for KRAS-mutant pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Abstract

Abstract KRAS mutations drive over 90% of pancreatic cancers, but KRAS has been proven difficult to target. Downstream of KRAS, MEK inhibition in combination with BCL-XL inhibition is synthetically lethal and an effective treatment for gynecologic, but not colorectal malignancies. Like colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer often exhibits aberrant HER/EGFR activity. We hypothesized that a triplicate regimen targeting MEK, BCL-XL, and EGFR/HER would be effective for pancreatic cancer. Trametinib (MEK inhibitor), Afatinib (pan-EGFR/HER inhibitor), and Navitoclax (BCL-XL inhibitor); or DT2216 (a BCL-XL/BCL-1 proteolysis targeting chimera, PROTAC) were explored using various combinatorial strategies. These drug combinations were tested using four primary human pancreatic cancer cell lines using live cell imaging (Incucyte) and an in vivo murine model. Group comparisons were analyzed using one-way ANOVAs, and adjusted p-values <0.05 were considered significant. We observed that no single-agent treatments were effective. MEK inhibition plus anti-BCL-XL (Trametinib + Navitoclax or Trametinib + DT2216) demonstrated efficacy in one of the four cell lines. We noted synergistic effects on reduced cell growth and increased cell death when EGFR/HER inhibition was included by the administration of Afatinib. The triplet combination resulted in synergistic effects in three of four cell lines with Navitoclax and four of four cell lines with DT2216 (q<0.05). This effect was confirmed with DT2216 inhibition of BCL-XL in an in-vivo murine model. In conclusion, our study shows that a combinatory strategy targeting MEK, BCL-XL, and pan-EGFR/HER receptor kinase shows significant synergistic effects in pancreatic cancer. Clinical trials that assess the efficacy and safety of this strategy for patients with KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer are warranted. Our data also suggests that novel KRAS inhibitors as monotherapy are likely to fail. Citation Format: Gerik W. Tushoski-Alemán, Alexandra J. Crespin, Chibeze J. Oguejiofor, Jordan A. McKean, Kelly M. Herremans, Thomas J. George, Carmen J. Allegra, Steven J. Hughes, Song Han. A triplet therapeutic strategy targeting MEK, BCL-XL, and EGFR, for KRAS-mutant pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 7223.