OR05-05 Lethal ERα-Dependent Hyperactivation of the Unfolded Protein Response Induces Complete Regression Without Recurrence of Primary and Metastatic Breast Cancer

Abstract

Metastatic estrogen receptor α (ERα) positive breast cancer is presently incurable and most patients die within 7 years. From a medicinal chemistry program, we identified a novel small molecule that acts through ERα to kill breast cancer cells and often induces complete regression without recurrence of large, therapy-resistant primary breast tumors and of lung, bone, and liver metastases. To target metastatic ERα positive breast cancer, we exploited our finding that estrogen-ERα activates an extranuclear tumor-protective, signaling pathway, the anticipatory unfolded protein response (UPR). We repurposed this tumor protective pathway by targeting it with the small molecule, ErSO. ErSO kills cancer cells by acting non-competitively through ERα to induce lethal hyperactivation of the anticipatory UPR, triggering rapid necrotic cell death. Using luciferase to image primary tumors and metastases containing lethal ERαD538G and ERαY537S mutations seen in metastatic breast cancer, oral and injected ErSO exhibited unprecedented antitumor activity. In mouse xenografts bearing large breast tumors, oral and injected ErSO induced complete regression (>115,000 fold mean regression) in about 45% of mice (18/39). Although durable response for 4-6 months without additional treatment was common, tumors that did recur remained fully sensitive to ErSO re-treatment. Consistent with the essential nature of the UPR pathway targeted by ErSO, in more than 100 tumor-bearing mice, we have never seen an ErSO-resistant tumor. In just 7 days, oral ErSO induced complete regression of most lung, bone, and liver metastases. ErSO is well-tolerated in mice and blood-brain-barrier penetrant. Injected ErSO induced profound regression of challenging brain tumors. On average, ErSO-treated tumors were >180-fold smaller than vehicle-treated tumors. These xenograft studies used human cancer cells in mice that lack a functional immune system and therefore did not exploit the known ability of inducers of necrotic cell death to activate immune cells and induce immunogenic cell death. Notably, medium from breast cancer cells killed by ErSO contained high levels of immune cell activators, robustly activated mouse and human macrophages and increased macrophage migration. Moreover, use of ErSO is not limited to breast cancer. ErSO rapidly kills ERα positive ovarian and endometrial cancer cells that do not require estrogen for growth. ErSO’s potent activity against advanced primary and metastatic ERα-positive breast cancers represents a paradigm shift in leveraging ERα for anticancer efficacy.