Cleavable Linker Research Articles

Abstract PO2-04-03: BL-M07D1, an antibody-drug conjugate directed to HER2 in patients with locally advanced or metastatic Breast Cancer with HER2-positive/low-expression and other solid tumors: Results from a first-in-human phase 1 study

Abstract Background: BL-M07D1 is an anti-HER2 antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) comprised of a humanized anti-HER2 antibody, a cathepsin B cleavable linker, and a novel topoisomerase I inhibitor (Ed-04). Methods: This study included subjects with locally advanced or metastatic HER2 expressing (positive/low) breast cancer (BC) and other solid tumors. BL-M07D1 would be administered at doses of 1.0mg/kg Day 1 & Day 8 every 3 weeks (D1D8 Q3W) or 2.6, 3.2, 3.8, 4.4, 5.0, 5.6, 6.2, 6.8 and 7.4 mg/kg Day 1 every 3 weeks (D1Q3W) during dose escalation (D-ESC). A subset of patients (pts) will be enrolled in the dose-expansion phase (D-EXP) at D1 Q3W regimens. Results: As of June 25, a total of 75 pts have been treated with at least one dose of BL-M07D1, with 22 pts in the D-ESC phase and 53 in the D-EXP phase. Among the 75 pts, 1 received 1.0 mg/kg D1D8Q3W and 74 were treated on the D1Q3W schedule. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was observed at 6.2mg/kg (febrile neutropenia and G3 thrombocytopenia lasting >7 days in one patient). The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) has not been reached yet. D-EXP dose levels included 3.8, 4.4, 5.0 and 5.6mg/kg D1 Q3W. This study enrolled 62 patients with BC, 6 with gastric cancer, 4 with colorectal cancer and 3 with non-small cell lung cancer. The most common TEAEs ( >10%, all grade/≥G3) were leukopenia (79%/24%), neutropenia (69%/39%), anemia (63%/11%), nausea (47%/0%), thrombocytopenia (37%/9%), vomiting (37%/1%), decreased appetite (27%/0%), lymphopenia (24%/8%), alopecia (23%/0%), asthenia (19%/0), gamma-glutamyl transferase increased (17%/0%), aspartate aminotransferase increased (17%/0%), constipation (13%/0%), diarrhea (12%/0%), hypertriglyceridemia (12%/0%), urinary tract infection (11%/1%), COVID-19 (11%/0%), occult blood positive (11%/0%), pyrexia (11%/0%). No ILD was observed. Forty-five pts with BC were evaluated for efficacy (i.e., had at least one post-baseline tumor assessment). Updated efficacy and pharmacokinetic (PK) results will be presented at the meeting. Conclusions: BL-M07D1 demonstrated encouraging efficacy in heavily pretreated HER2 expressing cancers, especially in HER2+ BC. The safety profile showed adequate safety and tolerability. Clinical trial identification: NCT05461768. Efficacy in Patients with Breast Cancer a. 8/9 pts received prior HER2-ADC with microtubule inhibitor. 1/9 pts received prior HER2-ADC with TOPI inhibitor. b. 6 pts with tumor shrinkage are still on-going. c. All pts with tumor shrinkage are still on-going. Citation Format: Erwei Song, Herui Yao, Meili Sun, Hong Zong, Rongbo Lin, Wen Zou, Muran Ding, Jing Yu, Sa Xiao, Hongwei Wang, Hai Zhu, Martin Olivo, Yi Zhu. BL-M07D1, an antibody-drug conjugate directed to HER2 in patients with locally advanced or metastatic Breast Cancer with HER2-positive/low-expression and other solid tumors: Results from a first-in-human phase 1 study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO2-04-03.

Abstract PO1-04-07: Disitamab vedotin, a clinical stage HER2-directed antibody-drug conjugate, shows potent antitumor activity as a monotherapy and in combination with tucatinib in preclinical breast cancer models

Abstract Disitamab vedotin (DV, RC48-ADC) is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that targets cancers expressing HER2. DV consists of an anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody, disitamab, conjugated with the microtubule-disrupting agent monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) via a cleavable vedotin linker. DV has multimodal antitumor mechanisms of action that include direct cytotoxicity of HER2-expressing cancer cells and bystander effect-based cytotoxicity of neighboring cells, both of which are mediated by the intracellular release of MMAE. Released MMAE can also induce immunogenic cell death, which promotes immune cell recruitment to the tumor. In addition, DV stimulates Fc-gamma receptor mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, which can lead to target cell death. DV also inhibits HER2-activated downstream signaling pathways, further blocking cell growth, survival, and proliferation. Previously, we showed the cytotoxic activity of DV against a panel of breast cancer cell lines with varying levels of HER2 expression, including the HER2-low range. Here, we sought to further characterize the preclinical antitumor activity of DV in patient-derived 3D models and patient-derived xenographs (PDX). In cultured breast cancer cells, DV was more potent and internalized to a greater magnitude than the HER2-directed ADCs trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) and trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd). In patient-derived 3D models, DV had superior activity compared to T-DXd. We further explored whether dual HER2 targeting with DV in combination with the HER2-selective oral TKI tucatinib improved the antitumor outcomes. In PDX models with varying HER2 IHC levels and models refractory to T-DXd, DV as a monotherapy and in combination with tucatinib showed significant tumor growth inhibition. This result is consistent with previous in vitro results that showed increased cytotoxicity of the combination of DV and tucatinib in cell lines with a wide range of HER2 expression, which may be mechanistically attributed to elevated HER2 cell surface levels upon treatment with tucatinib. Overall, these findings provide scientific rationale to explore DV in HER2-positive and HER2-low breast cancer patients as a monotherapy or in combination with tucatinib. Citation Format: Kelsi Willis, Renee Hein, Katie Snead, Robert Thurman, Anita Kulukian. Disitamab vedotin, a clinical stage HER2-directed antibody-drug conjugate, shows potent antitumor activity as a monotherapy and in combination with tucatinib in preclinical breast cancer models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-04-07.

Abstract PO4-18-04: An exploratory study of Trastuzumab Deruxtecan neoadjuvant therapy in HER2-positive or HER2-low early or locally advanced breast cancer after a poor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Abstract Background The current standard of care for neoadjuvant treatment of HER2-positive early-stage breast cancer consists of dual HER2-blockade with trastuzumab (H) plus pertuzumab (P) and polychemotherapy with a pathological complete response (pCR) rate of 31%~50%. Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) is an antibody-drug conjugate composed of an anti-HER2 antibody, a cleavable tetrapeptide-based linker, and a cytotoxic topoisomerase I inhibitor. T-DXd significantly prolonged progression-free and overall survival vs trastuzumab emtansine in HER2-positive unresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer (mBC) previously treated with H and taxane in DESTINY-Breast03 study. HER2-low breast cancer is currently treated as HER2-negative (HER2-low and HER2-zero) breast cancer, with patients stratified according to hormone-receptor (HR) status. In DESTINY-Breast04 study, T-DXd resulted in significantly longer progression-free and overall survival than the physician’s choice of chemotherapy in HER2-low mBC. Given the efficacy of T-DXd monotherapy in HER2-positive or HER2-low mBC, we conduct an exploratory study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of T-DXd in HER2-positive or HER2-low early or locally advanced breast cancer after a poor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and to identify sensitive biomarkers for T-DXd neoadjuvant therapy. Methods Eligible patients were women aged 18 years to 75 years with clinical stage cT2–cT4/cN0–cN3/cM0 (stage II–III) invasive breast cancer (>2 cm in size) confirmed as HER2-positive (immunohistochemistry [IHC] 3+) or HER2-low (IHC2+ or IHC1+/situ hybridization-negative). Patients are required to have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1, and baseline left ventricular ejection fraction of at least 55% (as measured by echocardiogram). Patients are also required to have adequate organ function and bone marrow function. Patients with HER2-positive breast cancer should receive taxane (paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel) or docetaxel, carboplatin, and H plus P for 2 cycles. Patients with HER2-low and HR-positive breast cancer should receive taxane (paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel) or docetaxel, and cisplatin or carboplatin for 2 cycles. Patients with HER2-low and HR-negative breast cancer should receive taxane (paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel) or docetaxel, and anthracycline (epirubicin, pirarubicin or liposomal doxorubicin) for 2 cycles. For patients who have responses of stable disease assessed by magnetic resonance imaging will receive T-DXd neoadjuvant therapy. T-DXd will be administered intravenously every 3 weeks at a dose of 5.4 mg per kilogram of body weight for 4 cycles. Peripheral blood and biopsy tissue will be collected before neoadjuvant chemotherapy and T-DXd neoadjuvant therapy, and peripheral blood and surgical tissue will be collected after the surgery. Lipid metabolites in peripheral blood and mass spectrometry-based protein quantification in tissue will be detected to find sensitive biomarkers for T-DXd neoadjuvant therapy. The primary endpoint is pCR rate (ypT0/Tis ypN0) and identify sensitive biomarkers for T-DXd neoadjuvant therapy. Secondary endpoints include objective response rate, breast-conserving rate and invasive disease-free survival. Citation Format: Jin Zhang, Zhendong Shi, Jingjing Liu. An exploratory study of Trastuzumab Deruxtecan neoadjuvant therapy in HER2-positive or HER2-low early or locally advanced breast cancer after a poor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO4-18-04.

A Conditionally Activated Cytosol-Penetrating Antibody for TME-Dependent Intracellular Cargo Delivery.

Currently, therapeutic and diagnostic applications of antibodies are primarily limited to cell surface-exposed and extracellular proteins. However, research has been conducted on cell-penetrating peptides (CPP), as well as cytosol-penetrating antibodies, to overcome these limitations. In this context, a heparin sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG)-binding antibody was serendipitously discovered, which eventually localizes to the cytosol of target cells. Functional characterization revealed that the tested antibody has beneficial cytosol-penetrating capabilities and can deliver cargo proteins (up to 70 kDa) to the cytosol. To achieve tumor-specific cell targeting and cargo delivery through conditional activation of the cell-penetrating antibody in the tumor microenvironment, a single-chain Fc fragment (scFv) and a VL domain were isolated as masking units. Several in vitro assays demonstrated that fusing the masking protein with a cleavable linker to the cell penetration antibody results in the inactivation of antibody cell binding and internalization. Removal of the mask via MMP-9 protease cleavage, a protease that is frequently overexpressed in the tumor microenvironment (TME), led to complete regeneration of binding and cytosol-penetrating capabilities. Masked and conditionally activated cytosol-penetrating antibodies have the potential to serve as a modular platform for delivering protein cargoes addressing intracellular targets in tumor cells.

Abstract PO1-19-10: Durvalumab + datopotamab deruxtecan in patients with PD-L1 positive advanced/metastatic triple-negative breast cancer: Arm 8 of the phase 1b/2, open label, platform BEGONIA study

Abstract Background: Patients (pts) with advanced/metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (a/mTNBC) have limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with chemotherapy is the standard of care for pts with PD-L1 positive tumors; still, most pts progress within a year, highlighting a need for new treatments. BEGONIA is an ongoing Simon 2-stage, multicenter, multi-arm platform study evaluating the safety and efficacy of durvalumab (D), an anti–PD-L1 monoclonal antibody, with or without paclitaxel, in combination with novel oncology therapies as first-line treatment for a/mTNBC (NCT03742102). Datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) consisting of a humanized anti-trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (TROP2) IgG1 monoclonal antibody linked to a topoisomerase I inhibitor payload via a plasma stable, tumor selective, tetrapeptide-based cleavable linker. TROP2 is broadly expressed on breast and other epithelial tumors and Dato-DXd monotherapy showed antitumor activity in heavily pretreated mTNBC pts (Bardia SABCS 2022 P6-10-03). Pts treated with Dato-DXd+D in Arm 7 of BEGONIA showed a 74% objective response rate (ORR) with median 7.2 months follow-up (Schmid SABCS 2022 PD11-09). Although responses were observed in both PD-L1–high and –low-expressing tumors, most pts (87%) had PD-L1–low-expressing tumors. In Arm 8 of BEGONIA, pts determined to have PD-L1 positive tumors by pre-existing/local testing will be recruited and treated with Dato-DXd+D to evaluate efficacy and safety in a PD-L1–high population. Methods: Eligible female pts are aged ≥18 years with untreated unresectable, locally advanced or mTNBC; ≥6 months between completion of treatment for earlier-stage breast cancer and recurrence of distant disease; ≥12 months since prior taxane therapy; ECOG PS 0/1; adequate organ function; and ≥1 nonirradiated measurable lesion. For inclusion in Arm 8, a PD-L1 positive tumor as determined by local immunohistochemistry (IHC) testing is required (either pre-existing or obtained during prescreening). Exclusion criteria for Arm 8 are clinically significant corneal disease; history or suspicion of interstitial lung disease/pneumonitis; underlying pulmonary disorder; prior exposure to immune-mediated therapy; or prior treatment with an ADC containing a topoisomerase I inhibitor. Arm 8 will evaluate Dato-DXd (6 mg/kg) + D (1120 mg) given intravenously every 3 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Tumors will be assessed per RECIST v1.1 every 6 weeks for 48 weeks, then every 12 weeks thereafter. A safety run-in will not occur for Arm 8, as Dato-DXd+D was evaluated in Arm 7 and was tolerable with no DLTs reported. Part 1 of Arm 8 will enroll 30 pts. The primary endpoint of Part 1 is safety and tolerability. A futility analysis will be performed with an option to expand Arm 8 to Part 2, where an additional 27 pts will be enrolled if expansion criteria are met. The primary endpoint for Part 2 is ORR. Secondary endpoints include ORR (Part 1 only), testing for antidrug antibodies and treatment pharmacokinetics (Part 1 only), duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). ORR will be summarized with descriptive statistics and 95% Clopper-Pearson confidence intervals. Kaplan-Meier analysis will be used for DoR, PFS, and OS. All tumor response and survival endpoints will be based on investigator assessments. Additional PD-L1 testing with the VENTANA PD-L1 (SP263) Assay will be performed on pretreatment tumor samples; high expression is defined as ≥10% of the tumor area populated by PD-L1–expressing tumor or immune cells. TROP2 expression will be assessed by IHC. Enrollment is ongoing. Funding: AstraZeneca/Daiichi Sankyo Citation Format: Peter Schmid, Cynthia Ma, Robert Huisden, Ross Stewart, Katrin Heider, Petra Vuković, Neelima Denduluri. Durvalumab + datopotamab deruxtecan in patients with PD-L1 positive advanced/metastatic triple-negative breast cancer: Arm 8 of the phase 1b/2, open label, platform BEGONIA study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-19-10.

Abstract PO1-20-13: TROPION-Breast04: A phase 3 study of neoadjuvant datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) + durvalumab followed by adjuvant durvalumab vs the standard of care in treatment-naive early-stage triple negative or HR-low/HER2– breast cancer

Abstract Background: The current standard of care for patients (pts) with treatment-naive Stage II–III triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is neoadjuvant pembrolizumab + anthracycline/taxane/platinum-based chemotherapy followed by surgery and adjuvant pembrolizumab monotherapy. However, among pts who received the combination of pembrolizumab and chemotherapy in the KEYNOTE-522 trial (NCT03036488), 28% ultimately discontinued therapy due to treatment-related adverse events, and 37% had residual disease at the time of surgery, which was associated with poor outcomes. Consequently, there remains an unmet need to develop a treatment approach that improves pathologic complete response (pCR) rates and long-term survival while reducing chemotherapy-associated toxicity in pts with early-stage TNBC. Dato-DXd is a TROP2-directed antibody-drug conjugate that consists of a humanized anti-TROP2 IgG1 monoclonal antibody conjugated to a potent topoisomerase I (Topo-I) inhibitor via a plasma stable tetrapeptide-based tumor-selective cleavable linker. Dato-DXd monotherapy has demonstrated a manageable safety profile and encouraging preliminary efficacy in pts with metastatic TNBC in the Phase 1 TROPION-PanTumor01 study (NCT03401385), with a confirmed objective response rate (ORR) of 32% in all pts and 44% in Topo-I inhibitor-naive pts with measurable disease at baseline. The combination of Dato-DXd with durvalumab has demonstrated durable responses in unresectable locally advanced or metastatic TNBC in the Phase 1b/2 BEGONIA study (NCT03742102), with an ORR of 79%, median duration of response of 15.5 months and median progression-free survival of 13.8 months. The ongoing Phase 3 TROPION-Breast03 trial (NCT05629585) is evaluating Dato-DXd ± durvalumab versus standard-of-care therapy as adjuvant treatment in pts with Stage I–III TNBC with residual invasive disease at the time of surgery after neoadjuvant treatment. The TROPION-Breast04 trial aims to determine if improved efficacy and safety can be achieved with neoadjuvant Dato-DXd + durvalumab followed by adjuvant durvalumab, compared with the pembrolizumab-based standard of care regimen in pts with previously untreated TNBC or hormone receptor-low (estrogen and/or progesterone receptor 1% to <10%; neither hormone receptor may be ≥10%)/HER2-negative (HR-low/HER2–) breast cancer. Trial design: TROPION-Breast04 (NCT06112379) is an ongoing Phase 3, 2-arm, parallel-group, randomized, open-label, multicenter, global trial. Approximately 1728 adults (aged ≥18 years) with previously untreated histologically confirmed Stage II–III unilateral or bilateral primary invasive TNBC or HR-low/HER2– breast cancer per AJCC edition 8 as assessed by the investigator, and an ECOG PS of 0 or 1, will be randomized 1:1 into one of two arms: neoadjuvant Dato-DXd + durvalumab followed by adjuvant durvalumab-based therapy, or neoadjuvant pembrolizumab + chemotherapy followed by adjuvant pembrolizumab-based therapy (full treatment details are provided in the Table). Randomization will be stratified by lymph node status, tumor stage, HR status, and geographic region. Pts with distant disease and any prior surgery, radiotherapy, or systemic anticancer therapy will be excluded from the study. The primary endpoints are pCR and event-free survival. The key secondary endpoint is overall survival; others are distant disease-free survival, patient reported outcomes, pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, and safety/tolerability. TROPION-Breast04 opened for enrolment in November 2023. Citation Format: Heather McArthur, Sara Tolaney, Sibylle Loibl, Rebecca Dent, Peter Schmid, Jamil Asselah, Erwei Song, Naoki Niikura. TROPION-Breast04: A phase 3 study of neoadjuvant datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) + durvalumab followed by adjuvant durvalumab vs the standard of care in treatment-naive early-stage triple negative or HR-low/HER2– breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-20-13.

Hybrid adipocyte-derived exosome nano platform for potent chemo-phototherapy in targeted hepatocellular carcinoma

The high prevalence and severity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) present a significant menace to human health. Despite the significant advancements in nanotechnology-driven antineoplastic agents, there remains a conspicuous gap in the development of targeted chemotherapeutic agents specifically designed for HCC. Consequently, there is an urgent need to explore potent drug delivery systems for effective HCC treatment. Here we have exploited the interplay between HCC and adipocyte to engineer a hybrid adipocyte-derived exosome platform, serving as a versatile vehicle to specifically target HCC and exsert potent antitumor effect. A lipid-like prodrug of docetaxel (DSTG) with a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-cleavable linker, and a lipid-conjugated photosensitizer (PPLA), spontaneously co-assemble into nanoparticles, functioning as the lipid cores of the hybrid exosomes (HEMPs and NEMPs). These nanoparticles are further encapsuled within adipocyte-derived exosome membranes, enhancing their affinity towards HCC cancer cells. As such, cancer cell uptakes of hybrid exosomes are increased up to 5.73-fold compared to lipid core nanoparticles. Our in vitro and in vivo experiments have demonstrated that HEMPs not only enhance the bioactivity of the prodrug and extend its circulation in the bloodstream but also effectively inhibit tumor growth by selectively targeting hepatocellular carcinoma tumor cells. Self-facilitated synergistic drug release subsequently promoting antitumor efficacy, inducing significant inhibition of tumor growth with minimal side effects. Our findings herald a promising direction for the development of targeted HCC therapeutics.

Datopotamab Deruxtecan in Advanced or Metastatic HR+/HER2- and Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Results From the Phase I TROPION-PanTumor01 Study.

Datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) is an antibody-drug conjugate consisting of a humanized antitrophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2) monoclonal antibody linked to a potent, exatecan-derived topoisomerase I inhibitor payload via a plasma-stable, selectively cleavable linker. TROPION-PanTumor01 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03401385) is a phase I, dose-escalation, and dose-expansion study evaluating Dato-DXd in patients with previously treated solid tumors. The primary study objective was to assess the safety and tolerability of Dato-DXd. Secondary objectives included evaluation of antitumor activity and pharmacokinetics. Results from patients with advanced/metastatic hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) breast cancer (BC) or triple-negative BC (TNBC) are reported. At data cutoff (July 22, 2022), 85 patients (HR+/HER2- BC = 41, and TNBC = 44) had received Dato-DXd. The objective response rate by blinded independent central review was 26.8% (95% CI, 14.2 to 42.9) and 31.8% (95% CI, 18.6 to 47.6) for patients with HR+/HER2- BC and TNBC, respectively. The median duration of response was not evaluable in the HR+/HER2- BC cohort and 16.8 months in the TNBC cohort. The median progression-free survival in patients with HR+/HER2- BC and TNBC was 8.3 and 4.4 months, respectively. All-cause treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs; any grade, grade ≥3) were observed in 100% and 41.5% of patients with HR+/HER2- BC and 100% and 52.3% of patients with TNBC. Stomatitis was the most common TEAE (any grade, grade ≥3) in both HR+/HER2- BC (82.9%, 9.8%) and TNBC (72.7%, 11.4%) cohorts. In patients with heavily pretreated advanced HR+/HER2- BC and TNBC, Dato-DXd demonstrated promising clinical activity and a manageable safety profile. Dato-DXd is currently being evaluated in phase III studies.

Chemical Proteomics Strategies for Analyzing Protein Lipidation Reveal the Bacterial O-Mycoloylome.

Protein lipidation dynamically controls protein localization and function within cellular membranes. A unique form of protein O-fatty acylation in Corynebacterium, termed protein O-mycoloylation, involves the attachment of mycolic acids─unusually large and hydrophobic fatty acids─to serine residues of proteins in these organisms' outer mycomembrane. However, as with other forms of protein lipidation, the scope and functional consequences of protein O-mycoloylation are challenging to investigate due to the inherent difficulties of enriching and analyzing lipidated peptides. To facilitate the analysis of protein lipidation and enable the comprehensive profiling and site mapping of protein O-mycoloylation, we developed a chemical proteomics strategy integrating metabolic labeling, click chemistry, cleavable linkers, and a novel liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method employing LC separation and complementary fragmentation methods tailored to the analysis of lipophilic, MS-labile O-acylated peptides. Using these tools in the model organism Corynebacterium glutamicum, we identified approximately 30 candidate O-mycoloylated proteins, including porins, mycoloyltransferases, secreted hydrolases, and other proteins with cell envelope-related functions─consistent with a role for O-mycoloylation in targeting proteins to the mycomembrane. Site mapping revealed that many of the proteins contained multiple spatially proximal modification sites, which occurred predominantly at serine residues surrounded by conformationally flexible peptide motifs. Overall, this study (i) discloses the putative protein O-mycoloylome for the first time, (ii) yields new insights into the undercharacterized proteome of the mycomembrane, which is a hallmark of important pathogens (e.g., Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis), and (iii) provides generally applicable chemical strategies for the proteomic analysis of protein lipidation.

Functionalizing tandem mass tags for streamlining click-based quantitative chemoproteomics

Mapping the ligandability or potential druggability of all proteins in the human proteome is a central goal of mass spectrometry-based covalent chemoproteomics. Achieving this ambitious objective requires high throughput and high coverage sample preparation and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis for hundreds to thousands of reactive compounds and chemical probes. Conducting chemoproteomic screens at this scale benefits from technical innovations that achieve increased sample throughput. Here we realize this vision by establishing the silane-based cleavable linkers for isotopically-labeled proteomics-tandem mass tag (sCIP-TMT) proteomic platform, which is distinguished by early sample pooling that increases sample preparation throughput. sCIP-TMT pairs a custom click-compatible sCIP capture reagent that is readily functionalized in high yield with commercially available TMT reagents. Synthesis and benchmarking of a 10-plex set of sCIP-TMT reveal a substantial decrease in sample preparation time together with high coverage and high accuracy quantification. By screening a focused set of four cysteine-reactive electrophiles, we demonstrate the utility of sCIP-TMT for chemoproteomic target hunting, identifying 789 total liganded cysteines. Distinguished by its compatibility with established enrichment and quantification protocols, we expect sCIP-TMT will readily translate to a wide range of covalent chemoproteomic applications.

Abstract CT008: A phase 2, two-stage study of mirvetuximab soravtansine (IMGN853) in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) recurrent or persistent endometrial cancer

Abstract Background & Objectives: Folate receptor-alpha (FRα) expression is associated with poor prognosis in endometrial cancer (EC). Mirvetuximab soravtansine (MIRV), an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) comprising a FRα-binding antibody, cleavable linker, and the tubulin-disrupting maytansinoid DM4, showed tolerability and single agent activity in a Phase 1 dose expansion study in FRα-positive advanced/recurrent EC (NCT01609556). In addition to target-mediated cytotoxicity, MIRV activates monocytes and promotes phagocytosis of tumor cells through Fc-FcγR interactions. We therefore hypothesized that MIRV would improve the low response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in MSS/pMMR EC and conducted this two-stage, phase 2, single cohort study evaluating the activity of MIRV in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with recurrent/persistent EC (NCT03835819). Methods: Patients with advanced or recurrent MSS/pMMR, FRα positive (defined as ≥50% of tumor cells with ≥2+ staining on IHC by Ventana, Inc.) serous EC received MIRV 6 mg/kg AIBW and pembrolizumab 200 mg every 21 days until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients could have received 1-3 prior lines of therapy; prior ICI therapy was allowed. The co-primary endpoints were objective response rate (ORR) as measured by RECIST 1.1 and frequency of patients surviving progression-free for 6 months (PFS6). In the first stage of the study, 16 patients were enrolled; if there were ≥2 objective responses or ≥2 PFS6 responses, an additional 19 patients would be enrolled in Stage 2. If a total of 4 objective responses or 8 PFS6 events were achieved, the combination would be considered worthy of further study. Data: Among 130 patient tumors prescreened for FRα expression, the median FRα (% of tumor cells with ≥2+ staining) was 30% (IQR: 5-55) and 43 (33.1%) were FRα positive (PS 2+ ≥50%). As of data-cutoff in November 2023, a total of 16 patients had received study treatment with median follow-up of 4.7 months (IQR 2.9, 17.3). Of 16 treated patients, 6 patients (37.5%, 95% CI: 15.2-64.6%) achieved an objective response, including 1 patient achieving a confirmed CR and 5 patients achieving a PR [3 confirmed PR (18.8%) and 2 unconfirmed PR (12.5%)] (Fig. 1). An additional 31.3% (5/16) had stable disease and two patients were alive and progression free at 6 months. The most common TRAEs included AST elevation (50%), blurred vision (44%), fatigue (44%) and diarrhea (43%); grade 3 TRAEs occurred in 2 patients (12.5%). Ocular toxicities of any grade were reported in 56.3% of patients. Updated efficacy and safety data as well as ongoing correlative studies will be reported at the time of the meeting. Conclusions: In this investigator-initiated study, the combination of MIRV and pembrolizumab met the co-primary endpoint to be considered worthy of further study in FRα-positive recurrent MSS/pMMR serous EC. Investigations into subpopulations most likely to derive clinical benefit from this combination are ongoing. Citation Format: Rebecca L. Porter, Niya Xiong, Nabihah Tayob, Madeline Polak, Hannah Sawyer, Martin Hayes, Jeanette Gardner, Susana Campos, Neil Horowitz, Carolyn Krasner, Elizabeth K. Lee, Joyce F. Liu, Elizabeth H. Stover, Jennifer Veneris, Alexi A. Wright, Ursula A. Matulonis, Panagiotis Konstantinopoulos. A phase 2, two-stage study of mirvetuximab soravtansine (IMGN853) in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) recurrent or persistent endometrial cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr CT008.

Abstract CT174: A phase 1 study of JBH492, an anti C-C chemokine receptor 7 antibody-drug conjugate (anti-CCR7 ADC), assessing safety and efficacy in lymphoid malignancies

Abstract Background: CCR7 is overexpressed in lymphoid malignancies. JBH492 is a first-in-class CCR7-targeting ADC, comprising a humanized, Fc-silenced anti-CCR7 IgG1 antibody conjugated to maytansinoid microtubule inhibitor DM4 via a cleavable linker. Preclinical studies support avidity-driven differential binding in CCR7-high tumor cells compared to CCR7-low healthy immune cells, and in vivo animal studies demonstrated robust and durable efficacy in multiple clinically relevant lymphoma models (Dang et al. 2022). Methods: This is an ongoing first-in-human, open-label, phase I/Ib, multi-center study in patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory (r/r) chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) (NCT04240704), which completed enrollment for dose-escalation phase. Five dose levels of JBH492 monotherapy ranging from 0.4 to 3.6 mg/kg (intravenous administration every 3 weeks [q3W]) were tested with 3 - 7 pts enrolled per dose level. Preclinical data from xenografts predicted tumor stasis at 1.6 mg/kg q3W. The objective of dose escalation was to assess safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), immunogenicity, and preliminary efficacy of JBH492 and to determine maximum tolerated and recommended doses. Pts with r/r CLL and NHL, who failed standard of care therapy (at least 2 prior regimens) and who were intolerant/ineligible to approved therapies, were included; CCR7 expression confirmation was not required prior enrollment. Results: Total 25 pts with r/r stage II-IV NHL (n = 24, [adult T cell leukemia-lymphoma, 3; cutaneous T cell lymphoma, 4; diffuse large B cell lymphoma, 7; follicular lymphoma, 1; Mantle cell lymphoma, 1; marginal zone lymphoma, 2; peripheral T cell lymphoma, 3; others, 3]) and CLL (n = 1) with median age 69.0 y (43 - 85) were enrolled. Mean duration of exposure was 13.5 wks. One pt had dose-limiting toxicity — grade (G) 3 thrombocytopenia lasting for 13 d. Overall, 23 (92%) pts had at least 1 adverse event (AE) (G ≥ 3, n = 11). Treatment-related AEs (TRAEs) were reported in 15 (60%) pts (G ≥ 3, n = 3). Of 6 (24%) pts who had serious AEs (SAEs) (G ≥ 3, n = 3), 2 (8%) had TRSAE. The most frequent AEs (≥ 20%) included anemia (32%), thrombocytopenia (28%), neutropenia and dry eye (20% each). Two deaths due to underlying disease were reported. PK for total ADC was roughly dose proportional. Four NHL pts (2 T-NHL and 2 B-NHL) had partial response (PR) and 2 had stable disease, with PRs observed at doses between 2.4 and 3.6 mg/kg q3W. Post data-cut-off, 1 pt with T-NHL achieved CR following 4 cycles of treatment. No correlation between CCR7 expression and response could be drawn (CCR7 expression was observed in all samples from 14 pts). Conclusions: The data from this phase I study suggest that targeting CCR7 with JBH492 is a promising therapeutic strategy for lymphoid malignancies with manageable hematological and non-hematological safety profile. [K.I. and S.L. contributed equally to this study.] Citation Format: Pau Abrisqueta, Reinhard Marks, Irit Avivi, Martin Wermke, Francesca Lim, Tae Min Kim, Alba Cabirta Touzon, Kristiina Karihtala, Shinichi Makita, Lillian Werner, Chiaki Tanaka, Anhthu Dang, Anwesha Chaudhury, Seth Rice, Rowshan Chowdhury, Deborah Knee, Belén Gomezcarrillo, Elissa Furutani, Koji Izutsu, Sirpa Leppä. A phase 1 study of JBH492, an anti C-C chemokine receptor 7 antibody-drug conjugate (anti-CCR7 ADC), assessing safety and efficacy in lymphoid malignancies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr CT174.

Abstract CT098: Phase I study of GQ1005, a new generation HER2-ADC, in patients with HER2-expressing and HER2 mutated advanced solid tumors

Abstract Background: GQ1005 is a new generation antibody-drug conjugate, targeting HER2-expressing tumor cells with Topoisomerase I inhibitors (DXd) as its payload via a stable and cleavable linker. In preclinical studies, GQ1005 demonstrated comparable antitumor activity compared to Enhertu in multiple tumor cell line xenograft models with no noticeable toxicity, indicating higher therapeutic index. GLP toxicity studies demonstrated that GQ1005 was well tolerated, with the highest non-severe toxic dose determined to be 60mg/kg. This report presents the preliminary findings of an ongoing phase I study, which aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity of GQ1005 in patients with advanced solid tumors expressing HER2 or harboring HER2 mutations. Methods: GQ1005 was administrated intravenously every 3 weeks. An accelerated titration design was employed for the initial 2mg/kg dose, followed by Bayesian Optimal Interval Design for subsequent dose levels of 4, 6, 7.2, and 8.4 mg/kg. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and to determine the MTD or RP2D. Results: As of Oct. 13th, 2023, 46 (30 in dose-escalation and 16 in dose-expansion phase) subjects with HER2-expressing/mutated advanced solid tumors, predominantly in breast cancer (18), and lung cancer (18) , were enrolled into the study. Patients received a median of 3 (range, 1-11) prior lines of treatment, and 86.4% of pts previously received anti-HER2 therapies before. During dose escalation, No DLT was observed in all doses, MTD was not reached up to 8.4 mg/kg. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 44 (95.7%) subjects. The most common TRAEs were grade 1 or 2, including nausea (52.2%), vomiting (39.2%), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) increased (39.1%), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) increased (23.9%), anemia (23.9%), anorexia (21.7%), fatigue (19.6%), leukopenia (15.2%), infusion-related reactions (15.2%) , decreased lymphocyte count (15.2%) and dizziness (15.2%). Grade ≥3 TRAEs only occurred in 4 subjects (8.7%), including anemia, decreased lymphocyte count and γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) increased. Interstitial lung disease was observed in 6 pts received highest dose level and most of them have recovered. No drug-related deaths. The pharmacokinetics analysis showed the concentration of GQ1005 and TAb generally peaked rapidly and declined in a roughly biphasic manner. Among 38 evaluable subjects, 1 pt achieved complete response, 18 cases achieved confirmed partial response, and 11 had stable disease, the objective response rate was 50% (19/38), the disease control rate was 78.9% (30/38) , and the 6-month PFS rate was 43.0% in all patients. Conclusions: GQ1005 demonstrated a promising antitumor activity in HER2-expressing/mutated advanced solid tumors patients previously heavily treated, and showed a good tolerance and manageable safety profile. The dose expansion study is on-going at 7.2 mg/kg to establish the RP2D in four cohorts. (NCT06154343; sponsored by GeneQuantum Healthcare (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.) Citation Format: Caicun Zhou, Bo Yang, Ting Deng, Biyun Wang, Jian Zhang, Yuping Sun, Linlin Wang, Hongwei Yang, Jingfen Wang, Wei Li, Qi Song, Yuchong Yang. Phase I study of GQ1005, a new generation HER2-ADC, in patients with HER2-expressing and HER2 mutated advanced solid tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr CT098.

Abstract LB124: Targeting NaPi2b with a novel dual TOP1i ADC that shows excellent biophysical properties and high efficacy in vivo

Abstract The Araris site-specific and one-step linker conjugation technology aims at generating stable, safe and highly potent ADCs without the need for antibody engineering prior to payload conjugation. Here, we generated an anti-NaPi2b ADC with two different Topoisomerase-1 inhibitors (TOP1i) as payloads that shows excellent efficacy vs anti-NaPi2b ADCs that were unsuccessful in clinical trials due to low therapeutic indices (TI), preventing administration at therapeutically active doses. The Araris ADC was designed to combine two features in one ADC to maximize tumor-specific activity by using two different TOP1i payloads: one potent TOP1i that is able to exert bystander activity to address tumor heterogeneity and low-target expression and one exatecan derivative (DAR2) that accumulates in cells (low bystander activity) to achieve greater potency. This novel ADC is characterized by a well-defined drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR) of 4 (DAR2+2), high homogeneity and purity and shows high stability under stressed conditions. In in vitro assays on various target-positive cell lines with different NaPi2b expression levels, the Araris ADC demonstrated nM-potency in cell cytotoxicity assays, similar to the clinical NaPi2b ADCs lifastuzumab vedotin and upifitamab rilsodotin but being much less toxic to target-negative cells. Moreover, this ADC showed excellent stability in mouse and human sera, exemplified by the absence of payload deconjugation or linker cleavage. Most importantly, the ADC was extremely stable in circulation as shown in pharmacokinetic studies in rodents, demonstrating an exposure profile comparable to the unmodified parent antibody. Strikingly, in a high-expressing OVCAR-3 xenograft model, the Araris ADC administered as a single dose at 9 mg/kg on day 0 led to very high anti-tumor activity, essentially leading to tumor eradication and a long lasting anti-tumor response in all treated animals. We here show first encouraging results on a novel concept of combining TOP1i payloads that have two different features in one ADC to maximize efficacy and tolerability. We believe that this concept in combination with a stable payload attachment at low DAR and an excellent exposure may help to develop ADCs with an improved therapeutic index for various solid tumor indications. The initial results indicate that this ADC may overcome the limitations of current clinical programs against NaPi2b and has the potential to be a first-in-class ADC. Citation Format: Isabella Attinger-Toller, Philipp Probst, Lia Kallenberger, Emma Renard, Romain Bertrand, Rachael Fay, Roger Santimaria, Patrick Maurhofer, Dragan Grabulovski, Bernd Schlereth, Philipp Rene Spycher. Targeting NaPi2b with a novel dual TOP1i ADC that shows excellent biophysical properties and high efficacy in vivo [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr LB124.

Abstract ND08: M3554, a novel anti-GD2 antibody drug conjugate

Abstract The glycosphingolipid GD2 is a cell membrane component of a limited number of normal tissues including nerve cells, melanocytes or lymphocytes. However, in some tumor types as neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma, glioma, or soft tissue sarcoma, GD2 is found on cell membranes with high levels. This tumor associated expression pattern makes GD2 an attractive target for therapeutic antibodies like dinutuximab (ch14.18) and naxitamab, which have been approved for neuroblastoma. M3554 is designed a be novel anti-GD2 ADC based on the humanized ch14.18 anti-GD2 antibody. The payload linker consists of the Topoisomerase I inhibitor (TOP1i) payload exatecan and a cleavable beta-glucuronide linker structure, which demonstrated higher potency, better bystander effects and improved activity in multidrug resistant cancer cells compared to other TOP1i payloads. While the antitumor effect of approved anti-GD2 antibodies is presumably related to Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity (ADCC) and Complement- Dependent Cytotoxicity (CDC), M3554 will exploit the high antigen density for direct tumor cytotoxicity by the payload. As the ADCC and CDC effector functions are believed to cause side effects for the approved GD2 antibodies, we have modified the M3554 antibody moiety with mutations in the Fc-region to reduce or eliminate these Fcγ receptor mediated functions. The cytotoxicity of M3554 was in the subnanomolar IC50 range for the GD2-positive neuroblastoma cell line CHP134. M3554 showed strong in vivo antitumor activity with tumor regressions in the CHP134 xenograft model and in patient-derived xenografts from neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma or glioma at doses ranging from 3 to 10 mg/kg. In addition, M3554 showed favorable pharmacokinetics in rats and monkeys, indicating a very stable linker-payload, and a favorable safety profile. In conclusion, M3554 represents a novel therapeutic approach for oncology indications with a high unmet medical need and high GD2 prevalence. Disclosures: Christiane Amendt, Christine Knuehl, Willem Sloot, Stanley Sweeney-Lasch, Joao NS Pereira, Julia Dotterweich, Hans-Henning Boehm and Jan Anderl are employees of the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. Timothy Crandall is an employee of EMD Serono. Mira Toister-Achituv is an employee of Inter-Lab Ltd., Yavne, Israel, an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.Sponsor: This study was sponsored by the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (CrossRef Funder ID: 10.13039/100009945). Citation Format: Christiane Amendt, Christine Knuehl, Timothy Crandall, Willem Sloot, Mira Toister-Achituv, Stanley Sweeney-Lasch, Joao NS Pereira, Julia Dotterweich, Hans_Henning Boehm, Jianguo Ma, Jan Anderl. M3554, a novel anti-GD2 antibody drug conjugate [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr ND08.

Abstract CT283: Phase 3 MK-2870-007 study: MK-2870 (SKB264) plus pembrolizumab vs pembrolizumab alone as first-line treatment for metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer with PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥50%

Abstract Background: Pembrolizumab (anti-PD-1) monotherapy is a standard of care first-line treatment for advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with PD-L1 TPS ≥50% without actionable genetic alterations; however, some patients do not respond to therapy or experience disease progression. Trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2) is another candidate for anticancer treatment and overexpression of TROP2 is associated with poor prognosis in patients with NSCLC. MK-2870 (SKB264) is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) composed of the humanized TROP2 monoclonal antibody, a hydrolytically cleavable linker, and the cytotoxic drug KL610023. In patients with relapsed or refractory locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC, MK-2870 monotherapy showed encouraging antitumor activity with a manageable safety profile. The complementary mechanisms of action of MK-2870 and pembrolizumab may provide more potent antitumor activity when given in combination compared with each therapy alone. To investigate this further, the MK-2870-007 study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of the addition of MK-2870 to pembrolizumab vs pembrolizumab alone in patients with previously untreated metastatic NSCLC with PD-L1 TPS ≥50%. Trial Design: Approximately 614 eligible patients aged ≥18 y with previously untreated histologically or cytologically confirmed stage IV (per American Joint Committee on Cancer v8.0) NSCLC, PD-L1 TPS ≥50% and no EGFR, ALK, or ROS1 alterations (nonsquamous only); ECOG PS 0 or 1; and measurable disease per RECIST v1.1 will be enrolled. Patients with well-controlled HIV are permitted. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to receive either pembrolizumab 400 mg Q6W for up to 18 cycles plus MK-2870 4 mg/kg Q2W or pembrolizumab 400 mg IV Q6W alone until progressive disease, intercurrent illness, patient withdrawal, unacceptable toxicity, prolonged interruption of study drug, or until maximum number of cycles (18 cycles for pembrolizumab). Randomization stratification factors include ECOG PS (0 vs 1), histology (squamous vs nonsquamous), TROP2 expression (low vs medium vs high), and geographic region (East Asia vs North America/Western Europe/Australia vs Rest of World). The primary endpoint is OS. Secondary endpoints include PFS, ORR, and duration of response per RECIST v1.1 by blinded independent central review, patient-reported outcomes, and safety. Tumor imaging will occur at baseline, Q6W until wk 48, and Q12W thereafter until PD, start of new anticancer treatment, or withdrawal of consent. PD-L1 TPS will be assessed centrally using PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx (Agilent Technologies, Carpinteria, CA). AEs will be graded according to National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v5.0. Enrollment began in December 2023 and is currently ongoing. Citation Format: Nikolaj Frost, Razi Ghori, Ananya Roy, Ana Tablante Nunes, James Chih-Hsin Yang. Phase 3 MK-2870-007 study: MK-2870 (SKB264) plus pembrolizumab vs pembrolizumab alone as first-line treatment for metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer with PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥50% [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr CT283.

Abstract CT059: Phase 1b trial Mipasetamab Uzoptirine (ADCT-601-102) dose escalation in patients with advanced bone and soft tissue sarcomas

Abstract Background: AXL is a cell surface receptor tyrosine kinase widely expressed in solid tumors (ST), including sarcomas. ADCT-601 (Mipasetamab uzoptirine; Mipa) is an antibody-drug conjugate comprising a humanized anti-AXL antibody conjugated via a cleavable linker to SG3199 (pyrrolobenzodiazepine dimer cytotoxin). Mipa demonstrated antitumor activity in pre-clinical mice models of sarcoma, adrenocortical carcinoma and pancreatic cancer, and clinical activity in ST patients (pts) in its first-in-human trial. Here, we report initial clinical data in pts with advanced bone and soft tissue sarcomas treated in dose escalation with Mipa. Objective: To characterize the safety and tolerability of Mipa in pts with sarcoma indications who exhausted standard of care therapy. Method: This is a phase 1b, open-label, dose-escalation, dose expansion study of Mipa (NCT05389462; EudraCT: 2021-00566-18). Pts received Mipa every 3 weeks (Q3W) at escalating dose levels, in a 3+3 dose escalation design. Results: As of 04 December 2023, 18 sarcoma patients (15 [83%], soft tissue sarcoma [STS] and 3 [17%] bone sarcoma), unselected for AXL expression, with a median number of 3 prior lines of therapy (1-10), were enrolled in 4 different dose cohorts: 7.5mg, 11mg, 13mg and 15mg. Reasons for treatment discontinuation were disease progression (10 pts [55.6%]), adverse events (3 pts [16.7%]) and consent withdrawal (2 pts [11.1%]). Treatment emergent adverse events (TEAE) were seen in 17 pts (94.4%). Most common TEAE (all grades and relationship [≥20%]) were palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome (7 pts [38.9%]); anemia (6 pts [33.3%]); rash maculopapular (5 pts [27.8%]); cheilitis and constipation (4 pts each [22.2%]). TEAE≥grade 3 were seen in 9 pts (50%). Most common TEAE≥grade 3 (≥10%) were GGT increase (2 pts [11.1%]). Two dose limiting toxicities were seen: cheilitis grade 2 and grade 3 at 15mg and 13mg respectively. Cutaneous reactions, all grades, are more prominent in higher doses. Maximum tolerated dose (MTD) has not been established. In 17 sarcoma pts evaluable per RECISTv1.1, best overall response was partial response (PR) (2 pts [11.8%]), including a confirmed PR; stable disease (SD) (8 pts [47.1%]); progressive disease (7 pts [41.2%]). Tumor reductions was observed at 7.5mg, 11mg and 13mg. By week 12, 6/17 pts (35.3%) did not demonstrate PD . Initial IHC staining showed AXL expression in all sarcoma baseline biopsies tested so far. Initial pharmacokinetic (PK) data indicate exposures with moderate to marked interpatient variability; rapid clearance with no accumulation by Cycle 2. Updated biomarkers and PK data will be presented. Conclusion: The MTD was not established. Due to the incidence of TEAE judged related to Mipa and the preliminary activity observed, 15mg was selected as the highest dose to be tested in a fixed dose Q3W regimen. The study continues to enroll to further optimize Mipa dosing regimen and in dose escalation with gemcitabine. Citation Format: Brian Andrew Van Tine, Christopher T. Chen, Victor Moreno, Elizabeth J. Davis, Maria J. de Miguel, Antoine Italiano, Esma Saada-Bouzid, Mohammed Milhem, Claudia Valverde, Sant P. Chawla, Abdul Rafeh Naqash, Louise Carter, Robin Jones, Ilaria Conti, Joe Boni, Karin Havenith, Yvan LeBruchec, Serafino Pantano, Jean-Yves Blay. Phase 1b trial Mipasetamab Uzoptirine (ADCT-601-102) dose escalation in patients with advanced bone and soft tissue sarcomas [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr CT059.

Abstract CT165: A phase 1/2a, multicenter, open-label, first-in-human study to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary antitumor activity of DB-1311 (a B7-H3-targeting ADC) in patients with advanced/metastatic solid tumors

Abstract Background: B7 homolog 3 protein (B7-H3, an immune checkpoint molecule) overexpression correlates with disease progression and poor prognosis in various cancers, including lung cancer, esophageal cancer, prostate cancer, and melanoma, is therefore as an ideal candidate for targeted immunotherapy. DB-1311 is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) comprised of a humanized anti-B7-H3 IgG1 monoclonal antibody covalently linked to a proprietary DNA topoisomerase I inhibitor via a maleimide tetrapeptide-based cleavable linker, with a drug-to-antibody ratio of approximately 6. Preclinical studies of DB-1311 demonstrated promising antitumor activity in solid tumors and a tolerable safety profile, warranting further clinical development. Methods: This global, first-in-human, Phase 1/2a study includes dose escalation and expansion parts to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity of DB-1311 in patients (pts) with pretreated advanced/metastatic solid tumors (NCT05914116). Eligible pts must have tumor that has relapsed or progressed on or after standard systemic treatments, or is intolerable with standard treatment, or for which no standard treatment is available; have ECOG PS ≤1; and evidence adequate organ function. Up to 5 ascending dose levels of DB-1311 will be evaluated with an accelerated titration at first dose followed by a classic “3+3” design to identify the maximum tolerated dose and/or recommended phase 2 dose in pts with solid tumors. Phase 2a part will initiate with a randomization (1:1) cohort for dose optimization in pts with small cell lung cancer with two dose levels identified by the safety monitoring committee based on cumulative data from Phase 1 part. The other five cohorts will enroll pts with non-small cell lung cancer, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, castration-resistant prostate cancer, melanoma, and other solid tumors at the dose level(s) determined based on cumulative data. DB-1311 will be administrated intravenously as monotherapy until disease progression, loss of clinical benefit, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal of consent. The study plans to enroll approximately 90 pts in Phase 1 and 190 in Phase 2a from locations including but not limited to Australia, United States, China, and Taiwan. To the data cut-off 05 Dec 2023, 11 pts have been enrolled in the study. Citation Format: Ying Cheng, Aaron Lisberg, Charlotte Lemech, Afaf Abed, Arvind Chaudhry, Andrew Schmidt, Xin Lu, Zhongyuan Zhu, Wei Gu, Yang Qiu, Rong Shi, Bin Zhang. A phase 1/2a, multicenter, open-label, first-in-human study to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary antitumor activity of DB-1311 (a B7-H3-targeting ADC) in patients with advanced/metastatic solid tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr CT165.

Abstract LB057: Pre-clinical characterization of IBI343, a site-specifically conjugated anti-Claundin18.2 ADC, for treating solid tumors

Abstract Claudin18.2 is important for the formation and function of tight junctions between cells in epithelial tissues. Normally expressed only in gastric mucosa, Claudin18.2 is overexpressed in multiple types of solid tumors, including gastric, pancreatic, breast and colon cancers. Despite being a well-established tumor-associated antigen, the clinical value and feasibility of targeting Claudin18.2 by various modalities are yet-to-be fully demonstrated. IBI343 is a fully humanized anti-Claudin18.2 monoclonal antibody conjugated to Exatecan via site-specific glycol-conjugation with an average drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR) of 3.6. IBI343 showed robust antigen-specific in vitro cytotoxicity in cancer cell lines with varying levels of Claudin18.2 expression. In addition, due to the cleavable linker design and high hydrophilicity of the payload, IBI343 demonstrated potent bystander killing effects in vitro. The glycan-based conjugation technology leads to enhanced stability of the conjugated linker-payload and the entire ADC molecule, which results in superior pharmacokinetics. IBI343 showed potent in vivo anti-tumor efficacy with complete tumor regressions in multiple xenograft models. Furthermore, it demonstrated strong in vitro and in vivo synergistic effects with various anti-cancer agents, including immune checkpoint blockers and DNA damage repair pathway inhibitors. IBI343 displayed good safety profile in monkey GLP toxicology study (HNSTD = 30 mg/kg). These pre-clinical findings show that IBI343 is a promising anti-cancer agent with large therapeutic window, and support clinical exploration of IBI343 in patients with Claudin18.2-expressing tumors. A companion late-breaking abstract of clinical phase 1 study results (NCT05458219) will also be presented in AACR 2024. Citation Format: Shuaixiang Zhou, Xiong Yao, Jian Guan, Keke Fei, Jia Lu, Weiwei Wu, Yang Liu, Tianyu Zhu, Zhuangguang Liao, Shi Chen, Bingliang Chen, Kaijie He. Pre-clinical characterization of IBI343, a site-specifically conjugated anti-Claundin18.2 ADC, for treating solid tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr LB057.

Abstract CT282: MK-2870-004: A phase 3 study of MK-2870 (SKB264) versus chemotherapy for previously treated advanced or metastatic nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR mutations or other genomic alterations

Abstract Background: Trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2), a cell surface glycoprotein involved in the regulation of tumor growth and invasion, is broadly expressed and upregulated in several cancers, including NSCLC. MK-2870 (SKB264) is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) composed of the humanized anti-TROP2 monoclonal antibody, a hydrolytically cleavable linker, and the cytotoxic drug KL610023. MK-2870 has demonstrated encouraging antitumor activity and manageable toxicity in phase 1 and 2 studies of patients with solid tumors, including heavily pretreated EGFR-mutant NSCLC. We describe the design of the ongoing phase 3 MK-2870-004 study (NCT06074588) that will evaluate the efficacy and safety of MK-2870 vs chemotherapy for previously treated advanced or metastatic nonsquamous NSCLC with EGFR mutations or other genomic alterations. Trial design: The global, randomized, open-label, phase 3 MK-2870-004 study will enroll ~556 patients, including 456 with exon 19del or L858R EGFR mutations, and 100 with other genomic alterations. Eligible patients are aged ≥18 years with histologically or cytologically documented advanced (stage III not eligible for resection or curative radiation) or metastatic nonsquamous NSCLC with exon 19del or exon 21 L858R EGFR mutations or other genomic alterations in ALK, ROS1, BRAF V600E, NTRK, MET exon 14 skipping, or RET and those with less common EGFR mutations (exon 20 S768I, exon 21 L861Q, and/or exon 18 G719X). Patients must have progressive disease on or after 1 or 2 lines of prior tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy and a platinum-based therapy (may contain anti-PD-[L]1), measurable disease per RECIST v1.1, an available tumor sample, and adequate organ function. Prior EGFR TKI therapy must include a third-generation TKI for patients with T790M EGFR-mutant NSCLC. Patients with active central nervous system metastases or carcinomatous meningitis are ineligible, although those with previously treated and untreated stable brain metastasis are eligible for enrollment. Patients will be randomized (1:1) to MK-2870 4 mg/kg Q2W on Days 1, 15, and 29 of every 6-week cycle, or chemotherapy (docetaxel 75 mg/m2 Q3W or pemetrexed 500 mg/m2 Q3W) on Days 1 and 22 of every 6-week cycle. Randomization will be stratified by EGFR mutations with prior third generation TKI vs EGFR mutations with no prior third generation TKI vs other genomic alterations, brain metastasis (yes vs no), and TROP2 expression (low vs medium vs high). Dual primary endpoints are PFS (per RECIST v1.1 by blinded independent central review) and OS in patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC. Key secondary endpoints include PFS and OS in all patients with NSCLC, ORR, DOR, patient-reported outcomes, and safety. Enrollment started in November 2023 and is currently ongoing. Citation Format: Federico Cappuzzo, Edward B. Garon, Myung-Ju Ahn, Shun Lu, Terufumi Kato, Enriqueta Felip, Parneet Cheema, Nicolas Girard, Mark Shamoun, Guoqing Wang, Bin Zhao, Rina Hui. MK-2870-004: A phase 3 study of MK-2870 (SKB264) versus chemotherapy for previously treated advanced or metastatic nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR mutations or other genomic alterations [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr CT282.