ATR Inhibitor Research Articles

DIPG-26. H3.3K27M ENHANCES SENSITIVITY TO ATR INHIBITION IN PEDIATRIC GLIOMA

Abstract BACKGROUND Diffuse midline glioma (DMG) is an aggressive, uniformly fatal childhood brain tumor. Radiation remains the standard of care but provides limited survival benefit. The most prevalent driver mutation in DMG is lysine to methionine mutation at position 27 (K27M) of histone H3.3, resulting in global loss of H3K27 trimethylation and remodeled chromatin, thus promoting DMG tumorigenesis. We have previously shown that inhibition of de novo pyrimidine synthesis induces replication stress that enhances DMG dependency on ATR. In this study, we sought to explore the contribution of H3K27M to basal replication stress in DMGs and vulnerability to ATR inhibition. METHODS To investigate ATR sensitivity of DMG, we employed ART0380, a potent and selective ATR inhibitor currently in Phase 2 clinical trials in adults. Using isogenic models and a panel of patient tumor-derived DMG cell lines we perform viability assays, immunoblotting, microscopy and flow cytometry-based assays to determine various endpoints/measures of ATR inhibition in DMGs. RESULTS Our data show that H3K27M histone oncoproteins enhance dependency on ATR and ATR inhibition synergizes with radiation to induce DMG cell death. After ART0380 treatment, H3K27M oncoproteins result in greater induction in apoptosis and accumulation of DNA damage (as measured by g-H2AX) compared with their histone H3 wild-type isogenic counterparts. Inhibition of ATR by ART0380 is confirmed by effects on phosphorylation of bona fide ATR targets-CHK1 and RPA. To gain mechanistic insights into how H3K27M modulates dependency on ATR, we have evaluated accumulation of chromatin-bound RPA, R-loops, and frequency of transcription and replication collisions (TRC) in isogenic cells. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate a heightened sensitivity of H3K27M mutated DMG to ATR inhibition thus identifying a therapeutic window for DMG treatment with ATR inhibitor as monotherapy or in combination with radiotherapy.

Chemo-Phosphoproteomic Profiling with ATR Inhibitors Berzosertib and Gartisertib Uncovers New Biomarkers and DNA Damage Response Regulators

The ATR kinase protects cells against DNA damage and replication stress and represents a promising anti-cancer drug target. The ATR inhibitors (ATRi) berzosertib and gartisertib are both in clinical trials for the treatment of advanced solid tumors as monotherapy or in combination with genotoxic agents. We carried out quantitative phospho-proteomic screening for ATR biomarkers that are highly sensitive to berzosertib and gartisertib, using an optimized mass spectrometry pipeline. Screening identified a range of novel ATR-dependent phosphorylation events, which were grouped into three broad classes: (i) targets whose phosphorylation is highly sensitive to ATRi and which could be the next generation of ATR biomarkers; (ii) proteins with known genome maintenance roles not previously known to be regulated by ATR; (iii) novel targets whose cellular roles are unclear. Class iii targets represent candidate DNA damage response proteins and, with this in mind, proteins in this class were subjected to secondary screening for recruitment to DNA damage sites. We show that one of the proteins recruited, SCAF1, interacts with RNAPII in a phospho-dependent manner and recruitment requires PARP activity and interaction with RNAPII. We also show that SCAF1 deficiency partly rescues RAD51 loading in cells lacking the BRCA1 tumor suppressor. Taken together these data reveal potential new ATR biomarkers and new genome maintenance factors.

Inhibition of key DNA double strand break repair protein kinases enhances radiosensitivity of head and neck cancer cells to X-ray and proton irradiation

Ionising radiation (IR) is widely used in cancer treatment, including for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), where it induces significant DNA damage leading ultimately to tumour cell death. Among these lesions, DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) are the most threatening lesion to cell survival. The two main repair mechanisms that detect and repair DSBs are non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR). Among these pathways, the protein kinases ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) and the DNA dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-Pkcs) play key roles in the sensing of the DSB and subsequent coordination of the downstream repair events. Consequently, targeting these kinases with potent and specific inhibitors is considered an approach to enhance the radiosensitivity of tumour cells. Here, we have investigated the impact of inhibition of ATM, ATR and DNA-Pkcs on the survival and growth of six radioresistant HPV-negative HNSCC cell lines in combination with either X-ray irradiation or proton beam therapy, and confirmed the mechanistic pathway leading to cell radiosensitisation. Using inhibitors targeting ATM (AZD1390), ATR (AZD6738) and DNA-Pkcs (AZD7648), we observed that this led to significantly decreased clonogenic survival of HNSCC cell lines following both X-ray and proton irradiation. Radiosensitisation of HNSCC cells grown as 3D spheroids was also observed, particularly following ATM and DNA-Pkcs inhibition. We confirmed that the inhibitors in combination with X-rays and protons led to DSB persistence, and increased micronuclei formation. Cumulatively, our data suggest that targeting DSB repair, particularly via ATM and DNA-Pkcs inhibition, can exacerbate the impact of ionising radiation in sensitising HNSCC cell models.

Abstract PR006: DNA repair inhibition via targeting ATR activates cGAS/STING signaling, promotes anti-tumor immunity, and is a synthetic lethal strategy to augment immunotherapy response in preclinical models and clinical samples of small cell lung cancer

Abstract Introduction: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is the most aggressive subtype of lung cancer. Clinical trials of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) combined with chemotherapy delivered only very modest benefits. In this study, we investigated the effect of targeting ataxia telangiectasia and rad3-related (ATR), the primary activator of the replication stress response, in SCLC. Clinical samples from treatment naïve and treated SCLC patients were analyzed by single cell and bulk RNA sequencing to ascertain the intratumoral transcriptional heterogeneity and the surrounding tumor microenvironment (TME). Methods: In this study, we investigated the effect of ATR inhibition either alone or in combination with PD-L1 blockade in multiple immunocompetent mouse models of SCLC. The downstream effects of ATR inhibition were assessed by bulk RNA sequencing, and multicolor flow cytometry. The SCLC clinical samples from treatment naïve and patients treated were analyzed by single cell and bulk RNA sequencing. Results: In multiple immunocompetent SCLC mouse models, ATR inhibition (ATRi) remarkably enhanced the anti-tumor effect of PD-L1 blockade. We next tested the ATR inhibition either alone or in combination with PD-L1 in the second-line regimen for SCLC. We observed that ATR inhibition in combination with PD-L1 blockade significantly reduced tumor volume and prolonged survival of aggressive mice models when compared to PD-L1 alone. Targeting ATR enhanced the expression of PD-L1, activated the cGAS/STING pathway, induced the expression of Type I and II interferon pathways, and caused significant infiltration of cytotoxic and memory/effector T-cells into tumors. Interestingly, ATRi also led to significant induction of MHC class I in SCLC in vitro and in vivo models. Single-cell RNA sequencing data provided a deep annotation of SCLC phenotypes and the surrounding immune TME. Treatment and subtype are associated with substantial phenotypic changes in the SCLC immune microenvironment, with greater T-cell dysfunction in SCLC-N than in SCLC-A. Moreover, a recurrent highly metastatic SCLC subset is associated with exhausted CD8+ T-cells and a pro-fibrotic, immunosuppressive monocyte/macrophage population, suggesting possible tumor-immune coordination to promote metastasis. Specifically, analysis of pre-and post-treatment clinical samples from a proof-of-concept study of a first-in-class ATR inhibitor, VX970 (berzosertib), and topotecan, in patients with relapsed SCLCs, validated the induction of MHC class I and interferon pathway genes, for the first time in this disease. Conclusion: We provide insight into tumor and immune biology in SCLC at single-cell resolution. Further, we show ATRi as a potentially transformative vulnerability of SCLC. Given the increasing importance of immunotherapy for the management of SCLC and that ATR inhibitors are already in clinical trials, combining ATR inhibitors with PD-L1-blockade offers an attractive strategy for the treatment of SCLC and contributes to the rapid translation of this combination into the clinic. Citation Format: Triparna Sen. DNA repair inhibition via targeting ATR activates cGAS/STING signaling, promotes anti-tumor immunity, and is a synthetic lethal strategy to augment immunotherapy response in preclinical models and clinical samples of small cell lung cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Expanding and Translating Cancer Synthetic Vulnerabilities; 2024 Jun 10-13; Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2024;23(6 Suppl):Abstract nr PR006.

Abstract B006: Data-driven discoveries of molecular mechanism and therapeutic vulnerabilities of CDK12 mutant tumors

Abstract Somatic structural variations (SVs) are common in cancer. Although a small fraction of SVs in breast and ovarian cancers can be attributed to homologous recombination deficiency, the underlying molecular mechanisms for the vast majority of somatic SVs remain unclear. Here, we focus on the roles of transcription and DNA replication collisions in genomic instability in cancer. Such collisions are unavoidable in cells since both transcription and replication use the same DNA as template. We hypothesized that transcription replication collisions (TRCs), if not properly repaired, would lead to collapsed replication forks and result in SVs. To this end, we studied somatic SVs in 6193 high-coverage whole-genome sequenced primary and metastatic tumors from three independent pan-cancer cohorts. A total of 13 conserved SV signatures, representing independent molecular mechanisms, were deconvoluted from these cohorts using non-negative matrix factorization approach. We detected replicated-strand bias, the expected footprint of transcription-replication collision, in large tandem duplications (TDs) across multiple cohorts. This bias was only observed in expressed genes, consistent with TRCs depending on transcription activity. Large TDs were abundant in female-specific (breast, ovarian and uterus), upper gastric-intestinal tract, and prostate cancers. They were associated with CDK12 mutations and worse patient survival. CDK12 is a cyclin-dependent kinase, a key regulator of transcription elongation and termination. Deleting or suppressing CDK12 using CRISPR-Cas9 in prostate cell lines increased RNA:DNA hybrids (R-loops), promoted TRCs, and ultimately led to large TDs. Finally, we found that cells lacking CDK12 were sensitive to WEE1, CHK1 and ATR inhibitors. In summary, our data suggest that large TDs in cancer form due to impaired TRC repair and can be used as a biomarker for prognosis and treatment. Citation Format: Lixing Yang. Data-driven discoveries of molecular mechanism and therapeutic vulnerabilities of CDK12 mutant tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Expanding and Translating Cancer Synthetic Vulnerabilities; 2024 Jun 10-13; Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2024;23(6 Suppl):Abstract nr B006.

Homologous recombination proficient subtypes of high-grade serous ovarian cancer: treatment options for a poor prognosis group.

Approximately 50% of tubo-ovarian high-grade serous carcinomas (HGSCs) have functional homologous recombination-mediated (HR) DNA repair, so-called HR-proficient tumors, which are often associated with primary platinum resistance (relapse within six months after completion of first-line therapy), minimal benefit from poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, and shorter survival. HR-proficient tumors comprise multiple molecular subtypes including cases with CCNE1 amplification, AKT2 amplification or CDK12 alteration, and are often characterized as "cold" tumors with fewer infiltrating lymphocytes and decreased expression of PD-1/PD-L1. Several new treatment approaches aim to manipulate these negative prognostic features and render HR-proficient tumors more susceptible to treatment. Alterations in multiple different molecules and pathways in the DNA damage response are driving new drug development to target HR-proficient cancer cells, such as inhibitors of the CDK or P13K/AKT pathways, as well as ATR inhibitors. Treatment combinations with chemotherapy or PARP inhibitors and agents targeting DNA replication stress have shown promising preclinical and clinical results. New approaches in immunotherapy are also being explored, including vaccines or antibody drug conjugates. Many approaches are still in the early stages of development and further clinical trials will determine their clinical relevance. There is a need to include HR-proficient tumors in ovarian cancer trials and to analyze them in a more targeted manner to provide further evidence for their specific therapy, as this will be crucial in improving the overall prognosis of HGSC and ovarian cancer in general.

An open-label, single-arm, dose escalation and expansion study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and preliminary efficacy of the ATR inhibitor SC0245 in advanced solid malignancies.

e15126 Background: Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) is a critical protein that senses DNA damage and is an integral part of the DNA damage repair pathway.SC0245, a novel and orally administered small molecule ATR inhibitor, is being developed for advanced solid malignancies. In vitro, SC0245 is highly potent against the ATR/ATRIP(h) enzyme with IC50 values ranging from 14 to 43 nM and has potent antiproliferative activity against a wide range of human cancers. This is the first report of an ongoing first-in-human study of SC0245 monotherapy in patients (pts) with advanced solid malignancies. Methods: An accelerated titration design was used to increase doses in the first two dose levels (40mg and 80mg once daily (QD) continuous, 21 days/cycle) followed by a standard “3+3” design in the remainder of the study (continuous schedule: 120mg and 160mg QD, 21 days/cycle; or intermittent schedule: 200mg, 240mg, 300mg QD, 160mg, 200mg and 260mg twice daily (BID), 3 days on and 4 days off, repeat every week x 4 weeks, 28 days/cycle). Tumor assessments are being performed every 8 weeks using RECIST v1.1. Results: As of the data cut-off-date of January 10, 2024, 27 pts (median age, 56; male, 48.1%) were enrolled and treated with SC0245 doses of 1, 1, 4, 4, 4, 2, 4, 3 and 4 pts in 40, 80, 120, 160, 200, 240 and 300mg QD, and 160 and 200mg BID cohort, respectively. No DLTs have been observed to date. Most TEAEs have been Grade 1 or 2 in severity. TEAEs experienced in ≥25% pts include: leukopenia and thrombocytopenia (9/27, 33.3%, each), and anemia, increased conjugated bilirubin and constipation (8/27, 29.6%, each). There were no ≥ Grade 3 TEAEs experienced in more than 2 pts. There were neither dose adjustment nor treatment discontinuation due to TRAEs. Eleven of 21 pts who were evaluable for tumor assessment had stable disease as their best response, with seven pts having reductions in target lesions. The PK characteristics of SC0245 indicated fast oral absorption (median Tmax, 0.5~2.0 h), a long half-life (mean t1/2,16.1~36.4 h) and high intersubject variability. The relationship between SC0245 exposure and dose was nonlinear with minimal accumulation after cumulative treatment in some pts. Additionally, SC0245 exposure and relevant PK parameters have reached the range associated with efficacy in preclinical studies. Conclusions: SC0245 exhibited favorable safety and PK characteristics when administered intermittently at doses up to 200mg BID in pts with advanced solid cancers. SC0245 appeared to induce less hematological toxicity than other ATR inhibitors at relevant doses. Based on these preliminary data, SC0245 will be developed in combination with other anti-tumor agents that may have synergies with ATR inhibitors such as topoisomerase 1 inhibitors and DNA damaging agents. Clinical trial information: CTR20210769.

A phase I study of ATR inhibitor BAY1895344 (elimusertib) plus topotecan (ETCTN 10402): Results of dose escalation.

3076 Background: Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) protein kinase is activated by replication stress and recruited to stalled forks or single strand DNA abnormalities in various cancers. The topoisomerase-I (Top1) inhibitor topotecan induces DNA damage. The ATR inhibitor BAY 1895344 (elimusertib) has demonstrated cytotoxic potential in small cell lung cancer and gastrointestinal cancer xenografts when combined with Top1 inhibitors . Methods: This is phase Ia study of elimusertib combined with topotecan in adult patients with refractory advanced solid tumors for whom topotecan can be considered as part of standard care. Patients with previous topotecan exposure were excluded. The study combination was assessed starting at Topotecan 1 mg/m2 IV (D1-D5) plus elimusertib 20 mg BID (D2, D5) (Cycle=21 days). Dose escalation utilized a 3+3 design. Primary objectives were to assess safety and tolerability and estimate the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of the combination. Secondary objectives included estimating pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles and assessing anti-tumor activity of the combinations. Results: Eight patients were treated in dose escalation. Participants were a median of 63 years old and had received 2 median lines of previous therapy. The initial two patients enrolled into dose level (DL) 1 had dose-limiting toxicities with one of patient experiencing respiratory failure and cardiac arrest in setting of pancytopenia related to study drug. Six patients were subsequently enrolled in and received DL-1 (elimusertib decreased from 20 mg BID to 20 mg Daily) and no DLTs were observed. Notable grade 3+ treatment-related adverse events and summary best response are summarized in Table. Disease control rate was 43% among evaluation patient including one unconfirmed partial response. Median progression-free survival in the RP2D cohort was 3.45 months. PK studies are in process and results will be presented at time of meeting. Conclusions: RP2D and MTD was established for elimusertib in combination with Topotecan: Topotecan 1 mg/m2 IV [D1-D5] plus elimusertib 20 mg Daily [D2, D5] every 3 weeks. Dose escalation was notably limited by myelotoxicity. Due to sponsor decision, the study was halted prior to planned expansions cohorts but the concept of ATR + topo I inhibition remains relevant. Clinical trial information: NCT04514497 . [Table: see text]

An open-label, multicenter, phase Ib/II study of the ATR inhibitor SC0245 in combination with irinotecan in patients with relapsed and refractory extensive stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC).

8102 Background: Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3 related (ATR) is activated in response to replication stress induced by topoisomerase 1 inhibitors (TOP1i) and other DNA damaging agents. SC0245 is a novel potent ATR inhibitor, showing synergistic inhibitory effects when combined with TOP1i in DMS-114 and H446 small cell lung cancer. This is the first report on an ongoing phase Ib/II study of SC0245 in combination with irinotecan (IRI) in patients (pts) with ES-SCLC (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05731518). Methods: Multiple escalating doses of SC0245 are being administered orally with a fixed dose of IRI. Pts are being enrolled into five escalating dose cohorts (80 mg once daily (QD), 120 mg QD, 80 mg twice daily (BID), 120 mg BID, 160 mg BID) using a BOIN design. SC0245 is administered daily for 3 days weekly x 3 (e.g, Days 1-3, 8-10 and 15-17) with IRI 80 mg/m2 on Days 1, 8 and 15. Cycles are repeated every 4 weeks. The primary endpoint is the rate of dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). Tumor assessments are being performed every 8 weeks using RECIST v1.1. Dose expansion in ES-SCLC patients will follow after definition of the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). Results: As of the data cut-off-date (December 21, 2023), 15 pts (median age, 65; male, 73.3%) with previously treated solid tumors have been enrolled, with 3, 4, 3 and 5 pts in 80mg QD, 120mg QD, 80mg BID and 120 mg BID dose cohorts, respectively. 12 of 15 pts were DLT evaluable, and one DLT event (Grade 3 febrile neutropenia) occurred in the 80 mg QD dose cohort. Cytopenia, diarrhea, and liver function test elevations, were the main adverse events (AEs) experienced in 73.3%, 46.7% and 40% pts, respectively. Most AEs were grade 1 or 2 in severity and manageable. The only ≥ Grade 3 TRAEs experienced by more than 2 subjects has been leukopenia (3/15, 20.0%). No drug-related deaths occurred. Among the 9 pts who were evaluable for tumor response, one confirmed partial response (PR) was reported in a pt with ES-SCLC (progressed on prior 1st line of etoposide + carboplatin + serplulimab treatment) treated in the 120mg QD dose cohort, and the response sustained for 32+ weeks; five pts (5/9, 55.6%) had stable disease (SD) as their best response. PK characteristics indicated that SC0245 was rapidly absorbed (median Tmax, 1.0 to 2.0 h), and drug exposure was proportional to dose for the QD and BID regimens. No drug-drug interactions (DDI) between SC0245 and either IRI or its active metabolite SN38 were observed. Conclusions: SC0245 exhibited favorable safety and PK characteristics when administered in combination with IRI at doses ranging from 80mg QD to 120mg BID and the regimen has demonstrated preliminary antitumor activity in ES-SCLC, supporting further evaluation of the regimen in ES-SCLC and other relevant malignancies. Clinical trial information: NCT05731518 .

A phase I study of highly potent oral ATR inhibitor (ATRi) tuvusertib plus oral PARP inhibitor (PARPi) niraparib in patients with solid tumors.

3018 Background: Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) protein kinase and poly-ADP ribose polymerases (PARPs) are crucial components in the DNA damage response (DDR). Combining tuvusertib and niraparib may synergistically enhance synthetic lethality and increase apoptosis. Part B1 of the DDRiver Solid Tumors 301 study (NCT04170153) assessed this combination. Methods: Part B1 of this open-label multicenter dose-escalation phase Ib trial enrolled unselected patients with metastatic or locally advanced unresectable solid tumors refractory to standard treatment. The primary objective was to determine safety (including maximum tolerable dose and recommended dose(s) for expansion [RDE]). Secondary and tertiary objectives included determination of the pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), and preliminary efficacy of different dosing regimens of tuvusertib plus niraparib. Multiple continuous and intermittent schedules were explored with tuvusertib doses ranging from 90–180 mg once-daily (QD) and niraparib doses from 100–200 mg QD. A partial ordering continual reassessment method was used to identify the RDEs. Results: As of 02 January 2024, 43 patients had been enrolled (all with baseline body weight <77kg or platelet count <150,000/mm3); 13 patients remained on treatment. Ten (26.3%) patients had dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs). The most common DLT was grade 3 anemia requiring blood transfusion (n=4; 10.5%); the most frequent grade ≥3 treatment-emergent adverse events were anemia (n=18; 41.9%), platelet count decrease (n=6; 14.0%) and fatigue (n=4; 9.3%). The PK of tuvusertib when combined with niraparib was consistent with that of tuvusertib monotherapy, suggesting a lack of any clinically meaningful mutual drug–drug interactions. Dose-dependent ɣ-H2AX inhibition (proximal PD marker) was observed at tuvusertib doses ≥130 mg QD. Preliminary efficacy data show 5 (15.6%) responses (3 confirmed) by RECIST v1.1 in 32 evaluable patients: 2 in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC; 1 with BRCA1-mutant [ BRCA1m] PARPi-resistant EOC, 1 with BRCA-wild type homologous recombination deficiency-positive EOC) and 1 each in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, estrogen receptor-positive HER2-negative BRCA1m breast cancer, and BRCA1m PARPi-resistant pancreatic cancer. Tuvusertib 180 mg QD and niraparib 100 mg QD or tuvusertib 90 mg QD and niraparib 200 mg QD, both given in a 1 week on/1 week off schedule, were identified as RDEs. Conclusions: The combination of tuvusertib plus niraparib, each administered on a 1 week on/1 week off schedule, has a manageable safety profile and is suitable for further investigation. A combination study in patients with PARPi-resistant EOC is planned. Clinical trial information: NCT04170153 .

Pharmacodynamic (PD) and immunophenotyping analyses of ATR inhibitor (ATRi) tuvusertib + ATM inhibitor (ATMi) lartesertib in a phase Ib study in patients with advanced unresectable solid tumors.

2612 Background: Ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) and Rad3-related (ATR) protein kinases orchestrate the DNA damage response. A synthetic lethal relationship between ATR and ATM genes in cancer has been described1 and ATMi synergistically potentiate the efficacy of ATRi in vitro and in vivo.2 The combination of tuvusertib + lartesertib was investigated in Part A1 of the open-label, multicenter study DDRiver Solid Tumors 320 in patients with advanced unresectable solid tumors. Here, we report results of the PD and immunophenotyping analyses. Methods: PD analysis comprised γ-H2AX in serial blood samples, stimulated ex vivowith 4-NQO, bleomycin, or controls. Flow cytometry was used to measure target inhibition via γ-H2AX modulation in the CD45+ lymphocytes fraction and to explore the effect of tuvusertib + lartesertib on the immunophenotype (myeloid-derived suppressor cells, T and B lymphocytes, monocytes, and natural killer cells subsets) in serial blood samples. Pharmacokinetic samples were analyzed by a validated bioanalytical liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry method. Time-matched blood samples were collected at baseline, 1, 3, 6, and 24 hours after first tuvusertib and lartesertib administration on days 1 and 8 of cycle 1 for the γ-H2AX analysis, and on days 1 and 15 of cycles 1 and 2 before treatment for immunophenotyping. Results: Immunophenotyping data and γ-H2AX levels were obtained from 41 and 34 patients, respectively. For tuvusertib, complete or almost complete target inhibition was seen at 1–6 hours after treatment, followed by a rebound above baseline after 24 hours, on both days 1 and 8 at doses of 130 and 180 mg once daily (QD). For lartesertib, a variable target inhibition of approximately 50 % on average was seen across all time points at doses of 100, 150 and 200 mg QD. No target inhibition was seen for tuvusertib at 90 mg QD and lartesertib at 50 mg QD (cohort 1). Tuvusertib + lartesertib induced a transient decrease of monocytes and natural killer (NK) cells, with partial or complete recovery to baseline levels during treatment breaks in schedules of 2 weeks on treatment followed by a treatment break of 1 or 2 weeks, respectively. Conclusions: Tuvusertib and lartesertib combination PD outcomes were in line with respective monotherapy observations.3,4 The combination did not cause any consistent change in the levels of immune cell subsets at all dose levels tested, except a mild, transient decrease in monocytes and NK cells, in line with the tuvusertib monotherapy observations. 1. Kantidze et al., Trends Cancer 2018;4(11):755–68. 2. Turchick et al., Mol Cancer Ther 2023;22(7):859–72. 3. Yap et al., Ann Oncol 2022;33(suppl_7):S197–S224. 4. Siu et al., Cancer Res 2023;83(8_Suppl):CT171. Clinical trial information: NCT05396833 .

Pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) findings from a phase 1b study of ATR inhibitor tuvusertib + anti-PD-L1 avelumab in patients with advanced unresectable solid tumors.

2614 Background: Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein (ATR) kinase is critical in the DNA damage response, and its inhibition modulates antitumor immunity. The combination of ATR inhibitor (ATRi) + immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) has shown activity in patients with ICI-resistant tumors and may have the potential to overcome ICI resistance and induce antitumor immune responses. Methods: Part B1 of the open-label, multicenter study DDRiver Solid Tumors 320 investigated safety, tolerability, PK, and PD, including effects on immune cells, of ATRi tuvusertib in combination with the ICI avelumab (anti-PD-L1) in patients with advanced unresectable solid tumors. Flow cytometry was used to analyze tuvusertib target inhibition via γ-H2AX modulation in the CD45+ fraction of ex-vivo stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and to explore the effect on the peripheral immunophenotype. Tuvusertib PK samples were analyzed by a validated bioanalytical liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry method. Results: 22 patients were enrolled and treated with tuvusertib 180 mg once daily on a schedule of 2 weeks (w) on treatment followed by a treatment break of 1 or 2 w, and avelumab 800 mg once every 2 weeks (Q2W). The 2 w on/1 w off schedule, corresponding to the recommended dose for expansion (RDE) for tuvusertib monotherapy, was chosen for further exploration. At this schedule, 2 of 9 patients evaluable for dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) experienced DLTs: Grade 3 ALT and Grade 3 AST increase (n=1), and Grade 3 anemia requiring transfusion (n=1). A patient with chordoma experienced a RECIST v1.1 partial response. Preliminary PK data for tuvusertib suggested rapid absorption with median Tmax range of ~2–3 h and mean elimination half-life range of ~2.93 to 4.23 h, with ~2-fold accumulation of steady-state area-under-the-curve following multiple doses. Exposure of tuvusertib in combination with avelumab was consistent with tuvusertib monotherapy exposure (1). PD showed complete or almost complete target inhibition at 1–6 h after tuvusertib 180 mg followed by rebound above baseline after 24 h on days 1 and 8 of cycle 1. No clear trend of variation in absolute counts of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, T and B lymphocytes, monocytes, and natural killer cell subtypes was detected. Conclusions: Tuvusertib and avelumab were combined at established monotherapy doses with no new safety findings. Tuvusertib PD and exposure data were in line with monotherapy observations. The combination did not cause any consistent change of the immunophenotype. Given the accumulating evidence of ATRi as an immunosensitiser (2), further evaluation of this combination in patients with ICI-resistant advanced solid tumors is warranted. 1. Yap T et al., Ann Oncol 2022;33(suppl_7):S197–S224. 2. Besse B et al., JTO 2022;17(suppl_9):S41–S42. Clinical trial information: NCT05396833 .

Effect of targeting DDR pathway on the late-phase autophagy and the killing effect of CD8+ T cells.

e14646 Background: Deficiency in DDR signaling pathways has been reported to be associated with better response to immunotherapy. This study aims to investigate whether inhibition of the key mediator of DDR pathways ATR could enhance the function of CD8+ T cells and its underlying mechanism. Methods: The CD8+ T cell-killing experiment was conducted in vitro to demonstrate the efficiency in the presence of ATR inhibitors. To investigate the regulatory mechanism, RNA Sequencing analysis was performed to identify gene changes after ATR inhibition. Subsequently, Western blotting and immunofluorescence assays were performed to access the autophagy flux based on the results of the RNA sequencing analysis. Flow cytometry was used to detect the surface MHC-I expression to validate our speculation with the change of autophagy activity. Results: ATR inhibitor (VX970) had been shown to enhance the cytotoxic effect of CD8+ T cells on tumor cells. RNA-seq analysis revealed the enrichment of pathways related to autophagy and its regulation, as well as inflammatory factor pathways. Accumulation of p62/SQSTM1 and an increased LC3II/I ratio had been found, indicating the involvement of autophagy after the inhibition of ATR. No further increase in autophagy proteins was observed upon treatment with autophagy inhibitors, suggesting the late stage of autophagy inhibition was affected. In addition, increased MHC-I molecular expression has been found in accordance with autophagy inhibition, which could further explain the reason ATR inhibition could induce the accumulation of CD8+ T cells. Conclusions: Targeting DDR pathway leads to stimulated CD8+ T cells accumulation probably by increased MHC-I surface expression through inhibition of late-phase autophagy, which may in turn enhance the efficiency of immunotherapy.

A phase I study of irinotecan combined with BAY1895344 (ATR inhibitor) in advanced solid tumors: Results of ETCTN 10402 dose escalation.

3077 Background: ATR protein kinase is activated by replication stress and recruited to stalled forks or single strand DNA defects in various cancers. The topoisomerase-I (Top1) inhibitor irinotecan induces DNA damage. The ATR inhibitor BAY1895344 (elimusertib) has demonstrated cytotoxic potential in SCLC and GI cancer xenografts when combined with Top1 inhibitors . Methods: This phase Ia trial assessed elimusertib in combination with irinotecan in adult patients with refractory advanced solid tumors for whom irinotecan can be considered standard care. Patients with previous irinotecan exposure were excluded. Two dosing schedules were used: 1) Biweekly - irinotecan IV (starting at 150 mg/m2) D1 + elimusertib (starting dose 20 mg PO BID) D1,D2 (cycle=14 days); 2) Weekly - irinotecan (starting at 50 mg/m2) IV on D1,8,15 with elimusertib (starting at 20 mg PO daily) on D2,D3,D9,D10 and D16,D17 (cycle=21 days). Dose escalation utilized a 3+3 design. Primary objectives were to assess safety and tolerability and estimate the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). Secondary objectives included estimating pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles and assessing anti-tumor activity. Results: A total of 21 patients were enrolled in dose escalation (N=9 [Biweekly] and N=12 [Weekly], median age 58 and 2 lines of prior therapy. For the Biweekly cohort: 3/3 patients enrolled at dose level (DL) 1 experienced hematologic dose-limiting toxicity (DLT); 6 patients received DL-1 without any DLTs. The weekly regimen escalation comprised of 12 patients: 6 enrolled in DL1 with 2/6 having hematologic DLT and 5/6 unable to complete ≥75% of cycle 1 dosing; 6 enrolled in DL-1 with no DLTs observed. Notable grade 3+ treatment-related adverse events and summary best response are summarized (Table 1). The majority of evaluable patients in both schedules had initial disease control (56% [biweekly] and 67% [weekly]). One confirmed partial response was seen in the biweekly RP2D. Median progression-free survival was 2.1 mo [biweekly] and 2.5 mo [weekly]. PK results will be presented at time of meeting. Conclusions: Both RP2D and MTD of elimusertib in combination with irinotecan were reached for both dosing schedules: irinotecan 150 mg/m2 IV D1 + elimusertib 10 mg BID PO D1,D2 (biweekly) and irinotecan 25 mg/m2 IV on D1 + elimusertib (20 mg PO daily) on D2,D3 (weekly). Dose escalation was notably limited by myelotoxicity. Due to sponsor decision, the study was halted prior to planned expansion but the concept of ATR + topo I combination remains scientifically relevant. Clinical trial information: NCT04514497 . [Table: see text]

Olaparib, AZD1390, ceralasertib, saruparib and consolidation durvalumab (CONCORDE) phase Ib platform study of novel DNA damage response inhibitor (DDRi) agents in combination with radiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

TPS8119 Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality globally, with cases projected to exceed 62,000 by 2035. Outcomes remain poor despite advances in radiotherapy (RT) technologies. Combining novel mechanism-based agents with RT could improve the therapeutic index. DNA inhibition of cellular response to radiation-induced DNA damage can overcome intrinsic radio resistance and poses a promising strategy. Methods: CONCORDE is an open label, randomised, multi-arm, phase Ib, clinical trial opened to accrual in 11 UK hospitals designed to assess multiple DDRi in combination with radical thoracic RT (60Gy in 30 fractions over 6 weeks). Patients are randomised 3:1 to RT+/-DDRi. The study utilises an adaptive Bayesian model-based approach to dose escalation aiming to identify the recommended phase II dose for each treatment combination. Two arms will deliver up to 12 months consolidation durvalumab+/-DDRi following RT. Patients are eligible based on key criteria: not suitable for concurrent chemotherapy RT, inoperable, stage IIB/III NSCLC, performance status (KPS≥70). The dose limiting toxicity (DLT) period for treatment-related toxicities is 13.5 months post start of RT treatment, with most toxicities expected within the first 4.5 months (short DLT period). At least one patient must complete the short DLT period before dose escalation. A RT-alone calibration arm aids toxicity attribution. This trial is in progress: CONCORDE-A (olaparib (PARP inhibitor)), CONCORDE-B (AZD1390 (ATM inhibitor)), CONCORDE-C (ceralasertib (ATR inhibitor) followed by consolidation durvalumab+/-ceralasertib) and CONCORDE-E (AZD5305/saruparib (PARP1select inhibitor) followed by consolidation durvalumab) are open to accrual as of 24/11/2023. 57 of 74 registered participants have been randomised across 4 study arms. Of those 57 randomised: 55 started treatment: 20 received RT-alone, 12 received olaparib+RT, 14 received AZD1390+RT, 6 received ceralasertib+RT, 3 received AZD5305+RT and 2 withdrew. CONCORDE continues to recruit to the target sample size of 160 (40/arm) and welcomes further UK centres. A parallel multimodality translational program to identify biomarkers of treatment response, toxicity and the impact on the immune system are in development. Biomarkers of interest include plasma toxicity markers, immune cell profiling, radiomics and ctDNA. Clinical trial information: 10142971.

Methylation of FAM110C is a synthetic lethal marker for ATR/CHK1 inhibitors in pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest malignancies. An epigenetic-based synthetic lethal strategy provides a novel opportunity for PDAC treatment. Finding more DNA damage repair (DDR)-related or cell fate-related molecules with aberrant epigenetic changes is becoming very important. Family with sequence similarity 110C (FAM110C) is a cell fate-related gene and its function in cancer remains unclear. Seven cell lines, 34 cases of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN), 15 cases of mucinous cystic neoplasm (MCN) and 284 cases of PDAC samples were employed. Methylation-specific PCR, western blot, CRISPR knockout, immunoprecipitation and a xenograft mouse model were used in this study. FAM110C is methylated in 41.18% (14/34) of IPMN, 46.67% (7/15) of MCN and 72.89% (207/284) of PDAC, with a progression trend from IPMN/MCN to pancreatic cancer (P = 0.0001, P = 0.0389). FAM110C methylation is significantly associated with poor overall survival (OS) (P = 0.0065) and is an independent prognostic marker for poor OS (P = 0.0159). FAM110C inhibits PDAC cells growth both in vitro and in vivo, serving as a novel tumor suppressor. FAM110C activates ATM and NHEJ signaling pathways by interacting with HMGB1. Loss of FAM110C expression sensitizes PDAC cells to VE-822 (an ATR inhibitor) and MK-8776 (a CHK1 inhibitor). FAM110C methylation is a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker in PDAC, and its epigenetic silencing sensitizes PDAC cells to ATR/CHK1 inhibitors.

Combination ATR and PARP Inhibitor (CAPRI): A phase 2 study of ceralasertib plus olaparib in patients with recurrent, platinum-sensitive epithelial ovarian cancer (cohort A).

5510 Background: Currently there are no alternatives to chemotherapy for patients (pts) with platinum-sensitive recurrent high-grade serous ovarian cancer (PSOC). Preclinical data have demonstrated strong synergy between poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) and ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related kinase inhibitors (ATRi) regardless of homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) status. We present results of an investigator-initiated study examining the combination of PAPRi and ATRi in patients (pts) with PSOC. Methods: Pts with PSOC and measurable disease by RECIST v1.1 were enrolled (NCT03462342). Prior PARPi was permitted but not mandatory and there was no limit to number of prior regimens. Pts received ceralasertib (C) 160mg po once daily, days 1–7 and olaparib (O) 300mg po twice daily, on days 1–28 of a 28-day cycle until unacceptable toxicity or disease progression. Primary end points were efficacy based on objective response rate (ORR) and toxicity. Secondary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Myriad MyChoice CDx and Caris Life Sciences MI Profile assays were used to determine presence of tumor genomic instability; HRD (positive if score >42) or loss of heterozygosity (LOH) (positive if 38% of tested genomic segments exhibited LOH). Results: Thirty-seven pts were enrolled and evaluable for toxicity; 33 pts were available for response evaluation. Median number of prior regimens was 1 (range 1-3) while 2 pts received prior PARPi. Germline homologous recombination (HR) gene mutations were present in 3 (8.1%) pts (1 BRCA2, 1 BRIP1, 1 RAD51C),10 (27%) pts had tumors exhibiting genomic instability (8 with HRD positive and 2 with LOH high), while 19 (51.4%) pts had tumors without genomic instability, and 5 (13.5%) pts had unknown status. Pts received a median of 8 cycles (range 1-50). Fifteen (40.5%) pts experienced a grade (G) 3 toxicity event, most commonly anemia 21.6% (n=8) and diarrhea 5.4% (n=2). Two pts (5.4%) had G4 thrombocytopenia. Dose reductions occurred in 14 pts (37.8%); one pt discontinued treatment due to toxicity (G2 fatigue and nausea). ORR was 48.5% with 3 complete responses (CR) and 13 partial responses (PR) and median progression-free survival (mPFS) was 8.3 months (95% CI: 5.9, 10.7). ORR and mPFS in 16 pts with tumors without genomic instability was 43.8% (1 CR, 6 PR) and 7.6 months (95% CI: 5.4, 9.8). ORR in 10 pts with tumors with genomic instability was 40% (4 PR) with a mPFS of 8.3 months (95% CI: 5.1, 11.5). ORR in 3 pts with germline HR gene alterations was 100% (1 CR, 2 PR) with mPFS not reached. ORR in 4 pts with unknown status of genomic instability was 50% (1CR, 1PR). Conclusions: C+O was well tolerated and active in pts with platinum sensitive HGSOC warranting further evaluation. Efficacy was seen regardless of the presence of tumor genomic instability. Clinical trial information: NCT03462342 .

Depletion of histone H3K27 demethylase exerts anti-tumor activity as a monotherapy and in combination therapy with ceralasertib in non-small cell lung carcinoma.

e20035 Background: Lung cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers and is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) represents 85% of lung cancers and is the most common type with poor prognosis. The lysine-specific demethylase UTX (gene name KDM6A) demethylates H3K27me2/3 at genes and enhancers and have been shown to support oncogenic transcription factors. We hypothesize that UTX is a highly pleiotropic factor in tumorigenesis and may plays a critical role in controlling DNA replication-associated gene activation as well as in replication stress-related DNA damage repair. Methods: To evaluate the role of UTX in tumorigenesis, shRNA-mediated UTX knockdown was employed in NCI-H1975 cells followed by cell cycle and cell proliferation assays. In the UTX-knocked down NCI-H1975 cells, target genes involved in DNA replication and DNA damage repair were discovered by RNA sequencing and further validated with RT-qPCR. Effects of UTX depletion on DNA replication and radiation-induced DNA repair were analyzed by immunofluorescence. Effects of UTX depletion on cell cycle arrest and the ATR–CHK1 checkpoint signaling pathway were analyzed by flow cytometry and immunoblotting. In vivo response to UTX inhibition monotherapy (UTX knockdown) and combination therapy of UTX knockdown with ceralasertib, a selective ATR kinase inhibitor, was evaluated in dox-inducible UTX knockdown NCI-H1975 xenografts. Results: Induction of UTX knockdown significantly reduced the NCI-H1975 tumor volume compared to the control group, showing anti-tumor activity. Furthermore, loss of UTX induced hyperactivation of ATR–CHK1 checkpoint signaling pathway, suggesting the UTX-depleted tumor cells attempt to alleviate replication stress to escape from apoptosis. To inhibit the UTX-depletion induced ATR–CHK1 pathway, ceralasertib (formerly AZD6738), an oral potent selective inhibitor of ATR, was combined with UTX-knockdown for in vitro and in vivo evaluation. Consistent with in vitro cell-based assay, combination therapy of ceralasertib with UTX depletion showed enhanced tumor growth inhibition and regression in the NCI-H1975 xenograft model. Conclusions: Our findings provide new insights into a pro-oncogenic role of UTX in supporting tumor maintenance via engaging DNA replication and repair pathway. Depletion of UTX alone may serve as a new therapeutic target in non-small cell lung carcinoma; and further combination with ceralasertib enhances the anti-tumor activity of UTX knockdown by inhibiting the ATR–CHK1 checkpoint signaling pathway.

Inhibition of Atm and Atr kinases affects embryo development and the DNA damage response in sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus)

Embryo development is regulated by numerous interconnected pathways that direct cell fate, differentiation, and genetic stability. During development, these pathways can be altered by exogenous factors, such as pollutants, or endogenous factors, such as replication stress. Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (Atm) and ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (Atr) kinases play critical roles in regulating the cell cycle, the DNA damage response (DDR), DNA repair, checkpoint activation, and apoptosis. In cells with damaged DNA, these kinases can slow the cell cycle to provide the necessary time and ability for DNA repair. In this study, we investigated the roles of Atm and Atr in embryo development and DDR in the sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus). Sterlets belong to the Acipenseridae family, one of the most threatened groups of species. Thus, understanding their genetics, biology, embryogenesis, and conservation is crucial. Furthermore, the sterlet is a significant aquaculture species that represents an intriguing model for studying polyploidy and genome plasticity. In our research, we examined the effects of chemical inhibition of Atm and Atr on sterlet embryo development in the absence and presence of the genotoxicant camptothecin (CPT). Our findings indicated that in the absence of genotoxic challenge, Atr autophosphorylation increases between 1 and 3 days post-fertilization (dpf) and decreases by 5 dpf, illustrating the involvement of Atr in the response to replication stress in rapidly differentiating tissues during the early stages of embryo development. Conversely, Atm inhibition was associated with a dose-dependent reduction in embryo viability, highlighting its importance in normal embryo development. When sterlet embryos were exposed to CPT, both Atm and Atr were involved in DDR and the activation of apoptosis. Notably, when both kinases were inhibited simultaneously, the embryos lost their ability to induce apoptosis and mitigate DNA damage, resulting in 100% embryonic mortality. These results suggest that Atm and Atr have distinct functions during normal embryo development, but they can partially complement each other in DDR.

H2AX promotes replication fork degradation and chemosensitivity in BRCA-deficient tumours

Histone H2AX plays a key role in DNA damage signalling in the surrounding regions of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). In response to DNA damage, H2AX becomes phosphorylated on serine residue 139 (known as γH2AX), resulting in the recruitment of the DNA repair effectors 53BP1 and BRCA1. Here, by studying resistance to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors in BRCA1/2-deficient mammary tumours, we identify a function for γH2AX in orchestrating drug-induced replication fork degradation. Mechanistically, γH2AX-driven replication fork degradation is elicited by suppressing CtIP-mediated fork protection. As a result, H2AX loss restores replication fork stability and increases chemoresistance in BRCA1/2-deficient tumour cells without restoring homology-directed DNA repair, as highlighted by the lack of DNA damage-induced RAD51 foci. Furthermore, in the attempt to discover acquired genetic vulnerabilities, we find that ATM but not ATR inhibition overcomes PARP inhibitor (PARPi) resistance in H2AX-deficient tumours by interfering with CtIP-mediated fork protection. In summary, our results demonstrate a role for H2AX in replication fork biology in BRCA-deficient tumours and establish a function of H2AX separable from its classical role in DNA damage signalling and DSB repair.