Multiple Solid Tumor Models Research Articles

Abstract 6329: Pooled in vivo screening of hundreds of T cell therapy designs using spatial multi-omics identifies novel designs with superior TME performance

Abstract Background: Adoptive cell therapies such as CAR T have been curative for many liquid tumors, yet this success has struggled to translate to solid tumors due to the challenges posed by the solid tumor microenvironment (TME). Pooled CAR screens (e.g. CAR-POOLING) have recently emerged as a powerful approach for testing many designs for improving CAR T cell performance. However, these screens are typically restricted to univariate readouts (e.g. abundance) and cannot measure the cell-cell and cell-TME interactions that are critical for CAR T success in solid tumors. Here, we present a platform for performing pooled screens in vivo using spatial biology, facilitating simultaneous measurement of cell autonomous phenotypes, cell-cell interactions, and cell-environment interactions for hundreds of distinct cell therapy designs in a single mouse. Methods: We developed a custom spatial biology workflow to determine the identity of specific CAR constructs, armorings, or combinations in specific individual cells from a microscope image (“design deconvolution”). We combined this design deconvolution with simultaneous multiplexed spatial biology phenotyping in the same cells & samples, followed by computer vision interpretation to quantify each design’s performance across functional categories important for efficacy in solid tumors such as: tumor infiltration, tumor cell killing, proliferation, response to antigen heterogeneity & escape, exhaustion, persistence, and activity in immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments. In multiple mouse cancer models, we quantified the performance of hundreds of different cell therapy designs. Results: Using our pooled screens, we identified designs with superior performance in solid tumors across one or more key functional categories (e.g. infiltration, activity in immunosuppressive TMEs, etc.). We also mapped the landscape of cell therapy design principles by comparing dozens of existing designs derived from the literature head-to-head in the same animal, and we compared these benchmarked designs to novel cell therapies designed to improve CAR T function. We used these data to identify common rules that govern the design-phenotype relationship for CAR Ts in solid tumors and to identify CAR T designs with desired properties in solid tumors. Conclusions: Using a pooled in vivo screening platform, we discovered cell therapies that outperform existing designs across a variety of clinically-relevant metrics. Our spatial multi-omics measurements are critical for identifying designs that can effectively traffic to, infiltrate, and function in the solid tumor microenvironment. We are now using our pooled in vivo screens to identify highly efficacious designs in multiple solid tumor models. Citation Format: Cassandra Kontur, Gundula Povysil, Megha Sah, Mariya London, Nan Chen, Annie Dyatel, Stephen Pu, David V. Phizicky, Xinchen Wang. Pooled in vivo screening of hundreds of T cell therapy designs using spatial multi-omics identifies novel designs with superior TME performance [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 6329.

Abstract LB324: BB3008, a potent and selective small molecular HPK1 inhibitor effective in multiple syngeneic tumor models

Abstract Introduction: Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is a serine/threonine kinase in the MAP4K family predominantly expressed in immune cells, and has been identified as a negative regulator of T cell and B cell receptor signaling and dendritic cell function. Inhibition of the kinase activity of HPK1 results in the activation of exhausted T cell in tumor microenvironment and enhanced anti-tumor immune response. Observation of HPK1 overexpression in various tumor tissues further indicates the kinase as a novel target for immuno-oncology therapy. Here we report BB3008 as a small molecular HPK1 inhibitor. Methods: BB3008 was developed through structure-based drug design, and optimized by SAR analysis and medicinal chemistry iteration. Biochemical assays and cell-base functional assays were applied in compound evaluation. Pharmacokinetic (PK) and preliminary toxicity studies were performed with mice and dogs. Syngeneic tumor models in mice were conducted to demonstrate the in vivo efficacy of BB3008 as a single agent and in combination with mouse PD-1 antibody. Results: BB3008 shows sub-nanomolar HPK1 potency, with good selectivity against kinases in the MAP4K family and other TCR signaling-related kinases, such as FYN and ZAP70. Inhibition of HPK1 by BB3008 strongly suppresses the phosphorylation at Ser376 of the downstream biomarker protein SLP-76, with IC50 at 30 nM. With the stimulation of CD3/CD28, boost of IL-2 production was observed in Jurkat cells, purified human T cells, and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells upon treatment of BB3008 at sub-micromolar concentration. BB3008 also enhanced the killing activity of T cell against EL4 lymphoma cell in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner. PK profile of BB3008 showed good bioavailability (>80%) with a nearly linear dose-dependent exposure. The compound had no significant suppression on various normal cell lines proliferation, and had no hERG liability. In preliminary safety evaluation, no abnormal clinical symptoms and serum/blood tests were observed in mice and dogs dosed up to 1000mpk and 150mpk for 14 days, respectively. BB3008 showed significant tumor-growth inhibition rates in CT26, Hepa 1-6 and 4T1 mouse models as single agent, and in MC-38 mouse model in combination with mouse PD-1 antibody. Conclusion: As a potent, selective and oral available small molecule HPK1 inhibitor, BB3008 shows good safety tolerance in preclinical animals, and promising efficacy in multiple solid tumor models, both as single agent or in combination with immune checkpoint blockade. The IND-enabling study of BB3008 is in progress. Citation Format: Gongping Duan, Min Li, Xingmin Zhang. BB3008, a potent and selective small molecular HPK1 inhibitor effective in multiple syngeneic tumor models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 2 (Clinical Trials and Late-Breaking Research); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(8_Suppl):Abstract nr LB324.

Abstract 1768: Multiplexed shRNA cassettes targeting orthogonal pathways (FAS/PTPN2/TGFBR) enhance the potency of integrated circuit T cells (ICTs) in multiple solid tumor models

Abstract T cell exhaustion resulting from chronic antigen stimulation and immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment (TME) limits CAR T efficacy in the solid tumor setting. We have previously shown that engineering therapeutic T cell products using CRISPR-based gene insertion of a dual shRNA cassette targeting Fas and PTPN2 significantly increased antitumor efficacy of Integrated Circuit T cells (ICTs) in ovarian cancer models. We sought to build on this finding to induce additional gene perturbations that improve the efficacy of ICTs. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-b is an immunosuppressive cytokine that potently inhibits T cell responses and is present at high levels in numerous solid tumors, including renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In order to render ICT cells less susceptible to TGF-b-mediated suppression, we developed a quadruple shRNA cassette that simultaneously targets Fas, PTPN2, and TGFBR. Candidate TGFBR-targeting shRNAs were selected for their ability to reduce surface TGFBR receptor expression and impair proximal (pSMAD) or distal (CD103, PD-1) signaling through TGFBR. While single shRNAs against TGFBR did not rescue ICT cell activity in the presence of TGF-b, likely due to partial knockdown of TGFBR signaling, a cassette encoding two shRNAs against TGFBR restored ICT function to similar levels observed in the absence of TGF-b. The quadruple shRNA cassettes targeting Fas/PTPN2/TGFBR significantly enhanced antitumor activity of ICT cells in multiple xenograft tumor models relative to Fas/PTPN2 cassettes. These results demonstrate the utility of multiplexed shRNA strategies to render therapeutic T cells resistant to orthogonal suppressive pathways in solid tumors. Citation Format: Thomas J. Gardner, Adam Litterman, Brenal K. Singh, Luisa Silva, Mukund Hari, Stanley Zhou, Colin Tang, Sahil Joshi, John Gagnon, Oliver Takacsi-Nagy, Jason Hall, Hans Pope, James Zhang, Alma Gomez, Jeremy Chen, Suchismita Mohanty, Vince Thomas, Nicholas Quant, Beatriz Millare, Amy-Jo Casbon, Natalie Bezman, Levi Gray-Rupp, Angela C. Boroughs, W. Nicholas Haining. Multiplexed shRNA cassettes targeting orthogonal pathways (FAS/PTPN2/TGFBR) enhance the potency of integrated circuit T cells (ICTs) in multiple solid tumor models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 1768.

Abstract 6231: Activation of GCN2 by HC-7366 results in significant antitumor efficacy as monotherapy and in combination with multiple standard of care agents in various solid cancer models

Abstract The integrated stress response (ISR) is an adaptive signaling pathway that cells utilize to respond to a wide range of extrinsic and intrinsic stresses, which are important for tumorigenesis. Activation of ISR is suggested to play a dual role in cell fate decisions. While the ISR promotes survival, prolonged activation of ISR induces apoptosis. We are developing HC-7366, a first-in-class, first-in-human GCN2 activator, and are currently evaluating it in a phase 1 clinical trial in solid tumors (NCT05121948). In this study, we present the characterization of the antitumor effects of HC-7366 in solid tumors. In vivo efficacy studies using HC-7366 montherapy showed significant tumor growth inhibition (TGI%) in preclinical cancer models of colorectal (78-95%), head and neck (33% regression), sarcoma (80%) and prostate (65%). HC-7366 activated the ISR in tumors from treated mice as evidenced by induction of the ATF4 target genes ASNS and PSAT1. Additionally, HC-7366 induced the proapoptotic protein PUMA and reduced HIF1⍺ and HIF2⍺ levels. Furthermore, HC-7366 showed significant benefit in colorectal models when combined with DC101 (anti-VEGFR2 antibody), 5-fluorouracil (chemotherapy), alpelisib (PI3Kα inhibitor), or trametinib (MEK1/2 inhibitor). Using GCN2 CRISPR-knockout cells, we confirmed that the HC-7366 mediated reduction of cell growth and induction of ISR markers was dependent on GCN2. We performed multi-omics analyses to further understand the mechanism of action. Metabolomics analysis of tumors treated with HC-7366 revealed that HC-7366 altered several metabolites involved in amino acid metabolism, oxidative stress, the urea cycle, and pyrimidine biosynthesis. Additionally, proteomics analysis showed that HC-7366 significantly reduced proteins involved in oxidative phosphorylation. Analysis of the transcriptome in tumors from treated mice demonstrated that HC-7366 reduced the activity of HIF and E2F1-driven transcription, including expression of metaphase-anaphase transition genes, consistent with decreased Ki67 staining in tumors. ATF4 and JUN transcriptional activity was enhanced with HC-7366 treatment consistent with activation of ISR. Collectively, our in vitro and in vivo results demonstrate that HC-7366 is a potent GCN2 activator with strong antitumor activity across multiple solid tumor models as a monotherapy or in combination with standard of care agents. Citation Format: Feven Tameire, Paulina Wojnarowicz, Crissy Dudgeon, Sho Fujisawa, Sharon Huang, Owen B. Reilly, Nicholas Collette, Jeremy Drees, Kathryn Bieging-Rolett, Takashi O. Kangas, Weiyu Zhang, Maria Fumagalli, Iman Dewji, Yunfang Li, Anissa SH Chan, Xiaohong Qiu, Ben Harrison, Ashley LaCayo, Ricardo A. Cordova, Kirk A. Staschke, Alan C. Rigby, Savithri Ramurthy, Eric S. Lightcap, David Surguladze, Nandita Bose. Activation of GCN2 by HC-7366 results in significant antitumor efficacy as monotherapy and in combination with multiple standard of care agents in various solid cancer models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 6231.

Abstract 5977: Evaluation of the potential combination regimens for q901, a clinical stage selective cdk7 inhibitor, as a DNA damage repair inhibitor

Abstract Background; Q901 is an extremely selective CDK7 inhibitor with potent single agent activity in the multiple in vivo tumor models including small cell lung cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, hormone receptor positive breast cancer, castrate-resistant prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer. Q901 is currently in Phase 1/2 clinical trial for patients with selected advanced solid tumors (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05394103). In the preclinical models, Q901 treatment induces DNA damage response (DDR) impairment markers, particularly ones involved in the double-strand break repair mechanisms. This opens up broad range of possibilities for new combination regimen that could benefit from the accumulated DNA damages caused by Q901 treatment. Methods: Various combinations have been tested to evaluate potential clinical regimens in multiple solid tumor models. Two different BRCA wild-type ovarian cancer A2780 and OVCAR3 models, an estrogen receptor positive MCF7 breast cancer model, or a syngeneic RENCA mouse renal cancer model was tested with Q901 in combination with poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD), an estrogen receptor (ER) PROTAC degrader, or an anti-PD-1 antibody, respectively. Results: In the A2780 model, the PARPi alone group showed 15% TGI (tumor growth inhibition), but significant tumor regression (104% TGI) was observed in the Q901 and PARPi combination. In the OVCAR3 model, the Q901 and PARPi combination group showed 105% TGI, whereas the PARPi alone group showed 38% TGI. In the MCF7 model, SERD alone showed 64% TGI and Q901 combination with SERD showed 94% TGI. Remarkable tumor regression (111% TGI) was observed in the MCF7 model combining ER PROTAC and Q901, whereas ER PROTAC alone group showed 55% TGI. In the RENCA model, the anti-PD-1 antibody alone group showed 13.2% TGI and the combination of Q901 and anti-PD-1 antibody showed 66% TGI. In summary, these preclinical model studies demonstrated significant additive/synergistic effects of the Q901 combination on tumor growth inhibition. Conclusion: The non-clinical data demonstrate that Q901 not only has a potential as a single agent,but can also be used in combination with other therapeutic strategies to develop next-generation cancer therapeutics to potentially address unmet medical needs. Citation Format: Donghoon Yu, Yeejin Jeon, YoonJi Lee, Seung-Joo Lee, Jaeseung Kim, Hyerim Jung, Tae-Kyung Kim, Kiyean Nam. Evaluation of the potential combination regimens for q901, a clinical stage selective cdk7 inhibitor, as a DNA damage repair inhibitor [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 5977.

Abstract 5741: Harnessing macrophages, while protecting T cells, enhances anti-tumor efficacy

Abstract Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR T) cells are synthetically engineered to target specific tumor antigens. CD47 is a ubiquitous receptor that serves as a “don’t eat me” signal by binding to SIRPɑ on macrophages and is often over-expressed by cancer cells. Despite individual promise of CAR T and anti-CD47 therapies, neither has demonstrated clear efficacy in treating solid tumors in the clinic and there is thus an urgent need to develop novel approaches that enhance the potency of these therapies. We interrogated the potential pairing of CAR T with anti-CD47 therapy to overcome tumor resistance mechanisms inherent to each therapy alone, by engaging non-redundant properties of two arms of the immune system. However, upon coadministration of anti-CD47 therapy and CAR T cells across multiple tumor models in vivo, we observed potent and consistent macrophage-mediated clearance of CAR-T cells via on-target, off-tumor binding of anti-CD47 therapies to CAR T cells. This anti-CD47 mediated CAR T cell depletion blunts the therapeutic benefits of treatment and renders the pairing of the current versions of the two agents impractical.To overcome this challenge, we used directed evolution and yeast surface display to engineer a novel variant of CD47 (eCD47) with selective binding, identifying mutations that resulted in loss of binding to the anti-CD47 antibody B6H12, while maintaining the CD47 “don’t eat me” function through binding to SIRPɑ, which is essential for T cell persistence in vivo. T cells engineered to express eCD47, but not native, wild-type CD47, were resistant to targeting by multiple anti-CD47 antibodies but maintained binding to SIRPɑ. These T cells were no longer susceptible to anti-CD47 mediated macrophage phagocytosis in vitro, nor were they depleted in vivo after B6H12 administration. We demonstrated a striking improvement in therapeutic efficacy upon treatment of multiple solid tumor models when anti-CD47 therapy was combined with CAR T cells expressing eCD47, compared to combination with CAR T cells expressing wild-type CD47. We interrogated a mechanistic basis for this improved efficacy in an osteosarcoma model through single-cell RNA-sequencing of isolated tumors. We discovered that CAR T treatment led to a large influx of unique populations of macrophages into the tumor, which were lost upon CAR T depletion after anti-CD47 treatment. These T cell recruited-macrophages were maintained after anti-CD47 treatment in the presence of CAR T cells expressing eCD47, harnessing macrophage mediated anti-tumor activity after combination treatment. Thus, for the first time, eCD47 allows for effective pairing of CAR T therapy and anti-CD47 therapy for cancer treatment, by sparing T cells from macrophage mediated depletion, and revealing impressive synergy when adoptive T cell therapy is combined with macrophage activation. Citation Format: Sean A. Yamada-Hunter, Johanna Theruvath, Molly T. Radosevich, Brianna J. McIntosh, Katherine A. Freitas, Naiara Martinez-Velez, Elena Sotillo, Amaury Leruste, Peng Xu, Moksha H. Desai, Bita Sahaf, Allison Banuelos, Savannah L. Wasserman, Irving L. Weissman, Jennifer R. Cochran, Crystal L. Mackall. Harnessing macrophages, while protecting T cells, enhances anti-tumor efficacy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 5741.

A novel form of docetaxel polymeric micelles demonstrates anti-tumor and ascites-inhibitory activities in animal models as monotherapy or in combination with anti-angiogenic agents.

Malignant ascites (MA) is caused by intraperitoneal spread of solid tumor cells and results in a poor quality of life. Chemotherapy is a common first-line treatment for patients with MA. Taxotere ® (DTX) is widely used in solid tumor therapies. However, the low water solubility and side effects caused by additives in the formulation restrict the clinical application of docetaxel. HT001 is a clinical stage docetaxel micelle developed to overcome the solubility issue with improved safety profiles. To support clinical development and expand clinical application of HT001, this study used in vitro and in vivo approaches to investigate the anti-tumor effects of HT001 when applied as monotherapy or in combination with anti-angiogenic agents. HT001 demonstrated comparable anti-proliferative activities as docetaxel in a broad range of cancer cell lines in vitro. Furthermore, HT001 suppressed tumor growth in a dose-dependent manner in A549, MCF-7, and SKOV-3 xenograft tumor mouse models in vivo. In a hepatocellular carcinoma H22 malignant ascites-bearing mouse model, HT001 presented a dose-dependent inhibition of ascites production, prolonged animal survival, and reduced VEGF levels. When dosed at 20 mg/kg, the HT001-treated group exhibited curative results, with no ascites formation in 80% of mice at the end of the study while all the mice in the vehicle control group succumbed. Similar results were obtained in HT001 treatment of mice bearing malignant ascites produced by human ovarian cancer ES-2 cells. Notably, the combination of HT001 with Endostar not only significantly reduced ascites production but also prolonged survival of H22 ascites-bearing mice. HT001 showed similar PK and tissue distribution profiles as DTX in non-rodent hosts. Collectively, these results demonstrate potent anti-tumor activity of HT001 in multiple solid tumor models or malignant ascites models, and reveal synergistic effects with anti-angiogenic agents, supporting the clinical development and clinical expansion plans for HT001.

Abstract 1356: In vivo epigenetic CRISPR screen identifies PRMT5 as an immune suppressor in pancreatic cancer

Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a devastating disease in which the mortality rate approaches the incidence rate. Desmoplasia is a hallmark of PDA, which creates a mechanical barrier surrounding the tumor cells, prevents appropriate vascularization and leads to pool immune infiltration. PDA exhibits a “cold” tumor microenvironment characterized by a prominent myeloid cell infiltration, which is extremely immune suppressive. Therefore, PDA has been demonstrated to be resistant to immunotherapy. Indeed, single-agent immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy has failed in clinical trials for PDA patients. Targeting epigenetic modification is an attractive approach to enable the response to immunotherapy in multiple solid tumor models. To identify epigenetic modulators as potential novel immunotherapeutic targets in PDA, we performed an orthotopic in vivo epigenetic CRISPR screen. Prmt5 was screened out as one of the top candidates. Further validation studies showed that Prmt5 knockdown (KD) alone or in combination with anti PD-1 treatment significantly inhibited the tumor progression. PRMT5 shRNA in combination with PD1 blockade can dramatically altered the tumor immune microenvironment (TME) with influx of effector CD8 T cells and changes in the macrophage/myeloid populations. Collectively, our work describes PRMT5 as an attracting target which governs tumor immunity in PDA. Citation Format: Hai Hu, Jiehui Deng, Fei Li, wei wang, Alireza Khodadadi-Jamayran. In vivo epigenetic CRISPR screen identifies PRMT5 as an immune suppressor in pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 1356.

Superkine IL-2 and IL-33 Armored CAR T Cells Reshape the Tumor Microenvironment and Reduce Growth of Multiple Solid Tumors.

Chimeric-antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has shown remarkable efficacy against hematologic tumors. Yet, CAR T-cell therapy has had little success against solid tumors due to obstacles presented by the tumor microenvironment (TME) of these cancers. Here, we show that CAR T cells armored with the engineered IL-2 superkine Super2 and IL-33 were able to promote tumor control as a single-agent therapy. IFNγ and perforin were dispensable for the effects of Super2- and IL-33-armored CAR T cells. Super2 and IL-33 synergized to shift leukocyte proportions in the TME and to recruit and activate a broad repertoire of endogenous innate and adaptive immune cells including tumor-specific T cells. However, depletion of CD8+ T cells or NK cells did not disrupt tumor control, suggesting that broad immune activation compensated for loss of individual cell subsets. Thus, we have shown that Super2 and IL-33 CAR T cells can promote antitumor immunity in multiple solid tumor models and can potentially overcome antigen loss, highlighting the potential of this universal CAR T-cell platform for the treatment of solid tumors.

Phase Ib Study of the Histone Deacetylase 6 Inhibitor Citarinostat in Combination With Paclitaxel in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors.

BackgroundCitarinostat (CC-96241; previously ACY-241), an oral inhibitor of histone deacetylases (HDACs) with selectivity for HDAC6, has demonstrated synergistic anticancer activity with paclitaxel in multiple solid tumor models. Combination therapy using citarinostat with paclitaxel was evaluated in this phase Ib 3 + 3 dose-escalation study in patients with advanced solid tumors.MethodsPatients with previously treated advanced solid tumors received citarinostat 180, 360, or 480 mg once daily on days 1 to 21 plus paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15 of 28-day cycles until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was determination of the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Secondary endpoints included safety, antitumor activity, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics.ResultsTwenty patients were enrolled and received study treatment; 15 had received prior taxane therapy. No dose-limiting toxicities were reported at any dose; therefore, the MTD was not identified. Citarinostat 360 vs 480 mg was associated with reduced incidence and severity of neutropenia. Three patients experienced a confirmed partial response and 13 achieved stable disease. Pharmacokinetic parameters were linear up to citarinostat 360 mg, the dose at which the highest levels of histone and tubulin acetylation were observed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.ConclusionsThe combination of citarinostat plus paclitaxel showed an acceptable safety profile, with no unexpected or dose-limiting toxicities and potential evidence of antitumor activity in patients with heavily pretreated advanced solid tumors. Citarinostat 360 mg once daily is considered the recommended phase II dose for use in combination with paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 every 3 of 4 weeks. This trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02551185).

Bispecific anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibody CTX-8371 to promote cellular clustering and PD-1 shedding, antitumor activity and tolerability.

e15056 Background: Checkpoint blockade therapies targeting PD-1 and PD-L1 have shown great success for the treatment of various malignancies. However, a substantial fraction of patients with PD-L1-positive tumors remain unresponsive to these therapies. Novel therapy with significantly greater activity than the leading PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors is expected to bring additional clinical benefit to patients. Here we describe the preclinical evaluation of CTX-8371, which combines anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies in one bispecific tetravalent molecule. Methods: The immune-enhancing activity of CTX-8371 was tested in vitro in T cell activation assays and tumor cell killing assay. CTX-8371 anti-tumor efficacy in vivo was assessed using mouse tumor cells expressing human PD-L1 implanted in transgenic mice humanized at the PD-1 and PD-L1 loci. CTX-8371 anti-tumor activity was also tested in xenograft tumor models. The mechanism of action of CTX-8371 was investigated in vitro using Jurkat cells expressing PD-1 or PD-L1, human PBMCs, and in vivo in tumor-bearing, chimeric PD-1/PD-L1 transgenic mice. CTX-8371 PK was determined in mice using an MSD ELISA-based assay and in cynomolgus monkeys using a qualified ELISA method. Dose range finding and toxicokinetic studies were performed in cynomolgus monkeys. Results: CTX-8371 potently enhanced T cell activation and function in vitro and showed curative efficacy as monotherapy in multiple solid tumor models, isografts or xenografts. Furthermore, CTX-8371 demonstrated superior anti-tumor efficacy compared to Keytruda or atezolizumab in checkpoint inhibitors-sensitive and resistant syngeneic mouse tumor models. Mechanistically, in addition to blocking PD-1 interaction with PD-L1, CTX-8371 bispecific antibody facilitated cell to cell bridging between cells expressing PD-1 and cells expressing PD-L1. Furthermore, we show that simultaneous binding of CTX-8371 to both PD-1 and PD-L1 resulted in long term PD-1 shedding. This suggests that CTX-8371 may prevent or overcome T cell exhaustion within the tumor microenvironment, thus providing additional advantage over existing therapies. Lastly, excellent tolerability was observed in non-human primates given 2 weekly drug infusions at up to 50 mg/kg dose. Conclusions: CTX-8371 displays multiple mechanisms of action over monoclonal PD1/PD-L1 blockade. These unique pharmacological properties of CTX-8371 could explain the enhanced T cell responses to tumor antigens and superior efficacy over current monoclonal antibody therapies. With favorable PK/PD and toxicology profiles in mice and cynomolgus monkeys, CTX-8371 warrants further advancement to clinical testing.

Chimeric STAR receptors using TCR machinery mediate robust responses against solid tumors.

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapies have demonstrated high response rate and durable disease control for the treatment of B cell malignancies. However, in the case of solid tumors, CAR-T cells have shown limited efficacy, which is partially attributed to intrinsic defects in CAR signaling. Here, we construct a double-chain chimeric receptor, termed as synthetic T cell receptor (TCR) and antigen receptor (STAR), which incorporates antigen-recognition domain of antibody and constant regions of TCR that engage endogenous CD3 signaling machinery. Under antigen-free conditions, STAR does not trigger tonic signaling, which has been reported to cause exhaustion of traditional CAR-T cells. Upon antigen stimulation, STAR mediates strong and sensitive TCR-like signaling, and STAR-T cells exhibit less susceptibility to dysfunction and better proliferation than traditional 28zCAR-T cells. In addition, STAR-T cells show higher antigen sensitivity than CAR-T cells, which holds potential to reduce the risk of antigen loss-induced tumor relapse in clinical use. In multiple solid tumor models, STAR-T cells prominently outperformed BBzCAR-T cells and generated better or equipotent antitumor effects to 28zCAR-T cells without causing notable toxicity. With these favorable features endowed by native TCR-like signaling, STAR-T cells may provide clinical benefit in treating refractory solid tumors.

Abstract CT161: Phase I clinical trials of SLC-0111, a novel inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase IX, in patients with advanced solid tumors

Abstract Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) is a cell surface, HIF-1A-inducible enzyme that is highly expressed in many solid tumors, is considered to be an endogenous marker of hypoxia and is a prominent biomarker of poor patient prognosis. In contrast, CAIX expression in normal human normal tissue is highly restricted, making it an attractive therapeutic target and driving the development of CAIX-specific inhibitors. SLC-0111 is an ureido-substituted benzenesulfonamide small molecule inhibitor of CAIX. We have shown previously that targeting CAIX activity with SLC-0111, alone and in combination with chemotherapy or immune checkpoint blockade, results in anti-tumor efficacy in multiple solid tumor models in vivo. Here, we report the findings of a multi-center, open-label, first-in-human phase I clinical trial investigating the safety and tolerability of SLC-0111 in patients with previously treated, advanced solid tumors (NCT02215850). Using a 3+3 design, dose escalation started at 500 mg oral daily dosing of SLC-0111 in cohort 1 and increased to 1000 mg and 2000 mg in cohorts 2 and 3. Drug-related adverse events (AEs) were monitored to determine safety and tolerability. Pharmacokinetic analyses assessed plasma concentrations of single and repeated doses of SLC-0111. RECIST 1.1 criteria were used to assess disease progression. No DLTs were reported and patients dosed at 1000 mg and below exhibited fewer drug-related AEs ≥ grade 3 and fewer AEs such as nausea and vomiting, compared to the 2000 mg cohort. 41% of patients experienced dose interruptions or discontinuation and the majority (71%) of these occurred in the 2000 mg cohort. Mean Cmax and AUC(0-24) values for single doses were similar at the 1000 mg and 2000 mg dose levels. Mean Tmax and T1/2 values of SLC-0111 were similar after single and repeated dosing. Power-law analysis of Cmax and AUC(0-24) showed that exposure to SLC-0111 was generally dose proportional. No objective responses were observed, but stable disease greater than 24 weeks was observed in 2 patients. These data show that SLC-0111 is safe in patients and support 1000 mg/day as the recommended phase II dose (RP2D). Based on these encouraging results, a phase Ib clinical trial to evaluate SLC-0111 in combination with chemotherapy in a defined population of CAIX-positive pancreatic cancer patients (NCT03450018) is now open and future clinical development will include investigation of SLC-0111 in combination with chemotherapy in patients with glioblastoma. Citation Format: Paul C. McDonald, Stephen Chia, Philippe L. Bedard, Qunicy Chu, Michael Lyle, Liren Tang, Madhu Singh, Zaihui Zhang, Claudiu T. Supuran, Daniel J. Renouf, Shoukat Dedhar. Phase I clinical trials of SLC-0111, a novel inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase IX, in patients with advanced solid tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr CT161.

Abstract A10: Constitutive HIF activity enhances T-cell antitumor immunity and memory T-cell formation in the murine adoptive cell therapy model

Abstract Purpose: To determine if unrestrained hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) activity in CD8 T cells improves antitumor response. Methods: CD8 T cells were isolated from von Hippel Lindau (VHL)-deficient (VHL KO) mice, which have unrepressed HIF1 and HIF2 activity, as well as from VHL/HIF1/HIF2 triple-deficient (TKO) and WT mice. Following in vitro activation, T cells were transferred to melanoma (B16) tumor-bearing mice and monitored for tumor progression and survival. In other studies, activated VHL KO and TKO CD8 cells were mixed with WT CD8 cells and transferred to B16 or adenocarcinoma (MC38) tumor-bearing mice; after 7-10 days, donor T cells were analyzed from tumors, spleens, and draining lymph nodes (LN). Results: Single transfer of VHL KO CD8 T cells to B16 tumor-bearing mice resulted in delayed tumor growth and prolonged survival compared to transfer of CD8 T cells from TKO or WT donors. Co-transfer of VHL KO cells with WT cells into B16 tumor-bearing mice resulted in superior accumulation of VHL KO cells in all tissues including tumors. In contrast, mixed transfer of TKO cells with WT cells to B16 tumor-bearing mice resulted in poorer accumulation of TKO cells in all tissues including tumors. VHL KO tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) had superior expression of tissue resident memory (TRM) phenotype markers CD103 and CD69 compared to WT and TKO TILs. Similarly in the MC38 tumor model, VHL KO cells showed improved accumulation in all tissues compared to WT cells. Conclusions: Here we demonstrate that VHL deletion in CD8 T cells results in superior efficacy in delaying tumor growth and improving recipient survival, greater accumulation in multiple solid tumor models, and increased development of the TRM phenotype. Further, TKO recipients demonstrated increased tumor growth, reduced survival, reduced TIL numbers, and absence of TRM phenotype following adoptive transfer, confirming the HIF dependency of the VHL-deletion phenotype. Taken together, these data demonstrate that T cells with constitutive HIF activity provide a more robust antitumor response. Therefore, manipulation of HIF regulation could offer new tools for enhanced T-cell efficacy in adoptive cellular therapy for solid tumors. Citation Format: Colette R. Lauhan, Deborah Witherden, Ilkka Liikanan, Ananda Goldrath. Constitutive HIF activity enhances T-cell antitumor immunity and memory T-cell formation in the murine adoptive cell therapy model [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Advances in Pediatric Cancer Research; 2019 Sep 17-20; Montreal, QC, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(14 Suppl):Abstract nr A10.

CX-2009, a CD166-directed probody drug conjugate (PDC): Results from the first-in-human study in patients (Pts) with advanced cancer including breast cancer (BC).

526 Background: CX-2009 is a PROBODY drug conjugate (PDC) directed against CD166 (ALCAM) and conjugated to DM4, a potent microtubule inhibitor (MTI). CD166 is overexpressed in carcinomas but is also ubiquitously expressed in normal epithelium and thus has not been previously considered a viable target for a traditional antibody drug conjugate. PDCs have a peptide mask that blocks normal tissue binding and can be removed by tumor-associated proteases, thereby limiting off-tumor/on-target binding. CX-2009 demonstrated preclinical activity in multiple solid tumor models. Here we report results of the first in human study in patients with advanced cancer. Methods: In this phase I multi-part dose-escalation study, pts with advanced solid tumors received CX-2009 0.25–10 mpk IV every 14 or 21 days (Q2W or Q3W). Tumor types were selected based on expected high CD166 expression and MTI sensitivity. Results: The dose-escalation phase of the trial enrolled 43 pts; 49 additional pts were subsequently enrolled between 4–10 mpk to collect biomarker data and define the recommended phase II dose (RP2D), for a total of 92 pts as of 30 Nov 2019 (39 pts with breast cancer [BC], 22 ovarian [OC], 12 non-small cell lung [NSCLC], 9 head/neck squamous cell [HNSCC], 10 other) with a median of 6 (range 1–19) prior therapies. Median number of CX-2009 doses was 2 (range, 1–15). For Q3W dosing, one dose limiting toxicity (DLT; grade 3 vomiting) was observed at 8 mpk; MTD was not reached up to 10 mpk. The RP2D for Q3W schedule was 7 mpk based on safety, dose-response, and population pharmacokinetic simulations. Q2W dosing continues; DLTs were observed at 6 mpk. Common treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) at 7 mpk (n=9) were nausea (44%), fatigue, infusion-related reactions (both 33%), vomiting and arthralgias (both 22%). Grade 3 TRAEs occurred in 2 pts (nausea/vomiting; peripheral neuropathy). No pts discontinued at 7 mpk due to TRAEs. Ocular toxicity was dose dependent; mild to moderate reversible keratitis/blurred vision was seen in 3 pts at 7 mpk and mitigated by ocular prophylaxis. Partial responses were seen in 8 pts (2 confirmed, both HR+/HER2- BC) treated between 4–10 mpk, including BC (n=5), OC (n=2), and HNSCC (n=1). SD (≥1 on-study scan) was observed in 21 pts, 5 had SD ≥3 mos. Conclusions: CX-2009 at 7 mpk is the RP2D on Q3W schedule. Phase II expansion has begun in pts with HR+/HER2- BC. The Q2W schedule will continue to enroll pts to define the RP2D. CX-2009 will also be studied in combination with CX-072, a PD-L1 PROBODY therapeutic ( NCT03149549 ) Clinical trial information: NCT03149549 .

Antibodies to Costimulatory Receptor 4-1BB Enhance Anti-tumor Immunity via T Regulatory Cell Depletion and Promotion of CD8 T Cell Effector Function

The costimulatory receptor 4-1BB is expressed on activated immune cells, including activated Tcells. Antibodies targeting 4-1BB enhance the proliferation and survival of antigen-stimulated Tcells invitro and promote CD8 Tcell-dependent anti-tumor immunity in pre-clinical cancer models. We found that T regulatory (Treg) cells infiltrating human or murine tumors expressed high amounts of 4-1BB. Intra-tumoral Treg cells were preferentially depleted by anti-4-1BB mAbs invivo. Anti-4-1BB mAbs also promoted effector Tcell agonism to promote tumor rejection. These distinct mechanisms were competitive and dependent on antibody isotype and FcγR availability. Administration of anti-4-1BB IgG2a, which preferentially depletes Treg cells, followed by eitheragonistic anti-4-1BB IgG1 or anti-PD-1 mAb augmented anti-tumor responses in multiple solid tumor models. An antibody engineered to optimize both FcγR-dependent Treg cell depleting capacity and FcγR-independent agonism delivered enhanced anti-tumor therapy. These insights into the effector mechanisms of anti-4-1BB mAbs lay the groundwork for translation into the clinic.

Abstract P6-11-02: Efficacy of Hsp90 inhibitor ganetespib plus standard neoadjuvant therapy in high-risk breast cancer: Results from the I-SPY 2 trial

Abstract Background:Pathologic complete response(pCR) after neoadjuvant therapy is an established prognostic biomarker for high-risk breast cancer(BC). Improving pCR rates may identify new therapies that improve survival. I-SPY 2 uses response-adaptive randomization within biomarker subtypes to evaluate novel agents when added to standard neoadjuvant therapy for women with high-risk stage II/III breast cancer; the goal is to identify regimens that have ≥85% Bayesian predictive probability of success (statistical significance) in a 300-patient phase 3 neoadjuvant trial defined by hormone-receptor (HR), HER2 status and MammaPrint (MP). We report the results for Ganetespib, a selective inhibitor of Hsp90 that induces the degradation/deactivation of key drivers of tumor initiation, progression, angiogenesis, and metastasis.Ganetespib + taxanes previously have resulted in a superior therapeutic response compared to monotherapy in multiple solid tumor models including BC. Methods:Women with tumors ≥2.5cm were eligible for screening and participation. MP low/HR+ tumors were ineligible for randomization. QTcF >470msec and HbA1C >8.0% were ineligible. MRI scans (baseline, +3 cycles, following weekly paclitaxel, T, and pre-surgery) were used in a longitudinal statistical model to improve the efficiency of adaptive randomization. Ganetespib was given with weekly T at 150 mg/m2 IV weekly (3 weeks on, 1 off). Patients were premedicated (dexamethasone 10mg and diphenhydramine HCl 25-50 mg, or therapeutic equivalents). Analysis was intention to treat with patients who switched to non-protocol therapy counted as non-pCRs. The Ganetespib regimen was open only to HER2- patients, and eligible for graduation in 3 of 10 pre-defined signatures: HER2-, HR+/HER2- and HR-/HER2-. Results:Ganetespib did not meet the criteria for graduation in the 3 signatures tested. When the maximum sample size was reached, accrual stopped. Ganetespib was assigned to 93 patients; there were 140 controls. We report probabilities of superiority for Ganetespib over control and Bayesian predictive probabilities of success in a neoadjuvant phase 3 trial equally randomized between Ganetespib and control, for the 3 biomarker signatures, using the final pCR data from all patients. Safety data will be presented. SignatureEstimated pCR Rate (95% probability interval)Probability Ganetespib Is Superior to ControlPredictive Probability of Ganetespib Success in a Phase 3 Trial Ganetespib N = 93Control N = 140 All HER2-26% (16%-37%)18% (8%-28%)91%47%HR+/HER2-15% (4%-27%)14% (4%-24%)60%19%HR-/HER2-38% (23%-53%)22% (9%-35%)96%72% Conclusion:The I-SPY 2 adaptive randomization model efficiently evaluates investigational agents in the setting of neoadjuvant BC. The value of I-SPY 2 is that it provides insight as to the regimen's likelihood of success in a phase 3 neoadjuvant study. Although no signature reached the efficacy threshold of 85% likelihood of success in phase 3, we observed the most impact in HR-/HER2- patients, with a 16% improvement in pCR rate. While our data do not support the continued development of Ganetespib alone for neoadjuvant BC, combinations with Ganetespib, which could potentiate its effect, may be worth pursuing in I-SPY 2 or similar trials. Citation Format: Forero A, Yee D, Buxton MB, Symmans WF, Chien AJ, Boughey JC, Elias AD, DeMichele A, Moulder S, Minton S, Kaplan HG, Albain KS, Wallace AM, Haley BB, Isaacs C, Korde LA, Nanda R, Lang JE, Kemmer KA, Hylton NM, Paoloni M, van't Veer L, Lyandres J, Perlmutter J, Hogarth M, Yau C, Sanil A, Berry DA, Esserman LJ. Efficacy of Hsp90 inhibitor ganetespib plus standard neoadjuvant therapy in high-risk breast cancer: Results from the I-SPY 2 trial [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-11-02.

Abstract 1693: ASN004, a novel 5T4-targeted Dolaflexin™ antibody drug conjugate, causes complete regression in multiple solid tumor models

Abstract ASN004 is an Antibody Drug Conjugate (ADC) that targets the 5T4 oncofetal antigen (trophoblast glycoprotein), which is highly expressed in a wide range of malignant tumors, while having very limited expression in normal tissues. ASN004 incorporates a novel single-chain homo-dimer antibody, Fleximer® linker technology (Mersana Therapeutics), and several cytotoxic dolastatin (auristatin) analog warheads per ADC molecule (drug/antibody ratio ∼15). ASN004 shows high affinity for the 5T4 antigen and for 5T4-expressing tumor cells. As well, ASN004 shows potent cytotoxicity that is selective for 5T4-expressing tumor cells. ASN004 provides strong tumor regression and tumor-free survivors in multiple tumor xenograft models, at well-tolerated doses as low as 0.3 mg/kg iv. Furthermore, ASN004 causes tumor regression when administered to xenografts bearing more advanced (500 mm3) tumors. Robust, potent efficacy for ASN004 has also been demonstrated in head-to-head comparison studies with relevant reference ADCs. A favorable pharmacokinetics profile was observed in rodents and primates. Dose-range finding exploratory toxicology studies have been completed in both pharmacological and non-pharmacological non-clinical species. Efforts toward IND-enabling safety studies with this promising new agent are in progress. Citation Format: Roger A. Smith, Nitin K. Damle, Sanjeeva P. Reddy, Alex Yurkovetskiy, Natalya Bodyak, Mao Yin, Dmitry Gumerov, Elena Ter-Ovanesyan, Liu Qin, Peter U. Park, Timothy B. Lowinger, Sandeep Gupta. ASN004, a novel 5T4-targeted Dolaflexin™ antibody drug conjugate, causes complete regression in multiple solid tumor models. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1693. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1693

Abstract 3312: Oncolytic HSV (34.5ENVE) sensitizes bortezomib-induced cancer cell killing through induction of RIP1 dependent necroptosis.

Abstract The aim of this study is to evaluate the combination of oncolytic herpes simplex virus (34.5ENVE) and bortezomib in the treatment of solid tumors. Although phase 1 clinical trials of oncolytic viruses have established the relative safety of this approach, evidence for efficacy has remained elusive. Therefore, strategies to enhance the efficacy of this treatment are being explored. We investigated the impact of 34.5ENVE in combination with bortezomib, a potent and selective proteosome inhibitor, in the treatment of multiple solid tumor models. In vitro, various human cancer cells were treated with bortezomib alone, 34.5ENVE alone, or the combination of the two. We analyzed the treatments for synergism in cancer cell killing using Chou-Talalay analysis (CI index <1: synergy; CI index < 0.8: strong synergy). Combination treatment of bortezomib and 34.5ENVE displayed strong synergism in multiple cell lines from ovarian cancer, head & neck cancer, and glioma (CI index < 0.8). In vivo, subcutaneous and intracranial tumor xenografts were utilized to study the impact of bortezomib+34.5ENVE on anti-tumor efficacy. Survival was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method and evaluated with a two-sided log-rank test. In vivo, the combination of bortezomib and 34.5ENVE significantly enhanced anti-tumor efficacy and prolonged mouse survival. The impact of bortezomib on 34.5ENVE replication was measured by quantifying virus titer. Sub lethal doses of bortezomib increased virus replication (p value <0.001), and treatment of cells with higher doses did not change the absolute viral titer. To understand the mechanism of the synergistic interaction between 34.5ENVE and bortezomib, we analyzed western blotting for cellular markers of ER stress and the JNK signaling pathway. Bortezomib treatment induced ER stress with strong induction of Grp78, CHOP, PERK and IRE1α (western blot analysis). Additionally, the combination of bortezomib and 34.5ENVE increased phosphorylation of JNK and c-Jun more so than the single treatments alone. Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was then measured by FACS analysis of cells treated with CellROX. Consistent with JNK activation, increased ROS was observed in both bortezomib and 34.5ENVE treated cells. Furthermore, cells treated with both bortezomib and 34.5ENVE displayed much higher ROS levels compared to cells treated with either agent alone. Both N-acetylcysteine, a ROS scavenger, and dipheylene iodide, an NADPH oxidase inhibitor, rescued the increased synergistic killing. We also treated SP0600125, a selective JNK inhibitor, and necrostatin-1, an inhibitor of RIP1, to investigate the initiation of cell killing. Pretreatment with both inhibitors was able to rescue synergy (CI>0.8). These findings suggest that the combination of bortezomib and 34.5ENVE leads to synergistic cell killing mediated by RIP1 dependent necroptosis induction. Citation Format: Brian S. Hurwitz, Ji Young Yoo, Chelsea Bolyard, Jun-Ge Yu, Jeffery Wojton, Matthew Old, Balveen Kaur. Oncolytic HSV (34.5ENVE) sensitizes bortezomib-induced cancer cell killing through induction of RIP1 dependent necroptosis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3312. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3312

B-cell Depletion Using an Anti-CD20 Antibody Augments Antitumor Immune Responses and Immunotherapy in Nonhematopoetic Murine Tumor Models

The role played by B cells in cancer biology is complex and somewhat controversial. Previous studies using genetically engineered mice suggest that B cells may be immunosuppressive and inhibit tumor rejection. However, the effects of B-cell depletion employing an antibody in mice bearing solid tumors has not been tested owing to difficulties in making an effective antimouse CD20 antibody (similar to rituximab). Injection of a newly developed antimouse CD20 antibody was effective in depleting circulating B cells from blood and lymph nodes, although depletion was less complete in the spleen. B-cell depletion slowed the growth of new solid tumors (not expressing CD20) and retarded the growth of established tumors but did not induce tumor regression. However, when the antibody was combined with an active immunotherapy approach using an adenovirus vaccine expressing the human papilloma virus-E7 gene (Ad.E7) in mice bearing TC1 tumors (murine lung cancer cells expressing human papilloma virus-E7), we noted enhanced antitumor effects and increased numbers of tetramer+/CD8+ T cells within the spleens and activated CD8+ T cells within tumors. B-cell depletion using an anti-CD20 antibody was thus effective in retarding tumor growth in multiple solid tumor models and augmenting immunotherapy in a tumor vaccine model. These studies raise the possibility that B-cell depletion may be a useful adjunct in human immunotherapy trials.