ROR1 targeting with the antibody-drug conjugate VLS-101 is effective in Richter syndrome patient-derived xenograft mouse models.

Richter syndrome (RS) represents the transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), typically to an aggressive lymphoma. Treatment options for RS are limited and the disease is often fatal. Receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1) is expressed on CLL cells and other cancers but not on healthy adult tissues, making it an attractive, tumor-specific therapeutic target. VLS-101 is being developed as an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) for therapy of ROR1-expressing (ROR1+) cancers. VLS-101 comprises UC-961 (a humanized immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibody that binds an extracellular epitope of human ROR1), a maleimidocaproyl-valine-citrulline-para-aminobenzoate linker, and the antimicrotubule cytotoxin monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE). VLS-101 binding to ROR1 results in rapid cellular internalization and delivery of MMAE to induce tumor cell death. We studied 4 RS patient-derived xenografts (RS-PDXs) with varying levels of ROR1 expression (11%, 32%, 85%, and 99% of cells). VLS-101 showed no efficacy in the lowest-expressing RS-PDX but induced complete remissions in those with higher levels of ROR1 expression. Responses were maintained during the posttherapy period, particularly after higher VLS-101 doses. In systemic ROR1+ RS-PDXs, VLS-101 dramatically decreased tumor burden in all RS-colonized tissues and significantly prolonged survival. Animals showed no adverse effects or weight loss. Our results confirm ROR1 as a target in RS and demonstrate the therapeutic potential of using an ADC directed toward ROR1 for the treatment of hematological cancers. A phase 1 clinical trial of VLS-101 (NCT03833180) is ongoing in patients with RS and other hematological malignancies.

Acalabrutinib (ACP-196) in Relapsed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

BACKGROUND: Irreversible inhibition of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) by ibrutinib represents an important therapeutic advance for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, ibrutinib also irreversibly inhibits alternative kinase targets, which potentially compromises its therapeutic index. Acalabrutinib (ACP-196) is a more selective, irreversible BTK inhibitor that is specifically designed to improve on the safety and efficacy of first-generation BTK inhibitors. METHODS: In this uncontrolled, phase 1-2, multicenter study, we administered oral acalabrutinib to 61 patients who had relapsed CLL to assess the safety, efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of acalabrutinib. Patients were treated with acalabrutinib at a dose of 100 to 400 mg once daily in the dose-escalation (phase 1) portion of the study and 100 mg twice daily in the expansion (phase 2) portion. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 62 years, and patients had received a median of three previous therapies for CLL; 31% had chromosome 17p13.1 deletion, and 75% had unmutated immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable genes. No dose-limiting toxic effects occurred during the dose-escalation portion of the study. The most common adverse events observed were headache (in 43% of the patients), diarrhea (in 39%), and increased weight (in 26%). Most adverse events were of grade 1 or 2. At a median follow-up of 14.3 months, the overall response rate was 95%, including 85% with a partial response and 10% with a partial response with lymphocytosis; the remaining 5% of patients had stable disease. Among patients with chromosome 17p13.1 deletion, the overall response rate was 100%. No cases of Richter's transformation (CLL that has evolved into large-cell lymphoma) and only one case of CLL progression have occurred. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the selective BTK inhibitor acalabrutinib had promising safety and efficacy profiles in patients with relapsed CLL, including those with chromosome 17p13.1 deletion. (Funded by the Acerta Pharma and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02029443.).

PI3K p110δ uniquely promotes gain-of-function Shp2-induced GM-CSF hypersensitivity in a model of JMML.

Although hyperactivation of the Ras-Erk signaling pathway is known to underlie the pathogenesis of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML), a fatal childhood disease, the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway is also dysregulated in this disease. Using genetic models, we demonstrate that inactivation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) catalytic subunit p110δ, but not PI3K p110α, corrects gain-of-function (GOF) Shp2-induced granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) hypersensitivity, Akt and Erk hyperactivation, and skewed hematopoietic progenitor distribution. Likewise, potent p110δ-specific inhibitors curtail the proliferation of GOF Shp2-expressing hematopoietic cells and cooperate with mitogen-activated or extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibition to reduce proliferation further and maximally block Erk and Akt activation. Furthermore, the PI3K p110δ-specific inhibitor, idelalisib, also demonstrates activity against primary leukemia cells from individuals with JMML. These findings suggest that selective inhibition of the PI3K catalytic subunit p110δ could provide an innovative approach for treatment of JMML, with the potential for limiting toxicity resulting from the hematopoietic-restricted expression of p110δ.

Idelalisib, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase p110δ, for relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

In a phase 1 trial, idelalisib (GS-1101, CAL-101), a selective inhibitor of the lipid kinase PI3Kδ, was evaluated in 54 patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with adverse characteristics including bulky lymphadenopathy (80%), extensive prior therapy (median 5 [range 2-14] prior regimens), treatment-refractory disease (70%), unmutated IGHV (91%), and del17p and/or TP53 mutations (24%). Patients were treated at 6 dose levels of oral idelalisib (range 50-350 mg once or twice daily) and remained on continuous therapy while deriving clinical benefit. Idelalisib-mediated inhibition of PI3Kδ led to abrogation of Akt phosphorylation in patient CLL cells and significantly reduced serum levels of CLL-related chemokines. The most commonly observed grade ≥3 adverse events were pneumonia (20%), neutropenic fever (11%), and diarrhea (6%). Idelalisib treatment resulted in nodal responses in 81% of patients. The overall response rate was 72%, with 39% of patients meeting the criteria for partial response per IWCLL 2008 and 33% meeting the recently updated criteria of PR with treatment-induced lymphocytosis.(1,2) The median progression-free survival for all patients was 15.8 months. This study demonstrates the clinical utility of inhibiting the PI3Kδ pathway with idelalisib. Our findings support the further development of idelalisib in patients with CLL. These trials were registered at clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00710528 and #NCT01090414.

Effects of isoform-selective phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors on osteoclasts: actions on cytoskeletal organization, survival, and resorption.

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3K) participate in numerous signaling pathways, and control distinct biological functions. Studies using pan-PI3K inhibitors suggest roles for PI3K in osteoclasts, but little is known about specific PI3K isoforms in these cells. Our objective was to determine effects of isoform-selective PI3K inhibitors on osteoclasts. The following inhibitors were investigated (targets in parentheses): wortmannin and LY294002 (pan-p110), PIK75 (α), GDC0941 (α, δ), TGX221 (ß), AS252424 (γ), and IC87114 (δ). In addition, we characterized a new potent and selective PI3Kδ inhibitor, GS-9820, and explored roles of PI3K isoforms in regulating osteoclast function. Osteoclasts were isolated from long bones of neonatal rats and rabbits. Wortmannin, LY294002, GDC0941, IC87114, and GS-9820 induced a dramatic retraction of osteoclasts within 15-20 min to 65-75% of the initial area. In contrast, there was no significant retraction in response to vehicle, PIK75, TGX221, or AS252424. Moreover, wortmannin and GS-9820, but not PIK75 or TGX221, disrupted actin belts. We examined effects of PI3K inhibitors on osteoclast survival. Whereas PIK75, TGX221, and GS-9820 had no significant effect on basal survival, all blocked RANKL-stimulated survival. When studied on resorbable substrates, osteoclastic resorption was suppressed by wortmannin and inhibitors of PI3Kß and PI3Kδ, but not other isoforms. These data are consistent with a critical role for PI3Kδ in regulating osteoclast cytoskeleton and resorptive activity. In contrast, multiple PI3K isoforms contribute to the control of osteoclast survival. Thus, the PI3Kδ isoform, which is predominantly expressed in cells of hematopoietic origin, is an attractive target for anti-resorptive therapeutics.

PI3Kδ inhibitor, GS-1101 (CAL-101), attenuates pathway signaling, induces apoptosis, and overcomes signals from the microenvironment in cellular models of Hodgkin lymphoma.

GS-1101 (CAL-101) is an oral PI3Kδ-specific inhibitor that has shown preclinical and clinical activity in non-Hodgkin lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. To investigate the potential role of PI3Kδ in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), we screened 5 HL cell lines and primary samples from patients with HL for PI3Kδ isoform expression and constitutive PI3K pathway activation. Inhibition of PI3Kδ by GS-1101 resulted in the inhibition of Akt phosphorylation. Cocultures with stroma cells induced Akt activation in HL cells, and this effect was blocked by GS-1101. Conversely, production of the stroma-stimulating chemokine, CCL5, by HL cells was reduced by GS-1101. GS-1101 also induced dose-dependent apoptosis of HL cells at 48 hours. Reductions in cell viability and apoptosis were enhanced when combining GS-1101 with the mTOR inhibitor everolimus. Our findings suggest that excessive PI3Kδ activity is characteristic in HL and support clinical evaluation of GS-1101, alone and in combination, as targeted therapy for HL.

Decreased mitochondrial apoptotic priming underlies stroma-mediated treatment resistance in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Stroma induces treatment resistance in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), possibly because of alterations in the BCL-2 family of proteins, which are key regulators of apoptosis. We previously developed BH3 profiling, a functional assay that assesses mitochondrial depolarization in response to BH3-only peptides, to measure "apoptotic priming," the proximity of a cell to the apoptotic threshold. In the present study, we use BH3 profiling to show that CLL cells from the PB are highly primed. Increased priming is associated with improved clinical response and, unexpectedly, with unmutated IGHV status. Coculturing CLL cells in vitro with stroma decreases priming. Using matched PB, BM, and lymph node compartment samples, we found in vivo that BM-derived CLL cells are the least primed. CLL cells cocultured with stroma were treated with the PI3K δ-isoform inhibitor CAL-101 (GS1101). CAL-101 caused CLL cell de-adhesion, leading to increased CLL cell priming. Stimulation of CLL cells with anti-IgM or CXCL12 caused decreased priming that could be reversed by CAL-101. Our results show that inhibition of stromal interactions leading to displacement of CLL cells into the blood by CAL-101 in vivo may increase CLL cell priming, suggesting a mechanism by which agents inducing lymphocyte redistribution might facilitate improved clinical response when used in combination with other therapies.

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3K) inhibitor GS-1101 synergistically potentiates histone deacetylase inhibitor-induced proliferation inhibition and apoptosis through the inactivation of PI3K and extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathways.

Previously, we showed that inhibition of the protein kinase C ß (PKCß)/AKT pathway augments engagement of the histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDI)-induced apoptosis in lymphoma cells. In the present study, we investigated the cytotoxicity and mechanisms of cell death induced by the delta isoform-specific phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, GS-1101, in combination with the HDI, panobinostat (LBH589) and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA). Lymphoma cell lines, primary non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) cells were simultaneously treated with the HDI, LBH589 and GS-1101. An interaction of the LBH589/GS-1101 combination was formally examined by using various concentrations of LBH589 and GS-1101. Combined treatment resulted in a synergistic inhibition of proliferation and showed synergistic effect on apoptotic induction in all tested cell lines and primary NHL and CLL cells. This study indicates that interference with PI3K signalling dramatically increases HDI-mediated apoptosis in malignant haematopoietic cells, possibly through both AKT-dependent or AKT- independent mechanisms. Moreover, the increase in HDI-related apoptosis observed in PI3K inhibitor-treated cells appears to be related to the disruption of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signalling pathway. This study provides a strong rational for testing the combination of PI3K inhibitors and HDI in the clinic.

The role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-δ in the immunomodulatory effects of lenalidomide in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

In patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), lenalidomide can promote humoral immune responses but also induces a distinct disease-specific toxicity of tumor flare and cytokine release. These CLL-specific events result from increased expression of costimulatory molecules on B cells. Here we demonstrate that lenalidomide activation of CLL cells depends on the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase p110δ (PI3K-δ) pathway. Inhibition of PI3K-δ signaling by the PI3K-δ-inhibiting drug, CAL-101, or by siRNA knockdown of p110δ, abrogates CLL cell activation, costimulatory molecule expression, and vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor gene expression that is induced by lenalidomide. In addition, CAL-101 attenuates lenalidomide-mediated increases in immunoglobulin M production by normal B cells. Collectively, these data demonstrate the importance of PI3K-δ signaling for lenalidomide immune modulation. These findings may guide development of strategies for the treatment of CLL that combine lenalidomide with CAL-101, with other inhibitors of the PI3K-δ pathway, or with other agents that target downstream kinases of this signaling pathway.

The phosphoinositide 3'-kinase delta inhibitor, CAL-101, inhibits B-cell receptor signaling and chemokine networks in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

In lymphocytes, the phosphoinositide 3'-kinase (PI3K) isoform p110δ (PI3Kδ) transmits signals from surface receptors, including the B-cell receptor (BCR). CAL-101, a selective inhibitor of PI3Kδ, displays clinical activity in CLL, causing rapid lymph node shrinkage and a transient lymphocytosis. Inhibition of pro-survival pathways, the presumed mechanism of CAL-101, does not explain this characteristic pattern of activity. Therefore, we tested CAL-101 in assays that model CLL-microenvironment interactions in vitro. We found that CAL-101 inhibits CLL cell chemotaxis toward CXCL12 and CXCL13 and migration beneath stromal cells (pseudoemperipolesis). CAL-101 also down-regulates secretion of chemokines in stromal cocultures and after BCR triggering. CAL-101 reduces survival signals derived from the BCR or from nurse-like cells, and inhibits BCR- and chemokine-receptor-induced AKT and MAP kinase (ERK) activation. In stromal cocultures, CAL-101 sensitizes CLL cells toward bendamustine, fludarabine, and dexamethasone. These results are corroborated by clinical data showing marked reductions in circulating CCL3, CCL4, and CXCL13 levels, and a surge in lymphocytosis during CAL-101 treatment. Thus, CAL-101 displays a dual mechanism of action, directly decreasing cell survival while reducing interactions that retain CLL cells in protective tissue microenvironments. These data provide an explanation for the clinical activity of CAL-101, and a roadmap for future therapeutic development.

CAL-101, a p110delta selective phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase inhibitor for the treatment of B-cell malignancies, inhibits PI3K signaling and cellular viability.

Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase p110δ serves as a central integration point for signaling from cell surface receptors known to promote malignant B-cell proliferation and survival. This provides a rationale for the development of small molecule inhibitors that selectively target p110δ as a treatment approach for patients with B-cell malignancies. We thus identified 5-fluoro-3-phenyl-2-[(S)-1-(9H-purin-6-ylamino)-propyl]-3H-quinazolin-4-one (CAL-101), a highly selective and potent p110δ small molecule inhibitor (half-maximal effective concentration [EC(50)] = 8nM). Using tumor cell lines and primary patient samples representing multiple B-cell malignancies, we have demonstrated that constitutive phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase pathway activation is p110δ-dependent. CAL-101 blocked constitutive phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase signaling, resulting in decreased phosphorylation of Akt and other downstream effectors, an increase in poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and caspase cleavage and an induction of apoptosis. These effects have been observed across a broad range of immature and mature B-cell malignancies, thereby providing a rationale for the ongoing clinical evaluation of CAL-101.

PI3K/p110{delta} is a novel therapeutic target in multiple myeloma.

In this study, we demonstrate expression and examined the biologic sequelae of PI3K/p110delta signaling in multiple myeloma (MM). Knockdown of p110delta by small interfering RNA caused significant inhibition of MM cell growth. Similarly, p110delta specific small molecule inhibitor CAL-101 triggered cytotoxicity against LB and INA-6 MM cell lines and patient MM cells, associated with inhibition of Akt phosphorylation. In contrast, CAL-101 did not inhibit survival of normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. CAL-101 overcame MM cell growth conferred by interleukin-6, insulin-like growth factor-1, and bone marrow stromal cell coculture. Interestingly, inhibition of p110delta potently induced autophagy. The in vivo inhibition of p110delta with IC488743 was evaluated in 2 murine xenograft models of human MM: SCID mice bearing human MM cells subcutaneously and the SCID-hu model, in which human MM cells are injected within a human bone chip implanted subcutaneously in SCID mice. IC488743 significantly inhibited tumor growth and prolonged host survival in both models. Finally, combined CAL-101 with bortezomib induced synergistic cytotoxicity against MM cells. Our studies therefore show that PI3K/p110delta is a novel therapeutic target in MM and provide the basis for clinical evaluation of CAL-101 to improve patient outcome in MM.

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-δ inhibitor CAL-101 shows promising preclinical activity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia by antagonizing intrinsic and extrinsic cellular survival signals.

Targeted therapy with imatinib in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) prompted a new treatment paradigm. Unlike CML, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) lacks an aberrant fusion protein kinase but instead displays increased phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) activity. To date, PI3K inhibitor development has been limited because of the requirement of this pathway for many essential cellular functions. Identification of the hematopoietic-selective isoform PI3K-δ unlocks a new therapeutic potential for B-cell malignancies. Herein, we demonstrate that PI3K has increased enzymatic activity and that PI3K-δ is expressed in CLL cells. A PI3K-δ selective inhibitor CAL-101 promoted apoptosis in primary CLL cells ex vivo in a dose- and time-dependent fashion that was independent of common prognostic markers. CAL-101-mediated cytotoxicity was caspase dependent and was not diminished by coculture on stromal cells. In addition, CAL-101 abrogated protection from spontaneous apoptosis induced by B cell-activating factors CD40L, TNF-α, and fibronectin. In contrast to malignant cells, CAL-101 does not promote apoptosis in normal T cells or natural killer cells, nor does it diminish antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. However, CAL-101 did decrease activated T-cell production of various inflammatory and antiapoptotic cytokines. Collectively, these studies provide rationale for the clinical development of CAL-101 as a first-in-class targeted therapy for CLL and related B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders.

Zilovertamab Vedotin Targeting of ROR1 as Therapy for Lymphoid Cancers.

BACKGROUND: Receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1) is an oncofetal protein present on many cancers. Zilovertamab vedotin (ZV) is an antibody­drug conjugate comprising a monoclonal antibody recognizing extracellular ROR1, a cleavable linker, and the anti-microtubule cytotoxin monomethyl auristatin E. METHODS: In this phase 1, first-in-human, dose-escalation study, we accrued patients with previously treated lymphoid cancers to receive ZV every 3 weeks until the occurrence of cancer progression or unacceptable toxicity had occurred. RESULTS: We enrolled 32 patients with tumor histologies of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) (n=15), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (n=7), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (n=5), follicular lymphoma (n=3), Richter transformation lymphoma (n=1), or marginal zone lymphoma (n=1). Patients had received a median of four previous drug and/or cellular therapies. Starting dose levels were 0.5 (n=1), 1.0 (n=3), 1.5 (n=3), 2.25 (n=11), and 2.5 (n=14) mg per kg of body weight (mg/kg). Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data documented systemic ZV exposure and exposure-dependent ZV targeting of ROR1 on circulating tumor cells. As expected with an monomethyl auristatin E-containing antibody­drug conjugate, adverse events (AEs) included acute neutropenia and cumulative neuropathy resulting in a recommended ZV dosing regimen of 2.5 mg/kg every 3 weeks. No clinically concerning AEs occurred to suggest ROR1-mediated toxicities or nonspecific ZV binding to normal tissues. ZV induced objective tumor responses in 7 of 15 patients with MCL (47%; 4 partial and 3 complete) and in 3 of 5 patients with DLBCL (60%; 1 partial and 2 complete); objective tumor responses were not observed among patients with other tumor types. CONCLUSIONS: In heavily pretreated patients, ZV demonstrated no unexpected toxicities and showed evidence of antitumor activity, providing clinical proof of concept for selective targeting of ROR1 as a potential new approach to cancer therapy. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03833180.)

Incomplete restoration of Mpl expression in the mpl-/- mouse produces partial correction of the stem cell-repopulating defect and paradoxical thrombocytosis.

Expression of Mpl is restricted to hematopoietic cells in the megakaryocyte lineage and to undifferentiated progenitors, where it initiates critical cell survival and proliferation signals after stimulation by its ligand, thrombopoietin (TPO). As a result, a deficiency in Mpl function in patients with congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (CAMT) and in mpl(-/-) mice produces profound thrombocytopenia and a severe stem cell-repopulating defect. Gene therapy has the potential to correct the hematopoietic defects of CAMT by ectopic gene expression that restores normal Mpl receptor activity. We rescued the mpl(-/-) mouse with a transgenic vector expressing mpl from the promoter elements of the 2-kb region of DNA just proximal to the natural gene start site. Transgene rescued mice exhibit thrombocytosis but only partial correction of the stem cell defect. Furthermore, they show very low-level expression of Mpl on platelets and megakaryocytes, and the transgene-rescued megakaryocytes exhibit diminished TPO-dependent kinase phosphorylation and reduced platelet production in bone marrow chimeras. Thrombocytosis is an unexpected consequence of reduced Mpl expression and activity. However, impaired TPO homeostasis in the transgene-rescued mice produces elevated plasma TPO levels, which serves as an unchecked stimulus to drive the observed excessive megakaryocytopoiesis.

The antibody drug conjugate VLS-101 targeting ROR1 is effective in CAR T-resistant mantle cell lymphoma.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare, aggressive and incurable subtype of non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma. The principal barrier is frequent clinical relapse to multiple lines of therapies, including new FDA-approved biologics and cell therapy. Brexucabtagene autoleucel, the first and only FDA approved chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T product in MCL, demonstrated unprecedented efficacy in overcoming resistance to Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors. However, relapses have inevitably occurred and once relapsed these patients display a very poor clinical outcome. Currently, there is no optional therapy specifically designed for these patients. The development of tailored and more efficacious therapies is therefore critical and represents a new medical need. We found that while the receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1) is expressed across most of the MCL cells, it is significantly elevated in CAR T-relapsed MCL tumors. To see whether this aberrant ROR1 expression contributed to CAR T resistance, we targeted ROR1 using VLS-101, a monomethyl auristatin E conjugated anti-ROR1 antibody. VLS-101 showed potent anti-MCL activity in vitro in ROR1-expressing MCL cell lines and ex vivo in primary patient samples. Importantly, VLS-101 safely induced tumor regression in PDX models resistant to CAR T-cell therapy, ibrutinib and/or venetoclax. These data advocate for targeting ROR1 as a viable approach in the treatment of ROR1-positive MCL tumors, especially those with failure to prior therapies. These data also provide strong evidence for future enrollment of post-CD19 CAR T-cell relapsed MCL patients in a first in-human phase 1b VLS-101 trial. The upcoming testing in a clinical setting will provide important insights on this new therapeutic development aiming to overcome the CAR T resistance via targeting ROR1, which is a rising unmet clinical need in MCL.

The ETS Inhibitors YK-4-279 and TK-216 Are Novel Antilymphoma Agents.

PURPOSE: Transcription factors are commonly deregulated in cancer, and they have been widely considered as difficult to target due to their nonenzymatic mechanism of action. Altered expression levels of members of the ETS-transcription factors are often observed in many different tumors, including lymphomas. Here, we characterized two small molecules, YK-4-279 and its clinical derivative, TK-216, targeting ETS factors via blocking the protein-protein interaction with RNA helicases, for their antilymphoma activity. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The study included preclinical in vitro activity screening on a large panel of cell lines, both as single agent and in combination; validation experiments on in vivo models; and transcriptome and coimmunoprecipitation experiments. RESULTS: YK-4-279 and TK-216 demonstrated an antitumor activity across several lymphoma cell lines, which we validated in vivo. We observed synergistic activity when YK-4-279 and TK-216 were combined with the BCL2 inhibitor venetoclax and with the immunomodulatory drug lenalidomide. YK-4-279 and TK-216 interfere with protein interactions of ETS family members SPIB, in activated B-cell-like type diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, and SPI1, in germinal center B-cell-type diffuse large B-cell lymphomas. CONCLUSIONS: The ETS inhibitor YK-4-279 and its clinical derivative TK-216 represent a new class of agents with in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity in lymphomas. Although their detailed mechanism of action needs to be fully defined, in DLBCL they might act by targeting subtype-specific essential transcription factors.

Expression of the GPI-anchored receptor Prv-1 enhances thrombopoietin and IL-3-induced proliferation in hematopoietic cell lines.

Prv-1 is a hematopoietic cell surface receptor that has been shown to be overexpressed in patients diagnosed with polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET), yet its cellular function remains unclear. In this study, we assessed the role of Prv-1 in thrombopoietin (Tpo)/Mpl signaling with the goal of identifying molecular mechanisms which augment Tpo-induced proliferation. By engineering the cytokine-dependent hematopoietic cell line BaF3 to express both Prv-1 and wild-type or mutant forms of Mpl, we were able to follow the time course of Tpo-dependent proliferation. We report that the overexpression of Prv-1 increased Tpo as well as IL-3-induced proliferation of BaF3/Mpl and BaF3 cells. Cells co-expressing Prv-1 and an Mpl receptor containing a Box 1 motif mutation, which fails to activate Jak2, was completely deficient in Tpo-dependent proliferation. In addition, BaF3 and BaF3/Prv-1 cells stimulated with IL-3 in the presence of the Jak2 inhibitor, AG490, abrogated the proliferative response, indicating that Prv-1 requires a functional Jak2 for its signaling activities. Western blot analysis showed an increase in Tpo and IL-3-induced Stat3 and Stat5 tyrosine phosphorylation in BaF3/Mpl and BaF3 cells expressing Prv-1. These results indicate a novel function for Prv-1 as a signaling molecule in cytokine signaling cascades and may lead to a greater understanding of the mechanism of overexpression of Prv-1 in myeloproliferative disorders.

Combined BTK and PI3Kδ Inhibition with Acalabrutinib and ACP-319 Improves Survival and Tumor Control in CLL Mouse Model.

Purpose: Targeting the B-cell receptor (BCR) pathway with inhibitors of Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) and PI3Kδ is highly effective for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, deep remissions are uncommon, and drug resistance with single-agent therapy can occur. In vitro studies support the effectiveness of combing PI3Kδ and BTK inhibitors.Experimental Design: As CLL proliferation and survival depends on the microenvironment, we used murine models to assess the efficacy of the BTK inhibitor acalabrutinib combined with the PI3Kδ inhibitor ACP-319 in vivo We compared single-agent with combination therapy in TCL1-192 cell-injected mice, a model of aggressive CLL.Results: We found significantly larger reductions in tumor burden in the peripheral blood and spleen of combination-treated mice. Although single-agent therapy improved survival compared with control mice by a few days, combination therapy extended survival by over 2 weeks compared with either single agent. The combination reduced tumor proliferation, NF-κB signaling, and expression of BCL-xL and MCL-1 more potently than single-agent therapy.Conclusions: The combination of acalabrutinib and ACP-319 was superior to single-agent treatment in a murine CLL model, warranting further investigation of this combination in clinical studies. Clin Cancer Res; 23(19); 5814-23. ©2017 AACR.