Inhibition of the eukaryotic initiation factor-2-α kinase PERK decreases risk of autoimmune diabetes in mice.

Preventing the onset of autoimmune type 1 diabetes (T1D) is feasible through pharmacological interventions that target molecular stress-responsive mechanisms. Cellular stresses, such as nutrient deficiency, viral infection, or unfolded proteins, trigger the integrated stress response (ISR), which curtails protein synthesis by phosphorylating eIF2α. In T1D, maladaptive unfolded protein response (UPR) in insulin-producing beta cells renders these cells susceptible to autoimmunity. We found that inhibition of the eIF2α kinase PERK, a common component of the UPR and ISR, reversed the mRNA translation block in stressed human islets and delayed the onset of diabetes, reduced islet inflammation, and preserved ß cell mass in T1D-susceptible mice. Single-cell RNA sequencing of islets from PERK-inhibited mice showed reductions in the UPR and PERK signaling pathways and alterations in antigen processing and presentation pathways in ß cells. Spatial proteomics of islets from these mice showed an increase in the immune checkpoint protein PD-L1 in ß cells. Golgi membrane protein 1, whose levels increased following PERK inhibition in human islets and EndoC-ßH1 human ß cells, interacted with and stabilized PD-L1. Collectively, our studies show that PERK activity enhances ß cell immunogenicity, and inhibition of PERK may offer a strategy to prevent or delay the development of T1D.

Inhibition of the Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-2-α Kinase PERK Decreases Risk of Autoimmune Diabetes in Mice.

Preventing the onset of autoimmune type 1 diabetes (T1D) is feasible through pharmacological interventions that target molecular stress-responsive mechanisms. Cellular stresses, such as nutrient deficiency, viral infection, or unfolded proteins, trigger the integrated stress response (ISR), which curtails protein synthesis by phosphorylating eIF2α. In T1D, maladaptive unfolded protein response (UPR) in insulin-producing ß cells renders these cells susceptible to autoimmunity. We show that inhibition of the eIF2α kinase PERK, a common component of the UPR and ISR, reverses the mRNA translation block in stressed human islets and delays the onset of diabetes, reduces islet inflammation, and preserves ß cell mass in T1D-susceptible mice. Single-cell RNA sequencing of islets from PERK-inhibited mice shows reductions in the UPR and PERK signaling pathways and alterations in antigen processing and presentation pathways in ß cells. Spatial proteomics of islets from these mice shows an increase in the immune checkpoint protein PD-L1 in ß cells. Golgi membrane protein 1, whose levels increase following PERK inhibition in human islets and EndoC-ßH1 human ß cells, interacts with and stabilizes PD-L1. Collectively, our studies show that PERK activity enhances ß cell immunogenicity, and inhibition of PERK may offer a strategy to prevent or delay the development of T1D.

Discovery of HC-7366: An Orally Bioavailable and Efficacious GCN2 Kinase Activator.

A series of activators of GCN2 (general control nonderepressible 2) kinase have been developed, leading to HC-7366, which has entered the clinic as an antitumor therapy. Optimization resulted in improved permeability compared to that of the original indazole hinge binding scaffold, while maintaining potency at GCN2 and selectivity over PERK (protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase). The improved ADME properties of this series led to robust in vivo compound exposure in both rats and mice, allowing HC-7366 to be dosed in xenograft models, demonstrating that activation of the GCN2 pathway by this compound leads to tumor growth inhibition.

A PERK-Specific Inhibitor Blocks Metastatic Progression by Limiting Integrated Stress Response-Dependent Survival of Quiescent Cancer Cells.

PURPOSE: The integrated stress response (ISR) kinase PERK serves as a survival factor for both proliferative and dormant cancer cells. We aim to validate PERK inhibition as a new strategy to specifically eliminate solitary disseminated cancer cells (DCC) in secondary sites that eventually reawake and originate metastasis. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: A novel clinical-grade PERK inhibitor (HC4) was tested in mouse syngeneic and PDX models that present quiescent/dormant DCCs or growth-arrested cancer cells in micro-metastatic lesions that upregulate ISR. RESULTS: HC4 significantly blocks metastasis, by killing quiescent/slow-cycling ISRhigh, but not proliferative ISRlow DCCs. HC4 blocked expansion of established micro-metastasis that contained ISRhigh slow-cycling cells. Single-cell gene expression profiling and imaging revealed that a significant proportion of solitary DCCs in lungs were indeed dormant and displayed an unresolved ER stress as revealed by high expression of a PERK-regulated signature. In human breast cancer metastasis biopsies, GADD34 expression (PERK-regulated gene) and quiescence were positively correlated. HC4 effectively eradicated dormant bone marrow DCCs, which usually persist after rounds of therapies. Importantly, treatment with CDK4/6 inhibitors (to force a quiescent state) followed by HC4 further reduced metastatic burden. In HNSCC and HER2+ cancers HC4 caused cell death in dormant DCCs. In HER2+ tumors, PERK inhibition caused killing by reducing HER2 activity because of sub-optimal HER2 trafficking and phosphorylation in response to EGF. CONCLUSIONS: Our data identify PERK as a unique vulnerability in quiescent or slow-cycling ISRhigh DCCs. The use of PERK inhibitors may allow targeting of pre-existing or therapy-induced growth arrested "persister" cells that escape anti-proliferative therapies.

PERK Inhibition by HC-5404 Sensitizes Renal Cell Carcinoma Tumor Models to Antiangiogenic Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors.

PURPOSE: Tumors activate protein kinase R (PKR)-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK, also called EIF2AK3) in response to hypoxia and nutrient deprivation as a stress-mitigation strategy. Here, we tested the hypothesis that inhibiting PERK with HC-5404 enhances the antitumor efficacy of standard-of-care VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGFR-TKI). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: HC-5404 was characterized as a potent and selective PERK inhibitor, with favorable in vivo properties. Multiple renal cell carcinoma (RCC) tumor models were then cotreated with both HC-5404 and VEGFR-TKI in vivo, measuring tumor volume across time and evaluating tumor response by protein analysis and IHC. RESULTS: VEGFR-TKI including axitinib, cabozantinib, lenvatinib, and sunitinib induce PERK activation in 786-O RCC xenografts. Cotreatment with HC-5404 inhibited PERK in tumors and significantly increased antitumor effects of VEGFR-TKI across multiple RCC models, resulting in tumor stasis or regression. Analysis of tumor sections revealed that HC-5404 enhanced the antiangiogenic effects of axitinib and lenvatinib by inhibiting both new vasculature and mature tumor blood vessels. Xenografts that progress on axitinib monotherapy remain sensitive to the combination treatment, resulting in ∼20% tumor regression in the combination group. When tested across a panel of 18 RCC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, the combination induced greater antitumor effects relative to monotherapies. In this single animal study, nine out of 18 models responded with ≥50% tumor regression from baseline in the combination group. CONCLUSIONS: By disrupting an adaptive stress response evoked by VEGFR-TKI, HC-5404 presents a clinical opportunity to improve the antitumor effects of well-established standard-of-care therapies in RCC.

Optimization of a Novel Mandelamide-Derived Pyrrolopyrimidine Series of PERK Inhibitors.

The protein kinase R (PKR)-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) is one of three endoplasmic reticulum (ER) transmembrane sensors of the unfolded protein response (UPR) responsible for regulating protein synthesis and alleviating ER stress. PERK has been implicated in tumorigenesis, cancer cell survival as well metabolic diseases such as diabetes. The structure-based design and optimization of a novel mandelamide-derived pyrrolopyrimidine series of PERK inhibitors as described herein, resulted in the identification of compound 26, a potent, selective, and orally bioavailable compound suitable for interrogating PERK pathway biology in vitro and in vivo, with pharmacokinetics suitable for once-a-day oral dosing in mice.

Discovery of 2-amino-3-amido-5-aryl-pyridines as highly potent, orally bioavailable, and efficacious PERK kinase inhibitors.

The protein kinase R (PKR)-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) is one of the three endoplasmic reticulum (ER) transmembrane sensors of the unfolded protein response (UPR) that regulates protein synthesis, alleviates cellular ER stress and has been implicated in tumorigenesis and prolonged cancer cell survival. In this study, we report a series of 2-amino-3-amido-5-aryl-pyridines that we have identified as potent, selective, and orally bioavailable PERK inhibitors. Amongst the series studied herein, compound (28) a (R)-2-Amino-5-(4-(2-(3,5-difluorophenyl)-2-hydroxyacetamido)-2-ethylphenyl)-N-isopropylnicotinamide has demonstrated potent biochemical and cellular activity, robust pharmacokinetics and 70% oral bioavailability in mice. Given these data, this compound (28) was studied in the 786-O renal cell carcinoma xenograft model. We observed dose-dependent, statistically significant tumor growth inhibition, supporting the use of this tool compound in additional mechanistic studies.

Bispecific Targeting of PD-1 and PD-L1 Enhances T-cell Activation and Antitumor Immunity.

The programmed cell death protein 1 receptor (PD-1) and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) coinhibitory pathway suppresses T-cell-mediated immunity. We hypothesized that cotargeting of PD-1 and PD-L1 with a bispecific antibody molecule could provide an alternative therapeutic approach, with enhanced antitumor activity, compared with monospecific PD-1 and PD-L1 antibodies. Here, we describe LY3434172, a bispecific IgG1 mAb with ablated Fc immune effector function that targets both human PD-1 and PD-L1. LY3434172 fully inhibited the major inhibitory receptor-ligand interactions in the PD-1 pathway. LY3434172 enhanced functional activation of T cells in vitro compared with the parent anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 antibody combination or respective monotherapies. In mouse tumor models reconstituted with human immune cells, LY3434172 therapy induced dramatic and potent antitumor activity compared with each parent antibody or their combination. Collectively, these results demonstrated the enhanced immunomodulatory (immune blockade) properties of LY3434172, which improved antitumor immune response in preclinical studies, thus supporting its evaluation as a novel bispecific cancer immunotherapy.

Characterization of 7A5: A Human CD137 (4-1BB) Receptor Binding Monoclonal Antibody with Differential Agonist Properties That Promotes Antitumor Immunity.

The CD137 receptor plays a key role in mediating immune response by promoting T cell proliferation, survival, and memory. Effective agonism of CD137 has the potential to reinvigorate potent antitumor immunity either alone or in combination with other immune-checkpoint therapies. In this study, we describe the discovery and characterization of a unique CD137 agonist, 7A5, a fully human IgG1 Fc effector-null monoclonal antibody. The biological properties of 7A5 were investigated through in vitro and in vivo studies. 7A5 binds CD137, and the binding epitope overlaps with the CD137L binding site based on structure. 7A5 engages CD137 receptor and activates NF-κB cell signaling independent of cross-linking or Fc effector function. In addition, T cell activation measured by cytokine IFNγ production is induced by 7A5 in peripheral blood mononuclear cell costimulation assay. Human tumor xenograft mouse models reconstituted with human immune cells were used to determine antitumor activity in vivo. Monotherapy with 7A5 inhibits tumor growth, and this activity is enhanced in combination with a PD-L1 antagonist antibody. Furthermore, the intratumoral immune gene expression signature in response to 7A5 is highly suggestive of enhanced T cell infiltration and activation. Taken together, these results demonstrate 7A5 is a differentiated CD137 agonist antibody with biological properties that warrant its further development as a cancer immunotherapy. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: http://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/molcanther/19/4/988/F1.large.jpg.

The Folate Pathway Inhibitor Pemetrexed Pleiotropically Enhances Effects of Cancer Immunotherapy.

PURPOSE: Combination strategies leveraging chemotherapeutic agents and immunotherapy have held the promise as a method to improve benefit for patients with cancer. However, most chemotherapies have detrimental effects on immune homeostasis and differ in their ability to induce immunogenic cell death (ICD). The approval of pemetrexed and carboplatin with anti-PD-1 (pembrolizumab) for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer represents the first approved chemotherapy and immunotherapy combination. Although the clinical data suggest a positive interaction between pemetrexed-based chemotherapy and immunotherapy, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Mouse tumor models (MC38, Colon26) and high-content biomarker studies (flow cytometry, Quantigene Plex, and nCounter gene expression analysis) were deployed to obtain insights into the mechanistic rationale behind the efficacy observed with pemetrexed/anti-PD-L1 combination. ICD in tumor cell lines was assessed by calreticulin and HMGB-1 immunoassays, and metabolic function of primary T cells was evaluated by Seahorse analysis. RESULTS: Pemetrexed treatment alone increased T-cell activation in mouse tumors in vivo, robustly induced ICD in mouse tumor cells and exerted T-cell-intrinsic effects exemplified by augmented mitochondrial function and enhanced T-cell activation in vitro. Increased antitumor efficacy and pronounced inflamed/immune activation were observed when pemetrexed was combined with anti-PD-L1. CONCLUSIONS: Pemetrexed augments systemic intratumor immune responses through tumor intrinsic mechanisms including immunogenic cell death, T-cell-intrinsic mechanisms enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis leading to increased T-cell infiltration/activation along with modulation of innate immune pathways, which are significantly enhanced in combination with PD-1 pathway blockade.See related commentary by Buque et al., p. 6890.

Targeting the TGFß pathway with galunisertib, a TGFßRI small molecule inhibitor, promotes anti-tumor immunity leading to durable, complete responses, as monotherapy and in combination with checkpoint blockade.

BACKGROUND: TGFß signaling plays a pleotropic role in tumor biology, promoting tumor proliferation, invasion and metastasis, and escape from immune surveillance. Inhibiting TGFß's immune suppressive effects has become of particular interest as a way to increase the benefit of cancer immunotherapy. Here we utilized preclinical models to explore the impact of the clinical stage TGFß pathway inhibitor, galunisertib, on anti-tumor immunity at clinically relevant doses. RESULTS: In vitro treatment with galunisertib reversed TGFß and regulatory T cell mediated suppression of human T cell proliferation. In vivo treatment of mice with established 4T1-LP tumors resulted in strong dose-dependent anti-tumor activity with close to 100% inhibition of tumor growth and complete regressions upon cessation of treatment in 50% of animals. This effect was CD8+ T cell dependent, and led to increased T cell numbers in treated tumors. Mice with durable regressions rejected tumor rechallenge, demonstrating the establishment of immunological memory. Consequently, mice that rejected immunogenic 4T1-LP tumors were able to resist rechallenge with poorly immunogenic 4 T1 parental cells, suggesting the development of a secondary immune response via antigen spreading as a consequence of effective tumor targeting. Combination of galunisertib with PD-L1 blockade resulted in improved tumor growth inhibition and complete regressions in colon carcinoma models, demonstrating the potential synergy when cotargeting TGFß and PD-1/PD-L1 pathways. Combination therapy was associated with enhanced anti-tumor immune related gene expression profile that was accelerated compared to anti-PD-L1 monotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Together these data highlight the ability of galunisertib to modulate T cell immunity and the therapeutic potential of combining galunisertib with current PD-1/L1 immunotherapy.

Correction to: Discovery and preclinical characterization of the antagonist anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody LY3300054.

Unfortunately, after publication of this article [1], it was noticed that corrections to the legends of Figs. 1 and 2 were not correctly incorporated. The correct legends can be seen below.

Discovery and preclinical characterization of the antagonist anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody LY3300054.

BACKGROUND: Modulation of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis through antagonist antibodies that block either receptor or ligand has been shown to reinvigorate the function of tumor-specific T cells and unleash potent anti-tumor immunity, leading to durable objective responses in a subset of patients across multiple tumor types. RESULTS: Here we describe the discovery and preclinical characterization of LY3300054, a fully human IgG1λ monoclonal antibody that binds to human PD-L1 with high affinity and inhibits interactions of PD-L1 with its two cognate receptors PD-1 and CD80. The functional activity of LY3300054 on primary human T cells is evaluated using a series of in vitro T cell functional assays and in vivo models using human-immune reconstituted mice. LY3300054 is shown to induce primary T cell activation in vitro, increase T cell activation in combination with anti-CTLA4 antibody, and to potently enhance anti-tumor alloreactivity in several xenograft mouse tumor models with reconstituted human immune cells. High-content molecular analysis of tumor and peripheral tissues from animals treated with LY3300054 reveals distinct adaptive immune activation signatures, and also previously not described modulation of innate immune pathways. CONCLUSIONS: LY3300054 is currently being evaluated in phase I clinical trials for oncology indications.

Olaratumab Exerts Antitumor Activity in Preclinical Models of Pediatric Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors through Inhibition of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor α.

Purpose: Platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα) is implicated in several adult and pediatric malignancies, where activated signaling in tumor cells and/or cells within the microenvironment drive tumorigenesis and disease progression. Olaratumab (LY3012207/IMC-3G3) is a human mAb that exclusively binds to PDGFRα and recently received accelerated FDA approval and conditional EMA approval for treatment of advanced adult sarcoma patients in combination with doxorubicin. In this study, we investigated olaratumab in preclinical models of pediatric bone and soft tissue tumors.Experimental Design: PDGFRα expression was evaluated by qPCR and Western blot analysis. Olaratumab was investigated in in vitro cell proliferation and invasion assays using pediatric osteosarcoma and rhabdoid tumor cell lines. In vivo activity of olaratumab was assessed in preclinical mouse models of pediatric osteosarcoma and malignant rhabdoid tumor.Results:In vitro olaratumab treatment of osteosarcoma and rhabdoid tumor cell lines reduced proliferation and inhibited invasion driven by individual platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs) or serum. Furthermore, olaratumab delayed primary tumor growth in mouse models of pediatric osteosarcoma and malignant rhabdoid tumor, and this activity was enhanced by combination with either doxorubicin or cisplatin.Conclusions: Overall, these data indicate that olaratumab, alone and in combination with standard of care, blocks the growth of some preclinical PDGFRα-expressing pediatric bone and soft tissue tumor models. Clin Cancer Res; 24(4); 847-57. ©2017 AACR.

Intrinsic Resistance to Cixutumumab Is Conferred by Distinct Isoforms of the Insulin Receptor.

UNLABELLED: Despite a recent shift away from anti-insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-IR) therapy, this target has been identified as a key player in the resistance mechanisms to various conventional and targeted agents, emphasizing its value as a therapy, provided that it is used in the right patient population. Molecular markers predictive of antitumor activity of IGF-IR inhibitors remain largely unidentified. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of insulin receptor (IR) isoforms on the antitumor efficacy of cixutumumab, a humanized mAb against IGF-IR, and to correlate their expression with therapeutic outcome. The data demonstrate that expression of total IR rather than individual IR isoforms inversely correlates with single-agent cixutumumab efficacy in pediatric solid tumor models in vivo. Total IR, IR-A, and IR-B expression adversely affects the outcome of cixutumumab in combination with chemotherapy in patient-derived xenograft models of lung adenocarcinoma. IR-A overexpression in tumor cells confers complete resistance to cixutumumab in vitro and in vivo, whereas IR-B results in a partial resistance. Resistance in IR-B-overexpressing cells is fully reversed by anti-IGF-II antibodies, suggesting that IGF-II is a driver of cixutumumab resistance in this setting. The present study links IR isoforms, IGF-II, and cixutumumab efficacy mechanistically and identifies total IR as a biomarker predictive of intrinsic resistance to anti-IGF-IR antibody. IMPLICATIONS: This study identifies total IR as a biomarker predictive of primary resistance to IGF-IR antibodies and provides a rationale for new clinical trials enriched for patients whose tumors display low IR expression.

A bi-functional antibody-receptor domain fusion protein simultaneously targeting IGF-IR and VEGF for degradation.

Bi-specific antibodies (BsAbs), which can simultaneously block 2 tumor targets, have emerged as promising therapeutic alternatives to combinations of individual monoclonal antibodies. Here, we describe the engineering and development of a novel, human bi-functional antibody-receptor domain fusion molecule with ligand capture (bi-AbCap) through the fusion of the domain 2 of human vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) to an antibody directed against insulin-like growth factor - type I receptor (IGF-IR). The bi-AbCap possesses excellent stability and developability, and is the result of minimal engineering. Beyond potent neutralizing activities against IGF-IR and VEGF, the bi-AbCap is capable of cross-linking VEGF to IGF-IR, leading to co-internalization and degradation of both targets by tumor cells. In multiple mouse xenograft tumor models, the bi-AbCap improves anti-tumor activity over individual monotherapies. More importantly, it exhibits superior inhibition of tumor growth, compared with the combination of anti-IGF-IR and anti-VEGF therapies, via powerful blockade of both direct tumor cell growth and tumor angiogenesis. The unique "capture-for-degradation" mechanism of the bi-AbCap is informative for the design of next-generation bi-functional anti-cancer therapies directed against independent signaling pathways. The bi-AbCap design represents an alternative approach to the creation of dual-targeting antibody fusion molecules by taking advantage of natural receptor-ligand interactions.

A human monoclonal antibody targeting the stem cell factor receptor (c-Kit) blocks tumor cell signaling and inhibits tumor growth.

Stem cell factor receptor (c-Kit) exerts multiple biological effects on target cells upon binding its ligand stem cell factor (SCF). Aberrant activation of c-Kit results in dysregulated signaling and is implicated in the pathogenesis of numerous cancers. The development of more specific and effective c-Kit therapies is warranted given its essential role in tumorigenesis. In this study, we describe the biological properties of CK6, a fully human IgG1 monoclonal antibody against the extracellular region of human c-Kit. CK6 specifically binds c-Kit receptor with high affinity (EC 50 = 0.06 nM) and strongly blocks its interaction with SCF (IC 50 = 0.41 nM) in solid phase assays. Flow cytometry shows CK6 binding to c-Kit on the cell surface of human small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), melanoma, and leukemia tumor cell lines. Furthermore, exposure to CK6 inhibits SCF stimulation of c-Kit tyrosine kinase activity and downstream signaling pathways such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and protein kinase B (AKT), in addition to reducing tumor cell line growth in vitro. CK6 treatment significantly decreases human xenograft tumor growth in NCI-H526 SCLC (T/C% = 57) and Malme-3M melanoma (T/C% = 58) models in vivo. The combination of CK6 with standard of care chemotherapy agents, cisplatin and etoposide for SCLC or dacarbazine for melanoma, more potently reduces tumor growth (SCLC T/C% = 24, melanoma T/C% = 38) compared with CK6 or chemotherapy alone. In summary, our results demonstrate that CK6 is a c-Kit antagonist antibody with tumor growth neutralizing properties and are highly suggestive of potential therapeutic application in treating human malignancies harboring c-Kit receptor.

Removal of a C-terminal serine residue proximal to the inter-chain disulfide bond of a human IgG1 lambda light chain mediates enhanced antibody stability and antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity.

Optimization of biophysical properties is a critical success factor for the developability of monoclonal antibodies with potential therapeutic applications. The inter-domain disulfide bond between light chain (Lc) and heavy chain (Hc) in human IgG1 lends structural support for antibody scaffold stability, optimal antigen binding, and normal Fc function. Recently, human IgG1λ has been suggested to exhibit significantly greater susceptibility to reduction of the inter Lc-Hc disulfide bond relative to the same disulfide bond in human IgG1κ. To understand the molecular basis for this observed difference in stability, the sequence and structure of human IgG1λ and human IgG1κ were compared. Based on this Lc comparison, three single mutations were made in the λ Lc proximal to the cysteine residue, which forms a disulfide bond with the Hc. We determined that deletion of S214 (dS) improved resistance of the association between Lc and Hc to thermal stress. In addition, deletion of this terminal serine from the Lc of IgG1λ provided further benefit, including an increase in stability at elevated pH, increased yield from transient transfection, and improved in vitro antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). These observations support the conclusion that the presence of the terminal serine of the λ Lc creates a weaker inter-chain disulfide bond between the Lc and Hc, leading to slightly reduced stability and a potential compromise in IgG1λ function. Our data from a human IgG1λ provide a basis for further investigation of the effects of deleting terminal serine from λLc on the stability and function of other human IgG1λ antibodies.

Pleiotropic stromal effects of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 antibody therapy in renal cell carcinoma models.

The benefits of inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling in cancer patients are predominantly attributed to effects on tumor endothelial cells. Targeting non-endothelial stromal cells to further impact tumor cell growth and survival is being pursued through the inhibition of additional growth factor pathways important for the survival and/or proliferation of these cells. However, recent data suggest that VEGF receptor (VEGFR)-specific inhibitors may target lymphatic vessels and pericytes in addition to blood vessels. Here, in fact, we demonstrate that DC101 (40 mg/kg, thrice a week), an antibody specific to murine VEGFR2, significantly reduces all three of these stromal components in subcutaneous (SKRC-29) and orthotopic (786-O-LP) models of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) established in nu/nu athymic mice. Sunitinib (40 mg/kg, once daily), a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor of VEGFR2 and other growth factor receptors, also caused significant loss of tumor blood vessels in RCC models but had weaker effects than DC101 on pericytes and lymphatic vessels. In combination, sunitinib did not significantly add to the effects of DC101 on tumor blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, or pericytes. Nevertheless, sunitinib increased the effect of DC101 on tumor burden in the SKRC-29 model, perhaps related to its broader specificity. Our data have important implications for combination therapy design, supporting the conclusion that targeting VEGFR2 alone in RCC has the potential to have pleiotropic effects on tumor stroma.

Antitumor Activity of IMC-038525, a Novel Oral Tubulin Polymerization Inhibitor.

Microtubules are a well-validated target for anticancer therapy. Molecules that bind tubulin affect dynamic instability of microtubules causing mitotic arrest of proliferating cells, leading to cell death and tumor growth inhibition. Natural antitubulin agents such as taxanes and Vinca alkaloids have been successful in the treatment of cancer; however, several limitations have encouraged the development of synthetic small molecule inhibitors of tubulin function. We have previously reported the discovery of two novel chemical series of tubulin polymerization inhibitors, triazoles (Ouyang et al. Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of 1,2,4-triazoles as a novel class of potent tubulin polymerization inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2005; 15:5154-5159) and oxadiazole derivatives (Ouyang et al. Oxadiazole derivatives as a novel class of antimitotic agents: synthesis, inhibition of tubulin polymerization, and activity in tumor cell lines. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2006; 16:1191-1196). Here, we report on the anticancer effects of a lead oxadiazole derivative in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, IMC-038525 caused mitotic arrest at nanomolar concentrations in epidermoid carcinoma and breast tumor cells, including multidrug-resistant cells. In vivo, IMC-038525 had a desirable pharmacokinetic profile with sustained plasma levels after oral dosing. IMC-038525 reduced subcutaneous xenograft tumor growth with significantly greater efficacy than the taxane paclitaxel. At efficacious doses, IMC-038525 did not cause substantial myelosuppression or peripheral neurotoxicity, as evaluated by neutrophil counts and changes in myelination of the sciatic nerve, respectively. These data indicate that IMC-038525 is a promising candidate for further development as a chemotherapeutic agent.