Abstract LB123: Conditionally active, therapeutic lymphotoxin beta receptor (LTBR) agonist bispecific antibodies for induction of tertiary lymphoid structures in the treatment of solid tumors
Authors: Lewandowska Marta , Demircioglu Fevzi , Penfold Lucy , Riddle Rebecca B. , Sirohi Sameer , Laurent Floriane , Brown Richard , Bains Sonia , Bevan Dara , Stanley Emma , Pignatelli Jeanine , Legg James W. , Jupp Ray 
Published: April 2024

The presence of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) and associated high endothelial venules (HEV) in the tumor microenvironment strongly correlates with improved prognosis and treatment outcomes across a wide range of solid tumors. These clinical observations, now replicated repeatedly, highlight the therapeutic potential of induction of TLS and/or boosting TLS functions, which include acting as a point of entry and education for immune effector cells locally in the tumor. Lymphotoxin beta receptor (LTBR) signalling is essential for lymphoid structure development and the ectopic expression of its ligands, lymphotoxin αβ and LIGHT, is sufficient for TLS formation in vivo but challenging for therapeutic development. Here we present human bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) which conditionally agonize LTBR on co-engagement of fibroblast activation protein (FAP), a tumor microenvironment specific marker expressed by cancer associated fibroblasts. In vitro characterisation of these therapeutic bsAbs is presented, along with in vivo preclinical evaluation of surrogate bsAbs binding to mouse LTBR and mouse FAP in murine tumor models.

Results - Therapeutic bsAbs were identified following an extensive screening campaign combining LTBR and FAP binding arms on an engineered human Fc with minimal FcyR binding. In vitro assays using primary cancer associated fibroblasts and LTBR positive cells demonstrated conditionally active therapeutic bsAbs potently activated LTBR in the presence of FAP expressing cells, whereas in the absence of FAP expressing cells no activity was observed. Surrogate bsAbs demonstrated monotherapy activity and led to tumor regressions in combination with anti-PDL1 therapy in an EMT6 mouse model, a syngeneic orthotopic model of breast cancer. Flow cytometry of endpoint tumors showed robust formation of HEVs and increased infiltration of T cells and B cells. In addition, we demonstrate that LTBR agonism, but not PD-L1 inhibition, leads to the formation of TLS structures containing organized lymphocyte aggregates with the appearance of germinal centres and accumulations of T and B cells in a mouse model of lung cancer. In conclusion, conditionally active FAP-LTBR bispecifics activate LTBR in the tumor microenvironment and induce HEV and TLS formation, leading to potent monotherapy activity in vivo, and to tumor regression in combination with PD-L1. These data support the development of FAP-LTBR bispecifics for the treatment of solid tumors as monotherapy and in combination with standard of care.

Citation Format: Marta Lewandowska, Fevzi Demircioglu, Lucy Penfold, Rebecca B. Riddle, Sameer Sirohi, Floriane Laurent, Richard Brown, Sonia Bains, Dara Bevan, Emma Stanley, Jeanine Pignatelli, James W. Legg, Ray Jupp. Conditionally active, therapeutic lymphotoxin beta receptor (LTBR) agonist bispecific antibodies for induction of tertiary lymphoid structures in the treatment of solid tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr LB123.