Abstract PR04: Targeting tumor-asoociated macrophages with a novel anti-CSF1R antibody in cancer patients
Authors: Cannarile Michael , Hoves Sabine , Broeske Ann-Marie , Benz Joerg , Wartha Katharina , Runza Valeria , Rey-Giraud Flora , Pradel Leon P. , Feuerhake Friedrich , Klaman Irina , Jones Tobin , Jucknischke Ute , Scheiblich Stefan , Gorr Ingo H. , Walz Antje , Abiraj Keelara , Cassier Philippe , Sica Antonio , Gomez-Roca Carlos , Tourneau Christophe Le , Delord Jean-Pierre , Italiano Antoine , Levitsky Hyam , Blay Jean-Yves , Ruettinger Dominik , Ries Carola H. 
Published: May 2015

Myeloid cells represent the most abundant immune cell type within the tumor microenvironment of certain tumor entities, including tumor associated macrophages (TAMs). Macrophage infiltration has been identified as an independent poor prognostic factor in several cancer types. The major survival factor for TAMs is macrophage colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF1). We generated a monoclonal antibody (RG7155) that binds to the secondary dimerization interface of CSF1 receptor (CSF1R) as a specific and potent allosteric inhibitor. In vitro, RG7155 treatment results in cell death of CSF1-differentiated macrophages. In animal models, CSF1R inhibition reduced the F4/80+ TAMs infiltrate by 90% and was accompanied by an increase of the CD8+/CD4+ T cell ratio. The ability of RG7155 to reduce TAMs is currently evaluated in a first-in-man phase I clinical study in patients suffering either from pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS), a neoplastic disorder characterized by CSF1 overexpression, or other tumor entities. The associated biomarker program involves mandatory paired pre- and on-treatment biopsies of tumor and surrogate skin tissue as well as pharmacodynamic marker assessment in circulating blood. In patients treated with RG7155 an increase of CSF1 associated with a sustained decrease of CD14+CD16+ alternatively activated monocytes in peripheral blood was detected. In PVNS patients administration of RG7155 led to striking reductions of CSF1R+ and CD163+ macrophages in tumor tissue resulting in objective clinical responses according to RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) in 5 out of 6 patients. All six evaluable PVNS patients showed partial metabolic response in FDG-PET imaging and significant symptomatic improvement as early as 4 weeks after treatment initiation. Furthermore, TAM reduction was also observed in paired tumor samples of patients with various advanced solid malignancies, suggesting broad applicability of this therapeutic approach.

This abstract is also presented as Poster A50.

Citation Format: Michael Cannarile, Sabine Hoves, Ann-Marie Broeske, Joerg Benz, Katharina Wartha, Valeria Runza, Flora Rey-Giraud, Leon P. Pradel, Friedrich Feuerhake, Irina Klaman, Tobin Jones, Ute Jucknischke, Stefan Scheiblich, Ingo H. Gorr, Antje Walz, Keelara Abiraj, Philippe Cassier, Antonio Sica, Carlos Gomez-Roca, Christophe Le Tourneau, Jean-Pierre Delord, Antoine Italiano, Hyam Levitsky, Jean-Yves Blay, Dominik Ruettinger, Carola H. Ries. Targeting tumor-asoociated macrophages with a novel anti-CSF1R antibody in cancer patients. [abstract]. In: Abstracts: AACR Special Conference on Cellular Heterogeneity in the Tumor Microenvironment; 2014 Feb 26-Mar 1; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(1 Suppl):Abstract nr PR04. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.CHTME14-PR04