Abstract CT143: Whole cell antigen presenting immune stimulating cells (Bria-IMT) for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer
Authors: Chumsri Saranya , Barve Minal , Nangia Chaitali , Guerin Bonnie L. , Holmes Jarrod , Mohammed Karim , Knecht John , Dakhil Shaker , Williams William V. , Wiseman Charles , Chang Mingjin , Lopez-Lago Miguel , Knecht John G. , Rowland Kendrith , Boccia Ralph V. , Del Priore Giuseppe , Calfa Carmen 
Published: April 2023

Background: Bria-IMT (SV-BR-1-GM) is an off-the-shelf whole tumor cell therapeutic vaccine engineered to express class I & class II HLAs, secrete GM-CSF, and function as antigen-presenting cells; with subsequent enhancements improving in-vitro characteristics. By expressing cancer antigens such as HER2/Neu and PRAME, SV-BR-1-GM also serves as the reservoir of cancer antigens to activates patient’s anti-tumor immune responses. The safety and efficacy of the ongoing clinical trial of SV-BR-1-GM in combination with a PD1 inhibitor are reported. We also report post-hoc exploratory data for patients with advanced metastatic breast cancer (aMBC) treated with SV-BR-1-GM regimens.

Methods: Ongoing prospective, phase 1-2, with an expansion randomized phase 2 cohort (NCT03328026; 2018-present) using SV-BR-1-GM with a PD1 inhibitor (pembrolizumab or retifanlimab) with cycles every 3 weeks (16 patients dosed to date). SV-BR-1-GM “monotherapy” (NCT03066947; 2013-8), a completed prospective phase 1-2 results are also presented.

Results: A total of 51 patients received any SV-BR-1-GM regimen; 27 in monotherapy (SV) and 24 in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor (CO) currently ongoing: 4 subjects from SV continued on with CO. Median prior regimens = 5; 61% ER or PR+; 6% ER or PR-/HER2+ and 29% triple negative. SV-BR-1-GM was well tolerated. Disease control rate was 40% with SV and 41% with CO in subjects with available assessment(s). Median PFS was 2.7 months with 6 having PFS &gt;150 days (150-226) for SV and 2.6 months with 5 &gt; 150 days (188-308) for CO. Per protocol, 23 patients had anergy testing prior to treatment. Among those with a normal immunologic response (n=13, 56%), disease outcomes included 4 SD and 2 PR (46% CBR) vs anergic patients (n=7, 30%) with 1 SD (14% CBR); 3 patients (13%) with unknown anergy testing had 0% CBR. All 7 anergic patients developed delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) injection site responses to SV-BR-1-GM. Subjects with DTH (injection site induration/erythema) had a significant reduction in the risk of progression or death (HR=0.096, 95%CI:0.02-0.50, p&lt;0.05). Subjects with a reduction in circulating tumor cells (CTC) also had an improvement in PFS (HR 0.08, p=.0012). Median OS (uncensored) was 11.2 months in CO (n = 8). 7 out of 20 (35%) for SV and 9 out of 22 subjects (41%) for CO with available data, exceeded prior PFS. Among HLA matched subjects 4/7 (57%) and 6/9 (67%), respectively, had an increase in PFS. PFS ratio improved independent of prior number of lines, HER2 or HR status. The greatest improvement in PFS on a SV-BR-1-GM was in a HLA matched subject (&gt;6mo). TEAEs occurred in 20/24 (83%) of subjects in CO including 9/24 (38%) with injection site AEs. There were no AEs of special interest eg cytokine storm. There were no Grade 5 and only 6 grade 4 AEs in CO.

Conclusions: In an ongoing randomized phase 2, anergic patients had worse outcomes. SV-BR-1-GM was able to illicit an immune response regardless. Responses, stable disease and CBR were seen and associated with immune responses including injection site erythema/induration (DTH), CTC changes and tumor grade I/II. Patients with disease control had better quality of life. SV-BR-1-GM may be able to alter an anergic immune system for clinical benefit. Future pivotal trials will be based upon the ongoing confirmatory randomized clinical trial.

Citation Format: Saranya Chumsri, Minal Barve, Chaitali Nangia, Bonnie L. Guerin, Jarrod Holmes, Karim Mohammed, John Knecht, Shaker Dakhil, William V. Williams, Charles Wiseman, Mingjin Chang, Miguel Lopez-Lago, John G. Knecht, Kendrith Rowland, Ralph V. Boccia, Giuseppe Del Priore, Carmen Calfa. Whole cell antigen presenting immune stimulating cells (Bria-IMT) for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer [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 CT143.