Abstract 3237: Combining PARP inhibition with the polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) inhibitor onvansertib overcomes PARP inhibitor resistance
Authors: Chiappa Michela , Guffanti Federica , Decio Alessandra , Aliverti Alessandro , Ricci Francesca , Scanziani Eugenio , Camin Federica , Craparotta Ilaria , Barbera Maria Chiara , Bolis Marco , Ridinger Maya , Damia Giovanna 
Published: June 2022

Background: BRCA1/2 mutant tumors cells are deficient for homologous recombination (HR)-mediated DNA repair and are particularly sensitive to PARP inhibitors (PARPi). PARPi have proved efficacy in breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancers, particularly in HR-deficient tumors, while their activity is limited in HR-proficient tumors. However, PARPi resistance is inevitable and therapeutic resistance resulting from restoration of HR repair is a pressing clinical problem. Identifying combination treatments to sensitize tumors cells to PARPi and/or overcome PARPi resistance is critical to expand the benefit of these therapies. The Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1), a serine threonine kinase, is a master regulator of mitosis, overexpressed in many cancers. PLK1 is also involved in the DNA damage response through the promotion of HR-mediated DNA repair and the recovery from the G2/M checkpoint. PLK1 roles in HR repair suggest that PLK1 inhibition may reverse PARPi resistance.

Methods: To test the effect of PLK1 and PARP inhibitors combination, we used onvansertib, a highly selective, ATP-competitor PLK1 inhibitor currently in clinical development and the FDA-approved PARPi olaparib. The antitumor effect of the single and combined drug treatments was tested in 2 BRCA1 mutated high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) patient derived (PDX) models resistant to olaparib. Orthotopically PDX transplanted mice were treated for 4 weeks and followed for survival.

Results: The combination of onvansertib and olaparib was well tolerated and showed strong anti-tumor activity in both PDX models. The combination significantly increased mice survival in comparison to vehicle, olaparib and onvansertib, and showed that onvansertib can re-sensitize PARPi-resistant tumors to olaparib. Median survival increased by 2.7-fold and 8.1-fold respectively in the 2 PDX models in the combination group versus vehicle and the Kaplan Meyer survival curves of mice treated with the combination showed a statistically survival advantage versus control and single agent treated mice. Pharmacodynamic analyses showed an increase in mitotic, apoptotic and DNA damage markers in tumors treated with the combination versus vehicle.

Conclusions: The combination of the PLK1 inhibitor onvansertib and the PARPi olaparib showed potent anti-tumor activity in olaparib-resistant BRAC1 mutant HGSOC PDX models. Additional studies are ongoing to further assess the potential of the combination in BRCA wild-type and mutant ovarian, prostate, pancreatic and breast cancer preclinical models.

Citation Format: Michela Chiappa, Federica Guffanti, Alessandra Decio, Alessandro Aliverti, Francesca Ricci, Eugenio Scanziani, Federica Camin, Ilaria Craparotta, Maria Chiara Barbera, Marco Bolis, Maya Ridinger, Giovanna Damia. Combining PARP inhibition with the polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) inhibitor onvansertib overcomes PARP inhibitor resistance [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 3237.