Clinical Activity of CC-90009, a Cereblon E3 Ligase Modulator and First-in-Class GSPT1 Degrader, As a Single Agent in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia (R/R AML): First Results from a Phase I Dose-Finding Study
Authors: Uy Geoffrey L. , Minden Mark D. , Montesinos Pau , DeAngelo Daniel J. , Altman Jessica K. , Koprivnikar Jamie , Vyas Paresh , Fløisand Yngvar , Belén Vidriales María , Gjertsen Bjørn Tore , Esteve Jordi , Buchholz Tonia J. , Couto Suzana , Fan Jinhong , Hanna Bishoy , Li Li , Pierce Daniel W. , Hege Kristen , Pourdehnad Michael , Zeidan Amer M. 
Published: February 2020

Background: CC-90009 is a cereblon (CRBN) E3 ligase modulator (CELMoD) and a first-in-class small molecule that drives the binding of a novel target protein, G1 to S phase transition 1 (GSPT1), to CRBN, resulting in the proteasome-dependent degradation of GSPT1. GSPT1 plays a central role in mRNA translation, and loss of GSPT1 activates an integrated stress response that leads to AML cell death (Matyskiela ME, et al. Nature. 2016;535:252-7; Zhouravleva G, et al. EBMO J. 1995;14:4065-72). In preclinical testing, CC-90009 is active across a range of AML cell lines and primary AML patient (pt) samples in vitro and in vivo and exerts its GSPT1- and CRBN-dependent effects through rapid induction of apoptosis. Here we share the first clinical results in pts with R/R AML.

Methods: Adult pts with R/R AML enrolled in the dose-finding phase of this first-in-human, multicenter, open-label phase 1 study to evaluate tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), and preliminary efficacy of CC-90009; and to establish the recommended phase 2 dose and schedule (RP2D) (CC-90009-AML-001; NCT02848001). Dose escalation proceeded via a modified 3 + 3 design. Treatment was by daily intravenous administration on either Days 1-5 (D1-5) or Days 1-3 and 8-10 (D1-3/8-10) of a 28-day cycle. Treatment response was assessed after Cycles 1, 2, and 4 by modified International Working Group 2003 criteria. Safety and preliminary response data are presented for all treated pts. PK and PD were analyzed for evaluable pts.

Results: As of May 15, 2019, 45 pts with R/R AML had been treated, including 35 pts on the D1-5 and 10 pts on the D1-3/D8-10 schedule. Median age was 66 years (range 27-81); 73% were male. Most pts (n = 36; 80%) were refractory to their last therapy and 17 pts (38%) were refractory to all prior therapy; 14 pts (31%) had secondary AML. Pts were treated at dose levels from 0.3 to 3.6 mg. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) reported (only in dose levels from 2.4 to 3.6 mg) included hypotension, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), hyperbilirubinemia, pneumonitis, and pericarditis with tamponade. Exploration of the 3.6 mg dose level is ongoing; the RP2D has not yet been determined.

CC-90009-related grade 3/4 treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurred in 23 pts (51%); those occurring in &gt;1 pt were hypocalcemia (22%); hypotension (13%); and hyperbilirubinemia, hyperglycemia, hypophosphatemia, pneumonitis, sepsis, thrombocytopenia, and tumor lysis syndrome (4%). Preclinically identified hypocalcemia was confirmed as a CC-90009 on-target toxicity in the clinic; it was reversible, manageable and did not lead to any treatment discontinuations. The majority of treated pts experienced ≥1 serious TEAE (80%); most were infections (47%). Two (4%) pts experienced TEAEs leading to permanent discontinuation of the study drug. Dose interruptions due to TEAEs occurred in 12 pts (27%) and dose reductions in 2 pts (4%). Of 40 pts who discontinued treatment, 24 (60%) discontinued due to progressive disease or lack of efficacy. Seven pts discontinued treatment due to death; 4 deaths were secondary to progression from AML, 2 due to sepsis and 1 due to hyperglycemic hyperosmolar nonketotic syndrome.

Responses to single-agent treatment were observed in pts treated at 3.0 or 3.6 mg on the D1-5 schedule, with a best response of complete remission (CR; n = 1), morphologic CR with incomplete blood count recovery (CRi; n = 1) and morphologic leukemia-free state (MLFS; n = 1). A dose-dependent decrease in GSPT1 levels in peripheral blood blasts and T cells was observed, with a &gt;90% decrease observed for higher dose levels. Evidence of antileukemic activity (decreases in bone marrow and/or peripheral blasts) was seen in pts treated with CC-90009 at 1.2 mg and above with a trend to more sustained reductions at the highest dose levels. Plasma PK analysis demonstrated dose-dependent exposure.

Conclusions: In this phase 1 study of CC-90009, a first-in-class agent, evidence of deep GSPT1 degradation, on-target activity and promising antileukemic activity was observed. The observed TEAEs, in addition to those expected in this heavily pretreated R/R AML pt population, were generally well manageable. The study is ongoing with further optimization of dose, schedule and toxicity mitigation. Expansion cohorts in R/R AML and higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes are planned.

Disclosures

Uy: GlycoMimetics: Consultancy; Curis: Consultancy; Astellas: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy. Montesinos:Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Celgene Corporation: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Teva: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Karyopharm: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. DeAngelo:Blue print Medicines: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene Corporation: Consultancy; Shire: Consultancy; Pfizer, Inc.: Consultancy; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte Corporation: Consultancy; Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Consultancy; GlycoMimetics: Research Funding; AbbVie, Inc.: Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy. Altman:Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Biosight: Other: US Lead; France Foundation: Speakers Bureau; PeerView: Speakers Bureau; Agios: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Glycomimetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Data Safety and Monitoring Committee; Cancer Expert Now: Consultancy; Theradex: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Consultancy; prIME Oncology: Speakers Bureau; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Koprivnikar:Amgen: Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Honoraria; Abbvie: Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Speakers Bureau. Vyas:Astellas: Speakers Bureau; Abbvie: Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Forty Seven, Inc.: Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Fløisand:Takeda: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene Corporation: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria. Gjertsen:BerGenBio: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; EU Horizon 2020: Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Astellas: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; The Norwegian Cancer Society: Research Funding; KinN Therapeutics AS: Equity Ownership; ACTII AS: Equity Ownership; ERA PerMed: Research Funding; Helse Vest Health Trust: Research Funding; Research Council of Norway: Research Funding. Esteve:Astellas: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Roche: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy. Buchholz:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Couto:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents & Royalties. Fan:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Hanna:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Li:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Pierce:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Hege:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents & Royalties; Mersana Therapuetics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Arcus Biosciences: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Pourdehnad:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Zeidan:Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Medimmune/AstraZeneca: Research Funding; Boehringer-Ingelheim: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Trovagene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Research Funding; Jazz: Honoraria; Ariad: Honoraria; Agios: Honoraria; Seattle Genetics: Honoraria; BeyondSpring: Honoraria; Cardinal Health: Honoraria; Daiichi Sankyo: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Otsuka: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Acceleron Pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene Corporation: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Astellas: Honoraria.