Abstract C103: Targeting IL-1β pathway for cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Jayaraman Pushpa , Millholland John , O’Brien Neil , Wong Connie , Diwanji Rohan , Wang Muchun , Choi Elizabeth , Linnartz Ronald , Rose Kristine , Rodrik-Outmezguine Vanessa , Pelletier Marc , Savchenko Alexander , Luo Tong , Rezek Valerie , Kitchen Scott , Baum Jason , Sabatos-Peyton Catherine , Martin Anne-Marie , Dranoff Glenn 
Published: March 2020

Introduction: Inflammation is a hallmark of cancer wherein diverse immune cells exert either pro- or antitumor properties and affect therapeutic resistance (Ritter B et al, JEM 2019). High concentrations of tumor-promoting inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β (Litmanovich A et al, Oncol Ther 2018) and IL-6 (Altundag O et al, J Clin Oncol 2005) correlate with advanced malignancies and are associated with reduced survival. A recent phase III clinical trial (CANTOS) demonstrated that canakinumab, a selective IL-1β inhibitor, could significantly reduce lung cancer incidences and lung cancer related mortalities as a secondary endpoint in atherosclerosis patients, providing the first clinical evidence for the role of IL-1β inhibition in lung cancer. Canakinumab and other selective IL-1β inhibitors such as gevokizumab aim to target tumor promoting inflammation (TPI) within the tumor microenvironment (TME) by reducing tumor-associated immune suppression. In an effort to gain further insights into the clinical mechanistic role of canakinumab and gevokizumab in cancer development and progression, we have utilized preclinical models to understand the immunological events following IL-1β blockade. Methods: Preclinical efficacy of anti-human IL-1β antibodies, canakinumab and gevokizumab, was assessed in humanized mouse models of NSCLC (H358) and CRC (SW480) respectively. Anti-mouse IL-1β blocking antibody was used to evaluate efficacy in murine syngeneic models of breast (4T1) and lung (LL-2) cancer either as a single agent or in combination with PD-1 inhibitor and docetaxel. Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) characterization was carried out either by flow cytometry or by IHC in syngeneic and humanized models. Results: Using both murine syngeneic and humanized mouse models, we demonstrate that IL-1β inhibition remodels the TME and slows tumor growth either alone or in combination with other agents. In the humanized H358 NSCLC mouse model, the combination of canakinumab and the anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, pembrolizumab, significantly slowed tumor growth by more than 50% vs control antibodies. Furthermore, canakinumab alone and in combination resulted in increased CD8 and CD3 positive TIL infiltration within the tumor. Decreased tumor growth was also observed with another IL-1β inhibitor, gevokizumab, in a humanized SW480 CRC mouse model, both alone and in combination with anti-VEGF therapy. In syngeneic 4T1 and LL-2 models, anti-IL-1β alone and in combination with anti-PD-1 resulted in increased infiltration of CD8+ cells along with the reduction of immunosuppressive myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), neutrophils and regulatory T cells (Tregs) into the tumor, suggesting that the TME may be shifting to a less suppressive phenotype after IL-1β blockade. Similar changes to the tumor microenvironment were observed with the combination of anti-IL-1β with docetaxel. Additional combinations are being explored in other tumor models reflecting different indications. Conclusions: Our results highlight the role for IL-1β in tumor immunomodulation and that the pathophysiological role of the IL-1β pathway in innate immunity might have important consequences on T cell function and checkpoint blockade in cancer. These results support the ongoing clinical evaluation of IL-1β inhibitors such as canakinumab and gevokizumab and in combination with other therapeutic agents across several cancers.

Citation Format: Pushpa Jayaraman, John Millholland, Neil O’Brien, Connie Wong, Rohan Diwanji, Muchun Wang, Elizabeth Choi, Ronald Linnartz, Kristine Rose, Vanessa Rodrik-Outmezguine, Marc Pelletier, Alexander Savchenko, Tong Luo, Valerie Rezek, Scott Kitchen, Jason Baum, Catherine Sabatos-Peyton, Anne-Marie Martin, Glenn Dranoff . Targeting IL-1β pathway for cancer immunotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2019 Oct 26-30; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2019;18(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C103. doi:10.1158/1535-7163.TARG-19-C103