Abstract 5228: Engineering CD123-targeting vδ1-enriched γδT cells with enhanced preclinical efficacy and safety profile
Authors: Ng Mei Rosa , Hayward Sarah L. , Zhang Di , Gu Gary , Paulhus Bri , Gjuka Donjeta , Crowley Collin , McLaughlin Sophie , Lublinsky Anya , Mathew Angel , Giron Evans Berreondo , Mai Doanh , Lee Madisen , Wal Megha , Alade Rebecca , Simoes Andre , Lytle Robin , Gavin James , Cramer Shira , Yan Zhong-hua , Hickman Taylor , Choudhary Rashmi , Abikoff Cori , Wang Yana , Kovacs Istvan , Sobhana Nandhu M. , Cao Lan 
Published: March 2024

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive hematological malignancy that, despite advances in treatment, has an overall 5-year survival rate of less than 30%. There is an urgent unmet need for new and effective therapies for AML. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified cell therapies are emerging as promising options. However, the selection of suitable antigens is challenging, due to the heterogeneous expression of potential antigen targets in AML. Most antigens, such as CD123, are expressed on both leukemic cells and normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. In addition, conventional autologous or allogeneic T cell therapies present many limitations, such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and graft-vs-host disease (GvHD). We therefore evaluated CD123-targeting CAR designs in vδ1-enriched γδT cells, an innate immune cell platform that is inherently non-MHC restricted, has low risks of CRS and GvHD, and is capable of discriminating between malignant and healthy cells in preclinical models.

We engineered vδ1-enriched γδT cells from peripheral blood of healthy individuals to express various CD123-targeting CAR constructs. The CD123-targeting CAR-engineered vδ1-enriched γδT cells expressed high levels of natural cytotoxicity receptors, suggesting capability to target innate receptor ligands on AML cell surface. CD123-targeting CAR-expressing vδ1-enriched γδT cells demonstrated enhanced cytotoxicity in vitro against multiple AML cell lines, in both short-term co-culture and repeated antigen stimulation assays. CD123-targeting CAR-expressing vδ1-enriched γδT cells also showed enhanced efficacy and survival in vivo against mouse models of human AML. Interestingly, attenuation of CAR activity via novel designs preserved the inherent selectivity of vδ1-enriched γδT cells against AML cells relative to normal hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells, which also express CD123.

Together, our results demonstrated through rational CAR designing and engineering in vδ1-enriched γδT cells, an allogeneic cell therapy targeting CD123 can be generated with selective cytotoxicity against AML cells while sparing normal hematopoietic stem cells. Such product designs have the potential to be a transformative therapeutic option for a broad population of AML patients.

Citation Format: Mei Rosa Ng, Sarah L. Hayward, Di Zhang, Gary Gu, Bri Paulhus, Donjeta Gjuka, Collin Crowley, Sophie McLaughlin, Anya Lublinsky, Angel Mathew, Evans Berreondo Giron, Doanh Mai, Madisen Lee, Megha Wal, Rebecca Alade, Andre Simoes, Robin Lytle, James Gavin, Shira Cramer, Zhong-hua Yan, Taylor Hickman, Rashmi Choudhary, Cori Abikoff, Yana Wang, Istvan Kovacs, Nandhu M. Sobhana, Lan Cao. Engineering CD123-targeting vδ1-enriched γδT cells with enhanced preclinical efficacy and safety profile [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 5228.