Abstract CN07-03: Recombinant immunotoxins for hematologic malignancies
Authors: Kreitman Robert , Gorelik Daniel , Stetler-Stevenson Maryalice , Yuan Constance M , Wang Hao-Wei , Zhou Hong , Potocka Katherine , Fykes Erin , Arons Evgeny , Pastan Ira 
Published: March 2020

Recombinant immunotoxins are composed of fragments of monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) and protein toxins, enabling the toxin to bind to a target cell recognized by the antibody, and the toxin to kill the cell after internalization. Recombinant immunotoxins are similar to but distinct from growth-factor fusions toxins like denileukin diftitox and Tagraxofusp, FDA-approved in 1999 and 2018, respectively. Unlike chemical conjugates, Recombinant immunotoxins have a peptide that links the cell-binding to the toxin domains. After proteolytic cleavage, the toxin separates from the binding domain, undergoes intracellular trafficking and enters the cytosol, resulting in apoptotic cell death. Recombinant immunotoxins containing Pseudomonas exotoxin A contain an Fv or Fab fragment of a Mab replacing the native cell-binding toxin domain. The first recombinant immunotoxin we made contained an anti-CD25 single-chain Fv fused to a 38 kDa fragment of Pseudomonas exotoxin called PE38. Anti-CD25 recombinant immunotoxin LMB-2 was active in several hematologic malignancies, notably hairy cell leukemia (HCL) and adult T-cell leukemia (ATL). LMB-2 achieved a high complete remission (CR) rate in ATL when combined with chemotherapy to reduce immunogenicity and progression between cycles. Improved targeting of HCL was achieved with anti-CD22 recombinant immunotoxin Moxetumomab Pasudotox (Moxe) that was stabilized with a disulfide bond in the Fv and has a high affinity for CD22. Moxe achieved investigator-assessed CR rates of 51-64% in relapsed/refractory HCL in Phase 1 and 3 trials, leading to FDA-approval in 2018. Minimal residual disease (MRD) was negative in most CRs. On the phase I trial, which had adequate follow-up, MRD eradication by the most sensitive standard assay, flow cytometry of the bone marrow aspirate (BMA), was associated with longer CR duration. Extra or ‘consolidation’ cycles past documentation of CR was also associated with longer CR duration. To detect MRD with higher sensitivity, patient specific immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) rearrangements were cloned and real-time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) performed. Using patient-specific primers and probe, 1 HCL cell could be detected in 106 normal cells. We found that phase 1-3 patients achieving MRD-free CR by blood RQ-PCR had significantly prolonged CR duration (p&lt;0.0001) compared to those remaining blood RQ-PCR+. Both BMA flow cytometry and RQ-PCR were associated with prolonged CR duration if negative, but blood flow cytometry was not helpful since only one patient with CR remained flow-positive. Molecular remissions assessed by blood analysis may be useful to determine the number of cycles of Moxe to administer to achieve long-term CR or possibly cure. To achieve molecular remissions with fewer cycles, Moxe is being tested with rituximab to facilitate tumor reduction and decrease anti-drug antibody formation.

Citation Format: Robert Kreitman, Daniel Gorelik, Maryalice Stetler-Stevenson, Constance M Yuan, Hao-Wei Wang, Hong Zhou, Katherine Potocka, Erin Fykes, Evgeny Arons, Ira Pastan. Recombinant immunotoxins for hematologic malignancies [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 CN07-03. doi:10.1158/1535-7163.TARG-19-CN07-03