Abstract LB077: CSF-1R inhibition with Pimicotinib (ABSK021) enhanced anti-tumor efficacy of KRASG12C inhibitors in preclinical non-small cell lung cancer mouse models
Authors: Zhang Nannan , Shen Bin , Liu Shenyan , Dai Cheng , Ying Haiyan , Guo Fushen , Zhu Zhixuan , Shi Wan , Tu Min , Wang Jie , Zhang Jie , Liu Manqi , Zhang Qi , Chen Zhui 
Published: April 2024

Background: KRAS mutations are highly prevalent oncogenic drivers in human cancers and KRASG12C is the most frequent mutations found in KRAS-mutant non-small lung cancer (NSCLC). It is reported that tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) are enriched in KRAS-driven transgenic lung cancer models. Depletion of macrophage results in a significant decrease in tumor burden and increased survival. Sotorasib (AMG510), the first KRASG12C inhibitor approved by FDA, has been found to modulate tumor immunity, impacting the recruitment of macrophages. CSF-1R signaling is critical for macrophage proliferation and survival. CSF-1R inhibition depletes TAMs and reprograms tumor microenvironment (TME), resulting in enhancement of anti-tumor immunity. Therefore, the combination of KRASG12C and CSF-1R inhibitors may synergize to enhance anti-tumor efficacy. Pimicotinib (ABSK021) is a potential best-in-class small molecule inhibitor of CSF-1R in clinical development of multiple indications. Here, we conducted in vivo experiments to explore the combined effects of KRASG12C and CSF-1R inhibitors.

Methods: In vivo efficacy studies were performed to evaluate the combined treatment of KRASG12C inhibitors (AMG510 and ABSK071, a next-generation inhibitor targeting KRASG12C with better inhibitory activity) and CSF-1R inhibitor (ABSK021) in NCI-H2122 PBMC humanized mice and LLC syngeneic mice. RNA sequencing was employed to investigate the mechanism of action underlying the synergistic anti-tumor effect. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was utilized to examine the changes of immune cell populations in TME.

Results: The combinatory regimen of ABSK021 and KRASG12C inhibitors showed improved anti-tumor effects than each single agent alone in both mouse NSCLC models. Bioinformatics and follow-up analysis revealed a reduction in immune suppressive TAMs in tumors treated with ABSK021 alone or in combination with KRASG12C inhibitors. Furthermore, modulation of TME related to anti-tumor immunity, such as activated CD4 T, CD8 T and NK cells, was increased, and pro-tumor immunity, such as MDSC, regulatory T cells, was decreased in combination group. IHC results confirmed that ABSK021 addition led to macrophage depletion and more CD8 T cell infiltration in TME.

Conclusions: For the first time, we demonstrate that the combined inhibition of KRASG12C and CSF-1R leads to superior therapeutic efficacy in preclinical NSCLC mouse models. This results suggests a potential novel therapeutic regimen that could yield improved clinical benefit to patients.

Citation Format: Nannan Zhang, Bin Shen, Shenyan Liu, Cheng Dai, Haiyan Ying, Fushen Guo, Zhixuan Zhu, Wan Shi, Min Tu, Jie Wang, Jie Zhang, Manqi Liu, Qi Zhang, Zhui Chen. CSF-1R inhibition with Pimicotinib (ABSK021) enhanced anti-tumor efficacy of KRASG12C inhibitors in preclinical non-small cell lung cancer mouse models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr LB077.