Abstract 743: Potent anti-tumor activity of the MEK1/2 inhibitor MEK162 in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) cell lines
Authors: Wong Deborah J. , Garon Edward B. , Silveira Danielle D. , Kamranpour Naeimeh , Pitts Sharon , Chalukya Meenal , Hamidi Habib , Dubinett Steven , Linnartz Ronald , Finn Richard S. , Slamon Dennis J. 
Published: May 2015

BACKGROUND: MAPK pathway dysregulation is frequently seen in cancer. For NSCLC, this may be due to driver mutations or gene amplification in EGFR, KRAS, or BRAF, though tumors without such mutations frequently display pathway hyperactivity. Aberrant EGFR signaling in SCCHN may lead to hyperactivity of the MAPK or PI3K pathways. MEK162 (ARRY-438162) is a potent, tight binding, uncompetitive MEK inhibitor currently in clinical development for treatment of solid tumors. MEK162 has an IC50 of 10nM against purified MEK1/2. We evaluated whether MEK162 would inhibit NSCLC and SCCHN cell lines and whether specific molecular alterations predicted anti-tumor activity. We also evaluated the combination of MEK162 in combination with BYL719, a potent PI3K alpha inhibitor.

METHODS: The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of MEK162, alone or in combination with BYL719, was determined in 40 human NSCLC and 30 SCCHN cell lines in vitro. Effects on MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathway signaling were studied by western blot analysis. Effects of MEK162 alone or in combination with BYL719 on cell cycle progression were also determined by flow cytometry.

RESULTS: Using previously published cut-offs for sensitivity in cell lines, among NSCLC cell lines, 20/40 (50%) were sensitive to MEK162 (IC50 ≤ 500nM), 9/40 were intermediately sensitive (IC50 500nM-1µM), and 11/40 were resistant (IC50 ≥ 1µm). Using the same cut-offs, 80% (24/30) of SCCHN cell lines were sensitive, 2/30 were intermediately sensitive, and 4/30 were resistant to MEK162. MEK162 exposure resulted in increased cells in G0/G1 and decreased cells in S-phase. MEK162 decreased phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK) in all cell lines treated and resulted in an increase in phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT), presumably as a compensatory result from MAPK pathway inhibition. Combined treatment with MEK162 and BYL719 resulted in synergistic growth inhibition for all cell lines and decreased levels of both p-ERK and p-AKT levels at 24 hours.

CONCLUSION: MEK162 potently inhibited growth of human NSCLC and SCCHN cell lines in most cell lines tested and led to synergistic inhibition when combined with BYL719. The compensatory increase in pAKT seen with MEK162 was abrogated with dual treatment with MEK162 and BYL719, demonstrating that synergy may be mediated by simultaneous blockade of MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways. These data provide a preclinical rationale for evaluating MEK162, alone or in combination with BYL719, in metastatic NSCLC and SCCHN.

Supported by 1K23CA149079, P50 CA090440, V Foundation for Cancer Research, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Wolfen Family Lung Cancer Research Program, Stiles Program in Oncology, National Lung Cancer Partnership and One Ball Matt Memorial Golf Tournament.

Citation Format: Deborah JL Wong, Edward B. Garon, Danielle D. Silveira, Naeimeh Kamranpour, Sharon Pitts, Meenal Chalukya, Habib Hamidi, Steven Dubinett, Ronald Linnartz, Richard S. Finn, Dennis J. Slamon. Potent anti-tumor activity of the MEK1/2 inhibitor MEK162 in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) cell lines. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 743. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-743