Abstract 2959: Novel CD38xCD3 bispecific IgM T cell engager, IGM-2644, potently kills multiple myeloma cells though complement and T cell dependent mechanisms
Authors: Li Keyu , Yun Rui , Chai Min , Yakkundi Poonam , Rosete Rodnie , Li Gene , Liu Liqin , Li Mandy , Santos Daniel , Hart Kevin C. , Ng Dean , Hinton Paul R. , Muchhal Umesh , Manley Thomas , Kotturi Maya F. , Carroll Stephen F. , Sinclair Angus M. , Keyt Bruce A. 
Published: April 2023

Multiple myeloma (MM), a cancer of plasma cells, occurs in ~34,000 new patients every year in the USA. Although therapeutic regimens, including anti-CD38 monospecific IgG antibodies such as daratumumab and isatuximab in combination with chemotherapies, demonstrate clinical efficacy, most patients eventually develop resistance. Several bispecific (CD38xCD3) or trispecific (CD38xCD3xCD28) T cell engager (TCE) antibody therapies are currently in development to improve upon the efficacy of CD38 targeted therapies by leveraging T cell dependent cellular cytotoxicity (TDCC) of MM cells. However, CD38 is also expressed on some normal hematopoietic cells which could potentially lead to undesired pharmacological activity such as depleting CD38+ immune cells, including activated cytotoxic T cells (i.e., fratricide). IGM-2644 is a novel, pentameric IgM antibody engineered to have ten CD38 binding sites, and an anti-CD3ε single chain Fv domain fused to a joining chain to engage CD3 on T cells, and retains the potential for complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). Here we report the functional characterization of IGM-2644 using in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo anti-tumor efficacy studies with a safety evaluation of this novel IgM TCE. In vitro, IGM-2644 demonstrated significantly improved CDC activity in comparison with daratumumab and isatuximab, with &gt;30-fold increased potency on CD38+ MM and lymphoma cell lines. IGM-2644 induced TDCC similar to a bispecific CD38xCD3 IgG on low CD38 expressing cell lines resistant to daratumumab, while demonstrating significantly lower levels of cytokine release than the bispecific IgG. In ex vivo colony forming unit (CFU) assays, IGM-2644 was able to reduce MM CFUs using primary MM patient bone marrow samples containing autologous T cells and myeloma cells, while no effect was observed on erythroid, granulocyte and macrophage CFUs in normal bone marrow samples.​ IGM-2644 dose dependently inhibited tumor growth in humanized xenograft models of CD38+ NCI-H929 (myeloma) and Raji (lymphoma). Importantly, IGM-2644 also demonstrated significantly reduced T cell fratricide compared to bispecific IgGs both ex vivo and in vivo. Significantly reduced activity of IGM-2644 on normal CD38+ innate immune cells was observed in ex vivo studies. CD38 expression has also been reported on human RBCs and platelets. However, minimal IGM-2644 binding was observed and at levels lower than daratumumab. In summary, IGM-2644 is a novel, potent, bispecific IgM TCE that has both CDC and TDCC mechanisms of cytotoxicity with the potential to be active in daratumumab resistant tumors. The balance of potent TDCC and CDC cytotoxic activity, along with an improved preclinical safety profile compared to other CD38xCD3 bispecific IgG TCEs, supports the clinical development of IGM-2644 in MM.

Citation Format: Keyu Li, Rui Yun, Min Chai, Poonam Yakkundi, Rodnie Rosete, Gene Li, Liqin Liu, Mandy Li, Daniel Santos, Kevin C. Hart, Dean Ng, Paul R. Hinton, Umesh Muchhal, Thomas Manley, Maya F. Kotturi, Stephen F. Carroll, Angus M. Sinclair, Bruce A. Keyt. Novel CD38xCD3 bispecific IgM T cell engager, IGM-2644, potently kills multiple myeloma cells though complement and T cell dependent mechanisms [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 2959.