Abstract 4007: AIC100 CAR-T cells targeting ICAM-1 are efficacious against solid tumors in xenograft mouse models of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and cervical cancer (CC)
Authors: Birt Alyssa , Josiah Serene , Joyce Kelsey L. , Alla Srinija , Gallagher Michael P. , Puc Janusz , Nguyen Hanh , Martin Emily Walsh , Gupta Sonal 
Published: March 2024

Purpose: Establish preclinical proof of concept efficacy with CAR T cells (AIC100) in xenograft models of solid tumors (NSCLC and CC) expressing high levels of surface ICAM-1.

Experimental: AIC100 is a third generation CAR T cell with micromolar affinity to ICAM-1, tuned lower than most CARs used to date in pre-/clinical studies. Affinity tuned AIC100 drug product is expected to selectively bind and kill tumor cells while safely sparing healthy cells. AIC100 also co-expresses somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2), which enables in vivo monitoring of AIC100 distribution and expansion by DOTATATE PET/CT imaging. To test preclinical efficacy of AIC100 in NSCLC and CC, four xenograft mouse models were generated using tumor cell lines known to have ICAM-1 expression (verified by flow cytometry) to test efficacy of AIC100. Reporter cell lines transfected with Luciferase were H226 NSCLC adenocarcinoma, H441 NSCLC squamous cell carcinoma, HeLa CC adenocarcinoma and SW756 CC squamous cell carcinoma. AIC100 efficacy was established by in vitro cytotoxicity prior to in vivo studies. NSG mice (n=10 per cell line) were inoculated via tail vein injection (1.0x106 cells) in cell growth media. Mice were imaged to ensure solid tumor formation which occurred in all mice within 3-5 days in the lung. At D0, mice were randomized into 2 groups (n=5 per group) of vehicle (PBS) and AIC100. At D1, mice were injected with AIC100 (1.0x107 live T cells) or vehicle. Mice were followed by weight and clinical observations 2x weekly and imaging by IVIS weekly. The study continued until vehicle group was euthanized due to tumor related co-morbidities at which time the study concluded.

Results: AIC100 showed clear treatment benefit in both models of NSCLC and CC. In CC HeLa model, in mice treated with AIC100, primary tumors were significantly reduced by D8 and eliminated in 5/5 mice by D22. In CC SW756 model, in mice treated with AIC100, tumor growth was reduced in size by D22. In NSCLC H441 model, in mice treated with AIC100, primary tumors were largely eliminated in 5/5 mice by D15. In NSCLC H226 model, in mice treated with AIC100, tumors were significantly reduced by D8 and largely eliminated by D57 (4/5 mice). A clear survival benefit was observed in AIC100 treated mice in NSCLC H226 xenograft model. These results show treatment benefit by AIC100 in 2 tumor models per indication and establish proof of concept for the potential development of AIC100 as a treatment for ICAM-1 expressing NSCLC and CC cancers.

Conclusions: AIC100 has significant treatment benefit in NSCLC and CC tumors with ICAM-1 expression in in vivo preclinical studies.

Citation Format: Alyssa Birt, Serene Josiah, Kelsey L. Joyce, Srinija Alla, Michael P. Gallagher, Janusz Puc, Hanh Nguyen, Emily Walsh Martin, Sonal Gupta. AIC100 CAR-T cells targeting ICAM-1 are efficacious against solid tumors in xenograft mouse models of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and cervical cancer (CC) [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 4007.