Potent Efficacy of Combined PI3K/mTOR and JAK or SRC/ABL Inhibition in Philadelphia Chromosome-like Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Abstract Background. Philadelphia chromosome-like acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph-like ALL) is associated with genomic alterations that activate JAK/STAT and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal transduction and with poor clinical outcomes. Therapeutic disruption of PI3K pathway signaling in Ph-like ALL has been minimally investigated to date, however. We hypothesized that PI3K isoform-selective or dual PI3K pathway protein inhibition would robustly inhibit Ph-like ALL proliferation in vivoand abrogate aberrant signaling. Methods. NOD.Cg-PrkdcscidIl2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (NSG) mice were engrafted with primary CRLF2/JAK-mutant or ABL/PDGFR-mutant Ph-like ALL specimens (Table 1) and treated with inhibitors of PI3K? (BYL719), PI3K? (idelalisib), PI3K/mTOR (gedatolisib), TORC1/TORC2 (AZD2014) or with vehicle. Treated patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models were assessed for pharmacodynamic inhibition of signal transduction phosphoproteins at 72 hours by phosphoflow cytometry and for residual ALL in murine spleens after 3-4 weeks of inhibitor or vehicle treatment by quantitative flow cytometry. Subsequent studies tested the efficacy of gedatolisib with the JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib (CRLF2/JAK-mutant models) or gedatolisib with the SRC/ABL inhibitor dasatinib (ABL/PDGFR-mutant models). Table 1 . Genomic characteristics of Ph-like ALL specimens utilized for PDX studies. USI Disease status CRLF2/JAK alterations ABL/PDGFR alterations PALTWS D IGH@-CRLF2* PAMDKS D IGH@-CRLF2, JAK2R683G PAMDRM D IGH@-CRLF2,JAK2GPinsR683 ALL121 R IGH@-CRLF2, JAK2R683G ALL4364 R P2RY8-CRLF2, JAK2R683G PAKMVD D JAK1S646F PAKYEP D BCR-JAK2 PAKKCA D EBF1-PDGFRB PAKVKK D NUP214-ABL1 PANSFD D ETV6-ABL1 USI = unique specimen identifier. D = de novo, R = relapse. * non-Ph-like by prediction analysis of microarrays. Results. All tested PDX models demonstrated inhibition of leukemia proliferation and abrogation of activated signaling with PI3K pathway inhibition. Gedatolisib treatment resulted in near-eradication of leukemia in CRLF2/JAK-mutant models (n=7) with mean 92.2% (range 86.0-99.4%) leukemia reduction vs vehicle treatment (p Conclusions. PI3K pathway inhibition is a biochemically relevant therapeutic approach for Ph-like ALL. Dual PI3K/mTOR inhibition with gedatolisib monotherapy potently inhibited leukemia proliferation and demonstrated additive or synergistic activity in combination with JAK or SRC/ABL inhibition in JAK-mutant or ABL/PDGFR-mutant Ph-like ALL, respectively. These data provide compelling rationale for testing combinations of signal transduction inhibitors without or with cytotoxic chemotherapy in children and adults with Ph-like ALL. Disclosures Off Label Use:preclinical testing of signal transaction inhibitors in Ph-like ALL models. Teachey:Novartis:Research Funding. Maude:Novartis:Consultancy, Research Funding. Perl:Actinium Pharmaceuticals:Consultancy; Asana Biosciences:Consultancy; Arog Pharmaceuticals:Consultancy; Ambit/Daichi Sankyo:Consultancy; Astellas US Pharma Inc.:Consultancy. Hunger:Sigma Tau:Consultancy; Jazz Pharmaceuticals:Consultancy; Spectrum Pharmaceuticals:Consultancy; Merck:Equity Ownership. Grupp:Novartis:Consultancy, Research Funding.