Abstract CT076: AFNT-211: A phase1 study of autologous CD4+ and CD8+ T cells engineered to express a high avidity HLA-A*11:01-restricted, KRAS G12V-specific, transgenic TCR; CD8α/β coreceptor; and a FAS41BB switch receptor in patients with advanced/metastatic solid tumors
Authors: Shaunica Mitchell, Binaish Khan, Francis Payumo, E. Gabriela Chiorean, Zhubin Gahvari, J. Randolph Hecht, Michael Hurwitz, Rom Leidner, Heinz-Josef Lenz, Meredith Pelster, Salman Punekar, Adam Schoenfeld, Dan Zhao, Markus Vallaster, Dirk Nagorsen
Journal: Cancer Research (2024)

Abstract Background: Activating mutations in KRAS (including KRAS G12V) are well-described oncogenic drivers in solid tumors. Patients with KRAS driver mutations have a poor prognosis, and most KRAS-mutated cancers lack effective therapies. T cell receptor (TCR)-T cell therapies targeting mutant KRAS have demonstrated proof of concept in the clinic, but duration of response remains a challenge. AFNT-211 represents a novel strategy to address the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and improve response rate and duration in solid tumors. Rationale: AFNT-211 autologous CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are engineered to express a high avidity HLA-A*11:01restricted, KRAS G12V-specific, transgenic TCR; the wildtype CD8α/β coreceptor; and a FAS-41BB switch receptor. The intended mechanism of action is recognition and elimination of KRAS G12V-mutated tumor cells by AFNT-211. AFNT-211 is designed to enhance anti-tumor activity via the following mechanisms of action as shown in preclinical models: (1) the CD8α/β coreceptor enables MHC-I-‍restricted TCR recognition of the KRAS G12V target by CD4+ T cells; (2) engaging CD4+ helper T cell responses drives enhanced CD8+ T cell cytotoxic activity and prevents T cell exhaustion; (3) the FAS-41BB chimeric switch receptor drives increased T cell activity, circumventing native FAS apoptotic signaling. Methods: This ongoing Phase 1, first-in-human, multicenter, open-label study of AFNT-211 (1) evaluates safety/tolerability, (2) determines the optimal biological dose (OBD) and recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D), and (3) assesses preliminary antitumor activity. The study consists of 2 parts: dose escalation and dose expansion. Dose escalation is guided by the Bayesian optimal interval Phase 1/2 (BOIN12) design to determine the OBD. The BOIN12 design quantifies the desirability of a dose in terms of toxicity-efficacy tradeoff and adaptively allocates patients to the dose with the highest estimated desirability. The RP2D will be selected based on the BOIN12 design and the totality of benefit/risk assessment. Patients enrolling in dose expansion will be treated at the OBD/RP2D in indication-specific cohorts. This study is conducted in patients aged ≥ 18 years who are HLA-A*11:01-positive with advanced/metastatic solid tumors harboring a KRAS G12V mutation, and intolerance of/progression on at least 1 prior systemic therapy. Patients undergo leukapheresis to collect T cells for the manufacturing of AFNT-211 and receive lymphodepleting chemotherapy prior to AFNT-211 infusion. This is followed by a 28-day dose-limiting toxicity observation period (dose escalation only) and a post-treatment follow-up period for 24 months/until disease progression. The study is open for recruitment in the United States (NCT06105021). Citation Format: Shaunica Mitchell, Binaish Khan, Francis Payumo, E. Gabriela Chiorean, Zhubin Gahvari, J. Randolph Hecht, Michael Hurwitz, Rom Leidner, Heinz-Josef Lenz, Meredith Pelster, Salman Punekar, Adam Schoenfeld, Dan Zhao, Markus Vallaster, Dirk Nagorsen. AFNT-211: A phase1 study of autologous CD4+ and CD8+ T cells engineered to express a high avidity HLA-A*11:01-restricted, KRAS G12V-specific, transgenic TCR; CD8α/β coreceptor; and a FAS41BB switch receptor in patients with advanced/metastatic solid tumors [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 CT076.