A Novel Bispecific Antibody Targeting EGFR and Cmet Is Effective Against EGFR Inhibitor−Resistant Lung Tumors
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Published OnlineFirst May 23, 2016; DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-15-2833 Cancer Therapeutics, Targets, and Chemical Biology Research A Novel Bispecific Antibody Targeting EGFR and cMet Is Effective against EGFR Inhibitor–Resistant Lung Tumors Sheri L. Moores1, Mark L. Chiu1, Barbara S. Bushey1, Kristen Chevalier1, Leopoldo Luistro1, Keri Dorn1, Randall J. Brezski1, Peter Haytko1, Thomas Kelly1, Sheng-Jiun Wu1, Pauline L. Martin1, Joost Neijssen2, Paul W.H.I. Parren2,3, Janine Schuurman2, Ricardo M. Attar1, Sylvie Laquerre1, Matthew V. Lorenzi1, and G. Mark Anderson1 Abstract Non–small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) with activating EGFR resulted in tumor regression through inhibition of signaling/ mutations become resistant to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), receptor downmodulation and Fc-driven effector interactions. often through second-site mutations in EGFR (T790M) and/or Complete and durable regression of human lung xenograft activation of the cMet pathway. We engineered a bispecific tumors was observed with the combination of JNJ-61186372 EGFR-cMet antibody (JNJ-61186372) with multiple mechan- and a third-generation EGFR TKI. Interestingly, treatment isms of action to inhibit primary/secondary EGFR mutations of cynomolgus monkeys with JNJ-61186372 resulted in no and the cMet pathway. JNJ-61186372 blocked ligand-induced major toxicities, including absence of skin rash observed phosphorylation of EGFR and cMet and inhibited phospho- with other EGFR-directed agents. These results highlight the ERK and phospho-AKT more potently than the combination differentiated potential of JNJ-61186372 to inhibit the spec- of single receptor–binding antibodies. In NSCLC tumor mod- trum of mutations driving EGFR TKI resistance in NSCLC. els driven by EGFR and/or cMet, JNJ-61186372 treatment Cancer Res; 76(13); 3942–53. Ó2016 AACR. Introduction of EGFR and facilitate the survival of cancer cells. These two mechanisms can also occur simultaneously in EGFR TKI–resistant Non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is frequently driven by NSCLC patients (3, 6, 10, 11). activating mutations in the kinase domain of EGFR, occurring Because of the signaling cross-talk between EGFR and cMet, most commonly as in-frame deletions in exon 19 and L858R exon inhibition of both receptors in combination may limit compen- 21 mutations. Most patients initially respond to first-generation satory pathway activation and improve overall efficacy. A novel EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), such as gefitinib and bispecific antibody platform was used to produce JNJ-61186372, erlotinib, but the clinical benefits are not durable. Drug resistance an antibody that binds EGFR with one Fab arm and cMet with the limits the response to a mean duration of <1 year (1, 2). In other Fab arm (12, 13). We have optimized JNJ-61186372 to addition to the T790M secondary mutation in EGFR (50% of engage multiple mechanisms of action. First, we demonstrated resistant cases; refs. 1, 3–6) that reduces potency of reversible TKIs dual inhibition of both EGFR and cMet signaling by blocking (7), resistant tumors may also develop activation of the cMet ligand-induced activation and by inducing receptor degradation. pathway, through MET gene amplification, increased cMet expres- In addition, high levels of EGFR and cMet on the surface of tumor sion, and/or increased expression of the cMet ligand, hepatocyte cells allow for targeting of these cells for destruction by immune growth factor (HGF; refs. 5, 6, 8, 9). Stimulation of the cMet effector cells through Fc-dependent effector mechanisms, such as pathway provides an alternate mechanism to bypass the TKI block antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). JNJ-61186372 is produced by an engineered Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line defective for protein fucosylation. The human FcgRIIIa, critical 1Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, Pennsylvania. for ADCC, binds antibodies with low-level core fucosylation more 2 3 Genmab, Utrecht, the Netherlands. Department of Immunohema- tightly and consequently mediates more potent and effective ADCC tology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, Lei- den, the Netherlands. killing of cancer cells (14). Thus, the low-level core fucosylation in the JNJ-61186372 molecule translates to an enhanced level of Note: Supplementary data for this article are available at Cancer Research Online (http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/). ADCC activity compared with the same fully fucosylated molecule. JNJ-61186372 was demonstrated to employ multiple mechan- S.L. Moores and M.L. Chiu contributed equally to this article. isms to inhibit tumors with primary EGFR-activating mutations, Corresponding Author: Sheri L. Moores, Janssen Research & Development, tumors with the T790M second-site resistance mutation in EGFR, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PO Box 776, PA 19477. Phone: 215-628-5740; and tumors with activation of the cMet pathway. Furthermore, the Fax: 215-540-4763; E-mail: [email protected] combination of JNJ-61186372 and a third-generation EGFR TKI doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-15-2833 (AZD9291) resulted in complete and durable regression of Ó2016 American Association for Cancer Research. tumors. Interestingly, treatment of cynomolgus monkeys with 3942 Cancer Res; 76(13) July 1, 2016 Downloaded from cancerres.aacrjournals.org on October 1, 2021. © 2016 American Association for Cancer Research. Published OnlineFirst May 23, 2016; DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-15-2833 EGFR/cMet–Bispecific Ab in EGFR TKI–Resistant Lung Tumors JNJ-61186372 resulted in no toxicities, including absence of skin NCI-H1993) were selected to reflect patient diversity in the rash observed with other EGFR-directed agents. This profile of mutational status of EGFR and gene copy number of MET. The preclinical data supports the development of JNJ-61186372 in tumor cell lines were obtained (2011–2013) from the NCI patients with lung cancer and other malignancies associated with (Bethesda, MD; H3255) or ATCC (all others). Cell lines were aberrant EGFR and cMet signaling. authenticated using short tandem repeat assay and either used immediately or banked, with all experiments occurring within 2 Materials and Methods months of resuscitation. The mutations in each cell line were confirmed using a custom somatic mutation array (SABios- Preparation of parental mAbs ciences). Cells were cultured in 150-cm2 tissue culture flasks under The EGFR arm of JNJ-61186372 is derived from zalutumumab standard culture conditions (37C, 5% CO , 95% humidity) and that has a conformational epitope on EGFR domain III, which 2 grown in RPMI1640 medium þ GlutaMAX þ 25 mmol/L HEPES overlaps with the EGF ligand–binding site (15) but is different (Life Technologies), 10% heat-inactivated FBS (Life Technolo- from the epitopes of cetuximab (16) and panitumumab (17). The gies), 0.1 mmol/L Non-Essential Amino Acids (Life Technolo- cMet-binding arm of JNJ-61186372 has an epitope that blocks gies), and 1 mmol/L sodium pyruvate (Life Technologies). Sub- HGF ligand binding but is distinct from the onartuzumab epitope confluent cell monolayers were passaged after treatment with (18). Parental mAbs used to generate JNJ-61186372 were pre- 0.25%-w/v trypsin (Life Technologies). pared from CHO cell lines that generate mAbs with low levels of The H1975-HGF cell line was created by transducing H1975 core fucosylation. Antibody expression and purification is cells with HGF lentivirus (generated using Human HGF Plasmid described in detail elsewhere (19). and Packaging Kit; GeneCopoeia) to express the human HGF Controlled Fab-arm exchange to generate bispecific Abs gene. H1975 cells were plated at one million cells in a 100 mm Bispecific human IgG1 Abs were produced from the two purified dish in RPMI media. After infection, cells were selected using bivalent parental antibodies, each with the respective single com- 2 mg/mL puromycin (Invitrogen); 20 pg/mL HGF (MSD assay) plementary mutation: K409R or F405L (12). Controlled Fab-arm was secreted (5,000 cells/well) over 72-hour incubation. exchange (cFAE) was performed as described previously (12), with a 5% excess of anti-EGFR-F405L. Similar conditions for prepara- Receptor phosphorylation assays tion and characterizations were used to generate the normal fucose Receptor phosphorylation assays were performed as described, (EGFR-cMet) and JNJ-61186372-IgG2s Abs, and monovalent with cells plated at 6500 to 10,000 cells per well (19). The signals EGFR and cMet Abs. All bispecific antibodies were purified using were not corrected for total levels of receptor. Data were plotted as hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The EGFR monovalent relative enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL; RCL) signal versus antibody consists of an EGFR-binding arm and a nonbinding arm the logarithm of antibody concentration. IC50 values were calcu- (either anti-HIV-gp120 or anti-RSV-F, which did not bind the cell lated in GraphPad Prism 5 (GraphPad Software, Inc.) using a four- lines used); the cMet monovalent antibody consists of a cMet- parameter logistic (4PL) model. binding arm and similar aforementioned nonbinding arm. ERK and AKT phosphorylation assays Competitive ligand binding Cells were grown in RPMI growth medium supplemented with EGFR-ECD-Fc (R&D Systems; 200 ng/well) was coated on High 7.5 ng/mL HGF, then lysed after 30-minute (pERK assay) or 1- Bind Plate [Meso Scale Discovery (MSD)] for 2 hours (all steps hour (pAkt assay) treatment with the antibodies. Phospho-ERK performed at room temperature). MSD Blocker A buffer (5%, 150 (Thr202/Tyr204; Thr185/Tyr187) levels and phospho-AKT mL/well) was added and incubated for 2 hours. Plates were washed (S473) levels were measured using MSD assays. The signals were 3 times with 0.1 mol/L HEPES buffer, pH 7.4, then the mixture of not corrected for total levels of ERK or Akt. RCL signal was fl – the MSD uorescence dye labeled Hu-EGF with different com- recorded and data plotted as with receptor phosphorylation petitors was added. Labeled EGF (50 nmol/L) was incubated with assays, with statistical analysis using GraphPad Prism 6. Extra – antibodies (1 nmol/L 4 mmol/L), then added to wells (25 mL sum-of-squares F test was used to compare treatments.