Abstract 2269: M402 - A novel heparan sulfate proteoglycan mimetic targeting tumor-host interactions

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) play important roles in tumorigenesis by mediating tumor-stromal interactions through the presentation of growth factors, cytokines, and chemokines critical for tumor progression, survival and metastasis. M402 is a rationally engineered, non-cytotoxic HSPG mimetic, designed to disrupt tumor-host interactions. M402 binds and inhibits multiple factors including VEGF, FGF2, SDF-1α, and P-selectin. A single 20 mg/kg subcutaneous (s.c.) dose of M402 effectively reduced seeding of B16F10 murine melanoma cells to the lung in a syngeneic experimental metastasis model. Chronic administration of M402, alone or in combination with cisplatin or docetaxel, inhibited spontaneous metastasis of orthotopically implanted 4T1 murine mammary carcinoma in this model. M402 treatment also normalized circulating levels of GR1 + immature myeloid cells and platelet counts in 4T1 metastatic tumor bearing mice. Fluorescently-labeled M402 exhibited selective accumulation in the primary tumor. Immunohistological analyses of primary tumor presented a decrease in microvessel density in M402-treated animals, suggesting anti-angiogenesis may be one of the mechanisms involved in vivo. Importantly, M402, as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapeutics, also revealed significant survival benefits in this aggressive tumor model. These data demonstrate that targeting HSPG biology may provide a useful approach to attenuate multiple pathways involved in tumor progression and metastasis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2269.