Treatment with DC/AML Fusion Vaccine and CD3xCD123 Bi-Specific T-Cell Engager (CD123-CODV-TCE) for Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Introduction: Immunotherapy for AML holds promise in overcoming chemotherapy resistance and in preserving immunologic memory necessary for durable remissions.A bispecific T-cell engaging antibody targeting CD3 and CD123 (CD123-CODV-TCE) has been shown to stimulate T cells to target CD123-expressing leukemic cells in vitroand in mouse models 1. While the short-term immune stimulation mediated by the CD123TCE has the potential to result in clinical response, long-term disease control will require the development of immune memory. We have developed a personalized cancer vaccine in which patient's dendritic cells are fused with autologous leukemia cells resulting in presentation of a wide range of antigens to the immune system. Here, we describe a novel combination of CD123TCE with a DC/AML fusion vaccine ex vivo and in a xenograft murine model. We hypothesized that the CD123TCE will direct the vaccine-educated T cells to not only more effectively eradicate target leukemia cells but also evoke a repertoire of memory T cells and long-term response.