A MODULAR AND CONTROLLABLE T CELL THERAPY PLATFORM FOR AML

Background Targeted immunotherapies have shown limited success in the context of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The mutational landscape, heterogeneity attributed to this malignancy and toxicities associated with the targeting of myeloid lineage antigens, it has become apparent that a modular and controllable cell therapy approach with the potential to target multiple antigens is required. We propose a controlled ACT approach, where T cells are equipped with synthetic agonistic receptors (SARs) that are selectively activated only in the presence of a target AML-associated antigen, and a cross-linking tandem single chain variable fragment (taFv) specific for both (SAR) T cell and tumour cell. Materials and Methods A SAR composed of an extracellular EGFRvIII, trans- membrane CD28, and intracellular CD28 and CD3z domains was fused via overlap- extension PCR cloning. T cells were retrovirally transduced to stably express our SAR construct. SAR-specific taFvs that target AML-associated antigens were designed and expressed in Expi293FTM cells and purified by nickel affinity and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). We validated our approach in three human cancer models and patient-derived AML blasts expressing our AML-associated target antigens CD33 and CD123. Results Anti-CD33-EGFRvIII and anti-CD123 EGFRvIII taFv, monovalently selective for our SAR, induced conditional antigen-dependent activation, proliferation and differentiation of SAR-T cells. Further, SAR T cells bridged to their target cells by taFv could form functional immunological synapses, resulting in efficient tumor cell lysis with specificity towards CD33-expressing AML cells. SAR-taFv combination could also mediate specific cytotoxicity against patient-derived AML blasts and leukemic stem cells whilst driving SAR T cell activation. In vivo, treatment with SAR-taFv combination could efficiently eradicate leukemia and enhance survival in an AML xenograft models. Furthermore, we could show selective activation of SAR T cells, as well as a controllable reversibility and modularity of said activation upon depletion of the T cell engaging molecule, both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions Here we apply the SAR-taFv platform in efforts to deliver specific and conditional activation of SAR-transduced T cells, and targeted tumour cell lysis. The modularity of our platform will allow for a multi-targeting ACT approach with the potential to translate the ACT successes of B cell malignancies to AML. With a lack of truly specific AML antigens, it is invaluable that this approach possesses an intrinsic safety switch via its taFv facet. Moreover, we are able to circumvent pan-T cell activation due to the specific targeting and activation of SAR T cells. Disclosure Information M. Benmebarek: None. B. Loureiro Cadilha: None. M. Herrmann: None. S. Schmitt: None. S. Lesch: None. S. Stoiber: None. A. Darwich: None. C. Augsberger: None. B. Brauchle: None. M. Schwerdtfeger: None. A. Gottschlich: None. A. Gottschlich Rataj: None. N.C. Fenn: None. C. Klein: None. M. Subklewe: None. S. Endres: None. K. Hopfner: None. S. Kobold: None.