ALBERT

Description: Background: MDM2, a negative regulator of the tumor suppressor p53, is overexpressed in several cancers including hematological malignancies. Disrupting the MDM2-p53 interaction represents an attractive approach to treat cancers expressing wild-type functional p53. Anticancer activity of small molecule MDM2 inhibitor milademetan (DS-3032b) has been demonstrated in preclinical studies and in a phase 1 trial in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome. Quizartinib is a highly selective and potent FLT3 inhibitor that has demonstrated single-agent activity and improvement in overall survival in a phase 3 clinical study in relapsed/refractory AML with FLT3-internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) mutations. We present here the preclinical studies exploring the rationale and molecular basis for the combination of quizartinib and milademetan for the treatment of FLT3-ITD mutant/TP53 wild-type AML. Methods: We investigated the effect of quizartinib and milademetan combination on cell viability and apoptosis in established AML cell lines, including MV-4-11, MOLM-13 and MOLM-14, which harbor FLT3-ITD mutations and wild type TP53. Cells were treated with quizartinib and milademetan at specified concentrations; cell viability and caspase activation were determined by chemiluminescent assays, and annexin V positive fractions were determined by flow cytometry. We further investigated the effect of the combination of quizartinib and the murine specific MDM2 inhibitor DS-5272 in murine leukemia cell lines Ba/F3-FLT3-ITD, Ba/F3-FLT3-ITD+F691L and Ba/F3-FLT3-ITD+D835Y, which harbor FLT3-ITD, ITD plus F691L and ITD plus D835Y mutations, respectively. F691L or D835Y mutations are associated with resistance to FLT3-targeted AML therapy. In vivo efficacy of combination treatment was investigated in subcutaneous and intravenous xenograft models generated in male NOD/SCID mice inoculated with MOLM-13 and MV-4-11 human AML cells. Results: Combination treatment with milademetan (or DS-5272) and quizartinib demonstrated synergistic anti-leukemic activity compared to the respective single-agent treatments in FLT3 mutated and TP53 wild type cells. Combination indices (CIs) were 0.25 ± 0.06, 0.61 ± 0.03, 0.62 ± 0.06, 0.29 ± 0.004 and 0.50 ± 0.03, respectively, in MV-4-11, MOLM-13, MOLM-14, Ba/F3-FLT3-ITD+F691L and D835Y cell lines, all of which harbor FLT3-ITD or ITD plus TKD point mutations. The combination regimen triggered synergistic pro-apoptotic effect in a p53-dependent manner as shown by annexin-V staining and caspase 3/7 assays. Mechanistically, the combination treatment resulted in significant suppression of phospho-FLT3, phospho-ERK and phospho-AKT and anti-apoptotic Bcl2 family proteins (eg, Mcl-1), as well as up-regulation of p53, p21 and pro-apoptotic protein PUMA, compared to single agent treatments. Of note, the combination regimen also exerted a synergistic pro-apoptotic effect on venetoclax (BCL-2 inhibitor)-resistant MOLM-13 cells (CI: 0.39 ± 0.04) through profound suppression of Mcl-1. In an in vivo study using the MOLM-13 subcutaneous mouse xenograft model, quizartinib at 0.5 and 1 mg/kg and milademetan at 25 and 50 mg/kg demonstrated a significant tumor growth inhibition compared with vehicle treatment or respective single-agent treatments. In MV-4-11 intravenous mouse xenograft model, the combination of quizartinib plus milademetan showed a significantly prolonged survival, with no animal death in the combination group during the study period, compared to respective single agent treatments and untreated control (Figure). Conclusion: Synergistic anti-leukemic activity was observed for quizartinib plus milademetan combination treatment in preclinical AML models. A phase I clinical trial of quizartinib/milademetan combination therapy in patients with FLT3-ITD mutant AML is underway. Figure. Effects of quizartinib, milademetan and their combination on survival of mice intravenously inoculated with human MV-4-11 AML cells Disclosures Andreeff: Oncoceutics: Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Jazz Pharma: Consultancy; Aptose: Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Consultancy; Eutropics: Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; United Therapeutics: Patents & Royalties: GD2 inhibition in breast cancer ; Oncolyze: Equity Ownership; Astra Zeneca: Research Funding; Reata: Equity Ownership; Daiichi-Sankyo: Consultancy, Patents & Royalties: MDM2 inhibitor activity patent, Research Funding; SentiBio: Equity Ownership. Kumar:Daiichi Sankyo: Employment, Equity Ownership. Zernovak:Daiichi Sankyo: Employment, Equity Ownership. Daver:Pfizer: Research Funding; ImmunoGen: Consultancy; Otsuka: Consultancy; Karyopharm: Research Funding; Alexion: Consultancy; ARIAD: Research Funding; Daiichi-Sankyo: Research Funding; BMS: Research Funding; Karyopharm: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; Novartis: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Kiromic: Research Funding; Sunesis: Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Sunesis: Consultancy. Isoyama:Daiichi SANKYO CO., LTD.: Employment. Iwanaga:Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.: Employment. Togashi:Daiichi SANKYO CO., LTD.: Employment. Seki:Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.: Employment.

Description: Background: Quizartinib, a once-daily, oral, highly potent and selective FLT3 inhibitor, demonstrated a significant improvement in survival vs SC in FLT3-ITD-positive R/R AML in the global, randomized, phase 3 QuANTUM-R study (Cortes et al. Lancet Oncol, 2019; NCT02039726). Patients with R/R FLT3-ITD-positive AML were randomized 2:1 to receive single agent quizartinib or investigator's choice of pre-selected SC. We investigated the effects of baseline co-mutations and FLT3-ITD VAF on overall survival (OS) and response (composite complete remission [CRc]) to quizartinib and SC in QuANTUM-R. Methods: We analyzed 37 recurrently mutated genes in AML in baseline bone marrow samples from 304 patients (82.8% of ITT population [N = 367; quizartinib, n = 245; SC, n = 122]) with R/R FLT3-ITD-positive AML using next-generation sequencing and a customized Archer® Core Myeloid panel. Positive mutation status was defined as ≥ 1 mutation detected in the gene region using a VAF cutoff of 2.7%. FLT3-ITD VAF was measured separately by the Navigate BioPharma FLT3 Mutation Assay (polymerase chain reaction-based, VAF cutoff of 3%). Low and high FLT3-ITD VAF were defined as ≤25% and 〉25%, respectively. Results: In addition to FLT3-ITD, 5 key co-mutations were detected: DNMT3Amut (n = 182/304 [59.9%]), NPM1mut (n = 168/304 [55.3%]), TET2mut (n = 98/304 [32.2%]), IDH1/2mut (n = 49/304 [16.1%]) and CEBPAmut (n = 46/304 [15.1%]). Median OS was numerically longer with quizartinib vs SC in patients with DNMT3Amut, TET2mut, IDH1/2mut and NPM1mut, but not CEBPAmut (Table). CRc rates were numerically higher with quizartinib vs SC for each of the 5 key baseline co-mutations. For single gene mutations, the longest median OS was seen in patients with CEBPAmut treated with quizartinib or SC (37 and 37.6 weeks, respectively). As the majority of NPM1mut patients were also DNMT3Amut (138/168, 82%), we examined various permutations of these two mutations. Patients with NPM1wt/DNMT3Amut had significantly longer median OS with quizartinib vs SC (39.3 vs 19.6 weeks, respectively; HR, 0.239; P = 0.003 [Table]) while NPM1mut/DNMT3Amut patients had lower and similar median OS between the 2 arms (23.6 vs 23.4 weeks, respectively). Quizartinib treatment showed significantly longer median OS vs SC in patients with high FLT3-ITD VAF (23.9 vs 17 weeks respectively; HR, 0.689, P = 0.0148), while the median OS in patients with low FLT3-ITD VAF was similar (34.1 vs 26.6 weeks, respectively; HR, 0.857, P = 0.535). Conclusions: This is the first evaluation of the effect of baseline co-mutations on clinical outcomes in a large trial of R/R AML patients with FLT3-ITD mutations treated with quizartinib. Key co-mutations identified in this analysis were found to potentially impact treatment response and OS with quizartinib, relative to SC. Despite relatively low CRc rates in patients with IDH1/2mut, this group-as well as those with NPM1wt-derived the greatest OS benefit from quizartinib compared with SC on QuANTUM-R. CEBPA mutations were associated with high CRc rates and relatively long median OS, regardless of treatment arm. Patients with NPM1mut had a higher CRc rate with quizartinib vs SC, but this did not translate into longer survival on either arm compared with NPM1wt. A high allelic burden of FLT3-ITD at the time of salvage therapy was associated with relatively poorer median OS; quizartinib significantly improved survival of patients with high FLT3-ITD VAF relative to SC. Although these results require confirmation in an independent dataset, the modulatory effects of baseline co-mutations on treatment response and OS with quizartinib appear to differ from other FLT3 inhibitors. Our results indicate that a subset of R/R AML patients may particularly derive clinical benefit from quizartinib. Table Disclosures Perl: Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other, Research Funding; Arog: Consultancy, Other: Non-financial support included travel costs for advisory board meetings.; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Non-financial support included travel costs for advisory board meetings.; Actinium Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Clinical Advisory Board member, Research Funding; Agios: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Non-financial support included travel costs for advisory board meetings.; Jazz: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Non-financial support included travel costs for advisory board meetings.; NewLink Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Non-financial support included travel costs for advisory board meetings.; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Non-financial support included travel costs for advisory board meetings.; Bayer: Research Funding; BioMed Valley Discoveries: Research Funding; FujiFilm: Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Other: Advisory board, Non-financial support included travel costs for advisory board meetings as well as a medical writing company that assisted with manuscript preparation/submission and slide deck assembly for academic meeting presentations of the data., Research Funding; Astellas: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Non-financial support included travel costs for advisory board meetings as well as a medical writing company that assisted with manuscript preparation/submission and slide deck assembly for academic meeting presentations of trial data., Research Funding. Cortes:Astellas Pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Research Funding; Merus: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Forma Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Biopath Holdings: Consultancy, Honoraria; BiolineRx: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Sun Pharma: Research Funding; Immunogen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Ganguly:Kite Pharma: Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Janssen: Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Seattle Genetics: Speakers Bureau; Daiichi Sankyo: Research Funding. Khaled:Omeros: Consultancy; Alexion: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Daiichi Sankyo: Other: Travel support. Krämer:Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Daiichi-Sankyo: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bayer: Research Funding; BMS: Research Funding. Martinelli:Novartis: Consultancy, Other: trial grant; Roche: Consultancy, Other: trial grant; Janssen: Consultancy, Other: trial grant; Incyte: Consultancy, Other: trial grant; Pfizer: Consultancy, Other: trial grant; Amgen: Consultancy, Other: trial grant; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: trial grant; Ariad: Consultancy, Other: trial grant; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: trial grant; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Honoraria. Russell:Pfizer Inc: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Astellas: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Jazz: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; DSI: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Chang:Daiichi Sankyo: Employment. Mires:Daiichi Sankyo: Employment. Kato:Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.: Employment; Celgene: Employment, Equity Ownership. Zhang:Daiichi Sankyo: Employment. Korkhov:Precision for Medicine, Inc.: Employment; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy. Wang:Precision for Medicine, Inc.: Employment; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy. Günnel:Precision for Medicine, Inc.: Employment; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy. Sumi:Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.: Employment. Isoyama:Daiichi Sankyo Co, Ltd: Employment. Lesegretain:Daiichi-Sankyo Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Berisha:Daiichi Sankyo: Employment. Dos Santos:Daiichi Sankyo: Employment. Levis:Agios: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; FUJIFILM: Consultancy, Research Funding; Menarini: Consultancy, Honoraria; Astellas: Consultancy, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo Inc: Consultancy, Honoraria.

Description: Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-interacting kinases 1 (Mnk1) and 2 (Mnk2) modulate translation initiation through the phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E, which promotes tumorigenesis. However, Mnk1 and Mnk2 are dispensable in normal cells, suggesting that the inhibition of Mnk1 and Mnk2 could be effective in cancer therapy. To provide a structural basis for Mnk1 inhibition, a novel Mnk1 inhibitor was discovered and the crystal structure of Mnk1 in complex with this inhibitor was determined. The crystal structure revealed that the inhibitor binds to the autoinhibited state of Mnk1, stabilizing the Mnk-specific DFD motif in the DFD-out conformation, thus preventing Mnk1 from switching to the active conformation and thereby inhibiting the kinase activity. These results provide a valuable platform for the structure-guided design of Mnk1 inhibitors.