Interim Results from the First Clinical Study of CC-95251, an Anti-Signal Regulatory Protein-Alpha (SIRPα) Antibody, in Combination with Rituximab in Patients with Relapsed and/or Refractory Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (R/R NHL)
Paolo Strati, Eliza A. Hawkes, Nilanjan Ghosh, Joseph M. Tuscano, Quincy S. Chu, Mary Ann Anderson, Amar Patel, Michael R. Burgess, Kristen Hege, Sapna Chhagan, Sarandeep S. S. Boyanapalli, Tracey Day, Frank Shen, Amitkumar Mehta
Abstract
Abstract Introduction : CD47, a cell-surface ligand overexpressed in various malignancies, binds to SIRPα on effector macrophages to promote tumor cell evasion of phagocytosis. Blockade of the CD47-SIRPα interaction provides a pro-phagocytic signal which enhances phagocytosis mediated by tumor-targeting antibodies such as rituximab. Agents targeting CD47 in combination with rituximab have demonstrated promising clinical activity in R/R NHL; however, the broad expression of CD47 leads to frequent on-target, off-tumor toxicities, including treatment-emergent hemolytic anemia. CC-95251 is a novel, fully human immunoglobulin G1 antibody that binds to SIRPα on monocytes and macrophages to potently block the CD47-SIRPα interaction. Here we report interim results from a phase 1 study evaluating CC-95251 combined with rituximab in patients (pts) with R/R NHL. Methods: CC-95251-ST-001 (NCT03783403) is a multicenter, open-label, phase 1, dose-escalation and expansion study of CC-95251 in pts with advanced solid tumors and CD20+ R/R NHL. The primary objectives of the dose-escalation stage presented here are to evaluate the safety and tolerability of escalating doses of CC-95251 combined with rituximab and to define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and/or recommended phase 2 dose for the combination in pts with R/R NHL. Pts with CD20+ NHL who had progressed on standard anticancer therapy or for whom no approved conventional therapy was available were eligible for inclusion. Dose-escalation was conducted using an adaptive, 2-parameter Bayesian logistic regression model with overdose control. Pts were treated in 28-day cycles with CC-95251 administered intravenously at 3, 10, or 20 mg/kg every week (QW) and rituximab 375 mg/m 2 given on days 1, 8, 15, and 22 of cycle 1, on day 1 of cycles 2-5, and on day 1 of every other cycle from cycle 6 to 24 until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Results: As of April 30, 2021, 18 pts were enrolled and 17 had received ≥ 1 dose of CC-95251 and rituximab. Median age of the enrolled study population was 69 (range 30-84) years. Treated pts had received a median of 4 (range 1-7) prior systemic therapies, including 14/17 (82%) pts with confirmed prior rituximab exposure. Enrolled tumor types included R/R diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in 14 (78%) pts, follicular lymphoma in 2 (11%), and mantle cell lymphoma and marginal zone lymphoma in 1 (6%) pt each. Of the pts with available response data for prior lines of therapy (LOT), 7 (41%) had disease confirmed to be refractory to any prior LOT, including 5 (29%) refractory to rituximab-containing regimens, and 5 (29%) to their last LOT. Pts received a median of 3 (range 1-12) cycles of CC-95251, with a median duration of treatment of 14.1 (range 1.1-47.3) weeks. There were no CC-95251 dose reductions. Five (29%) pts experienced ≥ 1 treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) leading to CC-95251 dose interruption. To date, the MTD has not been reached for the combination of CC-95251 and rituximab. The most common (≥ 30%) TEAEs of any grade were neutropenia (11/17 [65%]), infections (9/17 [53%]), hypokalemia (6/17 [35%]), and hypomagnesemia (6/17 [35%]; Table). Grade ≥ 3 TEAEs reported in ≥ 2 pts were neutropenia (9/17 [53%]) and infections (4/17 [24%]). No treatment-related anemia, a notable toxicity of some anti-CD47 therapies, was reported with CC-95251 and there were no treatment-related deaths. The overall response rate was 41% (7/17), with 2/17 (12%) pts achieving a complete response (Figure). The median time to response was 7.6 weeks. Median duration of response has not been reached as responses are ongoing. Pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis showed that CC-95251 exhibited dose-proportional increases in exposure at doses > 3 mg/kg QW indicating saturation of nonlinear clearance pathways or target saturation. Full receptor occupancy on peripheral monocytes was achieved at doses > 3 mg/kg QW. The estimated terminal half-life when in the linear range of clearance was approximately 12 days. No substantial differences in PK were observed at the given dose levels for CC-95251 monotherapy versus CC-95251 combined with rituximab. Conclusions: CC-95251, a novel anti-SIRPα antibody, demonstrated a manageable safety profile and promising efficacy in combination with rituximab in pts with heavily pretreated CD20+ R/R NHL. The study continues to enroll in the dose-expansion phase. Updated safety and efficacy data will be presented. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Strati: Astrazeneca-Acerta: Research Funding; Roche-Genentech: Consultancy. Hawkes: Regeneron: Speakers Bureau; Specialised Therapeutics: Consultancy; Bristol Myers Squib/Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Merck KgA: Research Funding; Astra Zeneca: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel and accommodation expenses, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Speakers Bureau; Antigene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Merck Sharpe Dohme: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Ghosh: Karyopharma: Consultancy, Honoraria; Genmab: Consultancy, Honoraria; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Adaptive Biotech: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; TG Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Genentech: Research Funding; AbbVie: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Epizyme: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Tuscano: BMS, Seattle Genetics, Takeda, Achrotech, Genentech, Pharmacyclics, Abbvie: Research Funding. Chu: Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Astellas: Consultancy, Honoraria; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria; BI: Consultancy, Honoraria; Astra Zeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria; Eli Lilly: Consultancy, Honoraria; Merck: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria; Merck KgaA: Other: DSMB. Patel: Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment. Burgess: Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Hege: Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Chhagan: Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment. Boyanapalli: Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Day: Tracey Day: Current Employment. Shen: Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment. Mehta: Affirmed; Kite/Gilead; Roche-Genetech; Celgene/BMS; Oncotartis; Innate Pharmaceuticals; Seattle Genetics; Incyte; Takeda; Fortyseven Inc/Gilead; TG Therapeutics; Merck; Juno Pharmaceuticals/Bristol Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics; Incyte; TG Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Seattle Genetics; Incyte; TG Therapeutics: Consultancy.