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Chamie K, Chang SS, Kramolowsky E, Gonzalgo ML, Agarwal PK, Bassett JC, Bjurlin M, Cher ML, Clark W, Cowan BE, David R, Goldfischer E, Guru K, Jalkut MW, Kaffenberger SD, Kaminetsky J, Katz AE, Koo AS, Sexton WJ, Tikhonenkov SN, Trabulsi EJ, Trainer AF, Spilman P, Huang M, Bhar P, Taha SA, Sender L, Reddy S, Soon-Shiong P. IL-15 Superagonist NAI in BCG-Unresponsive Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer. NEJM EVIDENCE 2023; 2:EVIDoa2200167. [PMID: 38320011 DOI: 10.1056/evidoa2200167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Patients with Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG)–unresponsive non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) have limited treatment options. The immune cell–activating interleukin-15 (IL-15) superagonist Nogapendekin alfa inbakicept (NAI), also known as N-803, may act synergistically with BCG to elicit durable complete responses (CRs) in this patient population. METHODS: In this open-label, multicenter study, patients with BCG-unresponsive bladder carcinoma in situ (CIS) with or without Ta/T1 papillary disease were treated with intravesical NAI plus BCG (cohort A) or NAI alone (cohort C). Patients with BCG-unresponsive high-grade Ta/T1 papillary NMIBC also received NAI plus BCG (cohort B). The primary end point was the incidence of CR at the 3- or 6-month assessment visit for cohorts A and C, and the disease-free survival (DFS) rate at 12 months for cohort B. Durability, cystectomy avoidance, progression-free survival, disease-specific survival (DSS), and overall survival were secondary end points for cohort A. RESULTS: In cohort A, CR was achieved in 58 (71%) of 82 patients (95% confidence interval [CI]=59.6 to 80.3; median follow-up, 23.9 months), with a median duration of 26.6 months (95% CI=9.9 months to [upper bound not reached]). At 24 months in patients with CR, the Kaplan–Meier estimated probability of avoiding cystectomy and of DSS was 89.2% and 100%, respectively. In cohort B (n=72), the Kaplan–Meier estimated DFS rate was 55.4% (95% CI=42.0% to 66.8%) at 12 months, with median DFS of 19.3 months (95% CI=7.4 months to [upper bound not reached]). Most treatment-emergent adverse events for patients receiving BCG plus NAI were grade 1 to 2 (86%); three grade 3 immune-related treatment-emergent adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with BCG-unresponsive bladder carcinoma in situ and papillary NMIBC treated with BCG and the novel agent NAI, CRs were achieved with a persistence of effect, cystectomy avoidance, and 100% bladder cancer–specific survival at 24 months. The study is ongoing, with an estimated target enrollment of 200 participants (Funded by ImmunityBio.)
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim Chamie
- Department of Urology, UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles
| | - Sam S Chang
- Department of Urology, Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville
| | | | - Mark L Gonzalgo
- Desai Sethi Urology Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami
| | | | - Jeffrey C Bassett
- Hoag Urologic Oncology, Hoag Memorial Presbyterian Hospital, Newport Beach, CA
| | - Marc Bjurlin
- Department of Urology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Michael L Cher
- Department of Urology, Wayne State University, Detroit
- Karmanos Cancer Center, Detroit
| | | | | | - Richard David
- Genesis Healthcare Partners, Greater Los Angeles Division, Sherman Oaks, CA
| | | | - Khurshid Guru
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
| | - Mark W Jalkut
- Associated Urologists of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC
| | | | | | | | - Alec S Koo
- Genesis Healthcare Partners, Torrance, CA
| | | | | | - Edouard J Trabulsi
- Department of Urology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia
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García-Cuesta EM, Esteso G, Ashiru O, López-Cobo S, Álvarez-Maestro M, Linares A, Ho MM, Martínez-Piñeiro L, T Reyburn H, Valés-Gómez M. Characterization of a human anti-tumoral NK cell population expanded after BCG treatment of leukocytes. Oncoimmunology 2017; 6:e1293212. [PMID: 28507799 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2017.1293212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Revised: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 02/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy, via intra-vesical instillations of BCG, is the therapy of choice for patients with high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. The subsequent recruitment of lymphocytes and myeloid cells, as well as the release of cytokines and chemokines, is believed to induce a local immune response that eliminates these tumors, but the detailed mechanisms of action of this therapy are not well understood. Here, we have studied the phenotype and function of the responding lymphocyte populations as well as the spectrum of cytokines and chemokines produced in an in vitro model of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) co-cultured with BCG. Natural killer (NK) cell activation was a prominent feature of this immune response and we have studied the expansion of this lymphocyte population in detail. We show that, after BCG stimulation, CD56dim NK cells proliferate, upregulate CD56, but maintain the expression of CD16 and the ability to mediate ADCC. CD56bright NK cells also contribute to this expansion by increasing CD16 and KIR expression. These unconventional CD56bright cells efficiently degranulated against bladder cancer cells and the expansion of this population required the release of soluble factors by other immune cells in the context of BCG. Consistent with these in vitro data, a small, but significant increase in the intensity of CD16 expression was noted in peripheral blood CD56bright cells from bladder cancer patients undergoing BCG therapy, that was not observed in patients treated with mitomycin-C instillations. These observations suggest that activation of NK cells may be an important component of the anti-tumoral immune response triggered by BCG therapy in bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva M García-Cuesta
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, National Centre for Biotechnology, CNB-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gloria Esteso
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, National Centre for Biotechnology, CNB-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Omodele Ashiru
- Division of Bacteriology, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency-National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (MHRA-NIBSC), PottersBar, Hertfordshire, UK
| | - Sheila López-Cobo
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, National Centre for Biotechnology, CNB-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Ana Linares
- Urology Unit, Infanta Sofia Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mei M Ho
- Division of Bacteriology, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency-National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (MHRA-NIBSC), PottersBar, Hertfordshire, UK
| | | | - Hugh T Reyburn
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, National Centre for Biotechnology, CNB-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mar Valés-Gómez
- Department of Immunology and Oncology, National Centre for Biotechnology, CNB-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
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