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Weiss T, Puca E, Silginer M, Hemmerle T, Pazahr S, Bink A, Weller M, Neri D, Roth P. Immunocytokines are a promising immunotherapeutic approach against glioblastoma. Sci Transl Med 2020; 12:12/564/eabb2311. [DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abb2311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma is a poorly immunogenic cancer, and the successes with recent immunotherapies in extracranial malignancies have, so far, not been translated to this devastating disease. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new strategies to convert the immunologically cold glioma microenvironment into a hot one to enable effective antitumor immunity. Using the L19 antibody, which is specific to a tumor-associated epitope of extracellular fibronectin, we developed antibody-cytokine fusions—immunocytokines—with interleukin-2 (IL2), IL12, or tumor necrosis factor (TNF). We showed that L19 accumulated in the tumor microenvironment of two orthotopic immunocompetent mouse glioma models. Furthermore, intravenous administration of L19-mIL12 or L19-mTNF cured a proportion of tumor-bearing mice, whereas L19-IL2 did not. This therapeutic activity was abolished in RAG−/− mice or upon depletion of CD4 or CD8 T cells, suggesting adaptive immunity. Mechanistically, both immunocytokines promoted tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and increased the amounts of proinflammatory cytokines within the tumor microenvironment. In addition, L19-mTNF induced tumor necrosis. Systemic administration of the fully human L19-TNF fusion protein to patients with glioblastoma (NCT03779230) was safe, decreased regional blood perfusion within the tumor, and was associated with increasing tumor necrosis and an increase in tumor-infiltrating CD4 and CD8 T cells. The extensive preclinical characterization and subsequent clinical translation provide a robust basis for future studies with immunocytokines to treat malignant brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Weiss
- Department of Neurology and Brain Tumor Center, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Emanuele Puca
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Manuela Silginer
- Department of Neurology and Brain Tumor Center, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Shila Pazahr
- Department of Neuroradiology, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Bink
- Department of Neuroradiology, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Weller
- Department of Neurology and Brain Tumor Center, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dario Neri
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Roth
- Department of Neurology and Brain Tumor Center, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland
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