This is a pivotal, multicenter, open-label study of moxetumomab pasudotox, a recombinant CD22-targeting immunotoxin, in hairy cell leukemia (HCL), a rare B cell malignancy with high CD22 expression. The study enrolled patients with relapsed/refractory HCL who had ≥2 prior systemic therapies, including ≥1 purine nucleoside analog. Patients received moxetumomab pasudotox 40 µg/kg intravenously on days 1, 3, and 5 every 28 days for ≤6 cycles. Blinded independent central review determined disease response and minimal residual disease (MRD) status. Among 80 patients (79% males; median age, 60.0 years), durable complete response (CR) rate was 30%, CR rate was 41%, and objective response rate (CR and partial response) was 75%; 64 patients (80%) achieved hematologic remission. Among complete responders, 27 (85%) achieved MRD negativity by immunohistochemistry. The most frequent adverse events (AEs) were peripheral edema (39%), nausea (35%), fatigue (34%), and headache (33%). Treatment-related serious AEs of hemolytic uremic syndrome (7.5%) and capillary leak syndrome (5%) were reversible and generally manageable with supportive care and treatment discontinuation (6 patients; 7.5%). Moxetumomab pasudotox treatment achieved a high rate of independently assessed durable response and MRD eradication in heavily pretreated patients with HCL, with acceptable tolerability.

Peptide therapeutics are increasingly used in the treatment of disease, but their administration by injection reduces patient compliance and convenience, especially for chronic diseases. Thus, oral administration of a peptide therapeutic represents a significant advance in medicine, but is challenged by gastrointestinal instability and ineffective uptake into the circulation. Here, we have used glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) as a model peptide therapeutic for treating obesity-linked type 2 diabetes, a common chronic disease. We describe a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach leading to the development of MEDI7219, a GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) specifically engineered for oral delivery. Sites of protease/peptidase vulnerabilities in GLP-1 were removed by amino acid substitution and the peptide backbone was bis-lipidated to promote MEDI7219 reversible plasma protein binding without affecting potency. A combination of sodium chenodeoxycholate and propyl gallate was used to enhance bioavailability of MEDI7219 at the site of maximal gastrointestinal absorption, targeted by enteric-coated tablets. This synergistic approach resulted in MEDI7219 bioavailability of ~ 6% in dogs receiving oral tablets. In a dog model of obesity and insulin resistance, MEDI7219 oral tablets significantly decreased food intake, body weight and glucose excursions, validating the approach. This novel approach to the development of MEDI7219 provides a template for the development of other oral peptide therapeutics.

MEDI4276 is a biparatopic tetravalent antibody targeting 2 nonoverlapping epitopes in subdomains 2 and 4 of the HER2 ecto-domain, with site-specific conjugation to a tubulysinbased microtubule inhibitor payload. MEDI4276 demonstrates enhanced cellular internalization and cytolysis of HER2+ tumor cells in vitro. This was a first-in-human, dose-escalation clinical trial in patients with HER2+ advanced or metastatic breast cancer (BC) or gastric cancer.MEDI4276 doses escalated from 0.05-0.9 mg/kg (60-90-minute IV infusion Q3W). Primary endpoints were safety and tolerability; secondary endpoints included antitumor activity (objective response, progression-free survival, and overall survival), pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity. Forty-seven patients (median age 59 years; median of 7 prior treatment regimens) were treated. The maximum tolerated dose was exceeded at 0.9 mg/kg with 2 patients experiencing dose-limiting toxicities (DLT) of grade 3 liver function test (LFT) increases, 1 of which also had grade 3 diarrhea, which resolved. Two additional patients reported DLTs of grade 3 LFT increases at lower doses (0.4 and 0.6 mg/kg). The most common (all grade) drug-related adverse events (AEs) were nausea (59.6%), fatigue (44.7%), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) increased (42.6%), and vomiting (38.3%). The most common grade 3/4 drug-related AE was AST increased (21.3%). Five patients had drug-related AEs leading to treatment discontinuation.In the as-treated population, there was 1 complete response (0.5 mg/kg; BC), and 2 partial responses (0.6 and 0.75 mg/kg; BC)-all had prior trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and adotrastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1). MEDI4276 has demonstrable clinical activity but displays intolerable toxicity at doses >0.3 mg/kg.

Complex biotherapeutic modalities, such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), present significant challenges for the comprehensive bioanalytical characterization of their pharmacokinetics (PK) and catabolism in both preclinical and clinical settings. Thus, the bioanalytical strategy for ADCs must be designed to address the specific structural elements of the protein scaffold, linker, and warhead. A typical bioanalytical strategy for ADCs involves quantification of the Total ADC, Total IgG, and Free Warhead concentrations. Herein, we present bioanalytical characterization of the PK and catabolism of a novel ADC. MEDI3726 targets prostate-specific membrane antigen (PMSA) and is comprised of a humanized IgG1 antibody site-specifically conjugated to tesirine (SG3249). The MEDI3726 protein scaffold lacks interchain disulfide bonds and has an average drug to antibody ratio (DAR) of 2. Based on the structural characteristics of MEDI3726, an array of 4 bioanalytical assays detecting 6 different surrogate analyte classes representing at least 14 unique species was developed, validated, and employed in support of a first-in-human clinical trial (NCT02991911). MEDI3726 requires the combination of heavy-light chain structure and conjugated warhead to selectively deliver the warhead to the target cells. Therefore, both heavy-light chain dissociation and the deconjugation of the warhead will affect the activity of MEDI3726. The concentration− time profiles of subjects dosed with MEDI3726 revealed catabolism of the protein scaffold manifested by the more rapid clearance of the Active ADC, while exhibiting minimal deconjugation of the pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) warhead (SG3199).

Background In a multicenter phase 1 study of children with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), moxetumomab pasudotox, an anti‐CD22 immunotoxin, demonstrated a manageable safety profile and preliminary evidence of clinical activity. A phase 2 study further evaluated efficacy. Procedure This international, multicenter, phase 2 study enrolled children with relapsed/refractory B‐cell precursor ALL who received moxetumomab pasudotox 40 µg/kg intravenously every other day, for six doses per 21‐day cycle. The primary objective was to evaluate the complete response (CR) rate. Secondary objectives included safety, pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity evaluations. Results Thirty‐two patients (median age, 10 years) were enrolled at 16 sites; 30 received study drug and were evaluable for safety; 28 were evaluable for response. The objective response rate was 28.6%, with three patients (10.7%) achieving morphologic CR, and five patients (17.9%) achieving partial response. Disease progression occurred in 11 patients (39.3%). Ten patients (33.3%) experienced at least one treatment‐related serious adverse event, including capillary leak syndrome (CLS; n = 6), hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS; n = 4), and treatment‐related death (n = 1) from pulmonary edema. No differences were observed in inflammatory markers in patients who did or did not develop CLS or HUS. Conclusions Despite a signal for clinical activity, this phase 2 study was terminated at interim analysis for a CR rate that did not reach the stage 1 target. Preclinical data suggest enhanced efficacy of moxetumomab pasudotox via continuous infusion or in combination regimens; thus, further studies designed to optimize the efficacy and safety of moxetumomab pasudotox in pediatric ALL may be warranted.

Aims To characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK) of moxetumomab pasudotox, an anti‐CD22 recombinant immunotoxin, in adults with relapsed or refractory hairy cell leukaemia, we examined data from a phase 1 study (Study 1001; n = 49) and from the pivotal clinical study (Study 1053; n = 74). Methods Data from both studies were pooled (n = 123) to develop a population PK model. Covariates included demographics, disease state, liver and kidney function, prior treatment, and antidrug antibodies (ADAs). Exposure–response and exposure–safety were analysed separately by study. A 1‐compartment model with linear elimination from the central compartment and 2 clearance (CL) rates was developed. Results Moxetumomab pasudotox was cleared more rapidly after cycle 1, day 1 (CL1 = 24.7 L/h) than subsequently (CL2 = 3.76 L/h), with high interindividual variability (116 and 109%, respectively). In Study 1053, patients with ADA titres >10 240 showed ~4‐fold increase in CL. Higher exposures (≥median) were related to higher response rates, capillary leak syndrome and increased creatinine (Study 1053 only), or grade ≥3 adverse events (Study 1001 only). Clinical benefits were still observed in patients with lower exposure or high ADA titres. Conclusion Despite a high incidence of immunogenicity with increased clearance, moxetumomab pasudotox demonstrated efficacy in hairy cell leukaemia.

99 Background: MEDI3726 is an ADC targeting PSMA. Once bound to PSMA and internalized, the released pyrrolobenzodiazepine dimer toxin crosslinks DNA and triggers cell death. This phase 1 study evaluated the safety and efficacy of MEDI3726 in mCRPC after failure of abiraterone and/or enzalutamide and a taxane-based therapy. Methods: The starting dose was 0.015 mg/kg MEDI3726 IV Q3W until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Dose escalation used a modified toxicity probability interval algorithm (mTPI). The primary objectives were safety, adverse events (AEs) and dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) and to determine the maximum tolerated (MTD) or administered (MAD) dose. Secondary objectives included antitumor activity, pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity. The endpoint for activity was composite response: confirmed response by RECIST v1.1, and/or PSA decrease of ≥ 50% after ≥ 12 wks, and/or confirmed conversion in circulating tumor cell count, defined as a decrease from ≥ 5 to < 5 cells/7.5 mL. Efficacy analyses were based on Prostate Working Group Criteria. Mutational profiles were evaluated in ctDNA. Results: As of Sept 27 2019, 33 pts received MEDI3726. Median age was 71.0 yr. Median number of prior regimens was 4. Median follow-up was 5.4 mo. Drug-related AEs occurred in 30 (90.9%), being grade 3/4 in 15 (45.5%), serious in 11 (33.3%) and causing discontinuation in 13 (39.4%). There were no drug-related deaths. One pt at 0.3 mg/kg had a DLT of Grade 3 thrombocytopenia. No MTD was identified per mTPI; the MAD was 0.3 mg/kg. MEDI3726 had nonlinear PK with a short t1/2 (0.3–2 d). Three pts (15.8%) at baseline and 6 (33.3%) post-baseline had antidrug antibodies, with no correlation to PK exposure. Composite response rate across all doses was 2/33 (6.1%). Time to response was 0.3 mo; duration of response was 1.8–3.8 mo. Median progression-free survival was 3.9 mo and median overall survival was 10.6 mo. Conclusions: An MTD was not identified, but drug-related AEs (skin toxicities and effusions) prevented raising the dose over 0.3 mg/kg and limited the number of cycles. Responses were seen at higher doses, but were not durable as pts discontinued due to drug-related AEs. Clinical trial information: NCT02991911.

No abstract