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Inhibitors of the BET family of bromodomain proteins have been shown to be growth inhibitory across a spectrum of tumor types due to their ability to regulate the expression of key survival and cell fate determining genes such as c-myc. In addition to their role in cancer, studies using genetic knockdown and small molecule inhibitors have demonstrated that targeting BET proteins controls the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes in macrophages and is therapeutic in models of acute inflammation. These data suggest that in addition to their tumor intrinsic effects, BET inhibitors may also regulate the cytokine milieu within the tumor microenvironment and have immunomodulatory activity in cancer. To study this aspect, we evaluated INCB054329, a novel and selective BET inhibitor currently in Phase 1 trials, alone and in combination either with epacadostat, a highly selective IDO1 inhibitor, or with PD-1/PD-L1 axis blockade in syngeneic tumor models using immunocompetent animals. When used alone, INCB054329 suppressed a panel of cytokines and chemokines in a whole blood assay, confirming that INCB054329 can antagonize a pro-inflammatory response. The potency of INCB054329 in reducing the levels of these inflammatory mediators in the whole blood assay was similar to that for inhibition of c-myc, suggesting that the effects were on-target. INCB054329 was capable of inhibiting the growth of multiple syngeneic tumor models in immunocompetent mice, whereas only modest tumor growth inhibition was observed in immunodeficient mice and a lack of activity was observed in vitro, supporting the immunomodulatory activity of the compound. Because maximal in vivo tumor growth inhibition required an intact immune system, we investigated the impact of INCB054329 on various immune cell subsets, both in vitro and in vivo. Of note, increases in effector T cell populations were observed and efforts are ongoing to further characterize the tumor infiltrating immune cells following INCB054329 treatment. The mechanistic complimentarity of this novel BET inhibitor-mediated immunomodulation was also evaluated in combination with other therapeutically relevant mechanisms, including IDO1 inhibition and PD-1 axis blockade. Enhanced efficacy was observed with all INCB054329-containing regimens. These data demonstrate for the first time that BET inhibition can suppress tumor growth through both tumor-intrinsic and immune modulatory mechanisms, and support the potential of epigenetic-based, immunotherapy combinations as a novel approach to cancer therapy. Citation Format: Holly K. Koblish, Michael Hansbury, Leslie Hall, Liang-Chuan Wang, Yue Zhang, Maryanne Covington, Timothy Burn, Mark Rupar, Christine Gardiner, Thomas Condamine, Kerri Lasky, Matthew C. Stubbs, Eddy Yue, Richard Sparks, Richard Sparks, Thomas Maduskuie, Andrew P. Combs, Gregory Hollis, Reid Huber, Phillip CC Liu, Peggy Scherle. The BET inhibitor INCB054329 enhances the activity of checkpoint modulation in syngeneic tumor models. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4904.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common of the non–Hodgkin lymphomas, accounting for up to 30% of all newly diagnosed lymphoma cases. Current treatment options for this disease are effective, but not always curative; therefore, experimental therapies continue to be investigated. We have discovered an experimental, potent, and selective small-molecule inhibitor of PLK1, MLN0905, which inhibits cell proliferation in a broad range of human tumor cells including DLBCL cell lines. In our report, we explored the pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and antitumor properties of MLN0905 in DLBCL xenograft models grown in mice. These studies indicate that MLN0905 modulates the pharmacodynamic biomarker phosphorylated histone H3 (pHisH3) in tumor tissue. The antitumor activity of MLN0905 was evaluated in three human subcutaneous DLBCL xenograft models, OCI LY-10, OCI LY-19, and PHTX-22L (primary lymphoma). In each model, MLN0905 yielded significant antitumor activity on both a continuous (daily) and intermittent dosing schedule, underscoring dosing flexibility. The antitumor activity of MLN0905 was also evaluated in a disseminated xenograft (OCI LY-19) model to better mimic human DLBCL disease. In the disseminated model, MLN0905 induced a highly significant survival advantage. Finally, MLN0905 was combined with a standard-of-care agent, rituximab, in the disseminated OCI LY-19 xenograft model. Combining rituximab and MLN0905 provided both a synergistic antitumor effect and a synergistic survival advantage. Our findings indicate that PLK1 inhibition leads to pharmacodynamic pHisH3 modulation and significant antitumor activity in multiple DLBCL models. These data strongly suggest evaluating PLK1 inhibitors as DLBCL anticancer agents in the clinic. Mol Cancer Ther; 11(9); 2045–53. ©2012 AACR.

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a powerful tool for studying pharmacodynamic biomarkers in tissue samples. However, IHC using standard methodologies to monitor autophagy has met with limited success due to the technical difficulties involved in detecting transient and low abundance autophagy markers. To address this issue, we have applied a highly sensitive IHC method using a tyramide-based signal amplification system to detect autophagy pathway proteins in paraffin sections of human tumor cell line and xenograft tissues. We were able to detect basal levels of punctate staining LC3B and NBR1 on both HCT116 and Calu-6 xenograft tumors using the tyramide-based signal amplification method whereas standard IHC showed little to no specific staining. Consistent with in vitro observations, lipidated LC3B, as detected by puncta formation, was elevated following autophagy induction using mTOR inhibitor treatment, and decreased following ATG7 knockout or knock down in both cell lines and xenograft tumors. As a result of autophagy pathway interruption following ATG7 inhibition, accumulation of the adapter proteins NBR1 and p62 was also detected. Our data demonstrate the feasibility of using high sensitivity IHC assays to reliably measure low abundant autophagy markers in xenograft tissues and may aid the exploration of autophagy regulation in cancer development. Citation Format: Yu Yang, Natalie Roy D'Amore, Jouhara Chouitar, Jie Yu, Kristine Burke, Zhongmin Xiang, Lunyin Yu, Kerri Lasky, James Brownell, Chris Simpson, Evan Luongo, Doug Bowman, Stephen Tirrell, Helen He. A sensitive immunohistochemistry method for in vivo autophagy biomarker detection and pharmacodynamic studies. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2908. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2908

PLK1 is a serine/threonine mitotic kinase that plays a key role in mitotic cell cycle progression, and its over-expression has been linked to poor patient prognosis. We have discovered a potent and selective small molecule inhibitor of PLK1, MLN0905, which reduces cell viability and inhibits cell proliferation in a broad range of human tumor cells. We explored the pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and anti-tumor properties on MLN0905 in human xenograft models grown in rodents. MLN0905 rapidly and extensively distributed to xenograft tumor with a high tumor-to-plasma exposure ratio. In human xenograft tumor tissue, MLN0905 modulates the pharmacodynamic biomarker phospho-Histone H3 (in a dose dependent fashion), enabling us to track pathway modulation in vivo. MLN0905 demonstrated robust anti-tumor activity (partial and complete responses) in a variety of solid and hematological human xenograft models, including cancers derived from colon (HCT-116, HT29), NSCLC (Calu-6), Ovarian (SKOV3), and Lymphoma (OCI-LY19, OCI-LY10, and the primary lymphoma PHTX-22L). Significant anti-tumor activity was observed when dosing on either a continuous (daily) or intermittent schedule, underscoring the dosing flexibility with this compound. In the SKOV3 and Calu-6 xenograft models, MLN0905 yielded a synergistic anti-tumor response when combined with the standard of care therapy Taxane. This is the first report of a PLK1 inhibitor synergizing with taxane therapy in vivo. In summary, our findings indicate MLN0905 has good drug-like pharmacokinetic properties, modulates the biomarker phospho-Histone H3, and yields significant anti-tumor activity in multiple xenograft models. These preclinical data support further evaluating MLN0905 as a novel anti-cancer agent. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3573. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3573

Abstract 3922 Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common of the non-Hodgkin lymphomas, accounting for up to 30 percent of newly diagnosed cases. Current treatment options for this disease are effective, but not always curative; therefore experimental therapies are being investigated. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cells typically over-express the serine/threonine mitotic kinase PLK1, which plays a key role in mitotic cell cycle progression, and has been linked to poor patient prognosis. We have discovered a potent and selective small molecule inhibitor of PLK1, MLN0905, which inhibits cell proliferation in a broad range of human tumor cells including DLBCL lines. We explored the pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and anti-tumor properties on MLN0905 in mouse models harboring human DLBCL disease. MLN0905 has drug-like pharmacokinetic properties and an acceptable toxicity profile making it a good clinical candidate. In human xenograft tumor tissue, MLN0905 modulates the pharmacodynamic biomarker phospho-Histone H3 (in a dose dependent fashion), enabling us to track pathway modulation in vivo. The anti-tumor activity of MLN0905 was evaluated in three human subcutaneous xenograft models OCI-LY10, OCI-LY19, and PHTX-22L (primary lymphoma). In each model, MLN0905 yielded significant anti-tumor activity on both a continuous (daily) and intermittent dosing schedule, underscoring dosing flexibility. The anti-tumor activity of MLN0905 was also evaluated in a disseminated xenograft (OCI-LY19) setting to better mimic DLBCL in humans. In this disseminated model, MLN0905 induced a highly significant survival advantage. Finally, MLN0905 was combined with Rituximab in the disseminated OCI-LY19 model. Combining Rituximab and MLN0905 provided both a synergistic anti-tumor effect and a synergistic survival advantage. Our findings indicate for the first time that PLK1 inhibition leads to pharmacodynamic pH3 modulation and significant anti-tumor activity in multiple models of DLBCL. These data strongly suggest evaluating PLK1 inhibitors as DLBCL anti-cancer agents in the clinic. Disclosures: Shi: Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company: Employment. Lasky:Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company: Employment. Shinde:Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company: Employment. Duffey:Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company: Employment. Stringer:Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company: Employment. Qian:Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company: Employment. Liao:Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company: Employment. Liu:Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company: Employment. Rao:Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company: Employment. Vos:Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company: Employment. D'Amore:Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company: Employment. Hyer:Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company: Employment.