2547 - Evaluation of tumor microenvironment identifies immune correlates of response to combination immunotherapy with margetuximab (M) and pembrolizumab (P) in HER2+ gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEA)

Background

Despite improvements in treatments, the 5-year survival of GEA patients (pts) is disappointing. Individual molecular subtypes display preferential responses to PD-1 blockade. M, an investigational Fc-optimized anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody, is being tested in combination with P in HER2+ GEA post trastuzumab. We present gene expression data from archival FFPE biopsies.

Methods

55 pt samples were assessed by NanoString PanCancer IO360™ assay. Immune signature scores are presented as fold changes (FC) and analyzed by unpaired t-test. Associations examined include baseline IHC PD-L1 (pos vs neg) and HER2 expression (IHC3+ vs 2+), ERBB2 mRNA, inflamed tumor microenvironment (TME), radiographic response, and GC vs GEJ.

Results

ERBB2 mRNA was increased in pts with HER2 IHC3+ vs 2 + (5.6 FC, p < 0.001); IHC3+ was also associated with an inflamed TME (higher IFN-γ signaling, cell proliferation, PD-L2 and inflammatory chemokine expression). ERBB2 expression significantly correlated with response; pts with CR/PR had a 5.13 FC ERBB2 expression compared to PD (p < 0.001). Importantly, ERBB2 expression was associated with anti-tumor activity (ROC-AUC=0.754), with a 3.1 FC between SD/PR/CR vs PD (p = 0.004). TME gene signatures, including PD-1/PD-L1, CTLA4, cytotoxic CD56^dim NK cells and DR5 abundance, also trended higher in responders. GC tumors expressed higher levels of ERBB2 (5.25 FC, p < 0.001), with a trend towards a more inflamed TME (higher PD-L1, IFNγ), and had increased clinical response-- this differed from GEJ tumors, which showed lower ERBB2 expression, higher expression of IFITM1, MYC and STAT3, and less clinical responses. Lastly, in PD-L1^pos vs PD-L1^neg samples, PD-L1 gene expression (1.3 FC, p = 0.013), IFN-γ signaling (1.5 FC, p < 0.001), LAG3 expression (1.4 FC, p = 0.045), IDO1 expression (1.7 FC, p = 0.031), inflammatory chemokines (1.7, p = 0.005), and tumor inflammation signature (1.5 FC, p = 0.0064) were all significantly elevated.

Conclusions

Our study documents for the first time ERBB2 expression and inflamed TME in GEA, which can help differentiate immunologically between GC and GEJ tumors.

Clinical trial identification

NCT02689284.

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

MacroGenics, Inc.

Funding

MacroGenics, Inc.

Disclosure

S. Rutella: Leadership role: Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer; Research grant / Funding (institution): John and Lucille van Geest Foundation. S.E. Church: Shareholder / Stockholder / Stock options, Full / Part-time employment: NanoString Technologies. A.H. Sullivan: Shareholder / Stockholder / Stock options, Full / Part-time employment: NanoString Technologies. S. Warren: Shareholder / Stockholder / Stock options, Full / Part-time employment: NanoString Technologies. J. Baughman: Shareholder / Stockholder / Stock options, Full / Part-time employment: MacroGenics, Inc. J. Muth: Shareholder / Stockholder / Stock options, Full / Part-time employment: MacroGenics, Inc. H. Park: Research grant / Funding (institution): Amgen; Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca; Research grant / Funding (institution): Bayer; Research grant / Funding (institution): BeiGene; Research grant / Funding (institution): Bristol-Myers Squibb; Research grant / Funding (institution): Daiichi Sankyo; Research grant / Funding (institution): EMD Serono; Research grant / Funding (institution): Gilead Sciences; Research grant / Funding (institution): Incyte; Research grant / Funding (institution): Lilly; Research grant / Funding (institution): Macrogenics; Research grant / Funding (institution): MedImmune; Research grant / Funding (institution): Medivation; Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck; Research grant / Funding (institution): Millennium; Research grant / Funding (institution): Novartis; Research grant / Funding (institution): Pfizer; Research grant / Funding (institution): Puma Biotechnology; Research grant / Funding (institution): Regeneron; Research grant / Funding (institution): Roche; Research grant / Funding (institution): Taiho Pharmaceutical; Research grant / Funding (institution): Vertex. H. Uronis: Shareholder / Stockholder / Stock options, Full / Part-time employment: GeneCentric; Advisory / Consultancy, Research grant / Funding (institution), Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Bristol-Myers Squibb; Research grant / Funding (institution): Advaxis; Research grant / Funding (institution): Genentech/Roche; Research grant / Funding (institution): Lycera; Research grant / Funding (institution): Macrogenics. Y. Kang: Advisory / Consultancy: Bristol-Myers Squibb; Advisory / Consultancy, Research grant / Funding (self): DAE HWA Pharmaceutical; Advisory / Consultancy: Lilly/ImClone; Advisory / Consultancy: Merck Serono; Advisory / Consultancy: Ono Pharmaceutical; Advisory / Consultancy: Roche/Genentech; Advisory / Consultancy: Taiho Pharmaceutical; Research grant / Funding (self): LSK Biopharma. M.C.H. Ng: Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy, Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: MSD Oncology; Honoraria (self), Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Taiho Pharmaceutical; Advisory / Consultancy: Bristol-Myers Squibb; Research grant / Funding (institution): ASLAN Pharmaceuticals. P. Enzinger: Advisory / Consultancy: Astellas Pharma; Advisory / Consultancy: Five Prime Therapeutics; Advisory / Consultancy: Merck; Advisory / Consultancy: Taiho Pharmaceutical. K.W. Lee: Research grant / Funding (institution): Array BioPharma; Research grant / Funding (institution): ASLAN Pharmaceuticals; Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca/MedImmune; Research grant / Funding (institution): Five Prime Therapeutics; Research grant / Funding (institution): Green Cross Corp; Research grant / Funding (institution): LSK BioPharma; Research grant / Funding (institution): Macrogenics; Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck KGaA; Research grant / Funding (institution): MSD; Research grant / Funding (institution): Ono Pharmaceutical; Research grant / Funding (institution): Pfizer; Research grant / Funding (institution): Pharmacyclics. K. Huber: Full / Part-time employment: Macrogenics, Inc. A. Wynter-Horton: Shareholder / Stockholder / Stock options, Full / Part-time employment: MacroGenics, Inc. D. Li: Shareholder / Stockholder / Stock options, Full / Part-time employment: MacroGenics, Inc. Y. Bang: Advisory / Consultancy, Research grant / Funding (institution): AstraZeneca/MedImmune; Advisory / Consultancy, Research grant / Funding (institution): Bayer; Advisory / Consultancy, Research grant / Funding (institution): BeiGene; Advisory / Consultancy, Research grant / Funding (institution): Green Cross; Advisory / Consultancy: Hanmi; Advisory / Consultancy, Research grant / Funding (institution): Merck Serono; Advisory / Consultancy, Research grant / Funding (institution): MSD Oncology; Advisory / Consultancy, Research grant / Funding (institution): Novartis; Advisory / Consultancy: Samyang; Advisory / Consultancy, Research grant / Funding (institution): Taiho Pharmaceutical; Research grant / Funding (institution): Astellas Pharma; Research grant / Funding (institution): Boehringer Ingelheim; Research grant / Funding (institution): Boston Biomedical; Research grant / Funding (institution): Bristol-Myers Squibb; Research grant / Funding (institution): CKD; Research grant / Funding (institution): Curis; Research grant / Funding (institution): Daiichi Sankyo; Research grant / Funding (institution): Five Prime Therapeutics; Research grant / Funding (institution): Genentech/Roche; Research grant / Funding (institution): GlaxoSmithKline; Research grant / Funding (institution): Lilly; Research grant / Funding (institution): Macrogenics; Research grant / Funding (institution): Ono Pharmaceutical; Research grant / Funding (institution): Pfizer; Research grant / Funding (institution): Takeda. J. Davidson-Moncada: Shareholder / Stockholder / Stock options, Full / Part-time employment: MacroGenics, Inc. D.V. Catenacci: Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Amgen; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Bristol-Myers Squibb; Honoraria (self): Five Prime Therapeutics; Honoraria (self), Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Foundation Medicine; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Genentech/Roche; Honoraria (self): Genmab; Honoraria (self): Gritstone Oncology; Honoraria (self), Speaker Bureau / Expert testimony: Guardant Health; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Lilly; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Merck; Honoraria (self): NantOmics; Honoraria (self): OncoPlex Diagnostics; Honoraria (self), Advisory / Consultancy: Taiho Pharmaceuticsal; Advisory / Consultancy: Astellas Pharma. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.