Immune-stimulating antibody conjugates elicit robust myeloid activation and durable antitumor immunity

SE Ackerman, CI Pearson, JD Gregorio, JC Gonzalez… - Nature Cancer, 2021 - nature.com
SE Ackerman, CI Pearson, JD Gregorio, JC Gonzalez, JA Kenkel, FJ Hartmann, A Luo…
Nature Cancer, 2021nature.com
Innate pattern recognition receptor agonists, including Toll-like receptors (TLRs), alter the
tumor microenvironment and prime adaptive antitumor immunity. However, TLR agonists
present toxicities associated with widespread immune activation after systemic
administration. To design a TLR-based therapeutic suitable for systemic delivery and
capable of safely eliciting tumor-targeted responses, we developed immune-stimulating
antibody conjugates (ISACs) comprising a TLR7/8 dual agonist conjugated to tumor …
Abstract
Innate pattern recognition receptor agonists, including Toll-like receptors (TLRs), alter the tumor microenvironment and prime adaptive antitumor immunity. However, TLR agonists present toxicities associated with widespread immune activation after systemic administration. To design a TLR-based therapeutic suitable for systemic delivery and capable of safely eliciting tumor-targeted responses, we developed immune-stimulating antibody conjugates (ISACs) comprising a TLR7/8 dual agonist conjugated to tumor-targeting antibodies. Systemically administered human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted ISACs were well tolerated and triggered a localized immune response in the tumor microenvironment that resulted in tumor clearance and immunological memory. Mechanistically, ISACs required tumor antigen recognition, Fcγ-receptor-dependent phagocytosis and TLR-mediated activation to drive tumor killing by myeloid cells and subsequent T-cell-mediated antitumor immunity. ISAC-mediated immunological memory was not limited to the HER2 ISAC target antigen since ISAC-treated mice were protected from rechallenge with the HER2 parental tumor. These results provide a strong rationale for the clinical development of ISACs.
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