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

Abstract

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 CD56dim 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-L1pos vs PD-L1neg 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. 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.