Tracking MRD and neoantigen targets using a tumor-informed liquid biopsy platform in HCC patients treated with personalized cancer vaccine and pembrolizumab.

Authors

null

Jian Yan

Geneos Therapeutics, Plymouth Meeting, PA

Jian Yan , Renzo Perales , Gabor Bartha , Josette Northcott , Richard Chen , John Lyle , Dan Norton , Charles Abbott , Bailiang Li , Sean Michael Boyle , Alfredo Perales-Puchalt , Neil Cooch , Edward Gane , Mark Yarchoan , Thomas Urban Marron , Sarah Rochestie , Joann Peters , Ildiko Csiki , Niranjan Y. Sardesai

Organizations

Geneos Therapeutics, Plymouth Meeting, PA, Personalis, Inc, Menlo Park, CA, Personalis, Inc., Menlo Park, CA, PERSONALIS, INC., Menlo Park, CA, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY

Research Funding

Pharmaceutical/Biotech Company
Geneos Therapeutics, Personalis

Background: ctDNA analysis has enabled non-invasive detection and monitoring of potentially actionable mutations, and can identify therapeutic response/resistance prior to confirmation by radiographic imaging. Little is known about ctDNA in the neoantigen-targeted personalized cancer DNA vaccine setting, potentially due to the limited sensitivity of current ctDNA assays. We used an ultra-sensitive, tumor-informed ctDNA platform to longitudinally track tumor neoantigen targets and monitor molecular residual disease (MRD) in advanced HCC patients (pts) being treated with a DNA personalized therapeutic cancer vaccine (GNOS-PV02). Methods: Pts with unresectable or metastatic HCC with progression on, or intolerance to, first-line therapy with TKI were enrolled into the Phase 1b/2a GT-30 study [NCT04251117]. GNOS-PV02 was designed based on whole exome/transcriptome tumor sequencing. Pts were treated with GNOS-PV02 (1mg; Q3W x 4, Q9W) and plasmid-encoded IL-12 (0.3mg; Q3W x 4, Q9W) in combination with pembrolizumab (200mg; Q3W). Response was evaluated by RECIST 1.1 at baseline (bl) and Q9W. Over 100 prospective bl and on-treatment (ot) plasma samples were collected and analyzed using NeXT Personal, a tumor-informed ctDNA assay that leverages whole genome sequencing of tumor/normal samples to generate personalized liquid biopsy panels. Each panel included personalized neoantigen targets, up to 1,800 selected variants for ultra-sensitive detection of MRD, and a fixed set of 2,100 known clinically actionable and resistance loci for detection of variants emerging under therapeutic pressure. Results: ctDNA was detected across a broad dynamic range (3-100,000 PPM; minimum limit of detection = 2.5 PPM) with frequent positive detections below 100 PPM. Bl ctDNA was detected in 100% (12/12) of patients. Ot changes in ctDNA relative to bl correlated with disease status. ctDNA tracking of a patient with a target liver lesion reduction of 36% at W9 deepening to -59% at W54 by RECIST1.1 showed ctDNA clearance of all liver-specific neoantigen targets between W12 to w21. New adrenal lesions were observed on W18 by MRI and retrospective ctDNA analysis revealed an increase of adrenal-specific ctDNA measures by W9. These data indicate ctDNA can be used to track tumor neoantigens and provide important data supporting immune pressure-induced tumor escape. Conclusions: Highly sensitive tracking of MRD and neo-antigenic variants over the course of therapy was achieved using a single assay. We show that ctDNA can sensitively monitor disease status non-invasively, potentially leading to accurate clinical outcome prediction. Additionally, the ease of sample handling, analysis, and rapid availability of data could enable the use of ctDNA monitoring to allow real-time dynamic personalized cancer immunotherapy.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2023 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Publication Only

Session Title

Publication Only: Developmental Therapeutics—Molecularly Targeted Agents and Tumor Biology

Track

Developmental Therapeutics—Molecularly Targeted Agents and Tumor Biology

Sub Track

Molecular Diagnostics and Imaging

Citation

J Clin Oncol 41, 2023 (suppl 16; abstr e15062)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2023.41.16_suppl.e15062

Abstract #

e15062

Abstract Disclosures