Demonstrating broader use of their HapImmune platform, Maso and Rajak et al. developed antibodies targeting novel “neoantigen” peptides derived from KRAS(G12C) (a cancer driver mutation) covalently bound to adagrasib (an FDA-approved KRAS inhibitor), and presented by HLA-A*03 and A*11. When incorporated into bispecific T cell engagers, these antibodies sensitized adagrasib-resistant human lung cancer cells to T cell cytotoxicity. Cryoelectron microscopy structures revealed a mode of adagrasib-peptide/HLA recognition that was distinct from that of sotorasib-directed HapImmune antibodies in previously published work.

Contributed by Lauren Hitchings

ABSTRACT: Effective immune therapy against cancer ideally should target a cancer-specific antigen, an antigen that is present exclusively in cancer cells. However, there is a paucity of cancer-specific antigens that are endogenously produced. HapImmuneª technology utilizes covalent inhibitors directed to an intracellular cancer driver to create cancer-specific neoantigens in the form of drug-peptide conjugates presented by class I MHC molecules. Our previous study with sotorasib, an FDA-approved covalent inhibitor of KRAS(G12C), demonstrated that drug-treated cells produce such neoantigens and can be killed by T cell engagers directed against the drug-peptide/MHC complex. Thus, this technology can unite targeted and immune therapies. In the present study, we examined whether this approach could generalize to another FDA-approved KRAS(G12C) inhibitor, adagrasib, whose chemical structure and cysteine reactivity differ substantially from sotorasib. We developed antibodies selective to adagrasib-KRAS(G12C) peptides presented by HLA-A*03 and A*11 that also show cross-reactivity to other KRAS(G12C) inhibitors presented in the same manner. Cryoelectron microscopy structures revealed a mode of adagrasib-peptide/HLA recognition distinctly different from that of sotorasib-directed HapImmune antibodies. The antibodies in a bispecific T cell engager format killed adagrasib-resistant lung cancer cells upon adagrasib treatment. These results support the broad applicability of the HapImmune approach for creating actionable cancer-specific neoantigens and offer candidates for therapeutic development.

Author Info: (1) Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016. Aethon Therapeutics, Long Island City, NY 11101. (2) Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York Univer

Author Info: (1) Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016. Aethon Therapeutics, Long Island City, NY 11101. (2) Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016. (3) Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016. (4) Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016. (5) Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016. Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016. (6) Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016. Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016. (7) Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016.