Abstract 4605: Efficient targeting of BCMA-positive multiple myeloma cells by antibody-coupled T-cell receptor (ACTR) engineered autologous T cells in combination with an anti-BCMA antibody

B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) has recently emerged as an attractive therapeutic target in multiple myeloma. BCMA has restricted expression on plasma cells with little to no expression on other normal tissues, but is upregulated on the surface of multiple myeloma cells. BCMA can regulate proliferation and survival of myeloma cells via binding to its ligands APRIL and BAFF and induce downstream signaling pathways. Thus, several approaches to target BCMA are currently under clinical investigation, including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies, bispecific antibodies and antibody drug conjugates. The Antibody-Coupled T cell Receptor (ACTR) technology is a universal, engineered T cell therapy consisting of the extracellular domain of human CD16 and the intracellular T cell co-stimulatory and signaling domains. ACTR is designed to engage the Fc domain of therapeutic antibodies opsonized to target cells to mediate anti-tumor activity. Previous work has demonstrated ACTR T cell activity in combination with rituximab, trastuzumab, and hu14.18 K322A against CD20, Her2, and GD2 expressing cell lines, respectively (Kudo et al. Cancer Res 2014; 74:93-103). Currently ACTR is being evaluated in Phase I clinical trials with rituximab to treat relapsed refractory B cell lymphoma. Here we demonstrate a humanized afucosylated anti-BCMA antibody, SEA-BCMA, binds to ACTR expressing T cells with high affinity and mediates T cell activation, potent cytotoxicity, cytokine release and proliferation across a wide range of BCMA expressing myeloma cells. ACTR activity was specific to SEA-BCMA - opsonized target cells, dose dependent and had no activity on BCMA negative tumor lines. Furthermore, the SEA-BCMA antibody has additional properties that might contribute to a therapeutic effect, including blocking the binding of ligands to BCMA and driving natural killer cell mediated ADCC effects. These preclinical studies demonstrate a promising multi-faceted activity of ACTR T cells in combination with the anti-BCMA antibody, SEA-BCMA, for clinical consideration in multiple myeloma patients. Citation Format: Tooba Cheema, Taylor Hickman, Katie O9Callaghan, Lori Westendorf, Luke Manlove, Shyra Gardai, Allison Nelson, Ryan Boomer, Kathleen McGinness, Birgit Schultes, Seth Ettenberg, Django Sussman, Heather Huet. Efficient targeting of BCMA-positive multiple myeloma cells by antibody-coupled T-cell receptor (ACTR) engineered autologous T cells in combination with an anti-BCMA antibody [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4605. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-4605