A drug combination used to treat breast cancer, developed in collaboration with Centre for Cancer Immunology researchers, has shown to be well tolerated by patients and considerably improves response to treatment.

The Phase 1/2a trial, led by BioInvent International, is currently testing an exciting new FcgRIIB antibody (BI-1607) in combination with trastuzumab. The preliminary results, presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, covered 18 patients treated at doses ranging from 75 mg up to 900 mg flat dose of BI-1607. Treatment was well tolerated, and no serious adverse events related to BI-1607 were observed. Stable disease was observed in 6/11 evaluable patients who had previously progressed after trastuzumab treatment.

Southampton’s research, which led to the development of BI-1607 spans more than a decade.

Since working with BioInvent International from 2009, research  led by Professor Mark Cragg and Associate Professor Ali Roghanian from the Centre with Professor Björn Frendéus from BioInvent International, has showed an antibody called BI-1206, targeted an immune receptor called FcgRIIB, and overcame resistance of certain blood cancer cells to treatment.

BI-1206 recruits immune cells toward the tumour and blocks the immune inhibition from FcgRIIB. Of note, when used in combination, BI-1206 overcomes some of the limitations of other anti-cancer therapeutic antibodies, such as rituximab, by stopping them being absorbed by the tumour cells.

Following this successful lab-based research, Professor Andrew Davies at the University of Southampton went on to conduct first in human trials of BI-1206, funded by Blood Cancer UK and BioInvent International and sponsored by CRUK, to assess the maximum dose that could be given safely to humans alone and in combination with rituximab.

Ongoing clinical studies conducted by BioInvent International have evaluated BI-1206 in combination with rituximab for the treatment of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma*.

Since then, the Southampton team alongside BioInvent, have demonstrated that targeting the inhibitory FcgRIIB can potentiate immunotherapy of solid tumours with a second FcgRIIB antibody, BI-1607. Similar to BI-1206, BI-1607 is intended to enhance the efficacy and overcome resistance to existing cancer treatments such as trastuzumab**.

Professor Roghanian said: “Southampton has a rich history of taking lab-based research into the clinic and this demonstrates our commitment to help treat cancer patients. It is incredibly rewarding to see our research lead to important patient trials and then to see the positive results in those cancer patients who do not respond favourably to conventional treatments.”

Professor Cragg added: “This progress only comes from the long-standing collaboration with BioInvent, which now extends for over a decade. Taking new drugs and ideas into the clinic is difficult and having key partners is critical for us to do that.”

 

References

*https://www.bioinvent.com/en/clinical-programs/our-programs/bi-1206rituximab

**https://www.bioinvent.com/en/clinical-programs/our-programs/bi-1607