A combinatory vaccine with IMA950 plus varlilumab promotes effector memory T-cell differentiation in the peripheral blood of patients with low-grade gliomas

• Published in: Neuro-oncology (Charlottesville, Va.) Vol. 26; no. 2; pp. 335 - 347
• Main Authors: Saijo, Atsuro, Ogino, Hirokazu, Butowski, Nicholas A, Tedesco, Meghan R, Gibson, David, Watchmaker, Payal B, Okada, Kaori, Wang, Albert S, Shai, Anny, Salazar, Andres M, Molinaro, Annette M, Rabbitt, Jane E, Shahin, Maryam, Perry, Arie, Clarke, Jennifer L, Taylor, Jennie W, Daras, Mariza, Oberheim Bush, Nancy Ann, Hervey-Jumper, Shawn L, Phillips, Joanna J, Chang, Susan M, Hilf, Norbert, Mayer-Mokler, Andrea, Keler, Tibor, Berger, Mitchel S, Okada, Hideho
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: US Oxford University Press 02.02.2024
• Subjects: Clinical Investigations; poly-ICLC; IMA950; low-grade glioma; varlilumab; immunotherapy
• ISSN: 1522-8517; 1523-5866; 1523-5866
• DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noad185

Abstract Background Central nervous system (CNS) WHO grade 2 low-grade glioma (LGG) patients are at high risk for recurrence and with unfavorable long-term prognosis due to the treatment resistance and malignant transformation to high-grade glioma. Considering the relatively intact systemic immunity and slow-growing nature, immunotherapy may offer an effective treatment option for LGG patients. Methods We conducted a prospective, randomized pilot study to evaluate the safety and immunological response of the multipeptide IMA950 vaccine with agonistic anti-CD27 antibody, varlilumab, in CNS WHO grade 2 LGG patients. Patients were randomized to receive combination therapy with IMA950 + poly-ICLC and varlilumab (Arm 1) or IMA950 + poly-ICLC (Arm 2) before surgery, followed by adjuvant vaccines. Results A total of 14 eligible patients were enrolled in the study. Four patients received pre-surgery vaccines but were excluded from postsurgery vaccines due to the high-grade diagnosis of the resected tumor. No regimen-limiting toxicity was observed. All patients demonstrated a significant increase of anti-IMA950 CD8+ T-cell response postvaccine in the peripheral blood, but no IMA950-reactive CD8+ T cells were detected in the resected tumor. Mass cytometry analyses revealed that adding varlilumab promoted T helper type 1 effector memory CD4+ and effector memory CD8+ T-cell differentiation in the PBMC but not in the tumor microenvironment. Conclusion The combinational immunotherapy, including varlilumab, was well-tolerated and induced vaccine-reactive T-cell expansion in the peripheral blood but without a detectable response in the tumor. Further developments of strategies to overcome the blood-tumor barrier are warranted to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy for LGG patients.