A tetraspecific engager armed with a non-alpha IL-2 variant harnesses natural killer cells against B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Sci Immunol. 2024 Nov 15;9(101):eadp3720. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adp3720. Epub 2024 Nov 15.

Abstract

NK cells offer a promising alternative to T cell therapies in cancer. We evaluated IPH6501, a clinical-stage, tetraspecific NK cell engager (NKCE) armed with a non-alpha IL-2 variant (IL-2v), which targets CD20 and was developed for treating B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). CD20-NKCE-IL2v boosts NK cell proliferation and cytotoxicity, showing activity against a range of B-NHL cell lines, including those with low CD20 density. Whereas it presented reduced toxicities compared with those commonly associated with T cell therapies, CD20-NKCE-IL2v showed greater killing efficacy over a T cell engager targeting CD20 in in vitro preclinical models. CD20-NKCE-IL2v also increased the cell surface expression of NK cell-activating receptors, leading to activity against CD20-negative tumor cells. In vivo studies in nonhuman primates and tumor mouse models further validated its efficacy and revealed that CD20-NKCE-IL2v induces peripheral NK cell homing at the tumor site. CD20-NKCE-IL2v emerges as a potential alternative in the treatment landscape of B-NHL.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-2* / genetics
  • Interleukin-2* / immunology
  • Killer Cells, Natural* / immunology
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / genetics
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / immunology
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / therapy
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred NOD
  • Mice, SCID
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Interleukin-2