Preclinical activity of sacituzumab govitecan (IMMU-132) in uterine and ovarian carcinosarcomas

Background: Uterine and ovarian carcinosarcomas (CS) are rare cancers with poor prognosis. Sacituzumab-govitecan (SG) is a new class of antibody-drug-conjugate (ADC) targeting the human-trophoblast-cell-surface marker (Trop-2) conjugated with the active metabolite of irinotecan (SN-38). We evaluated the efficacy of SG against biologically aggressive CS.

Methods: Trop-2 expression was evaluated in 10 formalin-fixed-paraffined-embedded (FFPE) CS by immunohistochemistry and 9 primary CS cell-lines by flow-cytometry. One Trop-2 low/negative (SARARK14) and two Trop-2 positive (SARARK4, SARARK9) cell-lines were tested in cell-viability assays . The in vivo antitumor activity of SG was tested in xenografts models (ie, SARARK9) with strong Trop-2 expression.

Results: Strong/diffuse staining was seen in 30% (3/10) of FFPE tumors and 33% (3/9) of primary CS cell lines. Trop-2 positive cell-lines (SARARK4, SARARK9) showed higher sensitivity to SG in vitro when compared to Trop-2 low/negative (SARARK14) cell lines. In xenografts, twice-weekly intravenous administration of SG for three weeks showed a significant tumor growth inhibition when compared to control, to ADC control and to the naked AB (p=0.004, p=0.007 and p=0.0007, respectively). SG significantly improved overall survival at 90 days when compared to control groups (p<0.0001).

Conclusion: SG may represent a novel class of active drugs for carcinosarcomas patients overexpressing Trop-2.