Using engineered T cells to target a specific form of MUC1 in breast cancer

Adoptive Immunotherapy for Advanced MUC1* Positive Breast Cancer With Autologous T Cells Engineered to Express a Chimeric Antigen Receptor, huMNC2-CAR44 or huMNC2-CAR22, Specific for a Cleaved Form of MUC1 (MUC1*)

This study is testing a new treatment using modified T cells to see if they can help people with advanced breast cancer by targeting a specific protein on cancer cells.

Quick facts

• Phase: Phase 1
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 69 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Minerva Biotechnologies Corporation (Industry-sponsored)
• Drugs / interventions: trastuzumab, pertuzumab, CAR T, chemotherapy, cyclophosphamide, prednisone, chimeric antigen receptor, immunotherapy, CAR-T
• Locations: 1 site (Duarte, California)
• Trial ID: NCT04020575 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This Phase I/II study investigates the use of autologous T cells modified to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that specifically target the cleaved form of MUC1 (MUC1*) in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Participants will receive either huMNC2-CAR44 or huMNC2-CAR22 T cells, which are designed to recognize and attack cancer cells expressing MUC1*. The study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this innovative immunotherapy approach in treating advanced breast cancer. The trial will involve a thorough screening process to confirm eligibility based on tumor characteristics and hormone receptor status.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this study are patients diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer that expresses the cleaved form of MUC1.

Not a fit: Patients whose tumors do not express MUC1* or those with other types of breast cancer may not benefit from this treatment.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this treatment could provide a novel and effective option for patients with metastatic breast cancer that expresses MUC1*.

How similar studies have performed: While CAR-T cell therapies have shown success in hematological cancers, this approach targeting solid tumors like breast cancer is still novel and largely untested.

Eligibility criteria

Please note that results of tests and/or procedures conducted as per standard of care purposes may be used for research purposes if conducted within the protocol-defined window prior to screening/leukapheresis and/or T-Cell Therapy.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Confirmation of diagnosis of breast cancer by pathology review of initial or subsequent biopsy or other pathologic material at the City of Hope Pathology department. ER, PR, and HER2 status known and documented per ASCO/CAP guidelines.

   1. For dose expansion cohorts, tumors with ER and/or PR ≥1% will be considered hormone receptor positive. Tumors with ER and PR \<1% will be considered hormone receptor negative. HER2 status will be determined by IHC or FISH per ASCO/CAP guidelines. Patients will be allocated to expansion cohorts according to guidelines in table below.
   2. Dose expansion cohorts

   Expansion Cohort Hormone Receptor status HER2 status Luminal ER and/or PR \>/=1% positive Negative by IHC or FISH HER2 positive Any ER or PR status Positive by IHC or FISH Triple Negative ER and PR \<1% Negative by IHC or FISH
2. Patients must have received standard metastatic systemic therapy per NCCN guidelines or institutional practice which are known to confer benefit. No maximum on number of prior systemic treatment regimens.

   1. Patients with hormone receptor positive disease must have received at least 3 prior endocrine therapies and at least 2 prior lines of chemotherapy in the metastatic setting.
   2. Patients with HER2 positive breast cancer must have received at least 3 prior HER2- directed therapies (trastuzumab, pertuzumab, TDM-1 or others) in the metastatic setting.
   3. Patients with triple negative disease must have received at least 2 prior lines of chemotherapy in the metastatic setting.
3. MUC1\* membrane expression ≥30% by immunohistochemistry on a tumor specimen obtained at screening or previous tumor specimen that is less than 6-months old (see Appendix I for examples of MUC1\* expression patterns).
4. Patients must be 18 years of age or older, of any gender, race or ethnicity.
5. Patients must be capable of understanding and providing a written informed consent.
6. Patients must have a Karnofsky performance status of ≥60%.
7. Patients must have measurable disease by at least one of the criteria below:

   1. Extra skeletal disease that can be accurately measured by CT or MRI per RECIST 1.1,
   2. Skeletal or bone-only metastases measurable by FDG PET imaging.
8. Negative serum pregnancy test within 14 days of planned leukapheresis and within 28 days of lymphodepleting chemotherapy for women of childbearing potential, defined as those who have not been surgically sterilized or who have not been free of menses for at least 1 year.
9. Fertile male and female patients must be willing to use an effective contraceptive method before, during, and for at least 4 months after the huMNC2-CAR T cell infusion.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients requiring ongoing daily corticosteroid therapy at a dose of \>15 mg of prednisone per day (or equivalent). Pulsed corticosteroid use for disease control is acceptable.
2. Active autoimmune disease requiring immunosuppressive therapy is excluded unless discussed with the PI.
3. Major organ dysfunction defined as:

   1. Serum creatinine \> 2 mg/dL
   2. Bilirubin ≥ 1.5 mg/dL with the following exception: Patients with known Gilbert disease, serum bilirubin \> 3 mg/dL
   3. AST or ALT ≥ 2.5 x upper institutional limit of normal with the following exception: Patients with known hepatic metastases, AST or ALT \> 3x upper institutional limit of normal
   4. Patients with clinically significant pulmonary dysfunction, as determined by medical history and physical exam should undergo pulmonary function testing. Those with an FEV1 of \< 50 % of predicted or DLCO (corrected) \< 40% will be excluded.
   5. Significant cardiovascular abnormalities as defined by any one of the following:

   i. NYHA class III or IV congestive heart failure, ii. clinically significant hypotension, iii. uncontrolled symptomatic coronary artery disease, or iv. a documented ejection fraction of \<45%. Any patient with an EF of 45-49% must receive clearance by a cardiologist to be eligible for the trial.
4. ANC \<1000/mm\^3.
5. Hemoglobin \<9 mg/dl (transfusion permitted to achieve this).
6. Platelet count \<75,000/mm\^3.
7. Treatment with investigational agent(s) within 30 days of planned lymphodepletion.
8. HIV seropositive.
9. Uncontrolled active infection.
10. Anticipated survival of \<3 months.
11. Breast-feeding women.
12. Patients who have a contraindication to cyclophosphamide chemotherapy.
13. Known second malignancy that is progressing or requires active treatment.
14. Untreated CNS metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis. Patients with previously treated brain metastases may participate with documented stable disease as defined by no evidence of progression by imaging or symptoms for at least 4 weeks prior to enrollment.
15. Have psychiatric illness, social situation, or other medical condition that would preclude informed consent to limit compliance with study requirements, as determined by the investigator.

Where this trial is running

Duarte, California

• City of Hope Medical Center — Duarte, California, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Joanne Mortimer, MD — City of Hope Medical Center
• Study coordinator: Joanne Mortimer, MD

Conditions Metastatic Breast Cancer