Cancer immunotherapy with enveloped self-amplifying mRNA CARG-2020 that modulates IL-12, IL-17 and PD-L1 pathways to prevent tumor recurrence.

Ju CHEN; Bhaskara Reddy MADINA; Elham AHMADI; Timur Olegovich YAROVINSKY; Marie Marthe KRADY; Eileen Victoria MEEHAN; Isabella China WANG; Xiaoyang YE; Elise PITMON; Xian-Yong MA; Bijan ALMASSIAN; Valerian NAKAAR; Kepeng WANG

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Cancer immunotherapy with enveloped self-amplifying mRNA CARG-2020 that modulates IL-12, IL-17 and PD-L1 pathways to prevent tumor recurrence.

Author: Ju CHEN ¹ ; Bhaskara Reddy MADINA ² ; Elham AHMADI ¹ ; Timur Olegovich YAROVINSKY ² ; Marie Marthe KRADY ² ; Eileen Victoria MEEHAN ¹ ; Isabella China WANG ¹ ; Xiaoyang YE ¹ ; Elise PITMON ¹ ; Xian-Yong MA ² ; Bijan ALMASSIAN ² ; Valerian NAKAAR ² ; Kepeng WANG ¹
Author Information

1. Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030, USA.
2. CaroGen Corporation, Farmington, CT 06030, USA.
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: Cancer immunotherapy; Combination therapy; IL-12; IL-17; Oncolytic virus; PD-L1; T cell exhaustion; Virus-like vesicles
From: Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2024;14(1):335-349
CountryChina
Language:English
Abstract: Targeting multiple immune mechanisms may overcome therapy resistance and further improve cancer immunotherapy for humans. Here, we describe the application of virus-like vesicles (VLV) for delivery of three immunomodulators alone and in combination, as a promising approach for cancer immunotherapy. VLV vectors were designed to deliver single chain interleukin (IL)-12, short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), and a dominant-negative form of IL-17 receptor A (dn-IL17RA) as a single payload or as a combination payload. Intralesional delivery of the VLV vector expressing IL-12 alone, as well as the trivalent vector (designated CARG-2020) eradicated large established tumors. However, only CARG-2020 prevented tumor recurrence and provided long-term survival benefit to the tumor-bearing mice, indicating a benefit of the combined immunomodulation. The abscopal effects of CARG-2020 on the non-injected contralateral tumors, as well as protection from the tumor cell re-challenge, suggest immune-mediated mechanism of protection and establishment of immunological memory. Mechanistically, CARG-2020 potently activates Th1 immune mechanisms and inhibits expression of genes related to T cell exhaustion and cancer-promoting inflammation. The ability of CARG-2020 to prevent tumor recurrence and to provide survival benefit makes it a promising candidate for its development for human cancer immunotherapy.