Potent preclinical activity of FLT3-directed chimeric antigen receptor T-cell immunotherapy against FLT3-mutant acute myeloid leukemia and KMT2A-rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell immunotherapies targeting CD19 or CD22 induce remissions in the majority of patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), although relapse due to target antigen loss or downregulation has emerged as a major clinical dilemma. Accordingly, great interest exists in developing CAR T cells directed against alternative leukemia cell surface antigens that may help to overcome immunotherapeutic resistance. The fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 receptor (FLT3) is constitutively activated via FLT3 mutation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or wild-type FLT3 overexpression in KMT2A (lysine-specific methyltransferase 2A)-rearranged ALL, which are associated with poor clinical outcomes in children and adults. We developed monovalent FLT3-targeted CAR T cells (FLT3CART) and bispecific CD19xFLT3CART and assessed their anti-leukemia activity in preclinical models of FLT3-mutant AML and KMT2A-rearranged infant ALL. We report robust in vitro FLT3CART-induced cytokine production and cytotoxicity against AML and ALL cell lines with minimal cross-reactivity against normal hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic tissues. We also observed potent in vivo inhibition of leukemia proliferation in xenograft models of both FLT3-mutant AML and KMT2A-rearranged ALL, including a post-tisagenlecleucel ALL-to-AML lineage switch patient-derived xenograft model pairing. We further demonstrate significant in vitro and in vivo activity of bispecific CD19xFLT3CART against KMT2A-rearranged ALL and posit that this additional approach might also diminish potential antigen escape in these high-risk leukemias. Our preclinical data credential FLT3CART as a highly effective immunotherapeutic strategy for both FLT3mutant AML and KMT2A-rearranged ALL which is poised for further investigation and clinical translation.

Automated summary

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell immunotherapies targeting CD19 or CD22 have shown promise in treating relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), but antigen loss or downregulation has become a major clinical challenge. In this study, we developed FLT3-targeted CAR T cells and evaluated their efficacy in preclinical models of FLT3-mutant AML and KMT2A-rearranged infant ALL. Our results demonstrate that FLT3-targeted CAR T cells can effectively produce cytokines and kill leukemia cells with minimal cross-reactivity. Bispecific CD19xFLT3-targeted CAR T cells also showed significant activity against KMT2A-rearranged ALL. Overall, our findings suggest that FLT3-targeted CAR T cells could be a highly effective immunotherapeutic strategy for FLT3-mutant AML and KMT2A-rearranged ALL and warrant further investigation and clinical translation.