1. Academic Validation
  2. CC-90009, a novel cereblon E3 ligase modulator, targets acute myeloid leukemia blasts and leukemia stem cells

CC-90009, a novel cereblon E3 ligase modulator, targets acute myeloid leukemia blasts and leukemia stem cells

  • Blood. 2021 Feb 4;137(5):661-677. doi: 10.1182/blood.2020008676.
Christine Surka 1 Liqing Jin 2 Nathan Mbong 2 Chin-Chun Lu 1 In Sock Jang 1 Emily Rychak 1 Derek Mendy 1 Thomas Clayton 1 Elizabeth Tindall 1 Christy Hsu 1 Celia Fontanillo 1 Eileen Tran 1 Adrian Contreras 1 Stanley W K Ng 2 Mary Matyskiela 1 Kai Wang 1 Philip Chamberlain 1 Brian Cathers 1 James Carmichael 1 Joshua Hansen 1 Jean C Y Wang 2 3 4 Mark D Minden 2 3 4 Jinhong Fan 5 Daniel W Pierce 5 Michael Pourdehnad 5 Mark Rolfe 1 Antonia Lopez-Girona 1 John E Dick 2 6 Gang Lu 1
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Bristol-Myers Squibb, San Diego, CA.
  • 2 Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
  • 3 Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
  • 4 Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
  • 5 Bristol-Myers Squibb, San Francisco, CA; and.
  • 6 Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Abstract

A number of clinically validated drugs have been developed by repurposing the CUL4-DDB1-CRBN-RBX1 (CRL4CRBN) E3 ubiquitin Ligase complex with molecular glue degraders to eliminate disease-driving proteins. Here, we present the identification of a first-in-class GSPT1-selective Cereblon E3 Ligase modulator, CC-90009. Biochemical, structural, and molecular characterization demonstrates that CC-90009 coopts the CRL4CRBN to selectively target GSPT1 for ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Depletion of GSPT1 by CC-90009 rapidly induces acute myeloid leukemia (AML) Apoptosis, reducing leukemia engraftment and leukemia stem cells (LSCs) in large-scale primary patient xenografting of 35 independent AML samples, including those with adverse risk features. Using a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screen for effectors of CC-90009 response, we uncovered the ILF2 and ILF3 heterodimeric complex as a novel regulator of Cereblon expression. Knockout of ILF2/ILF3 decreases the production of full-length Cereblon protein via modulating CRBN messenger RNA alternative splicing, leading to diminished response to CC-90009. The screen also revealed that the mTOR signaling and the integrated stress response specifically regulate the response to CC-90009 in contrast to other Cereblon modulators. Hyperactivation of the mTOR pathway by inactivation of TSC1 and TSC2 protected against the growth inhibitory effect of CC-90009 by reducing CC-90009-induced binding of GSPT1 to Cereblon and subsequent GSPT1 degradation. On the Other hand, GSPT1 degradation promoted the activation of the GCN1/GCN2/ATF4 pathway and subsequent Apoptosis in AML cells. Collectively, CC-90009 activity is mediated by multiple layers of signaling networks and pathways within AML blasts and LSCs, whose elucidation gives insight into further assessment of CC-90009s clinical utility. These trials were registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02848001 and #NCT04336982).

Figures
Products