GeneCentric Publishes New Data Comparing Predictive Immune Response Profiles in Patients Treated with Checkpoint Inhibition or IL-2

A novel RNA-based IL-2 treatment response classifier was developed as part of the study in patients with renal cell carcinoma

DURHAM, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#GeneCentric—GeneCentric Therapeutics, a company making precision medicine more precise through RNA-based diagnostics, announced its new publication in Cancer Research Communications that compares the immunogenomic response profiles to anti-PD-(L)1 or IL-2 therapy and the development of a novel response classifier to IL-2 treatment¹. Cancer Research Communications is an open access peer-reviewed journal published by the American Association for Cancer Research. The study was conducted as a collaboration between Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute, Sanofi, and GeneCentric and evaluated real-world data from patients diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who were treated with immune-oncology agents. Results suggest that common and distinct immune-related response markers for IL-2 and anti-PD-(L)1 therapy may help guide their use, either alone or in combination.

“It is exciting to share the initial findings from this important collaboration where we attempted to identify the immunogenomic differences between IL-2 and anti-PD-1 responders in renal cell carcinoma,” said Dr. Asim Amin, medical oncologist, Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute, and study co-principal investigator. “Using RNA expression analysis, we were able to identify key characteristics that are unique to each treatment modality, as well as those that are shared between the two. With this work we were able to develop a novel IL-2 response signature that may have prognostic potential.”

A primary focus of the study was to obtain a deeper understanding of the tumor microenvironment similarities and/or differences that may lead to IL-2 or anti-PD-(L)1 therapy response. Retrospective tumor samples and corresponding clinical response data were collected from patients with a primary diagnosis of RCC who were treated with high-dose IL-2 (HD-IL-2; aldesleukin) and compared to existing data from a similar cohort of RCC patients treated with the anti-PD-1 nivolumab². Tumor samples from HD-IL-2 treated patients underwent RNA sequencing (RNAseq) prior to immunogenomic analysis. As a result, a novel RNA-based IL-2 treatment response signature was discovered that could ultimately assist in further developing diagnostics for next-generation IL-2 agents, several of which are in clinical development.

About Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type of kidney and renal pelvis cancer in adults. In the United States, it is estimated that there will be approximately 79,000 new cases of kidney and renal pelvis cancer in 2022 and almost 14,000 deaths. Kidney and renal pelvis cancer, which includes RCC, is considered the 8^th most common type of cancer. Standard treatment options for RCC are surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy.

About GeneCentric

GeneCentric Therapeutics, Inc. is an RNA-based genomic solutions provider based in Durham, North Carolina. The company designed its technologies to parse the complexity of tumor and immune biology using its RNA-based Tumor and Immune Micro-Environment (rT(I)ME) Explorer platform to discover and develop signatures of responder populations to oncology therapeutics. GeneCentric commercializes its technology through strategic collaborations with pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostics companies in applications throughout preclinical testing, clinical drug development and commercialization lifecycle phases. For more information, visit www.genecentric.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

References

¹ Eisner JR, Beebe KD, Mayhew GM, Shibata Y, Guo Y, Farhangfar CJ, et al. Distinct predictive immunogenomic profiles of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors and IL-2: A real-world evidence study of patients with advanced renal cancer. Cancer Res Comm. 2022; https://doi.org/10.1158/2767-9764.CRC-21-0153

^2. Miao D, Margolis CA, Gao W, Voss MH, Li W, Martini DJ, et al. Genomic correlates of response to immune checkpoint therapies in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Science. 2018;359(6377):801–6.

Contacts

Robin Fastenau

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