Peptides and combination of peptides for use in immunotherapy against small cell lung cancer and other cancers

• US 10,377,802 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2018
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH (Immatics NV)
• Original Assignee: Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH (Immatics NV)
• Inventors: Mahr, Andrea, Weinschenk, Toni, Goldfinger, Valentina, Schoor, Oliver, Fritsche, Jens, Singh, Harpreet
• Primary Examiner(s): Reddig, Peter J
• Application Number:
  US16/233,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20190112347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 229 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2039/5158 Antigen-pulsed cells, e.g. T-cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 39/0011 Cancer antigens
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 39/4611 T-cells, e.g. tumor infiltrating lymphocytes [TIL], lymphokine-activated killer cells [LAK] or regulatory T cells [Treg]
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 39/4644 Cancer antigens
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/00 Drugs for disorders of the alimentary tract or the digestive system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/04 for ulcers, gastritis or reflux esophagitis, e.g. antacids, inhibitors of acid secretion, mucosal protectants
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/16 for liver or gallbladder disorders, e.g. hepatoprotective agents, cholagogues, litholytics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/18 for pancreatic disorders, e.g. pancreatic enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 11/00 Drugs for disorders of the respiratory system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 13/08 of the prostate
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 13/10 of the bladder
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 13/12 of the kidneys
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 15/00 Drugs for genital or sexual disorders for disorders of sex hormones A61P5/24; Contraceptives
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 17/00 Drugs for dermatological disorders
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/00 Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/00 Antineoplastic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/02 specific for leukemia
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 37/04 Immunostimulants
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/4748 Tumour specific antigens; Tumour rejection antigen precursors [TRAP], e.g. MAGE
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/7051 : T-cell receptor (TcR)-CD3 complex
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/70539 : MHC-molecules, e.g. HLA-molecules
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 16/2833 : against MHC-molecules, e.g. HLA-molecules
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 16/30 : from tumour cells
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 2319/40 : containing a tag for immunodetection, or an epitope for immunisation
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 7/06 : having 5 to 11 amino acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/115 : Aptamers, i.e. nucleic acids binding a target molecule specifically and with high affinity without hybridising therewith ; Nucleic acids binding to non-nucleic acids, e.g. aptamers
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/62 : DNA sequences coding for fusion proteins
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2310/16 : Aptamers
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0636 : T lymphocytes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/7028 : Cancer
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/57423 : of lung

Abstract

The present invention relates to peptides, proteins, nucleic acids and cells for use in immunotherapeutic methods. In particular, the present invention relates to the immunotherapy of cancer. The present invention furthermore relates to tumor-associated T-cell peptide epitopes, alone or in combination with other tumor-associated peptides that can for example serve as active pharmaceutical ingredients of vaccine compositions that stimulate anti-tumor immune responses, or to stimulate T cells ex vivo and transfer into patients. Peptides bound to molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), or peptides as such, can also be targets of antibodies, soluble T-cell receptors, and other binding molecules.

Claims

1. A method of eliciting an immune response in a patient who has cancer, comprising administering to said patient a population of activated T cells that selectively recognize cells that aberrantly present a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of GLLEVQVEV (SEQ ID NO:

40),

wherein the activated T cells are cytotoxic T cells produced by contacting T cells with an antigen presenting cell that presents the peptide in a complex with an MHC class I molecule on the surface of the antigen presenting cell, for a period of time sufficient to activate said T cell,

wherein said cancer is selected from the group consisting of lung cancer, melanoma, liver cancer, breast cancer, uterine cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma, pancreatic cancer, gallbladder cancer, bile duct cancer, colon or rectum cancer, urinary bladder cancer, kidney cancer, leukemia, ovarian cancer, esophageal cancer, brain cancer, gastric cancer, and prostate cancer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the T cells are autologous to the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the T cells are obtained from a healthy donor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the T cells are obtained from tumor infiltrating lymphocytes or peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the activated T cells are expanded in vitro.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the population of activated T cells are administered in the form of a composition.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the composition further comprises an adjuvant.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of anti-CD40 antibody, imiquimod, resiquimod, GM-CSF, cyclophosphamide, sunitinib, bevacizumab, interferon-alpha, interferon-beta, CpG oligonucleotides and derivatives, poly-(I:

C) and derivatives, RNA, sildenafil, particulate formulations with poly(lactide co-glycolide) (PLG), virosomes, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-12, IL-13, IL-15, IL-21, and IL-23.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the contacting is in vitro.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the cancer is gastric cancer.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the cancer is esophageal cancer.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the cancer is brain cancer.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the activated T cells release a cytokine.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the immune response is capable of killing cancer cells that present a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of GLLEVQVEV (SEQ ID NO:

40).

20. The method of claim 7, wherein the adjuvant comprises IL-21.

10. A method of eliciting an immune response in a patient who has lung cancer, comprising administering to said patient a population of activated T cells that selectively recognize cells that aberrantly present a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of GLLEVQVEV (SEQ ID NO:

40),

wherein the activated T cells are cytotoxic T cells produced by contacting T cells with an antigen presenting cell that presents the peptide in a complex with an MHC class I molecule on the surface of the antigen presenting cell, for a period of time sufficient to activate said T cell.

16. A method of eliciting an immune response in a patient who has lung cancer, melanoma, liver cancer, breast cancer, uterine cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma, pancreatic cancer, gallbladder cancer, bile duct cancer, colon or rectum cancer, urinary bladder cancer, kidney cancer, leukemia, ovarian cancer, esophageal cancer, brain cancer, gastric cancer, or prostate cancer, comprising administering to said patient a composition comprising a peptide in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt and an adjuvant, wherein said peptide consists of the amino acid sequence of GLLEVQVEV (SEQ ID NO:

40), thereby inducing a T-cell response to the lung cancer, melanoma, liver cancer, breast cancer, uterine cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma, pancreatic cancer, gallbladder cancer, bile duct cancer, colon or rectum cancer, urinary bladder cancer, kidney cancer, leukemia, ovarian cancer, esophageal cancer, brain cancer, gastric cancer, or prostate cancer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the T cell response is a cytotoxic T cell response.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of anti-CD40 antibody, imiquimod, resiquimod, GM-CSF, cyclophosphamide, sunitinib, bevacizumab, interferon-alpha, interferon-beta, CpG oligonucleotides and derivatives, poly-(I:

C) and derivatives, RNA, sildenafil, particulate formulations with poly(lactide co-glycolide) (PLG), virosomes, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-12, IL-13, IL-15, IL-21, and IL-23.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the immune response is capable of killing cancer cells that present a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of GLLEVQVEV (SEQ ID NO:

40).