The novel DNA cross-linking agent KL-50 is active against patient-derived models of new and recurrent post-temozolomide mismatch repair-deficient glioblastoma.

Background: Acquired resistance to temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy due to DNA mismatch repair (MMR) enzyme deficiency is a barrier to improving outcomes for IDH wild-type glioblastoma (GBM) patients. KL-50 is a new imidazotetrazine-based therapeutic designed to induce DNA interstrand cross links, and subsequent double-stranded breaks, in an MMR-independent manner in cells with O-6-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase (MGMT) deficiency. Previous research showed its efficacy against LN229 glioma cells with MMR and MGMT knockdown. Its activity against patient-derived GBM that model post-TMZ recurrent tumors is unclear.

Methods: We created MMR-deficient GBM patient-derived xenografts through exposure to TMZ, followed by treatment with additional TMZ or KL-50. We also generated isogenic, MSH6 knockout patient-derived GBM and tested them for sensitivity to TMZ and KL-50.

Results: KL-50 extended the median survival of mice intracranially engrafted with either patient-derived TMZ-naïve GBM6 or TMZ-naïve GBM12 by 1.75-fold and 2.15-fold, respectively (p<0.0001). A low dose (4 Gy) of fractionated RT further extended the survival of KL-50 treated GBM12 mice (median survival=80 days for RT+ KL-50 vs. 71 days KL-50 alone, P=0.018). KL-50 also extended the median survival of mice engrafted with post-TMZ, MMR-deficient GBM6R-m185 (140 days for KL-50 vs. 37 days for vehicle, p<0.0001). MSH6-KO increased TMZ IC50 for GBM6 and GBM12 cultures by >5-fold and >12-fold for cell death and live cell count outputs, respectively. In contrast, MSH6-KO actually decreased KL-50 IC50 by 10-80%.

Conclusion: KL-50-based compounds are a promising new strategy for the treatment of MGMT-deficient, MMR-deficient GBM that recurs after frontline TMZ.