Work

Data from TNG260 Is a Small-Molecule CoREST Inhibitor That Sensitizes STK11-Mutant Tumors to Anti–PD-1 Immunotherapy

Year: 2025
Type: other
Abstract: Patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with loss of the tumor suppressor gene STK11 are resistant to immune checkpoint therapies like anti–PD-1. In this study, we conducted an in vivo CRISPR screen that identified histone deacetylase 1 as a target to reverse anti–PD-1 resistance driven by loss of STK11 and developed TNG260, a potent small-molecule inhibitor of the CoREST complex with selectivity exceeding previously generated inhibitors in this class in preclinical studies. Treatment with TNG260 led to increased expression of immunomodulatory genes in STK11-deficient cancer cells. When combined with anti–PD-1, TNG260 induced immune-mediated stasis and/or regression in STK11-deficient syngeneic tumor models and autochthonous NSCLC models. In the tumors of patients with STK11-deficient cancers in a clinical trial (NCT05887492), treatment with a combination of TNG260 and pembrolizumab increased intratumoral histone acetylation, PD-L1 tumor proportion scores, and T-cell infiltration into the tumor microenvironment. This study illustrates a promising treatment strategy for addressing immune evasion in patients with STK11-mutant NSCLC. Significance: Targeting CoREST with TNG260 sensitizes STK11-deficient non-small cell lung cancer to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, offering a potential treatment for patients not served by existing therapies. See related commentary by Lin and Shen, p. 3821
Language: English
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W4415210609
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