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Zhao, Yujie

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7028-2408

Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic in Florida

Citations 16

Phase 1 trial of a novel C’Dot drug conjugate (CDC), ELU001, in patients with solid tumors known to overexpress folate receptor alpha (FRα).
Perez, Cesar A. , Orr, Douglas, Zhao, Yujie , Reddick, Catherine W., Bayever, Eliel, Wee, Wen , Tolcher, Anthony W. , Hamilton, Erika , Murciano‐Goroff, Yonina R. , Anders, Carey K. , Adams, Gregory Paul

Journal of Clinical Oncology | June 4, 2023 | Volume: 41 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: TPS3159-TPS3159

10.1200/jco.2023.41.16_suppl.tps3159 Get It

TPS3159 Background: ELU001 is a novel first-in-class nanoparticle drug conjugate that consists of ~13 folic acid targeting moieties and a payload of ~22 molecules of the topoisomerase-1 inhibitor, exatecan. Folic acid and exatecan are covalently bound by non-cleavable and cathepsin-B cleavable linkers, respectively, to short polyethylene glycol chains which surround the C’Dot’s silica core. CDCs are very small (~6 nm), allowing for more efficient penetration into solid tumors compared to ADCs and a rapid elimination by the kidneys, which is expected to lead to less toxicity than ADCs that have a longer half-life in circulation. ELU001’s high avidity is designed to promote binding to FRα on the surface of cancer cells that express any level of antigen (low to high). ELU001 then internalizes into the tumor cell and traffics to the lysosome where enzymatic cleavage releases the exatecan payload. ELU001 has demonstrated efficacy in preclinical models with low, moderate and high levels of FRα. The first-in-human trial, ELU-FRα-1, is currently recruiting patients with ovarian, endometrial, colorectal, gastric, gastroesophageal junction, triple negative breast, or non-small cell lung cancers, or cholangiocarcinoma cancers, and, in the opinion of the Investigator, have no meaningful life-prolonging therapy option available. Methods: This is a Phase 1 / 2 multicenter, open label clinical trial with two parts: Part 1 Dose Escalation and Part 2 Tumor Group Expansion Cohort(s). In Part 1, patients with cancer types with a high likelihood of having FRα overexpressing tumors, (ovarian, endometrial, colorectal, gastric, gastroesophageal junction, triple negative breast, or non-small cell lung cancers, or cholangiocarcinoma) will be enrolled. FRα expression is determined retrospectively. ELU001 is administered either weekly (QW) (once a week for 3 weeks, 1 week rest), every other week (Q2W, with no rest between cycles), or every three weeks (Q3W). Initial Part 2 expansion cohorts are planned in ovarian cancer with high FRα expression, ovarian cancer with moderate or low FRα expression, and endometrial cancer with any positive FRα expression. Here, FRα will be prospectively determined. Other cancer types may be assessed in the future. The primary objective for Part 1 is to identify the MTD/RP2D. The primary objective for Part 2 is to determine the ORR. Secondary objectives include DOR, PFS, TFST, PFS2, OS, frequency, severity and tolerability of adverse events, PK, ADA, and FRα expression assessments. Part 1 Dose Escalation will recruit about 2-5 patients at each dose for each regimen (QW; Q2W; Q3W). Part 2 Stage 1 will recruit about 15 patients per tumor group expansion cohort and is expected to begin recruitment in the second half of 2023. The study is enrolling in Part 1 Q2W Cohort 301 and Q3W Cohort A in the US. Clinical trial information: NCT05001282 .
Abstract CT255: ELU-FRα-1: a study to evaluate ELU001 in patients with solid tumors that overexpress folate receptor alpha (FRα)
Perez, Cesar A. , Orr, Douglass, Zhao, Yujie , Reddick, Catherine W., Bayever, Eliel, Wee, Wen , Tolcher, Anthony W. , Hamilton, Erika , Murciano‐Goroff, Yonina R. , Anders, Carey K. , Adams, Gregory Paul

Cancer Research | April 14, 2023 | Volume: 83 | Issue: 8_Supplement | Pages: CT255-CT255

10.1158/1538-7445.am2023-ct255 Get It

Abstract Background: ELU001 is a novel, first-in-class, new molecular entity described as a C’Dot Drug Conjugate (CDC). ELU001 consists of ~13 folic acid targeting moieties and a payload of ~22 molecules of the topoisomerase-1 inhibitor, exatecan. Folic acid and exatecan are covalently bound by non-cleavable and cathepsin-B cleavable linkers, respectively, to short polyethylene glycol chains which surround the C’Dot’s silica core. CDCs are very small (~6 nm), allowing greater ability to penetrate more efficiently into solid tumors compared to ADCs. CDCs are rapidly eliminated by the kidneys, which is expected to lead to less toxicity than ADCs that have a longer half-life in circulation. ELU001’s high avidity is designed to promote binding to FRα on the surface on FRα overexpressing cancer cells with a wide range of antigen expression including high, moderate and low expressing tumor cells. Following antigen binding, ELU001 internalizes into the tumor cell, and traffics to the lysosome where enzymatic cleavage releases the exatecan payload. The first-in-human trial, ELU-FRα-1, is currently recruiting patients that have advanced, recurrent or refractory tumors associated with indications that are known to potentially overexpress FRα and have been shown to be topoisomerase 1 inhibitor-sensitive, and, in the opinion of the Investigator, have no satisfactory therapeutic options available. Methods: This is a Phase 1/2 multicenter, open label clinical trial with two parts: Part 1 Dose Escalation and Part 2 Tumor Group Expansion Cohort(s). Part 1 is a basket trial enrolling patients with cancer types with a high likelihood of having FRα overexpressing tumors, (specifically, ovarian, endometrial, colorectal, gastric, gastroesophageal junction, triple negative breast, or non-small cell lung cancers, or cholangiocarcinoma). Patients are receiving ELU001 weekly (QW) (once a week for 3 weeks, 1 week rest), every other week (Q2W, with no rest between cycles), or every three weeks (Q3W). Analysis of FRα expression will be retrospectively determined. Part 2 will use Simon’s Two-Stage design to evaluate 4-6 Expansion Cohorts, comprised of tumor histologies anticipated to have greatest activity to ELU001 treatment. FRα will be prospectively determined. The primary objective for Part 1 is to identify the MTD/RP2D. The primary objective for Part 2 is to determine the ORR. Secondary objectives include DOR, PFS, TFST, PFS2, OS, frequency, severity and tolerability of adverse events, PK, ADA, and FRα expression assessments. Part 1 Dose Escalation will recruit about 25 patients per dose regimen (QW; Q2W; Q3W). The first stage of Part 2 (Dose Expansion) will recruit about 15 patients per tumor group expansion cohort. The study is actively enrolling in the US and currently recruiting in Q2W Cohort 201 and Q3W Cohort A. QW Cohorts 1-3 and Q2W Cohort 101 are complete. Clinical trial information: NCT05001282. Citation Format: Wen Wee Ma, Anthony Tolcher, Cesar A. Perez, Douglass Orr, Erika Hamilton, Yujie Zhao, Yonina Murciano-Goroff, Carey Anders, Gregory P. Adams, Catherine W. Reddick, Eliel Bayever. ELU-FRα-1: a study to evaluate ELU001 in patients with solid tumors that overexpress folate receptor alpha (FRα) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 2 (Clinical Trials and Late-Breaking Research); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(8_Suppl):Abstract nr CT255.
Mutational profile, clinical characterization, and outcomes of lung cancer in solid organ transplant recipients.
Li, Shenduo , Zhao, Yujie , Lou, Yanyan , Manochakian, Rami

Journal of Clinical Oncology | June 6, 2022 | Volume: 40 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: e21131-e21131

10.1200/jco.2022.40.16_suppl.e21131 Get It

e21131 Background: Solid organ transplant recipients have increased risk for malignancies. Lung cancer is the second most common malignancy in this population. Those patients are usually on long-term immunosuppressive medications that may affect tumorigenesis, cancer characteristics, and treatment response. Previous studies have investigated the characteristics and outcomes of post-transplant patients with lung cancer in small-sized cohorts. However, the tumor mutational profile and detailed treatment response at different stages have not been reported. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study from a cohort of 52 solid organ transplant recipients who were diagnosed with lung cancer at Mayo Clinic from 2018 to 2021. We examined tumor molecular alteration using next generation sequencing (NGS), analyzed the treatment modalities, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) and compared those to the general population with lung cancer using historical data in previous large trials. Results: In our study, most transplanted solid organs are kidney (N = 28, 53.8%), followed by liver (N = 12, 23.1%) and heart (N = 9, 17.3%). The adenocarcinoma (N = 28, 53.8%) represented the most common histology, followed by squamous cell carcinoma (N = 19, 36.5%). It consisted of Stage I (30.8%), stage II (15.4%), stage III (25%), and stage IV (26.9%). The most common site of metastasis is bone (64.3%). Transplant recipients with lung cancer have a significantly high frequency of somatic BRCA 1/2 mutations (30.4%), compared to the general population with advanced lung cancer (2.1%, p < 0.001). The frequencies of TP53 mutations (52.2%) and EGFR mutations (30.4%) are also increased. For stage I patients who received surgery or radiation therapy, the disease-free survival (DFS) is 16.5 months. 9 of 14 stage IV patients received chemotherapy. The median number of cycles received is 4. The median PFS is 4.9 months, and the median OS of all stage IV patients is 6.1 months. 4 patients were found to have actionable EGFR mutations, and 3 of them were initially diagnosed with stage IIIA and received Osimertinib after progression. One stage IV patient who was post-liver transplant received pembrolizumab for up to 5 cycles before he developed aspiration pneumonia and then pursued hospice. The PFS is 3.7 months. No immune-related adverse event was reported. Conclusions: In our cohort of solid organ transplant recipients who developed lung cancer, we observed a much higher frequency of somatic BRCA 1/2 mutations, compared to the general population with lung cancer. In addition, our data suggested post-transplant patients with stage I lung cancer have a shorter disease-free survival, and patients with stage IV lung cancer have a shorter overall survival, compared to the general population with lung cancer. Further study containing a high number of solid transplant patients to validate these findings is warranted.
ELU-FRα-1: A study to evaluate ELU001 in patients with solid tumors that overexpress folate receptor alpha (FRα).
Strauss, James , Zhao, Yujie , Perez, Cesar A. , Reddick, Catherine, Bayever, Eliel, Wee, Wen , Tolcher, Anthony W. , Bekaii‐Saab, Tanios , Hamilton, Erika , Adams, Gregory Paul , Reddick, Catherine W.

Journal of Clinical Oncology | June 6, 2022 | Volume: 40 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: TPS3158-TPS3158

10.1200/jco.2022.40.16_suppl.tps3158 Get It

TPS3158 Background: ELU001 is a novel, first-in-class, new molecular entity described as a C’Dot Drug Conjugate (CDC). ELU001 consists of ̃12 folic acid targeting moieties and ̃22 exatecan topoisomerase-1 inhibitor payloads on Cathepsin-B cleavable linkers covalently bound to the surface of each silicon core/polyethylene glycol C’Dot nanoparticle. CDCs are small in size (̃6 nm), have a greater ability to penetrate into and through tumors as compared to ADCs, and are rapidly eliminated by the kidneys. The rapid systemic elimination is expected to lead to less toxicity than is observed with targeting platforms like ADCs that have a longer half-life in circulation. ELU001’s high avidity is believed to promote internalization into FRα overexpressing cancer cells, selectively delivering it’s ̃22 molecules of payload. The first-in-human clinical trial, ELU-FRα-1, is currently recruiting patients that have advanced, recurrent or refractory FRα overexpressing tumors considered to be topoisomerase 1 inhibitor-sensitive based on the literature, and, in the opinion of the Investigator, have no satisfactory therapeutic options available. Methods: This is a Phase 1 / 2 multicenter, open label clinical trial with two parts: Part 1 Dose Escalation and Part 2 Tumor Group Expansion Cohort(s). In Part 1, patients with cancer types with a high likelihood of having FRα overexpressing tumors based on historical data, (specifically, ovarian, endometrial, colorectal, gastric, gastroesophageal junction, triple negative breast, or non-small cell lung cancers, or cholangiocarcinoma), will be enrolled to the study. Patients will receive ELU001 on a weekly dose regimen (QW) (once a week for 3 weeks, 1 week rest) or every other week dose regimen (Q2W, with no rest between cycles). Retrospective analysis of FRα expression will be determined. Part 2 uses a Simon’s Two-Stage design to evaluate 4-6 tumor group expansion cohorts, each consisting of patients with specific tumor types (to be identified based on emerging data) that overexpress FRα (prospectively determined prior to enrollment). The primary objective for Part 1 is to identify the MTD/RP2D and for Part 2 is ORR. Dose Escalation will recruit about 25 patients per dose regimen (QW or Q2W). Dose Expansion will recruit about 15 patients per tumor group expansion cohort. Secondary objectives are anti-tumor activity (DOR, PFS, TFST, PFS2, OS), frequency, severity and tolerability of adverse events, PK, ADA, and FRα expression assessments. The study is actively enrolling in the US – Cohorts 1-2 have been completed without DLT. Enrollment to Cohort 3 began in December 2021. Clinical trial information: NCT05001282 .
Genomic landscape differences in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer by sex and age.
Kimbrough, ErinMarie O. , Dada, Hiba I., Drusbosky, Leylah , Zhao, Yujie , Lou, Yanyan , Manochakian, Rami

Journal of Clinical Oncology | June 2, 2021 | Volume: 39 | Issue: 15_suppl | Pages: 9108-9108

10.1200/jco.2021.39.15_suppl.9108 Get It

9108 Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S. The median age at diagnosis is 70 years, and NSCLC is uncommon among younger individuals ( < 50 years).Overall, outcomes in NSCLC have improved significantly with targeted therapy. A prior study demonstrated patients < 50 are more likely to have targetable alterations including EGFR, ALK, ERBB2, and ROS1. Another study reported an increased prevalence of EGFR mutations in females and KRAS mutations in males with NSCLC. The comprehensive genomic landscape of NSCLC patients in different age groups and genders remains largely unknown. In our study, we aim to investigate the genomic alterations in patients with advanced NSCLC according to age and sex. Efforts that are focused on identifying targetable alterations in NSCLC will likely help personalize treatment and improve outcomes. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of de-identified data from the Guardant Health database from March 2018 through October 2020. We reviewed 34,237 profiles from patients with NSCLC who underwent molecular profiling using the plasma-based circulating-tumor DNA (ctDNA) Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) assay Guardant360. Single nucleotide variants (SNV), fusions, indels and copy number variations (CNV) of up to 83 genes were analyzed. We assessed for genomic differences among patients with advanced NSCLC by both sex and age (≥70 and < 70). We conducted two-tailed tests of equality of proportions comparing males to females and ≥70 to < 70. Results: Of the 34,237 profiles reviewed, somatic alterations were seen in 81.7% (n = 27,972) of the patients. The median age was 70 (range 16-102) and 55% were female. Our study demonstrated that the most common genomic alterations in both age groups and genders were TP53, EGFR, KRAS, ATM, and MET. Patients ≥70 were more likely to have ATM (21% versus 14%, p < 0.0001) and MET (12% versus 10 %, p < 0.0001) mutations than those < 70. Patients < 70 were more likely to have EGFR (30% versus 27%, p < 0.0001), STK11 (14% versus 11%, p = 0.0056), and KRAS (26% versus 24%, p < 0.0001) alterations. EGFR was seen more frequently in females (33% versus 26%, p < 0.0001). ATM (11% versus 6%, p < 0.0001) and MET (8% versus 5%, p = 0.0050) were seen more frequently in males. Conclusions: Significant differences in the distribution of targetable genomic alterations were identified among different age groups and genders in patients with advanced NSCLC. These findings highlight the importance of taking personalized approaches to diagnostic testing and treatment of advanced NSCLC.
Association of Race, Socioeconomic Factors, and Treatment Characteristics With Overall Survival in Patients With Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer
Zhou, Kexun , H, Shi , Chen, Ruqin , Cochuyt, Jordan J., Hodge, David O. , Zhao, Yujie , Lou, Yanyan , Shi, Huashan, Manochakian, Rami , Ailawadhi, Sikander

JAMA Network Open | January 14, 2021 | Volume: 4 | Issue: 1 | Pages: e2032276

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.32276 Get It