Purpose: OBI-999 is a novel antibody-drug conjugate comprising the Globo H-targeting antibody (OBI-888) linked to the cytotoxic payload monomethyl auristatin E. OBI-999 demonstrated excellent dose-dependent tumor growth inhibition in breast, gastric, and pancreatic cancer xenograft models as well as a lung cancer patient-derived xenograft model. We conducted a phase I study of OBI-999 monotherapy in patients with advanced cancer (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04084366).

Patients and methods: OBI-999 was administered intravenously at doses of 0.4, 0.8, 1.2, and 1.6 mg/kg every 21 days as part of a 3 + 3 trial design. Primary end points were the incidence of dose-limiting toxicities and adverse events and determination of the maximum tolerated dose (MTD)/recommended phase II dose.

Results: Fifteen adult patients were treated. OBI-999 was well tolerated up to 1.2 mg/kg, the maximum tolerated dose. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were neutropenia and anemia. OBI-999 exhibited nonlinear pharmacokinetics at all doses, with lower clearance at higher doses. The three patients treated at the 1.6 mg/kg dose level developed grade 4 neutropenia during cycles 1 and 2. Five (33.3%) patients had stable disease (SD) including one patient with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the oropharynx with SD for 13 cycles and one patient with gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma with SD for eight cycles. OBI-999 was well tolerated; however, dose-dependent, noncumulative neutropenia was dose-limiting.

Conclusion: The recommended phase II dose was determined to be 1.2 mg/kg once every 3 weeks. A phase II cohort-expansion study is now enrolling patients with pancreatic, colorectal, and other cancers expressing high levels of Globo H.