Structural Optimization and Enhanced Prodrug-Mediated Delivery Overcomes Camptothecin Resistance in High-Risk Solid Tumors.

Camptothecins are potent topoisomerase I inhibitors used to treat high-risk pediatric solid tumors, but they often show poor efficacy due to intrinsic or acquired chemoresistance. Here, we developed a multivalent, polymer-based prodrug of a structurally optimized camptothecin (SN22) designed to overcome key chemoresistance mechanisms. The ability of SN22 vs. SN38 (the active form of irinotecan/CPT-11) to overcome efflux pump-driven drug resistance was tested. Tumor uptake and biodistribution of SN22 as a polymer-based prodrug (PEG-[SN22]4) compared with SN38 was determined. The therapeutic efficacy of PEG-[SN22]4 to CPT-11 was compared in: (i) spontaneous neuroblastomas (NB) in transgenic TH-MYCN mice; (ii) orthotopic xenografts of a drug-resistant NB line SK-N-BE(2)C (mutated TP53); (iii) flank xenografts of a drug-resistant NB-PDX; and (iv) xenografts of Ewing sarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma. Unlike SN38, SN22 inhibited NB cell growth regardless of ABCG2 expression levels. SN22 prodrug delivery resulted in sustained intratumoral drug concentrations, dramatically higher than those of SN38 at all time points. CPT-11/SN38 treatment had only marginal effects on tumors in transgenic mice, but PEG-[SN22]4 treatment caused complete tumor regression lasting over 6 months (tumor free at necropsy). PEG-[SN22]4 also markedly extended survival of mice with drug-resistant, orthotopic NB and it caused long-term (6+ months) remissions in 80% to 100% of NB and sarcoma xenografts. SN22 administered as a multivalent polymeric prodrug resulted in increased and protracted tumor drug exposure compared with CPT-11, leading to long-term "cures" in NB models of intrinsic or acquired drug resistance, and models of high-risk sarcomas, warranting its further development for clinical trials. SIGNIFICANCE: SN22 is an effective and curative multivalent macromolecular agent in multiple solid tumor mouse models, overcoming common mechanisms of drug resistance with the potential to elicit fewer toxicities than most cancer therapeutics. ©2020 American Association for Cancer Research.