Acquired resistance to tucatinib is associated with EGFR amplification in HER2+ breast cancer (BC) models and can be overcome by a more complete blockade of HER receptor layer (SABCS 2021)
Background : With recent approval of the irreversible pan-HER tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) neratinib (N) and the HER2-specific TKI tucatinib (T) in the advanced setting and their edging towards the early setting in HER2+ BC, resistance will likely emerge as a challenge, as illustrated by the HER2CLIMB study, where only one patient with brain metastasis remained progression free after 2 years on T. We set out to define the mechanisms of resistance to T and treatment strategies to overcome it. Materials and Methods : Our previously characterized HER2+ BT474 models with acquired resistance to lapatinib (L; LapR) or N (NrbR) (SABCS20-PD3-09), and our recently developed models of BT474 and SKBR3 with acquired resistance to T (TucaR) developed through long-term exposure to increasing doses of T (up to 200nM) and their naïve parental (P) were used...Further, the elevated pEGFR, pHER2, pHER3, pAKT, and pS6 levels in TucaR models were substantially suppressed by the EGFR-specific TKI gefitinib (G) (50, 500nM) or even further when combined with T (500 nM G+200nM T)...Whilst we previously reported that the LapR and NrbR cells were cross-resistant to T, the TucaR cells remained highly sensitive to the pan-HER TKIs N, poziotinib, and pyrotinib...Further, while resistance to L and N confers cross-resistance to T, resistance to T may be overcome using pan-HER TKIs or the combination of potent EGFR and HER2 inhibitors. Together, our findings hold crucial implications in light of the current treatment landscape of HER2+ BC, with a particular emphasis on the considerations to strategize the treatment sequence of currently available TKIs.