Durable Suppression of Acquired MEK Inhibitor Resistance in Cancer by Sequestering MEK from ERK and Promoting Antitumor T-cell Immunity

Abstract

MAPK targeting in cancer often fails due to MAPK reactivation. MEK inhibitor (MEKi) monotherapy provides limited clinical benefits but may serve as a foundation for combination therapies. Here, we showed that combining a type II RAF inhibitor (RAFi) with an allosteric MEKi durably prevents and overcomes acquired resistance among cancers with <i>KRAS, NRAS, NF1, BRAF</i> ^non-V600, and <i>BRAF</i> ^V600 mutations. Tumor cell-intrinsically, type II RAFi plus MEKi sequester MEK in RAF complexes, reduce MEK/MEK dimerization, and uncouple MEK from ERK in acquired-resistant tumor subpopulations. Immunologically, this combination expands memory and activated/exhausted CD8⁺ T cells, and durable tumor regression elicited by this combination requires CD8⁺ T cells, which can be reinvigorated by anti-PD-L1 therapy. Whereas MEKi reduces dominant intratumoral T-cell clones, type II RAFi cotreatment reverses this effect and promotes T-cell clonotypic expansion. These findings rationalize the clinical development of type II RAFi plus MEKi and their further combination with PD-1/L1-targeted therapy. SIGNIFICANCE: Type I RAFi + MEKi are indicated only in certain <i>BRAF</i> ^V600MUT cancers. In contrast, type II RAFi + MEKi are durably active against acquired MEKi resistance across broad cancer indications, which reveals exquisite MAPK addiction. Allosteric modulation of MAPK protein/protein interactions and temporal preservation of intratumoral CD8⁺ T cells are mechanisms that may be further exploited.<i>This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 521</i>.