Anti-CCR8 antibodies for treating cancer

Abstract

This disclosure provides isolated antibodies, for example, monoclonal antibodies, that specifically bind to the C-C Motif Chemokine Receptor 8 (CCR8) expressed on the surface of a cell and mediate depletion of the CCR8-expressing cell by antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). The disclosure provides methods for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an anti-CCR8 antibody as monotherapy or in combination with an anti-cancer agent such as an immune checkpoint inhibitor, for example, an anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 antibody.

Description

[0001] ANTI-CCR8 ANTIBODIES FOR TREATING CANCER

[0002] Throughout this application, various publications are referenced in parentheses by author name and date, or by Patent No. or Patent Publication No. Full citations for these publications may be found at the end of the specification immediately preceding the claims. The disclosures of these publications are hereby incorporated in their entireties by reference into this application in order to more fully describe the state of the art as known to those skilled therein as of the date of the invention described and claimed herein. However, these disclosures are incorporated into the present application only to the extent that no conflict exists between the information incorporated by reference and the information provided by explicit disclosure in the present application. Moreover, the citation of a reference herein should not be construed as an acknowledgement that such reference is prior art to the present invention.

[0003] CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 63 / 157,618, filed March 5, 2021; 63 / 041,992, filed June 21, 2020; and 62 / 993,570, filed March 23, 2020, the content of each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0004] SEQUENCE LISTING

[0005] The present application contains a Sequence Listing which has been submitted electronically in ASCII format and is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The ASCII copy was created on March 19, 2021, is named 20210319_SEQL_13358WOPCT.txt, and is 81,920 bytes in size.

[0006] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The disclosed invention relates to isolated antibodies (Abs), e.g. , monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), that bind specifically to C-C Motif Chemokine Receptor 8 (CCR8), and methods for treating a cancer in a subject comprising administering to the subject an anti-CCR8 Ab as monotherapy or in combination with an anticancer agent such as an immune checkpoint inhibitor.

[0008] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Human cancers harbor numerous genetic and epigenetic alterations, generating neoantigens potentially recognizable by the immune system (Chakravarthi etal., 2016). Harnessing the attributes of the adaptive immune system to treat cancer makes immunotherapy unique among all cancer treatment modalities in its applicability to a broad range of cancers and in inducing durable anti-tumor effects.

[0010] Considerable success has already been achieved in treating diverse solid tumors and hematological malignancies by stimulating the activity of cytotoxic T cells using checkpoint inhibitors such as the anti-PD-1 Ab, nivolumab (OPDIVO®) and the anti- CTLA-4 Ab, ipilimumab (YERVOY®). However, typically less than around 15% of patients benefit long-term from treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor in cancers amenable to this treatment (Haslam and Prasad, 2019), and checkpoint inhibitors have proven to be less effective in certain cancers, including breast and prostate cancers. The persistence of immunosuppressive mechanisms, especially those mediated by regulatory T cells (Tregs), may contribute to the observed resistance of certain cancers or certain patients to treatment with checkpoint inhibitors (Fares et al., 2019; Han et al ., 2019). As one means of overcoming this resistance, the present application discloses methods of stimulating the immune system by reducing the immunosuppressive effects of Tregs.

[0011] Tumor-infiltrating CD4+CD25+FOXP3+Tregs, a subset of CD4+T cells, are mediators of immunological self-tolerance. Deficiency of genes involved in Treg development and function result in systemic autoimmunity in both mice (Fontenot et al., 2003; Khattri et al., 2003; Tivol et al., 1995) and humans (Yagi et al., 2004; Kuehn et al., 2014), revealing an important non-redundant role for Tregs in maintaining immune homeostasis. Tregs suppress the immune system via multiple mechanisms including downregulating the induction and proliferation of effector T cells, secretion of chemokines and inhibitory cytokines, and suppression of dendritic cell maturation and function (Shitara and Nishikawa, 2018; Han etal., 2019). Mechanisms utilized by Tregs to promote self-tolerance may be co-opted in the tumor microenvironment to suppress the anti-tumor immune response. Indeed, systemic depletion of Tregs in mice is sufficient to enable immune-mediated tumor regression (Teng et al., 2010). Thus, Tregs are thought to play a role in mediating peripheral tolerance to self-antigens, preventing autoimmune disease, and suppressing anti-tumor immune responses.

[0012] Consequently, reducing the activity or numbers of tumor-infiltrating Tregs has been identified as an attractive approach to reversing immunosuppressive activity in the tumor microenvironment and augmenting anti -tumor immunity (Finotello and Trajanoski, 2017; Han et al., 2019). A variety of methods have been and are being pursued to target Tregs in cancer immunotherapy, including ADCC-mediated depletion of Tregs using antibodies (Abs) to antigens expressed on Tregs such as CD25 (Arce Vargas et al ., 2017), CCR4 (Ishida et al, 2012; Hagemann et al., 2014) and CTLA-4 (Korman et al., 2017), and inhibition of E3 ubiquitin ligase Siah2 (Scortegagna etal., 2020) and Yes-associated protein (YAP; Ni etal., 2018). However, clinical attempts to specifically target or deplete Treg from the tumor microenvironment have been unsuccessful. Diphtheria toxin fused to IL-2 (denileukin diftitox) failed to effectively reduce Treg numbers in melanoma patients (Luke et al., (2016), and despite documented anti-CTLA-4 mediated Treg depletion in mouse tumor models (Selby et al., 2013; Simpson et al., 2013), clear evidence for Treg depletion by ipilimumab or tremelimumab (anti-human CTLA-4 Abs) in human cancer is unclear (Sharma et al., 2019a; Sharma et al., 2019b). Treg depletion was achieved with the nonfucosylated (nf) anti-CCR4 Ab mogamulizumab, but significant depletion of conventional CD4+T cells and modest reductions in CD8+T cell numbers were also observed (Kurose etal., 2015), limiting its utility in the treatment of solid tumors. Thus, there remains a need for a safe and effective Treg depleting agent that also spares T effector cells (Teffs) for optimal anti-tumor responses.

[0013] CCR8 is a chemokine receptor that has recently been identified as a potential specific marker for tumor-infiltrating Tregs, as CCR8 expression is selectively upregulated in these Tregs in multiple cancers, including breast, colorectal, and lung (Plitas etal., 2016; De Simone etal., 2016; Wang et al, 2019), and as a core member of the IRF4-dependent ‘effector’ Treg gene program (Alvisi etal, 2020). These CCR8+Tregs represent a highly activated and suppressive subpopulation of Tregs, and high abundance of CCR8+Tregs in these tumor types is associated with poor prognosis (Wang et al, 2019; De Simone et al, 2016). Therefore, CCR8 may be a promising therapeutic target to effect the depletion of tumor-resident Tregs in order to augment anti-tumor immunity. Targeting CCR8, while depleting suppressive Tregs, may also have the advantage of not depleting cytolytic effector cells that drive anti-tumor immune responses. Moreover, because CCR8 is rarely expressed on Tregs and Teffs in peripheral blood or in other tissues, targeting CCR8+tumor Tregs may pose minimal toxicity risks.

[0014] CCR8 is a seven-transmembrane G-protein-coupled chemokine receptor (GPCR) expressed primarily on intratumoral FOXP3hlTregs (Wang et al, 2019; Plitas et al,

[0015] 2016; De Simone etal, 2016). The N-terminus and ECL2 regions of CCR8 are important for binding to its functional ligand C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 1 (CCL1), which is produced by intratumoral myeloid cells and T cells. In addition to affecting the migration of Tregs to the tumor microenvironment (TME), the CCL1:CCR8 interaction also potentiates the immunosuppressive capacity of Tregs through upregulation of CCR8, FOXP3, IL-10, and other suppressive factors (Vila-Caballer el al ., 2019).

[0016] Recently issued U.S. Patent No. 10,087,259 claims a method of treating cancer by administering to a cancer patient an Ab agent that binds specifically to CCR8 so that tumor-infiltrating Treg cells are specifically depleted in the patient to a greater extent than are normal-tissue infiltrating T cells. However, this patent does not exemplify any Ab agent that binds specifically to CCR8 nor does it demonstrate any method of treating any cancer by administering an anti-CCR8 Ab to a subject.

[0017] U.S. Patent No. 10,550,191 claims a method for treating a cancer comprising administering an Ab against CCR8. The Examples demonstrate that a single Ab, a commercially available rat IgG2b anti-mouse CCR8 (anti-mCCR8) Ab (Clone SA214G2; BioLegend, San Diego, CA), reduces the volume of a variety of tumors in mouse tumor models. No anti-human CCR8 (anti-hCCR8) Ab, or any chimeric, humanized or human Ab suitable for use in human therapy is disclosed.

[0018] PCT Publication No. WO 2018 / 112033 relates to methods for treating cancer by administering to a subject an agent that induces cytotoxicity in tumor-infiltrating Treg cells that express a specified gene product included in Table 1 or 2 and thereby decreases the number or activity of tumor-infiltrating Treg cells in the subject. CCR8 is not a gene product included in Table 1 or 2, but Example 8 demonstrates a moderate level of antitumor activity of an anti-mCCR8 Ab in a mouse MC38 colon adenocarcinoma model.

[0019] PCT Publication No. WO 2019 / 157098 relates to an immunogenic composition comprising a recombinant Listeria strain and an anti-CCR8 Ab, and a method of treating a tumor in a subject comprising administering this immunogenic composition to the subject. Similar to U.S. Patent No. 10,550,191, WO 2019 / 157098 does not report generating any anti-CCR8 Ab but instead demonstrates the use of the commercial SA214G2 anti-mCCR8 Ab, in combination with Listeria- based immunotherapy, to treat implanted colon carcinoma tumors in a mouse model.

[0020] More recently, various groups have reported the generation of humanized anti- CCR8 Abs for use in depleting tumor-associated Tregs and treating cancer (see, e.g. , Depis eta / ., 2020; WO 2020 / 138489; Harbour BioMed, 2020).

[0021] The invention disclosed herein demonstrates that CCR8 expression is highly restricted to tumor Tregs from diverse tumor types. The invention comprises the production of anti-CCR8 Abs, specifically anti-CCR8 mAbs, including human, humanized and chimeric anti-hCCR8 mAbs, and demonstrates that anti-CCR8-mediated Treg depletion in mouse tumor models requires Fc engagement. The present disclosure also describes the development of nf anti-hCCR8 Abs that mediate tumor-specific Treg depletion in ex vivo human tumor culture systems. Anti-CCR8 Ab treatment as monotherapy or in combination with checkpoint blockade, for example, inhibition of the PD-1 / PD-L1 signaling pathway, induces potent anti -tumor responses and may provide clinical benefit to patients who do not respond to anti -PD- 1 monotherapy. The combination of the mechanisms of action of anti-CCR8-mediated Treg depletion and checkpoint blockade offers a unique opportunity to increase the killing of tumor cells and thereby treat a wide range of cancers.

[0022] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The present invention provides isolated Abs, preferably mAbs, that specifically bind to CCR8, such as human CCR8 (hCCR8), expressed on the surface of a cell and exhibit various functional properties, including properties that are desirable in a therapeutic Ab. These properties include binding with high affinity to CCR8-expressing cells, such as tumor-infiltrating, activated CD4_FOXP3highTregs; other than Tregs, binding only to rare and scattered immune cells in the medulla of the thymus and dermis of the skin but not binding to many other tissues; mediating depletion of the CCR8- expressing cells, such as tumor-infiltrating, activated CD4TOXP3hlghTregs, by ADCC; mediating depletion specifically of tumor-infiltrating Tregs but not of CCR8+T cells in normal tissues; inhibiting binding of CCL1 to CCR8 and inhibiting CCR8 / CCL1 signaling; not causing internalization of CCR8 when bound to CCR8 on the surface of a cell either in the presence or absence of a cross-linking Ab; mediating specific depletion of CCR8+Tregs in vitro and in human tumor ex-vivo tissue samples; and inhibiting growth of tumor cells in a subject, preferably a human subject, when administered to the subject as monotherapy or in combination with another anti-cancer agent. In preferred embodiments, the anti-CCR8 Ab is a modified mAh comprising a modified heavy chain constant region, such as a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated (nf) heavy chain constant region, that binds with higher affinity to an Fey receptor (FcyR) and mediates enhanced ADCC compared to an unmodified mAh.

[0024] Specifically, this disclosure provides an isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, that specifically binds to CCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell and mediates depletion of the CCR8-expressing cell by ADCC. In certain embodiments, the CCR8 is hCCR8 having the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1. In certain other embodiments, the Ab, e.g ., the mAb, or antigen-binding portion thereof comprises a heavy chain constant region which is of a human IgGl or IgG3 isotype.

[0025] The disclosure also provides a modified anti-hCCR8 mAb, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which comprises a modified heavy chain constant region that binds with higher affinity to an Fey receptor (FcyR) and mediates enhanced ADCC compared to an unmodified mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof. In preferred embodiments, the modified mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof comprises a modified IgGl heavy chain constant region which exhibits reduced fucosylation. In certain embodiments, the mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof binds to a N-terminal peptide of hCCR8, wherein the epitope comprises at least one amino acid within a peptide having the sequence Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21 (SEQ ID NO: 2) and further comprises sulfated tyr-15 and / or sulfated tyr-17 residues. In certain preferred embodiments, the mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof binds to a N-terminal peptide of hCCR8, wherein the epitope comprises at least one amino acid within a peptide having the sequence

[0026] V12T13D14Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21S22 (SEQ ID NO: 109) and further comprises sulfated tyr-15 and sulfated tyr-17 residues.

[0027] In certain embodiments, the anti-CCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof exhibits at least one, e.g., at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or all of the following properties: (a) specifically binds to CCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell with an EC50 of about 1 nM or lower or an EC50 of about 2 nM or lower; (b) binds to rare and scattered immune cells in the medulla of the thymus and dermis of the skin but does not bind to human cerebrum, cerebellum, heart, liver, lung, kidney, tonsil, spleen, thymus, colon, stomach, pancreas, adrenal, pituitary, skin, peripheral nerve, testis or uterus tissue, or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs); (c) inhibits binding of CCL1 to CCR8 and inhibits CCR8 / CCL1 signaling with an IC50 of about 5 nM or lower; (d) when bound to CCR8 on the surface of a cell mediates depletion of the cell with an EC50 of about 10 pM or lower or an EC50 of about 60 pM or lower; (e) when administered to a subject mediates depletion of tumor-infiltrating Tregs but substantially spares CCR8+T cells in the spleen, blood, skin or thymus; (f) when bound to CCR8 on the surface of a cell does not cause internalization of CCR8 either in the presence or absence of a cross-linking Ab; (g) inhibits growth of tumor cells in a subject when administered as monotherapy to the subject; and (h) inhibits growth of tumor cells in a subject when administered to the subject in combination with an additional therapeutic agent, such as an immune checkpoint inhibitor, for treating a cancer.

[0028] In particular, in certain preferred embodiments, the anti-CCR8 mAh or antigenbinding portion thereof exhibits at least the following properties: (a) specifically binds to CCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell with an EC so of about 1 nM or lower or an EC so of about 2 nM or lower; (b) inhibits binding of CCL1 to CCR8 and inhibits CCR8 / CCL1 signaling with an ICso of about 5 nM or lower; (c) when bound to CCR8 on the surface of a cell mediates depletion of the cell with an ECso of about 10 pM or lower or an ECso of about 60 pM or lower; (d) when administered to a subject mediates depletion of tumor- infiltrating Tregs but substantially spares CCR8+T cells in the spleen, blood, skin or thymus; (e) inhibits growth of tumor cells in a subject when administered as monotherapy to the subject; and (f) inhibits growth of tumor cells in a subject when administered to the subject in combination with an additional therapeutic agent, such as an immune checkpoint inhibitor, for treating a cancer.

[0029] In other embodiments, the anti-CCR8 mAh or antigen-binding portion thereof exhibits at least the following properties: (a) specifically binds to CCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell with an ECso of about 1 nM or lower or an ECso of about 2 nM or lower; (b) when bound to CCR8 on the surface of a cell mediates depletion of the cell with an ECso of about 10 pM or lower or an ECso of about 60 pM or lower; (c) when administered to a subject mediates depletion of tumor-infiltrating Tregs but substantially spares CCR8+T cells in the spleen, blood, skin or thymus; and (d) inhibits growth of tumor cells in a subject when administered to the subject in combination with an additional therapeutic agent, such as an immune checkpoint inhibitor, for treating a cancer.

[0030] These properties have been examined in detail for certain Abs of the invention including, for example, those designated herein as 14S15 and 4A19. MAb 4A19 is a nf humanized Ab whereas mAh 14S15 is a nf chimeric Ab comprising a mouse Fab fragment grafted onto a human Fc region, and several of the assays described herein were performed with mAbs including 14S15 and 4A19. The 14S15 mAh was subsequently humanized to generate the Ab designated 14S15h by modifying the framework sequences to correspond to the closest human germline sequences (see Example 10). The final iteration of the humanized mAh, produced after affinity maturation of the heavy chain variable domain, exhibited a binding affinity for hCCR8 comparable to, and in fact slightly higher, than that of the original mouse or chimeric versions of this Ab (KD of 0.64 nM for 14S15h Fab fragment vs. 1.4 nM for the starting mouse mAh). Thus, 14S15h is expected to exhibit the same or very similar functional properties as those demonstrated with the chimeric 14S15 mAh. The functional properties noted above, alone or in combination, may therefore be present in combination with the structural features of mAbs 14S15, 14S15h and 4A19.

[0031] For example, in certain embodiments of the invention, an Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof may comprise one or more of the above properties (e.g. at least 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 of the above properties) and comprise the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 domains in each of a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16. As another example, such an Ab or antigenbinding portion thereof may comprise the following CDR domains as defined by the Rabat method: a YH CDRl comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 33; a YH CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 34; a YH CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 35; a YL CDRl comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 36; a YL CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 37; and a YL CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 38. As a further example, such an Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof may comprise a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16. As another example, such an Ab may comprise a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 100 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 112. Optionally, the Ab has reduced fucosylation of its heavy chain, or has a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated heavy chain constant region as described elsewhere herein.

[0032] For example, in certain other embodiments of the invention, an Ab or antigen- binding portion thereof may comprise one or more of the above properties (e.g. at least 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 of the above properties) and comprise the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 domains in each of a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116. As another example, such an Ab or antigenbinding portion thereof may comprise the following CDR domains as defined by the Rabat method: a YH CDRl comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 103; a YH CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 104; a YH CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 105; a YL CDRl comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 106; a YL CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 107; and a YL CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 108. As a further example, such an Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof may comprise a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116. As another example, such an Ab may comprise a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 117 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 118. Optionally, the Ab has reduced fucosylation of its heavy chain, or has a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated heavy chain constant region as described elsewhere herein.

[0033] For example, in certain other embodiments of the invention, an Ab or antigenbinding portion thereof may comprise one or more of the above properties (e.g. at least 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 of the above properties) and comprise the CDRl, CDR2 and CDR3 domains in each of a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18. As another example, such an Ab or antigenbinding portion thereof may comprise the following CDR domains as defined by the Rabat method: a YH CDRl comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 45; a YH CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 46; a YH CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 47; a VL CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 48; a VL CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 49; and a VL CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 50. As a further example, such an Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof may comprise a V / / comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a VL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18. As another example, such an Ab may comprise a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 102 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 114. Optionally, the Ab has reduced fucosylation of its heavy chain, or has a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated heavy chain constant region as described elsewhere herein.

[0034] The disclosure further provides an isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigenbinding portion thereof, which specifically binds to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell and comprises the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 domains in each of the following pairs of heavy and light chain variable regions:

[0035] (a) a V / / comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3 and a VL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 15;

[0036] (b) a V / / comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a VL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16;

[0037] (c) a V / / comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5 and a VL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 17;

[0038] (d) a V / / comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a VL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18;

[0039] (e) a V / / comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7 and a VL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19; (f) a VH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20;

[0040] (g) a Vtt comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 21;

[0041] (h) a Vtt comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 10 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 22;

[0042] (i) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 23;

[0043] (j) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 12 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 24;

[0044] (k) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 25;

[0045] (l) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 14 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 26; or

[0046] (m) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116.

[0047] The isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which specifically binds to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell and comprising the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 domains in each of the following pairs of heavy and light chain variable regions are particular examples:

[0048] (a) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16;

[0049] (b) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116; and

[0050] (c) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18,

[0051] An isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which specifically binds to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell and comprising the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 domains in the following pair of heavy and light chain variable regions is a particular example:

[0052] (a) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18.

[0053] Sequences of the CDRs may be defined by a variety of methods, including the Rabat, Chothia, AbM, contact and IMGT definitions. Unless explicitly indicated otherwise, CDRs in the present disclosure have been identified by the Rabat definitions.

[0054] The disclosure also provides an isolated nucleic acid encoding any of the anti- CCR8 mAbs or antigen-binding portions thereof described herein. The disclosure provides an expression vector comprising said isolated nucleic acid, and a host cell comprising said expression vector. This host cell may be used in a method for preparing an anti-CCR8 mAh or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which method comprises expressing the mAh or antigen-binding portion thereof in said host cell and isolating the mAh or antigen-binding portion thereof from the host cell.

[0055] In certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an anti-CCR8 mAh or an antigen-binding portion thereof described herein, e.g ., that mediates depletion of CCR8-expressing cells, such that the subject is treated. In other embodiments, the disclosure provides a method for inhibiting growth of tumor cells in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an anti-CCR8 mAh or an antigen-binding portion described herein, e.g., that mediates depletion of CCR8-expressing cells, such that growth of tumor cells in the subject is inhibited. In certain embodiments of these methods, the anti-CCR8 mAh, when bound to CCR8 on the surface of a cell, mediates depletion of the cell with an ECso of about 10 pM or lower. In certain other embodiments, the anti-CCR8 mAh, when bound to CCR8 on the surface of a cell, inhibits binding of CCL1 to CCR8 and inhibits CCR8 / CCL1 signaling with an ICso of about 5 nM or lower. In additional embodiments, this disclosure provides an anti-CCR8 mAb or an antigen-binding portion thereof described herein, e.g. that mediates depletion of CCR8-expressing cells, for use in a method for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer or for use in a method for inhibiting growth of tumor cells in a subject, each method comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the anti-CCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof.

[0056] This disclosure further provides a method for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer comprising administering to the subject a combination of therapeutically effective amounts of (a) an anti-CCR8 Ab, e.g., a mAb or an antigen-binding portion thereof described herein, e.g, that mediates depletion of CCR8-expressing cells, and (b) an additional therapeutic agent for treating cancer, optionally wherein the additional therapeutic agent is a compound that reduces inhibition or increases stimulation of the immune system. In certain preferred embodiments, the additional therapeutic agent is an antagonistic Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof that binds specifically to PD-1, PD-L1, or CTLA-4. The method may also be a method for inhibiting growth of tumor cells in a subject.

[0057] Where such methods involve the use of a combination of therapeutic agents, they can be referred to in different manners. For example, where a method of treatment uses Agents (A) and (B), for instance to treat cancer, this can be referred to as: (i) Agent (A) and Agent (B) for use in a method of treating cancer; (ii) Agent (A) for use with Agent (B) in a method of treating cancer; or (iii) Agent (B) for use with Agent (A) in a method of treating cancer. Therefore, the above combination can be referred to as:

[0058] (i) (A) an anti-CCR8 mAb or an antigen-binding portion thereof, e.g., that mediates depletion of CCR8-expressing cells, and (B) an additional therapeutic agent for treating cancer, for use in a in a method for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer or for use in a method for inhibiting growth of tumor cells in a subject, the method comprising administering to the subject a combination of therapeutically effective amounts of (A) the anti-CCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof, e.g, that mediates depletion of CCR8-expressing cells, and (B) the additional therapeutic agent for treating cancer; or

[0059] (ii) (A) an anti-CCR8 mAb or an antigen-binding portion thereof, e.g., that mediates depletion of CCR8-expressing cells, for use with (B) an additional therapeutic agent for treating cancer, in a method for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer or in a method for inhibiting growth of tumor cells in a subject, the method comprising administering to the subject a combination of therapeutically effective amounts of (A) the anti-CCR8 mAh or antigen-binding portion thereof, e.g, that mediates depletion of CCR8-expressing cells, and (B) the additional therapeutic agent for treating cancer; or

[0060] (iii) (B) an additional therapeutic agent for treating cancer for use with (A) an anti-CCR8 mAh or an antigen-binding portion thereof, e.g., that mediates depletion of CCR8-expressing cells, in a method for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer or in a method for inhibiting growth of tumor cells in a subject, the method comprising administering to the subject a combination of therapeutically effective amounts of (B) the additional therapeutic agent for treating cancer, and (A) the anti-CCR8 mAh or antigenbinding portion thereof, e.g, that mediates depletion of CCR8-expressing cells.

[0061] The disclosure also provides a kit comprising: (a) one or more dosages ranging from about 0.01 to about 20 mg / kg body weight, or about 0.1 to about 2,000 mg fixed dose, of an isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, that binds specifically to CCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell and mediates depletion of the CCR8-expressing cell by ADCC; (b) optionally one or more dosages ranging from about 200 to about 1600 mg of a mAh or an antigen-binding portion thereof that binds specifically to PD-1, PD-L1 or CTLA-4; and (c) instructions for using the isolated Ab or portion thereof that binds specifically to CCR8, and optionally the mAh or portion thereof that binds specifically to PD-1, PD-L1 or CTLA-4, in the therapeutic methods disclosed herein.

[0062] Other features and advantages of the instant invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and examples which should not be construed as limiting. The contents of all cited references, including scientific articles, GenBank entries, patents and patent applications cited throughout this application are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

[0063] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figures 1A-1C show analyses of human CCR8 and FOXP3 gene-gene correlations in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). A: Mutual rank-based network of gene-gene correlation across all non-heme TCGA tumor RNA-seq identifies CCR8 as a Treg- selective marker. B: Analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) single cell RNA-seq demonstrates that CCR8 is selectively expressed on FOXP3hlghlymphocytes in HCC tumor samples. C: Spearman correlation analysis performed in FOXP3+T lymphocytes shows that CCR8 expression is associated with higher levels of FOXP3 expression.

[0064] Figures 2A-2F show that CCR8 expression, compared to other Treg-targeted molecules, is enriched on tumor Tregs. A: Flow cytometry analysis of CCR8, CCR4, CTLA-4 and CD25 positive frequencies in Tregs from tumor and blood of cancer patients (colorectal, kidney, lung, and melanoma) (n = 8-18). B: Relative expression levels (MFI) of Treg targets on CD4+FOXP3+Tregs from the blood (n = 6-10) and tumors (n = 7-20) of cancer patients. C-E: Treg target frequencies on CD4+Tconv from tumors (C) and blood (D), and CD8+T cells from tumors (E) (n = 7-17) and peripheral blood samples (F) (n = 5-13) of cancer patients. Not all markers were analyzed for all patients, and not all patients have matching blood samples. *P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001, ****p<0.0001. A-B: Two-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni's multiple comparisons test; C-F: Oneway ANOVA Kruskal -Wallis test followed by Dunn’s multiple comparisons.

[0065] Figures 3A-3C show flow cytometry analyses which demonstrate that CCR8 is highly expressed on tumor-infiltrating Tregs. The level of expression of CCR8 was measured in different T cell populations. A: Percentage of tumor-infiltration T lymphocyte subsets expressing CCR8. A significantly higher frequency of tumor- infiltrating Tregs expresses CCR8 compared to conventional CD4+FOXP3'(CD4 Tconv) T cells and CD8+T cells (CD8). B: Mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of a PE- conjugated anti-CCR8 Ab bound to tumor-infiltrating T lymphocyte subsets. Tumor Tregs also express higher levels of CCR8 on a per cell basis as compared to CD4 Tconv and CD8 cells. C: Comparison of Treg CCR8 expression levels on CCR8+Tregs in the blood and tumor tissue of cancer patients. There is a low level of expression of CCR8 on Tregs in the peripheral blood compared to a significantly higher level on tumor- infiltrating Tregs.

[0066] Figures 4A-4D show that CCR8 is differentially expressed on different Treg subpopulations. A: Percentage of cells within different T cell populations in PBMCs from healthy subjects expressing CCR8. CCR8 is predominantly expressed on peripheral Tregs. B: Percentage of cells within different Treg subpopulations in healthy subjects expressing CCR8. Within the Treg population, CCR8 is expressed more highly in the effector memory population (EM) and to a lesser degree in central memory cells (CM), with very little CCR8 expressed in naive Tregs. C: Percentage of cells within conventional CD4 Tconv cells expressing CCR8. There is little CCR8 expression in any subpopulation of these CD4 Tconv cells. D: Mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of anti- CCR8 Ab bound to CCR8+Tregs from peripheral blood or tumor-infiltrating Tregs from cancer patients. In cancer patients, there is higher CCR8 expression on a per cell basis on tumor-infiltrating Tregs than on Tregs from peripheral blood.

[0067] Figure 5 shows that CCR8 is expressed on the most immunosuppressive CD4 FOXP3hlghTreg population. Tumors from 2 melanoma patients and 1 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patient were dissociated and stained for FOXP3 and CCR8 expression. CCR8 is mainly expressed by the Οϋ4+ΡΟΧΡ3ω§ΐ1population, which represents the most activated Tregs.

[0068] Figures 6A-6D show the percentages of CCR8+and CCR8'T cells that express CD25, CD39, and IL1R2. A: Percentages of CCR8+and CCR8'cells that express CD25; B: Percentages of CCR8+and CCR8'cells that express CD39; C: Percentages of CCR8+and CCR8'cells that express IL1R2; D: Percentages of stimulated CCR8+and CCR8'cells that express IL1R2.

[0069] Figures 7A-7D show the percentages of CCR4+and CCR4'T cells that express CD25, CD39, and IL1R2. A: Percentages of CCR4+and CCR4'cells that express CD25; B: Percentages of CCR4+and CCR4'cells that express CD39; C: Percentages of CCR4+and CCR4'cells that express IL1R2; D: Percentages of stimulated CCR4+and CCR4'cells that express IL1R2.

[0070] Figures 8A and 8B show the percentages of CCR8+and CCR8'T cells that express the activation marker HLA-DR (8A), and the percentages of CCR4+and CCR4'T cells that express this marker (8B).

[0071] Figures 9A - 9C show the percentages of stimulated CCR8+and CCR8'T cells that express IFNy, IL-2, and granzyme B. A: Percentages of stimulated CCR8+and CCR8'cells that express IFNy; B: Percentages of stimulated CCR8+and CCR8'cells that express IL-2; C: Percentages of stimulated CCR8+and CCR8'cells that express granzyme B.

[0072] Figures 10A-10C show the percentages of stimulated CCR4+and CCR4'T cells that express IFNy, IL-2, and granzyme B. A: Percentages of stimulated CCR4+and CCR4'cells that express IFNy; B: Percentages of stimulated CCR4+and CCR4'cells that express IL-2; C: Percentages of stimulated CCR4+and CCR4'cells that express granzyme B.

[0073] Figures 11 A and 1 IB show the binding of different anti-hCCR8 mAbs to hCCR8- expressing cell lines or to activated human Tregs. A: Anti-hCCR8 Abs were generated exhibiting varying ranges of binding affinities (EC so bins in nM) to hCCR8-transfected cell lines (293F, CHO, Raji) and activated human Tregs. B: ECso values (nM) of a selected subset of anti-CCR8 mAbs binding to activated Tregs are shown.

[0074] Figures 12A and 12B show the crystal structure of the 4A19 Fab fragment bound to the hCCR8 N-terminal peptide. A: 4A19 Fab fragment bound to the singly sulfated (at tyr-17) hCCR8 N-terminal peptide at 2.03 A resolution. The epitope bound by the 4A19 mAb comprises residues 15-21 with the sulfated tyrosine- 17 residue at the center of the epitope; B: 4A19 Fab fragment bound to the doubly sulfated (at tyr-15 and tyr-17) hCCR8 N-terminal peptide at 1.80 A resolution. The epitope bound by the 4A19 mAb comprises residues 12-22.

[0075] Figures 13 A and 13B show tissue cross-reactivity of different anti-hCCR8 mAbs applied at 1 pg / ml (top panel) and 3 pg / ml (top panel) to normal human PBMCs and normal human thymus, respectively. A: Binding of mAbs 18Y12 (left panels), 16B13 (middle panels) and 4A19 (right panels) to PBMCs. MAbs 18Y12 and 4A19 do not bind to the PBMCs whereas 16B13 shows high-level binding to a target which in unlikely to be CCR8. B: Binding of mAbs 18Y12 (left panels), 16B13 (middle panels) and 4A19 (right panels) to thymus tissue. MAbs 18Y12 does not show any staining whereas positive staining was observed with mAb 4A19 in rare and scattered immune cells in the medulla of the thymus. MAb 16B13 shows intense and diffuse staining in the vast majority of immune cells in the thymus, with predominate cytoplasmic and / or peri-nuclear patterns.

[0076] Figures 14A-14C show that anti-hCCR8 mAbs block the binding of human CCL1 (hCCLl) to hCCR8. A: Anti-hCCR8 mAbs exhibit varying capacities to block the binding of hCCLl to hCCR8 on hCCR8-transfected CHO cells as assessed by inhibition of Ca flux. B: The percentage blockade of CCL1 signaling (CCLl-induced Ca flux) is shown for 7 selected anti-hCCR8 Abs. C: Ca flux-blocking ICso curves are shown for 4 selected anti-CCR8 mAbs.

[0077] Figures 15A and 15B show that anti-hCCR8 mAbs mediate CD 16 crosslinking of CD 16 expression reporter cells, which reflects the ADCC potential of anti-CCR8 mAbs. Co-cultures of CD 16-expressing luciferase reporter cells with CCR8-expressing Raji cells or activated Tregs were treated with anti-CCR8 Abs (with either nonfucosylated (nf) or wild-type hlgGl backbones). A: A range of CD 16 cross-linking capacities was observed. B: CD 16 cross-linking using activated Treg as targets for a select set of anti-hCCR8 mAbs with the hlgGl -nf backbone is depicted. Figure 16 shows that anti-CCR8 Abs mediate killing of activated Tregs by allogeneic NK cells. Activated Tregs were co-cultured with primed allogeneic NK cells and titrated anti-hCCR8 Abs. Cell death was measured by Annexin-V positivity on Tregs.

[0078] Figures 17A and 17B show that anti-CCR8 mAbs mediate killing of patient tumor Tregs by allogeneic NK cells in vitro. Enzymatically dissociated patient endometrial tumors were co-cultured with primed allogeneic NK cells for 24 hours at 37°C. The anti- CCR8 Ab, 14S15, specifically depleted patient tumor Tregs (Figure 17A), but not conventional CD4+T cells (Figure 17B). In contrast, an anti-CCR4 Ab (CCR4) mediated depletion of both Tregs and conventional CD4+T cells (Figures 17A and 17B).

[0079] Figures 18A-18I show that anti-hCCR8-hIgGl-nf Abs mediate CCR8+Treg depletion in ex vivo patient tumor slice culture system without the addition of allogeneic NK cells. A-C: Representative results for the depletion of peripheral blood Tregs (A), CD4+Tconv (B) and CD8+T cells (C) upon treatment with 14S15-IgGl-nf or anti- hCCR4-IgGl-nf in vitro. D-F: Representative plots from non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) tumor and allogeneic NK cell killing assays comparing 14S15-IgGl-nf (D), anti-hCCR4-IgGl-nf (E), and isotype (F) Abs. A-F: 14S15-IgGl-nf, closed circles; anti- hCCR4-IgGl-nf, squares; isotype IgGl-nf, open circles. G: Allogeneic NK and NSCLC tumor co-culture comparing 16B13-IgGl-nf to anti-hCCR8-inert and an isotype control Abs. G: isotype IgGl-nf, open circles; 14S15-IgGl-nf, closed circles; 14S15-IgGl-inert, triangles. H and I: Results from ex vivo primary intact tumor sections from renal cell carcinoma (H) and gastric cancer (I) cultured for 24 h in the presence of 16B 13 -IgGl-nf or IgGl-nf isotype control (3-5 technical replicates for each condition). H and I: isotype IgGl-nf, open circles; 14S15-IgGl-nf, closed circles. *P<0.05, ****P<0.0001. Ordinary one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparisons test (G). Mann-Whitney test (two- tailed) (G-I).

[0080] Figure 19 shows that anti-CCR8 Abs, with or without cross-linking, do not induce CCR8 internalization on activated Tregs. Activated Tregs were incubated with the anti- CCR8 mAh 4A19, a positive control Ab (anti-ICOS), and an isotype control, with or without an anti-human Fc cross-linking Ab. CCR8 expression on the Treg surface was assessed at various times.

[0081] Figures 20A-20D show depletion of tumor Tregs by anti-CCR8 when digested patient tumors are co-cultured with allogeneic natural killer (NK) cells in vitro. A: MAb 4A19 (CCR8-nf) induced measurable depletion of patient tumor Tregs, more so than the depletion caused by a nonfucosylated anti-hCCR4 mAb (CCR4-nf). B: Conversely, the anti-CCR4-nf Ab, but not mAb 4A19, induced depletion of CD4+Teff cells. C: Neither anti-CCR8 nor anti-CCR4 depleted CD8+Teffs. D: In contrast to 4A19 (CCR8-nf), neither a control anti-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH)-nf mAb with an irrelevant targeting arm (isotype) nor the 4A19 mAb with an inert backbone (CCR8-inert) depleted Tregs.

[0082] Figures 21 A-21D show that anti-CCR8 inhibits growth of CT26 colon cancer in a mouse model. A: Treatment of CT26 colon cancer with anti-CCR8-mIgG2a, an anti- mCCR8 Ab having a mIgG2a isotype derived from BioLegend’s rat anti-mCCR8 mAb, Clone SA214G2, significantly reduced tumor growth and increased the number of tumor- free mice. Individual tumor volumes are depicted. B: Changes in mean tumor volumes. C: Tumor Treg depletion was observed with the anti-CCR8 treatment, while the number of splenic Tregs was unaffected by anti-CCR8 treatment (D).

[0083] Figures 22A-22F show the effects of anti-CCR8 on T lymphocyte populations in mice having the CT26 colon adenocarcinoma as analyzed by flow cytometry. A: Percentage of CCR8-expressing CD4+FOXP3+Tregs (Treg), FOXP3'CD4+effector cells (CD4eff), and CD8+T (CD8T) cells in spleen, blood, tumor Tregs and skin. B:

[0084] Percentage of CCR8-expressing Double Negative CD4'CD8'(DN), Single Positive CD4+CD8- (CD4 SP), Single Positive CD4'CD8+(CD 8 SP), and Double Positive CD4+CD8+(DP) thymocytes. C: Percentage of Foxp3+Tregs in spleen, blood, tumor and skin following treatment with the anti-CCR8-mIgG2a mAb and an isotype control. D: Percentage of DP, CD8 SP, CD4 SP and DN thymocytes in the thymus following treatment with anti-CCR8-mIgG2a and an isotype control. E: Percentage of CD4+T cells in the skin following treatment with anti-CCR8-mIgG2a and an isotype control. F: Percentage of CD8+T cells in the skin following treatment with anti-CCR8-mIgG2a and an isotype control.

[0085] Figures 23 A and 23B show that anti-CCR8 inhibits growth of MC38 colon cancer in a mouse model. A: Treatment of MC38 colon cancer with anti-CCR8-mIgG2a significantly reduced tumor growth and increased the number of tumor-free mice. B: Changes in mean tumor volumes.

[0086] Figures 24A-24D show that anti-mCCR8 Ab-induced Treg depletion leads to potent single agent efficacy and increased pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic responses in the MC38 colon cancer mouse model. A: Single dose of anti-mCCR8 mAb leads to a dose-dependent decrease in tumor volume, Treg (% Foxp3+CD4+) depletion (B), and an increase in the percentage of tumor-infiltrating CD8+T cells (C). Error bars indicate standard deviation of the mean. D: The anti-mCCR8 mAh demonstrates nonlinear PK in the dosing range of 0.03 to 3 mg / kg.

[0087] Figures 25A-25C show the effects on tumor growth of the combination of a mouse anti-mPD-1 Ab and a mouse anti-mCCR8 Ab compared to anti -PD- 1 or anti- CCR8 Ab therapy alone, as measured by changes in the tumor volumes in a MB49 murine bladder cancer model. A: Anti-CCR8-mIgG2a and anti -PD- 1 induce moderate and low levels, respectively, of tumor growth inhibition but in combination demonstrate synergistic efficacy in completely inhibiting tumor growth. B: Treatment with anti- CCR8-mIgG2a in the presence or absence of anti-PD-1 significantly decreased tumor Treg frequencies, but increased anti-tumor CD8+T cell frequencies (C).

[0088] Figure 26 shows the effects on tumor growth of the combination of a mouse anti- mPD-1 Ab and a mouse anti-mCCR8 Ab compared to anti-PD-1 or anti-CCR8 Ab therapy alone, as measured by changes in the tumor volumes in a 4T1 murine breast cancer model. Anti-PD-1 shows no activity in inhibiting tumor growth, with tumor growth closely mirroring that in the mice treated with a combination of negative control Abs, while anti-CCR8-mIgG2a induces a moderate level of tumor growth inhibition. Anti-CCR8 interacts synergistically with anti-PD-1 to almost completely inhibit tumor growth.

[0089] Figures 27A and 27B show that an anti-mCCR8 Ab comprising an inert Fc constant region exhibits anti-tumor activity in an SAIN fibrosarcoma mouse model. A: Anti-CCR8-mIgG2a treatment potently reduced tumor growth with all of the 9 mice being tumor-free by Day 25 post-implantation. Blockade of CCR8 with an Fc-inert Ab (Anti-CCR8-mIgGl-D265A) partially reduced tumor growth. B: Depletion of tumor Tregs by treatment with anti-CCR8 was achieved with anti-CCR8-mIgG2a treatment but not with the Fc-inert anti-CCR8-mIgGl-D265A.

[0090] Figures 28A-28F show that Fc receptor engagement is required for anti-mCCR8 Ab activity in the MC38 tumor model. Mean (A) and individual growth curves of MC38 tumors implanted in C57BL / 6 mice treated with anti-CCR8-mIgG2a (n=10) (B), anti- CCR8-mIgGl-D265A (n=10) (C) or IgG2a isotype control (n=10) (D) on Days 7, 10 and 14 post-tumor implantation at 200 pg / mouse / treatment. E: MC38 tumors were harvested on Day 15 post-implantation and Treg depletion was assessed by flow cytometry (n=5 per group) **P<0.01. One-way ANOVA Kruskal -Wallis test with Dunn’s multiple comparisons. F: Proportions of Ccr8+ / +and Ccr8' / _donor-derived Tregs in MC38 tumors and peripheral tissues at 13 days post-MC38 tumor implantation. **P<0.01. Two-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni's multiple comparisons test.

[0091] Figures 29A-29I show that anti-CCR8-mIgG2a induces productive memory responses in a heterologous re-challenge model. Mice implanted with CT26 tumors were randomized once tumors reached 100-120 mm3. A-C: Growth curves and Treg depletion in CT26 tumors treated with (A) anti-CCR8-mIgG2a (n=8), (B) anti-CTLA4-mIgG2a (n=8) or (C) mIgG2a isotype control (n=8) on 1, 4, and 8 days after randomization at 0.2 mg / mouse / treatment. Six tumors from each group were analyzed by flow cytometry to assess Treg depletion (D) and frequency of AH1-Tetramer+CD8+T cells (E) on day 9 post randomization. F: Frequency of AH1-Tetramer+CD8+T cells in the blood 92 days after treatment. G: Frequency of AH1-Tetramer+CD8+effector memory T cells (TEM) in the blood 5 days after challenge with LM-AH1 A5. H and I: Intracellular cytokine staining for (H) IFNY+and (I) polyfunctional IFNY+TNFa+CD8+T cells in the spleen after stimulation with AH1A5 peptide for 5 h. ns, not significant; *P<0.05, **P<0.01. Oneway ANOVA Kruskal -Wallis test with Dunn’s multiple comparison’s (D-I).

[0092] Figures 30A and 30B show the variable expression of CCR8 in multiple human cancers. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was conducted in 17 cancer types / subtypes from two sets of samples (full-size tissue sections and MTB sets). A: Full-size tissue sections showing whole-slide image analysis of CCR8+cells in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) slides of 6 tumor types / subtypes with 14-24 samples per tumor type. B: Multitumor blocks (MTB) set showing 16 tumor types / subtypes with 20 cases / tumor types. Each MTB contained 5 cases of a single indication per FFPE block and 1 hyperplastic tonsil sample as positive control.

[0093] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0094] The present invention relates to mAbs that bind specifically and with high affinity to CCR8 expressed on a cell surface, and to methods for treating cancers in a subject comprising administering to the subject an anti-CCR8 Ab as monotherapy or in combination with an anticancer agent such as an immune checkpoint inhibitor, a chemotherapeutic agent and / or radiation therapy. The effects of CCR8-mediated Treg depletion alone and in combination with PD-1 blockade in potently inhibiting tumor growth are demonstrated herein in multiple, diverse preclinical mouse tumor models. Terms

[0095] In order that the present disclosure may be more readily understood, certain terms are first defined. As used in this application, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, each of the following terms shall have the meaning set forth below. Additional definitions are set forth throughout the application.

[0096] “Administering”, “administer” or “administration” refers to the physical introduction of a composition comprising a therapeutic agent to a subject, using any of the various methods and delivery systems known to those skilled in the art. A preferred route for administration of therapeutic Abs such as anti-CCR8 and anti -PD- 1 Abs is intravenous (IV) administration. Other routes of administration include subcutaneous (SC), intraperitoneal (IP), intramuscular (IM), spinal or other parenteral routes of administration, for example by injection or infusion. The phrase “parenteral administration” as used herein means modes of administration other than enteral and topical administration, usually by injection, and includes, without limitation, intravenous, intraperitoneal, intramuscular, intraarterial, intrathecal, intralymphatic, intralesional, intracapsular, intraorbital, intracardiac, intradermal, transtracheal, subcutaneous, subcuticular, intraarticular, subcapsular, subarachnoid, intraspinal, epidural and intrasternal injection and infusion, as well as in vivo electroporation. Alternatively, an Ab of the invention can be administered via a non-parenteral route, such as a topical, epidermal or mucosal route of administration, for example, intranasally, orally, vaginally, rectally, sublingually or topically. Administering can also be performed, for example, once, a plurality of times, and / or over one or more extended periods.

[0097] An “antibody” (Ab) shall include, without limitation, a glycoprotein immunoglobulin (Ig) which binds specifically to an antigen and comprises at least two heavy (H) chains and two light (L) chains interconnected by disulfide bonds, or an antigen-binding portion thereof. Each H chain comprises a heavy chain variable region (abbreviated herein as Vzr) and a heavy chain constant region. The heavy chain constant region of an IgG Ab comprises three constant domains, Cm, Cm and Cm. Each light chain comprises a light chain variable region (abbreviated herein as Vz) and a light chain constant region. The light chain constant region of an IgG Ab comprises one constant domain, CL. The V / / and Vz regions can be further subdivided into regions of hypervariability, termed complementarity determining regions (CDRs), interspersed with regions that are more conserved, termed framework regions (FR). Each V / / and VL comprises three CDRs and four FRs, arranged from amino-terminus to carboxy-terminus in the following order: FR1-CDR1-FR2-CDR2-FR3-CDR3-FR4. The variable regions of the heavy and light chains contain a binding domain that interacts with an antigen. A variety of methods have been used to delineate the CDR domains within an Ab, including the Rabat, Chothia, AbM, contact, and IMGT definitions. The constant regions of the Abs may mediate the binding of the Ig to host tissues or factors, including various cells of the immune system ( e.g ., effector cells) and the first component (Clq) of the classical complement system.

[0098] As used herein, and in accordance with conventional usage, an Ab that is described as comprising “a” heavy chain and / or “a” light chain refers to an Ab that comprise “at least one” of the recited heavy and / or light chains, and thus will encompass Abs having two or more heavy and / or light chains. Specifically, Abs so described will encompass conventional Abs having two substantially identical heavy chains and two substantially identical light chains. Ab chains may be substantially identical but not entirely identical if they differ due to post-translational modifications, including, for example, C-terminal cleavage of lysine residues, and alternative glycosylation patterns.

[0099] An Ig may derive from any of the commonly known isotypes, including but not limited to IgA, secretory IgA, IgG and IgM. IgG subclasses are also well known to those in the art and include but are not limited to human IgGl, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4. “Isotype” refers to the Ab class or subclass (e.g., IgM, IgGl, or IgG4) that is encoded by the heavy chain constant region genes. The term “antibody” includes, by way of example, both naturally occurring and non-naturally occurring Abs, monoclonal and polyclonal Abs, chimeric and humanized Abs, human or nonhuman Abs, wholly synthetic Abs, and single chain Abs. A nonhuman Ab may be humanized partially or fully by recombinant methods to reduce its immunogenicity in man. Where not expressly stated, and unless the context indicates otherwise, the term “antibody” also includes an antigen-binding fragment or an antigen-binding portion of any of the aforementioned Ig’s, and includes a monovalent and a divalent fragment or portion, and a single chain Ab.

[0100] An “isolated” Ab refers to an Ab that is substantially free of other Abs having different antigenic specificities (e.g, an isolated Ab that binds specifically to CCR8 is substantially free of Abs that bind specifically to antigens other than CCR8, such as Abs that bind to CCR4). An isolated Ab that binds specifically to human CCR8 (hCCR8) may, however, have cross-reactivity to other antigens, such as CCR8 polypeptides from different species such as mouse and cynomolgus monkey. Moreover, in certain contexts, an isolated Ab may also mean an Ab that is purified so as to be substantially free of other cellular material and / or chemicals. By comparison, an “isolated” nucleic acid refers to a nucleic acid composition of matter that is markedly different, i.e., has a distinctive chemical identity, nature and utility, from nucleic acids as they exist in nature. For example, an isolated DNA, unlike native DNA, is a free-standing portion of a native DNA and not an integral part of a larger structural complex, the chromosome, found in nature. Further, an isolated DNA, unlike native DNA, can be used as a PCR primer or a hybridization probe for, among other things, measuring gene expression and detecting biomarker genes or mutations for diagnosing disease or predicting the efficacy of a therapeutic. In addition, in certain contexts, an isolated nucleic acid may mean a nucleic acid that is purified so as to be substantially free of other cellular components or other contaminants, e.g ., other cellular nucleic acids or proteins, using standard techniques well known in the art.

[0101] The term “monoclonal” Ab (mAh) refers to a non-naturally occurring preparation of Ab molecules of single molecular composition, i.e ., Ab molecules whose primary sequences are essentially identical and which exhibit a single binding specificity and affinity for a particular epitope. A mAh is an example of an isolated Ab. MAbs may be produced by hybridoma, recombinant, transgenic or other techniques known to those skilled in the art.

[0102] A “chimeric” Ab refers to an Ab in which the variable regions are derived from one species and the constant regions are derived from another species, such as an Ab in which the variable regions are derived from a mouse Ab and the constant regions are derived from a human Ab.

[0103] A “human” mAh (HuMAb) refers to a mAh having variable regions in which both the framework and CDR regions are derived from human germline immunoglobulin sequences. Furthermore, if the Ab contains a constant region, the constant region also is derived from human germline immunoglobulin sequences. The human Abs of the invention may include amino acid residues not encoded by human germline immunoglobulin sequences (e.g, mutations introduced by random or site-specific mutagenesis in vitro or by somatic mutation in vivo). However, the term “human” Ab, as used herein, is not intended to include Abs in which CDR sequences derived from the germline of another mammalian species, such as a mouse, have been grafted onto human framework sequences. The terms “human” Abs and “fully human” Abs are used synonymously.

[0104] A “humanized” mAh refers to a mAh in which some, most or all of the amino acids outside the CDR domains of a non-human mAh are replaced with corresponding amino acids derived from human immunoglobulins. In one embodiment of a humanized form of an Ab, some, most or all of the amino acids outside the CDR domains have been replaced with amino acids from human immunoglobulins, whereas some, most or all amino acids within one or more CDR regions are unchanged. Small additions, deletions, insertions, substitutions or modifications of amino acids are permissible as long as they do not abrogate the ability of the Ab to bind to a particular antigen. A “humanized” Ab retains an antigenic specificity similar to that of the original Ab.

[0105] An “anti-antigen” Ab refers to an Ab that binds specifically to an antigen. For example, an anti-CCR8 Ab is an Ab that binds specifically to CCR8, whereas an anti-PD- 1 Ab is an Ab that binds specifically to PD-1. As used herein, an “anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll” Ab is an Ab that is used to disrupt the PD-1 / PD-L1 signaling pathway, which may be an anti -PD-1 Ab or an anti-PD-Ll Ab.

[0106] An “antigen-binding portion” or “antigen-binding fragment” of an Ab refers to one or more fragments of an Ab, e.g., a mAh, that retain the ability to bind specifically to the antigen bound by the whole Ab.

[0107] “Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity” (“ADCC”) refers to an in vitro or in vivo cell-mediated cytotoxic activity in which nonspecific effector cells that express Fc receptors (FcRs) on the effector cell surface (e.g., natural killer (NK) cells, macrophages, neutrophils and eosinophils) recognize the Fc region of the Abs bound to surface antigens on a target cell and actively lyses the target cell. In principle, any effector cell with an activating FcR can be triggered to mediate ADCC. Therapeutic Abs of the present invention for use in human subjects are preferably anti-hCCR8 Abs that have been specifically modified to mediate enhanced ADCC activity against cells expressing CCR8. ADCC activity of an Ab can be measured as described, for example, in any of Examples 17-20.

[0108] “Enhanced ADCC” or “enhanced ADCC activity” of a modified Ab of the present invention refer to ADCC activity levels greater than ADCC induced by an unmodified Ab. A modified anti-CCR8 IgGl Ab of the present invention exhibiting enhanced ADCC, for example, is a modified form of the Ab that induces greater ADCC than the Ab with its native IgGl constant domain. A nonfucosylated (nf) mAh is an example of a modified Ab that induces enhances ADCC via improved binding of IgG to activating FcyRIIIA. In certain embodiments, the level of enhancement in ADCC activity is at least a 2-fold, preferably at least a 10-fold, more preferably at least a 100-fold reduction in the ECso e.g. , as measured by a reduction in the ECso for cell lysis in a NK cell lysis assay, for example, the NK cell lysis assay described in Example 17.

[0109] A “cancer” refers a broad group of various diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. Unregulated cell division and growth divide and grow results in the formation of malignant tumors that invade neighboring tissues and may also metastasize to distant parts of the body through the lymphatic system or bloodstream.

[0110] “C-C Motif Chemokine Receptor 8” (“CCR8”; also known in the art as, for example, CY6, TER1, CCR-8, CKRLl, CDwl98, CMKBR8, GPRCY6, CMKBRL2, or CC-CKR-8) is a seven-transmembrane GPCR; this GPCR has been shown to be expressed primarily on intratumoral FOXP3hlTregs. The term “CCR8” as used herein includes human CCR8 (hCCR8), variants, isoforms, species homologs of hCCR8 such as mouse CCR8 (mCCR8), and analogs having at least one common epitope with hCCR8. The complete hCCR8 and mCCR8 amino acid sequences can be found under GENBANK® Accession Nos. AAI07160.1 and NP_031746.1, respectively.

[0111] A “cell surface receptor” refers to molecules or complexes of molecules expressed on the surface of a cell that are capable of receiving a signal and transmitting the signal across the plasma membrane of the cell.

[0112] “Effector function” refers to the interaction of an Ab Fc region with an FcR or ligand, or a biochemical event that results therefrom. Exemplary “effector functions” include Clq binding, complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), FcR binding, FcyR- mediated effector functions such as ADCC and Ab dependent cell-mediated phagocytosis (ADCP), and down-regulation of a cell surface receptor (e.g., the B cell receptor; BCR). Such effector functions generally require the Fc region to be combined with a binding domain (e.g., an Ab variable domain).

[0113] An “Fc receptor” or “FcR” is a receptor that binds to the Fc region of an immunoglobulin. FcRs that bind to an IgG Ab comprise receptors of the FcyR family, including allelic variants and alternatively spliced forms of these receptors. The FcyR family consists of three activating receptors (FcyRI, FcyRIII, and FcyRIV in mice; FcyRIA, FcyRIIA, and FcyRIIIA in humans) and one inhibitory receptor (FcyRIIB). Various properties of human FcyRs are summarized in Table 1. The majority of innate effector cell types co-express one or more activating FcyR and the inhibitory FcyRIIB, whereas NK cells selectively express one activating Fc receptor (FcyRIII in mice and FcyRIIIA in humans) but not the inhibitory FcyRIIB in mice and humans.

[0114] Table 1. Properties of Human FcyRs

[0115] An “Fc region” (fragment crystallizable region), “Fc domain” or “Fc” refers to the C-terminal region of the heavy chain of an Ab that mediates the binding of the Ig to host tissues or factors, including binding to FcRs located on various cells of the immune system ( e.g ., effector cells) or to the first component (Clq) of the classical complement system. Thus, the Fc region is a polypeptide comprising the constant region of an Ab excluding the first constant region Ig domain. In IgG, IgA and IgD Ab isotypes, the Fc region is composed of two identical protein fragments, derived from the second (Cm) and third (Cm) constant domains of the Ab’s two heavy chains; IgM and IgE Fc regions contain three heavy chain constant domains (C H domains 2-4) in each polypeptide chain. For IgG, the Fc region comprises Ig domains Cy2 and Cy3 and the hinge between Cyl and Cy2. Although the boundaries of the Fc region of an immunoglobulin heavy chain might vary, the human IgG heavy chain Fc region is usually defined to stretch from an amino acid residue at position C226 or P230 to the C-terminus of the heavy chain, wherein the numbering is according to the EU index as in Rabat. The Cm domain of a human IgG Fc region extends from about amino acid 231 to about amino acid 340, whereas the Cm domain is positioned on C-terminal side of a Cm domain in an Fc region, i.e ., it extends from about amino acid 341 to about amino acid 447 of an IgG. As used herein, the Fc region may be a native sequence Fc or a variant Fc.

[0116] “Fucosylation” and “nonfucosylation,” as used herein, refer to the presence and absence, respectively, of a core fucose residue on the N-linked glycan at position N297 of an Ab. Unless otherwise indicated, or is clear from the context, amino acid residue numbering in the Fc region of an Ab is according to the EU numbering convention (the EU index as in Kabat et al., 1991).

[0117] An “immune response” refers to a biological response within a vertebrate against foreign agents, which response protects the organism against these agents and diseases caused by them. The immune response is mediated by the action of a cell of the immune system (for example, a T lymphocyte, B lymphocyte, NK cell, macrophage, eosinophil, mast cell, dendritic cell or neutrophil) and soluble macromolecules produced by any of these cells or the liver (including Abs, cytokines, and complement) that results in selective targeting, binding to, damage to, destruction of, and / or elimination from the vertebrate’s body of invading pathogens, cells or tissues infected with pathogens, cancerous or other abnormal cells, or, in cases of autoimmunity or pathological inflammation, normal human cells or tissues.

[0118] The term “immunotherapy” refers to the treatment of a subject afflicted with, or at risk of contracting or suffering a recurrence of, a disease by a method comprising inducing, enhancing, suppressing or otherwise modifying an immune response.

[0119] The term “monotherapy” refers to a single type of treatment such as, for example, the administration to a patient of a single drug, or the use of radiation therapy or surgery alone, to treat a disease or condition. The administration of a drug by itself does not constitute monotherapy if in the same course of treatment it is preceded or followed by another type of treatment for the disease or condition, such as the administration of an additional drug.

[0120] In contrast, “combination therapy” refers to a treatment modality that combines at least two types of therapy such as, for example, the administration to a patient of two or more drugs, or the administration of a drug plus radiation therapy or surgery, to treat a disease or condition. These two or more treatments need not be delivered concurrently to the patient but are part of the same course of treatment. In certain embodiments, the different therapies are administered simultaneously. In other embodiments, the administration of one therapy overlaps with the administration of at least one other therapy. In further embodiments, the different therapies are administered sequentially.

[0121] “Potentiating an immune response” means increasing the effectiveness or potency of an immune response, which could be an existing or an induced immune response, in a subject. This increase in effectiveness and potency may be achieved, for example, by reducing or overcoming mechanisms that suppress an endogenous host immune response, by stimulating mechanisms that enhance the endogenous host immune response, or by enhancing the immune response elicited by an immunotherapeutic agent.

[0122] “Programmed Death- 1” (PD-1) refers to an immunoinhibitory receptor belonging to the CD28 family that is expressed predominantly on previously activated T cells in vivo , and binds to two ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2. The term “PD-1” as used herein includes human PD-1 (hPD-1), variants, isoforms, and species homologs of hPD- 1, and analogs having at least one common epitope with hPD-1. The complete hPD-1 amino acid sequence can be found under GENBANK® Accession No. U64863.

[0123] “Programmed Death Ligand- 1” (PD-L1) is one of two cell surface glycoprotein ligands for PD-1 (the other being PD-L2) that downregulate T cell activation and cytokine secretion upon binding to PD-1. The term “PD-L1” as used herein includes human PD-L1 (hPD-Ll), variants, isoforms, and species homologs of hPD-Ll, and analogs having at least one common epitope with hPD-Ll. The complete hPD-Ll sequence can be found under GENBANK® Accession No. Q9NZQ7.

[0124] A “subject” includes any human or nonhuman animal. The term “nonhuman animal” includes, but is not limited to, vertebrates such as nonhuman primates, sheep, dogs, and rodents such as mice, rats and guinea pigs. In preferred embodiments, the subject is a human. The terms “subject” and “patient” are used interchangeably herein.

[0125] A “therapeutically effective amount” or “therapeutically effective dosage” of a drug or therapeutic agent is any amount of the drug or agent that, when used alone or in combination with another therapeutic agent, protects a subject against the onset of a disease or promotes disease regression evidenced by a decrease in severity of disease symptoms, an increase in frequency and duration of disease symptom-free periods, a prevention or reduction of impairment or disability due to the disease affliction, or otherwise an amelioration of disease symptoms in the subject. In addition, the terms “effective” and “effectiveness” with regard to a treatment includes both pharmacological effectiveness and physiological safety. Pharmacological effectiveness refers to the ability of the drug to promote disease regression, e.g. , cancer regression, in the patient. Physiological safety refers to an acceptable level of toxicity, or other adverse physiological effects at the cellular, organ and / or organism level (adverse effects) resulting from administration of the drug. The efficacy of a therapeutic agent can be evaluated using a variety of methods known to the skilled practitioner, such as in human subjects during clinical trials, in animal model systems predictive of efficacy in humans, or by assaying the activity of the agent in in vitro assays.

[0126] By way of example for the treatment of tumors, a therapeutically effective amount of an anti-cancer agent preferably inhibits cell growth or tumor growth by at least about 20%, preferably by at least about 40%, more preferably by at least about 60%, even more preferably by at least about 80%, and still more preferably by about 100% relative to untreated subjects. The ability of an agent or treatment to inhibit tumor growth can be evaluated in an animal model system such as any of the CT26 colon adenocarcinoma, MC38 colon adenocarcinoma, SAIN fibrosarcoma, 4T1 mammary carcinoma, and MB49 bladder carcinoma mouse tumor models, which is predictive of efficacy in human tumors. Alternatively, tumor growth inhibition can be measured by evaluating the ability of the agent or treatment to inhibit cell growth in vitro using assays known to the skilled practitioner. In preferred embodiments of the invention, tumor regression may be observed and continue for a period of at least about 30 days in a human subject, more preferably at least about 60 days, or even more preferably at least about 6 months.

[0127] A therapeutically effective amount of a drug includes a “prophylactically effective amount,” which is any amount of the drug that, when administered alone or in combination with an another therapeutic agent to a subject at risk of developing a disease (e.g., a subject having a pre-malignant condition who is at risk of developing a cancer) or of suffering a recurrence of the disease, inhibits the development or recurrence of the disease (e.g., a cancer). In preferred embodiments, the prophylactically effective amount prevents the development or recurrence of the disease entirely. “Inhibiting” the development or recurrence of a disease means either lessening the likelihood of the disease’s development or recurrence, or preventing the development or recurrence of the disease entirely. “Treatment” or “therapy” of a subject refers to any type of intervention or process performed on, including the administration of an active agent to, the subject with the objective of reversing, alleviating, ameliorating, inhibiting, slowing down or preventing the onset, progression, development, severity or recurrence of a symptom, complication or condition, or biochemical indicia associated with a disease.

[0128] As used herein, the indefinite articles “a” or “an” should be understood to refer to “one or more” of any recited or enumerated component.

[0129] The term “about”, when applied to numeric value, a refers to a value that is reasonably close to the stated value and within an acceptable error range as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art, which will depend in part on how the value is measured or determined, i.e., the limitations of the measurement system. For example, “about” can mean a range of plus or minus 50% of a stated reference value, preferably a range of plus or minus 25%, or more preferably a range of plus or minus 10%. When particular values are provided in the application, the meaning of “about”, unless otherwise stated, should be understood to be within an acceptable error range for that particular value according to the practice in the art.

[0130] The term “substantially the same” or “essentially the same” refers to a sufficiently high degree of similarity between two or more numeric values, compositions or characteristics that one of skill in the art would consider the difference between these values, compositions or characteristics to be of little or no biological and / or statistical significance within the context of the property being measured. The difference between numeric values being measured may, for example, be less than about 50%, preferably less than about 25%, and more preferably less than about 10%.

[0131] As described herein, any concentration range, percentage range, ratio range or integer range is to be understood to include the value of any integer within the recited range and, when appropriate, fractions thereof (such as one tenth and one hundredth of an integer), unless otherwise indicated.

[0132] Various aspects of the invention are described in further detail in the following subsections.

[0133] Expression of CCR8 Specifically in Highly Immunosuppressive Tumor-Infiltrating Tregs

[0134] A variety of experiments reported herein demonstrate that CCR8 is expressed specifically by Tregs in human tumors, and unlike CCR4, a Treg depletion target currebtly undergoing clinical trials, CCR8 is selectively expressed on suppressive tumor Tregs and minimally on proinflammatory Teffs. Analysis of human CCR8 and FOXP3 gene-gene correlations in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA; National Cancer Institute, 2021) (Example 1) showed that CCR8 expression has the highest correlation with FOXP3 (master transcriptional regulator of Tregs) in most cancer types (Figure 1A). CCR8 is expressed on tumor FOXP3hlTregs, but rarely observed on Tregs and Teffs in the peripheral blood. CCR8 is also selectively expressed on ΡΟΧΡ3ωlymphocytes in HCC tumor samples but not in FOXP3midand FOXP3negCD8 and CD4 Teffs in patient tumors (Figure IB). CCR8 expression is associated with higher levels of FOXP3 expression and canonical markers of Tregs (IL2RA, IKZF2, B ATF) whereas lower expression of CCR8 is associated with cytotoxic T cell markers (GZMA, CD8A; Figure 1C).

[0135] Comparing the expression profiles of different Treg-associated molecules (Example 3), CCR8 was shown to be more highly expressed on tumor-associated FOXP3+Tregs than on Treg from patient-matched blood, whereas there was little difference in expression of CCR4, CTLA-4, and CD25 on Tregs from tumor and blood (Figure 2A). The high per-cell abundance of CCR8 on FOXP3+tumor Tregs compared to peripheral blood Tregs (Figure 2B), coupled with the low frequency of expression of CCR8 on CD4+ Tconv (Figure 2C and D) and CD8+T cells (Figure 2E and F) in both tumor and peripheral blood suggest that CCR8 represents a highly selective therapeutic marker for targeting tumor Tregs with a a low risk of compromising anti-tumor Teff cell populations.

[0136] Flow cytometric analysis of the level of expression of CCR8 in different subsets of T lymphocytes associated with human tumors (Example 4) showed that CCR8 is expressed by a high proportion of tumor-resident Tregs (median 82%) as defined by FOXP3 (Figure 3A). In contrast, a much lower proportion of tumor-infiltrating CD4+T cells and CD8+T cells express CCR8 (medians 12.65% and 4.55%, respectively; Figure 3B). Whereas a small proportion of CD4 Tconv cells express CCR8, the expression level of CCR8 on a per cell basis is significantly higher on Tregs than on CD4 Tconv cells (median MFI 2106 vs. 132, P < 0.0001), while CD8+T cells express negligible levels of CCR8 (Figure 3B). Tregs in the peripheral blood was also shown to express CCR8 but at a significantly lower level than on tumor-infiltrating Tregs (Figure 3C).

[0137] The differential expression of CCR8 on different human Treg subpopulations was also analyzed by flow cytometry (Example 5). In PBMCs from healthy subjects, CCR8 was found to be predominantly expressed on peripheral blood Tregs, but only on a small fraction (median 21%) of these peripheral Tregs (Figure 4A) compared to the expression on about a median 82% of tumor-infiltrating Tregs ( cf. Figure 3 A). Thus, anti-CCR8 Ab- mediated cell depletion would likely not significantly affect the peripheral Treg compartment due to the low proportion of CCR8+Tregs in the peripheral Treg population. This implies a lower risk of autoimmune toxicity associated with depleting tumor-associated Tregs by targeting CCR8 compared to indiscriminate depletion of nontumor associated Tregs. Within the Treg population, CCR8 is expressed more highly in the effector memory population and to a lesser degree in central memory cells, with very little CCR8 expressed on naive Tregs (Figure 4B) or conventional CD4+T cells (Figure 4C). In cancer patients, there is higher CCR8 expression on a per cell basis on tumor- infiltrating Tregs than on Tregs from peripheral blood as measured by the MFI of a bound anti-CCR8 Ab (Figure 4D).

[0138] In comparison to other Treg-targeting nf agents in the clinic (CCR4- mogamulizumab and CTLA-4-Ipi-nf), CCR8 is specifically expressed on the most activated and immunosuppressive subset of FOXP3Mtumor Tregs associated with poor survival (Plitas eta\., 2016; Wang etal., 2019), effectively excluding Teffs expressing granzyme and other effector cytokines. Two melanoma tumors and a RCC tumor were dissociated and stained for FOXP3 and CCR8 expression (Example 6). Figure 5 shows that CCR8 is expressed on the most immunosuppressive CD4+ΡΟΧΡ3Μ§ΐ1Treg population, which represents the most activated Tregs. In the melanoma samples where there is a clear FOXP3mdpopulation, most of the CCR8 expression is found in the FOXP3hlghT cells with the level of CCR8 expression significantly lower in the FOXP3midand FOXP3negtumor T cells that are mainly effector cells expressing granzyme and other effector cytokines. In the RCC sample where most of the patient FOXP3+T cells exhibit high levels of FOXP3, CCR8 expression overlaps with FOXP3 expression. FOXP3hlghCD4+T cells have been shown to be true Tregs, in contrast to FOXP3mdCD4+T cells, which can be activated conventional T cells or resting Tregs.

[0139] The expression of functionally relevant molecules in CCR8+versus CCR8'tumor- infiltrating T cell populations was examined (Example 7). CCR8+cells from patient tumor samples were shown to co-express several proteins with potential immunosuppressive functions such as CD25, IL1R2, and CD39 (Figures 6A-D) whereas a comparable enrichment was not seen in CCR4+T cells (Figures 7A-D). Using HLA-DR as an activation marker, CCR8 expression also correlates with a higher level of HLA-DR expression (Figure 8A) and thus identifies activated Tregs whereas CCR4 expression does not (Figure 8B). Therefore, depletion of CCR8+cells would remove activated immunosuppressive Tregs expressing CD25, CD39 and IL1R2 whereas Tregs expressing these molecules would not be removed by CCR4-targeted depletion. Further, stimulation of dissociated patient tumor cells ex vivo with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin induced minimal IL-2, IFNy, and granzyme B production in the CCR8+fraction of CD4+T cells (Figures 9A-C). In contrast, CCR4+CD4+T cells were major producers of ∑FNy and IL-2 (Figures 10A and B), suggesting that targeted depletion of CCR4+, but not CCR8+cells, may be detrimental to anti-tumor immunity.

[0140] The data revealed in Examples 1-7 and summarized above show that not all CD4+FOXP3+T cells in the tumor express CCR8, and the CCR8+fraction appears to represent the more immunosuppressive subset of FOXP3+cells. Thus, CCR8 expression marks a subset of highly suppressive Treg that are enriched in the tumor and may hinder anti-tumor immunity. The high specificity of CCR8 expression to tumor-specific Tregs and, in particular, the most activated and immunosuppressive CD4+FOXP3hlghintratumoral Tregs, makes CCR8 an optimal target for mediating depletion of these highly immunosuppressive Tregs through ADCC using an anti-CCR8 Ab.

[0141] Accordingly, anti-hCCR8 mAbs were generated in experiments described herein (Example 8) and screened to identify Abs that exhibit multiple properties desirable in a therapeutic Ab for treating cancer (Examples 9-31). It is demonstrated herein that a surrogate mouse anti-mCCR8-mIgG2a Ab potently inhibited tumor growth in multiple mouse tumor models, and nonfucosylated (nf) anti-hCCR8 Abs depleted human tumor Tregs in ex vivo patient tumor samples and in vitro while sparing proinflammatory CD4+and CD8+Teff cells that drive anti-tumor immune responses (Examples 20 and 22). Depletion of tumor-associated Tregs reduces their immunosuppressive effect and thereby enhances the overall immune response in fighting cancer. Moreover, because CCR8 is rarely expressed on Tregs and Teffs in peripheral blood or in other tissues, targeting Tregs poses minimal toxicity risks. In comparison, anti-hCCR4-IgGl-nf treatment in vitro led to depletion of both Treg and CD4+Tconv cells in the periphery and in the tumor microenvironment (Examples 20 and 22). This is consistent with evidence that mogamulizumab (anti-CCR4) depletes Teff populations in peripheral blood in the clinic (Kurose etal ., 2015). Generation of Anti-hCCR8 MAbs

[0142] Chemokine receptors, including CCR8, have traditionally been “very difficult antigens to develop Ab against” because of their low profiles on the cell surface and relative inaccessibility to Ab binding (WO 2007 / 044756). Also, Abs generated against peptides corresponding to extracellular domains of chemokine receptors often fail to recognize the intact receptor on the cell, probably because of differences in secondary structure. Due to these difficulties, efforts to generate Abs against chemokine receptors have had a low success rate (WO 2007 / 044756). CCR8 is a particularly difficult GPCR, which has been described as an “extremely challenging” target against which to generate Abs (Harbour BioMed, 2020).

[0143] Initial efforts to generate anti-hCCR8 Abs by immunizing mice with hCCR8- expressing cells were unsuccessful. However, anti-hCCR8 mAbs were generated in the present study (Example 8) after trying immunization of different rodents with a variety of hCCR8 antigens and various combinations of these antigens.

[0144] Immunization of rodents

[0145] Humanized or human anti-CCR8 mAbs were generated by immunizing different rodents, including regular C57B1 / 6 mice, different strains of transgenic mice that express a human Ig repertoire, a specifically generated CCR8' 'knockout mouse strain, rats and hamsters, with immunogens comprising a variety of hCCR8 antigens including Chinese hamster ovary (CHO), mouse BAF3 and human HEK 293F cells overexpressing hCCR8, or purified plasma membranes from these cells. These immunogens were boosted with chemically synthesized peptides from the hCCR8 N-terminus (residues 1-35 of hCCR8) that importantly contained singly or doubly sulfated tyrosine residues at positions 15 and / or 17, conjugated to either bovine serum albumin (BSA) or keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). Certain of the mAbs generated in non-transgenic mice were subsequently modified to humanized or chimeric derivatives.

[0146] Proteins often display post-translational modifications, some of which, e.g., glycosylation, have been very well studied and documented. In comparison, the sulfation of certain extracellular tyrosine residues has been little studied and, to date, there are only 32 confirmed molecules that have been documented to contain sulfated tyrosines (Mehta et al ., 2020). Even though additional proteins with sulfated tyrosines are yet to be discovered, sulfated tyrosines are estimated to be fairly rare (Moore, 2003). As a chemical moiety, they are very different from all other amino acids and therefore represent an excellent focal point to generate Abs with very high specificity and low off-target binding. Chemokine receptors that include CCR8 constitute one of the few protein classes that have been well documented to have sulfated tyrosines on their N-terminus (Ludeman and Stone, 2014). For several of these receptors, tyrosine sulfation has been found to be crucial for ligand, i.e., chemokine, engagement (Zhu et al ., 2011). Thus, it is likely that an Ab that engages the tyrosine sulfates will disrupt binding between chemokine and chemokine receptor and thereby prevent chemokine receptor activation. As discussed elsewhere herein, Abs of the invention that bind to an epitope comprising at least one amino acid within a peptide having the sequence V12T13D14Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21S22 (SEQ ID NO: 109), e.g. comprising 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or all the amino acids within a peptide having the sequence V12T13D14Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21S22 (SEQ ID NO: 109) and, in particular, wherein amino acids Y15 and Y17 are sulfated, are of particular interest and Example 11 shows that mAb 4A19 binds to the doubly sulfated CCR8 N-terminus with a KD of about 1.6 nM ( see Table 5).

[0147] Reduced fucosylation, nonfucosylation and hypofucosylation of anti-CCR8 mAbs

[0148] The interaction of Abs with FcyRs can be enhanced by modifying the glycan moiety attached to each Fc fragment at the N297 residue (EU numbering). In particular, the absence of core fucose residues strongly enhances ADCC via improved binding of IgG to activating FcyRIIIA without altering antigen binding or complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC; Natsume et al., 2009). Binding of an nf Ab to CCR8 on human Tregs facilitates engagement of the FcyR on NK cells and myelomonocytic Teffs. This FcyR engagement drives NK cell activation leading to enhanced Treg killing by ADCC. There is convincing evidence that afucosylated tumor-specific Abs translate into enhanced therapeutic activity in mouse models in vivo (Nimmerjahn and Ravetch, 2005; Mossner et al. , 2010).

[0149] Modification of Ab glycosylation can be accomplished by, for example, expressing the Ab in a host cell with altered glycosylation machinery. Certain of the anti- hCCR8 mAbs disclosed herein possess reduced or eliminated fucosylation and exhibit enhanced ADCC, which is particularly useful in the methods of the present invention.

[0150] The anti-hCCR8 mAbs disclosed herein may therefore be generated in a form in which they possess reduced or eliminated fucosylation, e.g. , by expressing the anti-hCCR8 mAbs in cells with altered glycosylation machinery, and as a result exhibit enhanced ADCC, which is particularly useful in the methods of the present invention. Cells with altered glycosylation machinery have been described in the art and can be used as host cells in which to express recombinant Abs of this disclosure to thereby produce an Ab, e.g ., a mAh, with altered glycosylation. For example, the cell lines Ms704, Ms705, and Ms709 lack the fucosyltransferase enzyme, FUT8 (a-(l,6) fucosyltransferase; see U.S. Publication No. 2004 / 0110704; Yamane-Ohnuki et al. , 2004), such that Abs expressed in these cell lines lack fucose in their carbohydrates. EP 1176195 also describes a cell line with a functionally disrupted FUT8 gene as well as cell lines that have little or no activity for adding fucose to the N-acetylglucosamine that binds to the Fc region of the Ab, for example, the rat myeloma cell line YB2 / 0 (ATCC CRL 1662). Many other methods for producing Abs with Ab with reduced fucosylation have been described in the art. Hypofucosylated or nf chimeric, humanized or human anti-hCCR8 Abs disclosed herein were produced by expression in Expi293 Fut8' / _knock-out cells (Thermo Fisher Scientific, San Diego, CA) lacking the FUT8 enzyme essential to fucosylation.

[0151] Because nf Abs exhibit greatly enhanced ADCC compared with fucosylated Abs, Ab preparations need not be completely free of fucosylated heavy chains to be useful in the methods of the present invention. Residual levels of fucosylated heavy chains will not significantly interfere with the ADCC activity of a preparation of substantially nf heavy chains. Abs produced in conventional CHO cells, which are fully competent to add core fucose to N-glycans, may nevertheless comprise from a few percent up to 15% nf Abs. Nf Abs may exhibit about 10-fold higher affinity for CD16, and up to 30- to 100-fold enhancement of ADCC activity, so even a small increase in the proportion of nf Abs may drastically increase the ADCC activity of a preparation. Any preparation comprising more nf Abs than would be produced in normal CHO cells, e.g., wild-type CHO cells having unaltered glycosylation machinery, in culture may exhibit some level of enhanced ADCC. Such Ab preparations are referred to herein as preparations having reduced fucosylation. Depending on the original level of nonfucosylation obtained from normal CHO cells, e.g, wild-type CHO cells, reduced fucosylation preparations may comprise as little as 50%, 30%, 20%, 10% and even 5% nf Abs. Reduced fucosylation may be functionally defined as preparations exhibiting about a 2-fold or greater enhancement of ADCC compared with Abs prepared in normal CHO cells, and not with reference to any fixed percentage of nf species.

[0152] However, as used herein unless otherwise indicated, the level of nonfucosylation is structurally defined. Specifically, “nonfucosylated” (nf) or “afucosylated” (terms used synonymously) Ab preparations are Ab preparations comprising greater than 95% nf Ab heavy chains, including 100%; “hypofucosylated” refers to Ab preparations in which 80 to 95% of heavy chains lack fucose; and “hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated” refers to Ab preparations in which 80% or more of heavy chains lack fucose.

[0153] The level of fucosylation in an Ab preparation may be determined by a method known in the art, including but not limited to gel electrophoresis, liquid chromatography (LC), and mass spectrometry (MS). Unless otherwise indicated, for the purposes of the present invention, the level of fucosylation in an Ab preparation is determined by hydrophilic interaction chromatography (or hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography, HILIC). To determine the level of fucosylation of an Ab preparation, samples are denatured treated with PNGase F to cleave N-linked glycans, which are then analyzed for fucose content. LC / MS of full-length Ab chains is an alternative method to detect the level of fucosylation of an Ab preparation, but mass spectroscopy is inherently less quantitative.

[0154] Therapeutic anti-hCCR8 mAbs must have a high potential for ADCC

[0155] Because of the great difficulty we encountered in generating anti-CCR8 Abs in preliminary immunization experiments, immunizations were ultimately done with a wide variety of antigens as described above and in Example 8. Hybridomas generated were screened as described in Example 9 to confirm Ab binding to CCR8 and to a CCR8 N- terminal peptide. Selected mouse Abs were humanized as described in Example 10.

[0156] Also provided is a method of generating an Ab against CCR8, said method comprising immunizing a rodent at least once with one or more hCCR8 antigens in an immunization schedule which comprises one or more immunizations, wherein the immunization schedule includes in at least one of the immunizations administering a hCCR8 antigen which is a KLH-conjugated, hCCR8 peptide including residues Y15 and Y17 of hCCR8 and wherein residues Y15 and Y17 are sulphotyrosine residues. Preferably, residues both Y15 and Y17 are sulphotyrosine residues.

[0157] Optionally, the hCCR8 peptide comprises or consists of at least the N-terminal- most 25, 30, or 35 amino acids of hCCR8. Optionally, the hCCR8 peptide consists of the N-terminal-most 35 amino acids of hCCR8.

[0158] Optionally, the rodent is a mouse, rat or hamster. Preferably, the rodent is a mouse.

[0159] Optionally, the rodent is immunized with a cell expressing hCCR8 or preferably a plasma membrane-enriched fraction isolated from a cell expressing CCR8 in at least one of the immunizations, alone or in combination with the KLH-conjugated, hCCR8 peptide. Optionally the immunization schedule includes immunizing the rodent with HEK 293F cells expressing hCCR8 and with a KLH-conjugated, N-terminal hCCR8 peptide. Optionally the immunization schedule includes immunizing the rodent with plasma membrane enriched fractions of BAF3 cells expressing hCCR8 and with a KLH- conjugated, hCCR8 peptide.

[0160] In certain aspects, the present disclosure relates to an isolated Ab, preferably a mAb, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, that specifically binds to CCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell and mediates depletion of the CCR8-expressing cell by ADCC. In certain embodiments, the CCR8 to which the mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof binds is hCCR8, the sequence of which is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1. In other embodiments, the CCR8 is mCCR8, the sequence of which is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 120

[0161] Human IgGl and IgG3 Ab isotypes are able to mediate ADCC through binding to activating Fey receptors, particularly the CD 16 (FcyRIIIa) receptor expressed by human NK cells and monocytes (see Table 1). Many therapeutic Abs that have been commercialized have the human IgGl isotype, which can induce strong ADCC and CDC when compared with other human Ab isotypes. Additionally, therapeutic IgGl Abs have long-term stability in blood mediated via binding to the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). The activity of several therapeutic Abs, including anti-CD20 rituximab (RITUXAN®) (DalFOzzo et al., 2004), anti-Her2 trastuzumab (HERCEPTIN®) (Gennari et al., 2004), anti-tumor necrosis factor-a (anti-TNF-a) infliximab (REMICADE®) (Louis et al .,

[0162] 2004), and anti-RhD (Miescher et al., 2004) is mediated, at least in part, by ADCC.

[0163] In certain embodiments of the disclosed invention, the anti-CCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof comprises a heavy chain constant region which is of a human IgGl or IgG3 isotype. In preferred embodiments, the anti-CCR8 mAb or antigenbinding portion thereof is of a human IgGl .

[0164] This invention also provides a modified anti-hCCR8 mAb, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which comprises a modified heavy chain constant region that binds with higher affinity to a FcyR and mediates enhanced ADCC compared to the corresponding unmodified mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof. In certain embodiments, the modified anti-hCCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof mediates at least: (a) about 2 times enhanced ADCC activity; (a) about 5 times enhanced ADCC activity; (c) about 10 times enhanced ADCC activity; (d) about 30 times enhanced ADCC activity, or (e) about 100 times enhanced ADCC activity, e.g ., as measured by a reduction in the ECso for cell lysis in a NK cell lysis assay, for example, the NK cell lysis assay that is described in Example 17. In certain embodiments, the modified anti-hCCR8 mAh or antigen-binding portion thereof comprises a modified IgGl heavy chain constant region which exhibits reduced fucosylation.

[0165] In further embodiments, the modified anti-hCCR8 mAh or antigen-binding portion thereof comprises a modified IgGl heavy chain constant region which is hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated. In certain other embodiments, the modified mAh or antigen-binding portion thereof comprises a modified IgGl heavy chain constant region which contains a mutation, or a multiplicity of mutations, that mediate enhanced ADCC. In further embodiments, the mutation or multiplicity of mutations is chosen from G236A; S239D; F243L; E333A; G236A / I332E; S239D / I332E; S267E / H268F; S267E / S324T; H268F / S324T; G236A / S239D / I332E; S239D / A330L / I332E; S267E / H268F / S324T; and G236A / S239D / A330L / I332E. In certain embodiment, the modified anti-hCCR8 mAh or antigen-binding portion thereof comprises a modified IgGl heavy chain constant region which is hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated, and further contains a mutation, or a multiplicity of mutations, such as are listed above, that mediate enhanced ADCC.

[0166] Functional Screening for Anti-hCCR8 MAbs that Mediate ADCC

[0167] Human, humanized and chimeric anti-hCCR8 mAh clones were functionally screened to identify Abs that exhibit properties desirable in a therapeutic Ab, including Abs that bind to hCCR8 with high affinity (Example 11), bind specifically to CCR8- expressing human cells (Example 14), block binding of the CCL1 ligand to CCR8 (Example 15), mediate ADCC of CCR8-expressing cells, including Tregs, when bound to CCR8 on the surface of such cells (Examples 17, 19 and 20), not cause internalization of cell CCR8 (Example 21), promote depletion of human tumor-associated Tregs in vitro (Example 22) and in ex vivo human tumor slice samples (Example 20), mediate depletion of tumor Tregs specifically while sparing CCR8+T cells in normal tissues (Example 24), and reduce tumor growth in preclinical mouse tumor models when administered to the mice as monotherapy or in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor (Examples 23-29).

[0168] Clones were selected for further characterization after being initially shown to bind to CCR8 on human cells with sub-nanomolar ECso values, and to bind specifically to CCR8-expressing cells with no cross-reactivity to diverse human tissues that do not express CCR8. The DNA encoding the variable regions in these Abs was sequenced by next generation sequencing and clones were selected for diversity based on sequence homology and limited potential sequence liabilities, e.g., asparagine deamidation, methionine oxidation and glycosylation sites. Based on their potency in mediating ADCC of CCR8-expressing cells, binding kinetics, and sequence family diversity, certain selected clones mAbs were further tested for functions deemed to be desirable in a therapeutic Ab, including the ability to inhibit tumor growth in mouse tumor models and were subjected to sequence optimization to mitigate sequence liabilities, optimize binding affinities and revert to germline amino acids. Select mAbs were also analyzed for their biophysical properties through a variety of means such as analytical size exclusion chromatography, capillary isoelectric focusing, hydrophobicity assessments, thermal stability, and aggregation potential, to identify clones suitable for further development.

[0169] Characterization of binding affinity of anti-CCR8 mAbs to CCR8

[0170] Certain of the anti-CCR8 mAbs of this invention bind to hCCR8 with high affinity. Abs typically bind specifically to their cognate antigen with high affinity, reflected by a dissociation constant (KD) of 1 μΜ to 10 pM or lower. Any KD greater than about 100 μΜ is generally considered to indicate nonspecific binding. As used herein, an IgG Ab that “binds specifically” to an antigen refers to an Ab that binds to the antigen and substantially identical antigens with high affinity, which means having a KD of about 100 nM or lower, preferably about 10 nM or lower, more preferably about 5 nM or lower, and even more preferably between about 5 nM and 0.1 nM or lower, but does not bind with high affinity to unrelated antigens. An antigen is “substantially identical” to a given antigen if it exhibits a high degree of sequence identity to the given antigen, for example, if it exhibits at least 80%, at least 90%, preferably at least 95%, more preferably at least 97%, or even more preferably at least 99% sequence identity to the sequence of the given antigen.

[0171] The term “KD,” as used herein, is intended to refer to the dissociation constant for a particular Ab-antigen interaction, which is obtained from the ratio of koff to k0n (i.e., koff / kon) and is expressed as a molar concentration (e.g, nM). The term “k0n” refers to the association rate or “on rate” for the association of an Ab and its antigen interaction, whereas the term “koff” refers to the dissociation rate for the Ab-antigen complex. KD values for Abs can be determined using methods well established in the art, such as surface plasmon resonance (SPR), kinetic exclusion assay (KinExA®; Sapidyne Instruments, Boise, ID), or bio-layer interferometry (BLI; ForteBio, Fremont, CA). KD values determined by different methods for a single Ab can vary considerably, for example, up to a 1,000-fold. Thus, in comparing the KD values for different Abs, it is important that these KD values be determined using the same method. Where not explicitly stated, and unless the context indicates otherwise, KD values for Ab binding disclosed herein were determined by SPR using a BIACORE® biosensor system (GE Healthcare, Chicago, IL).

[0172] Binding affinities for an Ab binding to a target such as hCCR8 can also be determined by measuring the ECso for binding to CCR8-expressing cell lines, which is the concentration of the Ab that achieves half of the maximal binding. Studies of mAbs binding to CHO, 293F, Raji cell lines expressing CCR8 exhibited ECso of under 1 nM (Figure 11 A). When bound against activated Tregs, these Abs exhibited a wider range of binding affinities, with less than half of the Abs exhibiting binding with ECso’s less than 1 nM (Figure 11 A). The select set of mAbs shown in Figure 1 IB exhibit ECso’s ranging from picomolar to nanomolar.

[0173] Accordingly, in certain embodiments of the disclosed invention, the anti-CCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof specifically binds to human CCR8-expressing CHO cells with an ECso of: about 10 nM or lower; preferably about 5 nM or lower; preferably about 2 nM or lower; more preferably about 1.7 nM or lower; more preferably about 1 nM or lower; more preferably about 0.5 nM or lower; and even more preferably about 0.1 nM or lower. In certain preferred embodiments, the anti-hCCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof binds to hCCR8-expressing CHO cells with an EC so of about 0.1 nM. In certain other preferred embodiments, the anti-hCCR8 mAb or antigenbinding portion thereof binds to hCCR8-expressing CHO cells with an EC so of about 1.7 nM. In certain embodiments, the mAb binds with an ECso of between about 0.1 nM and about 10 nM. In certain other embodiments, the ECso is between about 0.1 nM and about 2 nM. In certain other embodiments, the ECso is between about 0.5 nM and about 5 nM.

[0174] In certain preferred embodiments, the ECso is between about 1 nM and about 2 nM. In other embodiments, the mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof binds to human hCCR8 with an ECso of between about 0.5 nM and about 1 nM. In certain preferred embodiments, the ECso value is measured by the binding assay described in Example 11.

[0175] In certain other embodiments of the present invention, the anti-hCCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof specifically binds to activated human Tregs with an ECso of: about 50 nM or lower, about 14 nM or lower, about 10 nM or lower; preferably about 5 nM or lower; more preferably about 2 nM or lower; more preferably about 0.5 nM or lower; more preferably about 0.3 nM or lower; even more preferably about 0.1 nM or lower; and yet more preferably about 0.03 nM or lower. In certain preferred embodiments, the anti-hCCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof binds to hCCR8- expressing CHO cells with an EC so of about 1.7 nM. In certain embodiments, the mAb binds with an EC so of between about 0.03 nM and about 10 nM. In certain preferred embodiments, the ECso is between about 0.1 nM and about 5 nM. In more preferred embodiments, the mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof binds to human hCCR8 with an ECso of between about 0.2 nM and about 2 nM. In certain preferred embodiments, the ECso value is measured by the binding assay described in Example 11.

[0176] The Fab fragment of a selected anti-hCCR8 mAb, 4A19, was shown by X-ray crystallography to bind to an epitope comprising residues 15-21 in the N-terminal peptide of hCCR8 (Example 11), with the sulfated tyrosine- 17 residue at the center of the epitope (Figure 12 A). Accordingly, in certain embodiments, the anti-hCCR8 mAb or antigenbinding portion thereof described herein binds to a N-terminal epitope of human CCR8 as determined by X-ray crystallography, wherein the epitope comprises at least one amino acid within a peptide having the sequence Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21 (SEQ ID NO: 2). In certain preferred embodiments, the epitope peptide comprises a sulfated tyrosine- 17 residue. In certain embodiments, the epitope comprises 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or all the amino acids within a peptide having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.

[0177] Binding of the doubly sulfated peptide (Y15 and Y17 sulfated) to the 4A19 Fab fragment confirmed the identity and orientation of the center of the epitope. It additionally allowed the delineation of a more extended linear epitope comprising the N- terminal residues 12-22 (VTDYYYPDIFS; SEQ ID NO: 109) of hCCR8 (Figure 12B). The extension of the epitope from the one revealed by the monosulfated peptide is likely a consequence of the sulfo-Y15 ordering a larger segment of the hCCR8 N-terminal peptide, allowing visualization of its interactions with the 4A19 Ab. The epitope sequence observed in the structure with the doubly sulfated peptide may constitute the entire epitope bound by mAb 4A19 since this Ab was generated using an immunization strategy that involved multiple immunizations with a hCCR8 N-terminal peptide to enhance the immune response to the hCCR8 N-terminus. If other amino acid residues in the N- terminal peptide formed part of the epitope, this would likely be seen in the crystal structure but it is not (Figure 12B).

[0178] Accordingly, in certain preferred embodiments, the epitope peptide bound by 4A19 comprises sulfated tyrosine-15 and tyrosine-17 residues. In certain embodiments, amino acids Yis and / or Y i? of this peptide are sulfated. In certain preferred embodiments, both amino acids Yis and Y i? of this peptide are sulfated.

[0179] This disclosure provides an Ab, e.g ., a mAb, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which is capable of mediating ADCC and which specifically binds to an epitope on hCCR8, the sequence of which is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein the epitope is located in the N-terminal domain of hCCR8 within a peptide spanning approximately amino acid residues 15 to 21 (Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21; SEQ ID NO: 2) as determined by X-ray crystallography. In certain embodiment, the epitope comprises at least one amino acid within a peptide having the sequence Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21 (SEQ ID NO: 2). In other embodiments, the epitope comprises 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or all the amino acids within a peptide having the sequence Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21 (SEQ ID NO: 2). In certain preferable embodiments, the epitope comprises all 7 of the amino acids having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.

[0180] This disclosure also provides an Ab, e.g. , a mAb, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which is capable of mediating ADCC and which specifically binds to an epitope on hCCR8, the sequence of which is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein the epitope is located in the N-terminal domain of hCCR8 within a peptide spanning approximately amino acid residues 12 to 22 (V12T13D14Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21S22; SEQ ID NO: 109) as determined by X-ray crystallography. In certain embodiment, the epitope comprises at least one amino acid within a peptide having the sequence

[0181] V12T13D14Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21S22 (SEQ ID NO: 109). In other embodiments, the epitope comprises 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8, 9, 10 or all the amino acids within a peptide having the sequence V12T13D14Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21S22 (SEQ ID NO: 109). In certain preferable embodiments, the epitope comprises all 11 of the amino acids having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 109. In certain other embodiments, the epitope consists of a peptide having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 109.

[0182] In certain aspects of this invention, the anti-CCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof binds to the N-terminal peptide of hCCR8 comprising sulfated tyr-15 and tyr-17 residues (e.g., a peptide of N-terminal CCR8 residues 1-35 sulfated at positions tyr-15 and tyr-17 (CCR8-2sulfo)) with a KD of: about 100 nM or lower; preferably about 50 nM or lower; preferably about 10 nM or lower; more preferably about 5 nM or lower; more preferably about 1.6 nM or lower; more preferably about 1.0 nM or lower; and even more preferably about 0.5 nM or lower; and yet more preferably about 0.1 nM or lower. In certain preferred embodiments, the anti-hCCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof binds to the N-terminal epitope peptide, e.g., a peptide of N-terminal CCR8 residues 1-35 sulfated at positions Tyrl5 and Tyrl7 (CCR8-2sulfo)) with a KD of about 1.6 nM. In certain embodiments, the mAb binds with a KD of between about 100 nM and about 0.1 nM. In certain preferred embodiments, the KD is between about 50 nM and about 0.5 nM. In more preferred embodiments, the mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof binds with a KD of between about 10 nM and about 1 nM. In yet more preferred embodiments, the mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof binds with a KD of between about 2 nM and about 1 nM. In certain preferred embodiments, the KD value is measured by the SPR method described in Example 11.

[0183] Sulfation of tyrosine (tyr-15 and tyr-17) in the N-terminus of hCCR8 is required for binding of the 4A19 Ab ( see Example 11). If only one tyrosine residue, tyr-15, is sulfoylated, the 4A19 Fab fragment binds less tightly to the N-terminal peptide, evidenced by a KD of more than 10-fold higher and about 1,000-fold higher than the doubly sulfated peptide, while there is approximately a 10-fold decrease in affinity if only tyr-17 is sulfated (Table 5). Accordingly, this invention provides an anti-hCCR8 mAb or an antigen-binding portion thereof which binds to a N-terminal peptide of hCCR8 comprising a single sulfated residue, tyr-17 (CCR8-sulfoY17), of: about 100 nM or lower; preferably about 50 nM or lower; preferably about 25 nM or lower; more preferably about 10 nM or lower; and even more preferably about 1.0 nM or lower. In certain preferred embodiments, the anti-hCCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof binds to the singly sulfoylated epitope peptide with a KD of about 20 nM. In certain embodiments, the mAb binds with a KD of between about 100 nM and about 1 nM. In certain preferred embodiments, the KD is between about 50 nM and about 10 nM. In more preferred embodiments, the mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof binds with a KD of between about 30 nM and about 20 nM. In certain preferred embodiments, the KD value is measured by the SPR method described in Example 11.

[0184] Tissue Cross-Reactivity of Anti-hCCR8 MAb s

[0185] Since a therapeutic anti-CCR8 mAb will be used to deplete target cells expressing CCR8, it is important that the mAh bind specifically to the intended target cells, i.e., tumor-infiltrating Tregs, and not to other essential cell types in the body whose depletion would induce toxic or undesirable side effects. Candidate mAbs were, therefore, tested for binding to a wide variety of normal human tissue types (Example 14). Anti-hCCR8 mAbs 18Y12 and 4A19 were shown to bind to rare and scattered immune cells primarily in the medulla of the thymus and dermis of the skin whereas no binding was observed in numerous other tissues examined. Another mAh, 16B13, was observed to bind nonspecifically to PBMCs and a variety of human tissues including immune cells in lymphoid organs and lymphoid-rich tissues, and to many tissues where immune cells were present. The staining exhibited a cytoplasmic pattern. Abs such as 16B13 that bind nonspecifically to targets other than CCR8 on the cell surface are not suitable for therapeutic use in targeting CCR8-expressing cells for depletion notwithstanding other desirable functional properties they may exhibit.

[0186] Acccordingly, this disclosure provides an anti-CCR8 mAh or antigen-binding portion thereof which binds specifically to CCR8-expressing cells such as tumor Tregs and rare and scattered immune cells in the medulla of the thymus and dermis of the skin but does not bind to a wide variety of human tissues including cerebrum, cerebellum, heart, liver, lung, kidney, tonsil, spleen, thymus, colon, stomach, pancreas, adrenal, pituitary, skin, peripheral nerve, testis or uterus tissue, or PBMCs. For example, the anti- CCR8 mAh or antigen-binding portion thereof may bind specifically to tumor-infiltrating Tregs but not bind to PBMCs, e.g., not show cytoplasmic staining in fixed PBMCs. Nonbinding of the Ab to the above recited list of cells and tissues may be established, for instance, by carrying out standard staining with the relevant Abs, e.g., by the methods described in Example 14, e.g., on fixed tissue samples.

[0187] Inhibition of CCR8 / Ligand Signaling by Anti-CCR8 MAbs

[0188] In Examples 15 and 16, blockade of hCCLl and mCCLl binding to hCCR8 and mCCR8, respectively, and blockade of CCR8 / CCL1 signaling by anti-CCR8 mAbs was tested by conducting calcium (Ca) flux assays on CCR8-expressing CHO cell lines since CCL1 engagement of CCR8 on CHO cells induces Ca flux. CCL1 is the only ligand known to bind to CCR8. Studies have shown that CCL1 binding to CCR8 can enhance Treg suppression in in vitro assays as well as suppress autoimmune inflammatory responses in mouse models (Barsheshet et al., 2017). A blocking anti-CCR8 Ab in an SAIN fibrosarcoma model also demonstrated partial anti-tumor efficacy (Figure 28A). Therefore, in certain embodiments of the present invention, an anti-CCR8 Ab or antigenbinding portion thereof of this invention inhibits binding of CCL1 to CCR8, for example hCCR8 or mCCR8, and inhibits CCR8 / CCL1 signaling. In preferred embodiments, inhibition of Ca flux is measured as described in Examples 15 and 16 for hCCR8 and mCCR8, respectively.

[0189] In certain embodiments, the anti-hCCR8 mAb inhibits CCR8 / CCL1 signaling with an ICso of about 10 nM or lower; about 5 nM or lower; preferably about 1 nM or lower; more preferably about 0.5 nM or lower; more preferably about 0.1 nM or lower; even more preferably about 0.01 nM or lower. In certain preferred embodiment, the anti- hCCR8 mAb inhibits CCR8 / CCL1 signaling with an ICso of about 0.5 nM. In certain embodiments, the anti-hCCR8 Ab inhibits CCR8 / CCL1 signaling with an ICso of between about 0.01 nM and about 10 nM. In certain other embodiments, the anti-hCCR8 Ab inhibits CCR8 / CCL1 signaling with an ICso of between about 0.05 nM and about 5 nM.

[0190] In certain preferred embodiments, the anti-hCCR8 Ab inhibits CCR8 / CCL1 signaling with an ICso of between about 0.1 nM and about 1 nM. In more preferred embodiments, the anti-hCCR8 Ab inhibits CCR8 / CCL1 signaling with an ICso of between about 0.2 nM and about 0.5 nM. These ICso values are based on the assay described in Example 15.

[0191] ADCC-Mediated Killing of CCR8-Expressing Cells by Anti-CCR8 MAbs

[0192] The capacity of the anti-hCCR8 and anti-mCCR8 mAbs to induce ADCC- mediated killing of CCR8-expressing cells was indirectly evaluated by measuring their ability to induce crosslinking of human or mouse reporter cells that express Fc receptors. In certain embodiments, a mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof of the invention mediates depletion of the CCR8-expressing cell with an ECso, as measured by a CD 16 cross-linking assay. In preferred embodiments, ADCC potential is measured by the cross- linking assays described in Examples 17 and 18 for hCCR8 and mCCR8, respectively.

[0193] In certain embodiments, the anti-hCCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof mediates depletion of a CCR8-expressing cell with an EC so, as measured by a CD 16 cross-linking assay, of about 100 pM or lower; preferably about 30 pM or lower; preferably about 10 pM or lower; preferably about 3 pM or lower; more preferably about 1 pM or lower; more preferably about 0.5 pM or lower; more preferably about 0.1 pM or lower; or even more preferably about 0.05 pM or lower. In certain preferred embodiment, the anti-hCCR8 mAb mediates depletion of the CCR8-expressing cell with an EC so of about 0.7 pM. In certain embodiments, the anti-hCCR8 Ab mediates depletion of the CCR8-expressing cell with an EC so of between about 0.05 pM and about 50 pM, preferably between about 0.1 pM and about 10 nM; more preferably between about 0.3 nM and about 7 nM; and even more preferably between about 0.6 nM and about 3 nM. These ECso values are based on the CD 16 cross-linking assay described in Example 17.

[0194] The direct killing of activated Tregs and patient tumor Tregs was demonstrated in Examples 19 and 20. In certain embodiments, the anti-hCCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof mediates depletion of activated Tregs with an ECso, as measured by an apoptosis assay, of about 500 pM or lower; preferably about 100 pM or lower; preferably about 30 pM or lower; more preferably about 15 pM or lower; even more preferably about 5 pM or lower; or yet more preferably about 1 pM or lower. In certain preferred embodiments, the anti-hCCR8 mAb mediates depletion of the CCR8-expressing cell with an EC50 of about 13 pM. In certain embodiments, the anti-hCCR8 mAb mediates depletion of the CCR8-expressing cell with an EC50 of between about 1 pM and about 500 pM, preferably between about 5 pM and about 100 pM; and more preferably between about 10 pM and about 50 pM. These EC50 values are based on the apoptosis assay described in Example 19.

[0195] No Internalization of CCR8 by Anti-CCR8 mAbs

[0196] Abs specific for certain cell surface receptors induce internalization of the receptor through receptor-mediated endocytosis which may be essential for targeted delivery of certain drugs, toxins, or enzymes for therapeutic applications. As shown in Figure 19, an anti-inducible T cell Co-Stimulator (ICOS) mAb does not cause internalization of the ICOS receptor in the absence of a cross-linking Ab, but in the presence of the cross-linking Ab causes significant ICOS internalization. In contrast, an anti-CCR8 mAb causes no internalization of CCR8 either in the presence or absence of a cross-linking Ab. Internalization of CCR8 by an anti-CCR8 Ab would reduce its ability to mediate Treg depletion due to removal of the receptor from the Treg cell surface. Therefore, the lack of CCR8 internalization by anti-CCR8 Abs further validates the therapeutic potential of these Abs. CCR8 internalization may be measured by standard techniques used in the art, e.g ., the experimental protocol in Example 21.

[0197] Accordingly, this invention provides an anti-CCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof that, when bound to CCR8 on the surface of a cell, does not cause internalization of CCR8 either in the presence or absence of a cross-linking Ab. In certain preferred embodiments, the cell expressing CCR8 on the cell surface is a Treg. Depletion of Human Tumor Tregs In Vitro and in Ex- Vivo Patient Tumor Samples

[0198] The capacity of the anti-hCCR8 mAbs to mediate the depletion of tumor Tregs was evaluated in an in vitro system in which digested patient tumors were co-cultured with allogeneic NK cells (Example 22). The anti-hCCR8 mAh, 4A19, was shown to induce depletion of tumor Tregs without reducing the population of Teffs. MAb 4A19 was more effective at Treg depletion than the anti-CCR4-nf mAh in this in vitro assay system (Figure 20A) and did not induce depletion of CD4+effector T cells whereas the anti-CCR4-nf Ab measurably caused depletion of these cells (Figure 20B). Neither anti- CCR8 nor anti-CCR4 depleted CD8+effector T cells (Figure 20C).

[0199] The ability of the anti-hCCR8 mAbs to induce depletion of tumor Tregs was also evaluated in an ex vivo assay system using sliced patient tumors (Example 20). MAb 16B13-IgGl-nf was shown to mediate Treg depletion without the addition of allogeneic NK cells (Figures 18H and 181).

[0200] In certain embodiments, an anti-CCR8 mAh or antigen-binding portion thereof of the invention induces depletion of tumor Tregs in vitro without reducing the population of CD4+or CD8+effector T cells. In preferred embodiments, depletion of tumor Tregs in vitro is measured using the assay described in Example 22.

[0201] In certain other embodiments, an anti-CCR8 mAh or antigen-binding portion thereof of the invention induces depletion of tumor Tregs in ex vivo patient tumor tissue samples. In certain preferred embodiments, depletion of tumor Tregs in the ex vivo patient tumor tissue samples is measured using the assay described in Example 20.

[0202] Anti-mCCR8-Mediated Depletion of Tumor Tregs Specifically, and Not CCR8 T Cells in Normal Tissues Samples

[0203] In addition to tumor Tregs, CCR8 is also expressed on a small subset of thymic T cells, as well as skin resident T cells, which are a rare population found in the skin. In the CT26 mouse syngeneic tumor model, which exhibits a very similar CCR8 expression profile to humans, the anti-mCCR8 depleting mAh, anti-CCR8-mIgG2a, selectively depleted CCR8+Tregs in the tumor, but did not deplete CCR8+T cells in the skin, thymus, spleen, or blood (Example 24). The highly specific depleting activity of anti- CCR8-mIgG2a in the tumor but not in other CCR8-expressing organs may be due to the relatively low frequency of FcyRIV-expressing cells in proximity to Ab-bound target cells or to the lower CCR8 surface density on the CCR8+T cells in the skin, thymus, spleen and blood. This strongly supports the view that an anti-CCR8 Ab having optimized affinity for activating FcyRs, such as a human or humanized IgGl-nf anti-CCR8 mAh like 4A19 or 14S15, will enable potent tumor Treg depletion in human patients without inadvertent depletion of CCR8+T cells in the skin where CD 16 expression is low.

[0204] In certain embodiments of the disclosed invention, an anti-hCCR8 mAh or antigen-binding portion thereof specifically induces depletion of tumor Tregs without depleting CCR8+T cells in the skin, thymus, spleen and blood. In certain preferred embodiments, depletion of tumor Tregs in vivo is measured using the assay described in Example 24.

[0205] Anti-CCR8 MAbs that Bind to the Same CCR8 Epitope as Does a Reference Ab

[0206] The present invention also provides an isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which binds to the same epitope of hCCR8 as does a reference Ab, wherein the reference Ab comprises:

[0207] (a) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 15;

[0208] (b) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16;

[0209] (c) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 17;

[0210] (d) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18;

[0211] (e) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19;

[0212] (f) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20;

[0213] (g) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 21; (h) a VH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 10 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 22;

[0214] (i) a Vtt comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 23;

[0215] (j) a V / / comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 12 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 24;

[0216] (k) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 25;

[0217] (l) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 14 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 26; or

[0218] (m) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116.

[0219] In certain preferred embodiments an isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigenbinding portion thereof is provided, which binds to the same epitope of hCCR8 as does a reference Ab, wherein the reference Ab comprises:

[0220] (a) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16;

[0221] (b) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1144 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116; or

[0222] (c) a VH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a VL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18.

[0223] In certain preferred embodiments, an isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigen-binding portion thereof is provided, which binds to the same epitope of hCCR8 as does a reference Ab, wherein the reference Ab comprises a Vtt comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a VL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18.

[0224] Anti-CCR8 MAbs that Cross-Compete with a Reference Ab for Binding to CCR8

[0225] Also encompassed within the scope of the disclosed invention is an isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which specifically binds to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell, and cross-competes with a reference Ab or a reference antigen-binding portion thereof for binding to hCCR8. The ability of a pair of Abs to “cross-compete” for binding to an antigen, e.g. , CCR8, indicates that a first Ab binds to substantially the same epitope region of the antigen as, and sterically hinders the binding of, a second Ab to that particular epitope region and, conversely, the second Ab binds to substantially the same epitope region of the antigen as, and sterically hinders the binding of, the first Ab to that epitope region. Thus, the ability of a test Ab to competitively inhibit the binding of, for example, mAh 14S15 or 4A19 to hCCR8, demonstrates that the test Ab binds to substantially the same epitope region of hCCR8 as does mAh 14S15 or 4A19.

[0226] A first Ab is considered to bind to “substantially the same epitope” as does a second Ab if the first Ab reduces the binding of the second Ab to an antigen by at least about 40%. Preferably, the first Ab reduces the binding of the second Ab to the antigen by more than about 50% (e.g, at least about 60% or at least about 70%). In more preferred embodiments, the first Ab reduces the binding of the second Ab to the antigen by more than about 70% (e.g, at least about 80%, at least about 90%, or about 100%). The order of the first and second Abs can be reversed, i.e. the “second” Ab can be first bound to the surface and the “first” is thereafter brought into contact with the surface in the presence of the “second” Ab. The Abs are considered to “cross-compete” if a competitive reduction in binding to the antigen is observed irrespective of the order in which the Abs are added to the immobilized antigen.

[0227] Cross-competing Abs are expected to have functional properties very similar to the properties of the reference Abs by virtue of their binding to substantially the same epitope region of an antigen such as a CCR8 receptor. The higher the degree of crosscompetition, the more similar will the functional properties be. For example, two cross- competing Abs are expected to have essentially the same functional properties if they each inhibit binding of the other to an epitope by at least about 80%. This similarity in function is expected to be even closer if the cross-competing Abs exhibit similar affinities for binding to the epitope as measured by the dissociation constant (KD).

[0228] Cross-competing anti-antigen Abs can be readily identified based on their ability to detectably compete in standard antigen binding assays, including BIACORE® analysis, ELISA assays or flow cytometry, using either recombinant antigen molecules or cell-surface expressed antigen molecules. By way of example, a simple competition assay to identify whether a test Ab competes with mAb 4A19 for binding to hCCR8 may involve: (1) measuring the binding of 4A19, applied at saturating concentration, to a BIACORE® chip (or other suitable medium for SPR analysis) onto which hCCR8 is immobilized, and (2) measuring the binding of 4A19 to a hCCR8-coated BIACORE® chip (or other medium suitable) to which the test Ab has been previously bound. The binding of 4A19 to the hCCR8-l -coated surface in the presence and absence of the test Ab is compared. A significant ( e.g ., more than about 40%) reduction in binding of 4A19 in the presence of the test Ab indicates that both Abs recognize substantially the same epitope such that they compete for binding to the hCCR8 target. The percentage by which the binding of a first Ab to an antigen is inhibited by a second Ab can be calculated as:

[0229] [1 -(detected binding of first Ab in presence of second Ab) / (detected binding of first Ab in absence of second Ab)] x 100. To determine whether the Abs cross-compete, the competitive binding assay is repeated except that the binding of the test Ab to the hCCR8-coated chip in the presence of 4A19 is measured.

[0230] Any of the anti-CCR8 Abs disclosed herein may serve as a reference Ab in crosscompetition assays. In certain embodiments, the reference Ab comprises:

[0231] (a) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 15;

[0232] (b) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16;

[0233] (c) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 17;

[0234] (d) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18; (e) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19;

[0235] (f) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20;

[0236] (g) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 21;

[0237] (h) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 10 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 22;

[0238] (i) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 23;

[0239] (j) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 12 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 24;

[0240] (k) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 25;

[0241] (l) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 14 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 26; or

[0242] (m) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116.

[0243] In certain preferred embodiments, the reference Ab comprises:

[0244] (a) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16;

[0245] (b) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1144 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116; or

[0246] (c) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18.

[0247] In certain preferred embodiments the reference Ab comprises a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18.

[0248] Structurally Defined Anti-CCR8 MAbs

[0249] The present disclosure also provides an isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which specifically binds to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell, and comprises the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 domains in each of:

[0250] (a) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 15;

[0251] (b) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16;

[0252] (c) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 17;

[0253] (d) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18;

[0254] (e) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19;

[0255] (f) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20;

[0256] (g) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 21; (h) a VH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 10 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 22;

[0257] (i) a Vtt comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 23;

[0258] (j) a V / / comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 12 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 24;

[0259] (k) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 25;

[0260] (l) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 14 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 26; or

[0261] (m) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116.

[0262] Preferred is an isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which specifically binds to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell, and comprises the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 domains in each of:

[0263] (a) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16;

[0264] (b) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1144 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116; or

[0265] (c) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18.

[0266] Preferred is an isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which specifically binds to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell, and comprises the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 domains in each of a Vtt comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a Vz, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18.

[0267] Different methods have been developed to delineate the CDR domains within an Ab. The approach of Kabat and co-workers (Wu and Kabat, 1970; Kabat et al ., 1983), was based on the assumption that CDRs include the most variable positions in Abs and therefore could be identified by aligning the fairly limited number of Ab sequences then available. Based on this alignment, Kabat et al. introduced a numbering scheme for the residues in the hypervariable regions and determined which positions mark the beginning and the end of each CDR (http: / / bioinf.org.uk / abs / simkab.html).

[0268] In addition to the widely used Kabat definition, others including the Chothia (Chothia etal, 1987; 1989; Al-Lazikani et al ., 1997; http: / / bioinf.org.uk / abs / chothia.html), AbNum (Abhinandan and Martin, 2008; see AbNum; available at http: / / www.bioinf.org.uk / abs / abnum / ), AbM (http: / / www.bioinf.org.uk / abs; Martin et al. , 1989), contact (http: / / bioinf.org.uk / abs / ; MacCallum etal ., 1996) and IMGT (Lefranc et al, 2003; http: / / www.imgt.org) definitions that seek to address deficiencies of the Kabat definitions, have been employed. The Kabat definition is the most commonly used method to predict CDR domains, notwithstanding it was developed when no structural information on Abs was available.

[0269] Where not explicitly stated, and unless the context indicates otherwise, CDRs disclosed herein have been identified using the Kabat definition. The amino acid sequences for the 6 CDR domains as defined using the Kabat method, as well as the amino acid sequences for the YH, YL, heavy chain and light chain for mAbs 16B13,

[0270] 14S15, 14S15h, 18Y12, 4A19, 2M18, 15C17, 13T20, 10R3, 8D55, 1V11, 11K16 and 12F27 are shown in Table 10.

[0271] The present invention provides isolated Abs, preferably mAbs, comprising the following CDR domains as defined by the Kabat method:

[0272] (a) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 27; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 28; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 29; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 30; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 31; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 32;

[0273] (b) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 33; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 34; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 35; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 36; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 37; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 38;

[0274] (c) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 39; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 40; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 41; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 42; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 43; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 44;

[0275] (d) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 45; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 46; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 47; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 48; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 49; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 50;

[0276] (e) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 51; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 52; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 53; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 54; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 55; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 56;

[0277] (f) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 57; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 58; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 59; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 60; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 61; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 62;

[0278] (g) heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 63; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 64; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 65; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 66; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 67; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 68;

[0279] (h) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 69; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 70; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 71; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 72; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 73; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 74;

[0280] (i) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 75; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 76; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 77; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 78; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 79; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 80;

[0281] (j) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 81; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 82; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 83; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 84; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 85; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 86;

[0282] (k) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 87; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 88; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 89; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 90; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 91; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 92;

[0283] (l) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 93; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 94; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 95; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 96; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 97; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 98; or

[0284] (m) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 103; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 104; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 105; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 106; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 107; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 108.

[0285] Preferred isolated Abs, preferably mAbs, comprise the following CDR domains as defined by the Rabat method:

[0286] (a) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 33; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 34; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 35; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 36; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 37; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 38;

[0287] (b) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 103; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 104; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 105; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 106; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 107; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 108; or

[0288] (c) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 45; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 46; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 47; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 48; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 49; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 50.

[0289] In certain preferred embodiments, the isolated Abs, preferably mAbs, comprise the following CDR domains as defined by the Rabat method: a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 45; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 46; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 47; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 48; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 49; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 50.

[0290] The disclosed invention also encompasses an isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which specifically binds to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell, wherein the isolated Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof comprises:

[0291] (a) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 15;

[0292] (b) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16;

[0293] (c) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 17;

[0294] (d) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18;

[0295] (e) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19;

[0296] (f) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20;

[0297] (g) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 21;

[0298] (h) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 10 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 22;

[0299] (i) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 23;

[0300] (j) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 12 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 24;

[0301] (k) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 25;

[0302] (l) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 14 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 26; or

[0303] (m) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116.

[0304] A preferred isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, specifically binds to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell and comprises:

[0305] (a) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16;

[0306] (b) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116; or

[0307] (c) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18;

[0308] A preferred isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, specifically binds to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell and comprises a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18.

[0309] Anti-CCR8 Abs comprising YH and YL regions having amino acid sequences that are highly similar or homologous to the amino acid sequences of any of the above anti- CCR8 Abs and which retain the functional properties of these Abs are also suitable for use in the present methods. For example, suitable Abs include mAbs comprising a YH and / or YL region each comprising consecutively linked amino acids having a sequence that is at least 80% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID Nos. 6 and / or 18, respectively. In further embodiments, for example, the VH and / or VL amino acid sequences exhibits at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identity to the sequences set forth in SEQ ID Nos. 6 and / or 18, respectively. As used herein, the percent sequence identity between two amino acid sequences is a function of the number of identical positions shared by the sequences relative to the length of the sequences compared (i.e., % identity = number of identical positions / total number of positions being compared x 100), taking into account the number of any gaps, and the length of each such gap, introduced to maximize the degree of sequence identity between the two sequences. The comparison of sequences and determination of percent identity between two sequences can be accomplished using mathematical algorithms that are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0310] Where anti-CCR8 Abs comprising V / / and VL regions having amino acid sequences that are highly similar or homologous to the amino acid sequences of any of the above anti-CCR8 Abs and which retain the functional properties of these Abs are disclosed, they may have 100% identity within at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or all 6 CDRs and at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identity to the relevant full VH and / or VL sequence.

[0311] For example, an isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which specifically binds to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell, may comprise:

[0312] (a) a VH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having a sequence that is at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical to the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a VL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having a sequence that is at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical to the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16, optionally wherein the VH comprises at least 1, 2 or all 3 of the CDRs as defined for SEQ ID NO:4 (SEQ ID Nos 33-35) and the VH comprises at least 1, 2, or all 3 of the CDRs as defined for SEQ ID NO: 16 (SEQ ID Nos 36-38);

[0313] (b) a VH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having a sequence that is at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical to the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a VL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having a sequence that is at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical to the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116, optionally wherein the VH comprises at least 1, 2 or all 3 of the CDRs as defined for SEQ ID NO: 115 (SEQ ID NOs. 103-105) and the VL comprises at least 1, 2, or all 3 of the CDRs as defined for SEQ ID NO: 116 (SEQ ID NOs. 106-108); or (c) a VH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having a sequence that is at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical to the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a Vz, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having a sequence that is at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical to the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18, optionally wherein the VLT comprises at least 1, 2 or all 3 of the CDRs as defined for SEQ ID NO: 6 (SEQ ID NOs. 45-47) and the VL comprises at least 1, 2 or all 3 of the CDRs as defined for SEQ ID NO: 18 (SEQ ID NOs. 48-50).

[0314] Likewise, for any of the other isolated Abs referred to herein, the Ab may comprise a VLT comprising consecutively linked amino acids having a sequence that is at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical to the reference V / / sequence, and a VL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having a sequence that is at least 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical to the reference V / / sequence, optionally wherein the V / / comprises at least 1, 2 or all 3 of the CDRs as defined for the reference V / / sequence, and the VL comprises at least 1, 2, or all 3 of the CDRs as defined for the reference VL sequence.

[0315] The present invention further encompasses an isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which optionally specifically binds to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell, wherein the isolated Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof comprises:

[0316] (a) a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 99 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 111;

[0317] (b) a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 100 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 112;

[0318] (c) a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 101 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 113;

[0319] (d) a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 102 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 114;

[0320] (e) a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 117 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 118; or (f) a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 110 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 119.

[0321] Preferred is an isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which optionally specifically binds to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell, wherein the isolated Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof comprises:

[0322] (a) a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 100 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 112;

[0323] (b) a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 117 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 118; or

[0324] (c) a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 102 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 114.

[0325] Preferred is an isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which optionally specifically binds to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell, wherein the isolated Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof comprises:

[0326] (a) a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 102 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 114.

[0327] In certain embodiments, the isolated anti-CCR8 Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof of this invention is a human Ab or fragment thereof. In other embodiments, it is a humanized Ab or fragment thereof. In further embodiments, it is a chimeric Ab or fragment thereof. In other embodiments, the isolated anti-CCR8 Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof is a mouse Ab or fragment thereof. For administration to human subjects, the Abs are preferably chimeric Abs or, more preferably, humanized or human Abs. Such chimeric, humanized, human or mouse mAbs can be prepared and isolated by methods well known in the art.

[0328] Anti-CCR8 Abs disclosed herein also include antigen-binding fragments that are capable of mediating ADCC, in addition to full-length Abs.

[0329] Anti-CCR8 Immunoconjugates

[0330] In another aspect, the present invention relates to any one of the isolated anti- hCCR8 Abs disclosed herein, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, linked to a cytolytic agent, such as a cytotoxin or a radioactive isotope. Such conjugates are referred to herein as “immunoconjugates”. Cytotoxins can be conjugated to Abs of the invention using linker technology available in the art. Methods for preparing radioimmunoconjugates are also established in the art.

[0331] Bispecific Molecules

[0332] In another aspect, the present invention relates to bispecific molecules comprising any one of the isolated anti-hCCR8 mAbs disclosed herein, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, linked to a binding domain that has a different binding specificity than the anti- hCCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof. The binding domain may be a functional molecule, e.g ., another Ab, antigen-binding portion of an Ab, or a ligand for a receptor), such that the bispecific molecule generated binds to at least two different binding sites or target molecules.

[0333] Nucleic Acids Encoding Anti-hCCR8 MAbs and Use for Expressing Abs

[0334] Another aspect of the disclosure pertains to nucleic acids that encode any of the isolated anti-hCCR8 Abs of the invention. The disclosure provides an isolated nucleic acid encoding any of the anti-CCR8 mAbs or antigen-binding portions thereof described herein.

[0335] An “isolated” nucleic acid refers to a nucleic acid composition of matter that is markedly different, i.e., has a distinctive chemical identity, nature and utility, from nucleic acids as they exist in nature. For example, an isolated DNA, unlike native DNA, is a free-standing portion of a native DNA and not an integral part of a larger structural complex, the chromosome, found in nature. Further, an isolated DNA, unlike native DNA, can be used as a PCR primer or a hybridization probe for, among other things, measuring gene expression and detecting biomarker genes or mutations for diagnosing disease or predicting the efficacy of a therapeutic. An isolated nucleic acid may also be purified so as to be substantially free of other cellular components or other contaminants, e.g. , other cellular nucleic acids or proteins, using standard techniques well known in the art.

[0336] Nucleic acids of the invention can be obtained using standard molecular biology techniques. For Abs expressed by hybridomas (e.g, hybridomas prepared from transgenic mice carrying human Ig genes as described in Example 8), cDNAs encoding the light and heavy chains or variable regions of the Ab made by the hybridoma can be obtained by standard PCR amplification techniques. Once DNA fragments encoding VH and VL segments are obtained, these DNA fragments can be further manipulated using standard recombinant DNA techniques, for example, to convert the variable region DNAs to full- length Ab chain genes, to Fab fragment genes, or to a scFv gene. For Abs obtained from an Ig gene library ( e.g ., using phage display techniques), nucleic acids encoding the Ab can be recovered from the library.

[0337] A nucleic acid of the invention can be, for example, RNA or DNA such as cDNA or genomic DNA. In preferred embodiments, the nucleic acid is a cDNA.

[0338] The disclosure also provides an expression vector comprising an isolated nucleic which encodes an anti-CCR8 mAh or antigen-binding portion thereof. The disclosure further provides a host cell comprising said expression vector. Eukaryotic cells, and most preferably mammalian host cells, are preferred as host cells for expressing Abs because such eukaryotic cells, and in particular mammalian cells, are more likely than prokaryotic cells to assemble and secrete a properly folded and immunologically active Ab. Preferred mammalian host cells for expressing the recombinant Abs of the invention include Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells (Kaufman and Sharp, 1982), NSO myeloma cells, COS cells and SP2 cells.

[0339] The host cell may be used in a method for preparing an anti-CCR8 mAh or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which method comprises expressing the mAh or antigenbinding portion thereof in the host cell and isolating the mAh or antigen-binding portion thereof from the host cell. The host cell may be used ex vivo or in vivo. The DNAs encoding the Ab heavy and light chains can be inserted into separate expression vectors or, more typically, are both inserted into the same vector. The VH and VL segments of an Ab can be used to create full-length Abs of any isotype by inserting DNAs encoding these variable regions into expression vectors already encoding heavy chain and light chain constant regions of the desired isotype such that the V / / segment is operatively linked to the C H segment(s) within the vector and the VKsegment is operatively linked to the CL segment within the vector. Cell lines that lack the a-(l,6) fucosyltransferase (FUT8) enzyme can be used to produce mAbs that lack fucose in their carbohydrates (see, e.g., U.S. Publication No. 2004 / 0110704; Yamane-Ohnuki etal, 2004; EP 1176195).

[0340] Another aspect of this invention relates to a transgenic mouse comprising human Ig heavy and light chain transgenes, wherein the mouse expresses any of the anti-CCR8 HuMAbs disclosed herein. The invention also encompasses a hybridoma prepared from said mouse, wherein the hybridoma produces the HuMAb.

[0341] Therapeutic Anti-CCR8 Methods

[0342] Since the anti-hCCR8 Abs generated in the present study do not bind to mCCR8, a mouse anti-mCCR8 mAh was used as a surrogate for human or humanized nf IgGl anti-hCCR8 mAbs to test the efficacy of anti-CCR8 as an anti-cancer drug in mouse tumor models. Selection of the appropriate Ab isotype can be used to enhance CCR8- mediated tumor Treg depletion by ADCC / ADCP in mice, which has been demonstrated to be primarily driven by interaction of the Ab with FcyRIV+cells (Nimmeijahn et al., 2010) that are abundant in murine tumors (Simpson et al., 2013). An anti-mCCR8 mAh having a mouse IgG2a isotype, designated anti-CCR8-mIgG2a, was used as a surrogate for the humanized or human anti-hCCR8 mAbs that would likely be used as a human therapeutic. Anti-CCR8-mIgG2a is derived from the commercial rat anti-mCCR8 mAh sold by BioLegend as Clone SA214G2, which was modified to change the rat IgG2b isotype to a mouse IgG2a isotype. Like the human anti-hCCR8 mAbs, A419 and 14S15, anti-CCR8-mIgG2a is an N-terminal binder and its mIgG2a backbone provides maximal FcyR binding for driving an ADCC response similar to the human nf format.

[0343] Anti-CCR8-mIgG2a was demonstrated to have high ADCC potential (Example 18), similar to the high ADCC potential of several of the anti-hCCR8 mAbs tested (Example 17), and to block binding of mCCLl to mCCR8-expressing cells (Example 16) though with lower potency than several of the anti-hCCR8 mAbs tested block binding of hCCLl to hCCR8-expressing cells (Example 15). The anti-hCCR8 mAbs also exhibit potent ADCC activity (Examples 19 and 20). Anti-CCR8-mIgG2a also binds to mCCR8- expresing cells with lower affinity than certain of the disclosed anti-hCCR8 mAbs (Example 13). This suggests that anti-CCR8-mIgG2a is a suitable surrogate for the anti- hCCR8 mAbs in direct studies on the inhibition of tumor growth in mouse models, though the anti-hCCR8 Abs may be even more potent in inhibiting tumor growth in human subjects given their higher-affinity binding to their cognate hCCR8 target, higher activity in blocking binding of the CCL1 ligand to CCR8, and higher ADCC potential.

[0344] A variety of syngeneic mouse tumor models were used to determine anti-tumor activity of the anti-CCR8-mIgG2a mouse surrogate mAh alone and in combination with anti-PD-1. Anti-CCR8-mIgG2a mAb-mediated Treg depletion and subsequent pro- inflammatory responses (increases in CD8, CD4, interferon-γ, GranzymeB, and Ki67) induced robust tumor growth inhibition, with a high percentage of complete tumor clearance, as a single agent in immunogenic mouse tumor models including the CT26 and MC38 colon adenocarcinoma models and SAIN fibrosarcoma model (see Examples 23- 26 and 29), and in combination with anti -PD- 1 in the immunotherapy-resistant models, MB49 and 4T1. In contrast, treatment with CCR8-mIgGl-D265A, a variant Ab comprising the Fc-inert mIgGl-D265A heavy chain (Baudino et al., 2008), had minimal effects on tumor regression (Examples 29 and 30). To determine whether there is a dose- dependent relationship between Treg depletion and tumor efficacy upon anti-CCR8 Ab treatment, a single dose monotherapy study was conducted in the MC38 model and a dose-dependent pharmacokinetic / pharmacodynamic / efficacy relationship was observed (Example 26). In addition, increased and titratable CCL1 ligand changes were observed in tumor supernatants upon depletion (data not shown), which might serve as a surrogate biomarker.

[0345] In the MB49 mouse bladder carcinoma, anti-CCR8-mIgG2a showed only partial anti -tumor activity though this was stronger than the activity of an anti-PD-1 mAh (Example 27). Similarly, in the 4T1 mouse breast cancer model, anti-CCR8-mIgG2a also showed only partial anti-tumor activity but this tumor was completely resistant to treatment with the anti-PD-1 mAh (Example 28). In both tumor models, anti-CCR8- mIgG2a potentiates the immune response induced by anti-PD-1, resulting in a striking increase in the potency of the anti-tumor response. The combination of the two Abs is synergistic in strongly inhibiting tumor growth in these recalcitrant tumor models. Abs are considered herein to interact synergistically if the anti-tumor efficacy of the combination of these Abs is greater than the sum of the anti-tumor efficacy exhibited by each Ab individually.

[0346] Tumor Treg-specific depletion in human tumor explant models was also demonstrated upon treatment with the 14S15, 16B13 and 4A19 mAbs (Example 20).

[0347] Treatment of cancer with an anti-CCR8 mAh as monotherapy

[0348] The data provided herein demonstrate the generation of anti-hCCR8 mAbs that bind to hCCR8 on the surface of activated Tregs with high affinity (EC so = about 0.1-2 nM; Example 11), induce potent killing of Tregs via ADCC in an in vitro system where primary activated human Tregs are co-cultured with allogeneic activated NK cells (ECso = about 10-60 pM; Example 19), and mediate the depletion specifically of CCR8+tumor- infiltrating Tregs in human tumor explant and mouse models (Examples 20, 22 and 24). These mAbs exhibit robust inhibition of tumor growth in diverse immunogenic and immunotherapy-resistant mouse tumor models (Examples 23, 25, 27-29), and the data strongly support clinical evaluation of CCR8 depletion, as monotherapy or in combination with immune checkpoint blockade, as a novel immunotherapy for cancer.

[0349] Accordingly, as supported by the data provided in the Examples, this disclosure provides a method for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of any one of the Treg-depleting anti- CCR8 Abs, e.g ., mAbs, immunoconjugates or bispecific molecules disclosed herein, or a pharmaceutical composition comprising any one of said Abs, e.g. , anti-CCR8 mAbs, immunoconjugates or bispecific molecules, such that the subject is treated.

[0350] The disclosure also provides a method for inhibiting growth of tumor cells in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount any one of the Treg-depleting anti-CCR8 Abs, e.g. , mAbs, immunoconjugates or bispecific molecules disclosed herein, or a pharmaceutical composition comprising any one of said anti-CCR8 Abs, e.g. , mAbs, immunoconjugates or bispecific molecules, such that growth of tumor cells in the subject is inhibited.

[0351] Treatment of cancer with an anti-CCR8 Ab in combination with another anticancer agent

[0352] This disclosure provides a method for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of: (a) any one of the Treg-depleting anti-CCR8 Abs, immunoconjugates or bispecific molecules disclosed herein, or a pharmaceutical composition comprising any one of said anti-CCR8 Abs, immunoconjugates or bispecific molecules; and (b) an additional therapeutic agent for treating cancer, optionally wherein the additional therapeutic agent is a compound that reduces inhibition, or increases stimulation, of the immune system, such that the subject is treated.

[0353] The disclosure also a method for inhibiting growth of tumor cells in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of: (a) any one of the Treg-depleting anti-CCR8 Abs, immunoconjugates or bispecific molecules disclosed herein, or a pharmaceutical composition comprising any one of said anti-CCR8 Abs, immunoconjugates or bispecific molecules; and (b) an additional therapeutic agent for treating cancer. In certain preferred embodiments, the additional therapeutic agent is a compound that reduces inhibition, or increases stimulation, of the immune system, such that growth of tumor cells in the subject is inhibited. In other preferred embodiments of any of the present methods, the subject is a human patient.

[0354] Treg-mediated immunosuppression is potentially a major obstacle to optimal antitumor immune responses in immuno-oncology. Many of the molecules targeted by cancer immunotherapies, such as PD-1, CTLA-4, LAG3, TIM3, and TIGIT, are upregulated on Tregs (Kumar et al ., 2018). Consequently, these T cell-based immunotherapies have the potential to augment Treg responses as well. For example, PD-1 blockade may enhance Treg suppression and increase Treg proliferation (Kamada etal., 2019), and there is evidence of Treg expansion following anti-CTLA-4 therapies in the clinic (Kavanagh el al ., 2008). Therefore, a Treg-depleting agent not only improves anti -turn or responses as monotherapy, but also enhances the activities of other immunotherapies as disclosed herein ( see Examples 27 and 28). Thus, the disclosure provides a method for potentiating an anti -tumor immune response elicited by a therapeutic agent in a subject afflicted with a cancer, wherein the therapeutic agent is an immunotherapeutic agent such as cancer immunotherapies, such as an antibody binding specifically to PD-1, CTLA-4, LAG3, TIM3, or TIGIT.

[0355] In mouse tumor models, potent combinatorial anti-tumor activity was observed in mice treated with both anti-CCR8-mIgG2a and anti -PD-1 (Examples 27 and 28). Despite similar increases in CD8+T cell frequency in the anti-CCR8-monotherapy and the combination treatments, anti -PD-1 may be required for enhancing effector functionality.

[0356] In addition, it has been demonstrated that anti-CCR8 treatment results in long-lasting, antigen specific CD8+T cell memory (Example 31). These findings have important clinical implications for the treatment of advanced cancers, which often develop resistance to anti-PDl / PD-Ll therapies (Jenkins el al., 2018) and present with high rates of recurrence (Mahvi et al., 2018). Overall, these studies highlight the specificity and targetability of CCR8 on tumor Treg, and support the evaluation of anti-CCR8 depleting Abs in the treatment of advanced solid tumors as monotherapy or in combination with another immunotherapy such as anti-PD-1, anti-PD-Ll or anti-CTLA-4.

[0357] In certain embodiments of the disclosed methods, the additional therapeutic agent is a compound that reduces inhibition of the immune system. For example, the additional therapeutic agent may be a small-molecule compound, a macrocyclic peptide, a fusion protein, or an Ab, e.g., a mAh. In further embodiments, the additional therapeutic agent is an antagonistic agent, such as an antagonistic mAh, that binds specifically to Programmed Death- 1 (PD-1), Programmed Death Ligand- 1 (PD-L1), Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Antigen-4 (CTLA-4), Lymphocyte Activation Gene-3 (LAG-3), B and T lymphocyte Attenuator (BTLA), T cell Immunoglobulin and Mucin domain-3 (TIM-3), Killer Immunoglobulin-like Receptor (KIR), Killer cell Lectin-like Receptor G1 (KLRG-1), Adenosine A2a Receptor (A2aR), T Cell Immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM Domains (TIGIT), V-domain Ig Suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), proto-oncogene tyrosine- protein kinase MER (MerTK), Natural Killer Cell Receptor 2B4 (CD244), or CD 160.

[0358] In certain preferred embodiments, the additional therapeutic agent is an antagonistic Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof that binds specifically to PD-1. In further embodiments, the Ab that binds specifically to PD-1 is chosen from nivolumab, pembrolizumab, cemiplimab, spartalizumab, camrelizumab, sintilimab, tislelizumab, toripalimab, dostarlimab, retifanlimab, and pimivalimab, e.g. chosen from nivolumab, pembrolizumab, cemiplimab, spartalizumab, camrelizumab, sintilimab, tislelizumab, and, e.g. toripalimab, e.g. chosen from nivolumab and pembrolizumab.

[0359] In other preferred embodiments, the additional therapeutic agent is an antagonistic Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof that binds specifically to PD-L1. In further embodiments, the Ab that binds specifically to PD-L1 is chosen from atezolizumab, durvalumab, avelumab, envafolimab, BMS-936559, CK-301, CS-1001, SHR-1316, CBT- 502, BGB-A333, and KN035, e.g. chosen from atezolizumab, durvalumab, avelumab, envafolimab, BMS-936559, CK-301, CS-1001, SHR-1316, CBT-502, BGB-A333, e.g chosen from atezolizumab, durvalumab and avelumab.

[0360] In other preferred embodiments, the additional therapeutic agent is an antagonistic Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof that binds specifically to CTLA-4. In further embodiments, the Ab that binds specifically to CTLA-4 is ipilimumab or tremelimumab, e.g. , chosen from ipilimumab.

[0361] The disclosure further provides a method for potentiating an anti-tumor immune response elicited by a therapeutic agent in a subject afflicted with a cancer, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of any one of the Treg- depleting anti-CCR8 Abs, immunoconjugates or bispecific molecules disclosed herein, or a pharmaceutical composition comprising any one of said anti-CCR8 Abs, immunoconjugates or bispecific molecules, such that the subject experiences a stronger immune response against the cancer compared to the immune response elicited by the therapeutic agent alone. In certain preferred embodiments of this method, the therapeutic agent is a checkpoint inhibitor, for example an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-Ll or anti-CTLA-4 mAh. In certain preferred embodiments of this method, the therapeutic agent is the anti- PD-1 Ab nivolumab. In other preferred embodiments, the therapeutic agent is the anti- PD-1 Ab pembrolizumab. In certain preferred embodiments, the therapeutic agent is the anti-PD-Ll Ab atezolizumab. In other preferred embodiments, the therapeutic agent is the anti-PD-Ll Ab durvalumab. In further preferred embodiments, the therapeutic agent is the anti-PD-Ll Ab avelumab. In certain preferred embodiments of this method, the therapeutic agent is the anti-CTLA-4 Ab ipilimumab. In certain other embodiments, the therapeutic agent is radiotherapy.

[0362] Cancers Treatable by Disclosed Methods

[0363] Immuno-oncology, which relies on using the practically infinite flexibility of the immune system to attack and destroy cancer cells, is applicable to treating a very broad range of cancers (see, e.g., Yao et al., 2013; Callahan et al., 2016; Pianko et al., 2017; Farkona et al., 2016; Kamta et al., 2017). For example, the anti-PD-1 Ab, nivolumab, has been shown to be effective in treating many different types of cancers (see, e.g, Brahmer et al., 2015; Guo et al., 2017; Pianko et al., 2017; WO 2013 / 173223), and is currently undergoing clinical trials in multiple solid and hematological cancers. Accordingly, the disclosed methods, employing CCR8-mediated depletion of tumor-infiltrating Tregs as monotherapy or in combination with another immunotherapy such as immune checkpoint inhibition, are applicable to treating a wide variety of both solid and liquid tumors.

[0364] Broad spectrum of cancers amenable to treatment

[0365] Because the Abs used in the cancer treatment methods disclosed herein do not directly target cancer cells but, instead, target and enhance the immune system by depleting immunosuppressant Tregs, optionally in combination with immune checkpoint inhibition, which facilitates the immune system in attacking and destroying cancer cells, these Abs are applicable to the treatment of a broad range of cancers. The efficacy of nivolumab in treating diverse cancers has already been demonstrated, evidenced by the approval of this drug to treat advanced melanoma, advanced non-small cell lung cancer, metastatic renal cell carcinoma, classical Hodgkin lymphoma, advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, metastatic urothelial carcinoma, MSI-H or dMMR metastatic colorectal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, small cell lung cancer, and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (Drugs.com - Opdivo Approval History: https: / / www.drugs.com / history / opdivo.html), with clinical trials in many other cancers ongoing. Similarly, anti-PD-Ll drugs such as atezolizumab (TECENTRIQ®), durvalumab (IMFINZI®) and avelumab (BAVENCIO®) have been gaining approvals in a variety of indications. Accordingly, a wide variety of different cancers are treatable using an anti-CCR8 Ab, and optionally the combination of anti-CCR8 and anti-PD-l / PD- L1 Abs. The high efficacy demonstrated for this combination of therapeutics allows a focus on cancers plagued by large unmet medical need.

[0366] In certain embodiments, the disclosed cancer therapy methods may be broadly used to treat a cancer which is a solid tumor. For example, in certain embodiments, the solid tumor is a cancer selected from squamous cell carcinoma, small cell lung cancer (SCLC), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), squamous NSCLC, non-squamous NSCLC, head and neck cancer, breast cancer, cancer of the esophagus, gastric cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, cancer of the small intestine, liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), pancreatic cancer (PAC), kidney cancer, renal cell carcinoma (RCC), bladder cancer, cancer of the urethra, cancer of the ureter, colorectal cancer (CRC), colon cancer, colon carcinoma, cancer of the anal region, endometrial cancer, prostate cancer, a fibrosarcoma, neuroblastoma, glioma, glioblastoma, germ cell tumor, pediatric sarcoma, sinonasal natural killer, melanoma, skin cancer, bone cancer, cervical cancer, uterine cancer, carcinoma of the endometrium, carcinoma of the fallopian tubes, ovarian cancer, carcinoma of the cervix, carcinoma of the vagina, carcinoma of the vulva, testicular cancer, cancer of the endocrine system, thyroid cancer, cancer of the parathyroid gland, cancer of the adrenal gland, sarcoma of soft tissue, cancer of the penis, carcinoma of the renal pelvis, neoplasm of the central nervous system (CNS), primary CNS lymphoma, tumor angiogenesis, spinal axis tumor, brain cancer, brain stem glioma, pituitary adenoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, epidermoid cancer, squamous cell cancer, solid tumors of childhood, environmentally-induced cancers, virus-related cancers, cancers of viral origin, advanced cancer, unresectable cancer, metastatic cancer, refractory cancer, recurrent cancer, and any combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the cancer is an advanced, unresectable, metastatic, refractory cancer, and / or recurrent cancer.

[0367] Based on the demonstration of effective treatment of different cancers with anti- CCR8 in mouse models (Examples 23-29), certain tumor types are expected to be particularly amenable to treatment with an anti-CCR8 Ab. Accordingly, in certain embodiments, the solid tumor is a cancer chosen from colon adenocarcinoma, bladder carcinoma, mammary carcinoma, and fibrosarcoma. The finding that anti-CCR8 is effective in shrinking tumors in mouse models in which anti -PD- 1 shows little efficacy, such as the MB49 bladder (Example 27) and the 4T1 breast cancer model (Example 28) suggests that anti-CCR8 may be very broadly applicable, and more broadly effective than anti-PD-1, in treating cancers and the combination of anti-CCR8 with checkpoint blockade, e.g ., anti-PD-1, anti-PD-Ll or anti-CTLA-4 may have even broader application to treating diverse cancers.

[0368] Single-cell RNA-seq analysis was performed on human tumors for differential gene expression analysis of CCR8+Tregs (Example 32). The relatively high expression of CCR8 and CD8A, and their high CCR8 / CD8A ratio, identify head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC), lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD), lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD), rectum adenocarcinoma (READ), esophageal carcinoma (ESCA), breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA), colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) and cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma (CESC) as tumor types that are expected to be particularly amenable to treatment with an anti-CCR8 Ab. Accordingly, in certain embodiments, the solid tumor is a cancer chosen from HNSC, LUAD, STAD, LUSC, PAAD, READ, ESCA, BRCA, COAD, CESC, follicular lymphoma, acute lymphocytic leukemia and lymphoma as tumor types that are expected to be particularly amenable to treatment with an anti-CCR8 Ab.

[0369] CCR8 expression, evaluated in 17 tumor types or subtypes by IHC on formalin- fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples, was found to be abundant in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC; also referred to herein as squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck [SCCHN]) and least abundant in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM; Example 33). On the basis that tumors that express high levels of CCR8 are more likely to respond to treatment with an anti-CCR8 Ab, these tumor profiling data support the prioritization of HNSCC, cervical, CRC, non-small cell lung cancer-squamous cell carcinoma (NSCLC-SCC), NSCLC-adenocarcinoma (NSCLC- ADC), pancreatic, gastric, bladder, and breast cancers for anti-CCR8 therapy.

[0370] Accordingly, in certain embodiments, the solid tumor is a cancer chosen from HNSCC, cervical, CRC, NSCLC-SCC, NSCLC-ADC, pancreatic, gastric, bladder, and breast cancers.

[0371] In certain embodiments, the present therapy methods may be used to treat a cancer which is a hematological malignancy. Hematological malignancies include liquid tumors derived from either of the two major blood cell lineages, i.e., the myeloid cell line (which produces granulocytes, erythrocytes, thrombocytes, macrophages and mast cells) or the lymphoid cell line (which produces B, T, NK and plasma cells), including all types of leukemias, lymphomas, and myelomas. Hematological malignancies that may be treated using the present therapy methods include, for example, cancers selected from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL), non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHLs), multiple myeloma, smoldering myeloma, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), advanced, metastatic, refractory and / or recurrent hematological malignancies, and any combinations of said hematological malignancies.

[0372] TARGET (Therapeutically Applicable Research to Generate Effective Treatments, https: / / ocg.cancer.gov / programs / target) analysis also indicated that, among hematological malignancies examined, follicular lymphoma, acute lymphocytic leukemia and lymphoma were found to have the highest relative expression of CCR8 and should be prioritized for treatment with an anti-CCR8 mAh (Example 32). Thus, in certain embodiments of the present therapeutic methods, the hematological malignancy is follicular lymphoma or acute lymphocytic leukemia and lymphoma.

[0373] In certain other embodiments, the hematological malignancy is a cancer selected from acute, chronic, lymphocytic (lymphoblastic) and / or myelogenous leukemias, such as ALL, AML, CLL, and CML; lymphomas, such as HL, NHLs, of which about 85% are B cell lymphomas, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma (FL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) / small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), mantle cell lymphoma, marginal zone B-cell lymphomas (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, nodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma, and splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma), Burkitt lymphoma, lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma (LPL; also known as Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (WM)), hairy cell lymphoma, and primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma, NHLs that are T cell lymphomas, including precursor T -lymphoblastic lymphoma / leukemia, T-lymphoblastic lymphoma / leukemia (T-Lbly / T- ALL), peripheral T-cell lymphomas such as cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTLC, i.e., mycosis fungoides, Sezary syndrome and others), adult T-cell lymphoma / leukemia, angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, extranodal natural killer / T-cell lymphoma nasal type, enteropathy-associated intestinal T-cell lymphoma (EATL), anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL), and peripheral T-cell lymphoma unspecified, acute myeloid lymphoma, lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma, monocytoid B cell lymphoma, angiocentric lymphoma, intestinal T-cell lymphoma, primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma, posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder, true histiocytic lymphoma, primary effusion lymphoma, diffuse histiocytic lymphoma (DHL), immunoblastic large cell lymphoma, and precursor B-lymphoblastic lymphoma; myelomas, such as multiple myeloma, smoldering myeloma (also called indolent myeloma), monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), solitary plasmocytoma, IgG myeloma, light chain myeloma, nonsecretory myeloma, and amyloidosis; and any combinations of said hematological malignancies.

[0374] In further embodiments, the hematological malignancy is selected from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), a T cell lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL), non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHLs), multiple myeloma, smoldering myeloma, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), advanced, metastatic, refractory and / or recurrent hematological malignancies, and any combinations of said hematological malignancies.

[0375] The present methods are also applicable to treatment of advanced, metastatic, refractory and / or recurrent hematological malignancies.

[0376] For a clinical trial of anti-CCR8 in treating cancer (Example 34), certain solid tumors were selected based on the results of the different pre-clinical studies noted above: demonstrated efficacy of anti-CCR8 in mouse tumor models (Examples 23-29); RNA expression of CCR8 and CD8A in the 33 tumor types represented in the Cancer Genome Atlas (National Cancer Institute, 2021), identifying tumor types having relatively high expression of CCR8 and enrichment for CD8A expression (Example 32); and levels of CCR8 expression in 17 tumor types or subtypes as measured by IHC (Example 33). The selected tumor types are NSCLC, SCCHN, MSS-CRC, gastric / gastroesophageal (GE) junction adenocarcinoma, and cervical cancer (squamous cell carcinoma [SCC] or adenocarcinoma). Although limited data are available for advanced tumors, this selection is supported by high CCR8 expression levels or presence of Tregs correlating with worse prognosis in NSCLC, CRC, gastric, and cervical cancers (Shah etal ., 2011; Yi etal ., 2018; Zhao etal., 2016; Tao et al ., 2012; Xu et al ., 2020). Reports on the prognosis for SCCHN is mixed, perhaps in part because of the varying methods and molecular markers used to detect the presence of Tregs (Saleh etal ., 2020). Accordingly, in certain embodiments of the disclosed methods of treating cancer, the solid tumor is a cancer chosen from NSCLC, SCCHN, MSS-CRC, gastric / GE junction cancer, and cervical cancer. In certain preferred embodiments, the solid tumor is NSCLC. In other preferred embodiments, the solid tumor is SCCHN. In other preferred embodiments, the solid tumor is MSS-CRC. In further preferred embodiments, the solid tumor is gastric / GE junction cancer. In yet other preferred embodiments, the solid tumor is cervical cancer.

[0377] Medical Uses of Anti-CCR8 and Anti-PD-l / Anti-PD-Ll Abs

[0378] This disclosure also provides an isolated anti-CCR8 Ab, preferably a mAh or an antigen-binding portion thereof, for use in a method for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer. The disclosure further provides an isolated anti-CCR8 Ab, preferably a mAh or an antigen-binding portion thereof, and a checkpoint inhibitor such as an isolated anti-PD- 1 / anti-PD-Ll Ab, preferably a mAh or an antigen-binding portion thereof, for use in combination in a method for treating a subject afflicted with cancer comprising dual Treg depletion and blockade of the checkpoint pathway, e.g ., the PD-1 / PD-L1 signaling pathway. The anti-CCR8 Ab may be used as monotherapy or in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor, such as anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll Ab, for treatment of the full range of cancers disclosed herein.

[0379] One aspect of the disclosed invention entails the use of an isolated anti-CCR8 Ab or an antigen-binding portion thereof of the invention for the preparation of a medicament for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer. The anti-CCR8 Ab may be used alone or in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor such as an isolated anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll Ab or an antigen-binding portion thereof for the preparation of the medicament for treating the cancer patient. Uses of any such anti-CCR8 Ab and anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll Ab for the preparation of medicaments are broadly applicable to the full range of cancers disclosed herein.

[0380] This disclosure also provides an anti-CCR8 Ab or an antigen-binding portion thereof in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor such as an isolated anti-PD-l / anti-PD- Ll Ab or an antigen-binding portion thereof for use in methods of treating cancer corresponding to all the embodiments of the methods of treatment employing this combination of therapeutics described herein.

[0381] Anti-CCR8 Abs Suitable for Use in the Disclosed Therapeutic Methods

[0382] An anti-CCR8 Ab suitable for use in the disclosed methods is an isolated Ab, preferably a mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof, that binds specifically to CCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell with high specificity and affinity and mediates depletion of the CCR8-expressing cell by ADCC. Such an Ab exhibits one or more properties that are important for therapeutic efficacy. In particular, the isolated Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof exhibits at least one of the following properties:

[0383] (a) specifically binds to CCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell with an EC so of about 20 nM or lower, preferably about 2 nM or lower, preferably about 1 nM or lower;

[0384] (b) binds specifically to rare and scattered immune cells in the medulla of the thymus and dermis of the skin but, for example, does not bind to human cerebrum, cerebellum, heart, liver, lung, kidney, tonsil, spleen, thymus, colon, stomach, pancreas, adrenal, pituitary, skin, peripheral nerve, testis or uterus tissue, or PBMCs. For example, the anti-CCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof may bind specifically to tumor- infiltrating Tregs but not bind to PBMCs, e.g., not show cytoplasmic staining in fixed PBMCs. Non-binding of the Ab to the above recited list of cells and tissues may be established, for instance, by carrying out standard staining with the relevant Abs, e.g. by the methods described in Example 14, e.g., on fixed tissue samples;

[0385] (c) inhibits binding of CCL1 to CCR8 and inhibits CCR8 / CCL1 signaling with an IC50 of about 5 nM or lower;

[0386] (d) when bound to CCR8 on the surface of a cell mediates depletion of the cell with an EC50 of about 100 pM or lower, preferably about 60 pM or lower, preferably about 40 pM or lower, more preferably about 13 pM or lower, more preferably 10 pM or lower;

[0387] (e) when bound to CCR8 on the surface of a cell does not cause internalization of CCR8 either in the presence or absence of a cross-linking Ab;

[0388] (f) inhibits growth of tumor cells in a subject when administered as monotherapy to the subject; and

[0389] (g) inhibits growth of tumor cells in a subject when administered to the subject in combination with an additional therapeutic agent for treating a cancer, optionally wherein the additional therapeutic agent is an immune checkpoint inhibitor, optionally wherein the checkpoint inhibitor is an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-Ll or anti-CTLA-4 Ab.

[0390] In certain embodiments, the isolated Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof exhibits at least 2 or 3, preferably 4, 5 or 6 of the aforementioned properties. In more preferred embodiments, the isolated Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof exhibits all of the aforementioned properties. For example, in certain preferred embodiments, the isolated Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof:

[0391] (a) specifically binds to CCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell with an EC so of about 20 nM or lower, preferably about 2 nM or lower, preferably about 1 nM or lower;

[0392] (b) when bound to CCR8 on the surface of a cell mediates depletion of the cell with an ECso of about 100 pM or lower, about 60 pM or lower, preferably about 40 pM or lower, more preferably about 13 pM or lower, more preferably 10 pM or lower;

[0393] (c) inhibits growth of tumor cells in a subject when administered as monotherapy to the subject; and

[0394] (d) inhibits growth of tumor cells in a subject when administered to the subject in combination with an additional therapeutic agent for treating a cancer, optionally wherein the additional therapeutic agent is a checkpoint inhibitor.

[0395] In other preferred embodiments, the isolated Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof:

[0396] (a) specifically binds to CCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell with an EC so of about 2 nM or lower;

[0397] (b) when bound to CCR8 on the surface of a cell mediates depletion of the cell with an ECso of about 40 pM or lower; and

[0398] (c) inhibits growth of tumor cells in a subject when administered to the subject in combination with an additional therapeutic agent for treating a cancer, optionally wherein the additional therapeutic agent is an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-Ll, or anti-CTLA-4 Ab.

[0399] In certain embodiments, the isolated Ab, e.g ., a mAh, or antigen-binding portion thereof exhibiting one or more, up to all, of the aforementioned functional properties further binds to an epitope located in the N-terminal domain of hCCR8 with a KD of about 10 nM or lower, wherein the epitope comprises a peptide having the sequence Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21 (SEQ ID NO: 2) and sulfated tyr-15 and / or tyr-17 residues. In certain other embodiments, the isolated Ab, e.g. , a mAh, or antigen-binding portion thereof exhibiting one or more, up to all, of the aforementioned functional properties further binds to an epitope located in the N-terminal domain of human CCR8 with a KD of about 10 nM or lower, wherein the epitope comprises a peptide having the sequence V12T13D14Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21S22 (SEQ ID NO: 109) and sulfated tyr-15 and tyr-17 residues. In certain embodiments the isolated Ab, preferably a mAb, or antigen-binding portion thereof may have the above properties and / or comprise the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 domains in each of a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16. For example, such an Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof may comprise the following CDRs as defined by the Rabat method: a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 33; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 34; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 35; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 36; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 37; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 38. As another example, such an Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof may comprise a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16. As a further example, such an Ab may comprise a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 100 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 112. Optionally, the Ab has reduced fucosylation of its heavy chain, or a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated heavy chain constant region as described elsewhere herein.

[0400] In certain embodiments the isolated Ab, preferably a mAb, or antigen-binding portion thereof may have the above properties and / or comprise the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 domains in each of a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116. For example, such an Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof may comprise the following CDRs as defined by the Rabat method: a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 103; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 104; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 105; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 106; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 107; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 108. As another example, such an Ab or antigenbinding portion thereof may comprise a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116. As a further example, such an Ab may comprise a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 117 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 118. Optionally, the Ab has reduced fucosylation of its heavy chain, or a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated heavy chain constant region as described elsewhere herein.

[0401] In certain embodiments the isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or antigen-binding portion thereof may have the above properties and / or comprise the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 domains in each of a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18. For example, such an Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof may comprise a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 45; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 46; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 47; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 48; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 49; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 50. In another example, such an Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof may comprise a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18. In a further example, such an Ab may comprise a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 102 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 114. Optionally, the Ab has reduced fucosylation of its heavy chain, or a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated heavy chain constant region as described elsewhere herein.

[0402] Combination Therapy

[0403] Human CCR8+Tregs also co-express PD-1 at high levels (data not shown). Treatment with an anti-PD-1 mAh may activate PD-1+Tregs, potentially explaining hyperprogression or primary resistance in nivolumab -treated patients with gastric cancer (Kamada etal ., 2019). Therefore, Treg depletion likely improves overall response rates to anti-PD-1 therapy. This combination is also directed supported by preclinical mouse studies where the synergistic effects of anti-CCR8 with anti-PD-1 were observed in MB49 and 4T-1 tumor models (Examples 27 and 28).

[0404] Although the efficacy of combination therapy with an anti-CCR8 Ab and a checkpoint inhibitor have been demonstrated herein using an anti-PD-1 Ab, several other costimulatory and inhibitory receptors and ligands that regulate T cell responses have been identified. Examples of stimulatory receptors include Inducible T cell Co-Stimulator (ICOS), CD137 (4- IBB), CD134 (0X40), CD27, Glucocorticoid-Induced TNFR-Related protein (GITR), and HerpesVirus Entry Mediator (HVEM), whereas examples of inhibitory receptors in addition to PD-1 / PD-L1 include Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte- Associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), B and T Lymphocyte Attenuator (BTLA), T cell Immunoglobulin and Mucin domain-3 (TIM-3), Lymphocyte Activation Gene-3 (LAG- 3), Killer Immunoglobulin-like Receptor (KIR), adenosine A2a receptor (A2aR), Killer cell Lectin-like Receptor G1 (KLRG-1), Natural Killer Cell Receptor 2B4 (CD244),

[0405] CD 160, T cell Immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT), and the receptor for V-domain Ig Suppressor of T cell Activation (VISTA), (Mellman etal ., 2011; Pardoll, 2012; Baitsch etal ., 2012). These receptors and their ligands provide targets for therapeutics designed to stimulate, or prevent the suppression, of an immune response so as to thereby attack tumor cells (Weber, 2010; Mellman et al ., 2011; Pardoll, 2012). Stimulatory receptors or receptor ligands are targeted by agonist agents, whereas inhibitory receptors or receptor ligands are targeted by blocking agents. Because many of the immune checkpoints are initiated by ligand-receptor interactions, they can be readily blocked by Abs or modulated by recombinant forms of ligands or receptors. One or more of the costimulatory and inhibitory receptors and ligands that regulate T cell responses, other than PD-1 / PD-L1, may provide targets for synergizing with the anti-CCR8 Abs disclosed herein for inhibiting tumor growth. For example, in certain embodiments, the anti-CCR8 Ab is combined with an anti-CTLA-4 Ab. In other embodiments, the anti- CCR8 Ab is combined with an anti-LAG-3 Ab.

[0406] Radiotherapy leads to an increase in Treg infiltration post treatment in murine models (Muroyama et al ., 2017) and in humans (unpublished data). Increased Treg infiltration may lead to undesirable suppression of anti-tumor immunity, and CCR8- mediated depletion may potentiate the efficacy of radiation therapy.

[0407] The present disclosure provides anti-CCR8 mAbs that are effective in potentiating an immune response by enhancing the anti-tumor efficacy of treatments such as checkpoint inhibition or radiotherapy and which exhibit at least one, several or all of the following desirable characteristics: (a) specifically binding to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell with an ECso of about 1 nM or lower; (b) binding specifically to rare and scattered immune cells in the medulla of the thymus and dermis of the skin but, for example, not binding to human cerebrum, cerebellum, heart, liver, lung, kidney, tonsil, spleen, thymus, colon, stomach, pancreas, adrenal, pituitary, skin, peripheral nerve, testis or uterus tissue, or PBMCs. For example, the anti-CCR8 mAb or antigen-binding portion thereof may bind specifically to tumor-infiltrating Tregs but not bind to PBMCs, e.g., not show cytoplasmic staining in fixed PBMCs. Non-binding of the Ab to the above-recited list of cells and tissues may be established, for instance, by carrying out standard staining with the relevant Abs, e.g. by the methods described in Example 14, e.g. on fixed tissue samples; (c) inhibiting binding of CCL1 to CCR8 and inhibiting CCR8 / CCL1 signaling with an ICso of about 5 nM or lower; (d) when bound to CCR8 on the surface of a cell mediates depletion of the cell with an ECso of about 50 pM or lower; (e) when bound to CCR8 on the surface of a cell not causing internalization of CCR8 either in the presence or absence of a cross-linking Ab; (f) inhibiting growth of tumor cells in a subject when administered as monotherapy to the subject; and (g) inhibiting growth of tumor cells in a subject when administered to the subject in combination with an additional therapeutic agent for treating a cancer, optionally wherein the additional therapeutic agent is an anti- PD-1, anti-PD-Ll, or anti-CTLA-4 Ab. Certain anti-CCR8 mAbs that may be used in the therapeutic methods, compositions or kits described herein include mAbs that bind specifically to hCCR8 on a cell surface with high affinity, mediate depletion of the cell with an ECso of about 10 pM or lower, and exhibit at least two other, and preferably all, of the preceding properties. In certain embodiments the isolated Ab, preferably a mAb, or antigen-binding portion thereof may have at least one of the above properties and / or comprise the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 domains in each of a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16. For example, such an Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof may comprise the following CDRs as defined by the Rabat method: a YH CDRl comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 33; a YH CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 34; a YH CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 35; a YL CDRl comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 36; a YL CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 37; and a YL CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 38. In another example, such an Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof may comprise a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16. In a further example, such an Ab may comprise a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 100 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 112. Optionally, the Ab has reduced fucosylation of its heavy chain, or a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated heavy chain constant region as described elsewhere herein.

[0408] In certain embodiments the isolated Ab, preferably a mAb, or antigen-binding portion thereof may have at least one of the above properties and / or comprise the CDRl, CDR2 and CDR3 domains in each of a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116. For example, such an Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof may comprise the following CDRs as defined by the Kabat method: a Vzr CDRl comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 103; a Vzr CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 104; a h Vzr CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 105; a 1 Vz, CDRl comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 106; a Vz CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 107; and a Vz CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 108. As another example, such an Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof may comprise a V / / comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a Vz comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116. As a further example, such an Ab may comprise a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 117 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 118. Optionally, the Ab has reduced fucosylation of its heavy chain, or a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated heavy chain constant region as described elsewhere herein.

[0409] In certain embodiments the isolated Ab, preferably a mAh, or antigen-binding portion thereof may have at least one of the above properties and / or comprise the CDRl, CDR2 and CDR3 domains in each of a Vzr comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a Vz comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18. For example, such an Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof may comprise the following CDRs as defined by the Kabat method: a Vzr CDRl comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 45; a Vzr CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 46; a Vzr CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 47; a Vz CDRl comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 48; a Vz CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 49; and a Vz CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 50. In another example, such an Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof may comprise a Vzr comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a Vz comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18. In a further example, such an Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof may comprise a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 102 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 114. Optionally, the Ab has reduced fucosylation of its heavy chain, or a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated heavy chain constant region as described elsewhere herein.

[0410] Anti-PD-l / Anti-PD-Ll Abs Suitable for Use in the Disclosed Therapeutic Methods

[0411] Anti -PD- 1 Abs suitable for use in the methods for cancer treatment, compositions or kits disclosed herein include isolated Abs, preferably mAbs or antigen-binding portions thereof, that bind to PD-1 with high specificity and affinity, block the binding of PD-L1 and / or PD-L2 to PD-1, and inhibit the immunosuppressive effect of the PD-1 signaling pathway. Similarly, anti-PD-Ll Abs suitable for use in these methods are isolated Abs, preferably mAbs or antigen-binding portions thereof, that bind to PD-L1 with high specificity and affinity, block the binding of PD-L1 to PD-1 and CD80 (B7-1), and inhibit the immunosuppressive effect of the PD-1 signaling pathway. In any of the therapeutic methods disclosed herein, an anti -PD-1 or anti-PD-Ll Ab includes an antigen-binding portion or fragment that binds to the PD-1 receptor or PD-L1 ligand, respectively, and exhibits functional properties similar to those of whole Abs in inhibiting receptor-ligand binding and reversing the inhibition of T cell activity, thereby upregulating an immune response.

[0412] Anti-PD-1 mAbs

[0413] MAbs that bind specifically to PD-1 with high affinity have been disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,008,449. Other anti-PD-1 mAbs have been described in, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 7,488,802, 8,168,757, 8,354,509, and 9,205,148. The anti-PD-1 mAbs disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,008,449 have been demonstrated to exhibit several or all of the following characteristics: (a) binding to human PD-1 with a KD of about 50 nM or lower, as determined by the SPR (BIACORE®) biosensor system; (b) not substantially binding to human CD28, CTLA-4 or ICOS; (c) increasing T-cell proliferation, interferon- γ production and IL-2 secretion in a Mixed Lymphocyte Reaction (MLR) assay; (d) binding to human PD-1 and cynomolgus monkey PD-1; (e) inhibiting the binding of PD- L1 and PD-L2 to PD-1; (f) releasing inhibition imposed by Treg cells on proliferation and interferon-γ production of CD4+CD25'T cells; (g) stimulating antigen-specific memory responses; (h) stimulating Ab responses; and (i) inhibiting tumor cell growth in vivo.

[0414] Anti -PD- 1 Abs usable in the disclosed methods of treatment, compositions or kits include mAbs that bind specifically to human PD-1 with high affinity and exhibit at least five, and preferably all, of the preceding characteristics. For example, an anti-PD-1 Ab suitable for use in the therapeutic methods disclosed herein (a) binds to human PD-1 with a KD of about 10 nM to 0.1 nM, as determined by SPR (BIACORE®); (b) increases T-cell proliferation, interferon-γ production and IL-2 secretion in a MLR assay; (c) inhibits the binding of PD-L1 and PD-L2 to PD-1; (d) reverses inhibition imposed by Tregs on proliferation and interferon-γ production of CD4+CD25'T cells; (e) stimulates antigen- specific memory responses; and (f) inhibits tumor cell growth in vivo.

[0415] Other anti-PD-1 mAbs have been described in, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 6,808,710, 7,488,802, 8,168,757 and 8,354,509, U.S. Publication No. 2016 / 0272708, and PCT Publication Nos. WO 2008 / 156712, WO 2012 / 145493, WO 2014 / 179664, WO 2014 / 194302, WO 2014 / 206107, WO 2015 / 035606, WO 2015 / 085847, WO 2015 / 112800, WO 2015 / 112900, WO 2016 / 106159, WO 2016 / 197367, WO 2017 / 020291, WO 2017 / 020858, WO 2017 / 024465, WO 2017 / 024515, WO 2017 / 025016, WO 2017 / 025051, WO 2017 / 040790, WO 2017 / 106061, WO 2017 / 123557, WO 2017 / 132827, WO 2017 / 133540, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0416] In certain embodiments, the anti-PD-1 mAb is selected from the group consisting of nivolumab (OPDIVO®; formerly designated 5C4, BMS-936558, MDX-1106, or ONO-4538), pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA®; formerly designated lambrolizumab and MK-3475; see WO 2008 / 156712A1), PDR001 (see WO 2015 / 112900), MEDI-0680 (formerly designated AMP-514; see WO 2012 / 145493), REGN-2810 see WO 2015 / 112800), JS001 (see Liu and Wu, 2017), BGB-A317 (see WO 2015 / 035606 and US 2015 / 0079109), INCSHR1210 (SHR-1210; see WO 2015 / 085847; Liu and Wu, 2017), TSR-042 (ANBOll; see WO 2014 / 179664), GLS-010 (WBP3055; see Liu and Wu, 2017), AM-0001 (see WO 2017 / 123557), STI-1110 (see WO 2014 / 194302), AGEN2034 (see WO 2017 / 040790), and MGD013 (see WO 2017 / 106061).

[0417] In certain preferred embodiments of any of the therapeutic methods described herein comprising administration of an anti-PD-1 Ab, the anti-PD-1 Ab is nivolumab, OPDIVO®), which has already been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating multiple different cancers. Nivolumab is a fully human IgG4 (S228P) PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor Ab that selectively prevents interaction with PD-1 ligands (PD-L1 and PD-L2), thereby blocking the down-regulation of antitumor T-cell functions (described as mAh C5 in U.S. Patent No. 8,008,449; Wang et al ., 2014). In other preferred embodiments, the anti-PD-1 Ab is pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA®; a humanized monoclonal IgG4 Ab directed against PD-1 and described as h409Al 1 in U.S. Patent No. 8,354,509), which has also been approved for multiple cancer indications.

[0418] Anti-PD-1 Abs usable in the disclosed methods, compositions or kits also include isolated Abs, preferably mAbs, that bind specifically to human PD-1 (hPD-1) and cross- compete for binding to human PD-1 with any one of the anti-PD-1 Abs described herein, e.g nivolumab (5C4; see, e.g. , U.S. Patent No. 8,008,449; WO 2013 / 173223) and pembrolizumab. Abs that cross-compete with a reference Ab, e.g. , nivolumab or pembrolizumab, for binding to an antigen, in this case human PD-1, can be readily identified in standard PD-1 binding assays such as BIACORE® analysis, ELISA assays or flow cytometry (see, e.g, WO 2013 / 173223). In certain embodiments, the anti-PD-1 Ab binds to the same epitope as any of the anti-PD-1 Abs described herein, e.g., nivolumab or pembrolizumab.

[0419] An anti-PD-1 Ab usable in the methods of the disclosed invention also includes an antigen-binding portion, including a Fab, F(ab’)2, Fd or Fv fragment, a sdAb, a scFv, di- scFv or bi-scFv, a diabody, a minibody or an isolated CDR (see Hollinger and Hudson, 2005; Olafsen and Wu, 2010, for further details).

[0420] In certain embodiments, the isolated anti-PD-1 Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof comprises a heavy chain constant region which is of a human IgGl, IgG2, IgG3 or IgG4 isotype. In certain preferred embodiments, the anti-PD-1 Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof comprises a heavy chain constant region which is of a human IgG4 isotype. In other embodiments, the anti-PD-1 Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof is of a human IgGl isotype. In certain other embodiments, the IgG4 heavy chain constant region of the anti-PD-1 Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof contains an S228P mutation (numbered using the Rabat system; Rabat et al, 1983) which replaces a serine residue in the hinge region with the proline residue normally found at the corresponding position in IgGl isotype Abs. This mutation, which is present in nivolumab, prevents Fab arm exchange with endogenous IgG4 Abs, while retaining the low affinity for activating Fc receptors associated with wild-type IgG4 Abs (Wang etal. , 2014). In yet other embodiments, the Ab comprises a light chain constant region which is a human kappa or lambda constant region.

[0421] In other embodiments of the present methods, the anti -PD- 1 Ab or antigenbinding portion thereof is a mAb or an antigen-binding portion thereof. For administration to human subjects, the anti-PD-1 Ab is preferably a chimeric Ab or, more preferably, a humanized or human Ab. Such chimeric, humanized or human mAbs can be prepared and isolated by methods well known in the art, e.g ., as described in U.S. Patent No. 8,008,449.

[0422] Anti-PD-Ll mAbs

[0423] Because anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-Ll target the same signaling pathway and have been shown in clinical trials to exhibit comparable levels of efficacy in a variety of cancers (see, e.g., Brahmer etal., 2012; WO 2013 / 173223), an anti-PD-Ll Ab may be substituted for the anti-PD-1 Ab in the combination therapy methods disclosed herein.

[0424] Anti-PD-Ll Abs suitable for use in the disclosed methods, compositions or kits are isolated Abs that bind to PD-L1 with high specificity and affinity, block binding of PD-L1 to PD-1 and to CD80, and inhibit the immunosuppressive effect of the PD-1 signaling pathway. MAbs that bind specifically to PD-L1 with high affinity have been disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,943,743. Other anti-PD-Ll mAbs have been described in, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 8,217,149, 8,779,108, 9,175,082 and 9,624,298, and PCT Publication No. WO 2012 / 145493. The anti-PD-1 HuMAbs disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,943,743 have been demonstrated to exhibit one or more of the following characteristics: (a) binding to human PD-1 with a KD of about 50 mM or lower, as determined by SPR (BIACORE®); (b) increasing T-cell proliferation, interferon-γ production and IL-2 secretion in a MLR assay; (c) stimulating Ab responses; (d) inhibiting the binding of PD- L1 to PD-1; and (e) reversing the suppressive effect of Tregs on T cell effector cells and / or dendritic cells. Anti-PD-Ll Abs for use in the therapeutic methods disclosed herein include isolated Abs, preferably mAbs, that bind specifically to human PD-L1 with high affinity and exhibit at least one, in some embodiments at least three, and preferably all, of the preceding characteristics. For example, an anti-PD-Ll Ab suitable for use in these methods (a) binds to human PD-1 with a KD of about 50 mM to 0.1 mM, as determined by surface plasmon resonance (BIACORE®); (b) increases T-cell proliferation, interferon-γ production and IL-2 secretion in a MLR assay; (c) inhibits the binding of PD-L1 to PD-1 and to CD80; and (d) reverses the suppressive effect of Tregs on T cell effector cells and / or dendritic cells.

[0425] A suitable anti-PD-Ll Ab for use in the present methods is BMS-936559 (formerly MDX-1105; designated 12A4 in U.S. Patent No. 7,943,743). Other suitable anti-PD-Ll Abs include atezolizumab (TECENTRIQ®; previously known as RG7446 and MPDL3280A; designated YW243.55S70 in U.S. Patent No. 8,217,149; see, also , Herbst et al ., 2014), durvalumab (IMFINZI®; previously known as MEDI-4736; designated 2.14H90PT in U.S. Patent No. 8,779,108), avelumab (BAVENCIO®; previously known as MSB-0010718C; designated A09-246-2 in U.S. Patent No. 9,624,298), STI-A1014 (designated H6 in U.S. Patent No. 9,175,082), CX-072 (see WO 2016 / 149201), KN035 (see Zhang etal. , 2017), LY3300054 (see, e.g., WO 2017 / 034916), and CK-301 (see Gorelik etal, 2017).

[0426] In certain preferred embodiments of any of the therapeutic methods described herein comprising administration of an anti-PD-Ll Ab, the anti-PD-Ll Ab is atezolizumab (TECENTRIQ®). In other preferred embodiments, the anti-PD-Ll Ab is durvalumab (IMFINZI®). In further preferred embodiments, the anti-PD-Ll Ab is avelumab (BAVENCIO®).

[0427] Anti-PD-Ll Abs suitable for use in the disclosed methods, compositions or kits also include isolated Abs that bind specifically to human PD-L1 and cross-compete for binding to human PD-L1 with a reference Ab which may be any one of the anti-PD-Ll Abs disclosed herein, e.g. , BMS-936559 (12A4; see, e.g., U.S. Patent No. 7,943,743; WO 2013 / 173223), atezolizumab, durvalumab, avelumab or STI-A1014. The ability of an Ab to cross-compete with a reference Ab for binding to human PD-L1 demonstrates that such Ab binds to the same epitope region of PD-L1 as the reference Ab and is expected to have very similar functional properties to that of the reference Ab by virtue of its binding to substantially the same epitope region of PD-L1. In some embodiments, the anti-PD-Ll Ab binds the same epitope as any of the anti-PD-Ll Abs described herein, e.g, atezolizumab, durvalumab, avelumab or STI-A1014. Cross-competing Abs can be readily identified based on their ability to cross-compete with a reference Ab such as atezolizumab or avelumab in standard PD-L1 binding assays such as BIACORE® analysis, ELISA assays or flow cytometry that are well known to persons skilled in the art (see, e.g, WO 2013 / 173223).

[0428] In certain preferred embodiments, the isolated anti-PD-Ll Abs for use in the present methods are mAbs. In other embodiments, especially for administration to human subjects, these Abs are preferably chimeric Abs, or more preferably humanized or human Abs. Chimeric, humanized and human Abs can be prepared and isolated by methods well known in the art, e.g ., as described in U.S. Patent No. 7,943,743.

[0429] In certain embodiments, the anti-PD-Ll Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof comprises a heavy chain constant region which is of a human IgGl, IgG2, IgG3 or IgG4 isotype. In certain other embodiments, the anti-PD-Ll Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof is of a human IgGl of IgG4 isotype. In further embodiments, the sequence of the IgG4 heavy chain constant region of the anti-PD-Ll Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof contains an S228P mutation. In other embodiments, the Ab comprises a light chain constant region which is a human kappa or lambda constant region.

[0430] Anti-PD-Ll Abs of the invention also include antigen-binding portions of the above Abs, including Fab, F(ab’)2, Fd, Fv, and scFv, di-scFv or bi-scFv, and scFv-Fc fragments, nanobodies, diabodies, triabodies, tetrabodies, and isolated CDRs, that bind to PD-L1 and exhibits functional properties similar to those of whole Abs in inhibiting receptor binding and up-regulating the immune system.

[0431] Pharmaceutical Compositions and Dosage Regimens

[0432] MAbs disclosed herein and used in the any of the therapeutic methods described may be constituted in a composition, e.g. , a pharmaceutical composition containing an Ab and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. This invention also provides compositions comprising any of the disclosed immunoconjugates or bispecific molecule and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. As used herein, a “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” includes any and all solvents, dispersion media, coatings, antibacterial and antifungal agents, isotonic and absorption delaying agents, and the like that are physiologically compatible. Preferably, the carrier for a composition containing an Ab is suitable for intravenous (IV), intramuscular, subcutaneous (SC), parenteral, spinal or epidermal administration (e.g, by injection or infusion).

[0433] An option for SC injection is based on Halozyme Therapeutics’ ENHANZE® drug-delivery technology, involving a co-formulation of an Ab, e.g, a mAb, with recombinant human hyaluronidase enzyme (rHuPH20) that removes traditional limitations on the volume of biologies and drugs that can be delivered subcutaneously due to the extracellular matrix (U.S. Patent No. 7,767,429). It may be possible to co-formulate two Abs used in combination therapy into a single composition for SC administration.

[0434] A pharmaceutical composition of the invention may include one or more pharmaceutically acceptable salts, anti-oxidants, aqueous and non-aqueous carriers, and / or adjuvants such as preservatives, wetting agents, emulsifying agents and dispersing agents.

[0435] Dosage regimens are adjusted to provide the optimum desired response, e.g ., a maximal therapeutic response and / or minimal adverse effects. For administration of an anti-CCR8, anti -PD- 1 or anti-PD-Ll Ab or an antigen-binding portion thereof, including for combination use, the dosage may range from about 0.01 to about 20 mg / kg, preferably from about 0.1 to about 10 mg / kg, of the subject’s body weight. For example, dosages can be about 0.1, 0.3, 1, 2, 3, 5 or 10 mg / kg body weight, and more preferably, about 0.3, 1, 3, or 10 mg / kg body weight. Alternatively, a fixed or flat dose, e.g. , about 0.1 to about 2,000 mg, preferably about 1 to about 1,000 mg such as about 0.3, 1, 3, 5, 10, 30, 60, 100, 150, 200, 240, 300, 400, 500, 600, 800 or 1,000 mg, of the Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof, instead of a dose based on body weight, may be administered. Flat (vs. weight- based) dosing is attractive due to the ease of preparation, a reduced risk of medication errors, and the observation that for most biologies the two dosing approaches perform similarly (Wang etal., 2009).

[0436] The dosing schedule is typically designed to achieve exposures that result in sustained receptor occupancy (RO) based on typical pharmacokinetic properties of an Ab. An exemplary treatment regime entails administration once per week, once every 2 weeks, once every 3 weeks, once every 4 weeks, once a month, once every 3-6 months or longer. In certain preferred embodiments, the anti-CCR8, anti -PD- 1 or anti-PD-Ll Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof is administered to the subject once every 2 weeks. In other preferred embodiments, the Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof is administered once every 3 weeks or once every 4 weeks. The dosage and scheduling may change during a course of treatment. The first-in-human (FIH) starting flat dose of 0.3 mg (4 pg / kg) IV Q2W for 4A19 was derived using the totality of data generated from a mix of pharmacology- and toxicology -based approaches with the goal of ensuring adequate safety while minimizing the participants’ exposure to potentially sub-efficacious doses and risk of cytokine release.

[0437] In the clinical trial described in Example 34, the totality of data generated from a mix of pharmacology- and toxicology-based approaches were employed to determine dosages used in the first-in-human (FIH) clinical study. In the dose escalation phase of the anti-CCR8 monotherapy arm, a flat dose of 0.3, 1, 3, 10, 30, 100, 300 or 800 mg of 4A19 is administered intravenously (IV) to the subject once every 2 weeks (Q2W). In the combination therapy arm, the same doses of 4A19 are administered in the dose escalation phase in combination with nivolumab administered IV at the FDA-approved flat dose of 480 mg once every 4 weeks (Q4W). For dose expansion, single-arm and randomized cohorts are opened to include different tumor types and dose levels from the escalation phase, with treatment as monotherapy or combination therapy continuing until progression, unacceptable toxicity, withdrawal of consent, completion of 26 cycles of study therapy (104 weeks), or the study ends, whichever occurs first.

[0438] Accordingly, in certain embodiments of the disclosed therapy methods, an anti- CCR8 Ab is administered to the subject as monotherapy, or in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor, e.g ., an anti -PD- 1 or anti-PD-Ll Ab, at a flat dose of about 0.3 to about 800 mg Q2W. More specifically, in certain embodiments, the anti-CCR8 Ab is administered at 0.3, 1, 3, 10, 30, 100, 300 or 800 mg Q2W. In certain preferred embodiments, the anti-CCR8 Ab is mAh 4A19. In other preferred embodiments, the anti- CCR8 Ab is mAh 14S5 or 14S15h. In certain embodiments, the anti-CCR8 Ab is administered to the subject at a flat dose of 3 mg Q2W. In certain other embodiments, the anti-CCR8 Ab is administered at 10 mg Q2W. In other embodiments, the anti-CCR8 Ab is administered at a flat dose of 30 mg Q2W. In yet other embodiments, the anti-CR8 Ab is administered to the subject at a flat does of 100 mg Q2W.

[0439] For combination therapy, in certain embodiments, the immune checkpoint inhibitor is an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-Ll, or anti-CTLA-4 Ab. In certain preferred embodiments, the anti-PD-1 Ab is nivolumab. In preferred embodiments, nivolumab is administered to the subject at the flat dose of 480 mg Q4W.

[0440] When used in combinations, a subtherapeutic dosage of one or both Abs, e.g. , a dosage of an anti-CCR8, anti-PD-1 and / or anti-PD-Ll Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof may be used. As used herein, a “subtherapeutic” dose or dosage of a therapeutic agent, such as a therapeutic Ab, refers to a dose that is lower than the typical or approved monotherapy dose. For example, a dosage of nivolumab that is lower than the initially FDA-approved 3 mg / kg every 2 weeks, for instance, 1.0 mg / kg or less every 2, 3 or 4 weeks, is regarded as a subtherapeutic dosage. Nivolumab has subsequently been approved by the FDA at 240 mg every two weeks or 480 mg every 4 weeks. Thus, for example, a dosage of nivolumab that is lower than the approved 480 mg every 4 weeks, for instance, 120 mg or less every 2, 3 or 4 weeks, is regarded as a subtherapeutic dosage. RO data from 15 subjects who received 0.3 mg / kg to 10 mg / kg dosing with nivolumab indicate that PD-1 occupancy appears to be dose-independent in this dose range. Across all doses, the mean occupancy rate was 85% (range, 70% to 97%), with a mean plateau occupancy of 72% (range, 59% to 81%) (Brahmer etal ., 2010). Thus, 0.3 mg / kg dosing may allow for sufficient exposure to lead to significant biologic activity.

[0441] In contrast, as used herein, a “sub-efficacious” dose or dosage of a therapeutic agent, such as a therapeutic Ab, refers to a dose that is lower than the dose required for significant biologic activity and, therefore, does not cause any meaningful therapeutic effect when administered as monotherapy or in combination therapy.

[0442] The synergistic interaction observed in mouse tumor models between the anti- CCR8 and anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll Abs or antigen-binding portions thereof may permit the administration of one or both of these therapeutics to a cancer patient at subtherapeutic dosages. In certain embodiments of the disclosed combination therapy methods, the anti- CCR8 Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof is administered at a subtherapeutic dose to a cancer patient. In other embodiments, the anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof is administered to the patient at a subtherapeutic dose. In further embodiments, the anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll and anti-CCR8 Abs or antigen-binding portions thereof are each administered to the patient at a subtherapeutic dose.

[0443] The administration of such a subtherapeutic dose of one or both Abs may reduce adverse events compared to the use of higher doses of the individual Abs in monotherapy. Thus, the success of the disclosed methods of combination therapy may be measured not only in improved efficacy of the combination of Abs relative to monotherapy with these Abs, but also in increased safety, i.e., a reduced incidence of adverse events, from the use of lower dosages of the drugs in combination relative to the monotherapy doses.

[0444] In certain embodiments of any of the methods disclosed herein, the anti-CCR8, anti-PD-1 and / or anti-PD-Ll Abs are formulated for intravenous (IV) administration or for subcutaneous (SC) injection. In certain embodiments, the anti-CCR8 Ab or antigenbinding portion thereof and the anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof are administered sequentially to the subject. “Sequential” administration means that one of the anti-CCR8 and anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll Abs is administered before the other. Either Ab may be administered first; i.e., in certain embodiments, the anti-PD-l / anti-PD- Ll Ab is administered before the anti-CCR8 Ab, whereas in other embodiments, the anti- CCR8 Ab is administered before the anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll Ab. In certain embodiments, each Ab is administered by IV infusion, for example, by infusion over a period of about 60 minutes. In other embodiments, at least one Ab is administered by SC injection.

[0445] In certain embodiments of sequential IV administration, for the convenience of the patient, the anti-CCR8 and anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll Abs or portions thereof are administered within 30 minutes of each other. Typically, when both the anti-CCR8 and anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll Abs are to be delivered by IV administration on the same day, separate infusion bags and filters are used for each infusion. The infusion of the first Ab is promptly followed by a saline flush to clear the line of the Ab before starting the infusion of the second Ab. In other embodiments, the two Abs are administered within 1, 2, 4, 8, 24 or 48 h of each other.

[0446] The delivery of at least one Ab by SC administration reduces health care practitioner time required for administration and shortens the time for drug administration. For example, the use of SC injection could cut the time needed for IV administration, typically about 30-60 min, to about 5 min. In certain embodiments of sequential SC administration, the anti-CCR8 and anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll Abs or portions thereof are administered within 10 min of each other.

[0447] Because checkpoint inhibitor Abs have been shown to produce very durable responses, in part due to the memory component of the immune system (see, e.g. , WO 2013 / 173223; Lipson etal., 2013; Wolchok etal., 2013), the activity of an administered anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll Ab may be ongoing for several weeks, several months, or even several years. In certain embodiments, the present combination therapy methods involving sequential administration entail administration of an anti-CCR8 Ab to a patient who has been previously treated with an anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll Ab. In further embodiments, the anti-CCR8 Ab is administered to a patient who has been previously treated with, and progressed on, an anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll Ab. In other embodiments, the present combination therapy methods involving sequential administration entail administration of an anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll Ab to a patient who has been previously treated with an anti-CCR8 Ab, optionally a patient whose cancer has progressed after treatment with the anti-CCR8 Ab.

[0448] In certain other embodiments, the anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll and anti-CCR8 mAbs are administered concurrently, either admixed as a single composition in a pharmaceutically acceptable formulation for concurrent administration, or concurrently as separate compositions with each Ab in formulated in a pharmaceutically acceptable composition. In certain preferred embodiments, the anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll and anti-CCR8 mAbs are administered concurrently as separate compositions with each Ab in formulated in a pharmaceutically acceptable composition. In other embodiments, the anti -PD- 1 / anti -PD- L1 and anti-CCR8 mAbs are administered concurrently as a single composition in a pharmaceutically acceptable formulation.

[0449] This disclosure provides a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated isolated Ab, preferably a mAb, which specifically binds to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell, wherein the isolated Ab comprises a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 102 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 114, for use in a method of treating a subject afflicted with a cancer, wherein the cancer is chosen from NSCLC, SCCHN, MSS-CRC, gastric / GE junction cancer, and cervical cancer.

[0450] In certain embodiments, the disclosure also provides a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated isolated Ab, preferably a mAb, which specifically binds to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell, wherein the isolated Ab comprises a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 102 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 114, for use in a method of treating in combination with another therapeutic agent a subject afflicted with a cancer, wherein the cancer is chosen from NSCLC, SCCHN, MSS-CRC, gastric / GE junction cancer, and cervical cancer, and wherein the other therapeutic agent is an anti-PD-1, an anti-PD-Ll, or an anti- CTLA-4 Ab.

[0451] In certain other embodiments, the disclosure further provides a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated isolated Ab, preferably a mAb, which specifically binds to hCCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell, wherein the isolated Ab comprises a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 102 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 114, for use in a method of treating in combination with another therapeutic agent a subject afflicted with a cancer, wherein the cancer is chosen from NSCLC, SCCHN, MSS-CRC, gastric / GE junction cancer, and cervical cancer, wherein the other therapeutic agent is nivolumab, and wherein the anti-CCR8 Ab is administered to the subject at a dose of 1-30 mg once every 2 weeks and nivolumab is administered to the subject at a dose of 240 mg once every 2 weeks or 480 mg once every 4 weeks.

[0452] This disclosure also provides a method for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated anti-CCR8 mAh which comprises a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 102 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 114 such that the subject is treated, wherein the cancer is chosen from NSCLC, SCCHN, MSS-CRC, gastric / GE junction cancer, and cervical cancer.

[0453] In certain embodiments, the disclosure also provides a method for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer comprising administering to the subject therapeutically effective amounts of: (a) a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated anti-CCR8 mAh which comprises a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 102 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 114; and (b) another therapeutic agent, such that the subject is treated, wherein the cancer is chosen from NSCLC, SCCHN, MSS-CRC, gastric / GE junction cancer, and cervical cancer, and wherein the other therapeutic agent is an anti-PD-1, an anti-PD-Ll, or an anti-CTLA-4 Ab.

[0454] In certain other embodiments, the disclosure further provides a method for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer comprising administering to the subject therapeutically effective amounts of: (a) a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated anti-CCR8 mAh which comprises a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 102 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 114; and (b) another therapeutic agent, such that the subject is treated, wherein the cancer is chosen from NSCLC, SCCHN, MSS-CRC, gastric / GE junction cancer, and cervical cancer, wherein the other therapeutic agent is nivolumab, and wherein the anti-CCR8 Ab is administered to the subject at a dose of 1-30 mg once every 2 weeks and nivolumab is administered to the subject at a dose of 240 mg once every 2 weeks or 480 mg once every 4 weeks.

[0455] The disclosure further provides a method for inhibiting growth of tumor cells in a subject comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated anti-CCR8 mAh which comprises a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 102 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 114 such that growth of tumor cells in the subject is inhibited, wherein the cancer is chosen from NSCLC, SCCHN, MSS-CRC, gastric / GE junction cancer, and cervical cancer.

[0456] In certain embodiments, the disclosure also provides a method for inhibiting growth of tumor cells in a subject comprising administering to the subject therapeutically effective amounts of: (a) a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated anti-CCR8 mAh which comprises a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 102 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 114; and (b) another therapeutic agent, such that growth of tumor cells in the subject is inhibited, wherein the cancer is chosen from NSCLC, SCCHN, MSS-CRC, gastric / GE junction cancer, and cervical cancer, and wherein the other therapeutic agent is an anti-PD-1, an anti-PD-Ll, or an anti-CTLA-4 Ab.

[0457] In certain other embodiments, the disclosure further provides a method for inhibiting growth of tumor cells in a subject comprising administering to the subject therapeutically effective amounts of: (a) a hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated anti-CCR8 mAh which comprises a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 102 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 114; and (b) another therapeutic agent, such that growth of tumor cells in the subject is inhibited, wherein the cancer is chosen from NSCLC, SCCHN, MSS-CRC, gastric / GE junction cancer, and cervical cancer, wherein the other therapeutic agent is nivolumab, and wherein the anti- CCR8 Ab is administered to the subject at a dose of 1-30 mg once every 2 weeks and nivolumab is administered to the subject at a dose of 240 mg once every 2 weeks or 480 mg once every 4 weeks.

[0458] Kits

[0459] Also within the scope of the present invention are kits comprising an anti-CCR8 Ab. Kits typically include a label indicating the intended use of the contents of the kit and instructions for use. The term label includes any writing, or recorded material supplied on or with the kit, or which otherwise accompanies the kit. Accordingly, this disclosure provides a kit for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer, the kit comprising: (a) one or more dosages ranging from about 0.01 to about 20 mg / kg body weight, e.g., about 0.1 or

[0460] 1 mg / kg, or about 0.1 to about 2,000 mg fixed dose, e.g. , about 3, 10, 30 or 100 mg, of an Ab, e.g. , a mAb or an antigen-binding portion thereof that binds specifically to CCR8 and mediates depletion of a CCR8-expressing cell by ADCC; (b) optionally one or more dosages ranging from about 0.1 to about 20 mg / kg body weight, e.g. , about 2 to about 10 mg / kg, or about 200 to about 1600 mg fixed dose, e.g. , about 240 or 480 mg, of an Ab, e.g. , a mAb or an antigen-binding portion thereof that binds specifically to PD-1, PD-L1 or CTLA-4; and (c) instructions for using the Ab or portion thereof that binds specifically to CCR8, and optionally the Ab or portion thereof that binds specifically to PD-1, PD-L1 or CTLA-4, in any of the therapeutic methods disclosed herein.

[0461] The disclosure further provides a kit for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer, the kit comprising: (a) one or more dosages ranging from about 0.01 to about 20 mg / kg body weight, e.g. , about 0.1 or 1 mg / kg, or about 0.1 to about 2,000 mg fixed dose, e.g., about 3, 10, 30 or 100 mg, of an Ab, e.g, a mAb or an antigen-binding portion thereof that binds specifically to CCR8 and mediates depletion of a CCR8-expressing cell by ADCC; (b) one or more dosages of about 0.1 to about 20 mg / kg body weight, e.g, about

[0462] 2 or 3 mg / kg, or 200 to about 1600 mg fixed dose, e.g, about 240 or 480 mg, of an anti- PD- 1 / anti -PD-L1 mAb or an antigen-binding portion thereof; and (c) instructions for using the anti-CCR8 mAb and the anti-PD-l / anti-PD-Ll mAb, in any of the combination therapy methods disclosed herein.

[0463] In certain embodiments, the kit comprises one or more fixed dosages of the anti- CCR8 Ab ranging from about 0.1 to about 2,000 mg, preferably about 0.3 to about 1,000 mg such as about 0.3, 1, 3, 5, 10, 30, 60, 100, 150, 200, 240, 300, 400, 500, 600, 800 or 1,000 mg, of the Ab or antigen-binding portion thereof, instead of a dose based on body weight. In certain embodiments, the kit comprises 0.3, 1, 3, 10, 30, 100, 300 and 800 mg of the anti-CCR8 Ab for administration once every 2 weeks. In certain other embodiments, the kit comprises about 100 to about 600 mg of the anti-PD-l / PD-Ll Ab, e.g., 240 mg of nivolumab for administration once every 2 weeks or 480 mg of nivolumab for administration once every 4 weeks. In certain preferred embodiments, the anti-CCR8 Ab is mAb 4A19. In other preferred embodiments, the anti-CCR8 Ab is mAb 14S15 or 14S15h. In certain preferred embodiments, the anti-PD-1 Ab is nivolumab. In other preferred embodiments, the anti-PD-1 Ab is pembrolizumab.

[0464] In certain embodiments, the Abs may be co-packaged in unit dosage form. In certain preferred embodiments for treating human patients, the kit comprises an antihuman PD-1 Ab disclosed herein, e.g, nivolumab or pembrolizumab.

[0465] The present invention is further illustrated by the following examples which should not be construed as further limiting. The contents of all references cited throughout this application are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

[0466] EXAMPLE 1

[0467] CORRELATION OF CCR8 EXPRESSION WITH FOXP3 EXPRESSION

[0468] IN TUMOR Tregs

[0469] CCR8 is a Treg-Selective Marker

[0470] TCGA samples (Goldman etal ., 2019; Wang and Liu, 2019; batch-corrected FPKM values from UCSC Xena PanCan Repository) from tumors of non-hematopoetic origin were divided into tumor categories (TCGA designations, tumor only) and RNA-seq data for each transcript was transformed into a standard distribution (mean = 0, standard deviation = 1) within tumor type, after which all tumor RNA data were combined. Mutual-Rank distance measurements (Siemers et al ., 2017; Huttenhower el al ., 2007) were performed from the Pearson correlation matrix of log-transformed transcripts.

[0471] Mutual rank-based network of gene-gene correlation across all non-heme tcga tumor RNA-seq, shown in Figure 1 A, identified CCR8 as a Treg-selective marker as transcript abundances for CCR8 exhibited both a strong and selective correlation to FOXP3 when compared with other gene neighbors in most cancer types from TCGA. It is notable that costimulatory / coinhibitory molecules (CTLA4, ICOS, TIGIT) occupy a part of the network intermediary to FOXP3 and canonical T cell markers (e.g., CD3E, IL2RB, SLAMFl). Line weights and distances indicate strength of mutual-rank associations.

[0472] CCR8 Is Selectively Expressed on FOXP3hlghLymphocytes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

[0473] Data were plotted logarithmically scaled as log2 (counts + 1) from Zheng et al. (2017), NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus: GSE98638, and plots created with the Fauxflow R / Shiny toolkit (https: / / github.com / NathanSiemers / FauxFlow). A small amount of Gaussian noise was added to each point to aid in visualization.

[0474] As shown in Figure IB, CCR8 is selectively expressed on ΡΟΧΡ3Μ§ΐ1lymphocytes in hepatocellular carcinoma tumor samples, and there is an absence of CCR8 expression in FOXPS^ CD8 and CD4 populations. Association of CCR8 Expression with Expression of Other Genes Spearman correlation analysis was performed in FOXP3+(expression >= 1) T lymphocytes (expression > = 1 ) between CCR8 expression >= 1 vs. CCR8 expression < 1, and unadjusted Spearman P values were plotted vs. the ratio of mean gene expression of associated markers.

[0475] Figure 1C shows that transcripts associated with CCR8 positivity and negativity within FOXP3+cells in Zheng et al. (2017). CCR8 expression is associated with higher levels of FOXP3 expression and canonical markers of Tregs (IL2RA, IKZF2, BATF), whereas lower expression of CCR8 is associated with cytotoxic T cell markers (GZMA, CD8A).

[0476] EXAMPLE 2 TISSUE PROCESSING

[0477] Human Tumor Dissociation

[0478] Tumor samples were minced with dissecting lab scissors and further mechanically dissociated with a Dounce homogenizer or enzymatically digested using a human tumor dissociation kit (Miltenyi Biotec, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany) in conjunction with a gentleMACS dissociator (Miltenyi Biotec) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Cell suspensions were filtered through a 70 pm cell strainer.

[0479] Human Treg Isolation and Stimulation

[0480] PBMCs were isolated from a leukopak (AllCells) using a Ficoll density gradient (GE Healthcare). CD25+cells were magnetically enriched using anti-CD25 MicroBeads II (Miltenyi Biotec). Enriched cells were stained for CD25 (4E3, Miltenyi Biotec),

[0481] CD 127 (A019D5, BioLegend), CD45RA (HI100, BioLegend), and CD4 (SK3, BD Biosciences). CD4+CD127i0wCD25highCD45RA+Tregs were sorted on a BD FACSAria IT Isolated naive Tregs were expanded using Dynabeads Human T-Activator CD3 / CD28 (Thermo Fisher Scientific) (3 beads to 1 Treg) in Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) cell culture medium (Corning, Corning, NY) with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS; (GE Healthcare, Chicago, IL). After 3 days, IL-2 (PeproTech) was added at 300 U / ml. Tregs were expanded and cryopreserved. Thawed Tregs were restimulated using CD3 / CD28 Dynabeads (1 bead to 1 Treg) in RPMI medium with 10% FBS and 100 U / ml of IL-2. Human Skin Processing

[0482] Skin biopsies from normal female abdominal human skin, age 43, was digested overnight in a MACS C tube (Miltenyi Biotec) using a whole skin dissociation kit (Miltenyi Biotec) without enzyme P. Cell suspensions were washed, filtered, and stained.

[0483] Mouse Tissue Processing

[0484] Tumors were minced and then enzymatically digested for 30 min at 37°C using 250 U / ml Collagenase IV (Worthington Biochemical, Lakewood, NJ) and DNase I (Millipore Sigma, Burlington, MA). Shaved skin was minced and then enzymatically digested for 60 min at 37°C with 500 pg / ml Collagenase XI (MilliporeSigma), 500 pg / ml Hyaluronidase (MilliporeSigma), and 100 pg / ml DNase I. Spleen and thymus were dissociated mechanically using a gentleMACS dissociator (Miltenyi Biotec). Red blood cells (RBCs) in dissociated spleen and blood samples were lysed with ammonium- chloride-potassium solution (Thermo Fisher Scientific) for 5 min.

[0485] Study Approval

[0486] Human tumor, skin, spleen, patient blood, and healthy blood leukopack samples were collected through commercial providers (BioIVT, Westbury, NY; MT Group, Avaden, BioOptions, Discovery Life Sciences, Los Osos, CA; AllCells, Alameda, CA) or the Cooperative Human Tissue Network (CHTN). All samples were collected from donors giving written informed consent at IRB-approved study locations in the United States.

[0487] Blood from healthy donors was obtained from a blood donation program administered by the Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) Occupational Health department in compliance with all relevant ethical regulations. All animal experiments complied with institutional guidelines and were approved by the IACUC at BMS under protocol 1612- 01

[0488] EXAMPLE 3

[0489] CCR8 MARKS SUPPRESSIVE F0XP3+CELLS WITH LOW PROINFLAMMATORY POTENTIAL IN HUMAN TUMORS Expression profiles of several Treg-associated molecules were compared by flow cytometry.

[0490] Flow cytometry

[0491] For flow cytometry, in general, cell suspensions were stained with amine reactive viability dyes. Human cells were then blocked with rat, mouse, and human A / B serum (GEMCELL™; Gemini Bio, West Sacramento, CA), HUMAN TRUSTAIN FcX™ (BioLegend), and TRUE-STAIN MONOCYTE BLOCKER™ (BioLegend). Mouse cells were blocked with FcR blocking reagent (Miltenyi Biotec). Cells were surface stained, and intracellular staining was performed using the FOXP3 Transcription Factor Staining Buffer Set (Thermo Fisher Scientific) using manufacturer’s protocols. For binding of unconjugated mAbs, an appropriate secondary Ab (Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories) was used. Samples were acquired using a BD LSRFortessa X-20 and analyzed using FlowJo (BD Biosciences). The complete list of flow cytometry Abs is provided in Table 2.

[0492] Table 2: Abs used for flow cytometric analyses

[0493] Target Species Clone Fluorophore Manufacturer

[0494] CD45 Human HI10 AF488 Biolegend

[0495] CCR4 Human L291H4 PE Biolegend

[0496] CCR4 Human L291H4 BV510 Biolegend

[0497] CD16 Human 3G8 AF647 Biolegend

[0498] CD8a Human SKI PerCP-eFluor 710 Thermo Fisher

[0499] CD56 Human CMS SB PE-eFluor 610 Thermo Fisher

[0500] FOXP3 Human 236A / E7 PE-Cy7 Thermo Fisher

[0501] CCR8 Human 433H BV421 BD Biosciences

[0502] CD15 Human W6D3 BV510 BD Biosciences

[0503] CD4 Human SK3 BV650 BD Biosciences

[0504] CD4 Human SK3 BV605 BD Biosciences

[0505] CTLA4 Human BNI3 BV421 BD Biosciences

[0506] HLA-DR Human G46-6 BUV395 BD Biosciences

[0507] PD-1 Human EH12.1 BUV737 BD Biosciences

[0508] CD3 Human UCHT1 BUV805 BD Biosciences

[0509] CD3 Human UCHT1 APC BD Biosciences

[0510] CD39 Human A1 BV786 Biolegend

[0511] Granzyme B Human QA16A02 PE Biolegend Target Species Clone Fluorophore Manufacturer

[0512] IFNg Human 4S.B3 PE-eFluor 610 Thermo Fisher

[0513] IL-1R2 Human MA5-23626 APC Thermo Fisher

[0514] IL-2 Human MQ1-17H12 BUV737 BD Biosciences

[0515] CD19 Human SJ25C1 BV510 BD Biosciences

[0516] CD25 Human 2A3 APC-R700 BD Biosciences

[0517] CD3e Mouse 145-2C11 BV421 Biolegend

[0518] CCR8 Mouse SA214G2 AF647 Biolegend

[0519] CCR8 Mouse SA214G2 PE Biolegend

[0520] IFNg Mouse XMG1.2 PE-Cy7 Biolegend

[0521] TNFa Mouse MP6-XT22 APC Biolegend

[0522] FOXP3 Mouse FJK-16a PE-eFluor 610 Thermo Fisher

[0523] CD8a Mouse 53-6.7 BUV805 BD Biosciences

[0524] CD 8b Mouse H35-17.2 BV650 BD Biosciences

[0525] CD4 Mouse RM4-4 BV786 BD Biosciences

[0526] CD4 Mouse RM4-5 BV786 BD Biosciences

[0527] CD45 Mouse 30-F11 BUV395 BD Biosciences

[0528] CD90.1 Mouse OX-7 BB700 BD Biosciences

[0529] CD90.2 Mouse 30-H12 BV421 Biolegend

[0530] CD45.2 Mouse 104 APC Biolegend

[0531] CD45.1 Mouse A20 BUV395 BD Biosciences

[0532] Fixable Viability NA NA NA BD Biosciences Stain 575V

[0533] CCR8 Is a Marker for Tumor-Associated Tregs

[0534] CCR8 was highly expressed on FOXP3+Tregs isolated from solid tumor surgical resections but expression was significantly lower on Tregs from patient-matched blood. In contrast, CCR4, CTLA-4, and CD25 were expressed at similar frequencies by Tregs from tumor and blood (Figure 2A). The per-cell abundance of CCR8 on FOXP3+Tregs was higher on tumor Tregs compared to peripheral blood Tregs (Figure 2B), whereas CCR4 expression was lower in tumor Tregs compared to peripheral blood Tregs. On CD4+FOXP3'conventional T cells (CD4+Tconv), CCR8 was less frequently expressed than CCR4 and CD25 in both tumor and peripheral blood (Figures 2C and D). Blood and tumor-infiltrating CD8+T cells showed marginal expression of all four molecules, with the exception of CD25 in the blood (Figures 2E and 2F). These data suggest that CCR8 is a highly selective marker for targeting tumor Tregs with a relatively low risk of compromising anti-tumor Teff cell populations.

[0535] EXAMPLE 4

[0536] EXPRESSION OF CCR8 ON DIFFERENT SUBSETS OF T LYMPHOCYTES

[0537] The level of expression of CCR8 of different subsets of T lymphocytes associated with human tumors was analyzed by flow cytometry. Excised human tumors (ampullary, colorectal (CRC), duodenal, head and neck, melanoma, NSCLC, ovarian, parotid, renal cell carcinoma (RCC), stomach, thyroid, tongue) were mechanically or enzymatically dissociated. To compare CCR8 expression levels in Tregs in the peripheral blood and tumor-infiltrating Tregs, resected tumors from CRC, RCC, melanoma, and NSCLC patients were used. After dissociation or digestion the cells were filtered and stained for viability before the labeling of surface markers, including with phycoerythrin (PE)- conjugated Abs that bind to CCR8 (anti-hCCR8 Ab Clone L263G8; BioLegend), CD3, CD4 , and CD8). Upon the completion of surface staining, the cells were washed, then fixed and permeabilized for intracellular staining for FOXP3. After washing, the cell samples were processed on a flow cytometer and data analyzed using Flowjo software (FlowJo, Ashland, OR) to calculate the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI). Tregs are defined as CD3+CD4+FOXP3+T cells, while CD4 Tconv cells, or conventional CD4+T cells, are CD3+CD4+FOXP3'T cells.

[0538] As shown in Figure 3 A, CCR8 is expressed by a high proportion of tumor-resident Tregs (median 82%) as defined by FOXP3, a known Treg-associated transcription factor. In contrast, a significantly smaller fraction of conventional tumor-infiltrating CD4+T cells and CD8+T cells express CCR8 (medians 12.65% and 4.55%, respectively). Although a small proportion of CD4 Tconv cells express CCR8, the expression level of CCR8 on a per cell basis is significantly higher on Tregs than on CD4 Tconv cells (median MFI 2106 vs. 132, P < 0.0001), while CD8+T cells express negligible levels of CCR8 (Figure 3B). Tregs in the peripheral blood also express CCR8 but at much lower levels than seen on tumor-infiltrating Tregs (Figure 3C). The high expression level of CCR8 specifically on Tregs makes CCR8 a suitable target for depleting the immunosuppressive cell population through ADCC using an anti-CCR8 Ab.

[0539] EXAMPLE 5

[0540] EXPRESSION OF CCR8 ON SUBPOPULATIONS OF PERIPHERAL Tregs To investigate the level of expression of CCR8 by different subpopulations of peripheral Tregs, PBMCs were isolated using a density gradient from 5 healthy donors and stained for CCR8, CD3, CD4, CD8a, FOXP3 (intracellular), CCR8 and CD45RO. T cells were subdivided into CD4+FOXP3+T cells (Tregs), CD4+FOXP3'T cells (CD4 Tconv), and CD8 T cell (CD3+CD8a+) subsets. These subsets were further divided into naive (CD45RO'CCR7+), effector memory (EM; CD45RO+CCR7'), and central memory (CM, CD45RO+CCR7+) populations for examination of CCR8 expression. Cells were processed through a flow cytometer and analyzed using Flowjo software. PBMCs were also isolated from a subpopulation of cancer patients and stained for CCR8 expression as described in Example 4 for human tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.

[0541] The results are shown in Figure 4. Figure 4A shows that CCR8 is expressed on a small fraction of peripheral blood Tregs from healthy subjects (median 21%) compared to the expression on a high percentage of tumor-infiltrating Tregs (median 82%; cf. Figure 3 A). Within the Treg population from healthy subjects, CCR8 is expressed more highly in the effector memory population (EM) and to a lesser degree in central memory cells (CM) (Figure 4B), while very little CCR8 expression is observed on naive Tregs (Figure 4B) or CD4+conventional T cells (Figure 4C). Within the CCR8+Treg population, tumor- associated CCR8+Tregs express more CCR8 on a per cell basis than peripheral CCR8+Tregs as measured by the MFI of the bound anti-CCR8 Ab (Figure 4D).

[0542] EXAMPLE 6

[0543] EXPRESSION OF CCR8 ON THE MOST SUPPRESSIVE FOXP3HIGHTregs The expression of CCR8 on FOXP3'Tregs and Tregs expressing medium and high levels of expressing FOXP3 was investigated by flow cytometry. Excised human tumors from 2 melanoma and 1 RCC patients were mechanically dissociated using dissection scissors and a dounce. After dissociation, the cells were filtered and stained for viability before the labeling of surface markers with Abs that bind to CCR8, CD3, CD4, and CD8 as described in Example 4. Upon the completion of surface staining, the cells were washed, then fixed and permeabilized for intracellular staining for FOXP3. After washing, the samples were processed on a flow cytometer and data analyzed using Flowjo software. Cells were gated on the CD3+CD4+population for analysis.

[0544] As shown in Figure 5, CCR8 is mainly expressed by the Εϋ4+ΡΟΧΡ3Μ§ΐ1population, which represent the most activated Tregs. In samples where there is a clear FOXP3midpopulation as in the 2 melanoma patient tumor samples, most of the CCR8 expression is found in the ΡΟΧΡ3Μ§ΐ1T cells. The level of CCR8 expression is significantly lower in the FOXP3mdpopulations. In some instances, most of the patient FOXP3+T cells exhibit high levels FOXP3 (Figure 5, RCC). In these cases, CCR8 expression overlaps with FOXP3 expression. ΡΟΧΡ3ω§1ιΕϋ4+T cells have been shown to be true Tregs, in contrast to FOXP3midCD4+T cells, which can be activated conventional T cells or resting Tregs.

[0545] EXAMPLE 7

[0546] CCR8+Tregs OVEREXPRESS IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE MOLECULES AND UNDEREXPRESS PROINFLAMMATORY MARKERS

[0547] To investigate the expression of immunosuppressive and proinflammatory proteins by tumor-associated, CCR8- and CCR4-expressing T cells, resected lung tumors obtained from the clinician by overnight delivery were enzymatically digested using a kit (Miltenyi Biotec) into single-cell suspensions. Dissociated tumor cell suspensions were rested overnight in RPMI medium (Corning) containing 10% FBS. On the following day, cells were cultured for 4 h in the presence (for cell stimulation) or absence of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and ionomycin, with the addition of brefeldin A (BFA) and monensin (ThermoFisher, Waltham, MA) to block the transport of proteins at 37°C. After the 4 h culture, the cells were stained for surface and intracellular markers associated with Treg suppression and inflammation, and analyzed by flow cytometry.

[0548] Figures 6A-D show that CCR8+Tregs in patient tumors are enriched for immune suppressive molecules, whereas a comparable enrichment is not seen in CCR4+T cells (Figures 7A-D). The majority (about 80%) of the CD25+cells are found in the CCR8+fraction whereas less than 20% of CD25+cells are found in the CCR8'fraction (Figure 6A). Similarly, virtually all the CD39+cells are found in the CCR8+fraction whereas less than 40% of cells expressing this marker are CCR8'cells (Figure 6B). About one third of cells expressing IL1R2 are CCR8+cells but no ILlR2-expressing cells are found in the CCR8'fraction (Figure 6C), and the disparity between IL1R2 expression in CCR8+and CCR8'T cells is even greater when measured in stimulated T cells (Figure 6D). Thus, in terms of immunosuppression, CCR8+T cells from patient tumor samples are enriched for several proteins with suppressive functions such as CD25, CD39, and IL1R2. CD39 is an ectonucleotidase that converts ATP to AMP and then to adenosine, which is suppressive to T cells (Cekic et al ., 2011), whereas CD25 (the IL-2 receptor used by Tregs for the sequestration of IL-2) and IL1R2 (a decoy receptor for IL-1) potentially act as sinks for proinflammatory cytokines IL-2(Pandiyan et al., 2012) and IL-ID / E (Garlanda et al., 2013), respectively.

[0549] In contrast to T cells that are CCR8+or CCR8', there are smaller differentials in the levels of expression of CD25 (Figure 7A), CD39 (Figure 7B) and IL1R2 (Figures 7C and 7D) in CCR4+and CCR4'T cells. Therefore, targeted depletion of CCR8+cells would remove the immunosuppressive Tregs expressing CD25, CD39 and IL1R2 whereas CCR4-targeted depletion would leave behind Tregs expressing these molecules.

[0550] Using HLA-DR as an activation marker, CCR8 expression also correlates with a higher level of HLA-DR expression (Figure 8 A) and thus identifies activated Tregs whereas CCR4 expression does not (Figure 8B).

[0551] Stimulation of enzymatically dissociated patient tumor cultures ex vivo with PMA and ionomycin revealed that the CCR8'fraction of CD4+T cells contained the vast majority of IFNy- (Figure 9A), IL-2- (Figure 9B), and granzyme B- (Figure 9C) producing cells. In contrast, CCR4+CD4+T cells were major producers of IFNy (Figure 10A) and IL-2 (Figure 10B) in this assay, suggesting that targeted depletion of CCR4- expressing, but not CCR8-expressing, cells may be detrimental to anti-tumor immunity. CCR4+and CCR4'T cells produced comparable levels of granzyme B (Figure IOC).

[0552] EXAMPLE 8

[0553] GENERATION OF MAbs AGAINST CCR8

[0554] Anti-hCCR8 mAbs

[0555] Humanized, chimeric or human anti-CCR8 mAbs were generated by immunizing different rodents, including regular C57B1 / 6 mice, different strains of transgenic mice that express a human Ig repertoire, and also a specifically generated mouse strain harboring a CCR8 knockout, with a variety of human CCR8 (hCCR8) antigens. A selection of Abs generated in non-transgenic mice were subsequently converted to humanized or chimeric Abs.

[0556] - Ill - Immunizations with CCR8 antigens

[0557] To generate Abs against hCCR8, cohorts of 2-5 rodents were immunized with hCCR8 antigens, with each cohort being subjected to an immunization strategy comprising a unique combination of CCR8 antigen, dose, injection route, adjuvant, animal strain, animal age, and immunization timing. A total of 222 animals in 58 cohorts were immunized. Homozygous CCR8 knockout mice (derived from C57BL / 6), 5 different strains of human Ig transgenic mice, wild-type mice (B ALB / C, C57BL / 6), and Armenian hamsters were immunized.

[0558] Immunizations were done with a wide variety of antigens comprising one or more of 17 antigen compositions containing full or partial hCCR8 protein sequences. Typically, mice were immunized via either footpad or base of tail up to 12 times with 2-5 x 106CCR8 overexpressing cells (transfected or transduced HEK 293F, BA / F3, or CHO stable lines), plasma membrane-enriched fractions isolated from those cells via differential centrifugation, detergent-solubilized, lipid-stabilized CCR8 proteins (proteoliposome, bicelle, micelle) derived from 293 cells transiently overexpressing hCCR8, or cell lines with CCR8 transmembrane mutations for enhanced stability (Abilita Bio, San Diego,

[0559] CA). Similar immunizations with cells and plasma membrane fractions were delivered via intraperitoneal and subcutaneous injections.

[0560] In many cases, 3-10 pg of a keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH)-conjugated, 35- residue peptide with two sulfotyrosine residues corresponding to the N-terminal sequence of hCCR8 was used as the antigen. In some instances, this N-terminal peptide was given on the 3rd, 5th, and 7th doses along with hCCR8 293F cells in a 10-immunization schedule, with the goal of enhancing and maturing the Ab response against the CCR8 N- terminus, as Ab binding to this peptide sequence was associated with efficacy in downstream assays. In other instances, this N-terminal peptide was given in combination with every cell or plasma membrane fraction immunization, or alone with no other antigens given.

[0561] In some cases, mice were immunized with CCR8-encoding DNA plasmids via tibialis anterior and quadriceps intramuscular injections, followed by the previously described cell or N-terminal peptide immunizations. Constrained peptides mimicking the second extracellular loop of CCR8, virus-like particles with CCR8, and other recombinantly engineered CCR8 materials (apolipoprotein, and cell lines with CCR8 transmembrane mutations for enhanced stability) were also used. Some cell- and plasma membrane-based antigens were hapten-labeled using picryclsulfonic acid (Sigma- Aldrich) to increase immunogenicity. In some cases, alternating hCCR8 and cynomolgus CCR8 (cCCR8) antigens were given during immunization. RIBI adjuvant (Sigma- Aldrich) containing monophosphoryl lipid A was typically delivered with immunizations, either mixed 1 : 1 with antigens, or delivered as an adjacent injection so as not to disrupt lipid bilayers and CCR8 protein conformation. Animals received immunizations over varying periods between 18 and 177 days.

[0562] To monitor immune responses, titrated serum from retroorbital or tail bleeds was screened by flow cytometry and ELISA as described below, typically after 4-6 weeks of immunizations. Serum was screened for Ab binding to multiple CCR8 overexpressing cell lines, corresponding negative control cell lines not overexpressing CCR8, and the sulfated N-terminal peptide of CCR8 conjugated to bovine serum albumin (BSA). CCR8- specific and CCR8 non-specific Ab responses were measured in each animal, and animals with sufficient titers of anti-CCR8 Ig were selected for final immunizations 6 and 3 days before sacrifice and tissue harvest to create hybridoma fusions. Superior CCR8-specific Ab titer was observed in CCR8 knockout mice compared to other mouse strains, and limited efforts at immunizing rats and hamsters also did not lead to any Abs. The sulfated N-terminal peptide of CCR8 conjugated to KLH carrier protein was one of the best immunogens, and worked alone or best in combination with plasma membrane fractions. Conversely, not all of the antigens worked; for example, use of apolipoprotein and membrane mutant cell lines as immunogens did not lead to any Abs.

[0563] Generation of Hybridomas Producing MAbs to CCR8

[0564] Lymphoid organs, including spleens and lymph nodes, were isolated from mice immunized as described above. Most typically, popliteal, inguinal, and iliac lymph nodes from mice immunized via footpad and base of tail with CCR8 immunogens were collected. Hybridomas were generated by fusions with immortalized mouse myeloma cells derived from the P3X63AgU.l cell line (ATCC CRL-1597) by electric field-based electrofusion using a cell fusion electroporator (BTX, Holliston, MA). The resulting cells were plated in flat-bottom microtiter plates in Medium E (StemCell Technologies, Cambridge, MA) supplemented with aminopterin (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO) for selection of hybridomas.

[0565] Anti-mCCR8 mAbs

[0566] The isotype of the commercially available rat IgG2b anti-mCCR8 mAb (Clone SA214G2; BioLegend) was changed to mIgG2a or mIgGl-D265A by cloning DNAs encoding the variable regions into two different pTT5 vectors (National Research Council of Canada) and expressed using the Expi293 expression system.

[0567] EXAMPLE 9

[0568] SCREENING AND SELECTION OF ANTI-HUMAN CCR8 MAbs Screening for MAbs that Selectively Bind to Human CCR8

[0569] In order to generate mAbs that bind to hCCR8, rodents, including human Ig transgenic mice, were immunized with a variety of hCCR8 antigens, and hybridomas were generated as described in Example 8. After 10-13 days of culture and growth media replacement, hybridoma culture supernatants were collected from individual wells and screened to identify wells with secreted CCR8-specific Abs. All supernatants were initially screened against at least two cell lines, one overexpressing hCCR8 and a corresponding control cell line not overexpressing CCR8. Ab binding on cells was measured through image-based fluorometric microvolume assay technology (FMAT) screening, high throughput 384-well flow cytometry using the Intellicyt iQue Screener (Sartorius, Albuquerque, NM), or an adherent cell-based enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Initial binding assays were sometimes performed in parallel to maximize identification of CCR8 Abs. Supernatants from approximately 157,250 culture wells in 66 hybridoma fusions were screened for hCCR8 Abs.

[0570] Hybridomas from positive wells were transferred to 24-well plates with new culture media, allowed to grow for 2-3 days, then screened again by flow cytometry to confirm Ab binding to CCR8. Briefly, 75-100 pi of hybridoma culture supernatant and CCR8-overexpressing cells (such as CHO or 293F) or control cells (such as GFP-CHO or parental 293F) were co-incubated for 30-60 min, washed, and incubated with anti-mouse IgG Fc or anti-human IgG Fc secondary Ab conjugated to AF647, APC, or PE (Jackson ImmunoResearch, West Grove, PA). After incubation and washing, fluorescence was measured by flow cytometry. Approximately 328 hybridoma clones were identified producing anti-hCCR8 Ab, i.e., these were FACS+hybridoma supernatants obtained approximately 2 weeks after fusion and included low-affinity binders that showed binding in the initial screen for binding to CCR8-expressing cell lines but not to control cell lines. There was a high attrition rate in advancing Abs for a variety of reasons, e.g. , clones were lost when an anti-CCR8-producng cell could not be isolated, certain clones did not perform well in CD 16 crosslinking or Treg depletion assays, Ab yields in some clones were unacceptably low, and certain Abs contained sequence liabilities that could not be circumvented. Of the 328 FAC+clones, about 90 were not screened extensively, and of the remainder, about 55 advanced to the stage of being cloned into a human backbone for detailed testing. About 15% of these Abs, including mAbs 4A19, 14S15, 18Y12, 16B13, 10R3 and 8D55 were deemed to be good therapeutic candidates based on their performance in various functional assays (see, e.g ., Examples 11, 14, 15, 17, 19-23, and 25-29). Accordingly, Abs described herein as Abs that mediate depletion of CCR8- expressing cells include mAbs 4A19, 14S15, 14S15h, 18Y12, 16B13, 10R3 and 8D55.

[0571] To broadly categorize the epitopes of confirmed anti-CCR8 specific Abs, culture supernatants were also screened by ELISA to measure binding to CCR8 N-terminal peptides. Briefly, BSA-conjugated peptide (2 pg / ml) representing the sulfated hCCR8 N- terminus was coated onto high-binding 96-well plates (Corning) overnight at 4°C. Plates were blocked with BSA and washed, then 100 pi of culture supernatant were added for 30-60 min on a plate shaker. After washing, an appropriate anti-Fc secondary Ab conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was added, and the plates were developed with ABTS or HRP substrate (SurModics, Eden Prairie, MN) and absorbance measured at 405 or 650 nm on a Sunrise microplate reader (TECAN; Mannedorf, Switzerland). Abs generated against hCCR8 predominantly, but not exclusively, bound by ELISA to the BSA-conjugated N-terminal peptide sequence with two sulfated tyrosine residues. Among these Abs, ELISA binding to alternate BSA-conjugated N-terminal peptides containing only one sulfated tyrosine was generally greatly reduced, and binding was generally lost when neither of the tyrosine residues were sulfated.

[0572] Anti-CCR8 Ab-secreting hybridomas were subcloned once or twice to ensure monoclonality. Briefly, approximately 700 viable hybridoma cells were plated in 5 ml of semi-solid methylcellulose medium (StemCell Technologies) with AF488-conjugated anti-human or anti-mouse IgG Ab (Jackson ImmunoResearch) used to detect hybridoma- secreted IgG. After 7 days, hybridoma colonies arising from single cells with desirable properties (distance from other colonies, IgG secretion levels, colony size, and colony circularity as measured by the ClonePix2 system (Molecular Devices, San Jose,CA) were picked to 96-well plate cultures and allowed to grow 2-4 days. Culture supernatant was screened by flow cytometry as previously described to confirm CCR8 Ab binding. Stable hybridoma subclones were cultured in vitro to generate Ab for affinity purification and further characterization. DNA sequences encoding the Ab heavy and light chains were obtained by standard sequencing techniques (Sanger sequencing and next generation sequencing). Predicted masses from Ab amino acid sequences were compared to known purified Ab masses obtained via mass spectroscopy to ensure sequencing accuracy.

[0573] Overall, in screening the Abs generated, binding to CCR8 as described above and, more importantly, CD 16 crosslinking (Example 17), were the two main assays used in early screening to determine which Abs showed promise as therapeutic Abs to be characterized further. Binding titrations on Abs against hCCR8-overexpressing 293F cells (Example 11) generally distinguished the strong vs. weak binders, and weak binders typically performed poorly in functional assays, and therefore were generally not advanced to the next stage of screening, so they were not included in that next step in the funnel. Abs with good or moderate binding or activity in those assays were advanced into similar assays on primary Tregs, e.g., binding (Example 11), calcium flux (Example 15) and NK-mediated ADCC (Example 19), with the latter considered one of the most important for comparing Ab effectiveness and for selecting lead candidates. Because it was limited by primary cells, the cell line-based CD 16 crosslinking assay was used as an ADCC surrogate assay, which generally correlated well with the results of Treg ADCC / depletion assays (Examples 19, 20 and 22).

[0574] In the primary Treg ADCC assays, the Y max (% Annexin V+ cells) considered at as important if not more important than the ECso value as certain Abs. Abs with the highest ADCC Ymax (while binding specifically) were considered superior to Abs with a comparable EC so but a lower Ymax.

[0575] EXAMPLE 10

[0576] HUMANIZATION OF MOUSE ANTI-CCR8 MAbs Humanization of Mouse Anti-CCR8 MAb into 4A19 MAb

[0577] A mouse anti-hCCR8 mAb was engineered to humanize the framework to the closest human germline sequences which were hIgHVl-8*01 and hIGJ4 for the heavy chain, as well as IGKV2D-30 and hIGKJ2 for the light chain. Several potential sequence liabilities were removed. A single unpaired cysteine in the heavy chain CDR1 was mutated to serine (C35S). A potential isomerization site at an Asp-Gly sequence motif was removed by mutating the aspartate to glutamine (D52Q). Four other mutations at this site were attempted (D52E, D52S, D52V, D52A) and the best variant, D52Q, was chosen on the basis of the ability to bind with high affinity to a Raji cell line expressing CCR8. A potential glycosylation site in the framework of the heavy chain variable domain was removed by replacing an asparagine by aspartate (N72D). This mutation was chosen on the basis of aspartate occurring in the germline with a frequency of 27%. A valine in the CDR1 of the light chain was replaced by a phenylalanine (V27F) and resulted in a molecule with increased binding. The resulting mAb, 4A19, showed binding to Raji cells expressing CCR8 that was comparable to the parent 9D7 Ab (10 nM vs. 3 nM for 9D7 and 4A19, respectively).

[0578] Table 3. Functional Characterization Data for Representative Anti-hCCR8 MAbs mAb Type of mAb Immunogen

[0579] . .1 QNonfucosylated humanized hCCR8293F cells (+ KLH hCCR8-N- 4AiyIgGl anti-hCCR8 Sulf peptide in 3 immunizations) hCCR8-encoding DNA from In-Cell-Art a Nonfucosylated chimeric (Nantes, France), which produced no mouse-humanbanti-hCCR8 detectable anti-CCR8 serum titer, then KLH hCCR8-N-Sulf Peptide

[0580] 1 „V1_ Nonfucosylated chimeric KLH hCCR8-N-Sulf peptide mouse-humanbanti-hCCR8 hCCR8 BAF3 plasma membranes +

[0581] 16B 13 Nonfucosylated IgGl human KLH hCCR8-N-Sulf peptide hCCR8 BAF3 plasma membranes + 2M18 human IgGl anti-hCCR8 KLH hCCR8-N-Sulf peptide CCR8293 plasma membranes +

[0582] 1507 human IgGl anti-hCCR8 KLH / BSA N-sulf-hCCR8 Peptide CCR8293 plasma membranes +

[0583] 13T20 human IgGl anti-hCCR8 KLH / BSA N-sulf-hCCR8 Peptide hCCR8 BAF3 plasma membranes +

[0584] 10R3 human IgGl anti-hCCR8 KLH hCCR8-N-Sulf Peptide hCCR8 BAF3 plasma membranes +

[0585] 8D55 human IgGl anti-hCCR8 KLH hCCR8-N-Sulf Peptide hCCR8 BAF3 plasma membranes +

[0586] 1 VI 1 human IgGl anti-hCCR8 KLH hCCR8-N-Sulf Peptide hCCR8 BAF3 plasma membranes +

[0587] 11K16 human IgGl anti-hCCR8 KLH hCCR8-N-Sulf Peptide

[0588] 1 F 7Nonfucosylated chimeric0hCCR8293 plasma membranes + KLH (mFc / hFab) hCCR8-N-Sulf PeptideaThe mAb designated 14S15 herein refers to a chimeric derivative of a mouse anti- hCCR8 mAb in which the mouse Fc region was replaced by a nf IgGl human Fc. A humanized, affinity matured, and sequence liability-fixed version of this mAb was generated as described below in this Example and is designated 14S15h.bThese mAbs are chimeric Abs comprising a mouse Fab grafted onto a human Fc.cThis mAb is a chimeric Ab in the opposite sense, in that it was generated in a transgenic mouse to comprise a mouse Fc and a fully human Fab. These mice were so designed to produce Abs comprising a mouse Fc to help with affinity maturation. A representative number of anti-CCR8 mAbs generated are listed in Table 3, which indicates the type of mAb and the immunogen used to generate them. Human anti- hCCR8 Abs were produced recombinantly as hlgGl isotypes using the Expi293 expression system (Thermo Fisher Scientific). Nf (hlgGl -nf) Abs were expressed in Expi293 Fut8' / _cells.

[0589] Several of the Abs in Table 3, namely mAbs 2M18, 1507, 13T20, 1V11, 11K16 and 12F27 are Abs that performed poorly in screening assays, e.g ., CD16 crosslinking and Treg ADCC assays (comparatively high EC so values and comparatively low Ymax values) and were therefore deemed to be unpromising therapeutic candidates. However, they are included in Table 3 to emphasize the fact that the vast majority of CCR8-binding Abs generated, were not considered to be strong therapeutic candidates.

[0590] Humanization of Mouse Anti-CCR8 MAb into 14S15hMAb

[0591] Another mouse anti-CCR8 mAb was engineered to humanize the framework to the closest human germline sequences, which were hIgHV3-15 for the heavy chain and IGKV2-18 for the light chain. Humanization of the framework led to a decrease in binding of the human Fab as measured by SPR (KD of 4.2 nM compared to 1.4 nM for the starting mouse Ab, 9G10). Affinity maturation of the heavy chain variable domain was performed using 3 different NNK libraries and 4 cycles of panning with 200 nM, 50 nM, 10 nM and 1 nM biotinylated CCR8 N-terminal peptide from Anaspec (Freemont, CA) and increasing wash stringencies. A single substitution of N30G in the ...

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A monoclonal antibody, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, that specifically binds to C-C Motif Chemokine Receptor 8 (CCR8) expressed on the surface of a cell and mediates depletion of the CCR8-expressing cell by antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC).

2. The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of claim 1, which specifically binds to human CCR8 (hCCR8), the sequence of which is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1.

3. The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of claim 1 or 2, which comprises a heavy chain constant region which is of a human IgGl or IgG3 isotype.

4. A modified anti-hCCR8 monoclonal antibody, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which comprises a modified heavy chain constant region that binds with higher affinity to an Fey receptor (FcyR) and mediates enhanced ADCC compared to the monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of the preceding claims, optionally which mediates at least:(a) 2 times enhanced ADCC activity;(a) 5 times enhanced ADCC activity; or(c) 10 times enhanced ADCC activity; as measured by a reduction in the ECso for cell lysis in the NK cell lysis assay described in Example 17.

5. The modified anti-hCCR8 monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of claim 4, comprising a modified IgGl heavy chain constant region which exhibits reduced fucosylation, optionally comprising a modified IgGl heavy chain constant region which is hypofucosylated or nonfucosylated.

6. The modified anti-hCCR8 monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of claim 4 or 5, comprising a modified IgGl heavy chain constant region which contains a mutation, or a multiplicity of mutations, that mediate enhanced ADCC,optionally wherein the mutation or multiplicity of mutations is chosen from G236A; S239D; F243L; E333A; G236A / I332E; S239D / I332E; S267E / H268F; S267E / S324T; H268F / S324T; G236A / S239D / I332E; S239D / A330L / I332E; S267E / H268F / S324T; and G236A / S239D / A330L / I332E.

7. The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of the preceding claims, which(i) specifically binds to human CCR8-expressing Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells with an ECso, as measured by the binding assay as described in Example 11, of:(a) about 10 nM or lower;(b) about 5 nM or lower;(c) about 1.7 nM or lower;(d) about 1 nM or lower;(e) about 0.5 nM or lower;(f) about 0.1 nM or lower;(g) about 0.1 nM;(h) about 1.7 nM;(i) between about 0.1 nM and about 10 nM;(j) between about 0.1 nM and about 2 nM;(k) between about 0.5 nM and about 5 nM;(l) between about 1 nM and about 2 nM; or(m) between about 0.5 nM and about 1 nM; and / or(ii) specifically binds to activated regulatory T cells (Tregs) with an ECso, as measured by the binding assay as described in Example 11, of:(a) about 50 nM or lower;(b) about 14 nM or lower;(c) about 5 nM or lower;(d) about 2 nM or lower;(e) about 0.5 nM or lower;(f) about 0.3 nM or lower;(g) about 0.1 nM or lower;(h) about 0.03 nM or lower;(i) about 1.7 nM;(j) between about 0.03 nM and about 10 nM;(k) between about 0.1 nM and about 5 nM; or(l) between about 0.2 nM and about 2 nM; and / or(iii) binds to a N-terminal peptide of human CCR8 comprising sulfated tyrosine- 15 and tyrosine- 17 residues with a KD, as measured by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) as described in Example 11, of:(a) about 100 nM or lower;(b) about 50 nM or lower;(c) about 10 nM or lower;(d) about 5 nM or lower;(e) about 1.6 nM;(f) about 1.0 nM or lower;(g) about 0.5 nM or lower;(h) about 0.1 nM or lower;(i) between about 100 nM and about 0.1 nM;(j) between about 50 nM and about 0.5 nM;(k) between about 10 nM and about 1 nM; or(l) between about 2 nM and about 1 nM; and / or(iv) binds to a N-terminal peptide of human CCR8 comprising a single sulfated residue, tyrosine- 15, with a KD, as measured by SPR as described in Example 11, of:(a) about 100 nM or lower;(b) about 50 nM or lower;(c) about 25 nM or lower;(d) about 10 nM or lower;(f) about 1.0 nM or lower;(e) about 20 nM;(i) between about 100 nM and about 1 nM;(j) between about 50 nM and about 10 nM; or(k) between about 30 nM and about 20 nM.

8. The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of the preceding claims, which binds specifically to rare and scattered immune cells in the medulla of the thymus and dermis of the skin but does not bind to human cerebrum, cerebellum, heart, liver, lung, kidney, tonsil, spleen, thymus, colon, stomach, pancreas, adrenal, pituitary, skin, peripheral nerve, testis or uterus tissue, or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

9. The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of the preceding claims, which further inhibits binding of C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 1 (CCL1) to CCR8 and inhibits CCR8 / CCL1 signaling as measured by inhibition of calcium flux as described in Example 15.

10. The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of the preceding claims, which(i) inhibits CCR8 / CCL1 signaling with an ICso of:(a) about 10 nM or lower;(b) about 5 nM or lower;(c) about 1 nM or lower;(d) about 0.5 nM or lower;(e) about 0.1 nM or lower;(f) about 0.01 nM or lower;(g) between about 0.01 nM and about 10 nM;(h) between about 0.05 nM and about 5 nM;(i) between about 0.1 nM and about 1 nM; or(j) about 0.46 nM; and / or(ii) mediates depletion of the CCR8-expressing cell with an ECso, as measured by a CD 16 cross-linking assay as described in Example 17, of:(a) about 100 pM or lower;(b) about 30 pM or lower;(c) about 10 pM or lower;(d) about 3 pM or lower;(e) about 1 pM or lower;(e) about 0.5 pM or lower;(f) about 0.1 pM or lower;(g) about 0.05 pM or lower;(h) about 0.7 pM;(i) between about 0.05 pM and about 50 pM;0) between about 0.1 pM and about 10 nM;(k) between about 0.3 nM and about 7 nM; or(l) between about 0.6 nM and about 3 nM; and / or(iii) mediates depletion of activated Tregs with an ECso, as measured by an apoptosis assay as described in Example 19, of:(a) about 500 pM or lower;(b) about 100 pM or lower;(c) about 30 pM or lower;(d) about 15 pM or lower;(e) about 5 pM or lower;(f) about 1 pM or lower;(g) about 13 pM;(h) between about 1 pM and about 500 pM;(i) between about 5 pM and about 100 pM; or0) between about 10 pM and about 50 pM.

11. The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of the preceding claims, which binds to an epitope located in the N-terminal domain of human CCR8 as determined by X-ray crystallography, wherein the epitope comprises at least one amino acid within a peptide having the sequence V12T13D14Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21S22 (SEQ ID NO: 109), optionally wherein(i) the epitope comprises 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or all the amino acids within a peptide having the sequence V12T13D14Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21S22 (SEQ ID NO: 109); optionally wherein(ii) the epitope comprises all 11 of the amino acids in the peptide having the sequence V12T13D14Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21S22 (SEQ ID NO: 109); optionally wherein(iii) both amino acids Y15 and Y17 are sulfated.

12. A monoclonal antibody, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which is capable of mediating ADCC and which specifically binds to an epitope on human C-C Motif Chemokine Receptor 8 (hCCR8), the sequence of which is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein the epitope is located in the N-terminal domain of hCCR8 within a peptide spanning approximately amino acid residues 12 to 22 (V12T13D14Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21S22; SEQ ID NO: 109) as determined by X-ray crystallography, optionally wherein :(i) the epitope comprises at least one amino acid within a peptide having the sequence V12T13D14Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21S22 (SEQ ID NO: 109);(ii) the epitope comprises 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or all the amino acids within a peptide having the sequence V12T13D14Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21S22 (SEQ ID NO: 109);(iii) the epitope comprises 11 of the amino acids in the peptide having the sequence V12T13D14Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21S22 (SEQ ID NO: 109); or(iv) the epitope consists of all 11 of the amino acids in the peptide having the sequence V12T13D14Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21S22 (SEQ ID NO: 109).

13. The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of the preceding claims, wherein(i) the antibody or portion thereof, when bound to CCR8 on the surface of a cell, does not cause internalization of CCR8 either in the presence or absence of a cross-linking antibody; and / or(ii) the antibody or portion thereof promotes depletion of human tumor- associated Tregs in vitro ; and / or(iii) the antibody or portion thereof specifically induces depletion of tumor Tregs without depleting CCR8+T cells in non-tumor tissue, optionally wherein the non-tumor tissue is the skin, thymus, spleen or blood; and / or(iv) the antibody or portion thereof inhibits growth of tumor cells in a subject when administered as monotherapy to the subject; and / or(v) the antibody or portion thereof inhibits growth of tumor cells in a subject when administered to the subject in combination with an additional therapeutic agent for treating a cancer.

14. The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of thepreceding claims, which exhibits at least one, two, three, four, five or six of the following properties:(a) specifically binds to CCR8 expressed on the surface of a cell with an ECso of about 2 nM or lower;(b) binds specifically to rare and scattered immune cells in the medulla of the thymus and dermis of the skin but does not bind to human cerebrum, cerebellum, heart, liver, lung, kidney, tonsil, spleen, thymus, colon, stomach, pancreas, adrenal, pituitary, skin, peripheral nerve, testis or uterus tissue, or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs);(c) inhibits binding of CCL1 to CCR8 and inhibits CCR8 / CCL1 signaling with an ICso of about 5 nM or lower;(d) when bound to CCR8 on the surface of a cell mediates depletion of the cell with an ECso of about 10 pM or lower;(e) when bound to CCR8 on the surface of a cell does not cause internalization of CCR8 either in the presence or absence of a cross- linking antibody;(f) promotes depletion of human tumor-associated Tregs in vitro using the assay described in Example 22;(g) promotes depletion of human tumor-associated Tregs in ex-vivo human tumor slice samples using the assay described in Example 20;(h) mediates depletion of tumor Tregs specifically while sparing CCR8+T cells in non-tumor tissues;(i) inhibits growth of tumor cells in a subject when administered as monotherapy to the subject; and(j) inhibits growth of tumor cells in a subject when administered to the subject in combination with an additional therapeutic agent for treating a cancer; optionally wherein the monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof exhibits all of those properties:

15. The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of claim 34 or 35, which further binds to an epitope located in the N-terminal domain of human CCR8 with a KD of about 10 nM or lower, wherein the epitope comprises a peptide having the sequence V12T13D14Y15Y16Y17P18D19I20F21S22 (SEQ ID NO: 109) and sulfated tyrosine-15 and tyrosine-17 residues.

16. A modified anti-hCCR8 monoclonal antibody, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, which comprises a modified heavy chain constant region that binds with higher affinity to an Fey receptor (FcyR) and mediates at least 2, 5 or 10 times enhanced ADCC compared to the monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of claim 14 or 15.

17. The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of the preceding claims, which binds to the same epitope as does a reference antibody, wherein the reference antibody comprises:(a) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 15;(b) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16;(c) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 17;(d) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18;(e) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19;(f) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20;(g) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 21;(h) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 10 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 22;(i) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence setforth as SEQ ID NO: 11 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 23;(j) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 12 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 24;(k) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 25;(l) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 14 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 26; or(m) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:

116.

18. The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of the preceding claims, which cross-competes for binding to hCCR8 with a reference antibody, wherein the reference antibody comprises:(a) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 15;(b) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16;(c) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 17;(d) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18;(e) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19;(f) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence setforth as SEQ ID NO: 8 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20;(g) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 21;(h) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 10 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 22;(i) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 23;(j) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 12 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 24;(k) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 25;(l) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 14 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 26; or(m) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116.

19. The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of the preceding claims, which comprises the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 domains in each of:(a) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 15;(b) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16;(c) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence setforth as SEQ ID NO: 5 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 17;(d) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18;(e) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19;(f) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20;(g) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 21;(h) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 10 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 22;(i) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 23;(j) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 12 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 24;(k) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 25;(l) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 14 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 26; or(m) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116.

20. The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of claim 19, whichcomprises the following CDR domains as defined by the Kabat method:(a) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 27; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 28; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 29; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 30; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 31; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 32;(b) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 33; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 34; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 35; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 36; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 37; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 38;(c) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 39; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 40; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 41; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 42; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 43; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutivelylinked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 44;(d) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 45; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 46; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 47; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 48; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 49; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 50;(e) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 51; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 52; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 53; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 54; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 55; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 56;(f) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 57; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 58; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 59; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 60; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 61; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutivelylinked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 62;(g) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 63; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 64; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 65; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 66; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 67; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 68;(h) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 69; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 70; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 71; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 72; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 73; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 74;(i) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 75; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 76; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 77; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 78; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 79; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutivelylinked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 80;(j) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 81; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 82; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 83; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 84; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 85; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 86;(k) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 87; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 88; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 89; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 90; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 91; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 92;(l) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 93; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 94; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 95; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 96; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 97; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutivelylinked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 98; or(m) a heavy chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 103; a heavy chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 104; a heavy chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 105; a light chain variable region CDR1 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 106; a light chain variable region CDR2 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 107; and a light chain variable region CDR3 comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 108.

21. The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of claim 19 or 20, which comprises:(a) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 3 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 15;(b) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 16;(c) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 5 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 17;(d) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 6 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 18;(e) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 7 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 19;(f) a YH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 8 and a YL comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 20;(g) a VH comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 9 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 21;(h) a Vtt comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 10 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 22;(i) a Vtt comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 23;(j) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 12 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 24;(k) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 25;(l) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 14 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 26; or(m) a Vtf comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 115 and a Vt, comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 116.The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of claim 20 or 21, which comprises:(a) a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 99 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 111;(b) a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 100 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 112;(c) a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 101 and a light chain comprisingconsecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 113;(d) a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 102 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 114;(e) a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 117 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 118; or(f) a heavy chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 110 and a light chain comprising consecutively linked amino acids having the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 119.

23. The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of the preceding claims, which is a chimeric antibody, a humanized antibody, a human antibody, or a fragment thereof.

24. An immunoconjugate comprising the monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of the preceding claims, linked to a cytolytic agent, optionally wherein the cytolytic agent is a cytotoxin or a radioactive isotope.

25. A bispecific molecule comprising the monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of claims 1-23, linked to a binding domain that has a different binding specificity than the monoclonal antibody or antigen binding portion thereof.

26. A composition comprising:(a) the monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of claims 1-23;(b) the immunoconjugate of claim 24; or(c) the bispecific molecule of claim 25, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

27. An isolated nucleic acid encoding the monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of claims 1-23.

28. An expression vector comprising the nucleic acid of claim 27.

29. A host cell comprising the expression vector of claim 28.

30. A method for preparing an anti-CCR8 antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof which comprises expressing the antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof in the host cell of claim 29 and isolating the antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof from the host cell.

31. A method for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of claims 1-23, the immunoconjugate of claim 24, the bispecific molecule of claim 25, or the pharmaceutical composition of claim 26, such that the subject is treated.

32. A method for inhibiting growth of tumor cells in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of claims 1-23, the immunoconjugate of claim 24, the bispecific molecule of claim 25, or the pharmaceutical composition of claim 26, such that growth of tumor cells in the subject is inhibited.

33. The method of claim 31 or 32, wherein the method further comprises administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an additional therapeutic agent for treating a cancer, optionally wherein the additional therapeutic agent is a compound that reduces inhibition, or increases stimulation, of the immune system.

34. The method of any one of claims 31-33, wherein the subject is a human.

35. The method of any one of claims 31-34, wherein:(a) the cancer is a solid tumor, optionally wherein the solid tumor is:(i) a cancer chosen from squamous cell carcinoma, small cell lung cancer (SCLC), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), squamous NSCLC,non-squamous NSCLC, head and neck cancer, breast cancer, cancer of the esophagus, gastric cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, cancer of the small intestine, liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), pancreatic cancer (PAC), kidney cancer, renal cell carcinoma (RCC), bladder cancer, cancer of the urethra, cancer of the ureter, colorectal cancer (CRC), colon cancer, colon carcinoma, cancer of the anal region, endometrial cancer, prostate cancer, a fibrosarcoma, neuroblastoma, glioma, glioblastoma, germ cell tumor, pediatric sarcoma, sinonasal natural killer, melanoma, skin cancer, bone cancer, cervical cancer, uterine cancer, carcinoma of the endometrium, carcinoma of the fallopian tubes, ovarian cancer, carcinoma of the cervix, carcinoma of the vagina, carcinoma of the vulva, testicular cancer, cancer of the endocrine system, thyroid cancer, cancer of the parathyroid gland, cancer of the adrenal gland, sarcoma of soft tissue, cancer of the penis, carcinoma of the renal pelvis, neoplasm of the central nervous system (CNS), primary CNS lymphoma, tumor angiogenesis, spinal axis tumor, brain cancer, brain stem glioma, pituitary adenoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, epidermoid cancer, squamous cell cancer, solid tumors of childhood, environmentally-induced cancers, virus-related cancers, cancers of viral origin, advanced cancer, unresectable cancer, metastatic cancer, refractory cancer, recurrent cancer, and any combination thereof; or(ii) a cancer chosen from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), colorectal cancer (CRC), gastric cancer, gastroesophageal (GE) junction cancer, and cervical cancer; or(iii) a cancer chosen from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC), lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD), lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD), rectum adenocarcinoma (READ), esophageal carcinoma (ESC A), breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA), colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) and cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma (CESC); or(iv) a cancer chosen from squamous cell carcinoma of the head andneck (SCCHN), cervical cancer, colorectal cancer (CRC), non-small cell lung cancer-squamous cell carcinoma (NSCLC-SCC), NSCLC- adenocarcinoma (NSCLC-ADC), pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer, bladder cancer and breast cancer; or(v) a cancer chosen from colon adenocarcinoma, bladder carcinoma, mammary carcinoma, and fibrosarcoma; or(b) the cancer is a hematological malignancy or the tumor cells are cells of a hematological malignancy, optionally wherein the hematological malignancy is selected from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), a T cell lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL), non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHLs), multiple myeloma, smoldering myeloma, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), advanced, metastatic, refractory and / or recurrent hematological malignancies, and any combinations of said hematological malignancies.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the additional therapeutic agent is:(a) an antagonistic agent that binds specifically to Programmed Death- 1 (PD- 1), Programmed Death Ligand- 1 (PD-L1), Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Antigen-4 (CTLA-4), Lymphocyte Activation Gene-3 (LAG-3), B and T lymphocyte Attenuator (BTLA), T cell Immunoglobulin and Mucin domain-3 (TIM-3), Killer Immunoglobulin-like Receptor (KIR), Killer cell Lectin-like Receptor G1 (KLRG-1), Adenosine A2a Receptor (A2aR), T Cell Immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM Domains (TIGIT), V-domain Ig Suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase MER (MerTK), Natural Killer Cell Receptor 2B4 (CD244), orCD 160; or(b) an agonistic agent that binds specifically to Inducible T cell Co-Stimulator (ICOS), CD137 (4- IBB), CD134 (0X40), CD27, Glucocorticoid-Induced TNFR-Related protein (GITR), or HerpesVirus Entry Mediator (HVEM); and optionally wherein:(i) the antagonistic agent that binds specifically to PD-1 is chosen from nivolumab, pembrolizumab, cemiplimab, spartalizumab,camrelizumab, sintilimab, tislelizumab and toripalimab; or(ii) the antagonistic agent that binds specifically to PD-L1 is chosen from atezolizumab, durvalumab, avelumab, envafolimab, BMS-936559, CK-301, CS-1001, SHR-1316, CBT-502, and BGB-A333; or(iii) the antagonistic agent that binds specifically to CTLA-4 is ipilimumab or tremelimumab.

37. A method for potentiating an anti-tumor immune response elicited by a therapeutic agent in a subject afflicted with a cancer, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of any one of claims 1-23, the immunoconjugate of claim 24, the bispecific molecule of claim 25, or the pharmaceutical composition of claim 26, such that the subject experiences a stronger immune response against the cancer compared to the immune response elicited by the therapeutic agent alone.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the therapeutic agent is an immune checkpoint inhibitor or radiotherapy, optionally wherein the checkpoint inhibitor is an anti- PD-1, anti-PD-Ll or anti-CTLA-4 antibody.

39. A kit for treating a subject afflicted with a cancer, the kit comprising:(a) one or more dosages ranging from about 0.01 to about 20 mg / kg body weight of a monoclonal antibody or an antigen-binding portion thereof that binds specifically to C-C Motif Chemokine Receptor 8 (CCR8) and mediates depletion of the CCR8-expressing cell by ADCC;(b) optionally one or more dosages ranging from about 200 to about 1600 mg of a monoclonal antibody or an antigen-binding portion thereof that binds specifically to PD-1, PD-L1 or CTLA-4; and(c) instructions for using the monoclonal antibody or portion thereof that binds specifically to CCR8, and optionally the monoclonal antibody or portion thereof that binds specifically to PD-1, PD-L1 or CTLA-4, in the method of any one of claims 31-36.

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