Mutated FGFR1 is an oncogenic driver and therapeutic target in high-risk neuroblastoma

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) is recurrently mutated at p.N546 in neuroblastoma. We examined whether mutant FGFR1 is an oncogenic driver, a predictive biomarker, and an actionable vulnerability in this malignancy. FGFR1 mutations at p.N546 were associated with high-risk disease and rapid tumor progression, resulting in dismal outcome for these patients. Ectopic expression of FGFR1(N546K) induced constitutive downstream signaling and IL-3–independent growth in Ba/F3 cells, indicating oncogene-addicted proliferation. In FGFR1(N546K);MYCN transgenic mice, neuroblastoma developed within the first days of life, with fatal outcome within 3 weeks, reflecting the devastating clinical phenotypes of patients with FGFR1-mutant, high-risk neuroblastoma. Treatment with FGFR inhibitors impaired proliferation and pathway activation in FGFR1(N546K)-expressing Ba/F3 and patient-derived FGFR1(N546K)-mutant neuroblastoma cells and inhibited tumor growth in FGFR1(N546K);MYCN transgenic mice and in a chemotherapy-resistant, patient-derived xenograft mouse model. In addition, partial regression of FGFR1(N546K)-mutant tumor lesions occurred upon treatment with the FGFR inhibitor futibatinib and low-intensity chemotherapy in a patient with refractory neuroblastoma. Together, our data demonstrate that FGFR1(N546K) is a strong oncogenic driver in neuroblastoma associated with failure of current standard chemotherapy and suggest potential clinical benefit of FGFR-directed therapies in patients with high-risk mutant FGFR1.