Lee, Hun Ju

Background: Whereas major improvements have been made in the treatment of advanced HL outcomes of patients > 60 yrs are generally suboptimal compared with younger patients, and generally with more toxicity. To address this issue we conducted the first phase II study of BV-nivo in older pts with HL (ACCRU RU0515051, NCT02758717), with initial results reported at a median of 20.2 mo of follow-up. (Cheson et al, Lancet Haem, 11:e808, 2020). Herein we present the 5-year follow-up for this study. Methods: Eligible pts were either >60 yrs or considered unsuitable for standard chemotherapy because of cardiac, pulmonary or renal dysfunction. Pts received BV at 1∙8 mg/kg (dose cap at 180 mg) and nivo at 3 mg/kg both intravenously every 21 days for 8 cycles.The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR). Results: Follow-up data were available for 39 of the original 46 pts. At a median follow-up of 58.5 months (0.45-65.4 mo), the median duration of response was 17.2 mo (11.6-45.2). 58.7% of the patients had progressed with the median progression-free survival of 18.3 mo (12.8-46.3 mo); thus 41.3% had still not experienced a progression event. Median overall survival was not yet reached with 84.8% of patients still alive. Conclusions: BV-nivo is an effective regimen for patients >60 yr, curing approximately 40% of pts. For those not cured by initial therapy, outcome with subsequent treatment is excellent, suggesting check point inhibitor sensitization, or other factors. Optimization of dose and schedule, and incorporation of other novel agents will result in a successful chemo-free approach for older patients with HL, especially those unable to receive an anthracycline.

Introduction PET-directed therapy using ABVD with or without radiation therapy (RT) is considered standard in early stage classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). Brentuximab vedotin (BV) and nivolumab (NVB) have transformed the treatment paradigm in advanced stage disease, but their roles remain uncertain in the management of early stage cHL. CALGB 50604 evaluated 2 cycles of ABVD followed by 2 more cycles of ABVD in patients with negative interim PET or 2 cycles of escalated BEACOPP and RT (3060 cGy) in patients with positive interim PET. More recently, ACCRU-LY1601 evaluated 3 cycles of BV+AVD followed by NVB consolidation in interim PET-negative patients. Interim PET-positive patients received 4 cycles of BV+NVB prior to NVB consolidation. Both studies had similar eligibility criteria as phase 2 trials in early stage non-bulky cHL. We hypothesize that patients who receive novel agents as part of frontline therapy (ACCRU-LY1601) may have superior clinical outcomes compared to those who receive conventional chemotherapy with or without RT (CALGB 50604) in adjusted analysis. Methods The primary endpoint was the progression free survival (PFS) rate at 3 years for both studies. The following secondary endpoints were analyzed: PET negativity (defined as Deauville score 1-3) at interim assessment, response rates, and adverse events (AEs). Data from the ACCRU-LY1601 up to May 2024 were included. Patient characteristics, complete metabolic response (CMR) rates, and AE incidence were compared with Fisher's exact tests. Kaplan-Meier techniques were used to estimate landmark survival rates; the 95% confidence intervals (CI) for probabilities of PFS at 3 years landmark rates were assessed. Results of a formal propensity-matched analysis are forthcoming. Results Two-hundred twenty-nine participants receiving frontline therapy for early stage, non-bulky cHL were identified for analysis (N=149 from CALGB 50604; N=80 from ACCRU-LY1601). Median age in both cohorts was 31 (ranges: 18-58 in CALGB 50604 and 19-60 in ACCRU-LY1601). The majority of patients were white (84.6% in CALGB 506048 and 82.5% in ACCRU-LY1601; P=0.58) and had stage II cHL (85.2% in CALGB 50604 and 88.8% in ACCRU-LY1601; P=0.83) with ECOG score of 0 (75.2% in CALGB 50604 and 75.0% in ACCRU-LY1601; P=0.87). B symptoms were present in 27.4% and 32.9% of patients in CALGB 50604 and ACCRU-LY1601, respectively (P=0.44). At time of analysis, the median follow-up was 3.8 years for CALGB 50604 and 3.6 years for ACCRU-LY1601. Interim PET results were available for 140/149 CALGB 50604 and 77/80 ACCRU-LY1601 cohorts; 90.1% and 94.8% were interim PET negative in CALGB 50604 and ACCRU-LY1601, respectively (P=0.31). Thirteen patients (8.7%) received RT after positive interim PET per the study protocol in CALGB 50604. No patient received RT while enrolled in ACCRU-LY1601 although 2 patients (2.5%) received RT off protocol. Seventeen PFS events (11.4%) were observed in CALGB 50604 while one event (1.3%) was observed in ACCRU-LY1601. Reported estimates of 3-year landmark PFS were 89.0% (95% CI, 84-95%) in CALGB 50604 and 97.5% (95% CI, 83.6-99.6%) in ACCRU-LY1601. Grade ≥ 3 AEs, including febrile neutropenia (6.3% in CALGB 50604 vs. 8.8% in ACCRU-LY1601; P=0.59), were similar between the trial cohorts. All grade peripheral sensory neuropathy was reported in 41.6% and 37.5% (Grade ≥ 3: 2.8% and 2.5%; P>0.99) of patients in CALGB 50604 and ACCRU-LY1601, respectively. Conclusion CALGB 50604 and ACCRU-LY1601 represent two recent studies aimed at developing new strategies to reduce exposure to cytotoxic chemotherapy and RT in early stage cHL. Both studies share the same primary endpoint with similar eligibility criteria, making the comparative analysis feasible. There was no significant difference in major baseline patient characteristics between the two studies. They also showed similar toxicity profiles, including comparable rates of febrile neutropenia and peripheral sensory neuropathy. ACCRU-LY1601 was associated with a higher rate of estimated 3-year PFS rate compared to CALGB 50604 (97.5% vs. 89.0%) although their CIs overlapped. Overall, the current data demonstrate the potential role of incorporating novel agents in frontline therapy to further reduce the use of cytotoxic chemotherapy and RT while improving survival outcomes, providing a strong basis for designing future trials in early stage cHL.

Background Immunotherapies targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway have been shown to induce high response rates in patients with relapsed/refractory (r/r) classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). However, most responses are partial and not durable. T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein-3 (TIM-3) is implicated as a resistance mechanism following anti-PD-1 therapy, and increased TIM-3 expression has been observed on T cells of patients with cHL post anti-PD-1 therapy. Therefore, we hypothesized that dual targeting of PD-1 and TIM-3 may reinvigorate immune responses and lead to more durable antitumor activity. Sabestomig is a monovalent, bispecific, humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody that binds PD-1 and a unique epitope in the TIM-3 IgV domain without blocking phosphatidylserine binding, eliciting differential functionality. In preclinical mouse models, sabestomig was more effective at inhibiting growth of solid tumors than treatment targeting only PD-1, and sequential sabestomig after anti-PD-1 therapy increased antitumor responses. Here we report preliminary data from the ongoing dose escalation portion of a Phase I/II, open-label, multicenter study to assess the safety and preliminary efficacy of sabestomig in patients with r/r cHL (NCT05216835). Methods Eligible patients are aged ≥16 years with r/r cHL, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-1, at least one positron emission tomography-avid measurable lesion according to modified Lugano Criteria, and exposure to at least 2 prior lines of systemic therapy including a minimum of 3 cycles of an anti-PD-(L)1-based therapy. Sabestomig is intravenously infused over 1 hour following pretreatment with diphenhydramine and acetaminophen every 3 weeks, with planned doses ranging from 2 to 2000 mg across 8 cohorts (A1-A8); cohorts A1 to A4 (2, 7, 22.5 or 75 mg) follow an accelerated titration design with a single patient treated at each dose level, while cohorts A5 to A8 (225-2000 mg) follow a modified toxicity probability interval-2 algorithm. The primary endpoint of the dose escalation part of the study is safety, including dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs). Secondary endpoints include efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity. Data cutoffs were May 17, 2023 for safety and June 20, 2023 for efficacy. Results As of May 17, 2023, 14 patients were treated across the first 6 cohorts (A1-A6; 2-750 mg). They were predominantly male (64.3%) with Stage IV disease (85.7%) and a median age of 41.5 years (range, 25-77). Patients received a median of 6 prior lines of therapy (range, 3-13). Baseline disease characteristics are summarized in Table 1. Four patients received sabestomig 2-75 mg in cohorts A1-A4 (n=1 each), 5 patients received 225 mg in cohort A5, and 5 patients received 750 mg in cohort A6. Median duration of exposure to sabestomig was 8.9 weeks (range, 3.0-34.3) with a median of 3 cycles received (range 1-12). Sabestomig was well tolerated with no Grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events (AEs) (Table 2). One Grade ≥3 AE occurred, which was fatal (sepsis secondary to gastric ulcer rupture, not related to sabestomig but deemed a DLT by the safety review committee). No immune-mediated AEs were reported, and no AEs led to treatment discontinuation. At the safety data cutoff, treatment was ongoing for 6 patients (42.9%). As of June 20, 2023, 11 patients had their first disease assessment and 4/11 had an objective response based on modified Lugano Criteria: 1 patient in cohort A3 (22.5 mg, a partial response [PR]) and all 3 patients who had their first disease assessment in cohort A6 (750 mg, 2 CRs and 1 PR). Two of these 4 responders (both in cohort A6) had experienced a best overall response of progressive disease during prior anti-PD-1 therapy; the other two initially had a response (1 CR [cohort A6] and 1 PR [cohort A3]) but subsequently progressed on anti-PD-1 therapy. Sustained PD-1 receptor occupancy (≥90%) was observed in peripheral blood at doses ≥225 mg. Conclusions Sabestomig was well tolerated with a manageable safety profile. Early efficacy data at 750 mg is encouraging with objective responses in 3/3 patients who had their first disease assessment, including those who were anti-PD-1 refractory or who relapsed on treatment. Updated data will be presented from ongoing and subsequent patients treated during dose escalation with doses of up to 2000 mg.

Abstract In the pivotal study ECHELON-1, brentuximab vedotin (BV), doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (A + AVD) demonstrated superior efficacy compared with bleomycin + AVD for the treatment of advanced-stage classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). However, there are minimal available data regarding the frequency of dose reductions or omission of BV during curative therapy and the potential impact on patient outcomes. In a real-world analysis, we retrospectively reviewed the characteristics and outcomes of 179 patients with stage III or IV cHL treated with frontline A + AVD from January 2010 to April 2022. Treatment consisted of up to 1.2 mg/kg of BV and standard dose AVD IV on days 1 and 15 of each 28-day cycle for up to 6 cycles. At the time of treatment, the median patient age was 37 years, and a high-risk International Prognostic Score was observed in 46% of patients. Overall, 91% of patients received 6 cycles of AVD; 55% of patients did not receive the intended cumulative dose of BV (CDB); 28% of patients received two-thirds or less than the planned CDB. At a median follow-up time of 27.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 24.8-29), the median progression-free survival (PFS) was not reached, and the 12-month PFS was 90.3% (95% CI, 85.9-95.0). The impact of CDB on PFS was not significant (P = .15), nor was high CDB significantly associated with increased adverse events. In real-world experience, A + AVD is a highly effective treatment for patients with advanced-stage cHL, including for patients with prominent dose reductions of BV.

Abstract Patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) for whom autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (auto-HCT) had failed experienced frequent and durable responses to nivolumab in the phase 2 CheckMate 205 trial. We present updated results (median follow-up, ∼5 years). Patients with R/R cHL who were brentuximab vedotin (BV)–naive (cohort A), received BV after auto-HCT (cohort B), or received BV before and/or after auto-HCT (cohort C) were administered with nivolumab 3 mg/kg IV every 2 weeks until progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients in cohort C with complete remission (CR) for 1 year could discontinue nivolumab and resume upon relapse. Among 243 patients (cohort A, n = 63; B, n = 80; and C, n = 100), the objective response rate (ORR) was 71.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 65.1-76.8); the CR rate was 21.4% (95% CI, 16.4-27.1). Median duration of response, CR, and partial remission were 18.2 (95% CI, 14.7-26.1), 30.3, and 13.5 months, respectively. Median progression-free survival was 15.1 months (95% CI, 11.3-18.5). Median overall survival (OS) was not reached; OS at 5 years was 71.4% (95% CI, 64.8-77.1). In cohort C, all 3 patients who discontinued in CR and were subsequently re-treated achieved objective response. No new or unexpected safety signals were identified. This 5-year follow-up of CheckMate 205 demonstrated favorable OS and confirmed efficacy and safety of nivolumab in R/R cHL after auto-HCT failure. Results suggest patients may discontinue treatment after persistent CR and reinitiate upon progression. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02181713.

Background SEA-CD40 is an investigational, non-fucosylated, humanized monoclonal IgG1 antibody that activates CD40, an immune-activating tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member. SEA-CD40 exhibits enhanced binding to activating FcγRIIIa, possibly enabling greater immune stimulation than other CD40 agonists. A first-in-human phase 1 trial was conducted to examine safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of SEA-CD40 monotherapy in patients with advanced solid tumors and lymphoma. Methods SEA-CD40 was administered intravenously to patients with solid tumors or lymphoma in 21-day cycles with standard 3+3 dose escalation at 0.6, 3, 10, 30, 45, and 60 µg/kg. An intensified dosing regimen was also studied. The primary objectives of the study were to evaluate the safety and tolerability and identify the maximum tolerated dose of SEA-CD40. Secondary objectives included evaluation of the pharmacokinetic parameters, antitherapeutic antibodies, pharmacodynamic effects and biomarker response, and antitumor activity. Results A total of 67 patients received SEA-CD40 including 56 patients with solid tumors and 11 patients with lymphoma. A manageable safety profile was observed, with predominant adverse events of infusion/hypersensitivity reactions (IHRs) reported in 73% of patients. IHRs were primarily ≤grade 2 with an incidence associated with infusion rate. To mitigate IHRs, a standardized infusion approach was implemented with routine premedication and a slowed infusion rate. SEA-CD40 infusion resulted in potent immune activation, illustrated by dose dependent cytokine induction with associated activation and trafficking of innate and adaptive immune cells. Results suggested that doses of 10–30 µg/kg may result in optimal immune activation. SEA-CD40 monotherapy exhibited evidence of antitumor activity, with a partial response in a patient with basal cell carcinoma and a complete response in a patient with follicular lymphoma. Conclusions SEA-CD40 was tolerable as monotherapy and induced potent dose dependent immune cell activation and trafficking consistent with immune activation. Evidence of monotherapy antitumor activity was observed in patients with solid tumors and lymphoma. Further evaluation of SEA-CD40 is warranted, potentially as a component of a combination regimen. Trial registration number NCT02376699.

SummaryThere remains no one standard induction for nodal‐based peripheral T‐cell lymphoma (PTCL). We conducted a phase II study of lenalidomide plus CHOEP as a novel induction strategy. Patients received CHOEP at standard doses in combination with 10 mg of lenalidomide on days 1–10 of a 21‐day cycle for six cycles of therapy followed by observation, high‐dose therapy with autologous stem cell rescue, or maintenance lenalidomide per provider preference. Among 39 patients evaluable for efficacy, the objective response rate after six cycles was 69%, with complete response in 49%, partial response in 21%, stable disease in 0% and progressive disease in 13%. Thirty‐two patients (82%) completed full induction, and seven patients (18%) discontinued for toxicity, primarily hematologic. Any grade hematologic toxicity occurred in over 50% of patients, with grade 3 or 4 febrile neutropenia occurring in 35% of patients despite mandated growth factors. With a median followup of surviving patients of 21.3 months, the estimated 2‐year progression‐free and overall survival were 55% (95% CI 37%–70%) and 78% (95% CI 59%–89%), respectively. In sum, six cycles of lenalidomide plus CHOEP resulted in a modest response rate primarily due to hematologic toxicity, which prevented all patients from completing planned induction.

8014 Background: HL is highly curable with > 90% of pts with limited and > 80% with advanced stage disease experiencing long-term disease-free survival. HL typically occurs in younger pts, yet 15-35% are > 60 yrs and experience a lower response rate, shorter survival, and greater toxicity. BV and checkpoint inhibitors have impressive activity in pts with relapsed and refractory HL. Thus, we initiated a phase II trial of BV-nivo in untreated pts with HL >60 yrs of age or considered unsuitable for standard ABVD therapy. Methods: Inclusion criteria: previously untreated pts with classical HL > 60 yrs or < 60 yrs but considered unsuitable for standard chemotherapy because of a cardiac ejection fraction of < 50%, diffusion capacity < 80%, or creatinine clearance > 30 but < 60 mL/min, or refused chemotherapy; ECOG PS 0-2, ANC >1500/mm3, platelets > 100,000/mm3, hemoglobin > 9 g/dl, bilirubin <1.5 x upper limits of normal (ULN), aspartate/alanine transaminases < 2.5 x ULN, amylase and/or lipase < 1.5 x ULN, and serum creatinine < 2.0 mg/dl. Pts received BV at 1.8 mg/kg (cap at 180 mg) and nivo 3 mg/kg every 21 days for 8 cycles. Response was assessed per the Lugano Classification. Results: The study accrued 46 pts between May 13, 2016-January 30, 2019. Median age of 71.5 yrs, 69.5% had ECOG PS 1 or 2; 64% stage III or IV; 39.1% with B symptoms; 4.3% were < 60 years. Median follow-up was 21.2 months (range 2.9, 38.5), and 35 pts (76.1%) completed all 8 cycles of therapy. At the interim analysis (1st 25 pts) ORR was 64% (52% mCR, 12% pMR) which was lower than the projected 80%. In all 46 pts, 45.7% achieved mCR and 15.2% mPR (ORR 60.9%); in evaluable pts, best ORR was 95% with 68% mCR. No clinical factors predicted response. Neither median duration of response nor median survival has been reached. Median PFS is 21.8 months (17.8, Not reached). 22 pts experienced 33 treatment delays, primarily due to BV. 22 pts experienced peripheral neuropathy (5 grade 3). Grade 4 toxicities included increased transaminases (n = 1), increased lipase and/or amylase (n = 2), pancreatitis (1). One pt died from cardiac arrest, possibly treatment-related. Conclusions: BV-nivo is active in untreated older HL pts with comorbidities. However, efficacy and response durability did not meet pre-specified criteria. Future trials based on these drugs, selecting pts most likely to benefit, may lead to a chemo-free approach for pts with HL. Clinical trial information: NCT02758717 .