Back to Authors

Staber, Philipp B.

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6729-7708

Mayo Clinic

Medical University of Vienna

Citations 7

Safety and efficacy of tafasitamab with or without lenalidomide added to first-line R-CHOP for DLBCL: the phase 1b First-MIND study
Belada, David , Kopečková, Kateřina , Bergua, Juan , Stevens, Don A., André, Marc , Pichler, Petra , Staber, Philipp B. , Trněný, Marek , Duell, Johannes , Waldron-Lynch, Maeve, Wagner, Steve, Mukhopadhyay, Amitava , Dirnberger‐Hertweck, Maren, Burke, John M. , Nowakowski, Grzegorz S. , Bergua, Juan Miguel , Staber, Philipp B , Trnĕný, Marek , Mukhopadhyay, Amitava , Burke, John M , Persona, Ernesto Pérez

Blood | June 27, 2023 | Volume: 142 | Issue: 16 | Pages: 1348-1358

10.1182/blood.2023020637 Get It

Abstract Anti-CD19 immunotherapy tafasitamab is used in combination with lenalidomide in patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant. Open-label, phase 1b, First-MIND study assessed safety and preliminary efficacy of tafasitamab + R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) ± lenalidomide as first-line therapy in patients with DLBCL. From December 2019 to August 2020, 83 adults with untreated DLBCL (International Prognostic Index 2-5) were screened and 66 were randomly assigned (33 per arm) to R-CHOP-tafasitamab (arm T) or R-CHOP-tafasitamab-lenalidomide (arm T/L) for 6 cycles. Primary end point was safety; secondary end points included end-of-treatment (EoT) overall response rate (ORR) and complete response (CR) rate. All patients had ≥1 treatment-emergent adverse event, mostly grade 1 or 2. Grade ≥3 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia occurred, respectively, in 57.6% and 12.1% (arm T) and 84.8% and 36.4% (arm T/L) of patients. Nonhematologic toxicities occurred at similar rates among arms. R-CHOP mean relative dose intensity was ≥89% in both arms. EoT ORR was 75.8% (CR 72.7%) in arm T and 81.8% (CR 66.7%) in arm T/L; best ORR across visits was 90.0% and 93.9%. Eighteen-month duration of response and of CR rates were 72.7% and 74.5% (arm T) and 78.7% and 86.5% (arm T/L); 24-month progression-free and overall survival rates were 72.7% and 90.3% (arm T) and 76.8% and 93.8% (arm T/L). Manageable safety and promising signals of efficacy were observed in both arms. Potential benefit of adding tafasitamab + lenalidomide to R-CHOP is being investigated in phase 3 frontMIND (NCT04824092). This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT04134936.
First-Mind: Primary Analysis from a Phase Ib, Open-Label, Randomized Study to Assess Safety of Tafasitamab or Tafasitamab + Lenalidomide in Addition to R-CHOP in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Kopečková, Kateřina , Burgués, Juan Miguel Bergua, Stevens, Don A., Pichler, Petra , Staber, Philipp B. , Brackertz, Bettina, Shah, Neha , Sporchia, Andrea, Burke, John M. , Nowakowski, Grzegorz S. , Staber, Philipp B , Belada, David , André, Marc , Persona, Ernesto Pérez , Trněný, Marek

Blood | November 23, 2021 | Volume: 138 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 3556-3556

10.1182/blood-2021-148354 Get It

Abstract Introduction Tafasitamab is a humanized, Fc-modified, anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody (mAb) shown to enhance antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and phagocytosis. It is approved by the FDA under accelerated approval (July 2020) in combination with lenalidomide (LEN) for treatment of relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R DLBCL) in adult patients ineligible for autologous stem cell transplantation. To evaluate if newly diagnosed DLBCL patients would also benefit from this regimen, this Phase Ib study (First-MIND; NCT04134936) was designed to first assess the safety and tolerability of tafasitamab ± LEN in addition to rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (R-CHOP) in newly diagnosed DLBCL patients. Methods Eligible patients were ≥18 years old, with treatment-naïve DLBCL, international prognostic index (IPI) 2-5 and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) 0-2. Patients with known double- or triple-hit and transformed lymphoma were excluded. Patients were randomized 1:1 to either six 21-day [D] cycles of R-CHOP (R-CHO, D1; P, D1-5) + tafasitamab (12 mg/kg IV, D1, 8, 15) (Arm A) or R-CHOP + tafasitamab + LEN (25 mg orally, D1-10) (Arm B). Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and venous thromboembolism prophylaxis was mandatory. The primary safety endpoint was incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs); secondary endpoints included overall response rate (ORR), positron emission tomography (PET)-complete response (CR) rate, and partial response (PR) rate at end of treatment (EOT). Tumor measurements by PET/CT or PET/MRI at EOT were performed according to Lugano 2014 criteria within 6±2 weeks after Day 21 of the last treatment cycle the patient started. Results From December 2019 to August 2020, 83 patients were screened in nine countries across 34 sites in Europe and the US; 66 were randomized (Arm A, n=33; Arm B, n=33). Data cut-off for this analysis: 13 March 2021. Median age was 64.5 years (range 20-86). Many patients had high-risk disease: IPI 2: 24/66 (36.4%), IPI 3: 29/66 (43.9%), IPI 4: 11/66 (16.7%), IPI 5: 2/66 (3.0%); ECOG PS ≥2: 6/66 (9.1%). Most patients had Stage III/IV disease 62/66 (93.9%); 29/66 (43.9%) had bulky disease. All patients experienced at least one TEAE. The most frequent Grade ≥3 TEAEs by system organ class were blood and lymphatic disorders (81.8% patients overall), experienced by 24 patients (72.7%) in Arm A and 30 patients (90.9%) in Arm B. Grade ≥3 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia occurred in 19/33 (57.6%) and 4/33 (12.1%) (Arm A), and 28/33 (84.8%) and 12/33 (36.4%) (Arm B) patients, respectively; Grade ≥3 febrile neutropenia was experienced by 6/33 (18.2%) patients in each arm. Grade ≥3 infusion-related reactions to both rituximab and tafasitamab occurred in no patients in Arm A and one patient (3.0%) in Arm B, and 7/33 (21.2%) (Arm A) and 9/33 (27.3%) (Arm B) patients had a Grade ≥3 infection and/or infestation (Figure 1). Serious TEAEs occurred in 14/33 (42.4%) patients in Arm A and 17/33 (51.5%) patients in Arm B. Two out of 33 (6.1%) and one out of 33 (3.0%) patients discontinued study treatment due to TEAEs in Arms A and B, respectively. There were four deaths unrelated to tafasitamab and/or LEN (COVID-19 pneumonia, sepsis, and urosepsis). The average relative dose intensity of R-CHOP in each cycle was maintained in both arms. ORR at EOT was observed in 25/33 patients (75.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 57.7-88.9) in Arm A and 27/33 patients (81.8%; 95% CI: 64.5-93.0) in Arm B. Conclusion These data suggest that both regimens are tolerable and do not impair dosing and scheduling of R-CHOP. Toxicities were similar to those expected with R-CHOP with or without LEN. With tumor follow-up still ongoing, the ORR at EOT suggests that patients with treatment-naïve DLBCL may achieve clinically meaningful efficacy tafasitamab and LEN in addition to standard treatment. A Phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will assess efficacy and safety of R-CHOP + tafasitamab + LEN vs R-CHOP in newly diagnosed patients with high intermediate and high risk DLBCL, and is currently recruiting (frontMIND study; NCT04824092). Funding: MorphoSys AG. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Belada: Roche: Consultancy, Other: Travel, Accommodations, Expenses, Research Funding; Gilead Sciences: Consultancy, Other: Travel, Accommodations, Expenses, Research Funding; Janssen-Cilag: Consultancy, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Other: Travel, Accommodations, Expenses, Research Funding; MorphoSys AG: Consultancy, Research Funding; Debiopharm Group: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Archigen Biotech: Research Funding; Reddys: Research Funding. André: Johnson & Johnson: Research Funding; Roche: Other: Travel/accomodation/expenses, Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy, Other: Travel/Accommodations/Expenses; Karyopharm: Consultancy; Bristol-Myers-Squibb: Consultancy, Other: Travel/Accommodations/Expenses; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Other: Travel/accomodation/expenses; AbbVie: Other: Travel/accomodation/expenses. Pérez Persona: Amgen: Consultancy, Other: Support for attending meetings and/or travel, Speakers Bureau; BMS/Celgene: Consultancy, Other: Support for attending meetings and/or travel, Speakers Bureau; AbbVie: Other: Support for attending meetings and/or travel, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Speakers Bureau; Sanofi: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; AstraZeneca: Speakers Bureau; GSK: Consultancy; Incyte: Consultancy. Staber: Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Astra Zeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; MSD: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; Incyte: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Beigene: Consultancy, Honoraria. Trneny: AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, Accommodations, Expenses; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, Accommodations, Expenses; Gilead Sciences: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel, Accommodations, Expenses; Incyte: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, Accommodations, Expenses; MorphoSys: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, Accommodations, Expenses; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, Accommodations, Expenses; Celgene: Consultancy; 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, General Hospital in Prague: Current Employment; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Portola: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AstraZeneca: Honoraria. Brackertz: MorphoSys AG: Current Employment. Shah: MorphoSys AG: Current Employment. Sporchia: MorphoSys AG: Current Employment. Burke: MorphoSys: Consultancy; Adaptive Biotechnologies: Consultancy; Verastem: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Consultancy; Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy; Kymera: Consultancy; X4 Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; AbbVie: Consultancy; SeaGen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Kura: Consultancy; Roche/Genentech: Consultancy; Epizyme: Consultancy; Beigene: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. Nowakowski: Celgene, NanoString Technologies, MorphoSys: Research Funding; Celgene, MorphoSys, Genentech, Selvita, Debiopharm Group, Kite/Gilead: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. OffLabel Disclosure: Tafasitamab is a humanized Fc-modified cytolytic CD19 targeting monoclonal antibody. In combination with lenalidomide (LEN), it received accelerated approval in July 2020 for adult patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified (NOS), including arising from lowâ€'grade lymphoma, who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). Following FDA approval, we are now evaluating the safety and efficacy of tafasitamab in combination with LEN as an add-on to first-line therapy with R-CHOP in newly diagnosed patients with DLBCL.
Primary Analysis of Anti-CD19 Tafasitamab (MOR208) Treatment in Combination with Idelalisib or Venetoclax in R/R CLL Patients Who Failed Prior BTK Inhibitor Therapy (COSMOS Trial)
Staber, Philipp B. , Brugger, Wolfram, Chanan‐Khan, Asher , Greil, Richard , Hellmann, Andrzej, Dirnberger‐Hertweck, Maren, Montillo, Marco , Motta, Marina , Munir, Talha, Neumeister, Peter , Niederweiser, Dietger, Schetelig, Johannes , Vučinić, Vladan , Weirather, Johannes, Woyach, Jennifer A. , Wendtner, Clemens‐Martin , Staber, Philipp B , Jurczak, Wojciech , Kelemen, P. B. , Middeke, Jan Moritz , Parikh, Sameer A. , Stilgenbauer, Stephan

Blood | November 14, 2019 | Volume: 134 | Issue: Supplement_1 | Pages: 1754-1754

10.1182/blood-2019-128388 Get It

Introduction: Patients (pts) with relapsed or refractory (R/R) chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who failed treatment with the Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi) ibrutinib have a poor outcome and are difficult to treat. This ongoing, two-cohort, Phase II trial evaluates the safety and preliminary efficacy of tafasitamab (MOR208), an Fc-enhanced anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody in combination with idelalisib (IDE) (Cohort A) or venetoclax (VEN) (Cohort B) in R/R CLL pts previously treated with a BTKi. Preliminary results were published at EHA 2018 for Cohort A and at ASH 2018 for Cohort B. Here, we report the results of the primary analysis for both cohorts. Methods and Patients: Pts who either progressed or were intolerant to BTKi were enrolled at 12 sites in six countries in Europe and the US from Nov 2016 to Apr 2018. The primary endpoint is the incidence and severity of adverse events (AEs); secondary endpoints include overall response rate (ORR) as per investigator assessment according to International Workshop on CLL (IWCLL) 2008 guidelines. Complete response (CR) was confirmed by computed tomography assessment and by bone marrow (BM) biopsy. The exploratory endpoint minimal residual disease (MRD) was assessed centrally by quantitative allele-specific oligonucleotide-polymerase chain reaction (ASO-PCR) in peripheral blood (PB) and BM. Each treatment cycle (C) lasts 28 days (D). Dose and administration: tafasitamab intravenous infusion, 12 mg/kg weekly in C1-C3, every other week in C4-C6 and monthly from C7D1; IDE orally, 150 mg twice daily; VEN orally, weekly ramp up starting on C1D8 at 20 mg to full daily dose of 400 mg. Patients: mean time since first CLL diagnosis was 135 months (mos) for pts in Cohort A and 105 mos in Cohort B. Median number of prior therapy lines was five (2-9) and three (1-5), respectively. All pts had received ibrutinib; one pt had subsequent acalabrutinib treatment as last prior therapy line. Mutations of BTK and PLCγ2 were assessed in nine pts in Cohort A and 13 pts in Cohort B. BTK/PLCγ2 mutations were centrally detected in 4/3 pts in Cohort A and in 2/3 pts in Cohort B, respectively. Complex karyotype was observed in six (54.5%) pts in Cohort A and 12 (92.3%) pts in Cohort B. Results with a data cut-off date of 9 Nov 2018 are presented. Results: Cohort A: Median time on study was 9.9 mos (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.7-not reached). Eleven pts were enrolled and received tafasitamab and IDE. Two pts discontinued treatment due to AEs (aspartate-aminotransferase increased; acute pancreatitis), two due to progressive disease (PD) and one pt by physician's decision. One pt died due to PD and one pt due to cardiac failure. At the cut-off date, treatment was ongoing in four pts. Table 1 summarizes treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) with neutropenia Grade ≥3 being most common (5 [46%]). Fourteen treatment-emergent serious AEs (SAEs) were reported in eight (72.7%) pts. ORR was 90.9% (CR=9.1%, partial response [PR]=81.8%), disease control was achieved in all 11 pts. One of eight pts (12.5%) assessed for MRD status reached MRD-negativity in PB at C14. Cohort B: Median time on study was 12 mos (95% CI: 2.8-not reached). Eleven of 13 enrolled pts received tafasitamab and VEN while two pts received tafasitamab only. Three pts discontinued treatment due to AEs (infusion-related reactions [two pts], diarrhea [one pt], one due to PD and one withdrew consent. At the cut-off date, treatment was ongoing in eight patients. Table 2 summarizes TEAEs, neutropenia Grade ≥3 was most commonly observed (six [46%] pts). Fourteen SAEs were reported in nine (69.2%) pts. The ORR in all 13 pts was 76.9% (CR=23.1%, PR=53.8%, not evaluable=23.1%). Six of seven pts assessed for MRD in PB (46.2% of 13 [100%] pts) reached negative status in PB by C7 at the latest. One of three pts assessed for MRD in BM (7.7% of 13 [100%] pts) reached MRD negative status in BM at C15. Conclusions: This trial demonstrates that in heavily pretreated pts with R/R CLL who failed prior BTKi, tafasitamab in combination with IDE or VEN is a potential therapeutic option. The safety profiles of the combinations are influenced by the combination partner, but both combinations are manageable. The response rates and MRD-negativity rates indicate that combinations of targeted agents with anti-CD19 tafasitamab have valuable antitumor activity and warrant further investigation of tafasitamab-based combinations in CLL. Disclosures Staber: AbbVie: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Gilead: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; MSD: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Roche: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Takeda-Millenium: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Jurczak:Celtrion: Research Funding; Sandoz: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Morphosys: Research Funding; Celgene Corporation: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Servier: Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding; Novo Nordisk: Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Bayer: Research Funding; Gilead: Research Funding; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Loxo: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Takeda: Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Research Funding. Brugger:AstraZeneca: Equity Ownership; MorphoSys: Employment. Chanan-Khan:Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Jansen: Research Funding; Mayo Clinic: Employment; Ascentage: Research Funding; Millennium: Research Funding; Xencor: Research Funding; AbbVie: Research Funding. Greil:Mundipharma: Honoraria, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers-Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel/accomodation expenses, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Honoraria; Sanofi Aventis: Honoraria; Sandoz: Honoraria; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel/accomodation expenses, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel/accomodation expenses, Research Funding; Eisai: Honoraria; Janssen-Cilag: Honoraria; Cephalon: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Genentech: Honoraria, Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel/accomodation expenses, Research Funding; Boehringer Ingelheim: Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel/accomodation expenses, Research Funding; Ratiopharm: Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; MSD: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel/accomodation expenses, Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel/accomodation expenses, Research Funding; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel/accomodation expenses, Research Funding; GSK: Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Dirnberger-Hertweck:MorphoSys: Employment. Kelemen:MorphoSys: Employment. Middeke:Janssen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; MSD: Consultancy; AbbVie: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Gilead: Consultancy; Roche: Speakers Bureau; Sanofi: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Montillo:Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Acerta: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Versatem: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Munir:Acerta: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pharmacyclics: Other: TBC; AbbVie: Honoraria; Alexion: Honoraria; Gilead: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Roche: Honoraria; Morphosys: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Sunesis: Consultancy. Parikh:Pharmacyclics: Honoraria, Research Funding; Ascentage Pharma: Research Funding; Genentech: Honoraria; MorphoSys: Research Funding; Acerta Pharma: Research Funding; AbbVie: Honoraria, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding. Stilgenbauer:Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; GSK: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Hoffmann La-Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Weirather:MorphoSys: Employment. Woyach:Janssen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company: Consultancy, Research Funding; AbbVie: Research Funding; Karyopharm: Research Funding; Loxo: Research Funding; Morphosys: Research Funding; Verastem: Research Funding. Wendtner:AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Hoffman-La Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Janssen-Cilag: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Gilead Sciences, Inc.: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; MorphoSys: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding.
A Phase Ib, Open-Label, Randomized Study to Assess Safety and Preliminary Efficacy of Tafasitamab (MOR208) or Tafasitamab + Lenalidomide in Addition to R-CHOP in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: The First-Mind Trial
Burke, John M. , Cheson, Bruce D. , Duell, Johannes , Nowakowski, Grzegorz S. , Rosenwald, Andreas , Salles, Gilles , Sharman, Jeff P. , Staber, Philipp B. , Brugger, Wolfram, Fingerle‐Rowson, Günter , Würth, Guido, Truemper, Lorenz , Salles, Gilles A , Staber, Philipp B , André, Marc , Trněný, Marek , Westin, Jason R. , Klánová, Magdalena

Blood | November 14, 2019 | Volume: 134 | Issue: Supplement_1 | Pages: 2877-2877

10.1182/blood-2019-128021 Get It

Background Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in adults. R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone) remains the standard of care for newly diagnosed DLBCL, with cure rates of 60-70%. However, more effective front-line options are needed to further improve outcomes, particularly in high-risk patients (Sehn LH, Gascoyne RD. Blood 2015;125:22). Approximately 15-20% of treatment-naïve patients with DLBCL have CD20-low expressing tumors, while CD19 is expressed in >90% of DLBCL. CD20-low DLBCL is associated with poor response to rituximab-based regimens (Johnson NA, et al. Blood 2009;113:3773; Prevodnik VK, et al. Diagnostic Pathol 2011;6:33). CD19 is a B-lymphocyte lineage-specific surface antigen that is widely expressed in mature B-cell malignancies, including DLBCL. CD19 functions as a positive regulator of B-cell receptor signaling and is important for B-cell activation and proliferation, and is, therefore, an attractive therapeutic target in addition to CD20. Tafasitamab (MOR208) is a humanized anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody with an engineered constant region (Fc) that enhances Fc-γ receptor binding affinity on effector cells, thereby enhancing antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and phagocytosis (ADCP). Preliminary data in DLBCL cell lines suggest that combined targeting of CD19 and CD20 with tafasitamab and rituximab, respectively, could have synergistic cytotoxic effects. Monotherapy with tafasitamab has shown clinical activity and acceptable safety in a Phase I study in relapsed/refractory (R/R) chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (NCT01161511) and in a Phase IIa study in R/R NHL (NCT01685008). In patients with R/R DLBCL, treatment with single agent tafasitamab until progression led to a 26% objective response rate (ORR) with several long-term responses (Jurczak W, et al. Ann Oncol 2018; 29:1266). Preclinical in vitro and in vivo data have demonstrated increased combinatorial antitumor effects with tafasitamab and the immunomodulatory agent lenalidomide (LEN). In the Phase II, single-arm L-MIND study (NCT02399085) in patients with R/R DLBCL, treatment with tafasitamab/LEN achieved an ORR of 60%, a complete response (CR) rate of 42.5% and a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 12.1 months (Salles GA, et al. ICML 2019; Abstr 124). This combination received breakthrough therapy designation by the US Food and Drug Administration. Study design and methods First-MIND is a Phase Ib, open-label, multicenter, randomized trial of tafasitamab/R-CHOP or tafasitamab/LEN/R-CHOP in patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL (Figure 1). Patients must be aged ≥18 years, treatment naïve, with histologically confirmed DLBCL not otherwise specified and have intermediate- to high-risk disease (International Prognostic Index 2-5). Key exclusion criteria include known double- or triple-hit lymphoma, and transformed or composite lymphoma. Treatment consists of six 21-day cycles of tafasitamab (12 mg/kg intravenously [IV], on Days [D] 1, 8 and 15) in addition to R-CHOP (Arm A) or tafasitamab (12 mg/kg IV, on D1, 8 and 15) and LEN (25 mg orally, on D1-10) in addition to R-CHOP (Arm B). The trial includes a safety run-in phase and a main phase. In the safety run-in phase, 12 patients will be enrolled in each arm. If no unexpected safety signals suspected to be related to the addition of tafasitamab ± LEN to R-CHOP are observed, an additional 18 patients will be enrolled in each arm in the main phase. The primary objective of the trial is to assess safety; secondary objectives include evaluation of efficacy (ORR and PET-assessed CR rate at end of treatment, PFS, overall survival, event-free survival, time to next anti-lymphoma treatment), long-term safety and pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity of tafasitamab in each arm. Exploratory objectives will include the assessment of biomarkers in peripheral blood (natural killer [NK] cell count, cell-free circulating tumor DNA) and tumor tissue (DLBCL cell of origin, NK cell or macrophage count/gene expression profile, CD19 and CD20 expression) that may be relevant to the mechanism of action and/or response to study treatment. As this is a Phase Ib study to primarily explore safety, no formal statistical hypothesis is considered for the sample size calculation; approximately 60 patients will be recruited across Europe and the US. Disclosures Burke: Gilead: Consultancy; Roche/Genentech: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy. André:Celgene: Other: Travel grants, Research Funding; Chugai: Research Funding; Takeda Millenium: Research Funding; Johnson & Johnson: Research Funding; Amgen: Other: Travel grants, Research Funding; Roche: Other: Travel grants, Research Funding; Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Seattle Genetics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Takeda: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bristol-Myers-Squibb: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Karyopharm: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel grants. Cheson:Genentech: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Gilead: Research Funding; Acerta: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kite: Research Funding; Epizyme: Research Funding; Morphosys: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AstraZeneca: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Symbios: Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Abbvie: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Portola: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Duell:Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Research Funding. Nowakowski:Genentech, Inc.: Research Funding; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Research Funding; Selvita: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; NanoString: Research Funding; MorphoSys: Consultancy, Research Funding; Curis: Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding. Rosenwald:MorphoSys: Consultancy. Salles:Roche, Janssen, Gilead, Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Educational events; BMS: Honoraria; Novartis, Servier, AbbVie, Karyopharm, Kite, MorphoSys: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Educational events; Autolus: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Educational events; Epizyme: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria, Other: Educational events; Merck: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Sharman:Acerta: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Research Funding. Staber:Roche: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Takeda-Millenium: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; MSD: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; AbbVie: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Trněný:Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Gilead Sciences: Consultancy, Honoraria; Incyte: Consultancy, Honoraria; MorphoSys: Consultancy, Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria; F. Hoffmann-La Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria. Westin:Novartis: Other: Advisory Board, Research Funding; Juno: Other: Advisory Board; Unum: Research Funding; Curis: Other: Advisory Board, Research Funding; Genentech: Other: Advisory Board, Research Funding; Kite: Other: Advisory Board, Research Funding; Celgene: Other: Advisory Board, Research Funding; 47 Inc: Research Funding; MorphoSys: Other: Advisory Board; Janssen: Other: Advisory Board, Research Funding. Brugger:MorphoSys: Employment; AstraZeneca: Equity Ownership. Fingerle-Rowson:MorphoSys AG: Employment. Klanova:MorphoSys AG: Employment. Würth:MorphoSys AG: Employment. Truemper:Janssen Oncology: Consultancy; Nordic Nanovector: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding; Mundipharma: Research Funding.
Two-Cohort Phase II Study in R/R CLL (COSMOS): First Preliminary Safety and Efficacy Results of Anti-CD19 MOR208 Treatment in Combination with Venetoclax in Patients Who Discontinued Prior BTK Inhibitor Therapy
Staber, Philipp B. , Chanan‐Khan, Asher , Munir, Talha, Niederweiser, Dietger, Schetelig, Johannes , Dirnberger‐Hertweck, Maren, Weirather, Johannes, Wendtner, Clemens‐Martin , Woyach, Jennifer A. , Staber, Philipp B , Middeke, Jan Moritz , Kelemen, P. B. , Parikh, Sameer A. , Stilgenbauer, Stephan

Blood | October 14, 2019 | Volume: 132 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 4433-4433

10.1182/blood-2018-99-114489 Get It

Abstract Introduction: The CD19 antigen is an attractive therapeutic target as it is highly expressed in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). CD19 is not down-regulated in patients (pts) pretreated with CD20-targeting agents and has a signaling function that promotes the malignant phenotype. In preclinical studies, the Fc-enhanced, humanized, CD19 antibody MOR208 showed synergistic potential in combination with venetoclax (VEN, a small molecule selective inhibitor of the apoptosis regulator BCL-2). Pts with relapsed or refractory (R/R) CLL who failed treatment with the Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi) ibrutinib have poor prognosis. A previous phase I study showed that MOR208 was well tolerated, with encouraging single-agent activity in pts with R/R CLL. This ongoing phase II study was designed to assess the safety and preliminary efficacy of MOR208 in combination with idelalisib (Cohort A) or VEN (Cohort B) in pts with R/R CLL previously treated with a BTKi. Results of Cohort A were previously published at EHA 2018 (Poster PF350). Here we report the initial safety and efficacy results for Cohort B. Methods: Adult pts with R/R CLL without transformation or Richter's syndrome, who progressed on BTKi therapy or were intolerant to a BTKi during their last prior therapy, were eligible if they had ECOG performance status 0-2 and adequate organ function. In Cohort B, pts were treated until progression or for up to 24 cycles (C; 28 days (D)/C). MOR208 was administered intravenously at 12 mg/kg body weight, starting from C1D1, weekly during C1-3 (with an equivalent loading dose on D4 of C1), every other week in C4-6, and monthly in C7-24. Oral VEN was administered daily starting from C1D8 on a weekly ramp up dosing schedule, starting at 20 mg on C1D8, increasing to 50 mg on C1D15, 100 mg C1D22, 200 mg C2D1 and reaching the full daily dose of 400 mg from C2D8 onwards. Primary endpoint is the incidence and severity of adverse events (AEs); secondary endpoints include overall response rate (ORR) as per investigator assessment according to IWCLL 2008 guidelines. Results: We report preliminary results of Cohort B with a data cutoff date of June 18, 2018 and a median observation time of 4.6 months. Recruitment in Cohort B was completed with 13 pts who received at least one dose of MOR208. Eleven pts started combination treatment with VEN; 10 pts completed at least 5 weeks of combination treatment, reaching the full daily dose of VEN. Baseline characteristics are shown in Table 1. All pts had received ibrutinib therapy and 1 pt had subsequent acalabrutinib treatment. The median number of prior treatment lines, including BTKi therapy in all 13 pts, was 3 (range 1-4). Table 2 summarizes treatment-emergent (TE)AEs. The most common hematological TEAE was neutropenia (38%). Eleven TE serious (S)AEs were reported in 9 pts (69%); all resolved. One grade 3 SAE, tumor lysis syndrome, occurred at ramp up to 50 mg VEN. The pt recovered after treatment and continued VEN 50 mg the day after event onset. Three serious adverse reactions (2 pts with infusion-related reactions, 1 pt with bone pain with pyrexia) were reported in total. Two pts (15%) permanently discontinued study treatment due to an infusion-related reaction arising during MOR208 monotherapy (i.e. before C1D8). One pt (8%) discontinued study participation due to withdrawal of informed consent, when on a dose of 50 mg VEN. The 3 discontinued pts did not undergo a response assessment. Treatment of 10 pts is ongoing and seven pts had at least 1 post-baseline assessment of tumor response on C4D1; all (7/7) had a partial response (PR) based on local investigator assessment. Conclusions: The novel combination treatment of MOR208 with VEN showed generally acceptable safety and tolerability as well as encouraging antitumor activity in pts with R/R CLL who discontinued prior treatment with a BTK inhibitor. Disclosures Staber: Janssen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Abbvie: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Karyopharm: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Takeda-Millenium: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; CTI: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Roche: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Munir:Alexion: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Gilead: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Abbvie: Honoraria; MorphoSys: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Schetelig:Roche: Honoraria; Sanofi: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Abbvie: Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria. Middeke:Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Dirnberger-Hertweck:MorphoSys: Employment. Kelemen:MorphoSys: Employment. Weirather:MorphoSys: Employment. Parikh:MorphoSys: Research Funding; Gilead: Honoraria; Janssen: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Honoraria, Research Funding; Abbvie: Honoraria, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Honoraria, Research Funding. Stilgenbauer:Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; Genetech: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; Mundipharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; GlaxoSmithKline: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding. Wendtner:Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; Genetech: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; GlaxoSmithKline: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; Mundipharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; MorphoSys: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: travel support, Research Funding.