Klimek, Virginia M.

Lay Summary People who have advanced myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) may live longer if they get a bone marrow transplant (BMT) instead of other therapies. However, only 15% of people with MDS actually get BMT. Experts say community physicians and transplant physicians should team up with insurance companies and patient advocacy groups to 1) spread this news about lifesaving advances in BMT, 2) ensure that everyone can afford health care, 3) provide emotional support for patients and families, 4) help patients and families get transportation and housing if they need to travel for transplant, and 5) improve care for people of under‐represented racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Background: Heterozygous somatic mutations in the genes encoding RNA splicing factors SF3B1, U2AF1, SRSF2 or ZRSR2 induce aberrant splicing in cancer cells and are among the most common mutations in patients with MDS, AML or CMML. H3B-8800 is an orally available small molecule that binds to the SF3b complex and induces alternative splicing changes in cells. Because splicing factor mutant cells depend on residual wild-type function of splicing factors for survival, we hypothesized that H3B-8800 would induce preferential cell killing of mutant cells by further perturbing splicing to synthetic lethality. In pre-clinical models, H3B-8800 preferentially kills spliceosome mutant cells and induces antitumor activity in xenograft leukemia models with core spliceosome mutations (Seiler M et al Nature Medicine 2018). Therefore, we conducted a phase I clinical trial (NCT02841540) of H3B-8800 in patients with MDS, AML or CMML. Here we describe the safety profile and clinical outcomes of the dose escalation cohorts in this phase I trial. Methods: This phase I trial explored the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics (PD) of H3B-8800 in patients with myeloid cancers. Dose escalation cohorts, employing a standard 3+3 design, examined 2 different once daily dosing regimens (schedule I: 5 days on/9 days off; schedule II: 21 days on/7 days off) in a 28-day cycle, with stratification based on lower-risk (LR) versus higher-risk (HR) myeloid neoplasms. Results: As of June 16th, 2019, 84 patients were enrolled at 24 centers in the US and Europe. Dose ranged from 1-40 mg among 65 patients on schedule I, while 19 patients were enrolled with dose ranging from 7-20 mg on schedule II. The patient population included AML (n=38), CMML (n=4), HR-MDS (n=20), LR-MDS (n=21) and 1 MDS with unknown risk level. Most patients (88%) had spliceosome mutations of interest. The most common mutations were in SRSF2 (p.P95H in 17, p.P95L in 9, p.P95_R102Del in 4), SF3B1 (p.K700E in 11, p.R625C in 4), and U2AF1 (p.Q157P in 6, p.S34F in 4). Patients remained on treatment from 7 to 819 days; 25 patients (30%) had time on treatment greater than 180 days, 20% more than 1 year and 2% over 2 years. The median therapy duration for LR-CMML/MDS, HR-CMML/MDS, and AML patients were 216, 62, and 47 days respectively. Most observed treatment related treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were Grade 1 or 2. The most common treatment-related (as judged by the investigator, >10% frequency) TEAEs in the patients treated on schedule I were diarrhea (75%), nausea (37%), fatigue (28%) and vomiting (27%). The most common treatment-related TEAEs in the patients treated on schedule II were diarrhea (68%), vomiting (42%), QTc prolongation (21%), nausea (16%), and fatigue (16%). The most common dose limiting toxicity was prolongation of the QTcF interval >500 msec (n=2, 40 mg on schedule I and n=1, 20 mg on schedule II, all ≥Grade 3) and bradycardia without other arrhythmias (n=1, 14 mg on schedule II, ≥Grade 3). No ophthalmic AEs were observed; 1 patient (LR-MDS) experienced durable marrow aplasia. The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) has not been confirmed for either Schedule I or Schedule II. PK analysis indicates that H3B-8800 is rapidly absorbed and exhibits dose-proportional increase in plasma exposure. Consistent dose-dependent target engagement (i.e., alteration in mature mRNA transcripts) was observed in blood mononuclear cells from patients enrolled in the 2 mg up to 40 mg dose cohorts on both schedules. Despite this splicing modulation, no objective complete responses (CR) or partial responses (PR) meeting International Working Group criteria were observed. One patient with CMML had a durable platelet response that began in Cycle 1 and persisted through Cycle 13. Nine red blood cell (RBC) transfusion-dependent patients with MDS or CMML and 2 patients with AML did not require RBC transfusions for ≥8 weeks (up to 28 weeks) while on study. One platelet transfusion-dependent patient with LR-MDS did not require platelet transfusions for ≥8 weeks. Conclusion: Results from this first-in-human multicenter prospective clinical trial of a splicing modulator in myeloid neoplasms demonstrate dose-dependent target engagement and predictable PK profile of H3B-8800, and safety even with prolonged dosing. Although no objective CR or PR were achieved, decreased RBC or platelet transfusion requirements were observed in 12 (14%) of enrolled patients. Disclosures Steensma: H3 Biosciences: Other: Research funding to institution, not investigator.; Pfizer: Consultancy; Aprea: Research Funding; Stemline: Consultancy; Arrowhead: Equity Ownership; Summer Road: Consultancy; Astex: Consultancy; Onconova: Consultancy. Wermke:Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding. Greenberg:Notable Labs: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; H3 Biotech: Research Funding; Aprea: Research Funding; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Font:Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Komrokji:Agios: Consultancy; JAZZ: Speakers Bureau; DSI: Consultancy; JAZZ: Consultancy; Incyte: Consultancy; Novartis: Speakers Bureau; celgene: Consultancy; pfizer: Consultancy. Yang:Agios: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Research Funding. Brunner:Astra Zeneca: Research Funding; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Forty Seven Inc: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Jazz Pharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Research Funding. Ades:Agios: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Jazz: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Takeda: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Silence Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Astellas: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Research Funding; Helsinn Healthcare: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Al-Kali:Astex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Research Funding. Coombs:H3 Biomedicine: Research Funding. Foran:Agios: Honoraria, Research Funding. Garcia-Manero:Helsinn: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; AbbVie: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Amphivena: Consultancy, Research Funding; Astex: Consultancy, Research Funding; Onconova: Research Funding; H3 Biomedicine: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding. Micol:AbbVie: Consultancy; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy. Perez De Oteyza:Celgene: Speakers Bureau. Wang:Abbvie: Other: Advisory role; Kite: Other: Advisory role; Jazz: Other: Advisory role; Astellas: Other: Advisory role, Speakers Bureau; celyad: Other: Advisory role; Pfizer: Other: Advisory role, Speakers Bureau; Stemline: Other: Advisory role, Speakers Bureau; Daiichi: Other: Advisory role; Amgen: Other: Advisory role; Agios: Other: Advisory role. Watts:Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Research Funding; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Buonamici:H3 Biomedicine: Employment. Kim:H3 Biomedicine: Employment. Gourineni:H3 Biomedicine: Employment. Marino:H3 Biomedicine: Employment. Rioux:H3 Biomedicine: Employment. Schindler:H3 Biomedicine: Employment. Smith:H3 Biomedicine: Employment. Yao:H3 Biomedicine: Employment. Yuan:Eisai: Employment. Yu:H3 Biomedicine: Employment. Platzbecker:Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. OffLabel Disclosure: H3B-8800 (experimental, unapproved)

Abstract Background: MDSs are clonal hematopoietic stem cell malignancies characterized by cytopenias resulting from ineffective hematopoiesis. A phase 2 study of lenalidomide (MDS-002) demonstrated hematological improvement in patients with MDS without an associated deletion 5q cytogenetic abnormality (List AF, et al. Haematologica2006;91[suppl1]:379[abst 1032]). We now report multicenter results after 〉2 yrs follow-up. Methods: A total of 214 pts with transfusion-dependent anemia were categorized into the following IPSS MDS risk groups after central review of bone marrow morphology, karyotype, and peripheral blood findings: Low/Int-1 (168 [78%]); Int-2/High (8 [4%]); and unclassified (38 [18%]). Patients were unclassified for missing or inadequate marrow studies for central review (morphology [29] or cytogenetic [7]) or other diagnoses (AML [1], atypical CML [1]). Patients were evaluated for frequency and duration of red blood cell transfusion independence (RBC-TI) (IWG criteria), hemoglobin (Hgb) response, and safety. The starting dose of lenalidomide was 10 mg (daily or daily × 3 wks q28d cycle). Results: Overall, 56 (26%) of 214 enrolled patients achieved RBC-TI. Median time to RBC-TI was 5 wks, median duration of RBC-TI response was 41.0 wks (range, 8.0–136.4), and median Hgb increase achieved during RBC-TI was 3.2 g/dL (range, 1.0–9.8). An additional 36 patients experienced a ≥ 50% reduction in RBC transfusions (overall hematological improvement in 92 [43%] patients). Overall, 47 (22%) patients had an abnormal karyotype at baseline and 9 (19%) patients achieved a cytogenetic response (4 complete). The most common drug-related grade 3/4 adverse events (AEs) were neutropenia and thrombocytopenia (25% and 20%, respectively). Deep vein thrombosis occurred in only 2 (1%) patients. The duration of RBC-TI was ≥ 52 weeks in 21 (38%) patients. Among these 21 patients, 14 (67%) did not require a lenalidomide dose reduction during the first 52 weeks of treatment. Analyses of response variables will be presented. Dose-limiting neutropenia/thrombocytopenia was not reported after 52 weeks. The most commonly reported AEs after 52 weeks were mild-moderate diarrhea and fatigue (38% and 29%, respectively). Conclusion: Lenalidomide is an active, well-tolerated treatment in MDS patients with transfusion-dependent anemia that is not associated with a deletion 5q abnormality. The rate of erythroid hematologic improvement and duration of RBC-TI is encouraging and offers a possible alternative to cytokine therapy.

Lenalidomide is approved for red blood cell (RBC) transfusion-dependent anemia due to low or intermediate-1 (int-1) risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) associated with a chromosome 5q deletion with or without additional cytogenetic abnormalities. We report results of a multicenter, phase 2 trial evaluating lenalidomide therapy for transfusion-dependent patients with low- or int-1–risk MDS without deletion 5q. Eligible patients had 50 000/mm3 or more platelets and required 2 U or more RBCs within the previous 8 weeks; 214 patients received 10 mg oral lenalidomide daily or 10 mg on days 1 to 21 of a 28-day cycle. The most common grade 3/4 adverse events were neutropenia (30%) and thrombocytopenia (25%). Using an intention-to-treat analysis, 56 (26%) patients achieved transfusion independence (TI) after a median of 4.8 weeks of treatment with a median duration of TI of 41.0 weeks. In patients who achieved TI, the median rise in hemoglobin was 32 g/L (3.2 g/dL; range, 10-98 g/L [1.0-9.8 g/dL]) from baseline. A 50% or greater reduction in transfusion requirement occurred in 37 additional patients, yielding a 43% overall rate of hematologic improvement (TI response +‖≥ 50% reduction in transfusion requirement). Lenalidomide has clinically meaningful activity in transfusion-dependent patients with low- or int-1–risk MDS who lack the deletion 5q karyotypic abnormality. This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as no. NCT00064974.