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Frank, Matthew J.

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2356-3354

Mayo Clinic

Stanford University

Citations 17

Optimal ferritin threshold to diagnose immune effector cell-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (IEC-HS) following CAR-T therapy in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM)
Lee, Jerry , Jensen, Alexandria , Hosoya, Hitomi , Zanwar, Saurabh , Gaballa, Mahmoud , Khouri, Jack , Goel, Utkarsh , Hovanky, Vanna, Rana, Masooma , Green, Kimberly M , Afrough, Aimaz , Anderson, Larry , Biran, Noa , Shune, Leyla , Ferreri, Christopher, Varga, Cindy , Voorhees, Peter M. , Sborov, Douglas W. , Freeman, Ciara L. , Cassano, Raffaella Cassano , Salva, Karla Feliciano, Peres, Lauren C. , Reid, Brett M. , Patel, Krina, Frank, Matthew J. , Hansen, Doris, Sidana, Surbhi , Shah, Nirali, Mikkilineni, Lekha , Davis, James A. , Sidana, Surbhi , Davis, James A , Hosoya, Hitomi , Pasvolsky, Oren , Dillard, Christen , Raza, Shahzad , Anwer, Faiz , Davis, James, Zolotov, Eli , Herr, Megan M. , Hassan, Hamza , Kort, Jeries , Atrash, Shebli , Fortuna, Gliceida Galarza , Julian, Kelley , Dima, Danai , Banerjee, Rahul , Portuguese, Andrew J. , Locke, Frederick L. , Puglianini, Omar Castañeda , Grajales‐Cruz, Ariel , Jain, Michael D. , Patel, Krina K. , Lin, Yi , Hansen, Doris K. , Shah, Nirali N

Blood | December 5, 2025 | Volume: 146 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 717-717

10.1182/blood-2025-717 Get It

Abstract Background: IEC-HS is a potentially life-threatening complication following CAR-T therapy in RRMM. Reliable diagnostic biomarkers are needed to help expeditiously identify cases to initiate prompt treatment and supportive care. Serum ferritin, a routinely available laboratory parameter, is commonly elevated in IEC-HS and has been used to identify cases. However, ferritin can also be elevated in cytokine release syndrome (CRS) or secondary to baseline tumor-related inflammation. The optimal diagnostic threshold for post-CAR-T ferritin in IEC-HS in RRMM has not been previously established. Methods: This study used data from 15 centers within the US Multiple Myeloma Immunotherapy Consortium to identify the optimal post-CAR-T ferritin threshold to distinguish RRMM patients (pts) with and without a diagnosis of IEC-HS. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine the optimal threshold based on Youden's Index. The performance of the threshold was evaluated overall and stratified by CAR-T product (cilta-cel, ide-cel). Additional analyses included the temporal relationship of peak ferritin and IEC-HS diagnosis, the evaluation of IEC-HS criteria according to ferritin levels, comparison of IEC-HS criteria co-occurrence, and comprehensive baseline characteristic comparisons across ferritin strata. Results: Of 1502 RRMM CAR-T recipients (ide-cel, n=712; cilta-cel, n=790), 74 patients (4.9%) had a provider-determined diagnosis of IEC-HS. A post-CAR-T ferritin threshold of 7470 ng/mL was identified as optimal for distinguishing pts with and without IEC-HS (AUC 0.938). Sensitivity (0.904) and specificity (0.934) were both very high, indicating high discriminatory ability. Stratified ROC analyses showed near-identical optimal thresholds for cilta-cel (7450 ng/mL; sensitivity 0.885, specificity 0.936, AUC 0.94) and ide-cel (7470 ng/mL; sensitivity 0.952, specificity 0.933, AUC 0.95), indicating minimal impact of CAR-T product on ferritin's prognostic utility. Baseline pt characteristics (N=1,413) differed significantly by ferritin threshold. Pts above the ferritin threshold of 7470 (N=154) were younger (median 64 vs 67 years; p=0.004), more frequently male (65% vs 56%; p=0.043), had higher baseline ferritin (1,300 vs 187; p<0.001), higher ECOG at apheresis (p=0.001), more likely penta-refractory (p=0.016), had higher baseline bone marrow plasma cell burden (p<0.001), and had higher R-ISS scores (p<0.001). Evaluation of IEC-HS criteria (Hines et al, TCT 2023) demonstrated significantly higher rates of laboratory and clinical criteria, including hepatic transaminase elevation (43% vs 15%), hypofibrinogenemia (53% vs 0%), cytopenias (95% vs 81%), hypertriglyceridemia (43% vs 8%), ICANS (52% vs 23%), renal insufficiency (20% vs 0%), and soluble IL-2 receptor elevations (47% vs 4%), in pts with ferritin >7500 ng/mL compared to those with lower ferritin. Heatmap visualization revealed distinct patterns of co-occurring criteria in high- and low-ferritin groups. Assessment of the timing of peak ferritin and IEC-HS diagnosis among IEC-HS cases revealed a median difference of 0 days (IQR: -1, 0), suggesting simultaneous occurrence. Median time to max ferritin was 9 days (IQR 8,12) in IEC-HS pts compared to 8 days (IQR 5,10) in non-IEC-HS pts (Wilcoxon p<0.05). Conclusions: In this analysis of over 1500 patients, a post-CAR-T ferritin level of 7500 ng/mL robustly identifies RRMM pts with IEC-HS following either cilta-cel or ide-cel. Pts exceeding this threshold demonstrate marked enrichment in IEC-HS diagnostic criteria and significant differences in baseline characteristics, warranting further study of the role of ferritin in IEC-HS diagnosis and early intervention.
Real-world outcomes of immune effector cell-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (IEC-HS) following ide-cel and cilta-cel therapy in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma
Lee, Jerry , Jensen, Alexandria , Hosoya, Hitomi , Afrough, Aimaz , Zanwar, Saurabh , Gaballa, Mahmoud , Khouri, Jack , Goel, Utkarsh , Hovanky, Vanna, Rana, Masooma , Green, Kimberly M , Anderson, Larry , Biran, Noa , Shune, Leyla , Ferreri, Christopher, Varga, Cindy , Voorhees, Peter M. , Sborov, Douglas W. , Freeman, Ciara L. , Salva, Karla Feliciano, Cassano, Raffaella Cassano , Peres, Lauren C. , Reid, Brett M. , Patel, Krina, Frank, Matthew J. , Hansen, Doris, Sidana, Surbhi , Shah, Nirali, Mikkilineni, Lekha , Davis, James A. , Sidana, Surbhi , Davis, James A , Hosoya, Hitomi , Pasvolsky, Oren , Dillard, Christen , Raza, Shahzad , Anwer, Faiz , Davis, James P. , Zolotov, Eli , Herr, Megan M. , Hassan, Hamza , Kort, Jeries , Atrash, Shebli , Fortuna, Gliceida Galarza , Julian, Kelley , Dima, Danai , Portuguese, Andrew J. , Banerjee, Rahul , Puglianini, Omar Castañeda , Grajales‐Cruz, Ariel , Jain, Michael D. , Patel, Krina K. , Locke, Frederick L. , Lin, Yi , Hansen, Doris K. , Shah, Nirali N

Blood | December 5, 2025 | Volume: 146 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 719-719

10.1182/blood-2025-719 Get It

Abstract Introduction: IEC-HS is an emerging and potentially life-threatening complication in multiple myeloma (MM) patients (pts) treated with CAR-T therapies. We conducted a retrospective, multi-institutional analysis to define the features and outcomes of IEC-HS after ide-cel or cilta-cel in the real-world setting. Methods: This study used data from 15 centers within the US Multiple Myeloma Immunotherapy Consortium for patients with relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM) who received commercial cilta-cel or ide-cel. IEC-HS was defined by each center based on diagnostic criteria (Hines et al, TCT 2023). Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox models were used for time-to-event outcomes while logistic regression was used for categorical outcomes. Results: Of 1502 RRMM pts who received either ide-cel (n=712) or cilta-cel (n=790), 74 patients (4.9%) had a provider-determined diagnosis of IEC-HS. Product-specific incidences were 2.9% for ide-cel and 6.7% for cilta-cel. The median time from CAR-T infusion to IEC-HS onset was 9.5 days (range 2-37 days). IEC-HS-related clinical findings (Hines et al, 2024) included cytopenias (95%), elevated soluble IL-2R levels (79%), fever (76%), elevated LDH (71%, median 1,800 U/L), hypofibrinogenemia (70%), hypertriglyceridemia (65%), ICANS (63%), hepatic transaminase elevation (56%), pulmonary involvement (46%), renal insufficiency (29%), hyperbilirubinemia (22%), and hemophagocytosis in bone marrow (6%). The median interval from peak CRS to IEC-HS onset was 4 days (IQR 1–6). Some variables, such as splenomegaly and coagulopathy, were not systematically collected. Nearly all pts received pharmacologic intervention: corticosteroids (94%, n=59), anakinra (76%, n=48), tocilizumab (71%, n=45), emapalumab (13%, n=8), ruxolitinib (16%, n=10), or etoposide (3%, n=2). Only one pt (2%) did not receive any IEC-HS therapy. Among those evaluable for outcomes, 58% (n=35) improved, 12% (n=7) developed further CAR-T-related complications (e.g., recurrent IEC-HS, delayed neurotoxicity), and 30% (n=18) had no therapeutic response and died. Compared to non-IEC-HS pts (n=1,428), those with IEC-HS were younger (median age 63 vs 66), male (61% vs 57%), and more frequently received cilta-cel (72% vs 52%, all p<0.01). They had higher rates of triple-class (81%) and penta-refractory (43%) disease, greater pre-treatment bone marrow plasma cell burden (40% vs 6%), and higher baseline ferritin (1058 vs 208 ng/mL). Prior autologous SCT was less common, and advanced R-ISS stage was more prevalent. IEC-HS was associated with dramatically worse PFS and OS: with cilta-cel, median PFS was 6.5 months (mo) with IEC-HS (vs 33.1 without); for ide-cel, 8.9 vs 11.4 mo. Median OS for cilta-cel IEC-HS pts was 9.6 mo (not reached in non-IEC-HS pts); for ide-cel IEC-HS, 19.6 mo (vs 40.8 mo). Multivariable analysis confirmed IEC-HS as an independent predictor of shorter PFS (HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.29–2.74, p=0.0011) and OS (HR 2.30, 95% CI 1.39–3.83, p=0.0013). Notably, IEC-HS was not associated with lower response rates – either best CR (63.9% vs 64.0%, p=0.71) or ORR (91.8% vs 90.9%, p=0.97). Cilta-cel pts had a higher probability of achieving a deep (CR) response, regardless of IEC-HS status. Grade > 3 CRS occurred in 14% (n=3/21) of ide-cel and 15% (n=8/52) of cilta-cel IEC-HS pts, versus 2% (n=12/691) and 2% (n=13/737) in non-IEC-HS pts, respectively. Any-grade ICANS was observed in 67% (n=14/21) of ide-cel and 55% (n=29/52) of cilta-cel IEC-HS cases, compared to 26% (n=179/690) and 20% (n=148/738) in non-IEC-HS. Grade ≥3 ICANS occurred in 29% (n=6/21) of ide-cel and 26% (n=14/52) of cilta-cel IEC-HS cases, relative to 4% (n=25/690) and 4% (n=27/738) in pts without IEC-HS. Severe infections were also more common: 71% (n=15/21) of ide-cel and 53% (n=28/52) of cilta-cel IEC-HS pts experienced at least one infection, compared to 31% (n=214/691) and 29% (n=217/737) in non-IEC-HS groups. Conclusions: IEC-HS is an uncommon but severe and early complication after CAR T-cell therapy for RRMM. Despite similar ORRs with or without IEC-HS, IEC-HS was associated with significantly worse PFS and OS for both ide-cel and cilta-cel. These findings support the need for vigilant monitoring and potential preemptive treatment strategies to better manage this syndrome.
Real-world effectiveness and safety outcomes by age, comorbidity, frailty, and treatments prior to infusion in relapsed or refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma patients treated with axicabtagene ciloleucel
Frank, Matthew J. , Herrera, Alex F. , Pérez, Waleska S., Lau, Constance, Best, Timothy, Nikolajeva, Olga , Lee, Grace , Pasquini, Marcelo C. , Jacobson, Caron A. , Tun, Aung M. , Iqbal, Madiha , Hamadani, Mehdi , Kim, Soyoung , Adedokun, Babatunde , Hu, Kenny

Blood | December 4, 2025 | Volume: 146 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 5356-5356

10.1182/blood-2025-5356 Get It

Abstract Introduction: Axi-cel, an autologous anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy has shown high and durable response rates and a manageable safety profile among R/R FL pts in the ZUMA-5 trial (Jacobson et al. 2022; Neelapu et al. 2024). Evidence from real-world data showed favorable early outcomes in a broader population using CIBMTR data, with comparable outcomes by ZUMA-5 eligibility, age, lines of therapy (LOT), and prior bendamustine (benda) use (Jacobson et al. 2023). This study investigated long-term outcomes and the association between age, performance status, comorbidities, and therapies given prior to infusion among R/R FL pts treated with axi-cel. Methods: Pts with R/R FL who received commercial axi-cel between 03/2021–10/2023 in the US were identified from the CIBMTR® registry; pts without consent, with prior non-transplant cellular therapy, and FL grade 3B or 3A/3B unspecified or unknown were excluded. Descriptive analyses were done among all pts and by age at infusion (<65 vs ≥65 y), Karnofsky performance score (KPS), presence of hepatic, cardiovascular (CV), or moderate to severe pulmonary comorbidities, prior treatments (benda pre-leukapheresis, autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant [autoHSCT]), and lymphodepletion (LD) therapy. Multivariable (MV) Cox and logistic regression were used to adjust for confounders. Results: In total, 238 pts from 68 centers were included (data cut-off October 2024). Median age at infusion was 61 yr (range, 29-83; ≥65 yr, 38%), and 79% were non-Hispanic White. KPS of pts was ≤70% (11%), 80% (35%), or 90-100% (54%); 2% had ECOG ≥2. Most (75%) had ≥1 clinically significant comorbidity (hepatic, 6%; CV, 15%; pulmonary, 18%). Median (min, max) prior LOT was 4 (1,13); 74% received benda pre-leukapheresis, and 6% had benda LD therapy. At a median follow-up of 24.1 months, objective response rate (ORR) was 96% (complete response [CR] rate, 91%). The 2-yr (95% CI) DOR, PFS, and OS were 70% (63-77), 64% (57-71), and 84% (78-89) respectively. Grade ≥3 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) occurred in 4% and 18% of pts (any grade, 74% and 42%), respectively. Prolonged cytopenias by day 30 occurred in 14% of pts (neutropenia [10%] and thrombocytopenia [8%]) while 29% had clinically significant infections at 6 months. Second primary malignancies occurred in 16 pts (7%), with 7 (2%) being therapy-related myeloid neoplasm. The leading primary causes of death (n=34) were relapse/progression (10; 29%), organ failure (7; 21%), and infection 5 (15%). Cumulative incidence of non-relapse mortality at 2-yr was 9%. Outcomes were generally comparable among age, autoHSCT, and comorbidity subgroups. However, effectiveness outcomes differed by prior benda use (Yes vs No): ORR (95% vs 98%); CR (88% vs 98%); DOR (65% vs 89%), PFS (58% vs 84%), and OS (82% vs 91%) at 2 years. By LD therapy (single agent benda vs cyclophosphamide + fludarabine [Cy + Flu]): the ORR was 93% vs 96%; CR rate was 57% vs 93%. On MV analysis, prior benda use was associated with (OR/HR [95% CI]): worse CR (0.02 [<0.01-0.43]), DOR (3.69 [1.51-9.02], and PFS (2.21 [1.12-4.38]). Pts given benda LD therapy had (OR/HR [95% CI]): worse CR rate (0.02 [<0.01-0.16]), DOR (7.59 [2.33-24.72]), and PFS (4.89 [1.79-13.39]) compared to those who received Cy + Flu. CRS and ICANS were lower among those with prior benda use (Yes vs No): any-grade CRS (70% vs 87%); Grade ≥3 CRS (3% vs 8%); any-grade ICANS (36% vs 61%); and grade ≥3 ICANS (17% vs 25%). By LD therapy (single agent benda vs Cy + Flu): the Grade ≥3 CRS and ≥3 ICANS were 0% vs 5% and 7% vs 19% respectively. Any-grade ICANS was higher among those aged ≥ 65 yr vs <65 yr (53% vs 35%). On MV analysis, pts who had prior benda use were less likely to have any-grade CRS (0.30 [0.12-0.75]), and any-grade ICANS (0.23 [0.11-0.50]. Pts ≥ 65 yr had higher any-grade ICANS (2.31 [1.18 – 4.50]). Summary/Conclusion: This long-term follow up of axi-cel in R/R FL shows durable responses and manageable safety similar to ZUMA-5. Outcomes among the elderly and those with comorbidities were generally comparable to the overall R/R FL population. Although benda use pre-leukapheresis was associated with less durable responses, we were unable to determine whether this association is limited to use close to axi-cel infusion, as data on timing of use was unavailable. The associations for benda LD should be interpreted with caution given the small sample size.
Treatment and outcomes of progression of disease post–CAR T-cell therapy in mantle cell lymphoma: a multicenter analysis
Epstein‐Peterson, Zachary D. , Lionel, Anath C. , Joseph, Ashlee , Drill, Esther , Atallah‐Yunes, Suheil Albert , Brooks, Taylor , Chong, Elise A. , Chong, Emeline R. , Cruz, Jamie Dela , Frank, Matthew J. , Jacobson, Caron A. , Beyar‐Katz, Ofrat , Maddocks, Kami J. , McLoughlin, Daniel E. , Navalekar, Rohin, Ryan, Christine E. , Sauter, Craig S. , Sharma, Samanvaya , Shukla, Navika , Therwhanger, Dylan , Besien, Herman J. van, Varon, Ben , Yamshon, Samuel , Palomba, M. Lia , Kumar, Anita , Brooks, Taylor R , Kamdar, Manali , Karmali, Reem , Matasar, Matthew , McLoughlin, Daniel , Rhodes, Joanna , Riedell, Peter A , Ryan, Christine E , Salles, Gilles A , Sawalha, Yazeed , Sharma, Samanvaya , Shouval, Roni , Therwhanger, Dylan , van Besien, Herman , Varon, Ben , Wang, Yucai , Yamshon, Samuel , Zelenetz, Andrew D , Jain, Preetesh , Kumar, Anita , Chong, Elise A , Joseph, Ashlee , Atallah-Yunes, Albert , Ip, Andrew , Iqbal, Madiha , Kamdar, Manali , Karmali, Reem , Matasar, Matthew J. , Merryman, Reid W. , Muñoz, Javier , Navalekar, Rohini, Rhodes, Joanna , Riedell, Peter A. , Salles, Gilles , Sawalha, Yazeed , Wang, Yucai , Zelenetz, Andrew D. , Jain, Preetesh

Blood Advances | August 5, 2025 | Volume: 9 | Issue: 21 | Pages: 5654-5662

10.1182/bloodadvances.2025016315 Get It

Abstract The treatment patterns and clinical outcomes for patients experiencing progression of disease (POD) following CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for relapsed or refractory (R/R) mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) are undefined. We identified all patients who received CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy for R/R MCL therapy across 15 international centers, and studied those experiencing POD post–CAR T-cell therapy in detail. We extracted clinical/treatment/pathologic variables, and associated these features with survival outcomes. In total, 384 patients received CAR T-cell therapy, and 135 (35%) experienced POD. POD occurred at a median of 6 months following CAR T-cell therapy infusion, and most (64%) patients with POD had complete response as best response to CAR T-cell therapy. Tumor features at POD included blastoid/pleomorphic morphology in 29 of 78 (37%) patients, and TP53 mutation in 21 of 41 (51%) patients. Following POD, 17 patients received no further therapy, 13 underwent local therapy, and 105 received systemic therapy. The most common first-line systemic therapies were chemo(immuno)therapy (22 patients; overall response rate [ORR], 40%), pirtobrutinib (17 patients; ORR, 36%), and bispecific antibodies (13 patients; ORR, 67%). Among patients experiencing POD, the median progression-free survival and overall survival (OS) were 2.5 months and 5.4 months, respectively, from POD. Lack of response to CAR T-cell therapy and short time from CAR T-cell therapy infusion to POD (<3 vs 3-6 vs >6 months), among other factors, were associated with inferior OS after POD. In conclusion, we confirm the challenging prognosis for patients experiencing POD following CD19 CAR T-cell therapy for R/R MCL, and establish a benchmark for future investigations in this patient population.
Real-world outcomes of brexucabtagene autoleucel for relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma: a CIBMTR analysis
Ahmed, Nausheen , Kambhampati, Swetha , Hamadani, Mehdi , Hu, Zhen‐Huan , Grover, Natalie S. , Shadman, Mazyar , Locke, Frederick L. , Gerson, James N. , Frank, Matthew J. , Budde, Lihua E. , Wang, Michael , Bye, Matthew , Kharfan‐Dabaja, Mohamed A. , Sauter, Craig S. , Logan, Brent R., Nunes, Ana, Dalton, David , Kloos, Ioana , Xu, Hairong, Pasquini, Marcelo C. , Herrera, Alex F. , Thiruvengadam, Swetha Kambhampati , Grover, Natalie S , Gerson, James , Kim, Soyoung , Kharfan-Dabaja, Mohamed A , Hematti, Peiman , Turtle, Cameron J , Ahmed, Sairah , Moskop, Amy , Nunes, Ana , Dalton, David , Pasquini, Marcelo , Herrera, Alex F , Hamadani, Mehdi , Shadman, Mazyar , Ahmed, Nausheen , Locke, Frederick L , Kim, Soyoung , Hematti, Peiman , Turtle, Cameron J. , Ahmed, Sairah , Moskop, Amy , Lee, Daniel Y.

Blood Advances | July 24, 2025 | Volume: 9 | Issue: 20 | Pages: 5382-5396

10.1182/bloodadvances.2024015014 Get It

Abstract Brexucabtagene autoleucel (brexu-cel) is a chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy approved for relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma (R/R MCL). Here, we report real-world effectiveness and safety outcomes of brexu-cel in a prospective study of patients with R/R MCL, including subgroups based on prior treatment with Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor, bendamustine, or autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (auto-HCT) and number of prior therapy lines, using Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research registry data. A total of 476 patients with R/R MCL who received brexu-cel between July 2020 and December 2022 were included in the analysis. With a median follow-up of 13.5 months, the overall response rate was 91% and complete response rate was 82%. One-year overall survival and progression-free survival rates were 76% and 63%, respectively. One-year cumulative incidence of nonrelapse mortality was 8%. Prior auto-HCT was associated with better duration of response within 6 months after infusion (hazard ratio [HR], 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28-0.85) but greater risk of immune effector cell–associated neurotoxicity syndrome (odds ratio [OR], 1.66; 95% CI, 1.06-2.60). Prior bendamustine was associated with increased risk of prolonged thrombocytopenia (OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.13-3.21). In patients with 1 to 2 prior therapy lines, relapse or progression was less frequent compared with those with ≥3 prior lines (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.42-1.00). Collectively, our results suggest that real-world outcomes with brexu-cel were consistent with those of the ZUMA-2 trial, regardless of prior therapy type or number of prior therapy lines.
Treatment Patterns and Outcomes Following Progression of Disease Post-CAR-T Therapy in Relapsed or Refractory Mantle Cell Lymphoma: A Multicenter Analysis
Epstein‐Peterson, Zachary D. , Joseph, Ashlee , Drill, Esther , Brooks, Taylor , Chong, Emeline R. , Cruz, Jamie Dela , Frank, Matthew J. , Jacobson, Caron A. , Maddocks, Kami J. , Sauter, Craig S. , Shukla, Navika , Stanisic, Alexander V., Therwhanger, Dylan , Besien, Herman van, Yamshon, Samuel , Palomba, Maria Lia, Kumar, Anita J. , Stanisic, Alexander , Brooks, Taylor R , Stanisic, Alexander V , Lionel, Anath C. , Atallah‐Yunes, Suheil Albert , Chong, Elise A. , Ip, Andrew , Iqbal, Madiha , Kamdar, Manali , Karmali, Reem , Matasar, Matthew J. , Merryman, Reid W. , Muñoz, Javier , Riedell, Peter A. , Ryan, Christine E. , Salles, Gilles , Sawalha, Yazeed , Shouval, Roni , Wang, Yucai , Zelenetz, Andrew D. , Palomba, M. Lia , Jain, Preetesh

Blood | December 5, 2024 | Volume: 144 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 238-238

10.1182/blood-2024-192995 Get It

Background: CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy is an established treatment with high efficacy in treating relapsed or refractory (R/R) mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). However, with CAR-T therapy, refractory disease occurs and a continuous pattern of relapse over time has been observed. Limited data exist about post-CAR-T progression of disease (POD) management and outcomes in MCL. Such data would meaningfully inform practice and set a critical benchmark for future studies in the post-CAR-T setting. We characterized treatment patterns and outcomes for pts with POD after CD19 CAR-T therapy for R/R MCL. Methods: We queried institutional databases to identify pts with R/R MCL who received CD19-directed CAR-T therapy. Treatment may have occurred as standard-of-care or in a clinical trial. We performed chart review to extract variables and categorized therapies by mechanism(s) of action. We used descriptive statistics to characterize patient/disease characteristics and treatment patterns, the reverse Kaplan-Meier method to calculate follow-up, the Kaplan-Meier method to calculate survival, and Cox proportional hazards to associate clinical and disease features with survival outcomes. Results: Across 9 sites, we identified 306 pts who received CD19 CAR-T for R/R MCL, of which 104 (34%) experienced POD and were investigated in detail: pts with POD were mostly men (73%), had a median age of 67 yrs (range 36-86) at infusion, and had received a median of 3 lines of therapy pre-leukapheresis, including a BTK inhibitor (BTKi) in 97% of patients; 36% of BTKi-exposed patients had BTKi-unresponsive disease. High-risk tumor features were common pre-CAR-T: 47/68 (69%) with a TP53 mutation, 66/93 (71%) with Ki67 ≥50%, and 47/102 (46%) with blastoid/pleomorphic MCL. Most pts (75%) received bridging therapy. Pts received brexucabtagene autoleucel (88%) or lisocabtagene maraleucel (12%). Regarding best CAR-T response for pts with POD, 71% had a complete response (CR), 13% partial response (PR), and 15% had no response. The median time from CAR-T infusion to POD was 6 months (IQR 3-12). At time of POD, high-risk MCL features were again common: 55% blastoid/pleomorphic, 42/56 (75%) Ki67 ≥50%, 51/83 (61%) MIPIb high-risk, and 21/35 (60%) TP53-mutated MCL. Among 69 pts with CD19 assessed on a post-POD biopsy, 8 (12%) had CD19-negative disease. 30% of pts had an ECOG performance status of ≥2 at time of POD. After POD occurred, 15 pts received no anti-lymphoma therapy (Tx), 11 pts underwent excision or radiation, and 78 pts received systemic therapy. The most commonly used first-line systemic Tx post-CAR-T progression included: pirtobrutinib in 13 pts [overall response rate (ORR) 31%], chemoimmunotherapy in 12 pts (ORR 25%), venetoclax in 10 patients (ORR 20%), bispecific antibodies (BsAb) in 10 pts (ORR 60%), and small molecule combinations (at least 2 of BTK inhibitor, BCL2 inhibitor, and lenalidomide) in 8 patients with ORR 50%. The ORR to all first systemic Tx post-POD was 42%. The median follow-up from POD is 15.2 months among survivors. The median progression-free and overall survival (OS) from time of POD were 2.3 (95% CI 1.9-3.4) and 5.4 months (95% CI 4.5-9.4), respectively, and 1-year OS rate was 33%. TP53 mutations predicted inferior OS (HR 2.83, 95% CI 1.08-7.43, P = 0.026) as did age ≥65 years at time of POD (HR 1.83, 95% CI 1.07-3.15, P = 0.023), MIPIb high-risk (HR 3.56, 95% CI 1.08-11.7, P = 0.042), and non-response to CAR-T (HR 3.55, 95% CI 1.93-6.53, P < 0.001). Discussion: Our data, the largest reported cohort of pts with POD post-CAR-T with R/R MCL, confirm the poor prognosis in this patient population, with a median OS of 5.4 months. BsAbs showed promise with an overall response rate of 60%. The presence of a TP53 mutation significantly predicted inferior OS, corroborating the prognostic importance of this finding in the post-CAR-T context. Data from pts treated at additional sites and updated analyses will be presented at the meeting.
Comparative Effectiveness of Axicabtagene Ciloleucel Vs Historical Standard-of-Care in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Follicular Lymphoma: An Analysis of CIBMTR and SCHOLAR-5 Data
Kambhampati, Swetha , Wang, Hailin , Yan, Jiali , Herrera, Alex F. , Frank, Matthew J. , Popplewell, Leslie , Best, Timothy, Fu, Christine, Beygi, Sara , Ray, Markqayne D, Bian, John, Hu, Zhen‐Huan , Pasquini, Marcelo C. , Jacobson, Caron A. , Ahmed, Nausheen , Lin, Yi , Locke, Frederick L. , Ghione, Paola , Gribben, John G. , Ray, Markqayne D. , Sun, Fang

Blood | December 1, 2023 | Volume: 142 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 2121-2121

10.1182/blood-2023-178629 Get It

Background: Axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel), an autologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, achieved an overall response rate (ORR) of 94% and a complete response (CR) rate of 79% in patients with relapsed or refractory (r/r) follicular lymphoma (FL) after two or more prior lines of therapy in the ZUMA-5 trial ( Jacobson et al. Lancet Oncol. 2022). Since its FDA approval in March 2021, there has been little evidence on comparative effectiveness (CE) studies of axi-cel vs standard-of-care (SoC), except ones using ZUMA-5 and historical SCHOLAR-5 data (eg, Ghione et al. Blood. 2022). This study was aimed to address this evidence gap in CE of axi-cel vs SoC used to treat r/r FL in real-world settings. Methods: The two data sources in this study were patients who received commercial axi-cel between March 2021 and May 2023 from the CIBMTR and patients who received historical SoC (eg, chemotherapy, anti-CD20 mAb + chemotherapy, immunomodulatory imide drugs) between July 2014 and December 2020 from SCHOLAR-5, which served as an external control of ZUMA-5 trial. The index date was defined as the initiation date of either the infusion for axi-cel patients or the last eligible systemic therapy for SoC patients. Patients were included if they were age ≥ 18, had documented r/r FL with histological grade 1, 2 or 3a, and received at least 2 prior lines of therapy at the index. Patients were excluded if they had transformed diffused large B-cell lymphoma, central nervous system involvement, prior receipt of CAR T or other non-CAR T cellular therapies or allogeneic stem cell transplant, or no post-index information on outcomes. Four effectiveness outcomes were ORR, CR rate, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Imbalance in observed prognostic risk factors between the two was adjusted via a propensity score analysis using the standard mortality ratio weighting (SMRW). The primary analyses included weighted univariable analysis and multivariable logistic (ORR and CR rate) or Cox (PFS and OS) regressions that were adjusted for the covariates after the SMRW. A sub-analysis of patients age ≥ 65 was conducted using the same methods as the primary analyses. Results: The unweighted study cohort included 376 patients, in which 256 (68%) received axi-cel . Thepatients who received axi-cel were more likely to be younger (median age 61 for axi-cel vs 67 for SoC), have grade 3a FL (37% vs 12%), received 3 or more prior lines of therapy (83% vs 58%), or remained refractory to the last prior therapy (79% vs 73%) vs those who received SoC. The imbalance in the observed prognostic risk factors was mitigated via the SMRW. The weighted univariable analysis, in which the sample size by treatment reflected the SMRW, is shown in Table 1. In patients of all ages, ORR was 92% in axi-cel vs 67% in SoC, and CR rate was 84% vs 37%. Because of varying follow-up lengths by treatment (median 7 months for axi-cel and 37 months for SoC), survival outcomes were reported at month 6, at which time PFS rate was 88% in axi-cel vs 64% in SoC and OS rate was 97% vs 85%. The corresponding proportions for patients age ≥ 65 were similar to those reported for patients of all ages. In the weighted multivariable regressions, axi-cel was associated with statistically significantly better outcomes by all 4 effectiveness measures vs SoC (Table 1). Specifically, in patients of all ages, the odds ratios for axi-cel were 4.93 (95% CI, 2.35−10.34) for ORR and 16.72 (95% CI, 7.03−39.73) for CR rate, and the hazard ratios for axi-cel were 0.41 (95% CI, 0.22−0.77) for PFS and 0.15 (95% CI, 0.06−0.34) for OS. Similar to the patients of all ages in the primary analyses, patients age ≥ 65 in the sub-analysis also demonstrated improved outcomes associated with axi-cel (Figure 1). Conclusions: This study showed that patients with r/r FL after two or more prior lines of therapy treated with axi-cel experienced better outcomes compared with patients treated with SoC, and that older patients also benefited significantly from axi-cel. These findings suggest that axi-cel addresses an important unmet medical need in patients with r/r FL. Future research should include longer follow-up data on outcomes of axi-cel and CE of axi-cel vs other contemporary SoC therapies.
S223: REAL-WORLD EARLY OUTCOMES OF AXICABTAGENE CILOLEUCEL FOR RELAPSED OR REFRACTORY FOLLICULAR LYMPHOMA
Jacobson, Caron A. , Hemmer, Michael, Hu, Zhen‐Huan , Popplewell, Leslie , Best, Timothy, Beygi, Sara , Miao, Harry , Fu, Christine, Xu, Hairong , Pasquini, Marcelo C. , Frank, Matthew J. , Ahmed, Nausheen , Lin, Yi , Sun, Fang

HemaSphere | August 21, 2023 | Volume: 7 | Issue: S3 | Pages: e31464ce

10.1097/01.hs9.0000967804.31464.ce Get It

Real‐World Early Outcomes of Axicabtagene Ciloleucel for Relapsed or Refractory (R/R) Follicular Lymphoma (FL)
Jacobson, Caron A. , Hemmer, Michael, Hu, Zhen‐Huan , Popplewell, Leslie , Best, Thomas M. , Beygi, Sara , Miao, Harry , Fu, Christine, Sun, Feifei , Xu, Hairong , Pasquini, Marcelo C. , Frank, Matthew J. , Ahmed, Nausheen , Lin, Yi

Hematological Oncology | June 9, 2023 | Volume: 41 | Issue: S2 | Pages: 375-376

10.1002/hon.3164_271 Get It

Real-world early outcomes of axicabtagene ciloleucel for relapsed or refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma (FL).
Jacobson, Caron A. , Hemmer, Michael, Hu, Zhen‐Huan , Popplewell, Leslie , Best, Timothy, Beygi, Sara , Miao, Harry , Fu, Christine, Xu, Hairong , Pasquini, Marcelo C. , Frank, Matthew J. , Ahmed, Nausheen , Lin, Yi , Sun, Fang

Journal of Clinical Oncology | June 4, 2023 | Volume: 41 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 7509-7509

10.1200/jco.2023.41.16_suppl.7509 Get It

7509 Background: Axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) is an autologous CAR T approved for adult patients (pts) with r/r FL after ≥ 2 lines of systemic therapy. In the primary analysis of the pivotal ZUMA-5 trial, 94% of pts who received axi-cel to treat r/r FL achieved an objective response, with a 79% CR rate (Jacobson et al. 2022). Grade ≥ 3 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurologic events occurred in 6% and 15% of pts, respectively. Here, we present the real-world outcomes of pts receiving axi-cel for r/r FL, including those who would have been ineligible for ZUMA-5. Methods: A total of 230 pts from 72 US centers receiving first axi-cel for r/r FL in the real-world setting between March 2021 and October 2022 were identified from the CIBMTR registry. The following pts were excluded: no consent, prior non-transplant cellular therapy, and FL grade 3b or 3a/3b unspecified. Of the 230 pts, 151 pts had post-infusion assessments and were included in the analysis of outcomes. Effectiveness outcomes were ORR, CR, DOR, PFS and OS. Adverse events included CRS, immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) and prolonged cytopenia. Results: Of the 230 pts, median age was 62 years and 60% were male. Prior to infusion, 98% had an ECOG performance score of 0-1, 33% had elevated LDH, and 66% were chemo-resistant. Clinically significant comorbidities were present in 74% of the pts. Ninety-two (40%) pts would have been ineligible for ZUMA-5, mainly due to comorbidities. Pts had a median of 4 (range 1-13) lines of prior therapy including 14% who also underwent prior ASCT. Median time from leukapheresis to infusion was 28 days (IQR 26-34). 9% of pts received bridging therapy. Outcomes were analyzed among the 151 pts with follow-up (median 6.2 mo). ORR and CR rates were 93% (95% CI 88-97%) and 84% (95% CI 77-89%), respectively. Estimated PFS and OS at 6 mo were 88% (95% CI 81-92%) and 96% (95% CI 91-98%), respectively. Grade ≥ 3 CRS (ASTCT consensus) and ICANS (ASTCT consensus) occurred in 2% (95% CI 0-6%) and 13% (95% CI 8-19%) of pts, respectively. Median cumulative incidence estimates of CRS resolution was 5 days and ICANS resolution was 4 days. Among pts alive at Day 30 (n = 150), 11% experienced prolonged cytopenia (4% neutropenia, 9% thrombocytopenia). PFS and OS at 6 mo were comparable regardless of ZUMA-5 eligibility, while pts eligible for ZUMA-5 had fewer Grade ≥ 3 ICANS (10% vs 16%) and more rapid ICANS resolution (92% vs 71% resolved within 2 weeks). Pts aged ≥ 65 vs < 65 years had comparable effectiveness and safety profiles. Conclusions: This is the first report on axi-cel to treat r/r FL in real-world settings. Despite a broader pt population, early results demonstrate effectiveness and safety profiles consistent with those observed in the ZUMA-5 trial. The intent is to present findings from an updated dataset with longer follow-up at ASCO. Overall, these findings support the continued broad use of axi-cel to treat r/r FL.