Halwani, Ahmad

Abstract Introduction Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) is an immune checkpoint receptor that inhibits T cell activation upon interaction with its ligands PD-L1 or PD-L2. Increased PD-L1 expression has been reported in various lymphoid malignancies, and may allow these tumors to circumvent host anti-tumor immunity. Nivolumab, a fully human IgG4 monoclonal PD-1 receptor blocking antibody, potentiates T cell activity, and has clinical efficacy in various solid tumors. We hypothesized that nivolumab might also have clinically important anti-tumor activity in patients with lymphoid malignancies. Methods This open-label study enrolled patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoid malignancies including B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL), T-cell NHL (T-NHL), multiple myeloma (MM), and classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). Patients were treated using a dose escalation design (1 mg/kg and 3 mg/kg) of nivolumab administered every two weeks for up to two years. Responses were assessed using standard criteria. The primary endpoint was safety; key secondary endpoints included anti-tumor activity and expression of immunomodulatory proteins in tumor biopsies. The preliminary results for the cHL patients will be reported separately. Results Twenty-nine patients with B-NHL, 2 patients with primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma; 23 patients with T-NHL; 27 patients with MM; and 1 with chronic myelogenous leukemia were enrolled. Patients were heavily pretreated with 67%, 69%, and 78% of MM, B-NHL, and T-NHL patients, respectively, having received ≥ 3 prior treatment regimens. Previous autologous stem cell transplantation was reported for 56% of MM, 14% of B-NHL, and 9% of T-NHL patients. Prior brentuximab treatment was reported in 7% of B-NHL and 26% of T-NHL patients. When this pre-planned interim analysis was performed, six patients had been treated at the 1 mg/kg dose with 2 dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) occurring in the same patient: grade 3 pneumonia and pneumonitis. At the 3mg/kg dose, seven patients were treated with one patient experiencing two DLTs: grade 3 eosinophilia and diplopia. Additional patients were enrolled in the cohort expansion at 3 mg/kg. Drug-related adverse events (AEs) occurred in 72%, 65%, and 52% of B-NHL, T-NHL, and MM patients, respectively. Serious AEs in B-NHL patients were pneumonitis (7%), acute respiratory distress syndrome, dermatitis, diplopia, enteritis, eosinophilia, mucosal inflammation, pyrexia and vomiting, each occurring in 3%. In the T-NHL patients, serious AEs were pneumonitis, rash, and sepsis, each occurring in 4%, and in MM patients, serious AEs were pneumonitis, myositis, and increased creatine phosphokinase, each occurring in 4%. The incidence and severity of drug related AEs were similar across tumor types. Efficacy results are shown for each tumor type in the table. The overall response rate (ORR) and complete response (CR) rate in patients with B-NHL were 28% and 7%, respectively, including an ORR of 36% in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and 40% in patients with follicular lymphoma (FL). In patients with T-NHL, ORR was 17% (no CR), including an ORR of 40% in the 5 patients with peripheral T cell lymphoma. No objective responses were observed in MM. Analysis of PD-L1 expression and correlation to clinical outcome is being performed and will be presented. Conclusions Nivolumab administered at a dose of 3 mg/kg every two weeks was tolerable and the safety profile was similar to that of the agent in solid tumors. Objective responses were observed in DLBCL, FL, mycosis fungoides (MF), and peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL). Durable stable disease was observed in relapsed MM. The results of this phase 1 study have led to phase 2 studies in DLBCL and FL, which are ongoing. Table: Efficacy Results Tumor N Complete Response n (%) Partial Response n (%) Stable Disease (SD) n (%) Progression Free Survival Rate at 24 Weeks (%) Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) 11 1 (9) 3 (27) 3 (27) (24) Follicular Lymphoma (FL) 10 1 (10) 3 (30) 6 (60) (68) Other B Cell Lymphoma 8 0 0 5 (63) (38) Primary Mediastinal B Cell Lymphoma 2 0 0 2 (100) (0) Mycosis Fungoides (MF) 13 0 2 (15) 9 (69) (39) Peripheral T Cell Lymphoma (PTCL) 5 0 2 (40) 0 (30) Other T Cell Lymphoma 5 0 0 1 (20) (0) Multiple Myeloma (MM) 27 0 0 18 (67) (15) Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia 1 0 0 1 (100) (100) Disclosures Lesokhin: Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding. Ansell:Bristol-Myers Sqibb: Research Funding. Armand:Merck: Consultancy. Cohen:Celgene: Member, Independent Response Adjudication Committee Other; Onyx: Advisory Board, Advisory Board Other; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Advisory Board, Advisory Board Other, Research Funding; Janssen: Advisory Board, Advisory Board Other. Lebovic:Genentech, Allos, Celgene, Onyx, Millennium: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Rodig:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding. Zhu:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Employment. Grosso:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Employment, Equity Ownership. Kim:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Employment. Shipp:Merck: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pharmacyclics: 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, Research Funding; Gilead: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bayer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Sanofi: Research Funding; Janssen R&D: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Borrello:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding. Timmerman:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding.

Abstract Background Outcomes for patients with DLBCL have improved over the past decade, with the addition of rituximab to CHOP or CHOP-like multi-agent chemotherapy regimens improving the 3-year overall survival (OS) of patients by 10-16% compared to multi-agent chemotherapy alone (Coiffier 2002; Pfreundschuh 2010). However, patients with high-intermediate or high-risk disease have relatively poor outcomes with the standard RCHOP regimen (Ziepert 2010); in a recent prospective trial of intermediate- and high-risk DLBCL patients, complete response (CR) rate for RCHOP alone was 26% (Hainsworth 2011). Brentuximab vedotin (ADCETRIS®) is an antibody-drug conjugate comprising the antibody cAC10, specific for human CD30, covalently attached to the microtubule-disrupting agent monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) via a protease-cleavable linker. Brentuximab vedotin has demonstrated compelling activity as a single agent in patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL, even those with low CD30 expression (Bartlett 2013). This phase 2, randomized, open label study is designed to evaluate the antitumor activity and safety of brentuximab vedotin (1.2 or 1.8 mg/kg) when administered in combination with standard RCHOP chemotherapy (A+RCHOP) for the front-line treatment of patients with CD30-unselected high-intermediate/high-risk (standard IPI score 3–5 or age-adjusted IPI [aaIPI] score 2–3) DLBCL (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01925612). Methods Patients were randomized to receive up to 6 cycles of either 1.2 or 1.8 mg/kg brentuximab vedotin administered IV on Day 1 of every 21-day cycle in combination with RCHOP; prednisone was administered orally on Days 1-5 of every 21-day cycle. Assessments included disease response per Cheson 2007, as evaluated by the investigator, surveillance of adverse events (AEs), physical examination findings, and laboratory testing. The primary endpoints for this study are the CR rate at the end of treatment (EOT) and the type, incidence, and severity of AEs. Key secondary endpoints include objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and OS. Results At the time of the planned interim analysis, 33 patients were enrolled (17 patients, 1.2 mg/kg A+RCHOP; 16 patients, 1.8 mg/kg A+RCHOP). Median age for all patients was 66 years (range, 21 to 81). At baseline, 36% were high-risk (IPI 4-5, aaIPI 3) and 64% were high-intermediate risk (IPI 3, aaIPI 2). The majority of patients (73%) had Stage IV disease and 33% had an ECOG status of 2. At the time of interim analysis, a total of 12 patients (6 patients in each arm) had completed EOT. Across both dose levels, ORR was 92% (11/12), with 7 CRs (58%), 4 PRs (33%), and 1 PD. The patient with PD subsequently died. Patients with PR had a median reduction of baseline tumor size of 84% (range, 92% to 83%), as measured by SPD. The only patient with follow-up after EOT converted from PR to CR without subsequent therapy. Treatment-emergent AEs occurring in ≥30% of patients treated (26/33) were nausea, diarrhea, peripheral sensory neuropathy, fatigue, and decreased appetite. Grade 3 or higher events occurring in more than 2 patients were febrile neutropenia and neutropenia. Events of peripheral neuropathy occurred equally per arm (46%, 1.2 mg/kg A+RCHOP; 46% 1.8 mg/kg A+RCHOP) and were generally Grade 1 or 2 (15% and 23%, respectively); events were of similar grade across dose levels. The median time to onset of any grade of peripheral neuropathy was 6 weeks (range, 2 to 10 weeks). Five patients (19%) had dose reductions due to peripheral neuropathy and 3 patients (12%) had dose reductions due to febrile neutropenia. One patient who received 1.2 mg/kg A+RCHOP discontinued study drug due to an AE (thrombocytopenia). Conclusions At doses of 1.2 or 1.8 mg/kg, A+RCHOP exhibited manageable toxicity in the treatment of newly-diagnosed DLBCL; the incidence of peripheral neuropathy was similar to single-agent administration of brentuximab vedotin (Pro 2012, Younes 2012) and RCHOP alone (Rummel 2013, Flinn 2014). In 12 patients with response-assessable, high-intermediate and high-risk DLBCL, A+RCHOP showed encouraging antitumor activity, with an ORR of 92% and a CR rate of 58%. Disclosures Yasenchak: Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Off Label Use: Brentuximab vedotin is indicated in the US for treatment of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma after failure of autologous stem cell transplant or after failure of at least two prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimens in patients who are not ASCT candidates and for the treatment of patients with systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma after failure of at least one prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimen. . Farber:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Budde:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Ansell:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Advani:Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Jansseen Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding, Travel expenses Other. Holkova:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Halwani:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Knapp:Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Research Funding; EMD Serono: Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Heron Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding, Travel expenses, Travel expenses Other; Genentech: Research Funding, Travel expenses, Travel expenses Other; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding. Fayad:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Consultancy, Research Funding. Kolibaba:Genentech: Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Patel-Donnelly:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Seetharam:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Manley:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Bartlett:Genentech: Research Funding; ImaginAb: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; MedImmune: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding, Travel expenses Other; Janssen: Research Funding; Astra Zeneca: Research Funding.

Key Points HSCT after PD-1 blockade is feasible, although may be associated with increased early immune toxicity. PD-1 blockade may cause persistent depletion of PD1+ T cells and alterations in T-cell differentiation impacting subsequent treatment.

Purpose Cancer cells can exploit the programmed death-1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint pathway to avoid immune surveillance by modulating T-lymphocyte activity. In part, this may occur through overexpression of PD-1 and PD-1 pathway ligands (PD-L1 and PD-L2) in the tumor microenvironment. PD-1 blockade has produced significant antitumor activity in solid tumors, and similar evidence has emerged in hematologic malignancies. Methods In this phase I, open-label, dose-escalation, cohort-expansion study, patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphoma, T-cell lymphoma, and multiple myeloma received the anti–PD-1 monoclonal antibody nivolumab at doses of 1 or 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of nivolumab and to assess PD-L1/PD-L2 locus integrity and protein expression. Results Eighty-one patients were treated (follicular lymphoma, n = 10; diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, n = 11; other B-cell lymphomas, n = 10; mycosis fungoides, n = 13; peripheral T-cell lymphoma, n = 5; other T-cell lymphomas, n = 5; multiple myeloma, n = 27). Patients had received a median of three (range, one to 12) prior systemic treatments. Drug-related adverse events occurred in 51 (63%) patients, and most were grade 1 or 2. Objective response rates were 40%, 36%, 15%, and 40% among patients with follicular lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, mycosis fungoides, and peripheral T-cell lymphoma, respectively. Median time of follow-up observation was 66.6 weeks (range, 1.6 to 132.0+ weeks). Durations of response in individual patients ranged from 6.0 to 81.6+ weeks. Conclusion Nivolumab was well tolerated and exhibited antitumor activity in extensively pretreated patients with relapsed or refractory B- and T-cell lymphomas. Additional studies of nivolumab in these diseases are ongoing.

AbstractPurpose: Complement may play a role in the clinical response to rituximab and other monoclonal antibody–based therapies of cancer. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the C1qA[276] polymorphism and the clinical response to rituximab in patients with follicular lymphoma.Experimental Design: Genotyping for C1qA[276A/G] was done in 133 subjects with follicular lymphoma treated with single-agent rituximab, and correlation with clinical response was done using Cox regression analysis.Results: Prolonged remission was observed among subjects that responded clinically to rituximab therapy and were carriers of the A allele compared with homozygous G subjects. Homozygous G subjects had a time to progression of 282 days, whereas A-allele carriers had a time to progression of 708 days [hazard ratio, (HR), 2.5; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 2.0-3.1; P = 0.02]. Among subjects who achieved complete remission, homozygous G subjects had a time to progression of 250 days, whereas A-allele carriers had a time to progression of 1,118 days (HR, 4.5; 95% CI, 4.1-4.8, P = 0.04). The difference persisted after controlling for CD32 and CD16 polymorphisms. In patients who responded to rituximab used as first-line agent, a linear trend was observed among the C1qA[276] genotypes, with homozygous A subjects achieving complete response at a higher rate compared with heterozygous or homozygous G subjects.Conclusions: Our findings indicate that polymorphisms in the C1qA gene may affect the clinical response and duration of response to rituximab therapy of follicular lymphoma. These results could have direct implications on designing antibodies with improved efficiency and enhance our understanding of the role of complement in monoclonal antibody therapy.