Gregory, Stephanie A.

Abstract Certain normal and malignant B-cells rely upon “tonic” B-cell receptor (BCR)-mediated survival signals. BCR signaling induces the phosphorylation of the associated Ig alpha and beta proteins and the recruitment and activation of spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK); thereafter, SYK initiates downstream events and amplifies the original BCR signal. A subset of DLBCL exhibits coordinate overexpression of BCR pathway components, including SYK, and relies upon tonic BCR signaling. FosD is an orally available inhibitor of SYK under development for rheumatoid arthritis, and has demonstrated significant in vitro activity against BCR-dependent NHLs. We have performed the first clinical trial of the oral SYK inhibitor, FosD, in patients (pts) with a variety of relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas. We first enrolled 13 pts in a Phase I component, exploring two dose levels (200 and 250 mg BID) of FosD. Pts (Follicular [FL], 5; CLL/SLL, 2; mantle [MCL], 3; DLBCL, 3) were heavily pretreated. On the first day of FosD dosing at 200 mg and 250 mg, the maximum plasma concentrations were 668 ± 258 ng/mL and 1020 ± 781 ng/mL, and the AUC0–4 estimates were 1800 ± 602 ng*h/mL and 2590 ± 1900 ng*h/mL, respectively. Plasma concentrations increased approximately 2-fold with continued administration, but beyond Day 29 there was no apparent change in FosD concentrations measured over time. Dose limiting toxicity in Phase I was neutropenia; and 200 mg BID was chosen for Phase II evaluation. We then enrolled 68 pts with relapsed/refractory NHL in 3 separate disease cohorts: DLBCL (23); FL (21) and other B-cell NHL (24) including SLL/CLL (11), MCL (9) marginal zone/MALT (3) and lymphoplasmacytic NHL (1). The median age of pts in phase II was 61 (range 41–87); pts received a median of 5 prior therapies, including ASCT (16; 12 with DLBCL) and radioimmunotherapy (8). FosD was overall very well tolerated; there were 4 cases of febrile neutropenia reported. Eight pts required dose modification for neutropenia (2), hypertension (2), liver function test abnormalities (2), fever (1) and mucositis (1). Six pts withdrew before initial response evaluation (AE, 5; noncompliance, 1). Best responses by disease were: DLBCL 21% (4PR; 1CR); SLL/CLL 54% (6PR); FL 10% (2PR); MCL 11% (1PR). Stable disease was observed in an additional 23 patients, including 12 with FL, 4 with DLBCL, 4 with MCL, 2 with CLL/SLL and 1 with MALT. As of 7/15/08, 16 pts were treated for more than 200 days, and 14 pts remain on study. Median PFS is 4.5 months, and only 5 pts have died (4 with DLBCL of disease progression and 1 with CLL of infection following therapy). Several pts with CLL/SLL experienced a transient increase in circulating lymphocytes in the setting of responding nodal disease. Of the 6 responding pts with CLL, Zap-70 status was positive (3), negative (1) and unknown (2); cytogenetics were trisomy 12 (1), del13 (1), normal (1), complex (1) and unknown (2). We conclude that disrupting BCR-induced signaling by inhibiting SYK kinase represents a safe and well-tolerated novel therapeutic approach to NHL. In addition to significant responses in DLBCL and CLL/SLL, prolonged stable disease was observed in pts with FL. FosD should be developed further, as a single agent and in rational combinations, for BCR-dependent B-cell NHLs.

Abstract Abstract 3925 Introduction: CLL patients (pts) who relapse following purine-analog or bendamustine-based treatments have a poor prognosis. These pts have limited therapeutic options and novel agents with alternative mechanisms of action are needed. Several phase 1 and 2 trials in rel/ref CLL showed promising activity with escalating dose regimens of lenalidomide (LEN). In other phase II studies improved clinical responses to lenalidomide appeared to correlate with dose levels > 5mg/day. This phase 2 trial investigates the safety of LEN initiated at 3 different starting doses followed by a step-wise dose escalation as tolerated in rel/ref CLL. Methods: In this ongoing trial, eligible pts with rel/ref CLL who have received ≥ 1 prior treatment regimen containing purine-analog or bendamustine are being enrolled. The objectives of this study are to evaluate primarily the safety and secondarily the efficacy of different LEN dose regimens. Pts are randomized 1:1:1 to receive a double-blinded starting dose of 5 mg, 10 mg, or 15 mg oral LEN on days 1–28 of each 28-day cycle. In all 3 treatment arms, the dose is escalated by 5 mg increments every 28 days to reach a maximum dose of 25 mg/d, depending on tolerability. In instances of poor tolerability, dose reductions also occur in 5 mg steps. Pts are stratified by relapsed versus refractory status to their last purine-analog or bendamustine-based treatment regimen and according to age (< 65 vs ≥ 65 years). Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) prophylaxis comprises of oral hydration and allopurinol 300 mg/day and is initiated ≥ 3 days prior to starting study drug and for a minimum of the first 3 treatment cycles. A total of 105 pts are planned for enrollment to the study. Per protocol, unblinded interim analyses were conducted by the independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) after 18 subjects completed 1 cycle and continue at 13-week intervals. Results: To date, 95 pts are enrolled at a median age of 64 years (range 32–81). Enrolled pts are primarily male (67%) and Caucasian (92%). Cytogenetic data are available for 73 pts; 21% have del(17p), 55% have del(13q), 25% have del(11q), and of 72 patients evaluable for trisomy 12, 11 patients (15%) tested positive. IGVH is unmutated in 77% of 77 evaluable pts and 44% of 84 evaluable pts are ZAP70-positive. Based on the Binet and Rai staging systems 9 (10%), 25 (26%) and 24 (25%) of subjects are stage A, B and C, respectively; 7 (7%), 12 (13%) and 16 (17%) subjects are low, intermediate or high-risk disease, respectively. For 2 (2%) subjects the Binet/Rai staging is currently unknown. Overall, 19 pts (20%) received prior bendamustine-containing treatment and 71 pts (75%) received prior fludarabine-based treatment. The median number of prior therapies was 3 (range 1–10). Most common hematological grade ≥ 3 AEs include neutropenia (62%) and thrombocytopenia (34%). At baseline, 19% of pts presented with grade 1–2 neutropenia. The most common non-hematological ≥ grade 3 AEs include pneumonia (13%), tumor flare (13%), and fatigue (11%). TLS was reported in 3 pts (3%): grade 1, 3, and 4. In total, 8 grade 5 events were reported, 3 of which were suspected to be related to LEN: 2 cases of pneumonia and 1 death for unknown cause. At the time of the cut-off, 59 pts (62%) have discontinued treatment. Most common reasons for treatment discontinuation include disease progression (n = 20) and AEs (n = 20). To date, 47 pts (49%) have dose escalated above their starting dose levels of which 12 patients escalated to the highest dose level (25 mg daily). 18 subjects have had no dose level reduction or escalations and 1 patient is still in the first cycle of the study. Average duration of treatment is 6.5 cycles, and median number of cycles is 4. Efficacy evaluations are completed monthly after 3 months of study drug treatment. At time of the data reporting, 5 pts were on study drug but did not reach the first assessment at cycle. For the 90 pts evaluable for response, the investigator's assessment indicates 2 pts (2%) reached CR, 36 (40%) achieved PR, 33 (37%) patients had SD, and 19 (21%) pts progressed. Conclusion: The independent DMC, as of 14 June, 2012 (N=95), recommended that accrual into all three treatment arms should continue as planned, suggesting all three starting doses were well tolerated. To date, the ORR is 42% and 49% of pts were dose escalated at least once. In this rel/ref CLL population LEN appears active, and completion of accrual will clarify the appropriate dose at which to initiate therapy. Disclosures: Wendtner: Celgene Corporation: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Roche: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; GSK: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Mundipharma: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Off Label Use: use of lenalidomie in relapsed/refractory CLL. Hallek:Celgene Corporation: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Hillmen:Celgene Corporation: Honoraria. Gregory:Celgene Corporation: Honoraria, Research Funding. Stilgenbauer:Celgene Corporation: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Kipps:Celgene Corporation: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Purse:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Zhang:Celgene Corporation: Employment, Equity Ownership. Mei:Celgene Corporation: Employment.

Abstract Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) is a distinct B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder for which clearly defined criteria for the diagnosis, initiation of therapy, and treatment strategy have been proposed as part of the consensus panels of International Workshops on WM (IWWM). As part of the IWWM-7 and based on recently published and ongoing clinical trials, the panels updated treatment recommendations. Therapeutic strategy in WM should be based on individual patient and disease characteristics (age, comorbidities, need for rapid disease control, candidacy for autologous transplantation, cytopenias, IgM-related complications, hyperviscosity, and neuropathy). Mature data show that rituximab combinations with cyclophosphamide/dexamethasone, bendamustine, or bortezomib/dexamethasone provided durable responses and are indicated for most patients. New monoclonal antibodies (ofatumumab), second-generation proteasome inhibitors (carfilzomib), mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors, and Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors are promising and may expand future treatment options. A different regimen is typically recommended for relapsed or refractory disease. In selected patients with relapsed disease after long-lasting remission, reuse of a prior effective regimen may be appropriate. Autologous stem cell transplantation may be considered in young patients with chemosensitive disease and in newly diagnosed patients with very-high-risk features. Active enrollment of patients with WM in clinical trials is encouraged.

AbstractCertain malignant B cells rely on B-cell receptor (BCR)–mediated survival signals. Spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) initiates and amplifies the BCR signal. In in vivo analyses of B-cell lymphoma cell lines and primary tumors, Syk inhibition induces apoptosis. These data prompted a phase 1/2 clinical trial of fostamatinib disodium, the first clinically available oral Syk inhibitor, in patients with recurrent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). Dose-limiting toxicity in the phase 1 portion was neutropenia, diarrhea, and thrombocytopenia, and 200 mg twice daily was chosen for phase 2 testing. Sixty-eight patients with recurrent B-NHL were then enrolled in 3 cohorts: (1) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), (2) follicular lymphoma (FL), and (3) other NHL, including mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), marginal zone lymphoma (MZL), mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, lymphoplasmacytic lymphomas, and small lymphocytic leukemia/chronic lymphocytic leukemia (SLL/CLL). Common toxicities included diarrhea, fatigue, cytopenias, hypertension, and nausea. Objective response rates were 22% (5 of 23) for DLBCL, 10% (2 of 21) for FL, 55% (6 of 11) for SLL/CLL, and 11% (1/9) for MCL. Median progression-free survival was 4.2 months. Disrupting BCR-induced signaling by inhibiting Syk represents a novel and active therapeutic approach for NHL and SLL/CLL. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00446095.