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Kumar, Shaji

Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic in Arizona

Citations 20

Patterns of progression and clinical outcomes after first relapse in patients with primary plasma cell leukemia
Kumar, Shaji, Hellou, Tamer , Kapoor, Prashant , Zanwar, Saurabh , Hayman, Suzanne R. , Leung, Nelson , Cook, Joselle , Abdallah, Nadine , Warsame, Rahma , Kourelis, Taxiarchis , Hwa, Yi L. , Hobbs, Miriam, Fonder, Amie , Packard, Daniel George , Kumar, Shaji , Dispenzieri, Angela , Buadi, Francis K. , Dingli, David , Jevremović, Dragan , Cook, Joselle , Binder, Moritz , Muchtar, Eli , Go, Ronald S. , Lin, Yi , Gertz, Morie A. , Rajkumar, S. Vincent , Gonsalves, Wilson I.

Blood | December 4, 2025 | Volume: 146 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 1036-1036

10.1182/blood-2025-1036 Get It

Abstract Background Primary plasma cell leukemia (pPCL) is a rare and aggressive variant of multiple myeloma (MM), characterized by the presence of more than 5% circulating plasma cells on a peripheral blood smear. Despite advancements in therapy, including novel agents and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), pPCL remains associated with markedly poorer survival outcomes compared to newly diagnosed MM. Although disease progression is common in pPCL, individual courses vary widely upon relapse and thereafter. We aim to describe the natural history of pPCL, focusing on clinical features and survival outcomes at the time of relapse or disease progression. Methods Patients with pPCL who were followed at our institution's cancer center between 2006-2024 were included for retrospective analysis. The electronic health record was reviewed to provide detailed information on patient demographics, disease characteristics, treatment regimens, and clinical outcomes. Time to next treatment (TTNT) and overall survival (OS) analysis were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Statistical analyses were performed using the SAS biostatistical software JMP 17.0.1 (SAS Institute Inc). Results We analyzed a cohort of 106 patients with relapsed pPCL after first-line therapy, all of whom received induction with novel agents. To date, 64 patients (60%) have died. Across the entire cohort, median OS is 39 months (mos) (95% CI: 25-68). 59 patients (56%) were diagnosed after 2015. Baseline FISH cytogenetics were available for 100 patients; 57 (57%) had one or more high-risk cytogenetic abnormality. Nearly all patients (96%) had ≥50% clonal plasma cells on initial bone marrow biopsy. While most patients (n = 61; 58%) were planned to undergo upfront ASCT, 20 (33%) experienced disease progression during induction therapy and required a more intensive salvage regimen (often infusional chemotherapy) prior to ASCT. The median TTNT after first-line therapy (TTNT#1) for the entire cohort was 10.4 mos (95% CI: 8–14). The median TTNT after second-line therapy (TTNT#2) for the entire cohort was 5.7 mos (95% CI: 4.3–7.1). Clinical details at first relapse, prompting initiation of second-line therapy, were available for 91 patients. Of these, 26 patients (29%) had symptomatic relapses—due to CRAB features or extramedullary disease—while 65 patients (71%) experienced asymptomatic biochemical progression. Symptomatic relapses were followed by significantly shorter TTNT#2 (3.9 vs. 7.0 mos; p = 0.039) and inferior OS from the start of second-line therapy (7.5 vs. 31.2 mos; p <0.0001) compared to asymptomatic relapses. The median TTNT#2 for patients who relapsed during induction and received salvage ASCT was 6.9 mos (n=20). In contrast, those treated after relapse with non-ASCT regimens (n = 86) fared worse; those receiving novel agent-based combinations, including doublets, triplets, or quadruplets (n=64) had respective median TTNT#2 of 3.3, 6.0, and 3.3 mos. Patients treated with infusional chemotherapy (n = 9) had the poorest outcomes, with a median TTNT#2 of just 1.4 mos. The median TTNT diminished with each subsequent line of therapy: TTNT#3 (n = 73) was 5.8 mos, TTNT#4 (n = 53) was 4.0 mos, and TTNT#5 (n = 35) was 2.6 mos. Patients with pPCL harboring the t(11;14) cytogenetic abnormality who were treated with venetoclax-based regimens (n = 8) during any line of therapy had a longer corresponding median TTNT of 15.0 mos. Additionally, 23 patients received anti-BCMA CAR-T cell therapy as a post-relapse line of therapy. At last follow-up, 15 of these patients (65%) had not relapsed, and after a median 20.7 mos of follow-up, the median TTNT following CAR-T cell therapy had not yet been reached. Patients who received CAR-T after 1-3 prior lines (n=15) had a median TTNT that was not reached; those who had received 4 or more prior lines (n=8) had a median TTNT of 20 mos. ConclusionsDespite the use of novel agent-based combination regimens and ASCT as first-line therapy, most patients with pPCL eventually experience disease progression. Consistent with MM, symptomatic relapse in pPCL is associated with poorer outcomes compared to asymptomatic biochemical progression. Additionally, the duration of response shortens with each successive line of therapy. Notable exceptions include venetoclax-based regimens in patients with t(11;14), and anti-BCMA CAR-T cell therapies: each appear to confer more durable responses than historical treatments in patients with relapsed pPCL.
Surface protein-focused gene expression analysis identifies prognostic immunophenotypes in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma
Bohra, Arwa , Dasari, Surendra, Zanwar, Saurabh , Kumar, Shaji, Binder, Moritz , Steinauer, Nickolas , Gonsalves, Wilson I. , Rajkumar, S. Vincent , Kumar, Shaji

Blood | December 4, 2025 | Volume: 146 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 7477-7477

10.1182/blood-2025-7477 Get It

Abstract Introduction Surface proteins in cancer not only reflect tumor–microenvironment interactions but also serve as targets for diagnostic flow cytometry and precision therapies, including monoclonal antibodies and CAR-T cell therapies. A better understanding of plasma cell immunophenotypes could inform flow cytometric prognostic assays and development of targeted therapies. Methods RNA-seq and Seq-FISH data from CD138-enriched bone marrow plasma cells, along with corresponding clinical annotations, were obtained from the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation-CoMMpass Study. A curated list of surface genes was assembled by integrating three sources: the Human Protein Atlas (plasma membrane and cell junction annotations), the Gene-Set Enrichment Analysis membrane-associated gene set (Ontology:0016020), and the Cell Surface Protein Atlas (validated high-confidence category). A total of 4,579 genes coding for cell surface proteins were identified. Genes below the 25th variance percentile were removed. PCA (≥90% variance) followed by k-means (k=2, silhouette) and confirmed by hierarchical clustering. A Plasma Cell Maturity (PBM) score was computed using singscore on 84 mature plasma cell–associated genes to compare cluster phenotypes. Pathway analysis was done using GSEA software for Hallmark pathways. Clinical biomarkers and survival kinetics were compared between the clusters. Results 761 newly diagnosed patients were included. (Age: 27-93 years, median overall survival/OS: 29 months/mo). Clustering revealed two groups which we termed Atypical/Aggressive Cluster 1 (C1, n=105, 13.8%) and Classical Cluster 2 (C2, n=656, 86.2%), based on the patterns and clinical characteristics. Among non-missing cases, high-risk disease per the International Myeloma Society–International Myeloma Working Group (IMS–IMWG) definition was observed in 27.7% of patients in C2 (n = 552) and 24.7% in C1 (n = 90) (p = 0.4).C1 exhibited enrichment for t(14;16)-MAF (OR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.1–6.1, p = 0.04) and t(11;14)-CCND1 (OR = 1.7, CI: 1.01–2.8, p = 0.04). In contrast, hyperdiploidy was more common in C2 (OR for C1 = 0.6, CI: 0.4–0.9, p = 0.04). Elevated LDH was observed in C1 (OR = 2.6, CI: 1.6–4, p < 0.001). Median serum Beta-2 microglobulin was lower in C1.(p=0.009) Upregulated genes in C1 in decreasing order of log Fold Change(logFC): AHNAK, MT-ND1, EEF2, EZR, HLA-B, TXNIP, HLA-E, TRIB1, MCL1, RHOB, CD74, CFLAR, HLA-A, HERPUD1, RPSA, ERN1, HSP90AB1, RAPGEF2, ADGRE5, and LAPTM5. Downregulated genes in C1 in descending order of |logFC|: B2M, SDC1 (CD138), HSP90B1, SEL1L, CALR, CANX, PECAM1, SLAMF7, STT3A, TNFRSF17 (BCMA), FCRL5, STT3B, PALM2AKAP2, CD53, PARP1, CCR2, RPN1, CD38, EDNRB, and LMAN2. Upregulated pathways in C1: proliferation (MYC, E2F, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, KRAS, Wnt); evasion of apoptosis (p53, TGF-β, Notch, NF-κB, IL6/JAK/STAT3); Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (angiogenesis, apical junction); inflammatory (interferon, TNF-α, complement, IL2/STAT5); metabolic reprogramming (oxidative phosphorylation, lipid/cholesterol); and stress (DNA repair, unfolded protein response). The PBM score for C1 was significantly lower, suggesting a less differentiated phenotype. C1 patients had inferior survival (n = 93, median OS 43.9 mo, p = 0.04) compared to those in the C2 cluster (n = 559, median OS 102.5 mo). Patients in the C1 + IMS–IMWG high-risk status had the shortest survival (20.7 mo), compared to C1+low (50 mo), C2/high (68.3 mo), and C2+low (not reached). In a multivariable analysis, C1 status (HR = 1.93; 95% CI: 1.1–3.4, p = 0.02) was an independent predictor, along with older age (1.05), UAMS70 (1.02), EMC-92 (1.4). In C1, early (<18 mo) progression occurred in 76.3% (n=71) (p < 0.001). In patients receiving first line of treatment(LOT1), median PFS was 39.7 mo in C1vs. 47.3 mo in C2 (p=0.8). Among patients who received stem cell transplant in LOT1, the median survival for the C2 was 102.5 mo, compared to 44.5 mo for C1 (n = 52) (p = 0.01). Among non-SCT patients on Immunomodulator + Proteasome Inhibitor therapy, C1 (n=28) had shorter survival of 50.0 vs. 71.7 C2 (n=137; p =0.8). Conclusion Our transcriptomic analysis identified a higher-risk group of patients (C1) exhibiting downregulation of myeloma specific markers (CD38, CD138, BCMA, SLAMF7, FCRL5) and inferior outcomes. It is important to diagnose and find appropriate therapy for these patients as they don't obtain the same benefit from the current standard of therapy as the remaining patients.
Bone marrow polyclonal plasma cells in myeloma post-treatment: Implications on outcome and effect of therapy.
Kapoor, Prashant , Hayman, Suzanne R. , Christenson, Lisa Hwa, Fonder, Amie , Hobbs, Miriam, Lin, Yi , Leung, Nelson , Kourelis, Taxiarchis , Warsame, Rahma , Abdallah, Nadine , Kumar, Shaji, Lin, Miranda , Jevremović, Dragan , Gertz, Morie A. , Dispenzieri, Angela , Buadi, Francis K. , Dingli, David , Christenson, Lisa Hwa, Siddiqui, Mustaqeem , Binder, Moritz , Rajkumar, S. Vincent , Kumar, Shaji

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: No page available

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.e19531 Get It

e19531 Background: Effective treatment and elimination of clonal plasma cells (PC) in multiple myeloma (MM) are typically associated with recovery of polyclonal (normal) plasma cells (PPC). Studies suggest that robust PPC recovery is associated with better outcomes. However, it is unclear if this remains valid in the context of monoclonal antibodies, such as Daratumumab, that selectively target plasma cells, and in turn, may adversely impact PPC recovery. Methods: We identified patients with MM who underwent MRD testing using Euroflow method at 6-12 months after treatment initiation. Eight patients had disease progression prior to MRD testing and were excluded from further analysis. PPC was quantitated by the proportion of total events acquired during flow examination. Patients were considered MRD-negative if they had <1 clonal PCs in 10 5 cells, as detected in the marrow. We first examined the impact of initial therapy (Daratumumab vs. non-Daratumumab based regimens) and MRD status on PPC recovery. Subsequently, we analyzed impact of PPC recovery on patient outcomes in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: We identified 572 patients who had MRD testing by flow at a median of 9 months (range 6-12) after treatment initiation. The median age was 63 years, 58% were male. Daratumumab was part of initial therapy in 17% of patients; the most common induction therapies were PI-IMiD triplets (73%), and dara-PI-IMiD quads (15%). In our cohort, 74% of patients were MRD-negative. In our practice, only samples with no monotypic PCs identified on initial low-sensitivity flow proceed to MRD testing, hence, the proportion of MRD-negative patients appears higher in our study than previously reported. Median PPC was 0.02% and was similar between MRD-negative and -positive patients. We found the median PPC was significantly low in patients who received Daratumumab compared to the non-Daratumumab treated cohort (0.011% vs. 0.023%; p<0.01). There was a trend towards lower PFS and OS among the lowest PPC quartile group compared to the upper 3 quartiles, although this was not significant (p=0.07 for PFS and OS, Wilcoxon). This trend was more evident among patients who did not receive Daratumumab. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates negative impact of anti-CD38 therapy with Daratumumab on recovery of PPCs after initial treatment, consistent with the persistent hypogammaglobulinemia seen in clinical practice among these patients. However, unlike the observation with the non-Daratumumab treated cohort, the low proportion of PPCs does not significantly impact patient outcomes among patients who received Daratumumab.
Carfilzomib or bortezomib with lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRd) for initial therapy of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM): Long-term follow-up of the ECOG-ACRIN ENDURANCE phase 3 trial.
Kumar, Shaji, Faber, Edward A., Singh, Avina A., Parker, Terri L., Menter, Alex R. , Yang, Xuezhong, Kumar, Pankaj , Kapoor, Prashant , Aaron, Rosenberg, Zonder, Jeffrey A. , Richardson, Paul G. , Jacobus, Susanna , Kumar, Shaji , Cohen, Adam D. , Callander, Natalie S. , Parsons, Benjamin M. , Anderson, Kenneth C. , Lonial, Sagar , Richardson, Paul Gerard Guy , Orlowski, Robert Z. , Wagner, Lynne I. , Rajkumar, S. Vincent

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 7540-7540

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.7540 Get It

7540 Background: The combination of a proteasome inhibitor (PI) with lenalidomide (R) and dex (d) has been a common initial therapy for newly diagnosed myeloma (NDMM). We designed a randomized phase 3 trial to examine if carfilzomib (K), a next generation PI, improved progression free survival (PFS) compared with bortezomib (V) when either is combined with Rd for initial treatment of NDMM. Initial analysis at a median follow up of 15.3 months (mos) showed comparable PFS for both triplets. We present the long-term results of the trial with ~70 months median follow up. Methods: Patients (Pts) with NDMM, were randomized 1:1 to receive VRd or KRd for 36 weeks followed by a 2 nd randomization (1:1) to indefinite versus 2 yrs of R maintenance. Pts without del17p, t(14;16), t(14;20), plasma cell leukemia or high-risk GEP70 profile, were enrolled. VRd arm included V 1.3 mg/m 2 on days(d) 1, 4, 8, and 11 (d1, 8 for cycles 9-12), R 25 mg d1-14, and d 20 mg d1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12 of a 3-week (wk) cycle for 12 cycles, while pts in the KRd arm received K 36 mg/m 2 d1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16 with R 25 mg daily on d1-21 and d 40 mg wkly, in 4 wk cycles for 9 cycles. Maintenance used 15 mg R d1-21 q4 wks. Results: The study accrued 1087 pts (VRd=542, KRd=545). Median age was 65y; baseline characteristics including intent to transplant were similar across the arms. Median induction duration (mos; IQR) was 7.2 (3.4-8.9) and 8.4 (5.1-9.1) for VRd and KRd, respectively; 59.8% in VRd and 45.3% in KRd did not proceed to Step 2. Median PFS (mos) was VRd=41.9 and KRd=44.6; HR = 0.89 (0.76-1.04). Toxicity data, PFS sensitivity analyses and OS probabilities are as in the table. Conclusions: In this randomized trial, with median follow up of nearly 6 years, KRd and VRd had comparable PFS and OS in an intent to treat analysis. While similar numbers proceeded to SCT in the 2 arms, more did so during induction in the VRd arm while more patients in the KRd arm went to SCT later. VRd remains a standard triplet induction regimen in standard and intermediate risk NDMM, and a suitable backbone for 4 drug combinations. Clinical trial information: NCT01863550 . N (%) VRd(n=527) KRd(n=526) SCT anytime 186 (34.3) 183 (33.6) SCT without Step 2 registration 146 112 Median Time to SCT (mos; range) 7.7 (3.5-83.9) 10.6 (3.7-70.6) Grade 3-4 Treatment-Related Toxicity 315 (59.8) 344 (65.4) Grade 5 Treatment-Related Toxicity 2 (0.4) 9 (1.7) Grade 5 All Events 11 (2.1) 20 (3.8) Survival outcomes HR Median (95% CI) Median (95% CI) PFS Primary: PD or death within 3 months of last evaluation as events 0.89(0.76-1.04) 41.9(35.7, 50.3) 44.6(38.2, 51.9) PFS Sensitivity: All deaths as events, 0.87(0.75-1.02) 39.5(34.9, 46.0) 42.8(37.4, 49.7) PFS Sensitivity: Censor at alternate Rx 0.83(0.69-0.99) 35.0(31.3, 42.6) 38.7(34.7, 49.0) PFS Sensitivity: Event at alternate Rx 0.84(0.73-0.97) 18.0(14.2, 23.0) 24.4(20.9, 27.9) Overall survival 0.92(0.75-1.12) 119(100, NE) 118(103-NE)
Truly COSMIC: An ASH Research Collaborative First
Kumar, Shaji, Usmani, Saad Z. , Kumar, Shaji

The Hematologist | April 17, 2025 | Volume: 22 | Issue: 3 | Pages: No page available

10.1182/hem.v22.3.202539 Get It

Sustained Improvement in Health‐Related Quality of Life in Transplant‐Ineligible Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Treated With Daratumumab, Lenalidomide, and Dexamethasone: MAIA Final Analysis of Patient‐Reported Outcomes
Plesner, Torben , Kumar, Shaji, Hulin, Cyrille , Orlowski, Robert Z. , Nahi, Hareth , Delforge, Michel, Karlin, Lionel, Arnulf, Bertrand , Gupta‐Werner, Niodita , Kaila, Shuchita, Pei, Huiling , Matt, Kathryn, Gries, Katharine S. , Carson, Robin, Borgsten, Fredrik, Nahi, Hareth , Roussel, Murielle , Arnulf, Bertrand , Orlowski, Robert Z. , Perrot, Aurore , Facon, Thierry T.F. , Usmani, Saad Z. , Kumar, Shaji , Bahlis, Nizar Jacques , Mollee, Peter , Ramasamy, Karthik , Roussel, Murielle , Jaccard, Arnaud , Karlin, Lionel , Chari, Ajai , Wang, George C. , Weisel, Katja C

European Journal of Haematology | February 14, 2025 | Volume: 114 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 883-889

10.1111/ejh.14392 Get It

ABSTRACTObjectivesThis final post hoc analysis evaluated patient‐reported outcomes from the Phase 3 MAIA study of daratumumab, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (D‐Rd) versus lenalidomide and dexamethasone (Rd) after median 64.5‐month follow‐up in transplant‐ineligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM), including patient subgroups.MethodsKey scales from the EORTC QLQ‐C30 (global health status [GHS], physical functioning, pain, and fatigue) were assessed. Scores were evaluated every 3 months for 1 year, then every 6 months until disease progression.ResultsThe intent‐to‐treat population (n = 737) included 46.3% frail, 35.4% 70 to < 75 years old, and 43.6% ≥ 75 years old. D‐Rd‐treated patients showed improvements from baseline that were sustained over 5 years in the intent‐to‐treat population and across subgroups by age, frailty, and bone lesions. Greater proportions of patients treated with D‐Rd versus Rd achieved minimally important changes for improvement at cycle 36 (year ~3) in GHS (odds ratio, 1.84 [95% CI, 1.16–2.91]), physical functioning (1.93 [1.18–3.14]), pain (1.41 [0.90–2.22]), and fatigue (2.00 [1.24–3.23]). Greater proportions of patients with bone lesions improved with D‐Rd versus Rd on GHS and physical functioning.ConclusionsIn transplant‐ineligible patients with NDMM, D‐Rd improved health‐related quality of life over a 5‐year period versus Rd. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02252172
Patient-Reported Outcomes Among Patients with Triple-Class Refractory Multiple Myeloma in Real-World Clinical Practice: A Prospective, Multi-Site Observational Study - Interim Results
Charalampous, Charis , Kumar, Shaji, Nagaraj, Madhu , Duh, Mei Sheng , Bobbili, Priyanka , Chen, Jingyi , Mohan, Manasi , Hlavacek, Patrick , Sandin, Rickard, Hughes, David , Nador, Guido, DiBonaventura, Marco , Charalampous, Charis, Kumar, Shaji , Parrondo, Ricardo D , Chhabra, Saurabh , Wang, Aolin , Cappelleri, Joseph C.

Blood | December 6, 2024 | Volume: 144 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 3770-3770

10.1182/blood-2024-204005 Get It

BACKGROUND Several studies have highlighted the poor clinical outcomes observed among patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM), particularly those with triple-class refractory (TCR; refractory to at least one protease inhibitor [PI], one immunomodulatory drug [IMiD], and one anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody [mAb]) disease. The aim of this study was to describe the longitudinal changes in quality of life (QOL) and other patient-reported outcomes (PROs) among TCR MM patients who initiated a new line of therapy in real-world clinical practice. METHODS A prospective, multi-site observational study was conducted through the Mayo Clinic system. Patients with TCR MM initiating a new line of therapy (defined as the index date) were followed for a 12-month observation period. For patients initiating a CAR-T therapy, PRO survey assessments were conducted at apheresis, lymphodepletion chemotherapy, and every month after T-cell infusion until Month 6. All other patients received a survey assessment before index and every month thereafter until Month 6. PRO measures included the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30; including the Global Health Score [GHS]), the EORTC Multiple Myeloma Questionnaire (QLQ-MY20; including the Disease Symptoms [DS] domain score), the EORTC QLQ for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN20), the EuroQoL-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), the Patient Global Impression of Severity (PGIS), and the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC). PRO surveys were supplemented with retrospective chart reviews conducted at 3 months and 12 months following the index date to obtain clinical information. Descriptive data were reported at each timepoint separately for patients who received CAR-T and non-CAR-T index therapies. The study is ongoing and this abstract reflects all patient data collected as of May 2024. RESULTS This interim analysis included 77 patients (58% male, 95% White, mean age 66 years). The median time interval between becoming TCR and the index date was 5.6 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 1.8, 18.2). Most patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score of 0 or 1 (48% and 45%, respectively) and were Revised International Staging System (R-ISS) I or II (27% and 36%, respectively); 42% of patients had high-risk cytogenetics and 14% had extramedullary disease. The median (IQR) number of prior treatment lines was 4 (4, 5). Forty-two patients initiated a CAR-T therapy as their index therapy (12 and 30 treated with ide-cel and cilta-cel, respectively); the remaining 35 patients predominantly initiated a treatment regimen containing an IMiD (51%), a PI (54%), an anti-CD38 antibody (40%), or an alkylating agent (37%). Among these non-CAR-T patients, common regimens used were pomalidomide + elotuzumab + corticosteroids (26%), carfilzomib + cyclophosphamide + corticosteroids (20%), and pomalidomide + carfilzomib + corticosteroids (17%). Among CAR-T patients, QOL generally remained stable from apheresis (mean GHS and EQ-5D VAS were 62.3 and 66.4, respectively) to lymphodepletion (61.2 and 65.9) to Month 6 (64.2 and 68.9). Disease symptoms improved (mean DS domain scores at apheresis, lymphodepletion, and Month 6 were 25.7, 24.1, and 20.1, respectively) though pain, specifically, plateaued/worsened (mean pain domain scores were 24.5, 32.1, and 32.6). Based on the PGIC, 76% of patients reported being “a little better” or “much better” as early as Month 1, which stabilized over time (75% at Month 6). Among non-CAR-T patients, QOL largely remained stable (GHS and EQ-5D VAS was 62.9 and 68.4, respectively, at baseline and 64.9 and 67.7 at Month 6), though disease symptoms, including pain, improved over time (DS was 28.0 at baseline and 22.8 at Month 6; pain was 40.8 at baseline and 28.1 at Month 6). Based on the PGIC, 30.7% of patients reported being “a little better” or “much better” at Month 1, which improved to 52.7% by Month 6. CONCLUSIONS In this interim analysis of an ongoing prospective observational study, baseline values suggest a significant QOL burden among TCR patients. QOL generally remained stable for both CAR-T and non-CAR-T patients over the first several months post-therapy with some select improvements in disease symptoms. However, the patients (particularly CAR-T patients) directly reported some holistic improvement based on the PGIC as early as Month 1.
Feasibility and Implementation of the ASH Research Collaborative's COVID-19 Outcomes in Myeloma and the Impact of Vaccines (COSMIC): A Decentralized, Real-World Evidence Study for Patients with Multiple Myeloma to Monitor Outcomes Related to COVID-19 Vacci
Semmel, Emily A., James, Shandra, Hewitt, Kathleen, Anderson, Kenneth C., Kumar, Shaji, Zonder, Jeffrey A. , Rubinstein, Samuel M. , Martin, Thomas G , Vij, Ravi , Weiss, Brendan M. , Pederson, Levi , Geyer, Susan M. , Wood, William A. , James, Shandra, Neuberg, Donna , Anderson, Kenneth C. , Kumar, Shaji , Schroeder, Mark A. , Chung, David J , Rosenberg, Aaron , D’Souza, Anita , Chari, Ajai , Nooka, Ajay K. , Derkach, Andriy , Usmani, Saad Z.

Blood | December 6, 2024 | Volume: 144 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 2393-2393

10.1182/blood-2024-203892 Get It

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had an outsized impact on individuals with immune compromise, such as multiple myeloma, leading to increased rates of severe COVID, hospitalization, and death in these groups. The pandemic also demonstrated the need for rapid and efficient evidence generation to address rapidly changing medical needs and accelerated the use of innovative trial designs to accomplish this goal. Methods: We designed and established a prospective, decentralized study within a site-based provider network, COVID-19 OutcomeS in Myeloma and the Impact of VaCcines (COSMIC), for patients with multiple myeloma at ASH Research Collaborative sites to monitor outcomes related to COVID-19 infection and vaccination. The direct-to-patient approach was accomplished using a study application accessed with a QR code provided to patients during usual clinical care. All study activities occurred within the patient portal at Baseline, Day 30, and Day 180, minimizing burden on site personnel and staff. Study activities included eligibility confirmation, consenting, electronic health record (EHR) data permissions, and patient-reported outcome (PRO) surveys. PRO data (EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC QLQ MY-20) were made available to clinicians through the portal to visualize results from their patients. Patients shared if they received a COVID-19 vaccination or booster and if they had a COVID-19 infection. Patients with a history of COVID-19 infection included method of confirmation and if hospitalization was required. Patients were provided compensation for participation. Automated text and email messages were sent at three separate intervals: 24 hours, Day 8, and Day 15 for participants who initiated but did not complete study activities. A personal email reminder per participant was sent for those whose second study visit window was approaching. ASH Research Collaborative clinicians met regularly to share best practices related to enrollment and study conduct, thereby creating an innovative evidence generation learning community. We studied the feasibility of data collection in a decentralized format by focusing on the number of participants who interacted with the system, those who consented, and those who completed baseline PRO assessments. Results: The COSMIC study rapidly accrued and consented 200 patients from eight participating ASH Research Collaborative sites over four months (1/22/2024 through 5/17/2024): 69% self-reported as non-Hispanic White (NHW). Of enrolled participants, 57.5% opted to permission sharing of their EHR data, which included disease and treatment-related clinical data, laboratory results, pathology reports, and imaging reports. A total of 196 patients (98%) provided demographic and COVID-related disease and vaccine data at baseline; nearly all of these patients (n=195) provided baseline PRO data, and 150 patients provided further information at Day 30 at the time of this analysis. Those who did not provide Day 30 data were not significantly different from those who did in terms of age (median: 68 [no Day 30 data] vs. 67 [Day 30 data] years; p=0.44), sex (41% [no Day 30 data] vs. 47% [Day 30 data] Female; p=0.47), or race (65% [no Day 30 data] vs. 71% [Day 30 data] NHW; p=0.60). A higher proportion of Hispanic patients were retained at Day 30 (13/15=87%) vs. 78% of non-Hispanic patients or those who declined reporting ethnicity (2/7=29%; p=0.007). COVID-19 vaccination data were submitted by 196 patients, 186 of whom had ever received a COVID-19 vaccination. Data on number, type, brand, and dates for these vaccinations were provided. Conclusions: The COSMIC study conducted by the ASH Research Collaborative was able to rapidly accrue a diverse cohort of patients using a decentralized workflow within a site-based provider network, with high consent and compliance rates. This platform, and the innovative evidence generation learning community of ASH Research Collaborative investigators and patients, sets a precedent to address a variety of real-world questions related to disease management, infections, vaccinations, and PROs in this population of patients with multiple myeloma.
Initial Results from the ASH Research Collaborative's COVID-19 Outcomes in Myeloma and the Impact of Vaccines (COSMIC): A Decentralized, Real-World Evidence Study for Patients with Multiple Myeloma to Monitor Outcomes Related to COVID-19 Vaccines and Infec
Semmel, Emily A., James, Shandra, Zonder, Jeffrey A. , Rubinstein, Samuel M. , Martin, Thomas G , Vij, Ravi , Anderson, Kenneth C., Hewitt, Kathleen, Weiss, Brendan M. , Pederson, Levi , Geyer, Susan M. , Kumar, Shaji, Usmani, Saad Z. , James, Shandra, Wood, William A. , Schroeder, Mark A. , Chung, David J , Rosenberg, Aaron , D’Souza, Anita , Chari, Ajai , Nooka, Ajay K. , Anderson, Kenneth C. , Neuberg, Donna , Derkach, Andriy , Kumar, Shaji

Blood | December 6, 2024 | Volume: 144 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 1972-1972

10.1182/blood-2024-210377 Get It

Background: Data from the ASH Research Collaborative COVID-19 Registry for Hematology demonstrated that patients with multiple myeloma and other immune compromise had elevated risk for severe complications from COVID-19 infection. To address current evidence gaps and to demonstrate proof of concept for a pandemic preparedness and response network, the ASH Research Collaborative Multiple Myeloma Program developed a prospective, decentralized study within a site-based provider network to investigate COVID-19 infections, vaccinations, and quality of life in patients with multiple myeloma. Methods: We designed and established the COVID-19 OutcomeS in Myeloma and the Impact of VacCines (COSMIC) to study COVID-19 in patients with multiple myeloma at ASH Research Collaborative network sites. A study application was accessed with a QR code and shared with patients during usual clinical care. Patients provided consent, optionally gave permission for electronic health record data collection, and completed patient-reported outcomes (EORTC QLQ-C30 and MY20) at baseline, Day 30, and Day 180 through the study portal. Clinicians at participating sites facilitated study enrollment and shared best practices monthly to accelerate study execution. Study objectives related to feasibility of data collection in a decentralized format are reported in a separate abstract. Here, we report interim results related to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination history, COVID-19 infection, and how these relate to patient reported outcomes and clinical outcomes in enrolled participants. Results: The COSMIC study rapidly accrued and consented 200 patients from eight participating ASH Research Collaborative sites over four months (1/22/2024 through 5/17/2024). Consented participants' ages ranged from 29 to 93 years, with median of 67 years; 46% were female, 69% were non-Hispanic White (NHW), 17% were non-Hispanic Black (NHB), and 8% were Hispanic/Latino. Of the 196 patients who reported COVID-19 data, 111 (57%) reported at baseline that they had a history of COVID-19 infection, with 12 having required hospitalization for this (12/111=11%). Overall, 95% (186/196) reported a history of COVID-19 vaccination, where the median number of vaccinations was 4 (range: 1 to 6); 44 patients (23%) expressed willingness to discuss getting a yearly booster vaccine with their provider. At 1-month follow-up, there were 3 additional patients who reported a COVID-19 infection and 18 patients who received an additional COVID-19 vaccination. The baseline EORTC QLQ-C30 median Global Health Status/QOL score was 66.7 (mean=64.4, range: 8.3 - 100, n=196). This overall global QOL score was not significantly different between those who did vs. did not have a history of COVID-19 infection (mean [SD]: 63.7 [19.3] vs. 65.8 [17.6]; p=0.57). In analyses adjusted for age, biological sex, and race/ethnicity group, history of COVID-19 infection was not associated with HRQOL (odds ratio=0.93, 95% CI: 0.78 - 1.10; p=0.38). Data collection is ongoing and final study results will be reported at a later date. Conclusion: COSMIC is a prospective, decentralized study within a site-based provider network conducted by the ASH Research Collaborative Multiple Myeloma Program that demonstrates the feasibility of using an innovative evidence generation strategy to drive rapid accrual of patients to address a rapidly evolving area of need. The COSMIC study also provides proof of concept that a real-world evidence generation network can play an important role in national pandemic preparedness and response. The COSMIC experience reinforces the ability to accrue diverse patient populations representing the demographic of myeloma patients in the US.
Comparative Effectiveness of Linvoseltamab Versus Current Real-World (RW) Standard-of-Care (SOC) Therapies in Triple-Class Exposed Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma (RRMM): Key Subgroups Analysis
Kumar, Shaji, Dachs, Laura Rosiñol, Leleu, Xavier , Rubia, Javier de la , Mateos, María‐Victoria , Martínez, Borja Puertas, Gozzetti, Alessandro , Bladé, Joan , Beksaç, Meral , Escalante, Fernando , Nagaraj, Madhu , Hassan, Rafla , Spin, Paul , Bonar, Nicolle , Siddiqui, Muhaimen, Hou, Kevin, Green, Jeannette, Breskin, Alexander , Harnett, James , Ge, Wenzhen , Jalbert, Jessica J. , Kroog, Glenn S. , Lorenc, Karen Rodriguez , Ma, Qiufei , Durie, Brian G.M. , Gozzetti, Alessandro , Kumar, Shaji , Jagannath, Sundar , Weisel, Katja C , Dimopoulos, Meletios Α. , Siegel, David S. , Monge, Jorge , Du, Juan , Lee, Jae Hoon , Puertas, Borja , Dytfeld, Dominik , Ocio, Enrique M. , Ozaki, Shuji , Shokoohi, Mostafa , Wang, Di, Humblet, Olivier , Sobel, Rachel E. , Hampp, Christian

Blood | December 5, 2024 | Volume: 144 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 7012-7012

10.1182/blood-2024-200679 Get It

Introduction Linvoseltamab is an investigational, BCMA×CD3 bispecific antibody designed for the treatment of RRMM. High objective response rates (ORR) to linvoseltamab 200 mg in the LINKER-MM1 trial (NCT03761108) were demonstrated across high-risk subgroups, including patients aged ≥75 years, patients with high-risk cytogenetics, and patients with penta-class refractory status. The aim of this study was to compare ORR, overall and in key subgroups, between patients in Phase 2 of the LINKER-MM1 trial and patients in an international RW SOC external control arm (ECA). Methods The ECA was derived from a chart review of 16 academic sites across 10 countries that are part of the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF)-International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) and 2 US electronic health record databases (COTA and Guardian Research Network [GRN]). Included patients initiated ≥1 anti-MM treatment after meeting key eligibility criteria of LINKER-MM1. Weighted random sampling and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) were used to select 1 line of therapy (LOT) per patient and balance the overall ECA and trial populations on prespecified prognostic factors (Kumar S, et al. IMS 2023). For ORR assessment, LINKER-MM1 and IMF-IMWG used independent central review committees per IMWG criteria, COTA used algorithmic assessment based on IMWG criteria, and GRN used physician-assessed responses. Prior to conducting comparative analyses, an independent committee of epidemiology and oncology experts reviewed the comparability of the cohorts and endpoint assessments, and approved study continuation. ORR among patients in LINKER-MM1 and patients in the ECA was compared overall and across prespecified subgroups (≥10 patients per subgroup), including age, race, cytogenetic risk score, international Staging System (ISS), presence of extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP), refractory class, bone marrow plasma cell (BMPC) proportion, and number of prior LOTs. Results Median duration of follow-up was 14.3 months (data cut-off: January 6, 2024) for patients receiving linvoseltamab (n=105) and 13.6 months for the ECA (n=307; n=194, n=72, and n=41 from IMF-IMWG, COTA, and GRN, respectively). Following IPTW, 13 prognostic factors with &lt;30% missingness were balanced between cohorts, with an effective sample size in the ECA of 197. After adjustment, ORR was significantly higher in patients who received linvoseltamab compared with patients in the ECA (69.5% vs 45.7%, odds ratio [OR] 2.5 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6-4.1]) and in key subgroups with age 65-74 years (76.9% vs 48.3%, OR 3.6 [1.6-8.6]), age ≥75 years (72.4% vs 48.5%, OR 2.8 [1.1-7.4]), Black or African American race (82.4% vs 25.0%, OR 14.0 [3.0-85.4]), White race (68.9% vs 49.7%, OR 2.2 [1.3-4.0]), standard cytogenetic risk (72.3% vs 51.3%, OR 2.5 [1.3-4.8]), ISS stage III (58.8% vs 19.7%, OR 5.8 [1.5-25.2]), absence of EMP (71.6% vs 49.3%, OR 2.6 [1.5-4.6]), triple-class refractory status (68.2% vs 45.7%, OR 2.6 [1.5-4.4]), quadruple-class refractory status (66.7% vs 45.9%, OR 2.4 [1.3-4.3]), 4-5 prior LOTs (65.1% vs 40.4%, OR 2.8 [1.3-6.0]), and &gt;5 prior LOTs (75.7% vs 36.1%, OR 5.5 [2.4-13.6]). Numerically higher (not statistically significant) or similar ORR was observed for patients receiving linvoseltamab compared with patients in the ECA with age &lt;65 years (59.5% vs 46.8%, OR 1.7 [0.79-3.6]), high-risk cytogenetics (65.0% vs 63.1%, OR 1.1 [0.41-2.9]), ISS stage I (73.3% vs 64.6%, OR 1.5 [0.62-3.7]), ISS stage II (67.6% vs 53.5%, OR 1.8 [0.72-4.7]), presence of EMP (58.8% vs 56.9%, OR 1.1 [0.32-3.8]), penta-class refractory status (64.3% vs 48.5%, OR 1.9 [0.78-4.8]), BMPC &lt;50% (77.0% vs 67.2%, OR 1.6 [0.61-4.3]), BMPC ≥50% (41.7% vs 36.0%, OR 1.3 [0.36-4.7]), and ≤3 prior LOTs (68.0% vs 66.4%, OR 1.1 [0.43-2.9]). Separate findings will be presented for IMF-IMWG and COTA/GRN data at the congress. Conclusions Linvoseltamab induced better ORR vs RW SOC treatments overall, and better or similar ORR in the key subgroups assessed, highlighting its therapeutic value across a range of patients with RRMM with heterogeneous risk profiles and levels of disease burden.