Bishop, Michael Russell

This multicenter, single-arm, phase 1/2 study evaluated the safety and efficacy of CD19-directed allogeneic chimeric-antigen-receptor (CAR) immunotherapy CTX110 in adult patients with relapsed/refractory (r/r) B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Patients received 1 or 2 treatment courses: standard lymphodepletion, followed by 1 CTX110 infusion at dose levels (DLs) 1-4 (3-60 × 107 CAR T-cells; dose escalation, N=32), or 2 infusions at DL4 on days 1 and 35 (cohort expansion, N=31). Primary endpoints in dose escalation and cohort expansion were incidence of dose-limiting toxicities and objective response rate, respectively. CTX110 was administered to 63 heavily pretreated patients: 59% primary refractory, 43% with ≥3 prior treatment lines. Among 57 patients whose first infusion was DL≥3, rates of objective and complete response (CR) were 65% and 39%, respectively. Among 22 patients achieving CR, 5 (23%) had ongoing CR at data cutoff, with 15-50 (median 34) months follow-up. The 2-infusion regimen appeared to prolong response duration compared to 1 infusion (hazard ratio 0.65). Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) were reported in 54% and 13% of treated patients, respectively, including 2 grade ≥3 cases each. The most common grade ≥3 adverse events were neutropenia (59%), and anemia and thrombocytopenia (35% each). Serious adverse events occurred in 32% of treated patients, including CRS (14%), ICANS (8%), and febrile neutropenia (6%). In this r/r NHL population, CTX110 was well-tolerated, resulting in clinically meaningful responses at DL≥3, with a second infusion demonstrating evidence of further clinical benefit. This trial (NCT04035434) was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov.

PURPOSE On the basis of the results of the ZUMA-3 trial, brexucabtagene autoleucel (brexu-cel), a CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, gained US Food and Drug Administration approval in October 2021 for adults with relapsed/refractory (R/R) B-cell ALL (B-ALL). We report outcomes of patients treated with brexu-cel as a standard therapy. METHODS We developed a collaboration across 31 US centers to study adults with B-ALL who received brexu-cel outside the context of a clinical trial. Data were collected retrospectively from October 2021 to October 2023. Toxicities were graded per American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy guidelines for cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell–associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). RESULTS At the time of data lock, 204 patients had undergone apheresis and 189 were infused. Median follow-up time was 11.4 months. Forty-two percent of patients received brexu-cel in morphologic remission and would have been ineligible for participation in ZUMA-3. After brexu-cel, 151 achieved complete remission (CR), of which 79% were measurable residual disease (MRD) negative remissions. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 9.5 months and median overall survival was not reached. Grade 3-4 CRS or ICANS occurred in 11% and 31%, respectively. In multivariable analysis, patients receiving consolidative hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT; hazard ratio, 0.34 [95% CI, 0.14 to 0.85]) after brexu-cel had superior PFS compared with those who did not receive any consolidation or maintenance therapy. CONCLUSION Similar to ZUMA-3, high rates of MRD-negative CR were observed after brexu-cel treatment for R/R B-ALL. The use of HCT as consolidation after brexu-cel resulted in improved PFS.

Abstract The effect of prior inotuzumab ozogamicin (InO) treatment on brexucabtagene autoleucel (brexu-cel) outcomes remains unclear in adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). We conducted a retrospective multicenter analysis of 189 patients with relapsed/refractory ALL treated with brexu-cel. Over half of the patients received InO before brexu-cel (InO exposed). InO-exposed patients were more heavily pretreated (P = .02) and frequently had active marrow disease before apheresis (P = .03). Response rate and toxicity profile after brexu-cel were comparable for InO-exposed and InO-naïve patients; however, consolidation therapy after brexu-cel response was used at a higher rate in InO-naïve patients (P = .005). With a median follow-up of 11.4 months, InO-exposed patients had inferior progression-free survival (PFS; P = .013) and overall survival (OS; P = .006) in univariate analyses; however, prior InO exposure did not influence PFS (hazard ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 0.71-2.03) in multivariate models. Within InO-exposed patients, InO responders had superior PFS (P = .002) and OS (P < .0001) relative to InO-refractory patients. The timing of administering InO did not affect brexu-cel outcomes, with comparable PFS (P = .51) and OS (P = .86) for patients receiving InO as bridging therapy or before apheresis. In conclusion, although InO exposure was associated with inferior survival outcomes after brexu-cel in unadjusted analyses, these associations were no longer significant in multivariate analyses, suggesting it is unlikely that InO negatively affects brexu-cel efficacy. Our data instead imply that InO-exposed recipients of brexu-cel tend to be higher-risk patients with intrinsic adverse leukemia biology.

Background Brexucabtagene autoleucel (brexu-cel) is an autologous anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy approved in the USA for adults with relapsed or refractory (R/R) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and in the European Union for patients ≥26 years with R/R B-ALL. After 2 years of follow-up in ZUMA-3, the overall complete remission (CR) rate (CR+CR with incomplete hematological recovery (CRi)) was 73%, and the median overall survival (OS) was 25.4 months in 78 Phase 1 and 2 patients with R/R B-ALL who received the pivotal dose of brexu-cel. Outcomes by prior therapies and subsequent allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) are reported. Methods Eligible adults had R/R B-ALL and received one infusion of brexu-cel (1×10⁶ CAR T cells/kg) following conditioning chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was the CR/CRi rate per central review. Post hoc subgroup analyses were exploratory with descriptive statistics provided. Results Phase 1 and 2 patients (N=78) were included with median follow-up of 29.7 months (range, 20.7–58.3). High CR/CRi rates were observed across all prior therapy subgroups examined: 1 prior line of therapy (87%, n=15) and ≥2 prior lines (70%, n=63); prior blinatumomab (63%, n=38) and no prior blinatumomab (83%, n=40); prior inotuzumab (59%, n=17) and no prior inotuzumab (77%, n=61); and prior alloSCT (76%, n=29) and no prior alloSCT (71%, n=49). The frequency of Grade ≥3 cytokine release syndrome, neurological events, and treatment-related Grade 5 adverse events were largely similar among prior therapy subgroups. Median duration of remission (DOR) in responders with (n=14) and without (n=43) subsequent alloSCT was 44.2 (95% CI, 8.1 to not estimable (NE)) and 18.6 months (95% CI, 9.4 to NE); median OS was 47.0 months (95% CI, 10.2 to NE) and not reached (95% CI, 23.2 to NE), respectively. Median DOR and OS were not reached in responders without prior or subsequent alloSCT (n=22). Conclusions In ZUMA-3, adults with R/R B-ALL benefited from brexu-cel, regardless of prior therapies and subsequent alloSCT status, though survival appeared better in patients without certain prior therapies and in earlier lines of therapy. Additional studies are needed to determine the impact prior therapies and subsequent alloSCT have on outcomes of patients who receive brexu-cel.

AbstractCheckpoint inhibitor (CPI) therapy with anti–PD-1 antibodies has been associated with mixed outcomes in small cohorts of patients with relapsed aggressive B-cell lymphomas after CAR-T failure. To define CPI therapy efficacy more definitively in this population, we retrospectively evaluated clinical outcomes in a large cohort of 96 patients with aggressive B-cell lymphomas receiving CPI therapy after CAR-T failure across 15 US academic centers. Most patients (53%) had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, were treated with axicabtagene ciloleucel (53%), relapsed early (≤180 days) after CAR-T (83%), and received pembrolizumab (49%) or nivolumab (43%). CPI therapy was associated with an overall response rate of 19% and a complete response rate of 10%. Median duration of response was 221 days. Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 54 and 159 days, respectively. Outcomes to CPI therapy were significantly improved in patients with primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma. PFS (128 vs 51 days) and OS (387 vs 131 days) were significantly longer in patients with late (>180 days) vs early (≤180 days) relapse after CAR-T. Grade ≥3 adverse events occurred in 19% of patients treated with CPI. Most patients (83%) died, commonly because of progressive disease. Only 5% had durable responses to CPI therapy. In the largest cohort of patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma treated with CPI therapy after CAR-T relapse, our results reveal poor outcomes, particularly among those relapsing early after CAR-T. In conclusion, CPI therapy is not an effective salvage strategy for most patients after CAR-T, where alternative approaches are needed to improve post–CAR-T outcomes.

Abstract ZUMA-3 is a phase 1/2 study evaluating KTE-X19, an autologous anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, in adult relapsed/refractory (R/R) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). We report the phase 1 results. After fludarabine-cyclophosphamide lymphodepletion, patients received a single infusion of KTE-X19 at 2 × 106, 1 × 106, or 0.5 × 106 cells per kg. The rate of dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) within 28 days after KTE-X19 infusion was the primary end point. KTE-X19 was manufactured for 54 enrolled patients and administered to 45 (median age, 46 years; range, 18-77 years). No DLTs occurred in the DLT-evaluable cohort. Grade ≥3 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurologic events (NEs) occurred in 31% and 38% of patients, respectively. To optimize the risk-benefit ratio, revised adverse event (AE) management for CRS and NEs (earlier steroid use for NEs and tocilizumab only for CRS) was evaluated at 1 × 106 cells per kg KTE-X19. In the 9 patients treated under revised AE management, 33% had grade 3 CRS and 11% had grade 3 NEs, with no grade 4 or 5 NEs. The overall complete remission rate correlated with CAR T-cell expansion and was 83% in patients treated with 1 × 106 cells per kg and 69% in all patients. Minimal residual disease was undetectable in all responding patients. At a median follow-up of 22.1 months (range, 7.1-36.1 months), the median duration of remission was 17.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.8-17.6 months) in patients treated with 1 × 106 cells per kg and 14.5 months (95% CI, 5.8-18.1 months) in all patients. KTE-X19 treatment provided a high response rate and tolerable safety in adults with R/R B-ALL. Phase 2 is ongoing at 1 × 106 cells per kg with revised AE management. This trial is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02614066.

The recent development and clinical implementation of novel immunotherapies for the treatment of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma have improved patient outcomes across subgroups. The rapid introduction of immunotherapeutic agents into the clinic, however, has presented significant questions regarding optimal treatment scheduling around existing chemotherapy/radiation options, as well as a need for improved understanding of how to properly manage patients and recognize toxicities. To address these challenges, the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) convened a panel of experts in lymphoma to develop a clinical practice guideline for the education of healthcare professionals on various aspects of immunotherapeutic treatment. The panel discussed subjects including treatment scheduling, immune-related adverse events (irAEs), and the integration of immunotherapy and stem cell transplant to form recommendations to guide healthcare professionals treating patients with lymphoma.

Abstract Background: Although approximately half of adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) achieve long-term survival, those who relapse have poor long-term outcomes (El Fakih et al. Hematol Oncol Stem Cell Ther. 2017; Oriol et al. Haematologica. 2010). The initial report of Phase 1 of ZUMA-3, the Phase 1/2 trial of KTE-C19 for treatment of relapsed/refractory (R/R) ALL (NCT02614066), has thus far demonstrated promising efficacy among patients infused with KTE-C19, with a 71% complete remission (CR) rate (CR or CR with incomplete hematologic recovery [CRi]), 88% undetectable minimal residual disease (MRD), and manageable toxicity across all doses (Shah et al. ASH 2017. #888). Here, we present updated safety and efficacy data from Phase 1 of ZUMA-3. Methods: Adult patients (≥ 18 y) with R/R ALL (Ph+ allowed), > 5% bone marrow blasts, and ECOG 0-1 received 2, 1, or 0.5 × 106 CAR T cells/kg after low-dose conditioning chemotherapy with fludarabine 25 mg/m2/day for 3 days and a single dose of cyclophosphamide 900 mg/m2 on the third day of conditioning. The primary endpoint for Phase 1 was incidence of dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs). Key secondary endpoints included incidence and time to onset and resolution of adverse events (AEs), rate of undetectable MRD remission in the bone marrow using flow cytometry, and duration of remission. KTE-C19 expansion and persistence were also assessed. Safety analyses included all patients who received KTE-C19, and patients with ≥ 2 months of follow-up were evaluated for efficacy. Results: As of April 12, 2018, 35 patients have received KTE-C19 with a median follow-up of 11 months (range, 2 - 25 months). The median age was 40 years (range, 18 - 69 years), 51% of patients were male, 66% had ECOG 1, 13 patients (37%) had prior blinatumomab, and 60% had received ≥ 3 prior lines of treatment. The median bone marrow blast burden at screening was 70% (range, 5 - 100). Six patients received the 2 × 106 cells/kg dose, 14 received 1 × 106 cells/kg, and 15 received 0.5 × 106 cells/kg. No DLTs were observed in the DLT period. The most common Grade ≥ 3 AEs were hypotension (40%), pyrexia (34%), decreased platelet counts (34%), and anemia (31%). Grade ≥ 3 CRS occurred in 9 patients (26%), with a median time to onset of 5 days (range, 1 - 15 days). There were 2 KTE-C19-related Grade 5 events: 1 cerebral infarction at the 0.5 × 106 cells/kg dose and 1 previously reported multiorgan failure secondary to cytokine release syndrome (CRS) at the 2 × 106 cells/kg dose. Grade ≥ 3 CRS resolved in all patients (not including 2 patients with a Grade 5 event), and the median time to resolution was 11 days (range, 7 - 42 days). Grade ≥ 3 treatment-emergent neurologic events occurred in 16 patients (46%), and the median time to onset was 7 days (range, 4 - 24 days). With the exception of 2 patients with unresolved neurologic events due to death, Grade ≥ 3 neurologic events resolved in all patients (14/14), with a median time to resolution of 17 days (range, 6 - 53 days). Among the 32 patients evaluable for response, the overall rate of undetectable MRD was 78% (95% CI, 60% - 91%). CR or CRi was achieved by 23 patients (72%), and 1 patient (3%) had blast-free BM. KTE-C19 levels were examined in 23 patients as of July 31, 2017. Robust KTE-C19 expansion was observed across all dose levels assessed. Conclusion: High rates of remission were achieved by adult patients with R/R ALL, with approximately three-quarters of patients achieving CR or CRi with undetectable MRD after a single dose of KTE-C19 in ZUMA-3. The safety profile was generally manageable, and most cases of high-grade CRS and neurologic events resolved. These results demonstrate that KTE-C19 offers clinical benefit for patients with otherwise limited treatment options. Disclosures Wierda: AbbVie, Inc: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding. Bishop:United Healthcare: Employment; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Juneau Therapeutics: Speakers Bureau; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation: Speakers Bureau. Logan:Adaptive Biotech: Consultancy; Napajen: Consultancy; Shire: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy; Astellas: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Kite: Research Funding. Schiller:Astellas Pharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; bluebird bio: Research Funding. Holmes:Unum: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Rigel: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Bayer: Consultancy. Abedi:Seattle Genetics: Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Research Funding; CIRM: Research Funding; BMS: Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Speakers Bureau; Gilead: Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Research Funding. Arellano:Cephalon: Research Funding. Pagel:Pharmacyclics, an AbbVie Company: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy. Mardiros:Kite, a Gilead Company: Employment; Kite, a Gilead Company: Equity Ownership; Mustang Bio: Patents & Royalties; Kite, a Gilead Company: Other: TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATIONS, EXPENSES. Shen:Zhejiang DTRM Biopharma LLC: Other: Clinical Operations Director. Vezan:Kite Pharma: Employment; Kite, Gilead, Abbv, MRK: Equity Ownership. Jain:Kite Pharma, Amgen: Equity Ownership; Kite Pharma: Employment; Kite Pharma: Patents & Royalties.