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Castro, Januario E

0000-0003-2785-0892

Mayo Clinic

Division of Hematology & Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ 85054, USA.

Citations 38

A Phase I Study of FT819, a First-of-Kind, Off-the-Shelf, iPSC-Derived TCR-Less CD19 CAR T Cell Therapy for the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory B-Cell Malignancies
Park, Jae H. , Diaz, Monica, Valamehr, Bahram , Chu, Yu‐Waye, Castro, Januario E. , Castro, Januario E , Jain, Nitin , Chen, Andy , McGuirk, Joseph P.

Blood | February 7, 2021 | Volume: 136 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 15-16

10.1182/blood-2020-142423 Get It

Background: Autologous T cells engineered to express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) targeting the B-cell lineage antigen CD19 (CAR19) in patients with relapsed/refractory (r/r) aggressive B-cell lymphomas (BCL) and pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) have resulted in transformative improvements in clinical outcomes. However, there remain significant limitations concerning autologous CAR19 T cell manufacturing, including dysfunctional starting material, lack of product consistency and purity following genetic engineering, manufacturing timelines that necessitate the administration of bridging therapy in patients with aggressive disease, and insufficient quantities of CAR19 T cells, especially in severely cytopenic patients, to allow for more than single-dose administration routinely. The ability to consistently administer more than a single dose of CAR19 T cells enables dosing schedules that may reduce the risk of potentially life-threatening toxicities such as cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity, while maintaining or improving the depth and durability of anti-tumor responses. FT819 is a first-of-kind, off-the-shelf CAR19 T cell product candidate derived from a clonal master engineered induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line, which can be used as a renewable source for the mass production of off-the-shelf CAR T cells for broad patient access. FT819 is engineered with the following features designed to improve the safety and efficacy of CAR T cell therapy: a novel 1XX CAR signaling domain, which has been shown to extend T cell effector function without eliciting exhaustion; integration of the CAR transgene directly into the T cell receptor alpha constant (TRAC) locus, which has been shown to promote uniform CAR expression and enhanced T cell potency; and complete bi-allelic disruption of T cell receptor (TCR) expression for the prevention of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). FT819 has demonstrated antigen-specific cytolytic activity in vitro against CD19-expressing leukemia and lymphoma cell lines comparable to that of donor-derived CAR T cells, and persists and maintains tumor clearance in the bone marrow in an in vivo disseminated xenograft model of lymphoblastic leukemia (Mandal et al. 2020). The properties of FT819 and its ability to improve outcomes of patients with B-cell malignancies warrants further clinical investigation. Study Design and Methods: This study is a multicenter, Phase I clinical trial of FT819 in patients with r/r B-cell malignancies, including BCL, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and B-ALL. The primary objective of the trial is to determine the recommended Phase II dose of FT819. Key secondary objectives include evaluation of FT819 safety and tolerability, anti-tumor activity, and pharmacokinetics (PK). Exploratory objectives include characterization of FT819 pharmacodynamics as assessed by peripheral blood biomarkers, and by phenotypic and genetic characterization of the tumor microenvironment from paired pre- and post-treatment tumor biopsies. The dose-escalation part of the trial utilizes a 3+3 dose-escalation design to identify the maximum tolerated dose for BCL, CLL, and B-ALL. The dose-expansion part of the trial is designed to further characterize the safety, efficacy, and PK of FT819 in multiple indications. Up to a maximum of 300 patients will be enrolled. The trial will test up to four FT819 dose levels ranging from 30 to 900 million cells. Three FT819 dosing regimens each will be tested for BCL, CLL, and B-ALL: Regimen A, FT819 administered as a single dose; Regimen A1, FT819 administered as a single dose in combination with interleukin (IL)-2; and Regimen B, FT819 administered as fractionated doses on Days 1, 3, and 5. Lympho-conditioning will consist of three consecutive days of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide administered prior to the first dose of FT819. Key inclusion criteria include r/r disease after standard approved therapies, documented CD19 expression, and adequate organ function. Key exclusion criteria include ongoing immunosuppression such as systemic GVHD therapy, prior allograft organ transplant, active central nervous system involvement of disease, and known allergy to FT819 components. The trial is expected to begin patient recruitment in 2020. Disclosures Park: Novartis: Consultancy; Fate Therapeutics: Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech/Roche: Research Funding; Kite: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy, Research Funding; GSK: Consultancy; Autolus: Consultancy, Research Funding; Intellia: Consultancy; Minverva: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Consultancy; Servier: Consultancy, Research Funding; Allogene: Consultancy; Juno Therapeutics: Research Funding; Artiva: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Jain:Pfizer: Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Incyte: Research Funding; Servier: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; BMS: Research Funding; AbbVie: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Adaptive Biotechnologies: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Aprea Therapeutics: Research Funding; BeiGene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Genentech: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Precision Bioscienes: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Fate Therapeutics: Research Funding; Verastem: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Cellectis: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. McGuirk:Bellicum Pharmaceutical: Research Funding; Gamida Cell: Research Funding; Astellas: Research Funding; Pluristem Ltd: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Juno Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Kite Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Fresenius Biotech: Research Funding; Allo Vir: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Diaz:Fate Therapeutics, Inc.: Current Employment. Valamehr:Fate Therapeutics, Inc: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Chu:Fate Therapeutics, Inc.: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Roche Holding AG: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Castro:Kite Pharma: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Fate Therapeutics: Research Funding. OffLabel Disclosure: Cyclophosphamide and fludarabine will be used as lympho-conditioning therapy prior to FT819 administration. IL-2 will be administered in order to promote the expansion and function of FT819 as a T-cell product.
Long-Term Sustained Responses Following Ibrutinib Discontinuation after Frontline Therapy with Obinutuzumab Plus Ibrutinib in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Lengerke-Diaz, Paula A. , Choi, Michael Y. , Cortes, Eider F. Moreno, Forero-Forero, José Vicente , Velez-Lujan, Juliana, Amaya-Chanaga, Carlos I., Castro, Januario E. , Castro, Januario E , Diaz, Paula A Lengerke , Moreno-Cortes, Eider , Forero, Jose V , Kipps, Thomas J.

Blood | November 4, 2020 | Volume: 136 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 33-34

10.1182/blood-2020-143473 Get It

Single oral targeted therapies have emerged as a standard of care in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, accessibility, side effects, and financial burden associated with long term administration limit their clinical use. Mainly, it is unclear in what clinical situation discontinuation of oral therapy can be recommended. The combination of type II anti-CD20 antibody obinutuzumab-Gazyva® with ibrutinib (GI) has shown a significant progression-free survival benefit in patients (pts) with CLL, including those with high-risk genomic aberrations. We conducted a phase 1b/2, single-arm, open-label trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of GI as first-line treatment in 32 CLL pts. We report the outcome in pts that discontinued ibrutinib (either after 3 years of sustained complete response (CR) as stipulated in the clinical protocol, or due to other reasons). CLL pts enrolled in this protocol were ≥65 years old, or unfit/unwilling to receive chemotherapy. Pts received GI for six cycles, followed by daily single-agent ibrutinib. The protocol was designed to ensure that pts with a sustained CR after 36 months were allowed to discontinue ibrutinib. The median age was 66 years (IQR 59-73), and 6% of the evaluated pts had 17p deletion. All pts were able to complete the six planned cycles of obinutuzumab. The combination regimen was well-tolerated, and the most common adverse events (>5% CTCAE grade 3-4) were neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and hyperglycemia. The rate and severity of infusion-related reactions (IRR) were much lower than expected (Grade≥ 3, 3%), and pts without IRR had lower serum levels of cytokines/chemokines CCL3 (P=0.0460), IFN-γ (P=0.0457), and TNF-α (P=0.0032) after infusion. The overall response rate was 100%, with nine pts (28%) achieving a CR, and four pts (12.5%) with undetectable minimal residual disease (uMRD) in the bone marrow, defined as <10-4 CLL cells on multicolor flow cytometry. At a median follow-up of 35.5 months (IQR 24.5-42.7) after starting treatment, 91% of the enrolled pts remain in remission with a 100% overall survival. Sixteen pts have completed a long-term follow-up of 36 months. Six pts showed CR, with three of them achieving uMRD in the bone marrow. Ten of these pts were in PR, and only one had disease progression and started treatment for symptomatic stage I disease with obinutuzumab plus venetoclax. In total, thirteen pts (41%) have stopped ibrutinib, with a median time on treatment prior to discontinuation of 35 months. Five (16%) of these pts had CRs and discontinued after 36 months. Eight additional pts (25%) had PRs and discontinued ibrutinib without being eligible: three pts discontinued prior to 36 months due to toxicities, and five pts discontinued after 36 months (3 due to side effects, and 2 due to financially driven decision). One patient eligible to discontinue ibrutinib, decided to remain on treatment despite sustained CR. After a median follow up time following ibrutinib discontinuation of 8 months (IQR 3.5-17), only two out of 13 pts have progressed (10 and 17 months after Ibrutinib discontinuation). None of the pts that stopped ibrutinib after achieving a CR have shown signs of disease progression. Of note, the pharmaceutical sponsor provided ibrutinib for the first 36 months, after which pts or their insurer became financially responsible. This particular scenario could bias the discontinuation pattern compared to a real world experience. It also provided us with a perspective about diverse factors affecting the treatment choices of pts. In summary, the obinutuzumab plus ibrutinib combination therapy was well-tolerated, with a much lower IRR rate. Efficacy compares favorably with historical controls with all pts responding to therapy, no deaths associated with treatment or disease progression, and a longer than expected time-to-progression after discontinuation of ibrutinib. The rate of ibrutinib discontinuation was higher than reported in the literature, most likely influenced by the protocol design and financial decisions driven by the switch from sponsor-provided ibrutinib to insurance or self-paid medication. Our observations regarding safety, efficacy and lack of disease progression after ibrutinib discontinuation are encouraging, and warrant confirmation in long-term prospective studies. Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier NCT02315768. Funding: Pharmacyclics LLC. Disclosures Choi: AbbVie: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. Amaya-Chanaga:AbbVie: Ended employment in the past 24 months, Other: Research performed while employed as an investigator of this study at UCSD.. Kipps:Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Castro:Kite Pharma: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Fate Therapeutics: Research Funding.
Management of Patients with Aggressive B Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma after Relapse from Axicabtagene Ciloleucel: Single Center Real-World Experience
Forero-Forero, José Vicente , Lengerke-Diaz, Paula A. , Cortes, Eider F. Moreno, Melody, Megan , Kharfan‐Dabaja, Mohamed A. , Castro, Januario E. , Castro, Januario E , Diaz, Paula A Lengerke , Forero, Jose V , Moreno-Cortes, Eider , Rosenthal, Allison

Blood | November 4, 2020 | Volume: 136 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 43-44

10.1182/blood-2020-143168 Get It

Background: Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has changed the treatment landscape for patients with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL). Despite the excellent responses in relapsed or refractory (R/R) aggressive NHL (aNHL), the outcome of patients (pts) that fail CAR T-cell therapy remains poor, and there is not a clear path for management of their disease. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of aNHL pts treated with axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) at the Mayo Clinic campuses in Arizona and Florida between June 2018 and August 2020. We evaluated the predisposing factors, management, toxicities, and response after CAR T-cell therapy failure. Statistical calculations using parametric tests were performed, and survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared statistically using the log-rank test and Pearson's correlation. Results: Thirty-four pts with aNHL received axi-cel. The median age was 53 years [IQR 42-63], and 62% were male. All pts received inpatient axi-cel infusions and the median length of hospital stay was 14 days (IQR: 11-17). Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS) was observed in 91% of pts (3% grade ≥3), while Immune Effector Cell Associated Neurotoxicity Syndrome (ICANS) was observed in 41% (24% grade ≥3). At day 30 response assessment, 16 pts (47%) had complete responses (CR), 9 (26%) had a partial response (PR), 4 (12%) had stable disease (SD), 4 (12%) showed progression with primary refractory disease (PD) and 1 (3%) died before assessment due to grade 5 ICANS (Table 1). After a median follow-up of 178 days, we observed PD in 12 (35%) pts. The median time-to-progression was 72 days (IQR 58-93) and most of the pts (83%) progressed during the first 3 months. None of the patients with more than 5 months of sustained response developed progression of disease. The likelihood of progression during the first 6 months after axi-cel infusion was 19%, 57%, 50% for pts that initially achieved a CR, PR, SD, respectively. Expression of CD19 was observed in 66% (4/6) of pts with available biopsies after axi-cel suggesting a failure mechanism other than antigen escape. The mortality rate of the R/R aNHL group was 58% with a median survival time of 83 days (IQR: 50-109). There was no association between age, stage, number of previous therapies, time from previous therapy to axi-cel infusion, time from apheresis to infusion, use of tocilizumab, or steroids with progression of disease. Of note, no correlation between CRS or ICANS with progression of disease was found (2-way ANOVA test F (1, 4) = 3.802, p=0.1230). Maintaining a response to axi-cel treatment (CR, PR, or SD) for ≥ 3 months was a strong predictor of durable response with an HR of 0.05 (p= <0.0001). Eleven R/R pts received subsequent therapies with a median time to retreatment of 76 days. Those treatments included: Radiotherapy (n=7), pembrolizumab (n=3), polatuzumab-rituximab with (n=3) and without (n=1) bendamustine, obinutuzumab with (n=1) or without (n=1) lenalidomide, Hyper-CVAD (n=2), R-GemOx (n=1), rituximab with lenalidomide (n=1) and intrathecal methotrexate (n=1). Only 2 (17%) patients have responded to salvage therapy achieving PR (one patient treated with radiotherapy and the other with rituximab-lenalidomide after two other salvage therapies). Conclusion: Our experience demonstrates the majority of aNHL patients respond to axi-cel. If patients maintain their response for more than 3 months, the likelihood of progression is very low - 15%. Similar to what has been previously reported in the literature, our series showed that 35% of patients progressed after axi-cel, and subsequently have a poor prognosis with median survival after a relapse of only 83 days (IQR: 50-109). Therapy options following axi-cel were limited due to severe cytopenias, only 2 of 11 patients have responded to salvage therapy, suggesting that conventional treatments are probably not effective/safe in this high-risk group of patients. Interestingly, the majority of R/R pts with available biopsies showed persistent CD19 expression suggesting that CAR T-cell exhaustion, poor in vivo expansion, and inhibitory signals of the tumor microenvironment may contribute to resistance. Additional strategies for monitoring of axi-cel persistence and its immunophenotypic profile could be helpful for prognosis and management of CAR T-cell pts receiving axi-cel. Disclosures Kharfan-Dabaja: Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy. Castro:Fate Therapeutics: Research Funding; Kite Pharma: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding.
Baseline Hypoalbuminemia Does Not Appear to be an Adverse Prognostic Factor in Patients with Relapse/Refractory B-Cell Lymphomas Treated with Axicabtagene Ciloleucel (axi-cel)
Melody, Megan , Gandhi, Sangeetha, Lengerke-Diaz, Paula A. , Gannon, Nicole, Truong, Tuan, Brandes, Eva, Lange, Gina, Estby, Breanna, Johnston, Patrick B. , Ansell, Stephen M. , Ayala, Ernesto , Foran, James M. , Castro, Januario E. , Kharfan‐Dabaja, Mohamed A. , Castro, Januario E , Diaz, Paula A Lengerke , Rahman, Zaid Abdel , Rosenthal, Allison , Novo, Mattia , Bennani, N. Nora , Paludo, Jonas , Villasboas, José C. , Tun, Han W. , Murthy, Hemant S. , Roy, Vivek , Lin, Yi

Blood | November 14, 2019 | Volume: 134 | Issue: Supplement_1 | Pages: 5343-5343

10.1182/blood-2019-126594 Get It

BACKGROUND: Axi-cel is an autologous anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy that is approved for treatment of relapsed/refractory (R/R) large B-cell lymphoma and is associated with high response rates and durable remissions. Recent data show that axi-cel is effective across various adverse prognostic features, namely cell of origin, disease bulkiness, and extranodal disease, among others. Hypoalbuminemia is a known adverse prognostic factor in lymphomas. It is unknown if axi-cel overcomes the adverse prognostic feature of hypoalbuminemia in R/R large B-cell or transformed follicular lymphoma. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients treated with axi-cel across three Mayo Clinic campuses (Rochester, Jacksonville, and Phoenix) from 06/01/2018 until 04/01/2019. The primary objective of this analysis was to assess the impact of hypoalbuminemia (defined at day 0, prior to infusion) on outcome after axi-cel therapy. RESULTS: A total of 50 (male=37, 74%) patients (pts), median age of 53 (26-67) years received axi-cel. The median number of prior lines of therapy was 3 (2-8) (Table 1). Two pts had no available serum albumin levels at time of axi-cel infusion. Seven (15%) of 48 pts had serum albumin levels lower than 3.5 g/dL (median= 3.3 g/dL (range 2.6-3.4)) and the median follow up of survivors was 7.6 (1.9-14.3) months. The best overall response rate (ORR) and complete remission (CR) rates in these pts were 57% and 57%, respectively. One (14%) patient had stable disease and 2 (29%) had disease progression. The median overall survival (OS) for pts with hypoalbuminemia was not reached. On the other hand, 41 (85%) pts had a normal serum albumin level (median=4.0 (range 3.5-5.1) g/dL) and the median follow up for survivors was 6.3 months. The best objective response rate (ORR) and complete remission (CR) rates in these pts were 82% and 44%, respectively. The median OS for pts with normal serum albumin was 14 (95%CI=6.3-29.6) months. There was no significant difference at 6-months and 1-year OS between pts with hypoalbuminemia vs. those with normal baseline serum albumin levels [6-month=100% vs. 79%(95%CI=64-93%); 1-year (100% vs. 54% (95%CI=26-82%), p=0.17] (Figure 1). All grades cytokine release syndrome (CRS) was diagnosed in all 7 pts with hypoalbuminemia (100%) and in 38 of 41 (92%) pts without hypoalbuminemia. There was no difference in the median duration of CRS between pts with or without hypoalbuminemia [6 (range 1-11) days vs 5 (range 1-19) days, p=0.89]. Neurotoxicity (all grades) was observed in 5 (71%) pts with hypoalbuminemia compared 26 (63%) with normal albumin levels. There was no statistically significant difference in median duration of neurotoxicity between pts with hypoalbuminemia and those with normal baseline albumin levels [9 (range 1-10) days vs. 3 (range 0-25) days, p= 0.72]. CONCLUSIONS: Hypoalbuminemia does not have a significant impact on the outcomes of axi-cel therapy, including the incidence of CRS or neurotoxicity. These results need to be validated in a large collaborative multicenter study. Further investigation is needed to assess the prognostic impact of severe hypoalbuminemia (<3g/dL) on axi-cel therapy. Disclosures Ansell: Mayo Clinic Rochester: Employment; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; Mayo Clinic Rochester: Employment; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Affimed: Research Funding; Regeneron: Research Funding; Affimed: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Mayo Clinic Rochester: Employment; LAM Therapeutics: Research Funding; Affimed: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; Regeneron: Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; Affimed: Research Funding; LAM Therapeutics: Research Funding; Mayo Clinic Rochester: Employment; LAM Therapeutics: Research Funding; LAM Therapeutics: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Mayo Clinic Rochester: Employment; Mayo Clinic Rochester: Employment; Affimed: Research Funding; Regeneron: Research Funding; LAM Therapeutics: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; Affimed: Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; LAM Therapeutics: Research Funding; Mayo Clinic Rochester: Employment; Trillium: Research Funding; Regeneron: Research Funding; LAM Therapeutics: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Mayo Clinic Rochester: Employment; LAM Therapeutics: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Regeneron: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Mayo Clinic Rochester: Employment; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; LAM Therapeutics: Research Funding; Regeneron: Research Funding; Affimed: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Regeneron: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Regeneron: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Regeneron: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Affimed: Research Funding; Affimed: Research Funding. Bennani:Seattle Genetics: Other: Advisory board; Kite Pharma: Other: Advisory board; Seattle Genetics: Other: Advisory board; Adicet Bio: Other: Advisory board; Seattle Genetics: Other: Advisory board; Purdue Pharma: Other: Advisory board; Adicet Bio: Other: Advisory board; Purdue Pharma: Other: Advisory board; Purdue Pharma: Other: Advisory board; Adicet Bio: Other: Advisory board; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Kite Pharma: Other: Advisory board; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Kite Pharma: Other: Advisory board. Paludo:Verily Life Sciences: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Verily Life Sciences: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding. Tun:DTRM Biopharma: Research Funding; Mundi-pharma: Research Funding; BMS: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Curis: Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Research Funding. Foran:Agios: Honoraria, Research Funding. Kharfan-Dabaja:Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy.
Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy Pipeline at a Glance: A Retrospective and Systematic Analysis from Clinicaltrials.Gov
Cortes, Eider F. Moreno, Lengerke-Diaz, Paula A. , Ramirez-Segura, Cesar A, Castro, Januario E. , Castro, Januario E , Diaz, Paula A Lengerke , Moreno-Cortes, Eider , Stein, Caleb K.

Blood | November 14, 2019 | Volume: 134 | Issue: Supplement_1 | Pages: 5629-5629

10.1182/blood-2019-132273 Get It

Background: Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is a promising cancer immunotherapy that is growing exponentially. The doubling time of medical knowledge in 2010 was 3.5 years, and the projection for 2020 is just 73 days. In the last five years, the number of PubMed publications on cancer applications of CAR T cells has tripled. Therefore, to remain updated in the field represents a challenge for patients, care providers and researchers. In this review we provide a focused summary of the currently ongoing clinical trials, with a comprehensive overview of advances in CAR T cell therapy, beyond CD19, emphasizing on antigenic targets, development phases, and leading sponsor pharmaceutical companies. Methods: We retrieved the available data from the national registry of clinical trials (clinicaltrials.gov) using the following keywords: "CAR T cell", "CAR T cell and cancer", "chimeric antigen receptor", "CAR T AND tumor antigen", 'CAR T cell antigens", "Tumor antigens targeted by CAR T cells", "engineered T cells", "modified T cell", "CAR T cells in Cancer", "CAR T cell therapy", "CAR T cell therapy AND Cancer" until December 31, 2018 and manually excluded the trials unrelated to CAR T-cell therapies on cancer, by reviewing the detailed information provided on the website as well as preliminary data published. Results: The analysis included 271 clinical trials posted on the clinicaltrials.gov website from the United States by the cut-off date. For efficacy analysis, we retrieved information from 52 trials, by NCT number on a PubMed search. The majority of CAR T clinical research is focused on hematological cancer (57%), followed by CNS 8%, GI 6%, Skin 5%, Genitourinary 4%, Breast 4%, Gynecologic 4%, Respiratory 3%, Sarcoma 2%, Mesothelioma 2% and others 5%. The most used target in CAR T cell therapy and the leaders in phase 3 trials are CD19 (42%) and BCMA (12%), followed by CD20, NY-ESO-1, Mesothelin, HER2, GD2, MAGE-A3 and CD30. An essential step in CAR T cell therapy development is the selection of the right antigen/target. Here, we provide an overview of the clinically relevant targets that are actively being using by clinical trials in the United States. For example, CD19 appears to be a leading target regarding CAR T cell therapy on cancer with 116 trials (42% of total CAR T cells trials) on going just in the United States with a significant increment in the previous years. Similarly, with BCMA is one of the targets with more phase 3 trials (Figure 1) with promising results on patients with Multiple Myeloma with and the objective response of 85%, CR 45%, and PFS of 11.8 months. Second-generation CARs with either CD28 or 4-1BB as costimulatory signaling domain are preferred, with 4-1BB being the most commonly chosen. Conclusions: Our findings show growing trends in the development of CAR T cell-based therapies, combination and possible retargeting therapies in the future for solid tumor and hematologic malignances; taking into account the amount of important information and the complexity of the database, we have developed this analysis to understand how to generate in the future a friendly platform for researchers and patients to have an detailed overview of the clinical trials in cellular therapies Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Updated Phase 1 Results of Zuma-3: Kte-C19, an Anti-CD19 Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy, in Adult Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Bishop, Michael R. , Oluwole, Olalekan O. , Baer, Maria R. , Donnellan, William B. , O’Dwyer, Kristen M. , Castro, Januario E. , Schiller, Gary J. , Holmes, Houston, Arellano, Martha , Malone, Adriana K. , Pagel, John M. , Mardiros, Armen, Shen, Tong , Vezan, Remus, Jain, Rajul K., Oluwole, Olalekan O , Castro, Januario E , Wierda, William G. , Bishop, Michael Russell , Logan, Aaron C , O'Dwyer, Kristin , Abedi, Mehrdad , Ghobadi, Armin , Shah, Bijal

Blood | October 15, 2019 | Volume: 132 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 897-897

10.1182/blood-2018-99-111531 Get It

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.
A Phase II Study of Pegylated Asparaginase, Cyclophosphamide, Rituximab, and Dasatinib Added to the UCSF 8707 (Linker 4-drug) Regimen with Liposomal Cytarabine CNS Prophylaxis for Adults with Newly Diagnosed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) or Lymphoblas
Wieduwilt, Matthew J. , Schiller, Gary J. , Liu, Lin , Mulroney, Carolyn , Mannis, Gabriel N. , Tzachanis, Dimitrios , Castro, Januario E. , Ball, Edward D., Curtin, Peter , Reiner, Jesika, Damon, Lloyd E. , Castro, Januario E , Jonas, Brian A. , Andreadis, Charalambos Babis , Logan, Aaron C

Blood | October 14, 2019 | Volume: 132 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 4018-4018

10.1182/blood-2018-99-117469 Get It

Abstract Intensification of therapy for adults with ALL using pediatric regimens with intensive asparagine depletion is feasible. Targeted therapies are improving outcomes. We hypothesized that the UCSF 8707 regimen (Linker et al.JCO 2002;20:2462) could be safely intensified with the addition of pegylated asparaginase (peg asp), cyclophosphamide, rituximab, dasatinib, and intrathecal liposomal cytarabine. Methods: Patients (pts) enrolled at 4 centers. The primary objective was 3-year (yr) EFS (goal >55%). Eligible pts were age 18-60 yrs with untreated ALL or LBL. Treatment consisted of induction Course 1A (C1A): daunorubicin 60 mg/m2 IV d1-3, vincristine (VCR) 1.4 mg/m2 (2 mg if age >50 yrs) IV day 1,8,15,22, prednisone 60 mg/m2 orally (PO) d1-28, peg-asp 2,000 IU/m2 (cap 3,750 IU; 1,000 IU/m2 if age >50 yrs) IV d15, cyclophosphamide 750 mg/m2 IV d1,15 (or 500 mg/m2 IV q12h d15,16 if d14 marrow M2 or M3). ALL pts in CR/CRi and LBL pts in CR or PR proceeded to post-remission Course 1B (C1B): methotrexate (MTX) 220 mg/m2 IV bolus then 60 mg/m2/hr CIV for 36 hrs d1,15 with leucovorin rescue, 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) 60 mg/m2 PO d1-7, 15-21, peg-asp 2,000 IU/ m2 (cap 3,750 IU; 1,000 IU/m2 if age >50 yrs) IV d16. Course 1C (C1C) consisted of cytarabine 2,000 mg/m2 IV d1-4 and etoposide 500 mg/m2 IV d1-4. Courses A-C repeated once then a third course B given. Maintenance POMP (6-MP 60 mg/m2 PO daily, VCR 1.4 mg/m2 (2 mg age >50 yrs) IV monthly, MTX 20 mg/m2 PO weekly, prednisone 60 mg/m2 PO d1-5) repeated monthly for 12 months then POMP with every other month VCR and prednisone for 12 months. Peg asp was given d16 of maintenance month 1. If B-ALL (+/- CD20 expression), rituximab 375 mg/m2 IV was given every 2 weeks for 8 doses starting day 1 of C1A. If Ph+ ALL, dasatinib 140 mg PO daily was given but held during high-dose MTX then restarted when serum [MTX] was </= 0.1 μM. CNS prophylaxis was liposomal cytarabine 25 mg intrathecal C1A d1,15, C2A d1,15 then 50 mg monthly for 4 doses in maintenance. Bone marrow biopsies were performed C1A d14 and after C1A, C1B, C3B, and maintenance. Measurable residual disease (MRD) was evaluated centrally by multi-parameter flow cytometry. BCR-ABL1 QPCR was performed locally. EFS is the time from start of therapy to failure of response by induction day 28, relapse, or death censored for HCT. RFS is the time from response to relapse or death censored for HCT. OS is the time from start of therapy until death. Survival was estimated by the method of Kaplan and Meier. Toxicity was graded with NCI CTCAE version 4.0. Results: Between 4/2014 and 2/2017, 31 pts enrolled and 29 were eligible. Median age was 28 yrs (20-54), 62% were male, 52% were Hispanic, and 86% had ALL. The end induction ORR (CR + PR) was 90% (2 ALL with PR, 1 early death). ORR for LBL was 100% (n= 4). The CR rate for ALL was 88%. For Ph- B-ALL (n=16), the CR rate was 86% with MRD <0.1% and <0.01% in 90% and 80% of CR pts, respectively. For Ph+ B-cell ALL (n=7), the CR rate was 88% (1 early death) with MRD <0.1% and <0.01% in 100% and a CMR rate of 67% at CR. The 2 T-ALL pts achieved CR with MRD >0.1%. Five pts underwent allogeneic HCT in first CR to study therapy. With a median follow up of 32 months (16-44), the 2- and 3-yr EFS were 59%. EFS was similar for B-ALL, T- ALL, LBL, Ph- B-ALL, and Ph+ B-ALL. Five pts relapsed. The 2- and 3-yr RFS were 66%. Concomitant marrow and CNS relapse occurred in 1 pt. No isolated CNS relapses occurred. Transplant-censored 2- and 3-yr OS were 80% and 72%. Uncensored 2- and 3-yr OS were 75% and 70%. Among eligible pts, 8 died: 4 after relapse, 1 in induction from infection, 2 in CR from infection, and 1 from allogeneic HCT complications. Three reversible grade 3-4 events were attributed to liposomal cytarabine, all grade 3: syncope, pseudotumor cerebri, and headache. Grade 3-5 possible peg asp toxicities were transaminitis (58%), hyperbilirubinemia (42%), hyperglycemia (29%), hypertriglyceridemia (26%), elevated GGT/alkaline phosphatase (19%), thrombosis (19%, 1 cerebral venous), hypoalbuminemia (10%), hypersensitivity (6.5%), elevated lipase (6.5%), pancreatitis (3.2%), encephalopathy (3.2%), and avascular necrosis (3.2%). One pt died from encephalopathy. Conclusions: Intensification of UCSF 8707 is feasible and effective. Post-induction remissions were deep with high MRD-negativity rates. EFS, RFS, and OS are favorable with follow up and accrual ongoing (NCT02043587). Strategies to limit peg asp toxicity are needed. Disclosures Wieduwilt: Amgen: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Shire: Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Reata Pharmaceuticals: Equity Ownership; Leadiant: Research Funding. Schiller:Astellas Pharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; bluebird bio: Research Funding. Mannis:AbbVie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Agios: Research Funding; NKarta: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Curtin:Amgen: Research Funding; Onconova: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding. Andreadis:Genentech: Consultancy, Employment; Bayer: Consultancy; Astellas: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy; Juno: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kite: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy. 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. Damon:Actelion: Other: spouse's relationship with company; Boston Scientific: Other: spouse's relationship with company; Novartis: Other: spouse's relationship with company; Gilead Sciences Inc: Other: spouse's relationship with company.
A Phase Ib/II Study of Ibrutinib in Combination with Obinutuzumab-Gazyva As First-Line Treatment for Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia > 65 Years Old or with Coexisting Conditions
Luján, Juliana Vélez, Choi, Michael Y. , Jacobs, C , McCarthy, Colin, Heinen, Alaina, Amaya-Chanaga, Carlos I., Castro, Januario E. , Castro, Januario E , Jacobs, Chaja, Kipps, Thomas J.

Blood | October 14, 2019 | Volume: 132 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 1863-1863

10.1182/blood-2018-99-118990 Get It

Abstract Standard treatment for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is rapidly evolving and gradually has incorporated the combined use of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and targeted therapy with small molecules. Single agent Ibrutinib (Ibr), a first-in-class BTK inhibitor, is effective in previously untreated patients including those that are older than 65 or considered unfit to receive chemotherapy-based combinations. The complete response rate in patients receiving single agent Ibr is relatively low (overall response rate of 86% and complete response of 4% based on 2008 iwCLL criteria), though most patients have durable remissions. The combination of Ibr with mAbs like Obinutuzumab-Gazyva (G), a third-generation anti-CD20 mAb, can ameliorate the Ibr-induced lymphocytosis and increase the overall and complete response rates. Accordingly, we initiated an open-label phase Ib/II clinical study of Ibr in combination with G for first-line therapy of previous untreated pts with CLL. The study completed enrollment of 32 previously untreated patients with CLL. Patients received G administered based on FDA dosing recommendations for 6 cycles (28 days/cycle) and Ibr 420mg po (1-3 hours before starting G infusion), and daily for up to 3 years. All patients received prophylactic medications. Patients were assessed for response by 2008 iwCLL criteria two months after completion of G, as the primary efficacy endpoint. The median age of the patients was 65 (range: 46-78) years. 84% of the patients had a CIRS >6, 45% had a Rai stage III-IV and 19% had an ECOG performance ≤2. The median baseline absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) was 79x103/mm3(range: 1.4-412.4). Patients showed the following FISH/cytogenetic abnormalities: del(13q) in 55%, trisomy 12 in 23% and del(11q) in 19%. Only 2 (6%) of these patients showed del(17p). From the patients with IGVH mutational status available (n=17), 11 (65%) were unmutated (>98% homology). Most adverse events (AEs) were grade 1-2 (74%). Six patients (19%) had grade 1-2 G-infusion-related reaction (IRR) and only one patient (3%) showed grade 3 IRR (without the need for G discontinuation). We observed neutropenia (all grades: 52%, grade 3-4: 23%), thrombocytopenia (all grades: 71%, grade 3-4: 19%) and anemia (all grades: 26%). There were no cases of febrile neutropenia. Two patients (6%) had grade 1 bleeding (one patient with asymptomatic lower gastrointestinal bleeding and the second patient with epistaxis) that resolved spontaneously without requirement of blood transfusion or study treatment discontinuation. Two patients (6%) developed pneumonia, one was community-acquired pneumonia requiring inpatient treatment with IV antibiotics; the study treatment was held until resolution of symptoms and re-initiated at full dose. The most frequent non-hematological AEs were diarrhea, transaminitis, hyperbilirubinemia, hyperglycemia, and electrolyte alterations (grade 1-2). Three patients (9%) discontinued Ibr due to atrial fibrillation grade 1 (n=1), rash and headaches grade 2 (n=1), and persistent grade 4 thrombocytopenia (n=1). Twenty-three patients were evaluable for response assessment by 2008 iwCLL criteria (median follow-up of 11 months). 84% of the patients showed a rapid decrease in ALC from baseline during the first cycle of treatment and only four patients (13%) required more than 3 cycles of treatment to achieve an ALC response. The overall response rate was 100%. The majority of pts had a partial response and six of 23 evaluable patients (26%) achieved a complete remission with detectable Minimal Residual Disease in the bone marrow by multiparametric flow cytometry. In summary, Ibr-G combination has been generally well tolerated. AEs have been consistent with the known safety profiles of Ibr and G individually. The patients that discontinued Ibr remain in follow-up without disease progression. 100% of evaluable patients achieved response after 6 months of combination therapy, and 26% of patients met CR criteria. One important finding thus far has been a very low rate of IRR, (19% grade 1-2 and 3% grade 3-4), suggesting that Ibr can strongly mitigate the incidence and severity of G associated IRR. Disclosures Choi: AbbVie, Inc: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Rigel: Consultancy; Gilead: Speakers Bureau; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Genentech: Speakers Bureau. Amaya-Chanaga:AbbVie: Equity Ownership, Other: Research performed while employed as an investigator of this study at UCSD. Review and approval of abstract performed while employed at Pharmacyclics, LLC, an AbbVie Company.; Pharmacyclics, an AbbVie Company: Employment, Other: Research performed while employed as an investigator of this study at UCSD. Review and approval of abstract performed while employed at Pharmacyclics, LLC, an AbbVie Company.. Kipps:Janssen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy; Verastem: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Genentech Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Verastem: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Castro:F. Hoffmann-La Roche: Consultancy; Genentech, Inc: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics, LLC, an AbbVie Company:: Consultancy.