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Jain, Nitin

0000-0003-0114-8384

Mayo Clinic

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Citations 23

Superior real-world outcomes of lisocabtagene maraleucel in chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Huang, Jennifer , Khaire, Niranjan , Pizzuti, V., Shune, Leyla , Skarbnik, Alan P , Mian, Agrima , Bharadwaj, Sushma , Alsouqi, Aseel , Wankel, Bret , Lukowski, Joseph , Danilov, Alexey V. , Scordo, Michael , Franco, Stephanie , Ujjani, Chaitra S. , Lynch, Ryan C. , Kittai, Adam S. , Shulman, Jonah, Lunning, Matthew A. , Rogers, Kerry A. , Fakhri, Bita , Hill, Brian T. , Pinilla‐Ibarz, Javier , Soumerai, Jacob D. , Shadman, Mazyar, Pizzuti, Vincenzo J. , Soumerai, Jacob D , Fakhri, Bita , Pizzuti, Vincenzo J , Voutsinas, Jenna M. , Pizzuti, Vincenzo, Lei, Matthew , Fonseca, Rodrigo , Din, Mohammad Ammad Ud , Wehmeyer, Graham T. , Siddiqi, Tanya , Thompson, Meghan C , Stephens, Deborah M. , Gauthier, Jordan , Wierda, William G. , Barr, Paul M. , Hilal, Talal , Kamdar, Manali , Wu, Qian Vicky , Jain, Nitin , Shadman, Mazyar

Blood | December 5, 2025 | Volume: 146 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 798-798

10.1182/blood-2025-798 Get It

Abstract Introduction: Lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel) was approved in the United States for the treatment of CLL in 3/2024 for patients who have received two prior lines of therapy including a covalent BTK inhibitor and a BCL-2 inhibitor. Data regarding outcomes of liso-cel is limited to reports from the registrational TRANSCEND-CLL 004 clinical trial which had strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. This work investigates the real-world efficacy and safety of liso-cel for patients with CLL and its efficacy in specific sub-populations. Methods: This is a multi-institutional retrospective study (Collaborative Assessment of Real-World Evidence of Lisocabtagene Maraleucel in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory CLL/SLL [CARE CAR-T CLL]) of patients with CLL who received commercial liso-cel in the United States. Patients with Richter transformation were excluded. Response was defined by iwCLL criteria. Patients who did not undergo a marrow biopsy but met other criteria for a complete response (CR) were categorized as unconfirmed CR (CRu). CRS and ICANS were graded per ASTCT criteria. Results: A total of 30 patients were identified with a median age of 67 years (range 44 – 80). Twenty of thirty patients (67%) had either del17p and/or mutated TP53, and 8/30 (27%) had complex karyotype (≥ 3 abnormalities) at time of liso-cel infusion. Patients received a median of 6 prior lines of therapy (range 1 - 12), and 24 (80%) were previously treated with chemotherapy. All patients had previous exposure to a covalent BTK inhibitor and a BCL-2 inhibitor. Twenty-seven (90%) of patients had prior exposure to pirtobrutinib. Twenty-nine patients (96.7%) received bridging treatment that was stopped after leukapheresis with 1 patient in CR and 25 patients in PR at time of liso-cel. Eighteen patients (60%) were treated with pirtobrutinib as the last line of treatment prior to liso-cel. Median length of time on pirtobrutinib prior to liso-cel infusion was 4 months (interquartile range [IQR], 2 – 8 months). Twelve (66.7%) patients stopped pirtobrutinib between leukapheresis and lymphodepletion, and 6 continued after liso-cel. Best CR/CRu rate was 60.0% (CR, n = 17/30; CRu, n = 1/30), and best overall response rate (ORR) was 83.3% (25/30) with median time to best response of 30 days (IQR, 28 – 30 days). Of the 18 patients who received pirtobrutinib as their last line of therapy, 13 (72%) achieved a CR/CRu. Meanwhile, of the 12 patients who did not receive pirtobrutinib as their last line of therapy, only 5 (28%) achieved a CR. Measurable residual disease testing (MRD) by flow cytometry was done in 14/30 patients, and 9 patients (64%) had achieved undetectable MRD (uMRD). MRD by next generation sequencing (NGS) was done in 17 patients, and 7 (41%) patients had uMRD. Twenty-seven of 30 patients (90%) were alive at time of data collection. Median follow-up was 3.3 months (IQR, 1.2 – 8.9 months). Twenty-six patients (87%) experienced any grade cytokine release syndrome (CRS), and 3 patients experienced grade 3 CRS (10%). Twelve patients (40%) experienced any grade immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), and 4 patients (13%) experienced grade 3 ICANS. There were no grade 4 or 5 CRS or ICANS. One patient experienced grade 3 immune effector cell-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis-like syndrome (IEC-HS). At day 30, patients had a median absolute neutrophil count of 1.7K/μL (IQR, 0.8 – 3.6K/μL), hemoglobin of 11.7 g/dL (IQR, 8.6 – 13.1 g/dL), and platelet count of 72K/μL (IQR, 29 – 119K/μL). Conclusion: Real-world analysis of liso-cel for patients with relapsed/refractory CLL showed CR and ORR of 60.0% and 83.3%, respectively. Despite having a heavily pre-treated and chemotherapy-exposed population and with over half the patients having high-risk features, these response rates are higher than what was described in the TRANSCEND-CLL 004 clinical trial. These results are limited by the short follow-up period and the variability in response assessment typical of a retrospective study. As we increase our sample size, we will also be interested if the use of the non-covalent BTK inhibitor pirtobrutinib prior to liso-cel is associated with a higher CR rate, mimicking the findings of the sub-cohort analysis of TRANSCEND-CLL 004 where the concurrent use of ibrutinib led to higher CR rates. Further updates and patients from additional collaborators will be presented at the meeting.
The evolving therapeutic revolution in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Kantarjian, Hagop M. , Litzow, Mark R. , Luger, Selina M. , Ribera, Josep‐María , Short, Nicholas J. , Chifotides, Helen T. , Jabbour, Elias , Kantarjian, Hagop , Papayannidis, Cristina , Ribera, Josep-Maria , Short, Nicholas , Chifotides, Helen T , Jabbour, Elias , Jain, Nitin , Papayannidis, Cristina

Cancer | May 5, 2025 | Volume: 131 | Issue: 10 | Pages: No page available

10.1002/cncr.35872 Get It

Abstract The past decade has witnessed remarkable advances in deciphering the pathophysiology of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and in developing novel targeted therapies. Basic research and genomic mapping have identified new prognostic biomarkers, targets, and ALL subtypes (e.g., Philadelphia‐like ALL). The ongoing therapeutic revolution in ALL is driven by the addition to the treatment arsenal of therapies that target the ABL fusions, like the BCR::ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors, as well as novel agents that target CD19 and CD22: the CD22 antibody–drug conjugate inotuzumab ozogamicin, the bispecific CD3/CD19 T‐cell engager antibody blinatumomab, and CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T‐cell therapies. These combinations have improved the long‐term survival rates in B‐cell ALL to 70%, and in Philadelphia chromosome‐positive ALL to 80%–90%. The desired goals are to achieve cure rates comparable to those in pediatric ALL and to reduce or eliminate the need for prolonged intensive/maintenance chemotherapy and associated toxicities.
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Version 2.2024, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology
Mattison, Ryan J. , Abdelmessieh, Peter, Burke, Patrick W. , DeAngelo, Daniel J., Dinner, Shira, Fathi, Amir T. , Haddadin, Michael , Kirby, Suzanne, Liedtke, Michaela , Litzow, Mark R. , Long, Meixiao, Luger, Selina M. , Mangan, James K. , Massaro, Stephanie, May, William , Park, Jae H. , Schwartz, Marc S. , Shami, Paul J. , Tomlinson, Benjamin , Webster, Jonathan , Stehman, Katie, Shah, Bijal , Abboud, Ramzi , Aldoss, Ibrahim , DeAngelo, Daniel J. , Gauthier, Jordan , Jain, Nitin , Jonas, Brian A. , Logan, Aaron C , Oluwole, Olalekan O. , Przespolewski, Amanda , Rangaraju, Sravanti , Saygin, Caner , Schwartz, Marc, Awotiwon, Ajibola

Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network | October 16, 2024 | Volume: 22 | Issue: 8 | Pages: 563-576

10.6004/jnccn.2024.0051 Get It

The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) provide recommendations for management of ALL, with a focus on the classification of ALL subtypes based on immunophenotype and cytogenetic/molecular markers; risk assessment and stratification for risk-adapted therapy; treatment strategies for Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive and Ph-negative ALL for both adolescent and young adult and adult patients; and supportive care considerations. This selection from the NCCN Guidelines for ALL focuses on treatment recommendations for adults with newly diagnosed Ph-negative ALL based on current evidence.
Impact of Age on Pharmacogenomics and Treatment Outcomes of B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Li, Zhenhua , Gocho, Yoshihiro , Yang, Wenjian , Crews, Kristine R. , Lee, Shawn H.R. , Roberts, Kathryn G. , Mullighan, Charles G. , Relling, Mary V. , Yu, Jiyang , Loh, Mignon L. , Saygin, Caner , Litzow, Mark R. , Karol, Seth E. , Inaba, Hiroto , Konopleva, Marina , Paietta, Elisabeth, Evans, William E. , Yang, Wenjian , Crews, Kristine R , Roberts, Kathryn G , Mullighan, Charles G , Relling, Mary V , Yu, Jiyang , Yeoh, Allen E J , Loh, Mignon L , Litzow, Mark R. , Jeha, Sima , Karol, Seth E , Inaba, Hiroto , Pui, Ching-Hon , Konopleva, Marina , Jain, Nitin , Stock, Wendy , Jabbour, Elias , Kornblau, Steven M , Yang, Jun J.J. , Yoshimura, Satoshi , Yeoh, Allen Eng Juh , Stock, Wendy , Jabbour, Elias , Kornblau, Steven M.

Journal of Clinical Oncology | August 5, 2024 | Volume: 42 | Issue: 29 | Pages: 3478-3490

10.1200/jco.24.00500 Get It

PURPOSE Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) can occur across all age groups, with a strikingly higher cure rate in children compared with adults. However, the pharmacological basis of age-related differences in ALL treatment response remains unclear. METHODS Studying 767 children and 309 adults with newly diagnosed B-cell ALL enrolled on frontline trials at St Jude Children's Research Hospital, MD Anderson Cancer Center, the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, and the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group, we determined the ex vivo sensitivity of leukemia cells to 21 drugs. Twenty-three ALL molecular subtypes were identified using RNA sequencing. We systematically characterized the associations between drug response and ALL genomics in children, adolescents and young adults, and elderly adults. We evaluated the effect of age-related gene expression signature on ALL treatment outcomes. RESULTS Seven ALL drugs (asparaginase, prednisolone, mercaptopurine, dasatinib, nelarabine, daunorubicin, and inotuzumab ozogamicin) showed differential activity between children and adults, of which six were explained by age-related differences in leukemia molecular subtypes. Adolescents and young adults showed similar patterns of drug resistance as older adults, relative to young children. Mercaptopurine exhibited subtype-independent greater sensitivity in children. Transcriptomic profiling uncovered subclusters within CRLF2 -, DUX4 -, and KMT2A -rearranged ALL that were linked to age and cytotoxic drug resistance. In particular, a subset of children had adult-like ALL on the basis of leukemia gene expression patterns across subtypes, despite their chronological age. Resistant to cytotoxic drugs, children with adult-like ALL exhibited poor prognosis in pediatric ALL trials, even after adjusting for age and minimal residual diseases. CONCLUSION Our results provide pharmacogenomic insights into age-related disparities in ALL cure rates and identify leukemia prognostic features for treatment individualization across age groups.
A multicenter study of venetoclax-based treatment for patients with Richter transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Hampel, Paul J. , Rogers, Kerry A. , Parry, Erin M. , Burger, Jan A. , Hyak, Jonathan, Woyach, Jennifer A. , Parry, Erin M , Burger, Jan A , Hyak, Jonathan M , Kenderian, Saad S. , Wang, Yucai , Parikh, Sameer A , Thompson, Philip A , Swaminathan, Mahesh , Davids, Matthew S. , Ding, Wei , Ferrajoli, Alessandra , Jain, Nitin , Wang, Yucai , Wierda, William G. , Parikh, Sameer A.

Blood Advances | March 27, 2024 | Volume: 8 | Issue: 10 | Pages: 2342-2350

10.1182/bloodadvances.2023012080 Get It

Abstract Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who develop Richter transformation (RT) have a poor prognosis when treated with chemoimmunotherapy regimens used for de novo diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Venetoclax, a BCL2 inhibitor, has single-agent efficacy in patients with RT and is potentially synergistic with chemoimmunotherapy. In this multicenter, retrospective study, we evaluated 62 patients with RT who received venetoclax-based treatment outside of a clinical trial, in combination with a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi; n=28), rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone (R-CHOP) (n=13), or intensive chemoimmunotherapy other than R-CHOP (n=21). The best overall and complete response rates were 36%/25%, 54%/46%, and 52%/38%, respectively. The median progression-free and overall survival estimates for the same treatment groups were 4.9/14.3 months, 14.9 months/not reached, and 3.3/9 months, respectively. CLL with del(17p) was associated with a lower complete response rate in the total cohort (odds ratio [OR] 0.15; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.04-0.6; p=0.01) and venetoclax-naïve subgroup (OR 0.13; 95%CI 0.02-0.66; p=0.01). TP53 mutated CLL was associated with a lower complete response rate (OR 0.15; 95%CI 0.03-0.74; p=0.02) and shorter progression-free survival (hazard ratio 3.1; 95%CI 1.21-7.95; p=0.02) only in venetoclax-naïve subgroup. No other clinical or baseline characteristics, including prior venetoclax treatment for CLL, showed statistically significant association with outcomes. Grade 3-4 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia events were most frequent with intensive chemoimmunotherapy + venetoclax; grade 3-4 infection rates were similar across treatment groups. In this difficult-to-treat RT patient population, venetoclax-based combination regimens achieved high response rates, with durable remission and survival observed in a subset of patients.
A Multicenter Analysis of Allogeneic Transplant Outcomes in Patients with Philadelphia-like (Ph-like) Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
Saliba, Rima M., Vanegas, Yenny Alejandra Moreno, Mohty, Razan , Ledesma, Celina, Rondón, Gabriela , Pullarkat, Vinod , Nakamura, Ryotaro , Kharfan‐Dabaja, Mohamed A. , Forman, Stephen J. , Litzow, Mark R. , Foran, James M. , Rahman, Zaid Abdel , Koller, Paul , Othman, Tamer , Vanegas, Yenny Moreno , Jain, Nitin , Jabbour, Elias , Alkhateeb, Hassan B. , Kantarjian, Hagop M. , Greipp, Patricia T. , Champlin, Richard E. , Shpall, Elizabeth J. , Aldoss, Ibrahim , Kebriaei, Partow

Blood | December 1, 2023 | Volume: 142 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 656-656

10.1182/blood-2023-178150 Get It

Background: Ph-like ALL is a high-risk subset of B-lineage ALL that responds poorly to standard chemotherapy regimens. While allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is routinely recommended for patients with Ph-like ALL, large multicenter data addressing its role is limited. Here, we conducted a multicenter study to evaluate the role of HCT in adolescent and young adult (AYA) and adult patients (pts) with Ph-like ALL and compare their outcomes to pts with Ph-pos and Ph-neg (non-Ph-like) ALL. Methods: The study included pts (age ≥18) with B-lineage ALL who received HCT in first complete remission (CR1) at 3 academic centers (MD Anderson Cancer Center, City of Hope and Mayo Clinic) between 2006 and 2021. Pts were divided into 3 main subgroups: Ph-like, Ph-pos and Ph-neg ALL. Ph-like ALL cases were identified using cumulative data obtained by targeted RNA sequencing, conventional cytogenetics, FISH studies, whole genome chromosomal microarray and flow cytometry. Measurable residual disease (MRD) prior to HCT was measured using flow cytometry with a sensitivity of 0.01% for Ph-neg and Ph-like ALL, and with a PCR assay for BCR::ABL1 for Ph-pos ALL. MRD-negativity was defined as <0.01%. Predictors of relapse were evaluated in univariate and multivariate analysis using Fine-Gray sub-distribution hazard models considering non-relapse mortality (NRM) as a competing risk. Results: 673 patients were identified, 83 (12.3%) had Ph-like ALL, of which 73% had CRLF2-alterations. The remaining patients were classified either as Ph-pos (N=271, 40.3%) or Ph-neg ALL (N=319, 47.4%). Patients with Ph-like ALL were younger (median age 40 years vs 48 and 46 years for Ph-pos and Ph-neg ALL, respectively, p=0.01), more likely to be of Hispanic ethnicity (69% vs 32% and 48% for Ph-pos and Ph-neg ALL respectively, p<0.001). Patients with Ph-like ALL were also more likely to have induction failure (24% vs 2% and 11% for Ph-pos and Ph-neg ALL, respectively, p=0.001). A summary of pts characteristics for each subgroup can be found in Table 1. The median follow-up was 30, 52 and 48 months for patients with Ph-like, Ph-pos and Ph-neg ALL, respectively. In univariate analysis, 3-yr OS and PFS did not differ significantly (66% and 59% vs 59% and 54%, p=0.1) between patients with Ph-like and Ph-neg ALL, respectively. Similarly, the cumulative incidence of relapse was comparable between patients with Ph-like and Ph-neg ALL (22% vs 20%, respectively, p=0.7). In contrast, the 3-yr OS (75%, p<0.001) and PFS (70%, p=0.001) were significantly higher and relapse rate significantly lower (12%, p=0.003) in pts with Ph-pos ALL compared with Ph-like or Ph-neg ALL (Figure 1). The inferior survival in patients with Ph-like and Ph-neg ALL was likely attributable to higher relapse rates (22% and 20% vs 12%, respectively, p=0.003) compared to Ph-pos ALL. Finally, the 3-yr NRM rate in patients with Ph-like ALL was comparable (20% vs 18% and 23%, respectively, p>0.1) to Ph-pos and Ph-neg ALL. We confirmed that the relapse rate in patients with Ph-like ALL was comparable to the rate in pts with Ph-neg ALL (HR=1.02, 95% CI 0.6-1.8, p=0.9) on multivariate analysis (MVA). Ph-pos ALL was associated with a significantly lower relapse rate compared with Ph-neg ALL (HR=0.4, 95% CI 0.3-0.7, p<0.001). MRD positivity prior to allo-HCT was the only additional significant predictor for relapse on MVA (HR=2.9, 95% CI 1.8-4.7, p<0.001). Conclusions: HCT appears to overcome the poor prognosis of patients with Ph-like ALL. Despite higher induction failure rates, patients with Ph-like ALL undergoing HCT in CR1 had similar outcomes to other Ph-neg ALL subsets. The impact of effective salvage therapy leading to MRD-negativity in CR1 in this group is under investigation and will be reported. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of different Ph-like alterations on HCT outcomes. Outcomes for patients with Ph-pos ALL are significantly better than other groups, likely due to the use of TKIs pre- and post-HCT.
The Impact of Age and Genomics on Drug Sensitivity in 1,076 Children and Adults with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Gocho, Yoshihiro , Crews, Kristine R. , Lee, Shawn H. R., Relling, Mary V. , Antillón‐Klussmann, Federico , Litzow, Mark R. , Konopleva, Marina , Paietta, Elisabeth , Evans, William E. , Crews, Kristine R , Yoshimura, Satoshi , Li, Zhenhua , Yang, Wenjian , Lee, Shawn H.R. , Roberts, Kathryn G. , Mullighan, Charles G. , Yeoh, Allen Eng Juh , Loh, Mignon L. , Jeha, Sima , Karol, Seth E. , Inaba, Hiroto , Pui, Ching-Hon , Jain, Nitin , Stock, Wendy , Jabbour, Elias , Kornblau, Steven M. , Yang, Jun J.J.

Blood | December 1, 2023 | Volume: 142 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 596-596

10.1182/blood-2023-181788 Get It

While the cure rate of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) now exceeds ~90% with contemporary combination chemotherapy, the prognosis for adults with ALL remains significantly inferior with long-term overall survival ranging from 50% to 70%. Recent studies have uncovered marked differences in ALL genomics between children and adults, with some high-risk subtypes becoming more prevalent with age. However, the underlying biology of age-related disparities in ALL is not fully understood, especially with regard to differences in leukemia sensitivity to chemotherapy. To address this knowledge gap, we performed ex vivo drug sensitivity profiling (i.e., pharmacotyping) of 21 anti-leukemia agents on primary B-ALL diagnostic samples from 767 pediatric (age, 0-18 years) and 309 adult (19-84 years) patients. Drug sensitivity was measured as LC 50: the concentration of drug required to kill 50% of the leukemia cells (PMID: 36604538). A total of 7,975 unique LC 50 values were experimentally determined. RNA-seq was used for subtype classification and gene expression analysis. Among 21 drugs, seven showed significant differences in overall LC 50 between children and adults ( P<0.05 after Bonferroni correction): children displayed higher sensitivity to asparaginase, prednisolone, mercaptopurine, daunorubicin, and inotuzumab, while adults showed higher sensitivity to dasatinib and nelarabine. In multivariate models adjusting for 23 ALL molecular subtypes, only mercaptopurine remained significantly associated with age ( P=1.5×10 -5), suggesting that age-related differences in drug sensitivity can be primarily attributed to the variation in ALL subtypes between children and adults. For mercaptopurine, within KMT2A, CRLF2, and DUX4 subtypes, pediatric samples consistently showed a lower LC 50 than adults carrying the same genomic abnormality ( P=0.032, 0.0045, and 0.02, respectively). To explore intra-subtype heterogeneity, we performed unsupervised clustering using gene expression data for each of these three subtypes. Remarkably, within each of these subtypes, we identified two clusters with distinct transcriptomic profiles that were also largely segregated by age group, i.e., an adult-dominated cluster (C-a) and a pediatric-dominated cluster (C-p). In the KMT2A subtype, cases in C-a exhibited an over-representation of the KMT2A:: AFF1 fusion, and resistance to mercaptopurine ( P=0.029), prednisolone ( P=0.0039), vincristine ( P=0.046) and cytarabine ( P=0.0037). Within CRLF2 ALL, cases in C-a were associated with the presence of BCR:: ABL1-like signature and IGH:: CRLF2 rearrangements, and were more resistant to mercaptopurine ( P=0.0073) and prednisolone ( P=0.00036) compared to those in C-p. For DUX4 ALL, C-a was characterized by an under-representation of ERG deletions and resistance to mercaptopurine ( P=0.0056) and prednisolone ( P=0.0031), compared to C-p within DUX4. To explore the clinical relevance of this heterogeneity, we analyzed the in vivo treatment response of KMT2A (N=35), CRLF2 (N=59) and DUX4 (N=118) B-ALL enrolled in six frontline ALL trials. Compared to cases in C-p (usually drug-sensitive), those in C-a (usually drug-resistant) consistently had significantly poorer initial treatment responses as measured by persistent end-of-induction minimal residual disease (≥0.01%) in KMT2A (58% vs 9%; P=0.0063), CRLF2 (74% vs 41%; P=0.030), and DUX4 (66% vs 40%; P=0.0058) ALL. In conclusion, these studies have revealed important new insights into the pharmacogenomic basis of age-related differences in B-ALL treatment response. These results indicate that both inter- and intra-subtype heterogeneity contribute to inferior prognosis in adults with ALL, but also point to therapeutic opportunities to improve their outcomes.
Outcomes of Patients with Richter Transformation without Prior Chemoimmunotherapy for CLL/SLL: An International Multicenter Retrospective Study
Kittai, Adam S. , Miller, Sarah , Allan, John N. , Brander, Danielle M. , Byrd, John C. , Danilov, Alexey V. , Dvorak‐Kornaus, Kaitlyn, Freedman, Hannah, Hampel, Paul J. , Islam, Prioty , Rai, Manoj, Rogers, Kerry A. , Schade, Jake , Skarbnik, Alan P , Spurgeon, Stephen E. , Zulfa, Omer, Woyach, Jennifer A. , Byrd, John C , Huang, Ying , Bhat, Seema A. , Bond, David A. , Chavez, Julio C , Chong, Elise A. , Davids, Matthew S. , Ding, Wei , Dowling, Mark R. , Ho, Carrie , Hwang, Steven R. , Jain, Nitin , Matasar, Matthew J. , Miller, Cecelia , Parry, Erin M. , Rabe, Kari G. , Rai, Manoj, Raess, Philipp W. , Roeker, Lindsey E. , Rhodes, Joanna , Saha, Aditi , Scott, Hamish S. , Shadman, Mazyar , Shouse, Geoffrey , Stephens, Deborah M. , Thompson, Meghan C , Thompson, Philip A , Wang, Yucai , Wierda, William G. , Yano, Max , Zulfa, Omer

Blood | December 1, 2023 | Volume: 142 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 497-497

10.1182/blood-2023-182114 Get It

Background: Richter Transformation (RT) refers to the development of an aggressive lymphoma in the setting of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL). Small molecule inhibitors (SMI), such as the Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKi) and BCL2 inhibitors (BCL2i), have revolutionized the treatment of CLL/SLL. Prior studies evaluated outcomes of patients (pts) with RT in an era where chemoimmunotherapy (CIT) was typically used to treat CLL/SLL. Now that SMI are standard of care, fewer pts with CLL/SLL receive CIT, therefore we sought to determine which variables predict survival in pts who developed RT without prior CIT exposure for CLL/SLL. Methods: We conducted an international multicenter retrospective study of pts from 11 academic centers. Pts with RT occurring as large B-cell lymphoma who did not previously receive CIT (e.g., fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, bendamustine, chlorambucil) for their CLL/SLL were included. We collected pt, disease, and treatment (tx) characteristics. RT was categorized into 3 groups: “Concurrent RT,” defined as RT and CLL/SLL diagnosed simultaneously (within 3 months [mos]); “RT w/o prior CLL/SLL tx,” defined as RT and CLL/SLL diagnosed >3 mos apart with the CLL/SLL never treated; and “RT with prior non-CIT tx for CLL/SLL” defined as having received prior CLL/SLL tx. Overall survival (OS) was measured from RT diagnosis (Dx) and estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox regression model was used to identify prognostic factors associated with OS. Results: 242 pts were identified. At CLL/SLL Dx, 66% of pts had unmutated IGHV, 37% had del17p/ TP53 disruption, and 20% had trisomy 12. At RT Dx, 56% of the RT with prior non-CIT tx for CLL/SLL group had a del17p/ TP53 disruption versus 27% for the concurrent RT group and 18% for the RT w/o prior CLL/SLL tx groups. Median time from CLL/SLL Dx to RT Dx was 47 mos (range 3-394) for RT w/o prior CLL/SLL tx and 46 mos (range 4-218) for RT with prior non-CIT tx for CLL/SLL. Pts with prior non-CIT tx for CLL/SLL received a median of 1 (range 1-5) prior tx. 86% of pts previously received a BTKi or a BCL2i for tx of CLL/SLL (54% BTKi only, 5% BCL2i only, 27% both). The remaining 14% had been treated with an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (MoAb), steroids, lenalidomide, radiation, or alemtuzumab. 85% of pts developed RT while on active tx with SMI. Median age at RT Dx was 69 years (range 37-92). At RT Dx, 38% and 21% of pts had del17p/ TP53 disruption, and trisomy 12 in CLL/SLL tissue, respectively. At RT Dx, there was no difference in highest SUV on PET (median 16, range 2.9-65.6), LDH (median 325, range 103-8162, ULN range 180-271), largest lymph node in diameter (median 4.9 cm, range 0-17.1), Ki-67 (median 80%, range 5%-100%), rate of GCB subtype (27%), presence of MYC translocation (20%), or CLL/SLL and RT clonal relationship (81%) for those pts tested amongst the 3 groups ( Table). The most common 1 st line tx for RT was CIT with or w/o radiation and/or steroids (76%), followed by CIT plus SMI (13%), SMI single agent or combination (7%), and other (4%, which includes anti-CD20 MoAb). Median follow-up from RT Dx was 42.3 mos; the median OS for the entire cohort was 25.8 mos (95% CI: 16.8-49.1). Pts with RT after non-CIT tx for CLL/SLL had a significantly worse OS (median 8.2 mos [95% CI: 5.6-14.3]) than pts with concurrent RT (median 46.3 mos [95% CI: 23.8-96.9]) and RT w/o prior CLL/SLL tx (median 63.5 mos [95% CI: 28.3-70.3]) ( Figure). From an exploratory univariable analysis, we found RT after non-CIT tx for CLL/SLL compared to concurrent RT (HR 2.32 [95% CI: 1.55-3.46]), RT Dx age (HR for 5-year increase 1.14 [95% CI: 1.05-1.23]), del17p/ TP53 disruption (HR 2.27 [95% CI: 1.45-3.56]), and LDH (HR for 2-fold increase 1.37 [95% CI: 1.20-1.58]) were prognostic for worse OS. Conclusions: This is the largest cohort of pts who developed RT having received only SMI with no CIT for their CLL reported, thus reflecting the current treatment landscape. Despite being CIT-naïve, pts in our series who received tx for their CLL/SLL and then developed RT had a short OS, underscoring the need to develop better therapies for these pts. In contrast, as in other published analyses (Wang Haematologica 2020), pts w/o prior tx for CLL/SLL had more favorable outcomes, with a median OS of approximately 5 years. Further analysis to determine PFS and OS by tx for RT for pts who have been treated with SMI for their CLL/SLL is ongoing.
Abstract A13: Evolutionary history of transformation from chronic lymphocytic leukemia to Richter syndrome
Guièze, Romain , Johnson, Connor, Tausch, Eugen , Lemvigh, Camilla K. , Messer, Conor, Levovitz, Chaya , Broséus, Julien , Li, Shuqiang , Lin, Ziao , Knisbacher, Binyamin A. , Schneider, Christof , Rassenti, Laura Z., Cymbalista, Florence, Livak, Kenneth J. , Brown, Jennifer R. , Paridi, Laxmi, Getz, Gaddy, Wu, Catherine J. , Parry, Erin M. , Leshchiner, Ignaty , Parikh, Sameer A. , Utro, Filippo , Rhrissorrakrai, Kahn , Davids, Matthew S. , Kipps, Thomas J. , Jain, Nitin , Wierda, William G. , Kay, Neil E. , Danysh, Brian P. , Stewart, Chip , Neuberg, Donna , Stilgenbauer, Stephan

Blood Cancer Discovery | September 6, 2022 | Volume: 3 | Issue: 5_Supplement | Pages: A13-A13

10.1158/2643-3249.lymphoma22-a13 Get It

Abstract Richter syndrome (RS), an aggressive lymphoma that develops in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), is a striking example of histologic transformation. While recent therapeutic advances have transformed the treatment landscape of CLL and lymphoma, RS remains associated with dismal overall survival. Despite an advanced genomic and molecular characterization of CLL over the past decade, the current understanding of the genetic factors driving evolution of CLL to RS is limited. To decipher the genetics underlying this transformation, we have performed an integrative analysis of exome, genome and transcriptome data generated from matched RS and CLL samples from a discovery cohort of 53 patients with newly diagnosed RS of DLBCL histology. Through computational deconvolution of CLL and RS clones, we constructed phylogenetic relationships and traced evolution of CLL to RS, confirming both clonal related (87%) and unrelated cases (13%). In addition to identifying recognized RS-risk genetic lesions, we discovered novel RS-specific alterations, including 5 putative somatic driver genes (IRF2BP2, SRSF1, B2M, DNMT3A and EZH2), frequent copy number alterations beyond del(9p21)(CDKN2A/B), (including amp(7q21.2) (CDK6), amp(9p24) (PDL1/L2), and amp(1q23)(MCL1)), and recurrent whole genome duplication and chromothripsis. Integration of exome and genome sequencing data led to the identification of distinct molecular subtypes of RS with prognostic importance. To confirm these molecular subtypes, a validation cohort of 47 RS cases has been assembled with paired exome and transcriptome data. To further investigate the stepwise clonal evolution of CLL to RS, we performed single-cell RNA-sequencing on biopsy samples obtained at diagnosis from 5 individuals with clonally related transformation. Using a novel tool, CNVSingle, we inferred allele specific single-cell copy number alterations that enabled identification of the single-cell clusters representing distinct CLL and RS genetic subclones as well as intermediate, or transitional, evolutionary states. RS cells displayed gene expression enriched in pathways of MYC targets and cell cycle, in line with similar analysis on bulk transcriptomes. Finally, by ultra-low pass (ULP)-WGS sequencing of plasma samples from RS patients, we demonstrate detection of RS tumor DNA in plasma months prior to initial clinical diagnosis (n=3 of 6) or post-allogeneic stem cell transplant relapse (n=2 of 2). cfDNA is thus a promising tool for early detection of emerging RS and RS relapse as well as for non-invasive detection surrounding diagnosis. Altogether, our study defines RS-specific alterations and provides a molecular definition of RS, identifies distinct genetic subtypes of RS with prognostic significance, traces the evolutionary path to RS and suggests future strategies for improved detection. Citation Format: Erin M Parry, Ignaty Leshchiner, Romain Guieze, Connor Johnson, Eugen Tausch, Sameer A Parikh, Camilla K Lemvigh, Conor Messer, Filippo Utro, Chaya Levovitz, Kahn Rhrissorrakrai, Matthew S Davids, Julien Broseus, Shuqiang Li, Ziao Lin, Binyamin A Knisbacher, Christof Schneider, Laura Z Rassenti, Thomas J Kipps, Nitin Jain, William Wierda, Florence Cymbalista, Neil E Kay, Kenneth J Livak, Brian P Danysh, Chip Stewart, Donna Neuberg, Jennifer R Brown, Laxmi Paridi, Stephan Stilgenbauer, Gaddy Getz, Catherine Wu. Evolutionary history of transformation from chronic lymphocytic leukemia to Richter syndrome [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Third AACR International Meeting: Advances in Malignant Lymphoma: Maximizing the Basic-Translational Interface for Clinical Application; 2022 Jun 23-26; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Blood Cancer Discov 2022;3(5_Suppl):Abstract nr A13.