Maurer, Matthew J.

7543 Background: Total metabolic tumor volume (TMTV) and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) may improve upon standard 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET-CT)-based assessment of advanced DLBCL during treatment. We report the association of TMTV and SUVmax changes at interim PET-CT (PET2) on survival outcomes in patients with primary refractory DLBCL (prDLBCL) and early relapsing DLBCL (erDLBCL). Methods: Adult patients with prDLBCL (less than a complete response (CR) or progression by the end of treatment (EOT)) or erDLBCL (CR at EOT with relapse within 12 months) between 2005 and 2019 at Mayo Clinic Rochester were included. The % change (Δ) from baseline to PET2 (after 2 cycles of 1L therapy) of TMTV and SUVmax were measured. A PET segmentation threshold of 1.5 liver mean SUV + two standard deviations with a minimum volume constraint of 0.5 mL was utilized (MIM Software, Inc., Cleveland OH, USA) with manual input as needed. Functional splines analysis determined SUVmax and TMTV threshold for analysis. Results: 131 patients had complete PET-CT data (N=79 prDLBCL, N=52 erDLBCL). Baseline median TMTV and SUVmax were 767.4 cm3 (range 0.9-6840.4) and 20.5 (2.0-52.6), respectively. At a median follow up of 77.6 months, 81 patients had died. 2-year OS rate was 53% (95% CI: 42-67) for patients with a PET2 ΔSUVmax decline ≥65% compared to 15% (95% CI: 7-29) for patients with a PET2 ΔSUVmax decline <65%(p<0.001). PrDLBCL had a 2-year OS rate of 48% (95% CI: 31-74) for a ΔSUVmax ≥65% compared to 7% (95% CI: 2-21) for a ΔSUVmax <65%(p<0.001), which captured 58% of prDLBCL patients (N=46). Two-year OS rate was 43% (95% CI: 34-54) for patients with a ΔTMTV ≥75% compared to 5% (95% CI: 1-35) for patients with ΔTMTV <75% (p<0.001). All patients with a ΔTMTV <75% had prDLBCL. PrDLBCL had a 2-year OS rate of 28% (95% CI: 18-44) for a ΔTMTV ≥75%. The outcomes for ΔSUVmax <65% and ΔTMTV <75% at PET2 remained significant in a cox regression model adjusted for IPI and bulky disease (>10cm)(Table). Conclusions: A ΔTMTV decline <75% or a ΔSUVmax decline <65% at PET2 identified an ultra-high-risk subgroup of DLBCL with particularly poor outcomes, that captured a high percentage of prDLBCL patients, and was significant after adjusting for IPI and bulky baseline disease. These patients may benefit from clinical trials evaluating alternative PET-adapted treatment strategies, but further evaluation among all patients with DLBCL is needed. [Table: see text]

Abstract Non‐follicular low‐grade B‐cell lymphomas (LGBCL) are biologically diverse entities that share clinical and histologic features that make definitive pathologic categorization challenging. While most patients with LGBCL have an indolent course, some experience aggressive disease, highlighting additional heterogeneity across these subtypes. To investigate the potential for shared biology across subtypes, we performed RNA sequencing and applied machine learning approaches that identified five clusters of patients that grouped independently of subtype. One cluster was characterized by inferior outcome, upregulation of cell cycle genes, and increased tumor immune cell content. Integration of whole exome sequencing identified novel LGBCL mutations and enrichment of TNFAIP3 and BCL2 alterations in the poor survival cluster. Building on this, we further refined a transcriptomic signature associated with early clinical failure in two independent cohorts. Taken together, this study identifies unique clusters of LGBCL defined by novel gene expression signatures and immune profiles associated with outcome across diagnostic subtypes.

Abstract Introduction Transthyretin–mediated (ATTR) amyloidosis is a progressive and fatal disease. Patients with hereditary or wild–type ATTR amyloidosis frequently develop cardiomyopathy (CM). Patisiran, an IV RNAi therapeutic that inhibits synthesis of wt and variant TTR, is approved for the treatment of hATTR amyloidosis with polyneuropathy. Methods In APOLLO–B, patients were 18–85 yrs old with evidence of cardiac amyloidosis by echocardiography, ATTR amyloid deposition on tissue biopsy or fulfilling nonbiopsy diagnostic criteria for ATTR amyloidosis with CM, and had prior hospitalization for heart failure (HF) due to ATTR amyloidosis or clinical evidence of HF. Patients were randomized 1:1 to patisiran IV 0.3 mg/kg or placebo Q3W for 12 months. The primary endpoint was change from baseline in 6–MWT at Month 12 (M12) with patisiran vs placebo. Exploratory parameters at M12 included changes in cardiac biomarkers, echocardiography and Tc scintigraphy. Results APOLLO–B enrolled 360 patients (patisiran, n=181; placebo, n=179): median age, 76.0 yrs; male, 89%; wtATTR, 80%; on tafamidis at baseline, 25%. Patisiran showed a significant benefit compared with placebo in 6–MWT (median [95% CI] change from baseline: patisiran, –8.15 [–16.42, 1.50]; placebo, –21.35 [–34.05, –7.52]; HL estimate of median difference: 14.69 [0.69, 28.69]; p=0.0162). Patisiran demonstrated favorable trends in change from baseline of NT–proBNP (mean fold change ratio [95% CI]: 0.80 [0.73, 0.89]; p=1.825×10–5) and troponin I (mean fold change ratio [95% CI]: 0.87 [0.80, 0.95]; p=0.0011) at M12 vs placebo. Patisiran also demonstrated a trend towards benefit in change from baseline of most evaluated echocardiographic parameters at M12 vs placebo. Patisiran–treated patients evaluable for scintigraphy (n=37) experienced a reduction (37.8%) or no change (62.2%) in Perugini grade at M12 compared with baseline. Among placebo patients (n=28) at M12, none experienced a reduction from baseline in Perugini grade, and 1 (3.6%) increased in grade. Patisiran demonstrated an acceptable safety profile; AEs were mostly mild or moderate in severity, and there were no cardiac safety concerns. Conclusions Exploratory analyses after 12 months provide further evidence for the potential benefit of patisiran treatment on cardiac biomarkers and manifestations of cardiac amyloid involvement in patients with ATTR amyloidosis. The long–term impact of patisiran will be assessed in the ongoing APOLLO–B open–label extension.

Abstract Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is clinically and biologically heterogenous. Based on gene expression profiling of the tumor, DLBCL is classified into two major molecular subtypes linked to cell-of-origin (COO): germinal center (GCB) and activated B-Cell (ABC). The GCB subtype is characterized by a high prevalence of somatic mutations, particularly in apoptosis genes (e.g., BCL2) which is characteristic of follicular lymphoma (FL, another GCB lymphoma). The development of the validated NanoString gene expression test as well as immunohistochemistry markers that work in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue allows for the classification of DLBCL by COO in epidemiological studies. We hypothesized that integration of COO with germline genetics could provide insight into the underlying biology driving this heterogeneity, as well as insight into putative function of germline risk variants. Prior genome wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 7 SNPs in 6 susceptibility loci for DLBCL, including: 2p23.3 (rs79480871 NCOA1), 3q13.33 (rs9831894 CD86), 3p24.1 (rs6773363 EOMES), 6p21.33 (rs2523607 HLA-B), 6p25.3 (rs116446171 EXOC2), and 8q24.21 (rs13255292 and rs4733601 PVT1 and MYC). Two of these loci were also identified in FL GWAS (different lead SNPs): 6p21.33 (rs3130437) and 8q24.21 (rs13254990 PVT1). Additional published FL susceptibility loci include: 3q28 (rs6444305 LPP), 6p21.32 (rs9268839), 11q23.3 (rs4938573 CXCR5), 11q24.3 (rs4937362 ETS1), and 18q21.33 (rs17749561 BCL2). Here we evaluated whether the published DLBCL/FL loci differ by COO molecular subtypes. We evaluated each of the 14 DLBCL/FL SNPs by case-case (GCB vs. nonGCB DLBCL) and polytomous case-control (GCB, nonGCB, and FL vs. controls) analyses. DLBCL cases were classified into GCB vs. nonGCB based on best available data from NanoString, RNAseq, followed by the Hans algorithm. A total of 778 DLBCL cases (470 GCB and 308 nonGCB), 1,050 FL cases, and 1,383 controls were analyzed. Odds ratios (OR) based on ordinal encoding of each SNP and 95% CI were calculated for each of the comparison groups. The ORs for four GWAS SNPs were significantly elevated in GCB vs. nonGCB DLBCL as well as in FL; two were FL GWAS SNPs from the HLA region (6p21.32 and 6p21.33) and the other two (BCL2 and ETS1) are important in the germinal center program. In contrast, one SNP (EXOC2) was significantly elevated in nonGCB-DLBCL and was not associated with GCB-DLBCL or FL; this SNP is also near IRF4 (MUM1), a gene important in the ABC program. For the remaining SNPs, there were suggestive associations for GCB-DLBCL and FL versus nonGCB DLBCL (CD86, CXCR5); nonGCB-DLBCL vs. GCB-DLBCL and FL (NCOA1, PVT1); and associations that showed no pattern with COO (EOMES, LPP, HLA-B and MYC). These findings provide insight into the shared pathogenesis of FL and GCB-DLBCL to inform etiologic mechanisms and risk assessment. Citation Format: Rosalie Griffin Waller, Dennis P. Robinson, Anne J. Novak, Lisa M. Rimsza, Kerstin Wenzl, Rebecca L. King, Andrew L. Feldman, Matthew J. Maurer, Grzegorz S. Nowakowski, Brian K. Link, Thomas M. Habermann, Susan L. Slager, James R. Cerhan. Etiologic heterogeneity of genetic risk for DLBCL cell-of origin molecular subtypes [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 1181.

ImportanceAnthracycline-containing regimens are highly effective for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL); however, patients with preexisting heart failure (HF) may be less likely to receive anthracyclines and may be at higher risk of lymphoma mortality.ObjectiveTo assess the prevalence of preexisting HF in older patients with DLBCL and its association with treatment patterns and outcomes.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis longitudinal cohort study used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)–Medicare registry from 1999 to 2016. The SEER registry is a system of population-based cancer registries, capturing more than 25% of the US population. Linkage to Medicare offers additional information from billing claims. This study included individuals 65 years and older with newly diagnosed DLBCL from 2000 to 2015 with Medicare Part A or B continuously in the year prior to lymphoma diagnosis. Data were analyzed from September 2020 to December 2022.ExposuresPreexisting HF in the year prior to DLBCL diagnosis ascertained from billing codes required one of the following: (1) 1 primary inpatient discharge diagnosis, (2) 2 outpatient diagnoses, (3) 3 secondary inpatient discharge diagnoses, (4) 3 emergency department diagnoses, or (5) 2 secondary inpatient discharge diagnoses plus 1 outpatient diagnosis.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcome was anthracycline-based treatment. The secondary outcomes were (1) cardioprotective medications and (2) cause-specific mortality. The associations between preexisting HF and cancer treatment were estimated using multivariable logistic regression. The associations between preexisting HF and cause-specific mortality were evaluated using cause-specific Cox proportional hazards models with adjustment for comorbidities and cancer treatment.ResultsOf 30 728 included patients with DLBCL, 15 474 (50.4%) were female, and the mean (SD) age was 77.8 (7.2) years. Preexisting HF at lymphoma diagnosis was present in 4266 patients (13.9%). Patients with preexisting HF were less likely to be treated with an anthracycline (odds ratio, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.49-0.61). Among patients with preexisting HF who received an anthracycline, dexrazoxane or liposomal doxorubicin were used in 78 of 1119 patients (7.0%). One-year lymphoma mortality was 41.8% (95% CI, 40.5-43.2) with preexisting HF and 29.6% (95% CI, 29.0%-30.1%) without preexisting HF. Preexisting HF was associated with higher lymphoma mortality in models adjusting for baseline and time-varying treatment factors (hazard ratio, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.18-1.31).Conclusions and RelevanceIn this study, preexisting HF in patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL was common and was associated with lower use of anthracyclines and lower use of any chemotherapy. Trials are needed for this high-risk population.

PURPOSE Brexucabtagene autoleucel (brexu-cel) is an autologous CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy approved for relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). This therapy was approved on the basis of the single-arm phase II ZUMA-2 trial, which showed best overall and complete response rates of 91% and 68%, respectively. We report clinical outcomes with brexu-cel in the standard-of-care setting for the approved indication. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients who underwent leukapheresis between August 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021, at 16 US institutions, with an intent to manufacture commercial brexu-cel for relapsed/refractory MCL, were included. Patient data were collected for analyses of responses, outcomes, and toxicities as per standard guidelines. RESULTS Of 189 patients who underwent leukapheresis, 168 (89%) received brexu-cel infusion. Of leukapheresed patients, 79% would not have met ZUMA-2 eligibility criteria. Best overall and complete response rates were 90% and 82%, respectively. At a median follow-up of 14.3 months after infusion, the estimates for 6- and 12-month progression-free survival (PFS) were 69% (95% CI, 61 to 75) and 59% (95% CI, 51 to 66), respectively. The nonrelapse mortality was 9.1% at 1 year, primarily because of infections. Grade 3 or higher cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity occurred in 8% and 32%, respectively. In univariable analysis, high-risk simplified MCL international prognostic index, high Ki-67, TP53 aberration, complex karyotype, and blastoid/pleomorphic variant were associated with shorter PFS after brexu-cel infusion. Patients with recent bendamustine exposure (within 24 months before leukapheresis) had shorter PFS and overall survival after leukapheresis in intention-to-treat univariable analysis. CONCLUSION In the standard-of-care setting, the efficacy and toxicity of brexu-cel were consistent with those reported in the ZUMA-2 trial. Tumor-intrinsic features of MCL, and possibly recent bendamustine exposure, may be associated with inferior efficacy outcomes.

Abstract Ovarian cancer is an immune reactive tumor with a complex suppressive network that blunts immune eradication. One putative pathway of evasion may be recruitment of CD4 regulatory T cells (Treg) into the tumor microenvironment. This study investigated the association of tumor infiltrating Tregs in ovarian cancer patients with poor survival. Methods: Immunofluorescence of intraepithelial CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Tregs, CD3+ and CD8+ cells was performed in tumors of 52 ovarian cancer patients. Average and maximum count of cells were associated with survival via Cox regression models and summarized with hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The maximum counts of Tregs in these patients suggests an association between higher number of Tregs and poor clinical outcome (HR=1.48, CI=0.97, 2.28), although not statistically significant (p=0.07). Moreover, presence of high CD8/Treg ratio (HR=0.7, CI=0.53, 0.91; p=0.008) as well as high CD8/CD4 ratio (HR=0.76, CI=0.57, 1.0; p=0.05) appear to be associated with good outcome. The CD3 lymphocyte count was not associated with survival (HR=0.9, CI=0.66, 1.24; p=0.52). Conclusion: Although the present pilot study was conducted with a limited number of patients, our data suggests that higher numbers of infiltrating Tregs might be associated with poor survival and low CD8/Treg ratio may be correlated with improved survival in patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma. We plan to confirm these results in a larger set of patients.

Abstract Background Transthyretin-mediated (ATTR) amyloidosis is a rapidly progressive, debilitating, and fatal disease caused by misfolded TTR accumulating in multiple organs and tissues. Patients with hereditary (hATTR) amyloidosis (also known as ATTRv amyloidosis) or wild-type (wtATTR) amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy exhibit decreased survival. Patisiran, an IV RNAi therapeutic that inhibits synthesis of wt and variant TTR, was approved for the treatment of hATTR amyloidosis with polyneuropathy. Exploratory analyses of a predefined cardiac subpopulation in the APOLLO study demonstrated the potential for patisiran to improve the manifestations of cardiomyopathy in patients with hATTR amyloidosis with polyneuropathy. Objective To investigate the safety and efficacy of patisiran in patients with ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy in the ongoing APOLLO-B study (NCT03997383). Material & Methods Patients were 18–85 years of age with evidence of cardiac amyloidosis by echocardiography (end-diastolic interventricular wall thickness &gt;12 mm), and either ATTR amyloid deposition on tissue biopsy or fulfilling nonbiopsy diagnostic criteria for ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy. Patients had a medical history of heart failure (HF) due to ATTR amyloidosis with at least 1 prior hospitalization for HF, or current clinical evidence of HF. Patients were randomized (1:1) to receive patisiran IV 0.3 mg/kg or placebo Q3W for 12 months. After the double-blind, placebo-controlled period, all patients may receive patisiran in an open-label extension period for up to 36 months. The primary endpoint was change from baseline in 6-MWT at Month 12 with patisiran treatment, compared with placebo. Secondary endpoints evaluated the effect of patisiran vs placebo at Month 12 on QOL (KCCQ-OS score) as well as two sets of composite endpoints: 1) All-cause mortality, frequency of CV events (CV hospitalizations and urgent HF visits) and change from baseline in 6-MWT; and 2) All-cause mortality and frequency of all-cause hospitalizations and urgent HF visits. The pharmacodynamic effect of patisiran on serum TTR level (change from baseline through Month 12) was also assessed. Results & Discussion Enrollment completed (359 patients) in May 2021. About 80% of patients have wtATTR amyloidosis. Primary and secondary endpoint data will be presented, including change in 6-MWT and KCCQ-OS score at Month 12, in addition to safety data. Summary & Conclusion The primary results of the APOLLO-B study will inform the potential of patisiran as a treatment for the cardiomyopathy of ATTR amyloidosis. APOLLO-B will continue to investigate the efficacy and safety of patisiran on ATTR amyloidosis in an open-label extension period.

Abstract Background Hereditary transthyretin-mediated (hATTR) amyloidosis, also known as ATTRv amyloidosis, is a fatal, multisystem disease that presents with progressive polyneuropathy and/or cardiomyopathy. HELIOS-A (NCT03759379) assessed the efficacy of vutrisiran, an investigational RNA interference therapeutic, in patients with hATTR amyloidosis with polyneuropathy. Purpose To evaluate the effect of 18 months of vutrisiran treatment on exploratory cardiac endpoints in the HELIOS-A Phase 3 study. Methods Patients were randomised (3:1) to vutrisiran (25 mg SC, q3m) or patisiran (0.3 mg/kg IV, q3w), a reference comparator. The APOLLO placebo group (n=77) was an external control. Primary endpoint was change from baseline in the modified Neuropathy Impairment Score +7 (mNIS+7) at 9 months, vs. external placebo. Exploratory cardiac endpoints included change from baseline in NT-proBNP levels, echocardiography parameters, and technetium (Tc) scintigraphy parameters at 18 months. A prespecified cardiac subpopulation was included (baseline left ventricular wall thickness ≥1.3 cm and no medical history of aortic valve disease or hypertension). Results HELIOS-A enrolled 164 patients and the primary endpoint was met. In the cardiac subpopulation (n=40/122 vutrisiran; n=36/77 placebo), 18 months of vutrisiran treatment significantly improved NT-ProBNP levels vs. external placebo (adjusted geometric fold change ratio: 0.49; p=0.0004) and demonstrated a trend towards improvement in echocardiographic parameters vs. external placebo (including a significant difference in cardiac output [least squares mean difference: 0.41; p=0.043]). Of the 122 vutrisiran-treated patients, 99mTc scintigraphy assessment was captured for 64 vutrisiran-treated patients at baseline, 35 (54.7%) of whom had Perugini grade ≥2 (moderate/intense) cardiac uptake of 99mTc. Among patients with evaluable scintigraphy parameters repeated at 18 months (evaluable patients), heart-to-contralateral lung ratio and normalised LV total uptake on scintigraphy improved (decrease from baseline) in 64.6% (31/48) and 68.1% (32/47), respectively, at 18 months. Of the evaluable patients, 28.1% (16/57) had an improvement (reduction from baseline) in Perugini grade of cardiac uptake, 68.4% (39/57) had no change in grade, and 3.5% (2/57) worsened in grade. Of evaluable patients with baseline Perugini grade ≥2, the proportion with improvement in heart-to-contralateral lung ratio and normalised LV total uptake was 76.9% (20/26) and 100% (25/25) respectively. No cardiac safety concerns were identified with vutrisiran treatment. Conclusions In this exploratory analysis, vutrisiran treatment was associated with a positive impact on NT-ProBNP levels and echocardiographic parameters vs. external placebo in the cardiac subpopulation. Vutrisiran treatment also reduced cardiac uptake of 99mTc potentially suggesting reduction in cardiac amyloid, although the clinical significance of this is not yet clear.