Verstovšek, Srđan

Abstract Despite much of the past 2 years being engulfed by the devastating consequences of the SAR‐CoV‐2 pandemic, significant progress, even breathtaking, occurred in the field of chronic myeloid malignancies. Some of this was show‐cased at the 15th Post‐American Society of Hematology (ASH) and the 25th John Goldman workshops on myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) held on 9th‐10th December 2020 and 7th‐10th October 2021, respectively. The inaugural Post‐ASH MPN workshop was set out in 2006 by John Goldman (deceased) and Tariq Mughal to answer emerging translational hematology and therapeutics of patients with these malignancies. Rather than present a resume of the discussions, this perspective focuses on some of the pivotal translational hematology and therapeutic insights in these diseases.

PURPOSE Targeting the BCL-XL pathway has demonstrated the ability to overcome Janus kinase inhibitor resistance in preclinical models. This phase II trial investigated the efficacy and safety of adding BCL-XL/BCL-2 inhibitor navitoclax to ruxolitinib therapy in patients with myelofibrosis with progression or suboptimal response to ruxolitinib monotherapy (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03222609 ). METHODS Thirty-four adult patients with intermediate-/high-risk myelofibrosis who had progression or suboptimal response on stable ruxolitinib dose (≥ 10 mg twice daily) were administered navitoclax at 50 mg once daily starting dose, followed by escalation to a maximum of 300 mg once daily in once in weekly increments (if platelets were ≥ 75 × 109/L). The primary end point was ≥ 35% spleen volume reduction (SVR35) from baseline at week 24. Secondary end points included ≥ 50% reduction in total symptom score (TSS50) from baseline at week 24, hemoglobin improvement, change in bone marrow fibrosis (BMF) grade, and safety. RESULTS High molecular risk mutations were identified in 58% of patients, and 52% harbored ≥ 3 mutations. SVR35 was achieved by 26.5% of patients at week 24, and by 41%, at any time on study, with an estimated median duration of SVR35 of 13.8 months. TSS50 was achieved by 30% (6 of 20) of patients at week 24, and BMF improved by 1-2 grades in 33% (11 of 33) of evaluable patients. Anemia response was achieved by 64% (7 of 11), including one patient with baseline transfusion dependence. Median overall survival was not reached with a median follow-up of 21.6 months. The most common adverse event was reversible thrombocytopenia without clinically significant bleeding (88%). CONCLUSION The addition of navitoclax to ruxolitinib in patients with persistent or progressive myelofibrosis resulted in durable SVR35, improved TSS, hemoglobin response, and BMF. Further investigation is underway to qualify the potential for disease modification.

Abstract Introduction: Myelofibrosis (MF) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) characterized by splenomegaly, constitutional symptoms, bone marrow fibrosis, and a propensity toward transformation to acute myeloid leukemia. Type I JAK inhibitors (JAKi) are the only approved therapy and can provide symptom control and reduction of splenomegaly in eligible patients. However, JAKi do not significantly impact disease progression, and many patients are not eligible due to coexisting cytopenias. Patients with MF who have relapsed and/or are refractory (R/R) to JAKi have poor survival. Therefore, novel agents, moving beyond JAKi-based treatments, are urgently needed. CD123, also known as the interleukin-3 receptor alpha chain, is expressed on maturing myeloid cells and progenitors in MF, making it an attractive therapeutic target. Tagraxofusp (TAG, SL-401) is a CD123-targeted therapy which is FDA and EMA approved for the treatment of blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm. A phase 1/2 study of TAG monotherapy in patients with MF who were R/R to approved JAKi (NCT02268253) was initiated. Herein, we present updated safety and efficacy data. Methods: A 2-stage multicenter, phase 1/2 study enrolled patients with R/R MF. Patients in Stage 1 (dose escalation) received 7, 9, or 12 mcg/kg/day TAG intravenously on days 1-3, every 21 days (cycles 1-4), every 28 days (cycles 5-7), and every 42 days (for cycles 8 and beyond); 12 mcg/kg/day was given every 21 days (cycles 1-4), and every 28 days (cycles 5+) in Stage 2. Enrollment in Stage 2 (expansion) was restricted to patients who met the DIPSS-plus intermediate-2 or high-risk disease criteria, those who were R/R or intolerant to JAKi therapy, and those who were not eligible for immediate stem cell transplantation. Responses were assessed on the basis of the International Working Group MPN Research and Treatment/European LeukemiaNet (IWG-MRT/ELN) criteria (Tefferi et al. Blood 2013;122:1395-1398). Results: As of July 1, 2021, 39 patients with MF were treated. Median age was 70 years (range 54-87) and 46% were female. The baseline characteristics comprised thrombocytopenia (<100 × 10 9/L; 64%), including 36% with platelets <50 × 10 9/L; monocytosis (≥1.0 × 10 9/L; 21%), and splenomegaly (74%). Genomic assessments at study entry demonstrated molecular mutations in JAK2, CALR, MPL, and ASXL1 in 62%, 8%, 5%, and 23%, respectively; cytogenetic abnormalities were observed in 10 patients (4 patients: 20q-, 3 patients: 7/7q-, 2 patients: -5/5q-, 2 patients: 12p-, and 1 patient: 17q). Treatment-related adverse events are depicted in Table 1. The most common treatment-related adverse events (incidence ≥10%) included hypoalbuminemia (21%), headache, pyrexia, thrombocytopenia, and elevated alanine aminotransferase (15% each). Capillary leak syndrome (CLS) was reported in 3 patients, including 1 patient with grade 4; there was no grade 5 CLS. Stable disease was achieved in 21 patients (60%). In total, 12/24 patients (50%) with baseline splenomegaly achieved a spleen response (Table 2), 3/4 (75%) with concomitant monocytosis, and 13/24 (54%) with concomitant thrombocytopenia. Spleen responses were confirmed objectively by imaging, with the spleen volume reduction (SVR) thresholds for response set at 35%. Updated information on SVR will be reported at the time of presentation. Total Symptom Score (TSS) was reduced in 20/39 patients (51%), and 10/39 (26%) had reductions from baseline in both TSS and spleen size. Median overall survival was 29.2 months (95% CI 12.0-49.5; range 1-51 months). Conclusions: TAG monotherapy demonstrated clinical efficacy and a predictable and manageable safety profile in patients with MF characterized as high-risk, including those who are refractory to JAKi and those with associated monocytosis, thrombocytopenia, advanced disease, and high-risk genetic features. This phase 1/2 study confirms the safety and clinical efficacy of TAG administered as a monotherapy in a cohort of poor-prognosis patients with MF. Given the genomic and epigenomic complexity of MF, with the clonal heterogeneity and additional subclones, TAG is planned to be tested as part of a combination strategy in high-risk patients with MF who are either R/R, intolerant to, or who have had a prior suboptimal response to JAKi. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Yacoub: Agios: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Acceleron Pharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; CTI Biopharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Incyte: Speakers Bureau. Patnaik: Kura Oncology: Research Funding; Stemline Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Stemline Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Ali: Incyte: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Speakers Bureau; CTI BioPharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Wang: Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory board; AbbVie: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; GlaxoSmithKline: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Stemline Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory board, Speakers Bureau; Genentech: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Astellas: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; DAVA Oncology: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; BMS/Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Kite Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Kura Oncology: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory board, steering committee, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Mana Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria; Rafael Pharmaceuticals: Other: Data safety monitoring committee; Gilead: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory board; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory board; PTC Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Advisory board; Genentech: Consultancy; MacroGenics: Consultancy. Gupta: Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS-Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Incyte: Honoraria, Research Funding; Roche: Consultancy; Constellation Pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria; Sierra Oncology: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy. Lee: BMS: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Innate: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pin Therapeutics: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Schiller: FujiFilm: Research Funding; Deciphera: Research Funding; Daiichi-Sankyo: Research Funding; Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Celator: Research Funding; BMS/Celgene: Consultancy, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Karyopharm: Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Actinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc: Research Funding; Samus: Research Funding; Stemline Therapeutics, Inc.: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Agios: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Geron: Research Funding; Bluebird Bio: Research Funding; Kite/Gilead: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Mateon: Research Funding; Onconova: Research Funding; Jazz: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; PrECOG: Research Funding; Regimmune: Research Funding; Pfizer: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Research Funding; Genentech-Roche: Research Funding; Gamida Cell Ltd.: Research Funding; Forma: Research Funding; Delta-Fly: Research Funding; Sangamo: Research Funding; Elevate: Research Funding; Biomed Valley Discoveries: Research Funding; Bio: Research Funding; Actuate: Research Funding; Astellas: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Abbvie: Research Funding; Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: Research Funding; Ono-UK: Consultancy, Research Funding; Johnson & Johnson: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Arog: Research Funding; Trovagene: Research Funding; Tolero: Research Funding; Takeda: Research Funding; Sanofi: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pharma: Consultancy; Eli Lilly: Research Funding; ASH foundation: Other: Chair-unpaid; Sellas: Research Funding; Ono: Consultancy; Incyte: Consultancy; Ariad: Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Consultancy; Kaiser Permanente: Consultancy; Cyclacel: Research Funding; MedImmune: Research Funding; Ambit: Research Funding; Boehringer-Ingleheim: Research Funding; Cellerant: Research Funding; CTI Biopharma: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; Kura Oncology: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Millennium: Research Funding; National Marrow Donor Program: Research Funding; NIH: Research Funding; Onyx: Research Funding; Pharmamar: Research Funding; UC Davis: Research Funding; UCSD: Research Funding; Evidera: Consultancy; NCI: Consultancy; Novartis: Speakers Bureau. Taparia: Novartis: Consultancy. Verstovsek: Protagonist Therapeutics: Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; NS Pharma: Research Funding; PharmaEssentia: Research Funding; CTI BioPharma: Research Funding; Gilead: Research Funding; Incyte Corporation: Consultancy, Research Funding; Ital Pharma: Research Funding; Blueprint Medicines Corp: Research Funding; Promedior: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Sierra Oncology: Consultancy, Research Funding; Constellation: Consultancy; Pragmatist: Consultancy. Khoury: Stemline Therapeutics: Research Funding; Angle: Research Funding; Kiromic: Research Funding. Brooks: Stemline Therapeutics: Current Employment. Mughal: Stemline: Current Employment, Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company; Oxford University Press, Informa: Other: financial benefit and/or patents . Pemmaraju: LFB Biotechnologies: Consultancy; ASCO Leukemia Advisory Panel: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Samus: Other, Research Funding; Springer Science + Business Media: Other; MustangBio: Consultancy, Other; Incyte: Consultancy; Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Other: Research Support, Research Funding; HemOnc Times/Oncology Times: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; ASH Communications Committee: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene Corporation: Consultancy; Stemline Therapeutics, Inc.: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other, Research Funding; DAVA Oncology: Consultancy; Aptitude Health: Consultancy; Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.: Other, Research Funding; Affymetrix: Consultancy, Research Funding; Abbvie Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other, Research Funding; Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc.: Consultancy; Roche Diagnostics: Consultancy; CareDx, Inc.: Consultancy; Dan's House of Hope: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Plexxicon: Other, Research Funding; Sager Strong Foundation: Other; Clearview Healthcare Partners: Consultancy; Blueprint Medicines: Consultancy; Cellectis S.A. ADR: Other, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.: Consultancy; ImmunoGen, Inc: Consultancy; Pacylex Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy.

Abstract Background: Splenomegaly is a marker of disease progression in MF; larger spleen size (SS) is correlated with poorer survival and debilitating MF symptoms. In a retrospective real-world study of 408 patients (pts) with MF treated with ruxolitinib (RUX), pts with SS ≥ 10 cm below the left costal margin (LCM) were significantly less likely to attain a spleen response than pts with SS < 10 cm (Palandri 2017); this finding has not been reported in clinical trials of RUX. FEDR is a JAK2-selective inhibitor approved in the US, EU, Canada, and elsewhere as first-line (1L) MF treatment (Tx) and in pts previously treated with RUX. FEDR was evaluated as 1L MF Tx in the phase 3, placebo (PBO)-controlled JAKARTA trial, and in the phase 2, single-arm JAKARTA2 trial in pts previously treated with RUX. Pts allocated to FEDR 400 mg/day (d) in these trials reported substantial reductions from baseline (BL) in spleen volume and MF symptom severity after 6 FEDR Tx cycles. It is important to determine whether spleen volume and symptom improvements during FEDR Tx are influenced by degree of pre-Tx splenomegaly. Objective: Investigate the clinical efficacy of FEDR 400 mg/d in pts in JAKARTA & JAKARTA2 with large spleens at BL. Methods: The JAKARTA trial assessed FEDR 400 mg/d, FEDR 500 mg/d, and placebo in pts with JAK-inhibitor-naïve MF, and the JAKARTA2 trial evaluated FEDR 400 mg/d (starting dose) in pts resistant/intolerant to prior RUX. Both studies enrolled pts with intermediate- or high-risk MF, SS > 5 cm from LCM by palpation, platelets ≥ 50 ×10 9/L, and ECOG PS ≤ 2. These analyses include pts in each trial allocated to receive FEDR 400 mg/d in continuous 28d Tx cycles. Too few pts had BL SS < 10 cm by palpation in JAKARTA (n = 21) and JAKARTA2 (n = 12) for meaningful comparison vs SS ≥ 10 cm. Thus, in these post hoc analyses we divided pts according to the median SS (mSS) at BL in each study , and assessed changes from BL in spleen volume and MFSAF total symptom score (TSS) at the end of cycle 6 (EOC6). Spleen volume was assessed by MRI/CT scan; MFSAF TSS was the sum of 6 MF symptom scores: night sweats, early satiety, pruritus, pain under ribs-left side, abdominal discomfort, and bone/muscle pain. Pts must have had spleen volume and/or TSS data at BL and EOC6. R esults: In JAKARTA, 96 pts were randomized to FEDR 400 mg/d; mSS at BL for all pts was 16 cm (range 5-40). Median (range) BL spleen volume was 1771 (316-3396) mL in the < mSS cohort and 3329 (983-6430) mL in the ≥ mSS cohort; median TSS was 13.0 and 17.6, respectively. Spleen volume data were available at BL and EOC6 for 37 (82%) and 38 (75%) pts in the < mSS and ≥ mSS cohorts, respectively. Median spleen volume reduction (SVR) at EOC6 was -38% [95%CI -43%, -31%] in the < mSS group and -40% [-40%, -28%] in the ≥ mSS group (Figure). Changes in MF symptom scores at EOC6 were similar in the < mSS (n = 37) and ≥ mSS (n = 34) cohorts, with median TSS reductions of -49% and -51%, respectively. For individual symptoms, median reductions in abdominal discomfort, bone/muscle pain, and early satiety were similar between BL SS cohorts, whereas changes were greater in the < mSS group for pruritus and pain under ribs-left side, and greater in the ≥ mSS group for night sweats. In JAKARTA2, 97 pts received FEDR 400 mg/d (starting dose); BL mSS for all pts was 18 cm (range 5-36). Median (range) BL spleen volumes were 1937 (737-4305) and 4002 (1821-7815) mL for pts with < mSS and ≥ mSS, respectively; and BL TSS was 17.2 (0.7-48.0) and 23.6 (1.0-44.0). Spleen volume and MFSAF TSS data were available at BL and EOC6 for 41 and 29 pts, respectively, in the < mSS cohort, and for 41 and 22 pts in the ≥ mSS group. At EOC6, median SVR from BL was -35% [95%CI -40%, -29%] for pts with < mSS at BL and -30% [-37%, -17%] for pts with ≥ mSS (Figure). Median TSS changes were -36% and -49% in the < mSS and ≥ mSS cohorts, respectively; pts with ≥ mSS at BL had similar or greater reductions from BL in 5/6 MFSAF symptoms (all except pruritus) vs those with < mSS. Conclusions: These analyses demonstrate that extent of splenomegaly at BL in JAKARTA and JAKARTA2 did not influence the likelihood of achieving improvements in spleen volume or MF symptom severity for pts receiving FEDR 400 mg/d as 1L MF Tx or as post-RUX salvage Tx. For pts who completed 6 FEDR Tx cycles, reductions in spleen volume and TSS at EOC6 in the ≥ mSS cohorts in both studies were similar to those in the < mSS cohorts, even though BL spleen volumes and TSS were higher in the ≥ mSS groups. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Kiladjian: Incyte Corporation: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bristol Myers Squibb: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Taiho Oncology, Inc.: Research Funding; PharmaEssentia: Other: Personal fees; AOP Orphan: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AbbVie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Passamonti: BMS: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; AbbVie: Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Vannucchi: BMS: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Incyte: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AbbVie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Talpaz: Imago: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Bristol Myers Squibb: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Constellation: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Takeda: Other: Grant/research support . Cervantes: Bristol Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria. Harrison: Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Shire: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Gilead Sciences: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; CTI BioPharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Keros: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Incyte Corporation: Speakers Bureau; Sierra Oncology: Honoraria; Promedior: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Galacteo: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Geron: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Mesa: AOP: Consultancy; La Jolla Pharma: Consultancy; Sierra Oncology: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte Corporation: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Samus: Research Funding; CTI: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Abbvie: Research Funding; Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy; Gilead: Research Funding; CTI: Research Funding; Pharma: Consultancy; Promedior: Research Funding. Mascarenhas: Geron: Consultancy; Merus: Research Funding; Geron: Consultancy, Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Constellation: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AbbVie: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; PharmaEssentia: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Prelude: Consultancy; Galecto: Consultancy; Roche: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; CTI Biopharm: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Forbius: Research Funding; Gilead: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Promedior: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Genentech/Roche: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Sierra Oncology: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene/BMS: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Kartos: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Verstovsek: Promedior: Research Funding; CTI BioPharma: Research Funding; Blueprint Medicines Corp: Research Funding; Protagonist Therapeutics: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Ital Pharma: Research Funding; Incyte Corporation: Consultancy, Research Funding; Gilead: Research Funding; NS Pharma: Research Funding; PharmaEssentia: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Sierra Oncology: Consultancy, Research Funding; Constellation: Consultancy; Pragmatist: Consultancy. Devos: Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease Inc.: Consultancy; Incyte: Consultancy; AbbVie: Consultancy; Bristol Myers Squibb - Celegene: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy. Rose: Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company, Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company. Zhang: Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment. Sy: Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment.

Abstract Background: Myelofibrosis (MF) is characterized by progressive bone marrow (BM) fibrosis resulting from aberrant megakaryopoiesis and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. These processes, heavily influenced by bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) protein-mediated gene regulation, lead to myeloproliferation and cytopenias. There is a high unmet need for a treatment that can potentially delay or reverse BM fibrosis in patients (pts) with MF. Pelabresib (CPI-0610) is a potent, first-in-class, selective, oral small-molecule BET inhibitor, which is able to modify the expression of genes involved in nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) signaling in pts with MF. Pelabresib is currently being investigated as a monotherapy and in combination with the JAK inhibitor (JAKi) ruxolitinib (RUX), in the ongoing MANIFEST Phase 2 study (NCT02158858). Methods: In arm 1 of MANIFEST, pelabresib is administered as monotherapy to pts with MF who are intolerant/refractory to, or ineligible for RUX; in arm 2, as an 'add-on' to RUX in pts with MF who have suboptimal/lost response; and in arm 3 as combination therapy with RUX in JAKi treatment-naïve pts with MF. To evaluate the effects of pelabresib on BM biology, analyses were conducted using BM biopsy samples obtained pre-treatment and at 24 weeks post-treatment during the MANIFEST trial. Central pathology review of reticulin staining was conducted to evaluate BM fibrosis (BMF) grading and immunohistochemistry staining for changes in erythroids (ERY) and megakaryocytes (MK), respectively. Independent digital images of stained BM slides were also evaluated with a semi-quantitative cell-specific detection algorithm for reticulin density, percentage CD71+ ERY, mean number of CD61+ MK and mean distance between nuclei for CD61+ MK. Results: Exploratory analyses across the three treatment arms showed BM improvements after 24 weeks of treatment. Paired comparison by digital analysis of baseline and 24-week treatment BM biopsies from 29 pts showed reduction (range 67%-15.5%) in reticulin intersections per field in 45% (13/29) pts. Furthermore, digital analysis of CD71+ ERY and CD61+ MK from paired biopsies showed increased ERY progenitors in 50% (16/32) pts, decreased MK density in 57% (15/26) pts and decreased MK clustering in 46% (12/26) pts at 24 weeks. Decreased MK clustering correlated with decreased density of CD61+ MK in 75% pts (9/12). Correlative analysis between observed clinical responses and bone marrow improvements are ongoing and will be available for presentation at the conference. We previously reported (Talpaz M, et al. ASH 2020; Abstract 2163) that in pts with MF, pelabresib can reduce spleen volume, improve symptoms, improve bone marrow fibrosis, demonstrate increase in hemoglobin levels, and reduce transfusion burden. Updated 24-week data reflecting a higher number of evaluable pts and new long-term data at 48 weeks across the MANIFEST trial, will be presented. Conclusions: Treatment with pelabresib as monotherapy or in combination with RUX, in both RUX treatment-naïve and -experienced pts with MF, resulted in increased ERY progenitors, decreased MK density and reduction of BM fibrosis, as assessed by digital pathology. These data suggest possible disease-modifying potential for pelabresib by improving BM histology and function, leading to potential clinical benefits. Disclosures Verstovsek: Roche: Research Funding; Promedior: Research Funding; Blueprint Medicines Corp: Research Funding; Incyte Corporation: Consultancy, Research Funding; Protagonist Therapeutics: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; CTI BioPharma: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Gilead: Research Funding; Ital Pharma: Research Funding; PharmaEssentia: Research Funding; NS Pharma: Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Sierra Oncology: Consultancy, Research Funding; Constellation: Consultancy; Pragmatist: Consultancy. Salama: Mayo Clinic: Current Employment, Other: Mayo Clinic had the contractual work for the central pathology review for this study and I was one of the reviewing pathologists; Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Mascarenhas: AbbVie: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Kartos: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Celgene/BMS: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Constellation: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Merck: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Geron: Consultancy, Research Funding; Prelude: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; PharmaEssentia: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Galecto: Consultancy; Promedior: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Merus: Research Funding; Forbius: Research Funding; CTI Biopharm: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Genentech/Roche: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Roche: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Sierra Oncology: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Geron: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Talpaz: Celgene: Consultancy; Imago: Consultancy; Takeda: Other: Grant/research support ; Bristol Myers Squibb: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Constellation: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Mesa: La Jolla Pharma: Consultancy; Samus: Research Funding; Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pharma: Consultancy; CTI: Research Funding; Abbvie: Research Funding; CTI: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Gilead: Research Funding; Promedior: Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy; Celgene: Research Funding; Incyte Corporation: Consultancy, Research Funding; Sierra Oncology: Consultancy, Research Funding; AOP: Consultancy. Vannucchi: Incyte: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AbbVie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Rampal: Incyte: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pharmaessentia: Consultancy; Blueprint: Consultancy; Disc Medicine: Consultancy; Stemline: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS/Celgene: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; Sierra Oncology: Consultancy; CTI: Consultancy; Abbvie: Consultancy; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Constellation: Research Funding; Memorial Sloan Kettering: Current Employment; Kartos: Consultancy. Oh: Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Blueprint Medicines: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene Bristol Myers Squibb: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Constellation: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; CTI Biopharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Disc Medicine: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Geron: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Incyte: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Kartos Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; PharamaEssentia: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Sierra Oncology: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Taverna: Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment. Cui: Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment. Zavidij: Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment. Chen: Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment. Colak: Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment. Efuni: Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment. Keller: Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment. Trojer: Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment. Harrison: Galacteo: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Incyte Corporation: Speakers Bureau; Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Sierra Oncology: Honoraria; CTI BioPharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Geron: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Keros: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Gilead Sciences: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Promedior: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Shire: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau.