Manley, Thomas

Introduction Brentuximab vedotin (BV) targets CD30, a receptor expressed on the Reed-Sternberg cells of classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). Nivolumab (Nivo) restores antitumor immunity by blocking the PD-1 receptor on activated T-cells. In this phase 1/2 study, combination treatment (tx) with BV + Nivo demonstrated durable efficacy in patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory (R/R) cHL (Herrera, Blood 2018; NCT02572167). Biomarkers consistent with innate and adaptive immune activation were observed in the peripheral blood of pts treated with the combination regimen. Herein, we associate biomarkers in the peripheral blood with clinical response, and present follow-up results for pts who received BV + Nivo under staggered and concurrent dosing schedules. Methods Enrolled pts had cHL that relapsed or was refractory to frontline chemotherapy. In Parts 1 and 2 (staggered dosing), pts received up to 4 cycles of BV 1.8 mg/kg and Nivo 3.0 mg/kg given on Days 1 and 8 of Cycle 1, respectively, and together on Day 1 of Cycles 2-4. Pts in Part 3 (concurrent dosing) received the same dose of both agents on Day 1 of all 4 cycles. After investigators assessed response (Cheson 2014, with the incorporation of LYRIC [Cheson 2016] for pts in Part 3), pts could undergo ASCT. Results Demographics and baseline characteristics were similar across all treated pts (N=91) in the staggered and concurrent dosing cohorts; median age 34 years (yrs, range; 18-69), 42% with primary refractory disease, and 30% with relapse within 1 yr of frontline therapy. All 91 pts are off-tx and have been observed through the 100-day safety reporting period. A total of 86 pts (92%) completed all 4 cycles of BV + Nivo. Early tx discontinuations were due to; AE (peripheral neuropathy and increased GGT [1 pt each]), progressive disease (PD), investigator decision, and pt decision (1 pt each). Most common AEs prior to ASCT or additional salvage therapy were nausea (52%) and infusion-related reactions (IRRs, 43%). Excluding IRRs, 14% of pts had immune-related AEs requiring tx with systemic steroids, including rash (8%), pneumonitis (4%), and AST increased, diarrhea, and Guillain-Barre syndrome (1% each). The ORR for all-treated pts was 85%, with 67% complete response (CR). A total of 67 pts (74%) underwent ASCT after tx with BV + Nivo. There were 22 pts who received additional salvage therapy after BV + Nivo (7 PD, 6 partial response, 5 stable disease, and 4 CR at EOT), 17 of whom later underwent ASCT. At a median of 22.6 months (range; 1.2, 41.2) from the start of tx, the estimated 2-yr PFS rate in all treated pts was 78%, and for pts who underwent ASCT after tx with BV + Nivo was 91% (Figure 1). At 2 years, the estimated OS rate for all treated pts was 93%. Staggered and concurrent dosing of BV + Nivo resulted in increased levels of activated and dividing CD4+ T cells, activated and dividing CD8+ T cells (concurrent dosing-only), regulatory T cells (Tregs), and circulating plasmablasts in blood. We did not observe any associations between the magnitude of these changes and clinical response. Pts with CR exhibited trends for higher pre-tx blood levels of CD30+ Tregs and CD30+ Th subsets compared to pts without CR, suggesting BV depletion of these populations may have a role in the clinical mode of action of BV + Nivo. Although pre-tx levels of cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTLs) in blood did not differentiate pts with CR from other pts, pts in the lower quartile of pre-tx CTL levels showed significantly shorter PFS than other pts, suggesting a potential association between CTLs and disease control. Changes in blood cytokine and chemokine levels were observed after BV + Nivo, including increased levels of IL-18, IP-10, I-TAC, and sCD30, and decreased levels of TARC, IL-2Ra, and IL-6. Our analyses support strong correlations between pre-tx cytokine/chemokine levels and clinical benefit including trends linking lower pre-tx levels of IL-18, I-TAC, and IL-2RA to achieving CR and longer PFS. Conclusion BV + Nivo, both staggered and current dosing, showed tolerability and high CR rates with durable remissions among pts with R/R cHL. Analysis of blood biomarkers identified trends potentially linking baseline levels of CD30+ immune cells and the baseline pt inflammatory state with the activity of BV + Nivo. Together, these encouraging results support further investigation of BV + Nivo as initial salvage therapy in pts with R/R cHL. Figure 1 Disclosures Moskowitz: Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Merck: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Merck: Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Incyte: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Incyte: Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Merck: Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Cell Medica: Consultancy; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Merck: Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Merck: Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Incyte: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Incyte: Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Incyte: Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; miRagen Therapeutics Inc: Consultancy, Research Funding; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Erytech Pharma: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Cell Medica: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; ADC Therapeutics: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Advani:Celmed: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Research Funding; Forty-Seven: Research Funding; Infinity Pharma: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Gilead Sciences, Inc./Kite Pharma, Inc.: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Regeneron: Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Kyowa Kirin Pharmaceutical Developments, Inc.: Consultancy; Merck: Research Funding; Kura: Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy, 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, Research Funding; Autolus: 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; Agensys: Research Funding; Cell Medica, Ltd: Consultancy; Stanford University: Employment, Equity Ownership; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Millennium: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; Roche/Genentech: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Bartlett:Affimed Therapeutics: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Dynavax: Research Funding; Forty-Seven: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Gilead: Research Funding; Immune Design: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; Kite Pharma: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Medimmune: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Millennium: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Vose:Acerta Pharma: Honoraria, Other: Grants, Research Funding; Bristol-Meyers Squibb Company: Research Funding; Celgene Corporation: Research Funding; Incyte Corporation: Research Funding; Kite Pharma: Honoraria, Other: Grants, Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Epizyme: Consultancy, Honoraria; Legend Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria. Ramchandren:Genentech: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics LLC, an Abbvie company: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Sandoz-Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Feldman:Takeda: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel expenses, Speakers Bureau; AbbVie: Honoraria, Other: Travel expenses, Speakers Bureau; Pharmacyclics: Honoraria, Other: Travel expenses, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Kite Pharma: Honoraria, Other: Travel expenses, Speakers Bureau; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Research Funding; Cell Medica: Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding; Corvus: Research Funding; Eisai: Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Portola Pharma: Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; Viracta: Research Funding. LaCasce:BMS: Consultancy; Research to Practice: Speakers Bureau; Humanigen: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding. Christian:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Genentech: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Cephalon: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; Immunomedics: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Acerta: Research Funding; Triphase: Research Funding; Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding. Ansell:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; LAM Therapeutics: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Regeneron: Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Mayo Clinic Rochester: Employment; Affimed: Research Funding; Regeneron: Research Funding; Trillium: Research Funding; Mayo Clinic Rochester: Employment; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; LAM Therapeutics: Research Funding; Affimed: Research Funding. Moskowitz:ADC Therapeutics: Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding. Brown:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Taft:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Ansari:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Zak:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Sacchi:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Manley:Seattle Genetics: Employment, Equity Ownership. Herrera:Merck: Consultancy, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Research Funding; Adaptive Biotechnologies: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Immune Design: Research Funding; Kite Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech, Inc.: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Gilead Sciences: Consultancy, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding.

Abstract Introduction RCHOP is the standard frontline treatment for patients with DLBCL. However, for patients with high-intermediate or high-risk disease (IPI 3-5), outcomes are suboptimal, with an estimated 3-year PFS of about 55%. In addition to IPI, an additional factor associated with an increased risk include non-GCB cell of origin. Brentuximab vedotin, an ADC targeting CD30, has demonstrated single-agent activity in relapsed/refractory DLBCL patients. Of note, higher ORR and CR, as well as longer duration of PFS, were observed in those patients with CD30 detected on tumor cells by routine IHC. Methods This phase 2 study was designed to evaluate combination therapy using brentuximab vedotin (BV) and standard RCHOP chemotherapy as frontline treatment in patients with high-intermediate/high risk (standard IPI score 3-5 or age-adjusted IPI [aaIPI] score 2-3) DLBCL, regardless of CD30 expression (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01925612). Patients were randomized to receive either 1.2 mg/kg BV+RCHOP or 1.8 mg/kg BV+RCHOP for up to 6 cycles of treatment. BV was given on Day 1 of every 21-day cycle. Response was assessed per investigator using Cheson 2007. AEs, physical examination findings, and laboratory testing were utilized to characterize safety. Tumor cell CD30 expression was measured by IHC and gene expression analysis; soluble CD30 was measured in plasma. Tumor microenvironment was also evaluated for frequency of immune-infiltrating cells. The primary endpoints for this study were the tolerability of each regimen and the CR rate at the end of treatment (EOT). Key secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS). Additional exploratory endpoints included CD30 expression on tumor specimens (CD30- defined as <1% per IHC) and correlation of CD30 expression and response. Results Twenty-nine patients were treated with 1.2 mg/kg BV+RCHOP and 22 patients were treated with 1.8 mg/kg BV+RCHOP. Over half (63%) were high-intermediate risk (IPI 3, aaIPI 2) and 37% were high risk (IPI 4-5, aaIPI 3). Most had Stage IV disease (71%) and 27% had an ECOG score of 2. AEs in ≥50% of patients included peripheral sensory neuropathy (63%), fatigue (61%), nausea (55%), and diarrhea (53%). Grade 3 or higher events occurred in 76% of patients; the most frequent were neutropenia (33%) and febrile neutropenia (31%). The PET-negative CR rate was 69% overall; CD30+ patients had a CR rate of 76% (19/25) compared with 63% (12/19) in CD30- patients by IHC. Although PFS data are still immature (median follow up of 8 months), the estimated PFS rate at 12 months was 82% (95% CI: 58, 93) in CD30+ patients and 56% (95% CI: 32, 75) in CD30- patients. 60% (3/5) of patients with CD30- ABC-DLBCL progressed versus 27% (3/11) of CD30+ ABC-DLBCL patients. Four patients with EBV+ DLBCL were treated and all achieved CR; 3 EBV+ patients remain in remission after a median follow-up of 12 months. Within the microenvironment, a higher percentage of CD3+ T-cells was observed in patients with CR (23%; range, 4-80%) than in those with PR (14%; range, 10-15%) or PD (11%; range, 5-15%). Of the 32 patients who have not yet progressed, 50% had ≥20% CD3+ cells compared to 18% of patients with PD (2/11). Other factors, including soluble CD30 levels and infiltrating CD68+ cells, were not associated with clinical outcomes. Conclusions Interim results demonstrate that adding BV to RCHOP results in a high rate of CR in this population of IPI 3-5 DLBCL. Patients with CD30-expression in the tumor appear to have a higher CR rate and fewer early progression events than patients with CD30- DLBCL. Furthermore, subsets of patients who have a particularly poor prognosis (CD30+ ABC subtype and EBV+ DLBCL) appeared to have a favorable outcome with BV+RCHOP. Evaluation of the tumor microenvironment showed that higher frequencies of infiltrating CD3+ cells were observed in the CR group, suggesting possible immunologic correlates of response. However, CD30 expression appears to have greater prognostic significance in this study despite the relatively small sample size. These results are intriguing and merit further testing in a randomized trial. Disclosures Yasenchak: Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Off Label Use: Brentuximab vedotin is indicated in the US for treatment of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma after failure of autologous stem cell transplant or after failure of at least two prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimens in patients who are not ASCT candidates and for the treatment of patients with systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma after failure of at least one prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimen. The drug is being evaluated in this study for use as frontline treatment in patients with high-intermediate/high risk DLBCL in combination with multiagent chemotherapy. . Halwani:Abbvie: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Other: Travel expenses, Research Funding; Takeda/Millenium: Research Funding; BMS: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Other: Travel expenses, Research Funding; Roche/Genentech: Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin: Research Funding; Amgen: Research Funding. Advani:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding; Genetech: Consultancy. Ansell:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Celldex: Research Funding. Budde:Merck: Research Funding; Ikara Inc: Patents & Royalties; Atara Biotherapeutics: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Burke:Millenium/Takeda: Consultancy; Incyte: Consultancy; TG Therapeutics: Other: Travel expenses; Gilead: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Farber:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Holkova:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Kolibaba:GSK: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding; Acerta: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Gilead: Consultancy, Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Research Funding. Knapp:Celgene: Research Funding; Heron Pharmaceuticals: Other: Travel expenses, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Research Funding; Brystol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Genentech: Honoraria, Other: Travel expenses, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company: Research Funding; EMD Serono: Research Funding. Li:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Manley:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Patel-Donnelly:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Seetharam:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Yimer:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Bartlett:Gilead: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Millennium: Research Funding; Colgene: Research Funding; Medimmune: Research Funding; Kite: Research Funding; Insight: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding; MERC: Research Funding; Dynavax: Research Funding; Idera: Research Funding; Portola: Research Funding; Bristol Meyers Squibb: Research Funding; Infinity: Research Funding; LAM Theapeutics: Research Funding.

Abstract Background Outcomes for patients with DLBCL have improved over the past decade, with the addition of rituximab to CHOP or CHOP-like multi-agent chemotherapy regimens improving the 3-year overall survival (OS) of patients by 10-16% compared to multi-agent chemotherapy alone (Coiffier 2002; Pfreundschuh 2010). However, patients with high-intermediate or high-risk disease have relatively poor outcomes with the standard RCHOP regimen (Ziepert 2010); in a recent prospective trial of intermediate- and high-risk DLBCL patients, complete response (CR) rate for RCHOP alone was 26% (Hainsworth 2011). Brentuximab vedotin (ADCETRIS®) is an antibody-drug conjugate comprising the antibody cAC10, specific for human CD30, covalently attached to the microtubule-disrupting agent monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) via a protease-cleavable linker. Brentuximab vedotin has demonstrated compelling activity as a single agent in patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL, even those with low CD30 expression (Bartlett 2013). This phase 2, randomized, open label study is designed to evaluate the antitumor activity and safety of brentuximab vedotin (1.2 or 1.8 mg/kg) when administered in combination with standard RCHOP chemotherapy (A+RCHOP) for the front-line treatment of patients with CD30-unselected high-intermediate/high-risk (standard IPI score 3–5 or age-adjusted IPI [aaIPI] score 2–3) DLBCL (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01925612). Methods Patients were randomized to receive up to 6 cycles of either 1.2 or 1.8 mg/kg brentuximab vedotin administered IV on Day 1 of every 21-day cycle in combination with RCHOP; prednisone was administered orally on Days 1-5 of every 21-day cycle. Assessments included disease response per Cheson 2007, as evaluated by the investigator, surveillance of adverse events (AEs), physical examination findings, and laboratory testing. The primary endpoints for this study are the CR rate at the end of treatment (EOT) and the type, incidence, and severity of AEs. Key secondary endpoints include objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and OS. Results At the time of the planned interim analysis, 33 patients were enrolled (17 patients, 1.2 mg/kg A+RCHOP; 16 patients, 1.8 mg/kg A+RCHOP). Median age for all patients was 66 years (range, 21 to 81). At baseline, 36% were high-risk (IPI 4-5, aaIPI 3) and 64% were high-intermediate risk (IPI 3, aaIPI 2). The majority of patients (73%) had Stage IV disease and 33% had an ECOG status of 2. At the time of interim analysis, a total of 12 patients (6 patients in each arm) had completed EOT. Across both dose levels, ORR was 92% (11/12), with 7 CRs (58%), 4 PRs (33%), and 1 PD. The patient with PD subsequently died. Patients with PR had a median reduction of baseline tumor size of 84% (range, 92% to 83%), as measured by SPD. The only patient with follow-up after EOT converted from PR to CR without subsequent therapy. Treatment-emergent AEs occurring in ≥30% of patients treated (26/33) were nausea, diarrhea, peripheral sensory neuropathy, fatigue, and decreased appetite. Grade 3 or higher events occurring in more than 2 patients were febrile neutropenia and neutropenia. Events of peripheral neuropathy occurred equally per arm (46%, 1.2 mg/kg A+RCHOP; 46% 1.8 mg/kg A+RCHOP) and were generally Grade 1 or 2 (15% and 23%, respectively); events were of similar grade across dose levels. The median time to onset of any grade of peripheral neuropathy was 6 weeks (range, 2 to 10 weeks). Five patients (19%) had dose reductions due to peripheral neuropathy and 3 patients (12%) had dose reductions due to febrile neutropenia. One patient who received 1.2 mg/kg A+RCHOP discontinued study drug due to an AE (thrombocytopenia). Conclusions At doses of 1.2 or 1.8 mg/kg, A+RCHOP exhibited manageable toxicity in the treatment of newly-diagnosed DLBCL; the incidence of peripheral neuropathy was similar to single-agent administration of brentuximab vedotin (Pro 2012, Younes 2012) and RCHOP alone (Rummel 2013, Flinn 2014). In 12 patients with response-assessable, high-intermediate and high-risk DLBCL, A+RCHOP showed encouraging antitumor activity, with an ORR of 92% and a CR rate of 58%. Disclosures Yasenchak: Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Off Label Use: Brentuximab vedotin is indicated in the US for treatment of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma after failure of autologous stem cell transplant or after failure of at least two prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimens in patients who are not ASCT candidates and for the treatment of patients with systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma after failure of at least one prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimen. . Farber:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Budde:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Ansell:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Advani:Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Jansseen Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding, Travel expenses Other. Holkova:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Halwani:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Knapp:Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Research Funding; EMD Serono: Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Heron Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding, Travel expenses, Travel expenses Other; Genentech: Research Funding, Travel expenses, Travel expenses Other; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding. Fayad:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Consultancy, Research Funding. Kolibaba:Genentech: Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Patel-Donnelly:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Seetharam:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding. Manley:Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Bartlett:Genentech: Research Funding; ImaginAb: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; MedImmune: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co.: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding, Travel expenses Other; Janssen: Research Funding; Astra Zeneca: Research Funding.

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate safety and efficacy outcomes for subjects on the ECHELON-1 study treated in North America (NA). Patients and Methods: ECHELON-1 is a global, open-label, randomized phase III study comparing doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine in combination with brentuximab vedotin (A+AVD) versus ABVD (AVD + bleomycin) as first-line therapy in subjects with stage III or IV classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL; NCT01712490). Subjects were randomized 1:1 to receive A+AVD or ABVD intravenously on days 1 and 15 of each 28-day cycle for up to 6 cycles. Results: The NA subgroup consisted of 497 subjects in the A+AVD (n = 250) and ABVD (n = 247) arms. Similar to the primary analysis based on the intent-to-treat population, the primary endpoint [modified progression-free survival (PFS) per independent review] demonstrated an improvement among subjects who received A+AVD compared with ABVD (HR = 0.60; P = 0.012). For PFS, the risk of progression or death was also reduced (HR = 0.50; P = 0.002). Subsequent anticancer therapies were lower in the A+AVD arm. Grade 3 or 4 adverse events (AEs) were more common, but there were fewer study discontinuations due to AEs in the A+AVD arm as compared with ABVD. Noted differences between arms included higher rates of febrile neutropenia (20% vs. 9%) and peripheral neuropathy (80% vs. 56%), but lower rates of pulmonary toxicity (3% vs. 10%) in subjects treated with A+AVD versus ABVD. Conclusions: The efficacy benefit and manageable toxicity profile observed in the NA subgroup of ECHELON-1 support A+AVD as a frontline treatment option for patients with stage III or IV cHL.