Gutierrez, Martin

Background SEA-CD40 is an investigational, non-fucosylated, humanized monoclonal IgG1 antibody that activates CD40, an immune-activating tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member. SEA-CD40 exhibits enhanced binding to activating FcγRIIIa, possibly enabling greater immune stimulation than other CD40 agonists. A first-in-human phase 1 trial was conducted to examine safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of SEA-CD40 monotherapy in patients with advanced solid tumors and lymphoma. Methods SEA-CD40 was administered intravenously to patients with solid tumors or lymphoma in 21-day cycles with standard 3+3 dose escalation at 0.6, 3, 10, 30, 45, and 60 µg/kg. An intensified dosing regimen was also studied. The primary objectives of the study were to evaluate the safety and tolerability and identify the maximum tolerated dose of SEA-CD40. Secondary objectives included evaluation of the pharmacokinetic parameters, antitherapeutic antibodies, pharmacodynamic effects and biomarker response, and antitumor activity. Results A total of 67 patients received SEA-CD40 including 56 patients with solid tumors and 11 patients with lymphoma. A manageable safety profile was observed, with predominant adverse events of infusion/hypersensitivity reactions (IHRs) reported in 73% of patients. IHRs were primarily ≤grade 2 with an incidence associated with infusion rate. To mitigate IHRs, a standardized infusion approach was implemented with routine premedication and a slowed infusion rate. SEA-CD40 infusion resulted in potent immune activation, illustrated by dose dependent cytokine induction with associated activation and trafficking of innate and adaptive immune cells. Results suggested that doses of 10–30 µg/kg may result in optimal immune activation. SEA-CD40 monotherapy exhibited evidence of antitumor activity, with a partial response in a patient with basal cell carcinoma and a complete response in a patient with follicular lymphoma. Conclusions SEA-CD40 was tolerable as monotherapy and induced potent dose dependent immune cell activation and trafficking consistent with immune activation. Evidence of monotherapy antitumor activity was observed in patients with solid tumors and lymphoma. Further evaluation of SEA-CD40 is warranted, potentially as a component of a combination regimen. Trial registration number NCT02376699.

Abstract Introduction: Nivolumab (nivo) is a fully human IgG4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) targeting programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1). Nivo has demonstrated clinical activity and an acceptable safety profile in a phase 1b study (NCT01592370; CheckMate 039) in patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory hematologic malignancies. In pts diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), after a median 86 weeks of follow-up, 7/20 responders maintained a response for >1.5 years (Ansell S et al. Blood 2015;126:583), and after a median follow-up of 67 weeks, clinical activity (investigator-assessed objective response rate) was demonstrated in follicular lymphoma (FL; 40%), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL; 36%), mycosis fungoides (15%), and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL; 40%) (Lesokhin AM et al. J Clin Oncol 2016;34:2698). CheckMate 039 also included a cohort of pts who had received nivo in combination with ipilimumab (ipi), a fully human mAb targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4). Combination of CTLA-4 and PD-1 blockade has shown superior efficacy compared with nivo or ipi alone in preclinical studies and solid tumor malignancies (Wolchok JD et al. N Engl J Med 2013;369:122; Larkin JM et al. N Engl J Med 2015;373:22; Antonia SJ et al. Lancet Oncol 2016;17:883). The aim of this cohort study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of combined immune checkpoint blockade (nivo+ipi) in pts with the following hematologic malignancies: HL, B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL; FL and DLBCL), T-cell NHL (T-NHL; cutaneous T-cell lymphoma [CTCL] and PTCL]), and multiple myeloma (MM). Methods: Nivo+ipi were given at 3 mg/kg IV and 1 mg/kg IV, respectively, every 3 weeks for 4 doses, followed by nivo monotherapy (3 mg/kg) every 2 weeks for up to 2 years. Pts with any of the above histologies, relapsed or refractory disease after ≥2 prior lines of therapy, and adequate organ function were included in the study. Prior systemic therapy may have included chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT). Prior anti-PD-1 therapy and allogeneic (allo)-HSCT were not permitted. The primary endpoint was safety. Secondary endpoints included investigator-assessed objective response rate (ORR), best overall response, duration of response (DOR), and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: In total, 65 pts were treated with nivo+ipi (31 HL, 15 B-NHL, 11 T-NHL, 7 MM, and 1 with primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma [PMBL] who was included in the overall safety cohort only). Median (range) number of prior systemic therapies was 4 (2, 10; HL), 3, (1, 16; B-NHL), 4 (1, 11; T-NHL), and 5 (2, 20; MM). Among patients with HL, only 13% (4/31) had prior auto-HSCT. 2 pts with HL and 1 with T-NHL proceeded to allo-HSCT after stopping study therapy. Across all cohorts, median follow-up was 11.4 months. 5 pts (8%) discontinued due to a drug-related adverse event (AE). The most common drug-related AEs of any grade were fatigue (17 pts [26%]), pyrexia (15 [23%]), and diarrhea (12 [18%]). 19 pts (29%) had a drug-related AE of grade ≥3. 31 pts (48%) had a serious AE. 24 pts (37%) died: HL 2 pts, B-NHL 11, T-NHL 6, MM 4, PMBL 1. Among those pts, 22 (34%) were from disease progression (HL 2 pts, B-NHL 10, T-NHL 5, MM 4, PMBL 1); no deaths were due to an AE. Clinical outcome data are presented (Table). Conclusions: These are the first reported data of combination checkpoint blockade therapy in hematologic malignancies. Overall, the combination of nivo+ipi in these heavily pretreated patients demonstrated a safety and efficacy profile similar to that previously reported for nivo monotherapy in HL, NHL, and MM. Additional follow-up may further clarify the role of ipi in this cohort of patients. In this predominantly transplant-naïve group of patients with HL, the efficacy of nivo+ipi was similar to that seen in patients with relapsed/refractory HL treated with nivo alone. Funding: Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS). Medical writing: S Addison, Caudex, funded by BMS Disclosures Ansell: BMS, Seattle Genetics, Merck, Celldex and Affimed: Research Funding. Gutierrez:Bayer Health Care Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Other: Traveling and Lodging- Food and Beverage; E.R. Squibb & Sons, LLC (Bristol Myers Squibb): Consultancy, Other: Travel and Lodging; Incyte Corporation: Consultancy; Pfizer Inc: Consultancy; Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation: Consultancy, Other: Travel and Lodging; Pharmacyclics LLC, An AbbVie Company: Other: Food and Beverage. Shipp:Cell Signaling: Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bayer: Research Funding; Merck, Gilead, Takeda: Other: Scientific Advisory Board. Moskowitz:Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics, Merck: Consultancy. Borello:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Popa-Mckiver:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Employment, Equity Ownership. Farsaci:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Employment. Zhu:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Employment. Armand:Sequenta Inc: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Infinity Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Roche: Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Research Funding.

Abstract Introduction Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) is an immune checkpoint receptor that inhibits T cell activation upon interaction with its ligands PD-L1 or PD-L2. Increased PD-L1 expression has been reported in various lymphoid malignancies, and may allow these tumors to circumvent host anti-tumor immunity. Nivolumab, a fully human IgG4 monoclonal PD-1 receptor blocking antibody, potentiates T cell activity, and has clinical efficacy in various solid tumors. We hypothesized that nivolumab might also have clinically important anti-tumor activity in patients with lymphoid malignancies. Methods This open-label study enrolled patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoid malignancies including B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL), T-cell NHL (T-NHL), multiple myeloma (MM), and classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). Patients were treated using a dose escalation design (1 mg/kg and 3 mg/kg) of nivolumab administered every two weeks for up to two years. Responses were assessed using standard criteria. The primary endpoint was safety; key secondary endpoints included anti-tumor activity and expression of immunomodulatory proteins in tumor biopsies. The preliminary results for the cHL patients will be reported separately. Results Twenty-nine patients with B-NHL, 2 patients with primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma; 23 patients with T-NHL; 27 patients with MM; and 1 with chronic myelogenous leukemia were enrolled. Patients were heavily pretreated with 67%, 69%, and 78% of MM, B-NHL, and T-NHL patients, respectively, having received ≥ 3 prior treatment regimens. Previous autologous stem cell transplantation was reported for 56% of MM, 14% of B-NHL, and 9% of T-NHL patients. Prior brentuximab treatment was reported in 7% of B-NHL and 26% of T-NHL patients. When this pre-planned interim analysis was performed, six patients had been treated at the 1 mg/kg dose with 2 dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) occurring in the same patient: grade 3 pneumonia and pneumonitis. At the 3mg/kg dose, seven patients were treated with one patient experiencing two DLTs: grade 3 eosinophilia and diplopia. Additional patients were enrolled in the cohort expansion at 3 mg/kg. Drug-related adverse events (AEs) occurred in 72%, 65%, and 52% of B-NHL, T-NHL, and MM patients, respectively. Serious AEs in B-NHL patients were pneumonitis (7%), acute respiratory distress syndrome, dermatitis, diplopia, enteritis, eosinophilia, mucosal inflammation, pyrexia and vomiting, each occurring in 3%. In the T-NHL patients, serious AEs were pneumonitis, rash, and sepsis, each occurring in 4%, and in MM patients, serious AEs were pneumonitis, myositis, and increased creatine phosphokinase, each occurring in 4%. The incidence and severity of drug related AEs were similar across tumor types. Efficacy results are shown for each tumor type in the table. The overall response rate (ORR) and complete response (CR) rate in patients with B-NHL were 28% and 7%, respectively, including an ORR of 36% in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and 40% in patients with follicular lymphoma (FL). In patients with T-NHL, ORR was 17% (no CR), including an ORR of 40% in the 5 patients with peripheral T cell lymphoma. No objective responses were observed in MM. Analysis of PD-L1 expression and correlation to clinical outcome is being performed and will be presented. Conclusions Nivolumab administered at a dose of 3 mg/kg every two weeks was tolerable and the safety profile was similar to that of the agent in solid tumors. Objective responses were observed in DLBCL, FL, mycosis fungoides (MF), and peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL). Durable stable disease was observed in relapsed MM. The results of this phase 1 study have led to phase 2 studies in DLBCL and FL, which are ongoing. Table: Efficacy Results Tumor N Complete Response n (%) Partial Response n (%) Stable Disease (SD) n (%) Progression Free Survival Rate at 24 Weeks (%) Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) 11 1 (9) 3 (27) 3 (27) (24) Follicular Lymphoma (FL) 10 1 (10) 3 (30) 6 (60) (68) Other B Cell Lymphoma 8 0 0 5 (63) (38) Primary Mediastinal B Cell Lymphoma 2 0 0 2 (100) (0) Mycosis Fungoides (MF) 13 0 2 (15) 9 (69) (39) Peripheral T Cell Lymphoma (PTCL) 5 0 2 (40) 0 (30) Other T Cell Lymphoma 5 0 0 1 (20) (0) Multiple Myeloma (MM) 27 0 0 18 (67) (15) Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia 1 0 0 1 (100) (100) Disclosures Lesokhin: Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding. Ansell:Bristol-Myers Sqibb: Research Funding. Armand:Merck: Consultancy. Cohen:Celgene: Member, Independent Response Adjudication Committee Other; Onyx: Advisory Board, Advisory Board Other; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Advisory Board, Advisory Board Other, Research Funding; Janssen: Advisory Board, Advisory Board Other. Lebovic:Genentech, Allos, Celgene, Onyx, Millennium: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Rodig:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding. Zhu:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Employment. Grosso:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Employment, Equity Ownership. Kim:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Employment. Shipp:Merck: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pharmacyclics: 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; Gilead: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bayer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Sanofi: Research Funding; Janssen R&D: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Borrello:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding. Timmerman:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding.

e14132 Background: The use of PD-1 inhibitors (PD1) has been limited due to the lack of prognostic markers of response. Previous studies have suggested that indirect inflammatory markers such as neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) may correlate with response to treatment and improved survival. We sought to evaluate the impact NLR and PLR in a real world cohort of patients (pts) with advanced solid tumors treated with PD1. Methods: Records of all pts treated with PD1 between 2011-2017 at the John Theurer Cancer Center were reviewed. NLR and PLR were registered at baseline and longitudinally. We dichotomized as low (lNLR/lPLR), and high (hNLR ≥5/hPLR ≥160). Univariate logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards were used for progression free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Landmark analyses were performed at cycles 2 (C2), and 5 (C5). Results: 178 pts received 1131 cycles of PD1. Median age was 65 (range 24-93); 43% were female. ECOG was ≥1 for 85%. 142 pts (80%), and 89 (50%) received ≥2C and ≥5C respectively. In univariate analyses, baseline hNLR and hPLR were independently associated with inferior OS (median 7.8 vs 18.3 months; HR 1.77, 95% CI 1.21-2.43; p = 0.004), ) and (median 6.4 vs 15.6 months; HR 1.42, 95% CI 1.09-2; p = 0.04) respectively. On landmark analyses, lNLR and lPLR were associated with longer PFS and OS at 2C, and 5C. Longitudinally, lNLR and lPLR correlated with response rate; NLR decreased by 0.08 (95% CI: -0.19 to -0.04; p = 0.03) and PLR by 17 (95% CI: -29 to -14; p = 0.07) per month in responders compared with non-responders. hNLR or hPLR did not correlate with increase in autoimmune toxicities. Conclusions: hNLR, hPLR are adversely prognostic markers in pts receiving PD1 inhibitors in a “real world cohort”. These markers correlate with a longitudinal response and may help predict response. Further prospective studies are needed to determine their utility in decision making during treatment.

e15722 Background: Pancreatic cancer (PaCa) is a highly lethal disease, with a 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of approximately 6%, and a median OS of only 3–6 months (m). Despite recent improvements in surgical techniques and increased use of combination chemotherapy (CT), OS remains poor. This study aims to examine the factors that led to increased OS in PaCa patients (pts) over the past two decades in a single academic institution. Methods: All medical records of pts diagnosed with PaCa at the John Theurer Cancer Center from 1990 to 2012 were reviewed, and 916 PaCa pts were included in this analysis. We compared one group of pts diagnosed from 1990 to 2003 (G1, n = 482), with a group of pts diagnosed from 2004 to 2012 (G2, n = 434) in terms of OS, demographics, tumor features and treatment (tx). Results: Median age at diagnosis was 70.5 years (range 26-96). There was no significant difference between G1 and G2 in terms of age at diagnosis, stage of disease and number of pts who received surgery. A significantly higher percentage of pts received CT in G2 compared to G1 (66.5% vs 51.0%, p = .00). Tumors of the pancreatic head were more common in G1 compared to G2 (51.8% vs 44.4% p = .02). More pts in G2 received two or more CT agents compared to G1 (49.0% vs 34.1%, p = .00). Median OS was significantly longer in G2 compared to G1 (9m vs 5m, p = .00), in pts who received CT compared to pts who did not (3m vs 9m, p = .00) and in pts who received surgery compared to pts who did not (5m vs 19m, p = .00). Pancreatic head location was associated with improved OS compared to other locations (9m vs 5m, p = .00). No OS difference was found between pts who received combination with two or more agents vs single agent CT. Conclusions: In line with multiple studies, analysis of PaCa data from our institution showed an increase OS in pts diagnosed with PaCa in more recent years, and in those who received surgery and CT. CT was administered in a larger number of pts in G2, which might account for the better OS in this group. Pts diagnosed with tumors of the pancreatic head had better survival, which could be explained by earlier presentation leading to earlier diagnosis and tx. Further research in PaCa therapeutics is needed, as long-term OS in PaCa pts remains poor despite recent advances.