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Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) is a rare form of large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) with around 90% of patients cured with frontline treatment. For relapsed or refractory (R/R) disease, the optimal treatment is unclear. CD19 chimeric antigen receptor-T cell (CAR-T) has been established as the preferred second line (2L) treatment for primary refractory or early relapsing LBCL based on the overall survival benefits observed in the landmark phase III trials. However, PMBCL patients were underrepresented on these pivotal studies. This study evaluated outcomes of 252 patients treated with 2L therapies for R/R PMBCL at 14 US institutions between 2001 and 2025. Platinum-based salvage with intent to proceed to high dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplant (HDT/ASCT) (platinum cohort) and CD19 CAR-T (CAR-T cohort) were given as 2L therapy in the real-world setting in 157 and 26 patients, respectively. Overall response rate (ORR), complete response (CR) rate and median progression-free survival (PFS) were significantly higher in the CAR-T cohort compared with the platinum cohort (ORR: 91.3% vs 44.2%, p <0.001; CR 65.2% vs 14.7%, p<0.001; median PFS not reached vs 3.5 months, hazard ratio (HR) 0.28, 95% CI 0.15-0.54, p=0.001). No significant difference was observed in overall survival. This study demonstrated superior response rate and PFS of CD19 CAR-T over platinum-based salvage with intent to proceed to HDT/ASCT as 2L treatment for R/R PMBCL.

Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKis) and BCL2 inhibitor (BCL2i)–containing regimens significantly improve survival outcomes in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL). Results from randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that time-limited treatment with BCL2i-containing regimens resulted in higher rates of undetectable measurable residual disease (uMRD) than BTKi monotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy (CIT). Pirtobrutinib (a noncovalent BTKi) and lisocabtagene maraleucel (CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy) are newer options for relapsed or refractory disease after prior therapy with BTKi and BCL2i-contining regimens. Histologic transformation of CLL/SLL to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (Richter transformation) is associated with a poor prognosis. Molecular analysis to determine whether there is clonal relationship between CLL/SLL and transformed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is useful to select an appropriate treatment option. These NCCN Guideline Insights highlight significant updates to the NCCN Guidelines for the treatment of CLL/SLL and Richter transformation.

Extramedullary presentations of multiple myeloma (MM) involving the central nervous system (CNS) carry a dismal prognosis. Although historically rare, management of extramedullary disease—including CNS manifestations—has become increasingly clinically relevant as advances in systemic therapies have prolonged control of medullary disease. CNS manifestations may occur across a variety of clinical settings and at different time points throughout the disease course. Common symptoms include visual changes, headaches, loss of sensation, confusion, and seizures. MRI identifies leptomeningeal enhancement and/or parenchymal lesions in approximately 90% of cases, and lumbar puncture with cerebrospinal fluid testing for clonal plasma cell populations is confirmatory. Encouragingly, the incorporation of novel therapeutic agents has improved historically poor outcomes in CNS MM. Novel immunotherapeutic approaches using CAR T-cell therapy and bispecific T-cell–engaging antibodies have recently demonstrated significant efficacy in consolidating responses. Multimodality treatment strategies incorporating intrathecal chemotherapy, systemic novel agents, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy hold promise for achieving more durable responses in this devastating manifestation of MM.

The treatment landscape for multiple myeloma (MM) is evolving rapidly and includes several new options. The management must be tailored to the individual. The NCCN Guidelines for MM provide a framework to base decisions regarding diagnosis, workup, treatment, and follow-up of both newly diagnosed and previously treated relapsed/refractory MM. This manuscript outlines the recommendations from NCCN Guidelines for MM specific to newly diagnosed MM (NDMM).

Abstract Introduction: The first-generation BCL2 inhibitor,venetoclax, is an effective treatment for CLL/SLL, but its usage may be limited by toxicity. Sonrotoclax, a next-generation BCL2 inhibitor, is a more selective and pharmacologically potent inhibitor of BCL2 than venetoclax, with a shorter half-life and no drug accumulation. BGB-11417-101 (NCT04277637) is an ongoing, phase 1/1b, dose-escalation/expansion study in patients with B-cell malignancies. Presented here are preliminary data for sonrotoclax + obinutuzumab in patients with treatment-naive (TN) CLL/SLL in BGB-11417-101. Methods: Obinutuzumab is administered intravenously at 100 mg on day (D) 1, 900 mg on D2, 1,000 mg on D8 and D15 of cycle (C) 1, and then 1,000 mg on D1 of C2-6 of each 28-day cycle. Beginning on C2D1, sonrotoclax is administered orally once daily with ramp-up to the target doses, 160 or 320 mg. Patients can continue treatment until progressive disease (PD), unacceptable toxicity, or undetectable minimal residual disease (uMRD4; <1 CLL cell per 10,000 leukocytes [<0.01%]) in peripheral blood (PB) by next-generation sequencing (NGS; ClonoSEQ) after 15 treatment cycles. Study endpoints include safety per NCI-CTCAE v5.0, overall response rate (ORR) per iwCLL guidelines, and MRD status in PB per modified ERIC flow cytometry (FC) assay or NGS, depending on the timepoint. Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is assessed per Howard (2011) criteria. Results: As of May 16, 2025, 55 patients with TN CLL/SLL were enrolled (160 mg, n=20; 320 mg, n=35), and 21 patients (all 320 mg) have discontinued sonrotoclax + obinutuzumab (due to uMRD4 per NGS as protocol-mandated [n=17], PI decision uMRD4 per FC [n=2], and PD [n=2]). Four patients discontinued obinutuzumab only per PI decision (160 mg, n=1), thrombocytopenia (320 mg, n=2), and prostate cancer prior to starting sonrotoclax (160 mg, n=1). For all patients, the median age was 62 y, 65% were male, and 89% were White. At baseline, 14% of patients (8/55) had high tumor burden and 58% (31/53) had unmutated IGHV. Median study follow-up was 8.9 months (range, 0.4-25.4 months) for all patients; 6.4 months (range, 0.4-9.0 months) for 160 mg; and 16.0 months (range, 2.9-25.4 months) for 320 mg. Maximum tolerated dose was not reached. The most common any-grade treatment-emergent AEs (TEAEs) were thrombocytopenia (56%), infusion-related reaction (56%), and neutropenia (49%). Neutropenia was the most common grade ≥3 TEAE (38%). No deaths due to TEAEs occurred, and no TEAEs led to sonrotoclax discontinuation. Two cases of laboratory TLS occurred after C1D1 of obinutuzumab prior to starting sonrotoclax; no clinical or laboratory TLS occurred during sonrotoclax ramp up. No meaningful safety differences were observed among sonrotoclax dose cohorts. In 37 efficacy-evaluable patients (160 mg, n=7; 320 mg, n=30), the ORR was 89%; for the 320-mg cohort, ORR was 93% (28/30). Complete response (CR) rates (CR + CR with incomplete marrow recovery [CRi]) were 46% (all patients) and 43% (320 mg). For 23 patients in the 320 mg cohort who reached the C15 MRD assessment, the best C15 uMRD4 rate per FC was 87% (20/23; 2 not evaluable; 1 missing); per NGS, the uMRD4 rate at C15 was 78% (18/23; 5 missing). All patients with an available C15 MRD assessment achieved uMRD4 and remain in remission as of the data cutoff date. The median time from reaching sonrotoclax target dose to uMRD4 was 2.3 months (range, 1.4-5.6 months) in the 320-mg cohort. Three patients experienced PFS events: 1 died from an indeterminate cause (160 mg, discontinued treatment after C1D9 of obinutuzumab) and 2 had PD (320 mg; both Richter's transformation at C6 and C2). Conclusions: Sonrotoclax + obinutuzumab was generally well tolerated in patients with TN CLL/SLL, with no sonrotoclax discontinuations or deaths due to TEAEs. No laboratory or clinical TLS events occurred during sonrotoclax ramp-up. Encouraging antitumor activity was observed with sonrotoclax 320 mg. High rates of blood uMRD4 occurred early and deepened over time. All patients with an available C15 MRD assessment by NGS or FC achieved uMRD4 and remain in remission. A registrational phase 3 study (CELESTIAL-RRCLL, BGB-11417-303) assessing this combination with sonrotoclax 320 mg is currently recruiting.

Abstract There are no approved treatments for relapsed/refractory (R/R) PCNSL. We show promising efficacy in the salvage setting using emavusertib in combination with ibrutinib, which targets the BCR and TLR pathways. These 2 major pathways are associated with activation of NF-κB. Updated safety and efficacy data of this combination in R/R PCNSL from the ongoing Phase 1/2 TakeAim Lymphoma trial (NCT03328078) will be presented. As of 01 May 2025, 33 patients with R/R PCNSL were treated with emavusertib in combination with ibrutinib. Eligible patients receive emavusertib in combination with ibrutinib until tumor progression or unacceptable toxicity. Median age was 63 years (range 43-81); 16 patients were male. Median prior anti-cancer therapy was 2 (range 1-5); 26 (78.8%) patients had prior BTKi exposure. Median duration of emavusertib/ibrutinib treatment was 51 days (range 5-798). Grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were reported in 11 (33.3%) patients; neutropenia in 5 (15.2%) patients, amylase increased, lipase increased, and leukopenia in 2 (6.1%) patients each. The majority of Grade ≥ 3 TRAEs were reversible and manageable. Among the 19 BTKi-experienced patients treated for ≥ 28 days, there were 5 CRs and 2 PRs, with an ORR of 36.8%. Three patients with CR were on treatment for 10+ mos, with 1 CR patient ongoing with DOT of 26.2+ mos. Among the 5 BTKi-naïve patients treated for ≥ 28 days, 1 achieved CR and 3 had PR, with ORR of 80%; the CR patient is ongoing with DOT of 18.1+ mos. The ORR in the combined population was 45.8% (6 CRs; 5 PRs). The combination of emavusertib and ibrutinib demonstrates promising clinical activity and an acceptable safety profile in patients with R/R PCNSL. This regimen appears capable of overcoming resistance to prior BTKi therapy. Patient enrollment in this trial continues.

Abstract PCNSL is a rare and aggressive NHL with no approved treatments for R/R patients, representing a critical unmet need. MyD88 mutations in ~70% of PCNSL patients drive IRAK4 activation, promoting NF-κB signaling, inflammation, and tumor progression. Emavusertib, a potent oral IRAK4 inhibitor, crosses the blood-brain barrier and shows preclinical synergy with BTKis, and has the ability to re-sensitize BTKi-resistant cell lines. This study evaluates the molecular and PK data associated with responses to emavusertib + ibrutinib combination therapy in R/R PCNSL patients. The safety, clinical activity, and potential biomarkers of emavusertib in R/R PCNSL are being investigated in the ongoing TakeAim Lymphoma trial (NCT03328078). Pre-dose and 1.5-hour post-dose plasma samples were collected on Day 1 of Cycles 3, 5, and 7. CSF samples were obtained via a lumbar puncture within 1.5 hrs of collection of the post-dose plasma PK sample on Cycle 3 Day 1. As of 06 December 2024, CSF concentration was available for 7 patients. The mean emavusertib concentration in CSF was 81.3 ng/ml (54.7-104.0) in patients receiving 100 mg emavusertib BID (n=4). In patients receiving 200 mg emavusertib BID (n=3), the mean emavusertib concentration in CSF was higher at 175.7 ng/ml (114.8-209.4), which is 2.2 × the mean value in patients who received 100 mg emavusertib BID (p-value = 0.02). MyD88 mutation status was available for 7 patients of which all had prior BTKi exposure. Among these patients, 6 had MyD88 mutations of which 4 had responded (3 CRs and 1 PR) to the combination with DOR up to 18.9 mos with data collection ongoing. Preliminary CNS PK data demonstrate that emavusertib concentration in CSF increases with increasing emavusertib dose. Patients with MyD88 mutations showed expected promising preliminary efficacy to emavusertib + ibrutinib combination and may overcome BTKi resistance. Enrollment is ongoing.

2085 Background: Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare and aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma with no approved treatments for relapsed/refractory (R/R) patients, representing a critical unmet need. MyD88 mutations in ~70% of PCNSL patients drive Interleukin-1 receptor associated kinase 4 (IRAK4) activation, promoting NF-κB signaling, inflammation, and tumor progression. Emavusertib, a potent oral IRAK4 inhibitor, crosses the blood-brain barrier and shows preclinical synergy with Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKi), re-sensitizing BTKi-resistant cell lines. This study evaluates the molecular and pharmacokinetic (PK) data associated with responses to emavusertib + ibrutinib combination therapy in R/R PCNSL patients. Methods: The safety, clinical activity, and potential biomarkers of emavusertib in R/R PCNSL are being investigated in the ongoing open-label, Phase 1/2 TakeAim Lymphoma trial (NCT03328078). Pre-dose and 1.5-hour post-dose plasma samples were collected on Cycle 3 Day 1, Cycle 5 Day 1 and Cycle 7 Day 1. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were obtained via a lumbar puncture within 1.5 hrs of collection of the post-dose plasma PK sample on Cycle 3 Day 1. Mutation analysis was based on patients’ molecular pathology reports provided by trial sites. Sequencing of archival tissues, CSF and plasma are in progress. Results: As of 06 December 2024, CSF concentration data were available for 7 PCNSL patients. The mean emavusertib concentration in CSF was 81.3 ng/ml (54.7-104.0) in patients receiving 100 mg emavusertib BID (n = 4). In patients receiving 200 mg emavusertib BID (n = 3), the mean emavusertib concentration in CSF was higher at 175.7 ng/ml (114.8-209.4), which is 2.2X the mean value in patients who received 100 mg emavusertib BID (p-value = 0.02). All 7 patients received 560 mg ibrutinib QD, and the ibrutinib concentrations in the CSF were consistent with findings from previously published clinical studies. MyD88 mutation status was available for 7 patients of which all had prior exposure to BTKi regimens. Among these, 6 patients had MyD88 mutation of which 4 patients had responded (3 complete responses and 1 partial response) to emavusertib + ibrutinib combination with duration of response (DOR) up to 18.9 months with data collection ongoing. Conclusions: Preliminary CNS pharmacokinetic data demonstrates that emavusertib concentration in CSF increases with increasing emavusertib dose. Patients with MyD88 mutations showed expected promising preliminary efficacy to emavusertib + ibrutinib combination and may overcome BTKi resistance. Enrollment in this trial is ongoing. Clinical trial information: NCT03328078 .

The NCCN Guidelines for Multiple Myeloma (MM) provide recommendations for diagnosis, initial workup, treatment, follow-up, and supportive care for patients with MM. These NCCN Guidelines Insights highlight the important updates and changes specific to systemic therapy for patients with newly diagnosed as well as previously treated MM included in Version 1.2025 of the NCCN Guidelines for MM.