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Background: Philadelphia (Ph)-like acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a heterogenous subtype of B-ALL defined by the presence of gene expression profiling similar to Ph+ ALL in the absence of a BCR::ABL1 fusion. Ph-like ALL has lower response rates to standard frontline therapies and carries a poorer prognosis when compared to other B-ALL subtypes. However, the role in which specific patient characteristics may impact responses is not well described. Our aim for this retrospective study was to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of a real-world cohort of patients (pts) with Ph-like ALL across multiple institutions, including describing key patient characteristics, treatments, and factors that may contribute to minimal residual disease (MRD) status and treatment response. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of adult pts with Ph-like ALL diagnosed and treated at the University of New Mexico, Mayo Clinic Phoenix, University of Chicago, and University of Michigan between 1/1/18 - 2/1/2024. Pts were eligible if they carried a diagnosis of B-ALL, and were determined to have Ph-like ALL according to each institutional diagnostic algorithm. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Fisher's exact test were employed to summarize various clinical characteristics and their associations. Cox regression analysis was utilized to estimate the median survival time and assess the relationship between clinical characteristics and survival outcomes, including overall survival and progression-free survival. All statistical analyses were conducted using the R statistical software. Results: 67 pts were identified with a median age of 34.2 (IQR 28.5) and 35.8% were female. Twenty-eight pts identified as Hispanic or Latino (H/L) (43.1%), 25 (38.5%) identified as non-Hispanic White/Caucasian (NHW), 10 (15.4%) as American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN), and 2 (3.1%) as Asian/Pacific Islander. Thirteen pts (19.4%) had central nervous system (CNS) involvement at diagnosis, 22.4% of pts had extramedullary disease, and, in those who had NGS or cytogenomic microarray testing (n=49), 51% had an identified mutation/deletion in IKZF1. Initial treatment varied widely with pts receiving most commonly: Children's Oncology Group (COG) protocols (22.4%), CALGB 10403 (22.4%), HyperCVAD (11.9%), and CALGB 8811 (10.4%). Fifty-eight percent achieved a CR/CRi and 21% were refractory to initial therapy. Thirteen percent of pts received a Jak inhibitor and 6% of pts were treated with a TKI. Thirty pts (50.8%) underwent allogeneic stem cell transplant, with 8 of those pts (26.7%) experiencing a relapse post-transplant. Nine pts (13.4%) underwent treatment with CAR-T therapy with few pts experiencing grade 2 or higher cytokine release syndrome (CRS) or immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). Pts with CNS disease at diagnosis were less likely to achieve a CR/CRi compared to those without CNS disease at diagnosis (33.3% vs 64.0%; p=0.12). Pts identifying as AI/AN were more likely to be refractory to their first treatment compared to other racial/ethnic groups (75%, p=0.002). Forty two percent of pts never achieved MRD negativity (< 0.01% by flow cytometry) during treatment; pts identifying as H/L and AI/AN had a higher rate of MRD positivity after induction compared to NHW pts (56% and 70% vs. 25%; p=0.02). In pts with IKZF1 mutation, 57.1% did not achieve MRD negativity compared to 21.7% in pts without a mutation (p=0.029). The median overall survival (OS) was 66.3 months (mos) and the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 15.7 mos. Pts who did not achieve MRD negativity after initial treatment had shorter OS compared to those who did achieve MRD negativity, 33.9 mos vs 66.3 mos (p=0.086). Progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly shorter for patients who did not achieve MRD negativity after initial treatment compared to those who did, 3.9 mos vs 43.9 mos (p=0.001). PFS was shorter in pts who identify as AI/AN compared to H/L and NHW pts (2 mos vs 35.7 mos and 35.7 mos; p=0.046). Conclusion: Pts with Ph-like ALL experience poor response rates to therapies used to treat B-ALL, highlighting the urgent need for novel therapies and treatment strategies. We identified race/ethnicity and CNS disease at diagnosis as risk factors for poor treatment response. In addition, race/ethnicity and the presence of an IKZF1 mutation was associated with worse rates of MRD negativity during treatment.

Background : Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody that targets CD20 and can significantly improve the prognosis of patients with CD20-positive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). Nonetheless, a significant number of patients experience disease progression or relapse post-rituximab therapy. CD19-chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in B-NHL treatment. However, few studies have focused on the efficacy and safety of CD20 CAR-T cells in rituximab-refractory/relapsed (R/R) B-NHL patients, particularly those treated with rituximab for a short time. Here, we conducted a prospective study, aimed to assess the long-term remission and survival in patients with rituximab-R/R B-NHL after treatment with U16 (CD20 CAR-T cells). Methods : This first-in-human study is an open-label, single center investigator-initiated trial (IIT) to determine the safety and efficacy of CD20 CAR-T in R/R B-NHL after previous rituximab treatment failure (no. ChiCTR2000036350). CD20 CAR-T was administered at a target dose of 1.0×107 CAR-T cells/kg after a 3-day conditioning chemotherapy with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide. The primary objective was to assess the safety and tolerability of CD20 CAR-T. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) were graded according to ASTCT 2019 criteria. The secondary objectives were to evaluate efficacy and pharmacokinetics (PK). Response was assessed per Lugano 2014 criteria. Results:A total of 16 patients with R/R B-NHL were enrolled.The median age was 49 years (range, 28-66). Median number of prior lines of therapy was 3 (range, 2-5). All patients had received rituximab therapy; of these, 9 had done so within the 3 months before CAR-T infusion. CRS occurred in all patients, with 11 patients (68.75%) experiencing grade 1 or 2 CRS and 5 patients (31.25%) experiencing grade 3 CRS. No patient developed grade 4 CRS , and only one patient had ICANS.The most common grade 3 or higher adverse events observed after infusion included leukopenia (93.3%), anemia (40%) and thrombocytopenia (60%). An overall response rate of 100% was observed among enrolled patients, with 11 patients (68.75%) achieving complete remission(CR) and 5 patients (32.25%) achieving partial remission(PR) within 3 months. The median follow-up time was 11.7 months(range 0.69-47.47). The median overall survival was not reached, and the median progression-free survival was 14.5 months. 9 patients remained CR or PR for 12 months, with 7 of them continuing in CR for up to 24 months. The pharmacokinetics of CD20 CAR-T cells were assessed using quantitative PCR to determine the expansion and persistence ability. Peak CAR amplification were detected 7-14 days after infusin. Patients 1, 2 and 4 achieved long-term remission, and persistent positive CAR-T cell copy numbers were detected for 15 months, 30 months and 26 months, respectively. However, patients 7, 8 and 12 relapsed within 3 months, and the CAR-T cell copies of all three patients were reduced to fewer than 1×103 copies/μg of DNA within 3 months. The qPCR results indicated that the maintenance of efficacy was closely related to the persistence of CAR-T cells. Notably, patients who received rituximab less than 3 months before CAR-T infusion had a poorer prognosis, with higher relapse rates (77.8% vs. 28.6%) and shorter progression-free survival, regardless of the degree of response. Conclusion : Long-term follow-up demonstrated that CD20 CAR-T therapy can produce a deep and durable response with a favorable safety profile in patients with rituximab-refractory/relapsed B-NHL. Notably, patients who had received rituximab within 3 months had a poorer prognosis.

Abstract The phosphorylation of histone H2A.X into γH2A.X is a crucial early event in the DNA damage response, marking DNA damage sites and initiating repair processes. While ATM kinase is traditionally recognized as the primary mediator of H2A.X phosphorylation, our study identifies serine/threonine kinase 39 (STK39) as a novel enhancer of this critical signaling pathway. We demonstrate that after DNA damage, STK39 undergoes phosphorylation by the ATM kinase, facilitating its interaction with the Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 complex and subsequent recruitment to chromatin. This recruitment enables STK39 to further phosphorylate H2A.X, thus amplifying γH2A.X production and promoting homologous recombination repair. Notably, we observe a significant upregulation of STK39 in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) tissues, correlating with heightened resistance to PARPi therapy. Furthermore, we demonstrate the synergistic efficacy of combining STK39 inhibition with PARP inhibitors in suppressing and reversing PAAD growth. This study not only provides new insights into the molecular dynamics of H2A.X phosphorylation but also highlights the therapeutic potential of targeting STK39 to enhance PARPi sensitivity in PAAD (created with BioRender).

Abstract This study reports the first pig-to-human lung xenotransplantation using a six gene-edited pig lung. A left lung from a gene-edited Chinese Bama Xiang pig was transplanted into a 39-year-old brain-dead human recipient. The xenograft maintained viability and functionality for 216 hours without signs of hyperacute rejection. Postoperatively, severe edema resembling primary graft dysfunction (PGD) was observed, potentially due to ischemia-reperfusion injury. Antibody-mediated rejection appeared to contribute to xenograft damage on postoperative days 3 and 6, with partial recovery by day 9 under the current immunosuppressive regimen. This pioneering study suggests that genetically modified pig lungs could potentially be used for future clinical applications in xenotransplantation.

Abstract Periprosthetic fractures of the lesser trochanter may migrate proximally and result in anterior mechanical irritation and impingement with hip flexion refractory to comprehensive conservative management. In such cases, patients may benefit from arthroscopic resection of the displaced lesser trochanteric fragment. We present a minimally invasive, arthroscopic approach with initial access through an air bursogram. This technique can be performed percutaneously, with standard access cannulas, without the need for additional disposable instrumentation or large cannulas. In such a way, reproducible arthroscopic instrumentation can be provided for safe and efficient fragment removal while remaining cognizant of the nearby medial neurovascular bundle. Technique Video video See video under supplementary data.

Abstract Meniscal root tears have been shown to significantly impact tibiofemoral mechanics and contribute to accelerated development of osteoarthritis. A common finding in conjunction with a meniscal root tear is extrusion of the meniscus. Meniscal extrusion is an independent risk factor for tibiofemoral cartilage loss and the progression of osteoarthritis. Meniscus centralization was first introduced to directly address extrusion alongside root repair techniques. To date, reported techniques for meniscus centralization generally involve anchoring the meniscus directly to the tibia in some fashion, which can limit the normal anatomic motion of the meniscus. We present a technique for meniscus centralization that aims to maintain natural meniscal motion by utilizing the meniscotibial ligaments. Technique Video video See video under supplementary data.

Abstract Disclosure: B.M. Biller: Consulting Fee; Self; HRA Pharmaceuticals, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Sparrow, Strongbridge Biopharma. Grant Recipient; Self; Strongbridge Biopharma. A. Gilis-Januszewska: Speaker; Self; Ipsen, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Novo Nordisk, Recordati, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.. M. Doknic: None. A.M. Pico: None. M. Fleseriu: Consulting Fee; Self; Ascendis, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson &Johnson, Karyopharm, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Inc., Pharmacosmos. Research Investigator; Self; Ascendis. G. Raverot: None. A.M. Isidori: None. Y. Takahashi: None. J.M. Garcia: None. J.M. Silverstein: None. I. Bancos: None. E. Huang: Employee; Self; Ascendis Pharma, Inc. J. Kang: Employee; Self; Ascendis Pharma, Inc. A.S. Komirenko: Employee; Self; Ascendis Pharma, Inc. L. Domrzalski: Employee; Self; Ascendis Pharma, Inc. A. Shu: Employee; Self; Ascendis Pharma, Inc. K. Yuen: Advisory Board Member; Self; Amryt, Ascendis, Corcept, Crinetics, Novo Nordisk, Recordati, Strongbridge, Xeris. Grant Recipient; Self; Amryt, Ascendis, Corcept, Crinetics. Speaker; Self; Corcept, Novo Nordisk, Recordati. Background: Adult GHD (aGHD) is characterized by metabolic abnormalities due to insufficient growth hormone (GH) production. Lonapegsomatropin was designed to provide sustained release of unmodified somatropin, with the identical amino acid sequence as endogenous GH, and once-weekly injection reduces the burden of daily GH replacement therapy. MethodsForesiGHt was a randomized, parallel-3-arm, placebo(PL)-controlled (double-blind) and active-controlled (open-label) trial designed to establish the efficacy and safety of lonapegsomatropin in aGHD. It evaluated 259 adults with GHD across 21 countries who were GH treatment-naïve or not treated with GH in the prior year, randomized 1:1:1 to receive lonapegsomatropin, once-weekly PL, or daily somatropin (dGH). Fixed dosing was based on age and oral estrogen intake, and designed to be comparable across lonapegsomatropin and dGH arms. Following a 12-week (w) titration period to target maintenance dose, fixed doses were administered for 26w. ResultsBaseline (BL) characteristics were similar between arms. Lonapegsomatropin demonstrated superiority on the primary efficacy endpoint of change from BL in trunk percent fat at Week 38 vs PL (lonapegsomatropin -1.7% vs PL 0.4%, LS mean difference -2.0%, p < 0.0001) and on the key secondary efficacy endpoints of change from BL in total body lean mass (lonapegsomatropin 1.6 kg vs PL -0.1 kg, LS mean difference 1.7 kg, p < 0.0001) and change from BL in trunk fat mass (lonapegsomatropin -0.5 kg vs PL 0.2 kg, LS mean difference -0.7 kg, p = 0.0053). Mean total exposure and maintenance doses were similar for lonapegsomatropin and dGH arms, with larger changes from BL in average IGF-I SDS mean at Week 38 in the lonapegsomatropin arm (1.4) vs dGH arm (0.5). To assess outcomes at comparable weekly IGF-I exposure, a post-hoc analysis was performed in a subset of participants with average IGF-I SDS ≤1.75 SDS at Week 38. Mean IGF-I SDS for these subsets were similar (lonapegsomatropin -0.1, dGH -0.5), and comparable effects in fat and lean tissue compartments were demonstrated (change from BL in trunk percent fat mean -2.4% and -2.6% respectively; change from BL in total body lean mass mean 1.7 kg and 1.4 kg respectively). In the safety population, the incidence of severe AEs was low (lonapegsomatropin, 3.4%; placebo, 1.2%; dGH, 2.3%) and the incidence of treatment-related AEs was similar (lonapegsomatropin 24.7%, dGH 22.1%). Injection site reaction incidence was low and similar for lonapegsomatropin (4.5%), dGH (5.8%) and placebo (4.8%), and A1c levels remained stable in all treatment arms. ConclusionsThe results of the foresiGHt trial indicate that lonapegsomatropin is a safe, efficacious, and tolerable replacement for endogenous GH. Once-weekly dosing may be impactful for adults with GHD who typically manage multiple other medical therapies. Presentation: 6/3/2024

Abstract Disclosure: K. Yu: None. J. Saini: None. J.N. Farr: None. F. Vanessa: None. S. Khosla: None. I. Bancos: Advisory Board Member; Self; AstraZeneca, Adrenas, Neurocrine, Spruce, Recordati, Xeris, Novo Nordisk, HRA Pharmaceuticals, Sparrow, Diurnal, Corcept. Research Investigator; Self; HRA Pharmaceuticals, Recordati. Importance: Patients with both mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS) and overt Cushing syndrome (CS) demonstrated high prevalence of aging-related morbidity and an increased mortality. Objective: To determine whether p16INK4a in T cell, a cell cycle enzyme that associated with chronological aging and cell senescence, is associated with hypercortisolism and hypercortisolism-related comorbidities. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this single-center cross-sectional study, we prospectively recruited consecutive patients with hypercortisolism between July 1, 2020 and August 24 2022. Patients were included if they were diagnosed with Cushing syndrome (CS) or mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS). Age- (± 2 years) and sex-matched referent subjects without known adrenal disorders were included if abdominal imaging was available. Participants on exogenous glucocorticoids within 3 months prior were excluded. Exposure: Presence of hypercortisolism (MACS and CS). Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes included p16INK4a, advanced glycation end products (AGE) reader result, Frailty Index score, frailty (defined as frailty index>0.31), and physical performances in patients and matched referents at index date. Secondary outcomes included correlation between biological age markers, hormonal workup and the risk of comorbidities. p16INK4a expression analysis was adjusted for age, sex, smoking, and alcohol use for all analyses except for associations with CVD and frailty. Results: Of 85 patients (87% women, mean age 53 years), 51 (60%) had MACS (34 had matched referents), 34 (40%) had overt CS (16 had matched referents). Patients with CS demonstrated a median 1.9-fold higher p16INK4a expression (P<.001), and patients with MACS showed a median of 1.70-fold p16INK4a expression (P=.013), when compared to referent subjects. Age- and sex-adjusted p16INK4a expression was associated with frailty index score (r=0.23, P=.035), time-up-and-go test (r=0.28, P=.048), gait speed (r=-0.36, P=.035), but not with AGE reader result, 6-minute walk test, or hand grip measurement. The p16INK4a expression was associated with history of cardiovascular disease (age-adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=3.70, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.20-11.43) and frailty (aOR=2.27, 95%CI, 1.04-4.98). Conclusion and relevance: We demonstrated evidence of cell senescence in both patients with CS and patients with MACS. Further studies need to determine the impact of surgical, cortisol-lowering, and senolytic medical therapies in MACS on cell senescence and associated aging-related comorbidities. Presentation: 6/1/2024

Abstract Disclosure: K. Yu: None. S. Athimulam: None. J. Saini: None. R. Kaur: None. R.J. Singh: None. S.K. Grebe: None. Q. Xue: None. I. Bancos: Advisory Board Member; Self; AstraZeneca, Corcept, Novo Nordisk, HRA Pharmaceuticals, Neurocrine, Diurnal, Recordati, Sparrow, Xeris, Spruce, Adrenas. Research Investigator; Self; HRA Pharmaceuticals, Recordati. Context: Early diagnosis is essential to assure a better prognosis in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). Guidelines suggested performing urine steroid profiling in patients with indeterminate adrenal tumors to make a noninvasive diagnosis of ACC. However, urine steroid profiling is not widely available. Accuracy of clinically available serum steroids in diagnosing ACC has not been established. Objective: To determine the accuracy of 11-deoxycortisol, 17OH-progesterone, and 17OH-pregnenolone in diagnosing ACC. Design: Prospective single-center cohort study. Participants: Between 2015 and 2023, consecutive patients with adrenal mass were prospectively enrolled in the prospective registry and biobank study. Patients who agreed to contribute a fasting serum sample were included in the study. Exclusion criteria were congenital adrenal hyperplasia, exogenous glucocorticoid use, absence of unenhanced Hounsfield unit measurements (HU), and lack of established reference standard (histopathology, imaging characteristics, 2-year imaging follow up, or 5-year clinical follow up). Measures and Outcomes: measurements included 11-deoxycortisol, 17OH-progesterone, and 17OH-pregnenolone by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Localized Generalized Matrix Learning Vector Quantization (LGMLVQ) analysis was used to develop serum steroid score and assessed with area under receiver operating curve (AUROC). Results: Of 263 patients with adrenal masses, 44 (17%) were diagnosed with ACC, 161 (61%) with adrenocortical adenomas (ACAs), 27 (10%) with other adrenal malignancies, and 31 (12%) with other. HU ≥ 20 were demonstrated in all ACCs, in all but one other adrenal malignancy, and only in 58 (31%) ACAs. All 3 steroids were higher in patients with ACCs vs nonACCs, including when comparing ACCs with functioning ACAs, and with ACAs with HU ≥ 20 (P<0.0001 for all). LGMLVQ analysis yielded a serum steroid score that discriminated between ACC and non-ACC groups with a mean threshold fixed AUROC of 0.823. Serum steroid score of 0.29 demonstrated a mean false negative rate of 0% and a score of 0.61 demonstrated a mean false positive rate of 0%. Conclusions: We showed that measurements of 11-deoxycortisol, 17OH-progesterone, and 17OH-pregnenolone could be valuable in diagnosing ACC. After appropriate validation, serum steroid score could be integrated in clinical practice. Presentation: 6/2/2024