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Background: Current treatment options for red blood cell (RBC) transfusion-dependent (TD) patients with lower risk (LR) myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) relapsed after or refractory to erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) have limited efficacy and durability; new approaches are needed. Imetelstat is a 13-mer lipid-conjugated oligonucleotide that targets the RNA template of human telomerase and is a competitive inhibitor of telomerase enzymatic activity (Asai et al, Cancer Res 2003; Herbert et al, Oncogene 2005). Preclinical, in vivo xenograft models (Dikmen et al, Cancer Res 2005; Hochreiter et al, Clin Cancer Res 2006) and preliminary clinical data from a pilot study (Tefferi et al, Blood Cancer J 2016) supported initiation of a study in TD LR MDS patients. The Phase 2 part of IMerge demonstrated an 8-week RBC transfusion independence (RBC-TI) rate of 42%, 24-week RBC-TI rate of 32%, with median duration of TI being 88 weeks. The responses were seen across different subtypes of LR MDS (Platzbecker et al, EHA 2020, S183). No new safety signal was identified. These results support the Phase 3 part of the trial. Methods: IMerge is two-part, Phase 2/3 study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02598661). The Phase 2 portion of the study described above is closed for enrolment. The Phase 3 portion of the study is open for enrollment of adult patients with International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) low or intermediate-1 risk, non-del(5q) MDS, who are TD, are relapsed after or refractory to ESAs, and have not received treatment with lenalidomide or hypomethylating agents. The study is a randomized (2:1) double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to compare efficacy of imetelstat vs. placebo that will enroll approximately 170 patients and will be conducted at approximately 130 centers in North America, Europe, Asia and Middle East. Imetelstat will be administered as 2-hour IV infusion every 4 weeks at 7.5 mg/kg. The primary endpoint of the study is to assess the rate of RBC-TI lasting ≥8 weeks. Secondary endpoints include safety, rate of RBC-TI ≥24 weeks, time to RBC-TI start, RBC-TI duration, rate of hematologic improvement-erythroid (HI-E), the amount and relative change in RBC transfusions, rate of complete response or partial response, overall survival, progression of MDS, pharmacokinetics, and effect of treatment on quality of life. Biomarkers relevant to the mechanism of action of imetelstat will be assessed to demonstrate target inhibition and their association with clinical responses. Cytogenetics and mutation analyses will be performed to evaluate the impact of imetelstat on reduction/depletion of malignant clones leading to disease modification. Disclosures Platzbecker: AbbVie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria; Geron: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Fenaux:Abbvie: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; BMS: Honoraria, Research Funding; Jazz: Honoraria, Research Funding. Steensma:CRISPR: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Aprea Therapeutics: Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy; BMS/Celgene: Consultancy; Onconova: Consultancy; Arena: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; H3 Biosciences: Research Funding; Astex Pharmaceuticals, Otsuka: Consultancy; Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Font:Abbvie: Other: Travel, accommodations, expenses; Menarini: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, accommodations, expenses, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Travel, accommodations, expenses; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Diez-Campelo:Takeda: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Celgene BMS: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Thepot:astellas: Honoraria; novartis: Honoraria; sanofi: Honoraria; celgene: Honoraria. Jang:Bristol Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding. Sherman:Geron Corp: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Dougherty:Geron Corp: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Sun:Geron Corp: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Huang:Geron Corp: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Wan:Geron Corp: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Rizo:Geron Corp: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Berry:Geron Corp: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Feller:Geron Corp: Current Employment, Current equity holder in private company. Santini:Takeda: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Acceleron: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria; Menarini: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; Johnson & Johnson: Honoraria.

ABSTRACT Background: Damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) stimulate endothelial syndecan-1 shedding and neutrophil extracellular traps (NET) formation. The role of NETs in trauma and trauma-induced hypercoagulability is unknown. We hypothesized that trauma patients with accelerated thrombin generation would have increased NETosis and syndecan-1 levels. Methods: In this pilot study, we analyzed 50 citrated plasma samples from 30 trauma patients at 0 h (n = 22) and 6 h (n = 28) from time of injury (TOI) and 21 samples from healthy volunteers, for a total of 71 samples included in analysis. Thrombin generation was quantified using calibrated automated thrombogram (CAT) and reported as lag time (LT), peak height (PH), and time to peak (ttPeak). Nucleosome calibrated (H3NUC) and free histone standardized (H3Free) ELISAs were used to quantify NETs. Syndecan-1 levels were quantified by ELISA. Results are presented as median [interquartile range] and Spearman rank correlations. Results: Plasma levels of H3NUC were increased in trauma patients as compared with healthy volunteers both at 0 h (89.8 ng/mL [35.4, 180.3]; 18.1 ng/mL [7.8, 37.4], P = 0.002) and at 6 h (86.5 ng/mL [19.2, 612.6]; 18.1 ng/mL [7.8, 37.4], P = 0.003) from TOI. H3Free levels were increased in trauma patients at 0 h (5.74 ng/mL [3.19, 8.76]; 1.61 ng/mL [0.66, 3.50], P = 0.002) and 6 h (5.52 ng/mL [1.46, 11.37]; 1.61 ng/mL [0.66, 3.50], P = 0.006). Syndecan-1 levels were greater in trauma patients (4.53 ng/mL [3.28, 6.28]; 2.40 ng/mL [1.66, 3.20], P < 0.001) only at 6 h from TOI. H3Free and syndecan-1 levels positively correlated both at 0 h (0.376, P = 0.013) and 6 h (0.583, P < 0.001) from TOI. H3NUC levels and syndecan-1 levels were positively correlated at 6 h from TOI (0.293, P = 0.041). TtPeak correlated inversely to H3 NUC (−0.358, P = 0.012) and syndecan-1 levels (−0.298, P = 0.038) at 6 h from TOI. Conclusions: Our pilot study demonstrates that trauma patients have increased NETosis, measured by H3NUC and H3Free levels, increased syndecan-1 shedding, and accelerated thrombin generation kinetics early after injury.

AbstractBackground and purposeAlthough erenumab has demonstrated significant reduction in migraine frequency and improved quality of life in studies lasting 3 to 12 months, little is known about long‐term therapy.MethodsThis study was an open‐label, 5‐year treatment phase following a 12‐week, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial in adults with episodic migraine. Patients initially received open‐label erenumab 70 mg, which increased to 140 mg following a protocol amendment. Efficacy analyses included change from baseline in monthly migraine days (MMDs), monthly acute migraine‐specific medication (AMSM) days, and health‐related quality of life.ResultsOf 383 patients enrolled, 250 switched to 140 mg; 215 (56.1%) completed open‐label treatment. Mean (standard error) change in MMDs from baseline of 8.7 (0.2) days was −5.3 (0.3) days; an average reduction of 62.3% at year 5. Among patients using AMSM at baseline (6.3 [2.8] treatment days), mean change in monthly AMSM days was −4.4 (0.3) days at the end of 5 years. Patient‐reported outcomes indicated stable improvements in disability, headache impact, and migraine‐specific quality of life. Exposure‐adjusted patient incidence rates of adverse events (AEs) were 123.0/100 patient‐years; AEs were most frequently nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, and influenza. Serious AEs (SAEs) reported by 49 patients (3.8/100 patient‐years) were mostly single occurrence. Two fatal adverse events were reported. There were no increases in incidence of AEs, SAEs, or AEs leading to treatment discontinuation over 5 years of exposure.ConclusionsTreatment with erenumab was associated with reductions in migraine frequency and improvements in health‐related quality of life that were maintained for at least 5 years. No new safety signals were observed.

Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is a severe complication of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The purpose of this study was to study the prevalence, risk factors, anticoagulant therapy and sex differences of DVT in patients with COVID-19. The enrolled 121 hospitalized non-ventilator patients were confirmed positive for COVID-19. All suspected patients received color Doppler ultrasound (US) to screen for DVT in both lower extremities. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors related to DVT in COVID-19 patients. DVT was found in 48% of the asymptomatic COVID-19 patients with an increased PADUA or Caprini index using US scanning. The multivariate logistic regression determined that age (OR, 1.05; p = .0306), C-reactive protein (CRP) (OR, 1.02; p = .0040), and baseline D-dimer (OR, 1.42; p = .0010) were risk factors among COVID-19 patients. Although the most common DVT location was infrapopliteal (classes I and II), higher mortality in DVT-COVID-19 patients was confirmed. DVT-COVID-19 patients presented significant increases in CRP, neutrophil count, and D-dimer throughout the whole inpatient period compared to non-DVT-COVID-19 patients. Although anticoagulation therapy accelerated the recovery of lymphocytopenia in DVT patients, men DVT-COVID-19 patients with anticoagulant therapy showed significant higher CRP and neutrophil count vs. lymphocyte count (N/L) ratio, but showed lower lymphocyte counts compared to women DVT-COVID-19 patients. DVT is common in COVID-19 patients with high-risk factors, especially for older age and higher CRP and baseline D-dimer populations. It is important to consider sex differences in anticoagulant therapy among DVT-COVID-19 patients.

Germ line mutations in H3F3A and H3F3B cause a previously unidentified neurodevelopmental syndrome.

PURPOSE Patients with lower-risk (LR) myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) who are RBC transfusion dependent and have experienced relapse after or are refractory to erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) have limited treatment options. High telomerase activity and human telomerase reverse-transcription expression in clonal hematopoietic cells have been reported in patients with MDS. Imetelstat, a first-in-class competitive inhibitor of telomerase enzymatic activity, targets cells with active telomerase. We report efficacy, safety, and biomarker data for patients with LR MDS who are RBC transfusion dependent and who were relapsed/refractory to ESAs. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this two-part phase II/III study (MDS3001), the primary end point was 8-week RBC transfusion independence (TI) rate, with key secondary end points of 24-week RBC TI rate, TI duration, and hematologic improvement-erythroid. RESULTS Data from the phase II part of the study are reported. Of 57 patients enrolled and treated (overall population), 38 were non-del(5q) and hypomethylating agent and lenalidomide naïve (subset population). The 8- and 24-week RBC TI rates in the overall population were 37% and 23%, respectively, with a median TI duration of 65 weeks. In the subset population, 8- and 24-week RBC TI rates were 42% and 29%, respectively, with a median TI duration of 86 weeks. Eight-week TI rate was observed across all subgroups evaluated. Cytogenetic and mutational data revealed a reduction of the malignant clones, suggesting disease modification activity. The most common adverse events were cytopenias, typically reversible within 4 weeks. CONCLUSION Imetelstat treatment results in a meaningful, durable TI rate across a broad range of heavily transfused patients with LR MDS who are ineligible for or relapsed/refractory to ESAs. Biomarker analyses indicated effects on the mutant malignant clone.

Background and Aims During liver fibrosis, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) release angiocrine signals to recruit inflammatory cells into the liver. p300, a master regulator of gene transcription, is associated with pathological inflammatory response. Therefore, we examined how endothelial p300 regulates angiocrine signaling and inflammation related to portal hypertension and fibrogenesis. Approach and Results CCl4 or partial inferior vena cava ligation (pIVCL) was used to induce liver injury. Mice with LSEC‐specific p300 deletion (p300 LSECΔ/Δ) or C‐C motif chemokine ligand 2 (Ccl2) deficiency, nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB)–p50 knockout mice, and bromodomain containing 4 (BRD4) inhibitors in wild‐type mice were used to investigate mechanisms of inflammation regulation. Leukocytes were analyzed by mass cytometry by time‐of‐flight. Epigenetic histone marks were modified by CRISPR endonuclease‐deficient CRISPR‐associated 9‐fused with the Krüppel associated box domain (CRISPR‐dCas9‐KRAB)–mediated epigenome editing. Portal pressure and liver fibrosis were reduced in p300 LSECΔ/Δ mice compared to p300 fl/fl mice following liver injury. Accumulation of macrophages was also reduced in p300 LSECΔ/Δ mouse livers. Ccl2 was the most up‐regulated chemokine in injured LSECs, but its increase was abrogated in p300 LSECΔ/Δ mice. While the macrophage accumulation was increased in NFκB‐p50 knockout mice with enhanced NFκB activity, it was reduced in mice with LSEC‐specific Ccl2 deficiency and mice treated with specific BRD4 inhibitors. In vitro, epigenome editing of CCL2 enhancer and promoter regions by CRISPR‐dCas9‐KRAB technology repressed TNFα‐induced CCL2 transcription through H3K9 trimethylation. In contrast, TNFα activated CCL2 transcription by promoting p300 interaction with NFκB and BRD4, leading to histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation at CCL2 enhancer and promoter regions. Conclusions In summary, endothelial p300 interaction with NFκB and BRD4 increases CCL2 expression, leading to macrophage accumulation, portal hypertension, and liver fibrosis. Inhibition of p300 and its binding partners might serve as therapy in the treatment of liver diseases.

Abstract PrimPol has been recently identified as a DNA damage tolerant polymerase that plays an important role in replication stress response. However, the regulatory mechanisms of PrimPol are not well defined. In this study, we identify that the deubiquitinase USP36 interferes with degradation of PrimPol to regulate the replication stress response. Mechanistically, USP36 is deubiquitinated following DNA replication stress, which in turn facilitates its upregulation and interaction with PrimPol. USP36 deubiquitinates K29-linked polyubiquitination of PrimPol and increases its protein stability. Depletion of USP36 results in replication stress-related defects and elevates cell sensitivity to DNA-damage agents, such as cisplatin and olaparib. Moreover, USP36 expression positively correlates with the level of PrimPol protein and poor prognosis in patient samples. These findings indicate that the regulation of PrimPol K29-linked ubiquitination by USP36 plays a critical role in DNA replication stress and chemotherapy response.