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Abstract Introduction: The Duffy null variant (genotype or phenotype) is associated with lower circulating absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) without increased risk for infection. It is found in ~66% of people identifying as Black or African American vs <1% of people of Asian or European ancestry. Many ANC reference intervals (RI) are not representative of the Duffy null population. There are no adult Duffy null WBC RI and no pediatric Duffy null ANC or WBC RI. Thus, we aimed to assess Duffy null ANC and WBC distributions as well as develop WBC and ANC RI for adults and pediatrics. Methods: Twenty-three sites across the United States collected samples with all sites excluding participants with conditions or medications that could impact ANC or WBC. Only Duffy null participants were included. Sex, race, ethnicity, age, sample collection type, practice setting, Duffy testing method, ANC, and WBC were recorded. The non-parametric method for determining lower limit of normal (LLN), upper limit of normal (ULN), and 90% confidence intervals (CI) around the limits was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Specific ULN and LLN are not reported as these are preliminary data. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare sex and prior data; differences by age groups were assessed with Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: 316 participants 18+ years-old (y/o) were assessed of whom 62.3% (n=197) are female, 97.5% (n=308) identified as Black or African American, and 94.9% (n=300) identified as non-Hispanic. Median age was 47 y/o (IQR: 32-60.5). Median ANC was 2600/uL (IQR: 1860-3530; range: 400-7400); 28.6% (n=90) of participants had ANC <2000/uL, 13.6% (n=43) had ANC <1500/uL, and 2.5% (n=8) had <1000/uL. The 90% CI around the LLN was 810-1070/uL and 5570-7130/uL around the ULN. Consistent with prior data, there was a difference in median ANC by sex (male: 2400/uL; female: 2710/uL; p=0.02). There was no significant difference between this ANC data and previously published Duffy null ANC data (p=0.28). Median WBC was 5.4x109/L (IQR: 4.4-6.5; range: 2.10-11.64) with 4.1% (n=13) of participants with WBC <3.0x109/L. The 90% CI around the LLN is 3.68-4.30x109/L and 11.02-12.97x109/L around the ULN. 515 participants between 0-17 y/o were assessed with 51.8% (n=267) females, 94.8% (n=488) identified as Black or African American, and 94.0% (n=484) identified as non-Hispanic. Among pediatric participants, 56.8% (n=291) had ANC <2000/uL, 38.7% (n=198) had ANC <1500/uL, and 14.4% (n=74) had ANC <1000/uL. For those <1 y/o (n=29), median ANC was 950/uL (IQR: 840-1360; range: 111-3910). There are currently too few samples to predict ULN and LLN. Median WBC was 8.85x109/L (IQR: 7.03-10.16; range: 4.17-13.53). For those 1-5 y/o (n=143), median ANC was 1735/uL (IQR: 1100-2550; range: 207-5810) with a 90% CI around the LLN of 207-820/uL and 4020-5810/uL around the ULN. Median WBC was 6.72x109/L (IQR: 5.64-8.25; range: 3.68-12.97). For those 6-11 y/o (n=128), median ANC was 1590/uL (IQR: 1090-2470; range: 420-5490) with a 90% CI around the LLN of 420-910/uL and 4340-5490/uL around the ULN. Median WBC was 5.42x109/L (IQR: 4.45-6.70; range: 2.80-10.50). For those 12-17 y/o (n=215), median ANC was 2190/uL (IQR: 1460-2930; range: 204-5850) with a 90% CI around the LLN of 540-930/uL and 4350-5510/uL around the ULN. Median WBC was 5.06x109/L (IQR: 4.26-6.20; range of 2.04-9.91). There is a significant difference in ANC by age category (p<0.0001). Conclusion: This is the first report of healthy pediatric Duffy null ANC and WBC data and the first large-scale verification of adult Duffy null ANC and WBC data. Final RI are expected in September 2025. Among adults with the Duffy null phenotype, ANC LLN are likely between 810-1070/uL. Pediatric ANC LLN are likely as low as 207-820/uL (1-5 y/o), 420-910/uL (6-11 y/o), and 540-930/uL (12-17 y/o). These findings redefine “normal” as a significant proportion of healthy participants have ANC or WBC below current RI or below thresholds typically defined as disease. Limitations include heterogeneous sample populations and collection methods. Future analyses will assess differences between collection sites or methods. Ultimately, this work lays the foundation for a more scientifically sound and equitable approach to medical care by ensuring that RI accurately reflects health for the entire community. Healthcare systems are strongly encouraged to adopt Duffy null-specific ANC and WBC RI.

Abstract Introduction Ph-like B-ALL is a poor-risk B-ALL subtype defined by gene expression signatures that resemble the BCR::ABL1-associated transcriptional program in the absence of the BCR-ABL1 oncoprotein. Recent studies have demonstrated that up to 80% of Ph-like B-ALLs have recurrent gene fusions involving cytokine receptors or tyrosine kinases that can be identified via cytogenetics, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) or RNA sequencing. However, the inability to rapidly and accurately identify these alterations in the clinical setting is a major impediment to developing therapeutic strategies that may have efficacy in this B-ALL subtype. Here we used 88 patient (pt) samples to validate a rapid, streamlined clinical WGS assay (ChromoSeq) for B-ALL and assessed the diagnostic yield for Ph-like-associated SVs in 136 pts enrolled in the Alliance A041501 clinical trial. Methods ChromoSeq is a clinical WGS assay for hematologic malignancies that uses rapid laboratory workflows and focused analysis methods to identify clinically relevant SVs, copy number alterations and gene-level mutations. We updated the ChromoSeq pipeline for use in B-ALL pts and validated it using 88 retrospective B-ALL samples (80 adult/young adult and 8 pediatric from Washington University School of Medicine and St. Louis Children's Hospital), 54 of which were analyzed via RNAseq for gene fusions and a 6-gene Ph-like B-ALL signature (CA6, SPATS2L, MUC4, JCHAIN, BMPR1B, ADGRF1, NRXN3 and CRLF2). The “ChromoSeqV2” assay was then used to analyze 136 pretreatment blood or bone marrow samples from the Alliance A041501 (trial NCT03150693). These results were compared to data from RNAseq obtained for research purposes (N=35), clinical cytogenetics (N=69) and Ph-like classification via low-density microarray (LDA) card analysis (all pts). Results ChromoSeqV2 was validated in a CLIA-licensed setting using cohort of 88 retrospective B-ALL samples, 45 of which had ICC and WHO class-defining SVs based on G-banded karyotyping, FISH or RNAseq. ChromoSeqV2 detected 100% of the non-Ph-like SVs (37/37), including BCR::ABL1 (N=20), KMT2Ar (N=9), ETV6::RUNX1 (N=3), TCF3::PBX1 (N=1), and rearrangements involving MYC (N=2) or MEF2D (N=2). Fifteen patients met criteria for Ph-like B-ALL via cytogenetics or RNAseq either due to rearrangements of CRLF2 (N=5), JAK2 (N=2) or ABL2 (N=1) or high expression of a 6-gene Ph-like signature (N=7). ChromoSeqV2 detected a Ph-like SV in 93% of these cases (14/15) with 100% specificity in samples negative by RNAseq (N=23). ChromoSeqV2 was then used to profile 136 samples from the Alliance A041501 trial, where it identified ICC and WHO class-defining SVs in 87 pts (64%; 95% CI: 55-72%), including Ph-like SVs (56/136, 41%), KMT2A rearrangements (N=5), TCF3::PBX1 (N=3) and SVs involving MYC (N=3), MEF2D (N=2), DUX4 (N=2), and ZNF384 (N=1). Ph-like SVs were dominated by CRLF2 rearrangements (N=45) and included SVs involving EPOR (N=4), JAK2 (N=3), ABL1/ABL2 (N=2) and PDGFRB (N=1). IGH was the most common CRLF2 partner (N=32), followed by P2RY8::CRLF2 (N=7) and other genes (N=5). Multiple CRLF2 SVs were detected in 4 pts, and 33% (15/45) of pts with a CRLF2 rearrangement had a co-occurring CRLF2 gene mutation. The yield of ChromoSeqV2 for SVs in pts with the Ph-like expression signature via LDA card analysis was 66% (54/82; 95% CI 55%-76%) compared to 24% (11/45; 95% CI 13%-40%) by cytogenetics when these studies were successful and 70% (12/17; 95% CI 44%-90%) vs RNAseq in pts with available data. The sensitivity of ChromoSeqV2 for Ph-like SVs identified by either cytogenetics, FISH or RNAseq was 100% (21/21; 95% CI 84%-100%) and the positive predictive value of Ph-like SVs for the Ph-like expression signature by the LDA card assay was 96% (54/56; 95% CI 88%-99%). Conclusions Genomic assessment of 136 B-ALL pts from the Alliance A041501 trial using the ChromoSeqV2 rapid clinical WGS assay was 100% sensitive for Ph-like SVs identified by other molecular methods and had a 96% PPV for the Ph-like expression signature via LDA card analysis. The diagnostic yield of SV pts with the Ph-like signature was 66% using ChromoSeqV2, which was similar to RNAseq and superior to cytogenetics. These results demonstrate that ChromoSeqV2 is an effective approach for identifying potentially targetable rearrangements in B-ALL pts suspected of having the Ph-like phenotype. Support: U10CA180821, U10CA180882; . Servier; Pfizer.

Abstract Introduction: Lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel) was approved in the United States for the treatment of CLL in 3/2024 for patients who have received two prior lines of therapy including a covalent BTK inhibitor and a BCL-2 inhibitor. Data regarding outcomes of liso-cel is limited to reports from the registrational TRANSCEND-CLL 004 clinical trial which had strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. This work investigates the real-world efficacy and safety of liso-cel for patients with CLL and its efficacy in specific sub-populations. Methods: This is a multi-institutional retrospective study (Collaborative Assessment of Real-World Evidence of Lisocabtagene Maraleucel in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory CLL/SLL [CARE CAR-T CLL]) of patients with CLL who received commercial liso-cel in the United States. Patients with Richter transformation were excluded. Response was defined by iwCLL criteria. Patients who did not undergo a marrow biopsy but met other criteria for a complete response (CR) were categorized as unconfirmed CR (CRu). CRS and ICANS were graded per ASTCT criteria. Results: A total of 30 patients were identified with a median age of 67 years (range 44 – 80). Twenty of thirty patients (67%) had either del17p and/or mutated TP53, and 8/30 (27%) had complex karyotype (≥ 3 abnormalities) at time of liso-cel infusion. Patients received a median of 6 prior lines of therapy (range 1 - 12), and 24 (80%) were previously treated with chemotherapy. All patients had previous exposure to a covalent BTK inhibitor and a BCL-2 inhibitor. Twenty-seven (90%) of patients had prior exposure to pirtobrutinib. Twenty-nine patients (96.7%) received bridging treatment that was stopped after leukapheresis with 1 patient in CR and 25 patients in PR at time of liso-cel. Eighteen patients (60%) were treated with pirtobrutinib as the last line of treatment prior to liso-cel. Median length of time on pirtobrutinib prior to liso-cel infusion was 4 months (interquartile range [IQR], 2 – 8 months). Twelve (66.7%) patients stopped pirtobrutinib between leukapheresis and lymphodepletion, and 6 continued after liso-cel. Best CR/CRu rate was 60.0% (CR, n = 17/30; CRu, n = 1/30), and best overall response rate (ORR) was 83.3% (25/30) with median time to best response of 30 days (IQR, 28 – 30 days). Of the 18 patients who received pirtobrutinib as their last line of therapy, 13 (72%) achieved a CR/CRu. Meanwhile, of the 12 patients who did not receive pirtobrutinib as their last line of therapy, only 5 (28%) achieved a CR. Measurable residual disease testing (MRD) by flow cytometry was done in 14/30 patients, and 9 patients (64%) had achieved undetectable MRD (uMRD). MRD by next generation sequencing (NGS) was done in 17 patients, and 7 (41%) patients had uMRD. Twenty-seven of 30 patients (90%) were alive at time of data collection. Median follow-up was 3.3 months (IQR, 1.2 – 8.9 months). Twenty-six patients (87%) experienced any grade cytokine release syndrome (CRS), and 3 patients experienced grade 3 CRS (10%). Twelve patients (40%) experienced any grade immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), and 4 patients (13%) experienced grade 3 ICANS. There were no grade 4 or 5 CRS or ICANS. One patient experienced grade 3 immune effector cell-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis-like syndrome (IEC-HS). At day 30, patients had a median absolute neutrophil count of 1.7K/μL (IQR, 0.8 – 3.6K/μL), hemoglobin of 11.7 g/dL (IQR, 8.6 – 13.1 g/dL), and platelet count of 72K/μL (IQR, 29 – 119K/μL). Conclusion: Real-world analysis of liso-cel for patients with relapsed/refractory CLL showed CR and ORR of 60.0% and 83.3%, respectively. Despite having a heavily pre-treated and chemotherapy-exposed population and with over half the patients having high-risk features, these response rates are higher than what was described in the TRANSCEND-CLL 004 clinical trial. These results are limited by the short follow-up period and the variability in response assessment typical of a retrospective study. As we increase our sample size, we will also be interested if the use of the non-covalent BTK inhibitor pirtobrutinib prior to liso-cel is associated with a higher CR rate, mimicking the findings of the sub-cohort analysis of TRANSCEND-CLL 004 where the concurrent use of ibrutinib led to higher CR rates. Further updates and patients from additional collaborators will be presented at the meeting.

Abstract Background: A randomized multicenter trial (BMT CTN 1703) demonstrated that after reduced intensity conditioning HCT, PT-Cy-based GVHD prophylaxis led to significant reductions in acute and chronic GVHD, but was associated with significantly more Grade 2 (moderate) infections and similar overall survival vs Tac/MTX. A linked mechanistic study (BMT CTN 1801) found that PT-Cy led to pan-T cell depletion and reduced T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire diversity vs Tac/MTX. To discover the molecular mechanisms driving the association of PT-Cy with increased infections, we examined pathogen-specific T cell reconstitution in BMT CTN 1801 patients (n=165 PT-Cy, n=159 Tac/MTX). Methods: We performed deep TCR sequencing on 2,369 blood samples collected pre-HCT (recipient baseline) and on Days +7, 14, 28, 63, 100, 180, 270, 365, 730, and from the graft infusion product. We then applied a novel set of TCR classifiers (Adaptive Biotechnologies) capable of identifying pathogen-specific clones associated with CMV, EBV, SARS-CoV-2, HSV-1, HSV-2, parvovirus, RSV, influenza A, rhinovirus, adenovirus, HHV-6B, norovirus and Toxoplasma. Single-cell (sc) TCR/RNA-sequencing on a sample subset (n=26) was performed to determine the phenotype of pathogen-specific T cells. Results. By linking scRNA-seq with pathogen-specific TCR barcoding, we identified CD4 and CD8 memory T cells as their predominant T cell reservoir. We found that the total number of pathogen-specific singleton TCRs was significantly lower with PT-Cy, starting early post-HCT and persisting through 2 years. For example, at Day +14, PT-Cy patients had 7.8-fold fewer pathogen-specific singleton TCRs vs Tac/MTX (mean of 6.9 vs 54.1, p<0.001). Consistent differences between PT-Cy and Tac/MTX were observed for TCRs specific for each pathogen individually. Patients who developed Grade 3 (severe) viral infections had significantly fewer pathogen-specific singleton TCRs at Day +14 compared to those who had no viral infections (mean of 4.0 vs 32.5, p=0.03). Leveraging intrinsic TCR barcoding of the HCT infusion (“graft”) and of the patient's baseline samples (“recipient”), we could assign the graft/recipient origin of the pathogen-specific cells with high fidelity. This analysis revealed pronounced differences in the origin of pathogen-specific T cells with PT-Cy vs Tac/MTX, especially prior to Day +100. The absolute number of pathogen-specific TCRs originating from the graft was significantly higher with Tac/MTX vs PT-Cy. This difference was observed from day +7 through 6 months post-HCT, with up to 7.1-fold more graft-derived pathogen-specific TCRs in Tac/MTX vs PT-Cy (p<0.001 at each timepoint before day +100). Within patients who received Tac/MTX, the balance of graft vs recipient pathogen-specific clones significantly favored graft clones (for example, a mean of 14.9 graft vs 8.6 recipient pathogen-specific TCRs at Day+14, p=0.02). By contrast, with PT-Cy, in addition to having substantially fewer pathogen-specific TCRs overall, the proportion of these TCRs was not significantly different between graft and recipient clones (mean of 2.1 graft vs 3.3 recipient pathogen-specific TCRs at Day+14, p=0.42). These data uncover that, in addition to the reduction in pathogen-specific T cells with PT-Cy, there was a relative skewing of the anti-microbial T cell reservoir towards recipient cells that persisted after conditioning. Conclusions: PT-Cy led to in vivo T cell depletion across all T cell subsets, which prominently included clones tracked from the allograft itself into the HCT recipient, with a relative sparing of recipient T cell clones that survived transplant conditioning. While the mechanism for relative sparing of recipient cells has not yet been determined, these conditioning-exposed cells may be less proliferative than newly infused graft T cells. The depletion of graft T cells included CD4 and CD8 memory cells specific for infections, which may have contributed to relative deficits in protective immunity against infection in patients receiving PT-Cy. Importantly, these data suggest that with PT-Cy, persisting recipient TCRs may play a key role in preserving anti-infectious immunity. Taken together, these results provide a mechanistic basis for key post-transplant clinical outcomes of the landmark BMT CTN 1703 study. They also underscore the importance of recipient immune status with PT-Cy, creating the opportunity for targeted infection risk assessment in these patients.

Abstract Introduction:A comprehensive integration of significantly mutated genes and pathways with molecular subgroups is lacking in adult B-ALL. Furthermore, the genomic drivers underlying each subgroup remain to be identified.We aimed to perform genomic analysis on a large cohort of patients with adult B-ALL, and to correlate genomic markers with achievement of MRD negativity enabling blinatumomab randomization, and with subsequent response to blinatumomab. Methods:For genomic analysis, we studied 569 adults with newly diagnosed B-ALL registered for initial screening on the ECOG-ACRIN-led E1910 trial (NCT02003222), which evaluated the addition of blinatumomab to standard consolidation chemotherapy. The median age was 52 yrs (range 30 to 71 yrs), with 52% males. Analysis was performed on tumor and matched-normal samples using whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq; tumor only; n=569), whole exome sequencing (n=490), whole genome sequencing (n=131), and single nucleotide polymorphism array (n=445). B-ALL cases were classified into 22 molecular groups. Outcome analysis was limited to patients enrolled and treated on E1910 (n=319). Results: Driver genes (n=268) were identified by the mutation-significance detection tool dNdScv or by the presence of pathogenic variants in known cancer genes, with NUP188 identified as a novel driver gene. Recurrently mutated pathways included: B-cell development (46%), cell cycle (44%), epigenetic regulation (30%), other transcriptional regulation (27%), Ras signaling (25%), RNA machinery (17%) and JAK-STAT signaling (8%). A high frequency of high-risk subtypes was observed including BCR::ABL1 (20%), BCR::ABL1-like (18%), low hypodiploid (14%) and KMT2A (12%). Using tSNE analysis, we identified a new cluster of cases (n=20, 3.5%) lacking a known subgroup driver, with overexpression of CEBPA (n=13) or CEBPB (n=7), distinct from CEBPE/ZEB2, termed “CEBP-altered” ALL (CEBPalt). Five of 13 cases with high CEBPA expression harbored an IGH::CEBPA rearrangement and one harbored a RXRA::CEBPA enhancer hijacking alteration. Of the 7 cases with high CEBPB expression, 5 harbored IGH::CEBPB, and two of these had concomitant clonal BCR::ABL1 fusions. To identify additional mechanisms of CEBP deregulation, in situ Hi-C coupled to H3K27 acetylation immunoprecipitation (HiChIP) was performed on 5 cases. Four cases showed evidence of de novo CEBPA enhancer activity. In two cases, we identified novel insertions (12 and 34nt) ~2kb downstream of CEBPA. A novel translocation and enhancer hijacking event between LINC00426 and the 5' UTR of CEBPB was identified in the remaining case. Overall, we confirmed genomic alterations of CEBPA or CEBPB in 16 of 20 cases with available material. Thus, we have identified a new molecular subgroup of adult B-ALL characterized by genomic alterations that drive enhancer hijacking and oncogenic deregulation of CEBPA/CEBPB. Several subgroups were enriched in patients that failed induction chemotherapy (n=62) or were MRD-positive (n=63) compared to those that achieved MRD-negative status (n=194): BCR::ABL1-like (30 vs 14%, p<0.001), KMT2A (18 vs 9%, p=0.03) and BCL2/MYC (5 vs 1%, p=0.06). Conversely, the following subgroups were enriched in patients that achieved MRD-negativity: PAX5alt (6 vs 18%, p=0.002), TCF3::PBX1 (0 vs 5%, p=0.01) and ZNF384 (2 vs 6%, p=0.08) Within each molecular subgroup we compared the survival of patients who achieved MRD-negative status after induction and were randomized to receive blinatumomab plus chemotherapy (n=93) or chemotherapy only (n=91). Although numbers were low, blinatumomab improved relapse-free survival for patients with hyperdiploid, PAX5alt, BCR::ABL1-like and KMT2A ALL compared to chemotherapy alone. Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP)-related gene mutations were identified in 121 of 417 cases analyzed (29% total: somatic 74%, remission 31%, both 5%). TP53 mutations were most frequent (n=65 patients), with the majority identified in patients with low hypodiploid (n=52). Interestingly, patients with CRLF2 rearrangements collectively harbored the highest number of other CHIP gene mutations (n=13), including DNMT3A (n=4), TET2 (n=3) and ASXL1 (n=3). Conclusions:We provide a comprehensive landscape of genomic alterations in adult B-ALL and identify a new group characterized by deregulation of CEBPA/CEBPB (CEBPalt). We also provide insights into the efficacy of blinatumomab in different molecular subgroups of adult B-ALL.

Abstract Background: Infections account for over half of the non-relapse deaths among chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell recipients. Non-relapse mortality estimates are among the highest in patients with relapsed / refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) receiving B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed CAR-T cell therapy. The current Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplantation Research (CIBMTR) study analyzed the burden, types, risk factors, and outcomes of infection and its impact on survival in 807 patients with RRMM receiving commercial idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel) CAR-T therapy from March 2021 to December 2023. Methods: The primary endpoint was infection density for overall infections and for organism type (bacterial, viral, or fungal) within 100 days post-CAR-T infusion. Infection density was estimated as the number of infections per 100 person days at risk, stratified into two distinct time intervals following CAR-T cell infusion: days 0-30 and days 31-100.Additional endpoints included the cumulative incidence of infections, infection-related mortality (IRM), and overall survival (OS). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were employed to identify factors associated with infectious complications within 100 days post-CAR-T cell infusion. Pre-specified risk factors were considered for the multivariable analysis (MVA) models. We further examined the impact of infections within 100 days of CAR-T on OS at any time beyond 100 days following CAR-T infusion. Results: Infections developed in 114 (14.1%) patients within 30 days and 226 (28%) patients within 100 days post-CAR-T infusion, resulting in an overall infection density of 0.49 per 100 patient-days and a 100-day cumulative incidence of 27.2%. Proportions of bacterial, viral, and fungal infections within 30 days of ide-cel infusion were 82 (10.2%), 50 (6.2%), and 5 (0.6%), respectively. Similarly, proportions of bacterial, viral, and fungal infections within 100 days of CAR T-cell infusion were 126 (15.6%), 125 (15.5%), and 8 (1%), respectively, with corresponding infection densities of 0.23, 0.22, and 0.012 per 100 patient-days. The 100-day cumulative incidence of bacterial, viral, and fungal infections were 14.1% (95% CI, 11.8-16.6%), 14.4% (95% CI, 12-16.9%), and 0.9% (95% CI, 0.3-1.6%) respectively. The 100-day IRM was 1.1% (95% CI, 0.5-2%). With a median follow-up of 11.6 months (1.1-26.7), 222 (27.5%) patients died, and infection was the primary cause of death in 17 cases (7.7%). In MVA, Karnofsky performance score ≤80 (p<0.001), infection prior to CAR-T cell infusion requiring with ongoing treatment after d+0 (p<0.001), cytokine release syndrome grade ³2 (p=0.002), and severe immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome [ICANS] (grade ≥3) (p<0.001) were associated with an increased infection risk within 100 days post-infusion. Similarly, infection prior to CAR-T infusion requiring with continuing treatment after d+0 (p<0.001 for bacterial and p=0.003 for viral infections) and grade ≥3 ICANS (p<0.001 for bacterial and p=0.015 for viral infections) significantly conferred a heightened risk for bacterial and viral infections within 100 days of CAR-T infusion. Number of infections within 100 days (hazard ratio [HR], 2.36 for ≥2 vs. 0 infections; 95%CI, 1.48-3.77; p<0.001), extramedullary disease or plasma cell leukemia (HR, 1.8; 95%CI, 1.19-2.74; p=0.006), and prior BCMA-directed therapy (HR, 1.57; 95%CI, 1.06-2.33; p=0.025) were independent risk factors for inferior OS beyond day+100 after CAR-T therapy. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) replacement post-CAR-T therapy conferred a survival advantage (HR, 0.52; 95%CI, 0.38-0.72; p<0.001). Conclusion: In conclusion, study results demonstrate a significant incidence of infections for a prolonged duration (14.1% in the first 30 days and 28% in the first 100 days) in patients with RRMM undergoing ide-cel therapy. Notably, viral infections increased beyond d+30. Multiple infections (≥2 episodes) were associated with inferior OS. Results identify patients at an increased risk for infection and provide insights into risk-adapted interventions to mitigate infections and improve patient outcomes. Furthermore, continued surveillance for infection pre-emption and prevention beyond 3 months post-CAR T therapy may be necessary to reduce infection burden and IRM. Prophylactic strategies such as IVIG replacement could potentially modify infection risk in patients with RRMM receiving ide-cel.

Abstract INTRODUCTION Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as a cornerstone of cancer therapy. However, despite their efficacy, ICIs can cause a unique spectrum of autoimmune toxicities known as immune-related adverse events (irAEs). In contrast to irAEs involving other organ systems, hematologic irAEs such as ICI-associated immune thrombocytopenia (ICI-ITP) are less common. As a result, existing data on ICI-ITP are largely confined to isolated case reports, single-center case series, and pharmacovigilance databases lacking granular clinical data. To address this key knowledge gap, we sought to comprehensively characterize the incidence, risk factors, clinical features, treatments, and outcomes associated with ICI-ITP. METHODS We performed a multicenter cohort study of adult patients who initiated ICI therapy at 29 hospitals across 7 major cancer centers in 11 geographically diverse states in the US between 2016-2023. ICI-ITP was defined as a decline in platelet count to <100 x109/L in the absence of an alternative more plausible etiology of thrombocytopenia. Patients with hematologic malignancies were excluded, as were those who received cytotoxic chemotherapy within 30 days prior to thrombocytopenia onset. For each patient identified as having ICI-ITP, we collected data on demographics, comorbidities, medications, laboratory values, treatments, and outcomes. All data were extracted by manual chart review. To identify risk factors for ICI-ITP and to examine its association with death, for each case of ICI-ITP we also collected data on two control patients who initiated ICI therapy at the same site and in the same year but without development of ICI-ITP. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify independent risk factors for ICI-ITP and its recovery (the latter defined according to criteria established by the ITP International Working Group). We used a multivariable Cox model to examine the association between ICI-ITP and its severity with all-cause mortality. RESULTS We identified a total of 214 patients who developed ICI-ITP among 86,648 examined (0.25%). The incidence was highly consistent across sites (range, 0.15–0.30%). Risk factors for ICI-ITP included simultaneous receipt of two different classes of ICIs, additional irAEs, and a lower baseline platelet count. ICI-ITP developed at a median of 8 weeks (IQR, 4–18) following ICI initiation. The median nadir platelet count was 41 x109/L (IQR, 17–64). Six out of 214 patients (2.8%) developed a major bleed, and 16 patients (7.5%) developed a clinically relevant non-major bleed. Cell-bound anti-platelet antibody testing was positive in 6 of 8 patients (75.0%) for whom it was assessed, and median circulating thrombopoietin levels (201 pg/mL [IQR, 178–295]) were similar to those seen in primary ITP. Treatments used included glucocorticoids (49.5%), immune globulin (18.2%), and thrombopoietin receptor agonists (13.6%). Overall, 161 patients (75.2%) recovered from ICI-ITP at a median of 2 weeks (IQR, 1–5) following ICI-ITP onset. Predictors of recovery included additional irAEs and a higher nadir platelet count. Treatment response was observed in 57.0%, 56.4%, and 58.3% of patients within 60 days following initiation of glucocorticoids, immune globulin, and thrombopoietin receptor agonists, respectively. Of 76 patients rechallenged with an ICI, 23 (30.3%) developed recurrent ICI-ITP at a median of 9 weeks (IQR, 2–15); 17 of these 23 patients (73.9%) recovered. Finally, ICI-ITP and its severity were monotonically associated with a higher risk of death (adjusted hazard ratio 2.96 [95% CI, 2.14–4.08] for those with severe ICI-ITP compared to those without ICI-ITP). CONCLUSION In this multicenter study involving patients treated with ICIs at 29 hospitals across the US, we identified 214 patients with ICI-ITP. For the first time, we characterize in detail the incidence, risk factors, clinical features, treatments, and outcomes of ICI-ITP, a relatively novel disease entity. We found that more than half of patients responded to conventional ITP-directed therapies, and that most patients rechallenged did not develop recurrent ICI-ITP. We also found that ICI-ITP was independently associated with an increased risk of death, including a nearly 3-fold increased risk in those with severe ICI-ITP. These findings highlight ICI-ITP as a rare but clinically significant complication of ICI therapy that hematologists must be equipped to recognize and manage.

Abstract Background Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major cause of non-relapse mortality (NRM) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). High-dose steroids are standard first-line therapy for grade II–IV acute GVHD, whereas systemic treatment (tx) is generally not recommended for grade I. However, in practice many patients (pts) with grade I GVHD receive systemic steroids. A prior GITMO randomized trial (n=173) of grade I GVHD to either systemic steroid tx or “watch and wait” found that preemptive steroid tx reduced progression to grade II but not grade III/IV GVHD, increased serious infections, and resulted in similar chronic GVHD, NRM and survival (Bacigalupo, Haematologica 2017). In this study we analyzed real world evidence for early systemic steroid use and the potential impact of serum biomarkers in grade I GVHD. Methods We analyzed clinical data and serum samples from pts with grade I acute GVHD at 24 Mount Sinai Acute GVHD International Consortium (MAGIC) centers between 2014 and 2022 who were treated according to physician discretion. Pts were divided into a preemptive steroid tx group or a watch-and-wait group (systemic steroids administered only if progression to grade II–IV GVHD). Preemptive steroid use was treated as a time-dependent covariate and a frailty proportional hazards model with random effects was used to adjust for center effects to account for possible heterogeneity in clinical practices across transplant centers. Serum samples collected at the diagnosis of grade I GVHD were analyzed for ST2 and REG3α to calculate validated Ann Arbor (AA) scores (1, 2, 3). Results Grade I GVHD was diagnosed in 1143 pts; 591 (52%) received preemptive tx and 552 (48%) were treated by a watch-and-wait strategy. In the preemptive tx group, steroids were initiated at a median of 0 days and within 7 days for >90%. The median initial dose of steroids was 1 mg/kg of prednisone or its equivalent. In the watch and wait group, only 184 pts (33%) required systemic steroids for progression to grade II-IV GVHD at a median of 14 days from grade I diagnosis. Preemptive steroid tx reduced the risk of grade II–IV acute GVHD (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.56–0.89; P=0.003), but not the risk of grade III/IV acute GVHD (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.69–1.52; P=0.899) or chronic GVHD (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.69–1.52; P=0.899), consistent with the GITMO trial. The 12-month incidence of NRM was higher for preemptive tx vs. watch and wait (13% vs 7%, P=0.002). In multivariate analysis preemptive steroid use independently predicted an increased risk of NRM (HR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.06–2.50; P=0.026) as did several other known risk factors (older recipient age, umbilical cord blood donor, HCT-CI ≥3, and myeloablative conditioning). Greater NRM in the preemptive tx group was driven primarily by 3-fold more infectious deaths; deaths due to uncontrolled GVHD were similar for both tx groups. The risk for relapse was unexpectedly lower in the preemptive tx group (HR 0.64; 95% CI 0.47-0.88; P=0.006) and overall survival was therefore not different between groups, but risk factors for relapse such as minimal residual disease status were not available precluding further analysis of this finding. Serum was collected in 871 (76%) pts at onset of grade I GVHD for retrospective biomarker analysis. AA scores were AA1 (80%), AA2 (15%), and AA3 (5%). AA scores were highly predictive of progression to grade III/IV GVHD (AA1 vs AA2 vs AA3: 9% vs 14% vs 44%, all P<0.001) and the risk of 12-month NRM (8% vs 16% vs 39%, all P<0.001); this pattern was observed in both tx groups. The negative effect of preemptive steroid tx was most pronounced in pts with grade I/AA1 GVHD who experienced 5-fold more infectious related deaths compared to pts managed with a watch and wait approach. Conclusion Treatment of grade I GVHD with systemic steroids did not reduce the incidence of grade III/IV GVHD or deaths due to uncontrolled GVHD and instead increased the risk of NRM from infections compared to pts who were treated only after GVHD progressed. Importantly, 2/3 of the watch and wait pts never needed systemic steroid tx. These findings remained robust after adjusting for multiple confounders, including center effects, and were consistent with the GITMO trial. MAGIC biomarkers at the onset of grade I GVHD predicted outcomes and a watch and wait strategy may be best for the 80% of pts with AA1 GVHD. Better treatment options are needed for the 20% of pts with grade I and AA2/3 GVHD.

Abstract Introduction : Current standard of care for smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM), an asymptomatic precursor of multiple myeloma (MM), is observation until progression to active MM. Increasing evidence suggests that patients (pts) with SMM at high risk for progression to active MM may benefit from early treatment (tx). In AQUILA, a phase 3 study in pts with high-risk SMM (NCT03301220), daratumumab (Dara) monotherapy significantly reduced risk of progression to active MM or death with a trend of extending overall survival (OS) vs active monitoring (ActMon), with no new safety concerns. Given the evolution in SMM risk stratification, a post hoc analysis was performed to assess outcomes using the IMWG 2020 and IMWG 2020 plus cytogenetic risk models to assess which AQUILA pts benefited most from Dara monotherapy. Safety and efficacy analysis by age and stem cell collection outcomes were also assessed. Methods: Eligible pts with a confirmed diagnosis (≤5 y) of high-risk SMM per IMWG 2014 criteria, defined as clonal bone marrow plasma cells (BMPC) ≥10% and ≥1 risk factor (IgA SMM, serum protein ≥30 g/dL, serum involved:uninvolved free light chain [I/U FLC] ratio ≥8 and <100, immunoparesis with reduction of 2 uninvolved Ig isotypes, and/or clonal BMPC >50% to <60%) at study entry, were randomized 1:1 to receive subcutaneous Dara or ActMon for 39 cycles, 36 months, or until confirmed disease progression (PD), whichever came first. Primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) assessed by independent review committee, defined as progression to active MM (based on IMWG SLiM-CRAB diagnostic criteria) or death. Secondary endpoints included time to first-line (1L) MM tx and OS. For this post hoc analysis, we assessed outcomes by age, IMWG 2020 high-risk SMM criteria (BMPC >20%, monoclonal spike >2 g/dL, serum FLC ratio >20; ≥2 factors=high risk; also known as the Mayo 2018 or the 20-2-20 criteria), and the IMWG 2020 plus cytogenetic criteria (IMWG 2020 criteria + presence of ≥1 high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities [t(4;14), t(14;16), +1q and/or del13q]; ≥3 factors=high risk). Results : Dara tx showed a PFS benefit across all IMWG 2020 risk subgroups (low: hazard ratio [HR], 0.59; intermediate: HR, 0.70), with the largest benefit in the high-risk subgroup, where the PD/death rate in the ActMon arm was ~1.6-fold that in the Dara arm (62.8% vs 37.5%; HR, 0.36). This benefit of Dara vs ActMon was preserved over time, with 5-year PFS rates of 78.2% vs 71.6%, 56.2% vs 42.9%, and 60.4% vs 23.6% in IMWG 2020 low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups, respectively. There was a positive trend favoring Dara for time to 1L MM treatment across all IMWG 2020 risk groups (low-risk HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.22–1.80; intermediate-risk HR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.35–0.92; high-risk HR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.25–0.62). IMWG 2020 plus cytogenetic risk classification results will be available at the time of presentation. When comparing the younger (<65y HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.32–0.79) vs the older (≥65y, HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.32–0.77) pt population, a PFS benefit was observed regardless of age. Similarity was also observed in TEAE incidence rate when looking into <65, 65 to <75, and ≥75 y subgroups (82.7%, 81.1%, and 87.5% with ActMon; 96.2%, 98.5%, and 95.2% with Dara); however, serious TEAEs were more frequently observed in older ActMon pts (12.2%, 18.9%, and 50.0% with ActMon; 24.8%, 35.8%, and 28.6% with Dara). Across all pts treated/monitored in AQUILA, 23 (11.9%) and 41 (20.9%) pts in the Dara and ActMon arms, respectively, received autologous stem cell transplant as part of their first tx after progressing to active MM, with very limited plerixafor use (Dara, 3 [1.6%] vs ActMon, 9 [4.6%]). Median (range) CD34+ cell yield was 5.0 (2–20)×106 cells/kg body weight among 22 pts in the Dara arm and 5.1 (2–21)×106 cells/kg body weight among 39 pts in the ActMon arm. Conclusions : In this analysis, pts with high-risk SMM from the phase 3 AQUILA study treated with Dara monotherapy experienced long-term PFS benefit across IMWG 2020 subgroups, with the most pronounced benefit in the high-risk subgroup. No notable differences in PFS or safety were observed across age subgroups. Early Dara tx for high-risk SMM did not have a detrimental impact on stem cell yield. Although mature OS analyses are forthcoming, overall, these results further support early intervention with Dara monotherapy vs ActMon among pts with high-risk SMM, regardless of risk stratification criteria used.

Abstract BackgroundWarm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (wAIHA) is clinically characterized by autoantibody-mediated (typically IgG) erythrocyte destruction at body temperature. While oral corticosteroids remain first-line therapy, rituximab is frequently used as a second-line agent, mostly supported with concomitant background medications, yet real-world evidence is limited and utilization is driven by published retrospective data and expert opinion. Real-world evidence characterizing its utilization patterns and outcomes is needed to inform clinical practice. AimsThis study aimed to: 1) describe treatment patterns among patients with newly diagnosed wAIHA, 2) evaluate rescue therapy use and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) with current standard of care (SOC), 3) characterize patterns of rituximab use during the first year. MethodsNewly diagnosed wAIHA patients were identified from multiple US databases (MarketScan® Databases, IQVIA PharMetrics, Optum Clinformatics®, and Optum PanTher EHR). Patients with ≥1 wAIHA diagnosis code in any position (ICD-10-CM D59.11) from October 2020 to December 2023 and 12-month post-index follow-up were pooled together. Secondary wAIHA was defined with evidence of hematologic malignancy, solid tumors, immunodeficiencies, or autoimmune diseases in the 6 months prior to diagnosis. Patients on treatment were defined by use of oral corticosteroids (OCS), immunosuppressants (IST) (including azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, cyclosporine, cyclophosphamide, or tacrolimus) or rituximab. Initial therapy was defined as the first treatment occurring ≥ 30 days prior to diagnosis. Therapies were identified as combination when initialized within 21 days of each other. The regimen is considered active until all therapies are discontinued or a new agent is initiated. Rituximab regimens were classified as standard (4 weekly doses), alternative (2 doses given 2 weeks apart), single infusion, or extended (>4 infusions). Results Among 2,028 wAIHA patients (median age 62.0 years, 59% female), 55% had secondary wAIHA. Among patients on treatment (n=1,439), 64% received OCS monotherapy; rituximab and IST, alone or in combination with OCS were received by an additional 28% and 5% of patients, respectively. Overall, 80% of treated patients received OCS in some combination during initial therapy. Within 12 months following diagnosis, 1 in 4 patients required ≥ 1 blood transfusion, 1 in 8 required either erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) or intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Within 12 months of diagnosis, 35% of patients required ≥ 1 hospitalization, average length of stay 3.8 days; AIHA was the principal diagnosis for 65% cases. Greater than 1/3 of patients (38%) had ≥ 1 emergency department visit. Almost all wAIHA patients (98%) had an all-cause outpatient visit with a median of 31 visits per patient. Among patients receiving rituximab in any line (n=613), median time from diagnosis to first administration was 59.0 days (interquartile range: 42.0-171.0). For the first course of rituximab, 62.2% of patients received a complete course (standard, alternative, or extended courses). Among patients with a completed course, 39.8% had >4 infusions without a 90-day gap between administrations with a median of 8 administrations within 12 months. Of the nearly 38% of patients that did not receive a complete course of rituximab, 33% received a single infusion. The use of rescue medications in the period prior to rituximab treatment was compared to the period after treatment (defined as 60 days to 12-months post final rituximab infusion). Use of blood transfusions was observed to increase from 9.0% to 32.8%, while the use of ESA and IVIG were stable at approximately 2% and 4%, respectively.Conclusion With current wAIHA SOC, US HCRU remains high, posing a financial burden in terms of the rate of outpatient and emergency department visits, and inpatient stays. Rituximab is an early line therapy post-diagnosis, typically in combination with OCS. No changes in rescue treatments, and an increase in blood transfusions after rituximab infusion suggest treatment gaps remain. Analysis reveals heterogeneity in rituximab dosing patterns including high deviation from standard dosing practices; this variance from published expert opinion along with common use of rescue therapies suggests continued need for standardized guidelines and development of targeted therapies in wAIHA.