Badar, Talha

Abstract Introduction: CSF3R mutations (CSF3RMUT), most commonly T618I, represent the defining genomic alteration in chronic neutrophilic leukemia (CNL), present in ~80% of cases. Despite emerging real-world data, information on treatment outcomes and prognostic factors remains limited due to rarity of the disease. In this two-center retrospective study, we examined clinical and molecular predictors of treatment response, overall survival (OS), and blast transformation (BT) and outcome following allogeneic stem cell transplant (ASCT). Methods: The study was approved by the institutional review boards of the Mayo Clinic (USA) and the University of Montreal (Canada). Electronic medical records were reviewed to identify patients with CSF3R mutated CNL at both institutions and extract relevant data. Statistical analyses were conducted using JMP Pro 17.0.0 software (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). Results: Forty-four patients (68% male, median age 68 years [range: 26-93]) were included. At diagnosis, 20 (56%) were asymptomatic, 13 (36%) presented with constitutional/non-specific symptoms, and 20 (50%) had antecedent leukocytosis at a median of 13 months(mo) prior. Splenomegaly (palpable or radiological) was observed in 28 (67%) patients, hepatomegaly in 7 (17%) and lymphadenopathy in 4 (9.8%). Median white blood cell count (WBC) was 52×10⁹/L (range: 17-390). CSF3RMUT/variants included 39 (89%) with T618I (7 of the 39 had additional CSF3RMUT), 2 (5%) with M696T, and 1 (2%) each for I598I, Q739* and T640N. Frequent co-mutations included ASXL1 in 25 (63%) patients, SETBP1 in 14 (36%), and SRSF2 in 8 (31%), with overlapping occurrence; 10 (38%) patients had ≥2 of these 3 mutations. Ten patients (median WBC 29 x10⁹/L [range: 19–58]), were initially observed without treatment for a median of 8.6 mo; 2 remained on observation alone at 46 and 77 mo. Hydroxyurea (HU) alone or in combinations excluding ruxolitinib (Ruxo) was the most common first-line treatment (68%). Second-line therapies included Ruxo (39%), HU (25%), and hypomethylating agents (14%). WBC response (≥50% reduction from baseline) was 78% with HU vs. 60% with Ruxo (p=0.2). WBC response to HU was lower with abnormal karyotype (40% vs. 94%; p=0.02). WBC response to Ruxo was lower with SETBP1MUT (0% vs. 72%; p=0.05) and with male sex (40% vs. 100%; p=0.04). Seven patients underwent ASCT, including 2 after BT; four (57%) of the 7 remain alive, including 2 without evidence of disease (both 45 mo post-ASCT; one harbored ASXL1MUT) and the other 2 with active disease (both harbored ASXL1MUT). Three patients died from veno-occlusive disease (Day+34), CNS relapse with AML (at 105 mo post-ASCT), or unrelated causes (at 44 mo post-ASCT). Median OS was longer in transplanted patients (115 vs 23 mo; p=0.03). At a median follow-up of 44 mo for living patients, disease transformation occurred in 10 patients, including 7 with BT (6 with T618I, 1 T640N) and 3 with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (2 M696T, 1 T618I). BT rate at 2, 3, and 5 years was 15%, 31%, and 43%, respectively. Univariate analysis (UVA) identified male gender (p<0.01), >5% immature WBCs (p=0.02), platelets <160×10⁹/L (p=0.04), higher WBC (p=0.02), and ASXL1 or SETBP1 mutation (p<0.01) as risk factors for BT. On multivariable analysis (MVA), only the latter remained significant. Median OS was 26 mo (95% CI: 21-43) for the entire cohort; 24 mo for patients with T618I CSF3RMUT vs 53 mo with other CSF3RMUT, p=0.1. In UVA, age >60 years (HR 5.0, p=0.03), platelets <160×10⁹/L (HR 3.4, p=0.006), WBC >50×10⁹/L (HR 2.6, p=0.02), and ASXL1 or SETBP1 mutations (HR 4.2, p=0.01) were associated with shorter OS. In MVA, age >60 (HR 6, p=0.03), WBC >50×10⁹/L (HR 12, p<0.01), and the presence of ASXL1MUT or SETBP1MUT (HR 9.5, p=0.01) remained significant. Based on the HRs on MVA, one adverse point was allocated for age >60 years, and two adverse points each for WBC >50×10⁹/L and presence of ASXL1 or SETBP1 mutations. Patients were accordingly stratified into low (0-2 points), intermediate (3) and high (4-5) risk groups with corresponding median OS of “not reached”, 29 mo, and 16 mo (p<0.01). Causes of death included disease progression (82%), infection/bleeding (9%), and ASCT complications (9%). Conclusion: The current study highlights the prognostic relevance of “SETBP1 or ASXL1” mutation for both overall survival and risk of blast transformation. The study also signifies variable natural history and potential benefit from ASCT.

Abstract Introduction: Clinical outcomes for patients (pts) with Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) B-cell precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL) have significantly improved with the incorporation of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) and immunotherapy. Although the incidence of central nervous system (CNS) relapse in Ph+ B-ALL is rare, it has become an emerging challenge with chemotherapy-free approaches. While IKZF1, CDKN2A/B and emergence of T315I kinase domain mutations in ABL1 have been associated with worse outcomes (Foà R, JCO, 2024),further characterization of patients with CNS relapse could prove useful in risk stratification and optimizing treatment intensification. Currently, high white blood cell count (WBC) is being assessed as a marker to identify pts who may benefit from addition of CNS penetrant chemotherapy (ex. cytarabine or high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX)) to TKI and immunotherapy protocols (Short NJ, J Hematol Oncol, 2025). Methods This is a multicenter retrospective study of relapsed/refractory Ph+ B-ALL pts under the COMMAND consortium. Age, gender, induction regimen and TKI of choice during induction were descriptively reported for the entire cohort. Categorical variables were compared, using Fisher's exact test, between pts with CNS relapse and pts with systemic relapse. Variables of interest were the presence of IKZF1 or CDKN2A/B alterations, emergence of T3151 mutation, CNS disease at diagnosis (dx), WBC >70K/microliter at dx, use of high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) during induction or consolidation, and use of TKI as part of the induction regimen. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported for each variable. Results A total of 654 Ph+ B-ALL pts were initially identified across multiple centers in the United States, of whom 20 (3%) experienced a CNS relapse and 157 (24%) experienced a systemic relapse on median follow up of 29 months (range, 0-207). A total of 15 pts with CNS relapse and 114 pts with systemic relapse were used for this analysis after exclusion of pts without molecular data. The median age for the 129 pt cohort was 55 years (range 22-85), of whom 65 pts (50%) were male. Induction regimens used were intensive chemotherapy (IC)+TKI for 79 pts (61%), low-intensity chemotherapy or steroids (LDC-S)+TKI for 40 pts (31%), IC without TKI during induction for 5 pts (4%) and blinatumomab+TKI for 1 pt (1%). TKI of choice during induction included second-generation TKIs (dasatinib, nilotinib) for 77 pts (60%), imatinib for 30 pts (23%), ponatinib for 15 pts (12%) and none during induction for 5 pts (4%). CNS disease at dx was found in 6/15 pts (40%) with CNS relapse and 9/114 pts (8%) with systemic relapse, which was a statistically significant difference (p=0.002, OR= 7.57, 95% CI= 1.81 - 31.08). The systemic treatment regimens for the 15 pts with CNS disease at x were IC+TKI for 10 pts (66%) and LDC-S+TKI for 5 pts (33%), 9 of the pts (60%) received HD-MTX during induction. Intrathecal (IT) chemotherapy administration data at dx was available for 8 pts (53%) with CNS disease at dx, of whom 2 pts received <9 doses, 4 pts received 9-12 doses and 2 pts received >12 doses of IT chemotherapy. Although not statistically significant, pts with CNS relapse were more likely to have IKZF1 or CDKN2A/B alterations (p = 0.648, OR= 1.44, 95% CI= 0.14-7.78), WBC >70K/mcl (p = 0.472, OR= 1.73, 95% CI= 0.34-7.41), emergence of T3151 mutations (p = 0.123, OR= 2.54, 95% CI= 0.72-8.84) and use of HD-MTX during induction or consolidation (p = 0.262, OR= 2.15, 95% CI= 0.61-8.61); while they were less likely to have received a TKI during induction (p = 0.106, OR= 0.18, 95% CI= 0.02-2.34). Conclusion This data confirms that the presence of CNS disease at dx is associated with CNS relapse. Despite recent incorporation into clinical trials, WBC≥70K/mcl and omission of HD-MTX were not seen more frequently in pts with CNS relapse in this cohort. However, this analysis is limited by the small number of pts who experienced CNS relapse. With the rising use of chemotherapy-free regimens, prospectively trialing treatment intensification, such as with additional IT chemotherapy or HD-MTX, could be prospectively trialed in pts with CNS disease at dx to potentially improve outcomes for this subset of pts. The impact of increasing IT chemotherapy doses or additional cycles of systemic chemotherapy in this pt population is yet to be elucidated.

Abstract Introduction: Despite advent of multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and newer treatment methods for AML and ALL, the outcomes of patients (pts) with chronic myeloid leukemia in blast phase (CML-BP) remain poor. Consensus guidelines on treatment of CML-BP are scarce. A recent study from the European leukemia network blast phase registry on 240 pts reported marked heterogeneity in treatment patterns and lack of an accepted standard. Hence, we undertook this study through the H Jean Khoury Cure CML Consortium (HJKC3) to describe the treatment patterns and outcomes of pts with CML-BP in the US. Methods: This is a multi-institution, retrospective study. IRB approval was obtained at each institution and data sharing agreements were executed. All pts diagnosed with CML-BP based on modified MD Anderson Criteria (≥30% blasts in the blood or bone marrow or extramedullary (EM) disease) from 2010 to 2025 were included. Categorical variables were compared using Chi-square test. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from time of diagnosis of CML BP to death from any cause. Event free survival (EFS) was calculated from date of best response to event (death or relapse). Results: Of the 283 pts with CML-BP, 96 (33.9%) were female and 187 (66.1%) were males. At the time of diagnosis, 183 (64.6%) had CML-CP, 21 (7.4%) pts had CML-AP and 79 (27.9%) pts had de-novo CML-BP. For the 204 pts that were initially diagnosed with CML-CP or CML-AP, the median time to progression to CML-BP was 22.5 months (1-207 months). Median age at diagnosis of CML-BP was 50 years (range 16-86 years). EM disease was present in 78 (27.6%) pts (38 myeloid sarcoma, 30 central nervous system and 10 skin). Blasts were of myeloid phenotype in 168 (59.4%), lymphoid in 103 (36.4%) and mixed in 9 (3.2%) pts. The bcr-abl protein was p210 in 229 (80.9%), p190 in 8 (2.8%) and p230 in 2 (0.7%) pts. ABL kinase domain mutation was seen in 42.1% (80/190) pts, with T315I being the most common (n=32), followed by E255K (n=16). Next generation sequencing was performed in 117 pts. The most common mutations were ASXL1 (n=27), RUNX1 (n=14), BCOR (n=4), DNMT3A (n=4) and BCORL1 (n=3). Of the 283 pts, 269 underwent CML-BP directed therapy. 63 (23.4%) pts were treated with TKI monotherapy, 184 (68.4%) pts were treated with a combination of chemotherapy (chemo) and TKI and 22 (8.2%) pts were treated with chemo alone. Response rate after CML-BP directed therapy was 75.3% (n=213). Best response was return to CML-CP in 49 pts, CHR with PCyR in 18 pts, CCyR in 31 pts, MMR in 31 pts, MR4 in 18 pts, MR4.5 in 19 pts and MR5 in 47 pts. Rate of response with 2G and ponatinib was significantly better than imatinib (85.3% and 77.3% vs 63.6%; p=0.04). 149 (55.4%) pts proceeded to alloSCT. Of the 213 pts that responded, 59 (27.7%) relapsed. At a median follow-up of 47 months, the median OS for all pts was 19.7 months (95% CI: 16.3-40.2 months), with 5-year OS rate of 38% (95% CI: 32-45%). Pts with myeloid phenotype had a significantly lower OS compared to lymphoid and mixed phenotype (Median OS 14.9 vs 45.9 and 31.1 months respectively; p=0.02). OS of pts that were treated with a combination of TKI and chemo was significantly longer compared to pts treated with TKI or chemo alone (52.9 vs 16.1 or 7.5 months; p<0.0001). Dasatinib (n=99; 34.9%) and ponatinib (n=97; 34.3%) were the most used TKIs followed by imatinib (n=23; 8.1%), nilotinib (n=21; 7.4%), bosutinib (n=8; 2.8%) and asciminib (n=3; 1.1%). Pts treated with ponatinib had a numerically longer OS compared to 2G-TKI and imatinib, however this was not statistically significant (40.1 vs 30.6 and 20.3 months; p=0.52). EFS for pts treated with ponatinib was significantly longer compared to 2G-TKI or imatinib (25.9 vs 17.6 and 15.9 months; p=0.03). In a landmark analysis, pts that underwent alloSCT within 6 months of diagnosis had a significantly longer OS compared to those who did not (69.3 vs 16.0 months; p=0.006). Conclusion: CML-BP continues to have poor prognosis. Treatment is heterogenous involving various combinations of TKI and chemo. In our analysis, treatment with 2G-TKI or ponatinib led to better responses. CML-BP with myeloid phenotype had worse OS. Treatment with ponatinib was associated with a numerically longer OS and significantly longer EFS compared to 2G-TKI and imatinib. In addition, treatment with chemo in combination with TKI and alloSCT led to improved OS.

Abstract Venetoclax (Ven) in combination with hypomethylating agents (HMA) is widely used as frontline treatment in older or unfit patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Liposomal cytarabine and daunorubicin (CPX-351) is FDA-approved for the treatment of secondary AML, including therapy-related (t-AML) and AML with myelodysplasia-related changes (AML-MR). The current study aimed to provide a comprehensive comparison between the two treatment strategies to better inform clinical decisions. Methods The current retrospective analysis was performed under an institutional review board approved minimal risk protocol at Mayo Clinic (MN, AZ, FL). AML-MR gene mutations or cytogenetic abnormalities were categorized according to the International Consensus Classification (Arber et al. Blood 2022;140:1200). Treatment response was assessed according to the 2022 European LeukemiaNet (ELN) criteria (Dohner et al. Blood 2022;140:1345). Overall survival (OS) analysis was censored for allogeneic stem cell transplant (ASCT). Statistical analyses were performed using JMP Pro (Version 18.0.0). Results A total of 600 patients with newly diagnosed AML (ND-AML) treated with CPX-351 (N-112, 19%), or Ven-HMA (N=488, 81%) were included. AML subtypes included de novo (N=277, 46%), post-myelodysplastic syndrome (post-MDS, N=114,19%), post-myeloproliferative neoplasm (post-MPN, N=70, 12%), post-MDS/MPN (N=36, 6%), t-AML (N=103, 17%) and AML-MR (N=274, 46%). Compared with those treated with Ven-HMA, patients receiving CPX-351 were younger (median age 65 vs 73 years; p<0.01), more likely to be female (50% vs 38%; p=0.02), more frequently diagnosed withsecondaryAML (68% vs 51%; p<0.01), and less likely to have NPM1MUT (5% vs 12%; p=0.02) whereas ELN 2022 cytogenetic risk distribution was similar between the two (adverse risk; 43% vs 40%; p=0.5). Comparison of treatment response and survival Complete response rates with (CR) or without (CRi) count recovery were similar between CPX-351 and Ven-HMA overall (55% vs 60%) as well as specifically in patients with AML-MR (60% vs 63%), adverse karyotype (44% vs 44%), NPM1MUT (100% vs 89%), TP53MUT(32% vs 45%), IDH1MUT (60% vs 76%), IDH2MUT (63% vs 77%), SF3B1MUT(71% vs 45%), and CBLMUT (33% vs 69%) [p>0.05 in all instances]. Compared to those with CPX-351, CR/CRi rates with Ven-HMA were superior in males (60% vs. 45%; p=0.04) and in patients with de novo AML (68% vs. 50%; p=0.03), STAG2MUT (86% vs. 44%; p=0.02), or CEBPAMUT (88% vs. 50%; p=0.03); infectious complications were significantly more frequent with CPX-351 (83% vs 62%, p<0.01). At a median follow-up of 12 months (range; 1-88), 416 (69%) deaths, 179 relapses (44% in CPX-351 and 52% in Ven-HMA responders) and 149 ASCTs (53% in CPX-351 and 18% in Ven-HMA) were documented. OS rates were similar between CPX-351 and Ven-HMA, in general (median 10 vs 13 months), as well as in patients with adverse karyotype, TP53MUT, IDH1MUT, and IDH2MUT (p>0.05 in all instances). By contrast, OS was superior in Ven-HMA-treated patients with post-MDS AML (median 12 vs. 7 months; age-adjusted p=0.02) and in CPX-351-treated patients harboring SF3B1MUT(median not reached vs 14 months; age-adjusted p<0.01). In addition, a borderline-significant OS advantage for CPX-351 was apparent in patients with PTPN11MUT (13.5 vs 8 months; p=0.08). Comparison in ICC defined AML-myelodysplasia-related CR/CRi and OS rates were comparable between patients treated with CPX-351 (N=57) or Ven-HMA (N=217), with response rates of 60% vs 63% (p=0.68) and median OS of 10 vs 14 months (p=0.61), respectively. However, OS was superior with Ven-HMA in patients with post-MDS AML (15 vs 8 months; age-adjusted p=0.02) and with CPX-351 in those with SF3B1MUT (NR vs 14 months; age-adjusted p=0.02). Conclusions: The current study suggests that Ven-HMA was as effective and possibly less toxic than CPX-351 for the treatment of ND-AML, including AML-MR, despite the bias for younger and fitter patients treated with the latter regimen. Observed differences involving patients with SF3B1MUT or post-MDS AML require validation in prospective studies and provide parameters for developing treatment-specific predictive models that will be presented at the meeting.

Abstract Introduction: Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations are observed in ~20% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In the U.S., ivosidenib (ivo) is approved with or without azacitidine (aza) in the frontline (FL) and as monotherapy in relapsed/refractory (R/R) IDH1-mutated (mut) AML. Olutasidenib (oluta) is approved as monotherapy for R/R IDH1-mut AML. Enasidenib (ena) is approved as monotherapy for R/R IDH2-mut AML. This study describes real-world IDH inhibitor (IDHi) administration patterns and evaluates their outcomes in on-label settings. Methods: A retrospective review of patients with IDH1/2-mut AML who received ivosidenib, olutasidenib, or enasidenib was conducted at 12 academic institutions in the U.S. Best response at any time during treatment, including complete response (CR) and complete response with partial hematologic recovery (CRh), were graded using European Leukemia Net (ELN) 2022 criteria. Results: A total of 387 patients with IDH1- and IDH2-mut AML were treated with an IDHi in the FL or R/R setting. Median follow-up was 9.6 months (range, 0.03-90.7). Demographics include 79% White, 14% Black, 3% Asian, and 4% other/unknown race; 5% were Hispanic ethnicity; 46% were female; the median age was 70 years (range, 28-95). 70% had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-1, 26% had secondary AML, and 10% had therapy-related AML. Per the ELN 2024 less-Intensive risk classification, 58% were favorable risk, 29% intermediate, 7% adverse, and 6% unknown. Overall, 209 of 387 patients (54%) received IDHi regimens on-label. In FL IDH1-mut AML (n=45), 11 received ivo monotherapy, 25 aza/ivo, and 9 used off-label combinations: 3 hypomethylating agent (HMA) + venetoclax (ven) + ivo, 5 decitabine/ivo, 1 intensive chemotherapy (IC)/ivo. Among R/R IDH1-mut AML (n=109), 47 received ivo monotherapy, 7 oluta monotherapy, and 55 off-label (31 HMA/ivo, 16 HMA/ven/ivo, 3 IC/ivo, and 5 other). 44 received off-label ena for FL treatment of IDH2-mut AML (25 ena monotherapy, 9 HMA/ena, 8 HMA/ven/ena, and 2 IC/ena). In R/R IDH2-mut AML (n=189), 119 patients received ena monotherapy and 70 received off-label combinations (25 HMA/ena, 30 HMA/ven/ena, 7 IC/ena, 6 ena/gilteritinib, and 2 other). In on-label treatment of FL IDH1-mut AML, one of four patients with response assessment of FL ivo monotherapy had a CR/CRh. Of 19 patients with response assessment on FL aza/ivo, 13 patients (68.4%) had a CR as best response (95% CI, 46.0-84.6%). Median OS was 14.9 mo (95% CI, 4.17-NR) for ivo monotherapy (n=11) and 31.9 mo (95% CI, 9.1-NR) for aza/ivo (n=25), with 0 and 2 patients receiving allogeneic stem cell transplant (allo-SCT), respectively. In R/R IDH1-mut AML, the rate of CR/CRh was 35.5% (95% CI, 21.1-53.1) for on-label ivo monotherapy. All 4 patients with response assessment for on-label oluta monotherapy had a CR. Median OS was 14.0 mo (95% CI, 10.1-22.4) for ivo monotherapy and NR for oluta monotherapy (95% CI, 10.1-NR), with 10 and 0 receiving allo-SCT, respectively. The CR/CRh rate for ivo was 38.1% (8 of 21 assessed; 95% CI, 20.8-59.1) in age < 70, and 30.0% (3 of 10 assessed; 95% CI, 10.8-60.3) in age ≥ 70. Median OS was 15.2 mo (95% CI 9.3-NR) in age < 70 (n=27) and 10.4 mo (95% CI 8.0-18) in age ≥ 70 (n=20). In R/R IDH2-mut AML, the rate of CR/CRh for on-label ena monotherapy was 38.2% (95% CI, 27.6-50.1). Median OS was 12.1 mo (95% CI, 8.2-16.6), with 5 having received allo-SCT. In demographic subgroups for ena monotherapy, 52 non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients with response assessment had a CR/CRh rate of 42.3% (95% CI, 0.30-0.56). Only 1 of 13 non-Hispanic Black (NHB) patients with response assessment had a CRh (7.7%; 95% CI, 1.4-33.0) as best response, with none attaining CR. Median OS was 13.7 mo (95% CI 10.3-26.3) in NHW (n=82), 11.2 mo (95% CI, 6.1-NR) in NHB (n=18), and 69.1 mo (95% CI, 52.6-NR) in Hispanic patients (n=8). The CR/CRh rate was 48.6% (17 of 35 assessed; 95% CI, 33.0-64.4) for age < 70, and 27.3% (9 of 33 assessed; 95% CI, 15.1-44.2) for age ≥ 70. Median OS was 12.0 mo (95% CI, 9.9-22.1) in age < 70 (n=48) and 5.8 mo (95% CI, 4.1-8.7) in age ≥ 70 (n=69). Conclusion: Practice patterns for IDH inhibitors in AML vary considerably, with high amounts of off-label use. Response rates for ivosidenib and enasidenib in the real-world setting are comparable to those of clinical trials. Descriptive analyses of demographic subgroups highlight areas in need of further research.

Abstract Background Momelotinib, a small-molecule Janus kinase 1 and 2 (JAK1/2) inhibitor (JAKi), is FDA-approved (September 15, 2023) for use in anemic patients with myelofibrosis (MF). The drug appears to have an edge over other FDA-approved JAKis in regard to its unique erythropoietic effect that has been attributed to its inhibitory activity on activin A receptor type-1 (ACVR1). In clinical trials, anemia response to momelotinib in JAKi-naïve MF patients has been reported in more than a third of patients with or without transfusion-dependent anemia (TDA). The current study examines the drug's efficacy and toxicity in JAKi-naïve patients treated outside of clinical trials and after the drug was commercially approved. Methods The current study was conducted under an institutional review board approved minimum risk protocol. Diagnostic criteria were according to the International Consensus Classification (Arber et al. Blood 2022; 140:1200). Study inclusion criteria included a hemoglobin level of <10 g/dL and absence of previous treatment with JAKi. Responses were adjudicated by the Revised International Working Group-European LeukemiaNet criteria (IWG-ELN; Blood 2024; 144:1813). Conventional statistical methods were used (JMP Pro 18.0.0 software SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). Results A Mayo Clinic enterprise-wide search identified 60 patients (median age 73 years; 55% males) with primary or secondary MF who received momelotinib outside of clinical trials as their first JAKi for treatment of anemia and associated symptoms. Driver mutation distribution included JAK2 42%, CALR 30%, MPL 18%, and triple-negative 10%. Table 1 outlines clinical and laboratory findings at the time of momelotinib treatment initiation; Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System (DIPSS)-plus risk distribution included high (72%) and intermediate 1/2 (28%) risk. Twenty-seven (45%) patients were transfusion-requiring, 24 (40%) displayed peripheral blood (PB) blast ≥2%, 10 (17%) platelet count <100 x 109/L, and 14 (25%) marked palpable splenomegaly (≥20cm). Unfavorable karyotype was seen in 9 (16%) of 58 patients. NGS-derived mutations were assessed in 57 cases and included ASXL1 (35%), TET2 (19%), SF3B1 (16%), SRSF2 (14%) and 7% (N=4) each for EZH2, IDH2, SH2B3, and ZRSR2. Baseline plasma cytokine levels were assessed in 17 patients with elevated TNF-a in 88%, IL-2 soluble 65%, IL-6 29% and IL-18 53%. Anemia response and predictors Fourteen (23%) patients met revised IWG-ELN criteria for anemia response (TDA 15% and non-TDA 30%; p=0.15). The anemia response was within 3 months in 10 (71%) patients. Median (range) durations of momelotinib exposure and anemia response were 8 (1-23) and 5 (1-13) months, respectively. The drug was discontinued in 29 (48%) patients (39% due to side effects; Table 2). In age-adjusted univariate analysis, predictors of anemia response included circulating blasts <2% (33% [12/36] vs. 8% [2/24]; p=0.02), presence of SH2B3 mutation (100% [4/4] vs. 19% [10/53]; p<0.01), and elevated IL-2 soluble (36% [4/11] vs. 0% [0/6]; p=0.02). The correlation with SH2B3 mutation remained significant (p<0.01) after accounting for circulating blasts. Treatment emergent neuropathy and nephropathy Sensory peripheral neuropathy (PN) was reported by 12 (20%) patients with a median onset of 2 months (range 1-7); CTCAE v5.0 grades 1 (N=8), 2 (N=3), and 3 (N=1); reversibility was documented only for grade 1 severity and did not appear to be consistently affected by drug discontinuation or dose reduction (Table 3). Seventeen (29%) patients experienced a >20% treatment-emergent decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate from baseline, including 14 (23%) whose serum creatinine level crossed from the normal to abnormal range with pre- and post-treatment median (range) values of 1.05 (0.60-1.26) and 1.53 (1.1-3.31), respectively, with the majority reverting back to the normal range upon drug discontinuation. Conclusion In routine practice, momelotinib therapy might alleviate anemia in about a quarter of JAKi-naive patients with MF but is associated with non-trivial rates of treatment-emergent peripheral neuropathy and nephropathy. The latter appeared to be reversible on treatment discontinuation. Our novel observation regarding association of anemia response with SH2B3 mutation requires validation in a larger group of informative cases.

Abstract Introduction: DDX41 (DEAD-box helicase 41) mutations (mt) represent the most prevalent germline predisposition syndrome (GPS) in adult patients (pts) with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This molecular subtype is typically associated with late-onset disease, runs an indolent clinical course, with a relative absence of high-risk co-mutations. While several retrospective studies have reported favorable responses to venetoclax (VEN)-based therapies, anecdotal observations suggest variable outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients with DDX41-mt MDS/AML treated at the Mayo Clinic. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of pts diagnosed with DDX41-mt germline predisposition syndrome with concurrent myeloid neoplasms at our institution. Germline testing was conducted under an IRB approved protocol (Mayo Clinic IRB# 16-004173; clinical-trials gov. Identifier: NCT02958462). Of 198 pts with DDX41-mt myeloid neoplasms, 77 had high-risk disease—43 with MDS with increased blasts (MDS-IB1, n = 11; IB2, n = 32) and 34 with AML (WHO 2022). We assessed how clinical, and disease features influenced outcomes in this subgroup. Among these pts, 69 (90%) pts had likely pathogenic/pathogenic variant (DDX41path) variants and 8 (10%) pts had variant of undetermined significance (DDX41VUS) according to variant classification criteria from the American College of Medical Genetics/ the Association of Medical Genetics/ the Association for Molecular Pathology (ACMG/AMP) guidelines. Results: The median age was 68 years (yrs) (range [R],34-92), 70% were male and the median bone marrow blast % was 15 (R,5-60). The most common DDX41 germlinevariants (> 5% cases) included p.D140fs (26%), p.M1I (22%), and p.P258L (6.5%). 74% had DDX41 truncating variants. Thirty-one (40%) acquired a somatic DDX41-mt (R525H [81%]) and 43 (56%) had other somatic mutations. Among these, the most frequent were ASXL1 (n= 9, 21%), TP53 (n= 8, 10%), splicing factor (n= 7, 9%), and DNMT3A (n= 5, 6%). Twenty-six, (34%), 26 (34%), 15 (19%) and 9 (12%) pts were treated with hypomethylating agents (HMA), HMA+VEN, intensive chemotherapy (IC) and active surveillance/supportive care, respectively. Overall, the composite complete remission rate (cCR) in high-risk MDS and AML was 56%. The cCR rates (41%, 59% and 68.7%, p= 0.10) and median duration of response (DOR; 43.7, 44.9 and 28.9 months [mo], p= 0.46) were not significantly different with HMA, HMA+VEN, and IC induction. Thirty-one (40%) pts received allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT); 4 (36%), 15 (47%) and 12 (35%) in MDS-IB1, MDS-IB2 and AML groups, respectively (p= 0.56). With a median follow up of 34.7 mo (R, 0.7-136.7), the median overall survival (OS) from the time of diagnosis was 56.9 mo (95% CI, 50.7-63.0) and was not significantly (NS) different between MDS-IB1 (not reached, 70% at 3 yrs), MDS-IB2 (56.9 mo, 86% at 3 yrs) and AML (55.7 mo, 60% at 3 yrs) groups, p= 0.16). The median OS was NS different between DDX41path and DDX41VUS (58.6 vs 55.7 mo, p= 0.50), respectively. We conducted a multivariable analysis for OS using variables that showed significance or trend towards significance in univariable analysis. Concurrent splicing factor mutations (HR; 5.29, 95% CI: 1.29-21.6, p= 0.02) remained negatively prognostic, while there was a trend towards better survival outcomes with allo-HCT (HR; 0.48, 95% CI: 0.21-1.07, p= 0.07). Bone marrow blast ≥ 20% (HR; 1.87, p= 0.12) and TP53-mt (HR; 2.14, p= 0.12) did not retain significance. Conclusion: In our cohort of patients with germline DDX41-mt high-risk MDS and AML, VEN-based regimens were not superior to HMA alone or IC, in terms of response rates and outcomes. On multivariable analysis, the presence of concurrent splicing factor mutations independently and negatively impacted survival with a trend towards better outcomes with allo-HCT. These findings highlight the heterogeneity within DDX41-mt myeloid neoplasms and underscore the need for future studies in larger cohorts to better define predictors of response and survival.

Abstract Introduction The 2022 WHO/ICC classifications of myeloid neoplasms (MNs) incorporated genomics into the existing clinicopathologic framework, defining new (mono)genetic entities. However, this iterative approach resulted in a mix of pathologically and genomically-defined entities, reliant on arbitrary thresholds and historically-derived boundaries between entities. We hypothesised that integrating genomics with other features, de novo from first principles, might better incorporate modern molecular knowledge to define the biological continuum, evolutionary links and overlapping features across MN. Methods The discovery cohort comprised 6484 thoroughly annotated pts. Contemporary diagnoses included 1817 AML, 1695 MDS, 737 MPN, and 1101 MDS/MPN. Non-malignant pts (AA/CHIP/CCUS/ICUS) were included to explore beyond current neoplastic boundaries. 1407 pts had ≥1 follow-up sample/s. Validation was performed in an independent international cohort (n=2012). An unsupervised random forest algorithm was used to integrate status (and VAF) for 28 mutations, karyotypes, CBC features, sex and age (total parameters 144). Features were selected for potential to be independent of BM sampling. Proximity-based multidimensional scaling/PCA were used to visualize latent structure and identify variance-driving features. Results The model projected pts onto a continuous 3-dimensional space. We first applied clustering seeking 1st-order structure, revealing 4 major clusters (C1–C4). These were further subdivided into 58 distinct subclusters (SCs) by an unsupervised iterative clustering approach. All SCs were enriched for distinctive features, with diverse associations linking genomics to clinicopathological/outcome features. Notably, contemporary diagnoses were distributed widely throughout this landscape, with 9/58 SCs containing cases spanning multiple WHO/ICC MN categories. C1 displayed the most internal heterogeneity, with admixed AML, MDS and MDS/MPN pts. It naturally subdivided down to 4th-order subclustering. Ten SCs were dominated by splicing factor mutations. For example, SF3B1MT segregated into 3 SCs, alone or with high-VAF TET2/ASXL1 or DNMT3A mutations. A separate TET2/SRSF2 SC associated with elevated monocyte%, reflecting a discrete CMML-phenotype genomic entity. NPM1MT formed a distinct SC with FLT3-ITD, distinguished further by VAFs of FLT3, TET2, and NRAS. Current genomically-defined AML subtypes separated in the 4th subclustering. C2 encompassed classical MPN driver mutations across 6 SCs, including a distinct CALRMT group and others defined by variable JAK2 VAFs, co-mutation patterns and other CBC features: eg high-VAF SF3B1MT correlated with PB blast%, and concurrent TET2MT with higher Hb/monocyte counts. C3 was characterized by TP53 alterations, with 5 SCs differing by TP53MT burden, 17p lesions, karyotypic complexity and age. Two SCs, one marked by high TP53 VAF+complex karyotype, the other by ch17 lesions, were associated with the worst OS in the whole cohort. C4 contained most known non-malignant pts, dividing into 4 SCs: 2 largely comprising CCUS and AA, while 2 reflect overlaps/convergence between AA and MDS and MPN, respectively. Repurposing single-cell pseudotime analysis suggested multiple disease origins, with various progression trajectories converging on C3. Projecting them onto the model longitudinal samples moved along these derived paths, consistent with their known progression/remission changes, validating the model's biological relevance and predictive utility. Remarkably, the 58 SCs displayed distinct risks of clonal progression and survival. To maximize potential clinical utility we created a pan-MN prognostic score integrating these features. It performed robustly (c-index 0.84), matching/exceeding existing prognostic tools and validated in an independent dataset. Conclusion Integrating clinicopathologic and genomic data we developed ab initio a continuum model of MNs that transcends historical diagnostic boundaries, captures disease evolution and stratifies clinical outcomes. It may better reflect the core biology and natural histories of specific cases, placing more rational boundaries between discrete entities. Potential advantages extend to treatment selection/trial design (in the era of molecularly-targeted therapies) and personalised prognostication throughout each disease course. Expanded validation is needed to resolve complexity in some areas (notably in C2/C4) and validate/refine this prototype framework.

Abstract Introduction: The DEAD-box helicase 41 (DDX41) gene, located on chromosome 5q35, is a tumor suppressor gene involved in RNA processing. Germline mutations in this gene can predispose patients to myeloid malignancies. Studies have suggested a more favorable prognosis in those with germline mutations in DDX41, with progression of disease being a frequently encountered cause of death. In this retrospective study, we explored the causes of death in a cohort of patients with pathogenic DDX41 mutations. Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with myeloid neoplasms between 2009-2024 and found to have DDX41 mutation (DDX41m) via next generation sequencing (NGS) at our institution. Myeloid NGS was obtained at or after the diagnosis of myeloid disease. Germline testing (when available) was performed through buccal/skin samples. Carriers of DDX41m without a myeloid neoplasm diagnosis and patients with only DDX41m VUS were excluded. Baseline characteristics at the time of myeloid neoplasm diagnosis included age at diagnosis, DDX41m variant allele frequency (VAF), blood counts (hemoglobin, white blood cell count, platelets), cytogenetics, bone marrow blast percentage, number of co-mutations, and treatment received. Unadjusted comparisons were made using continuous or categorical variables. Median overall survival (OS) was calculated from the time of diagnosis with myeloid neoplasm to the time of death, using BlueSky Statistics V.10.3.4. Results: Of the 112 patients identified to have pathogenic DDX41m, 29 (26%) patients were deceased at the time of data analysis. In this cohort of 29 patients (median age at diagnosis 72 years, 17 (59%) males), disease groups at initial diagnosis included 17 (59%) patients with MDS, 9 (31%) AML, and 3 (10%) MPN. Fourteen of the 17 (82%) of the patients with MDS were classified as MDS-EB1 or MDS-EB2. Seven of the 17 (41%) patients with MDS progressed to AML at the time of death, with 57% of the patients having more than 30% bone marrow blasts at time of progression. Blood counts at diagnosis in the cohort included a median hemoglobin of 9.8 g/dL, platelets of 83 x 109/L, and white blood cell count of 2.1 x 109/L. Twenty-one (72%) of patients had normal cytogenetics. Nine (31%) patients had both a pathogenic mutation and a variant of uncertain significance (VUS) in DDX41, with the remaining 20 patients harboring only a pathogenic DDX41 mutation. Eight (27%) patients underwent germline testing, with 7 confirmed to harbor a germline DDX41m. In the deceased cohort, 9 (31%) patients underwent HSCT. Three of the patients with AML and 1 patient with MDS were observed and did not undergo treatment. Median overall survival of the deceased cohort was 29 months. The median time to AML progression in the group with MDS was 14 months. Causes of death included infection in 11 (38%) patients, 9 (31%) with disease progression/relapse, 3 (10%) with acute gastrointestinal graft versus host disease (GVHD), and 1 (3%) from cerebral bleed. The cause of death was unknown in the remaining 5 (17.2%) patients. Infections included pneumonia, bacteremia, neutropenic enterocolitis, fungal, and unknown etiology. Of the 4 patients who were observed, 2 died from unknown cause and 2 died from disease progression. Of the 16 patients with AML at time of death, 9 (56%) died from disease progression or relapse, 3 (19%) from infection, 2 (13%) from GVHD, and 2 (13%) from unknown causes. Of the 10 deaths in the MDS group, 7 (70%) were from infection, 1 (10%) from GVHD, 1 (10%) from cerebral bleed, and 1 (10%) from an unknown cause. Three cases of infection in the MDS group occurred during remission. Infection was a more common cause of death in the MDS group compared to the AML group, where disease progression prevailed as a cause of death (70% vs 19%, p=0.01). Eight (80%) of the patients with MDS who died from infection were neutropenic prior to death, and 4 (50%) of those patients were on neutropenic antimicrobial prophylaxis. Conclusions: In this cohort of 29 deceased patients with a DDX41-mutated myeloid neoplasm, we characterized causes of death. Disease progression/relapse was a significantly more common cause of death in those with AML, compared to infection in patients with MDS. Our work underscores the need for additional studies looking into non-leukemic causes of death in patients with DDX41m myeloid diseases and potential strategies to mitigate infection-related mortality in this population.

Abstract Background: KMT2A-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia (KMT2Ar AML) is characterized by chromosomal translocation involving KMT2A gene at 11q23, resulting in fusion with variety of partner genes. It is usually associated with poor outcomes, high risk of relapses and suboptimal responses to conventional therapies. While NPM1-mutated (mt) AML is considered favorable risk, they are equally dismal in relapse refractory (RR) setting. Menin inhibitors have emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy, particularly in RR AML patients (pts) with KMT2Ar and NPM1-mt genotypes. While revumenib, a menin inhibitor approved for managing RR KMT2Ar acute leukemia, no menin inhibitor is currently approved for NPM1-mt AML. In this study, we evaluated clinical outcomes of adults with KMT2Ar AML and performed a comparative analysis of pts with RR KMT2Ar and NPM1-mt AML using data from the Mayo Clinic. Methods: After screening 102 AML pts with reported KMT2A abnormalities, we identified 33 adults with confirmed KMT2Ar diagnosed between 2012 and 2024 for retrospective analysis. Clinical and molecular/cytogenetics data, induction type (intensive chemotherapy [IC] vs non-intensive chemotherapy [NIC]), response, transplant use, and survival outcomes were reviewed. A separate analysis was performed comparing 20 RR KMT2Ar AML pts with 20 propensity score matched RR NPM1-mt AML pts from a pool of 125 NPM1-mt RR pts. Results: The median age was 50 years (yrs) (range [R], 19.0-75.0), and 60.6% were < 60 yrs. Most cases were de novo AML (64%), and the most frequent translocation was t(6;11)(q27;q23)/MLLT4 (27%), followed by t(10;11)(p12;q23)/MLLT10 (21%), t(9;11)(p21.3;q23.3)/MLLT3 (15%), and t(11;19)(q23;p13.1)/ELL (12%). Other KMT2A fusion partners were rare and collectively accounted for the remaining cases. The median follow-up was 57 months (mo) (R, 7.0-109.0). The overall response rate (ORR) was 91%, and composite complete remission (CRc, , including CR, CRi, and CRh) was 73%. The CRc rates were comparable between IC and NIC (80% vs 62%, p=0.24). CRc were not significantly different by disease type (de novo [71.4%] vs secondary [sAML] [75%], p= 0.82) or KMT2A fusion partner gene (60% for t[9;11]/MLLT3 vs. 57.1% for t[10;11]/MLLT10 vs 55.6% for t[6;11]/MLLT4, p=0.069). Seventeen (52%) pts received an allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT). The median overall survival (mOS ) for the entire cohort was 16 mo (R, 11.0-34.0). In subset analysis, IC compared to NIC was associated with significantly longer mOS (30 vs 11 mo, p=0.014). The mOS was also superior in pts <60 vs ≥60 yrs (32 vs 8 mo, p=0.005). Similarly, de novo cases had better mOS than sAML (22.0 vs 9.5 mo, p=0.052). Among KMT2Ar subtypes, t(6;11)/MLLT4 showed the longest mOS (54 mo [R, 30.0-not reached (NR)]), while t(9;11)/MLLT3 had the shortest (11.0 mo, [R 9-NR]), but differences were not statistically significant (p=0.32). The mOS was significantly longer among allo-HCT pts (30 vs 11 mo, p=0.005). Among 29 pts who experienced RR disease, the median relapse free survival (RFS) was 3 mo (R, 2.0-10.0). First salvage therapy yielded a CRc of 43.8% in 16 evaluable pts. When compared to a propensity matched cohort of 20 RR NPM1-mt AML pts, the CRc rates was 57.9% vs 50% in RR NPM1-mt and KMT2Ar AML (p= 0.68). The mRFS was not significantly different between RR KMT2Ar and NPM1-mt AML, (3 vs 4 mo, p=0.9). However, KMT2Ar pts had inferior mOS compared to NPM-mt AML (12 vs 65 mo, p=0.004). We further compared survival between NPM1-mt and KMT2Ar pts stratified by allo-HCT status. Among those who underwent allo-HCT, NPM1-mt pts had longer mOS (NR vs 22 mo, p=0.037). Among non-allo-HCT pts, mOS was numerically higher in NPM1-mt vs KMT2Ar (19 vs 8 mo, p=0.11). Conclusions: This single institusion cohort of adult AML with KMT2Ar underscores the biological and clinical heterogeneity of this high-risk group. IC was associated with a survival benefit, particularly among younger and fit patients. However, the outcomes following relapse remained poor, highlighting the urgent need for improved post-remission and salvage therapies. Comparative analysis with matched RR NPM1-mt AML pts revealed similarly dismal survival outcomes. Emerging data from single-arm studies of menin inhibitors in both frontline and RR settings among pts with NPM1-mt and KMT2Ar AML are encouraging and may represent a paradigm shift in treatment.