Huff, Carol Ann

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

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

The treatment of Waldenström macroglobulinemia/lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (WM/LPL) has evolved to include several new options. The NCCN Guidelines for WM/LPL provide a framework on which to base decisions regarding diagnosis, treatment, assessment of response to treatment, and follow-up of both newly diagnosed and previously treated WM/LPL.

The treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM) has evolved to include several new options. These include new combinations with second generation proteasome inhibitors (PI); second generation immunomodulators, monoclonal antibodies, CAR T cells, bispecific antibodies, selinexor, venetoclax, and many others. Most patients with MM undergo several cycles of remissions and relapse, and therefore need multiple lines of combination therapies. Selecting treatment options for relapsed/refractory MM requires consideration of resistance status to specific classes, and patient-specific factors such as age and other comorbidities should be considered. The NCCN Guidelines for MM provide a framework on which to base decisions regarding workup, treatment, and follow-up of newly diagnosed and previously treated MM. This manuscript outlines the recommendations from NCCN Guidelines for MM specific to relapsed/refractory disease.

Introduction: ISB 1342 is a humanized CD38xCD3 bispecific T-cell engager using Ichnos proprietary Bispecific Engagement by Antibodies based on the T cell receptor (BEAT ®) platform, designed to simultaneously bind CD38 on multiple myeloma (MM) cells and CD3ε on T cells, to induce tumor killing. This mechanism of action is different from existing monospecific CD38 targeting therapies and was designed to overcome resistance to daratumumab in MM. ISB 1342 exhibits potent killing of the primary MM cells and MM cell lines with low sensitivity to daratumumab ( Pouleau B. et al. Blood 2023; 142 (3): 260-273). We report here, the updated findings from the weekly dose-escalations of intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SC) injections of an ongoing, single-agent phase 1 study (NCT03309111) of ISB 1342 in patients with RRMM. Methods: Adult patients with RRMM that relapsed after or were refractory to prior therapies, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory drug, and an anti-CD38 antibody; received ISB 1342 on a weekly (QW) schedule by IV or SC injection with a priming dose on the first day in 2 parallel dose-escalation schemas. Patients had measurable disease per the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) criteria (2016). Dose escalation in the QW schedule began at 0.2/0.3 mg/kg priming/treatment dose and followed a “3 + 3” design. The primary study objectives are to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and select a recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of ISB 1342. Secondary objectives includ evaluation of anti-myeloma activity, pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics, and immunogenicity of ISB 1342. Results: As of July 18, 2023, based on ongoing clinical database, 39 subjects had received weekly IV infusions of ISB 1342 in 8 dose-escalation groups from 0.2/0.3 mg/kg to 4.0/16.0 mg/kg as priming/treatment dose; and 7 additional subjects had received weekly SC injections at 2.0/8.0 mg/kg. Two different formulations have been tested in SC group. Median number of cycles administered was 2. The majority were male (57%) and white (74%); 13% were Black or African American. The median age was 69 years (range, 54-76) and the median time since diagnosis was 6.6 years (range, 2.8-22.2). The median number of prior anti-myeloma lines of therapy was 6 (range 1-12). Twenty-one (67%) subjects were considered to be triple-class refractory and 18 (48%) penta-drug refractory. Forty-one (89%) subjects experienced treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) of any grade. Most TRAEs were grade 1-2, including infusion related reactions (37%), cytokine release syndrome (CRS, 34%, all grade 1or 2), anemia (24%), neutropenia (24%), and thrombocytopenia (17%). Five subjects in SC group (71% of SC) had injection site reaction, all grade 1 or 2. Grade 3 or higher TRAEs occurring in more than 5% of subjects were infusion related reaction (no grade 4), anemia (no grade 4), neutropenia, leukopenia. No Grade 5 TRAE was observed. After QW IV infusion, ISB 1342 serum concentration peaked at the end of infusion and then showed bi-exponential decline. ISB 1342 serum exposures increased in a dose linear fashion across the tested IV infusion dose range. The limited PK data after SC injection suggest slow presentation of ISB 1342 into the systemic circulation leading to lower C max and delayed T max relative to IV. Transient increases in serum cytokines were observed within 24 hours after ISB 1342 dosing, including IFNg, TNFa, IL-2, IL-6 and IL-10. Transient increases in T-cell activation were observed by flow cytometry at 24-48 hours after ISB 1342 dosing at 1.0 / 4.0 μg/kg and above, based on increased expression of CD69 on peripheral blood CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell populations (Figure 1). Comparison of the available data from subjects treated at 2 / 8 μg/kg (Cohort 109) indicated reduced T-cell activation following SC compared to IV administration of ISB 1342. The efficacy signals observed in Cohorts 108 and 109 are consistent with the estimates of the lower boundary of the predicted efficacious dose range using a quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) model based on preclinical data. Updated clinical data, including response rates and safety data, will be present at the meeting. Conclusions: Treatment with ISB 1342 was well tolerated at higher dose levels evaluated. Observed CRS events were moderate. No increased risk of infection has been observed . Updated safety, efficacy, biomarker and PK data will be presented.

The NCCN Guidelines for Multiple Myeloma provide recommendations for diagnosis, initial workup, treatment, follow-up, and supportive care for patients with various plasma cell neoplasms, including multiple myeloma. These NCCN Guidelines Insights highlight some of the important updates/changes specific to the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma in the 2022 version of the guidelines.

Multiple myeloma is a malignant neoplasm of plasma cells that accumulate in bone marrow, leading to bone destruction and marrow failure. This manuscript discusses the management of patients with solitary plasmacytoma, smoldering multiple myeloma, and newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

Abstract Background: Persons of African ancestry (AA) experience a 1.5-2-fold risk of multiple myeloma (MM) compared to persons of European ancestry (EA). We assembled a set of MM patients with self-reported AA in order to evaluate the contribution of genetics to etiology in this high-risk group. Methods: Here we present the results of a meta-analysis of two GWAS in 1,813 cases and 8,871 controls of AA. We also conducted an admixture mapping scan to identify risk alleles associated with local ancestry, fine-mapped the 23 known susceptibility loci to find markers that could better capture MM risk in individuals of AA, and constructed a polygenic risk score (PRS) to assess the aggregated effect of known MM risk alleles. Finally, we conducted an eQTL analysis measuring gene expression in those genes harboring a risk variant in malignant plasma cells from 292 of the patients from a single site. Results: In GWAS analysis, we identified two suggestive novel loci located at 9p24.3 and 9p13.1 at P<1 × 10-6, but no genome-wide significant association was noted. In admixture mapping, we observed a genome-wide significant inverse association between local AA at 2p24.1-23.1 and MM risk in AA individuals. 20 of the 23 known EA risk variants showed directional consistency and 9 replicated at P<0.05 in AA individuals. In eight regions, we identified markers that better capture MM risk in persons of AA. AA individuals with a PRS in the top 10% had a 1.82-fold (95%CI: 1.56, 2.11) increased MM risk compared to those with average risk (25-75%). The strongest functional association was between the risk allele for variant rs56219066 at 5q15 and lower ELL2 expression (P= 5.1 × 10–12). Conclusion: Our study shows that common genetic variation contributes to MM risk individuals of AA. This abstract is also being presented as Poster C040. Citation Format: Zhaohui Du, Niels Weinhold, Gregory Chi Song, Kristen A. Rand, David J. Van Den Berg, Amie E. Hwang, Xin Sheng, Victor Hom, Sikander Ailawadhi, Ajay K. Nooka, Seema Singhal, Karen Pawlish, Edward Peters, Cathryn Bock, Ann Mohrbacher, Alexander Stram, Sonja I. Berndt, William J. Blot, Graham Casey, Victoria L. Stevens, Rick Kittles, Phyllis J. Goodman, W. Ryan Diver, Anselm Hennis, Barbara Nemesure, Eric A. Klein, Benjamin A. Rybicki, Janet L. Stanford, John S. Witte, Lisa Signorello, Esther M. John, Leslie Bernstein, Antoinette Stroup, Owen W. Stephens, Maurizio Zangari, Frits Van Rhee, Andrew Olshan, Wei Zheng, Jennifer J. Hu, Regina Ziegler, Sarah J. Nyante, Sue Ann Ingles, Michael Press, John David Carpten, Stephen Chanock, Jayesh Mehta, Graham A Colditz, Jeffrey Wolf, Thomas G. Martin, Michael Tomasson, Mark A. Fiala, Howard Terebelo, Nalini Janakiraman, Laurence Kolonel, Kenneth C. Anderson, Loic Le Marchand, Daniel Auclair, Brian C.-H. Chiu, Elad Ziv, Daniel Stram, Ravi Vij, Leon Bernal-Mizrachi, Gareth J. Morgan, Jeffrey A. Zonder, Carol Ann Huff, Sagar Lonial, Robert Z. Orlowski, David V. Conti, Christopher A. Haiman, Wendy Cozen. A meta-analysis of genome-wide association study and eQTL analysis of multiple myeloma among African Americans [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2019 Sep 20-23; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl_2):Abstract nr PR05.

Purpose: Multiple myeloma (MM) treatment has changed tremendously, with significant improvement in patient out-comes. One group with a suboptimal benefit is patients with high-risk cytogenetics, as tested by conventional karyotyping or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Methodology for these tests has been published, but not necessarily standardized. Methods: We address variability in the testing and reporting methodology for MM cytogenetics in the United States using the ongoing African American Multiple Myeloma Study (AAMMS). We evaluated clinical and cytogenetic data from 1,221 patients (1,161 with conventional karyotyping and 976 with FISH) tested between 1998 and 2016 across 58 laboratories nationwide. Results: Interlab and intralab variability was noted for the number of cells analyzed for karyotyping, with a significantly higher number of cells analyzed in patients in whom cytogenetics were normal (P 5.0025). For FISH testing, CD138-positive cell enrichment was used in 29.7% of patients and no enrichment in 50% of patients, whereas the remainder had unknown status. A significantly smaller number of cells was analyzed for patients in which CD138 cell enrichment was used compared with those without such enrichment (median, 50 v 200; P, .0001). A median of 7 loci probes (range, 1-16) were used for FISH testing across all laboratories, with variability in the loci probed even within a given laboratory. Chromosome 13–related abnormalities were the most frequently tested abnormality (n5956; 97.9%), and t(14;16) was the least frequently tested abnormality (n 5 119; 12.2%). Conclusions: We report significant variability in cytogenetic testing across the United States for MM, potentially leading to variability in risk stratification, with possible clinical implications and personalized treatment approaches.

Abstract Persons of African ancestry (AA) have a twofold higher risk for multiple myeloma (MM) compared with persons of European ancestry (EA). Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) support a genetic contribution to MM etiology in individuals of EA. Little is known about genetic risk factors for MM in individuals of AA. We performed a meta-analysis of 2 GWASs of MM in 1813 cases and 8871 controls and conducted an admixture mapping scan to identify risk alleles. We fine-mapped the 23 known susceptibility loci to find markers that could better capture MM risk in individuals of AA and constructed a polygenic risk score (PRS) to assess the aggregated effect of known MM risk alleles. In GWAS meta-analysis, we identified 2 suggestive novel loci located at 9p24.3 and 9p13.1 at P < 1 × 10−6; however, no genome-wide significant association was noted. In admixture mapping, we observed a genome-wide significant inverse association between local AA at 2p24.1-23.1 and MM risk in AA individuals. Of the 23 known EA risk variants, 20 showed directional consistency, and 9 replicated at P < .05 in AA individuals. In 8 regions, we identified markers that better capture MM risk in persons with AA. AA individuals with a PRS in the top 10% had a 1.82-fold (95% confidence interval, 1.56-2.11) increased MM risk compared with those with average risk (25%-75%). The strongest functional association was between the risk allele for variant rs56219066 at 5q15 and lower ELL2 expression (P = 5.1 × 10−12). Our study shows that common genetic variation contributes to MM risk in individuals with AA.