Citations

Background: Isavuconazole (ISA) has a favorable side effect profile that makes it attractive for treatment of invasive fungal infections (IFI). It carries FDA approval for invasive aspergillosis and mucormycosis, but there are fewer data for other organisms and non-pulmonary infections. We conducted this review to investigate how ISA performed at treating IFI, with an especial interest in these non-approved indications. Methods: We retrospectively identified and reviewed 131 patients who received ISA as treatment for IFI at our institution, some of whom received ISA as their first anti-fungal therapy and others who received ISA as either step-down therapy or salvage therapy. We identified the microbiologic cause of infection as well as the anatomic site involved for each patient. We then classified patients according to their response to ISA: namely cured, partially responded, or stabilized. Results: The majority of patients were immunocompromised (n = 76, 58%). ISA was used primarily as a secondary therapy (n = 116, 89%); either as a step-down/switching from other agents, or as salvage therapy. The most common reasons for switching to ISA were toxicities with prior agents followed by QT prolongation. Although pulmonary aspergillosis and mucormycosis were represented in more than half of the cohort, ISA was also used off-label for treatment of other organisms such as endemic fungi (n = 19, 15%) as well as central nervous system (CNS) infections (n = 15, 11%). We have described the detailed clinical characteristics of these CNS infections cases. The overall clinical response rate varied by type of infection and site involved (57–73% response rate). Conclusions: We demonstrated encouraging clinical responses, particularly outside the FDA-approved indications, as well as good tolerability. This report highlights the critical need for expanded scope of prospective studies to delineate the efficacy of this better-tolerated agent, especially in central nervous system infections.

AbstractCellular senescence is an established cause of cell and tissue aging. Senescent cells have been shown to increase in multiple organs during aging, including the skin. Here we hypothesized that senescent cells residing in the skin can spread senescence to distant organs, thereby accelerating systemic aging processes. To explore this hypothesis, we initially observed an increase in several markers of senescence in the skin of aging mice. Subsequently, we conducted experiments wherein senescent fibroblasts were transplanted into the dermis of young mice and assessed various age‐associated parameters. Our findings reveal that the presence of senescent cells in the dermal layer of young mice leads to increased senescence in both proximal and distal host tissues, alongside increased frailty, and impaired musculoskeletal function. Additionally, there was a significant decline in cognitive function, concomitant with increased expression of senescence‐associated markers within the hippocampus brain area. These results support the concept that the accumulation of senescent cells in the skin can exert remote effects on other organs including the brain, potentially explaining links between skin and brain disorders and diseases and, contributing to physical and cognitive decline associated with aging.

Abstract Disclosure: J. Hewlett: None. S. Mohan: None. C.J. Davidge-Pitts: None. J. Abeykoon: None. R. Go: None. D.Z. Erickson: None. Objective: Erdheim-Chester Disease (ECD) is a multisystem histiocytic disorder which can infiltrate the pituitary gland, often leading to endocrine dysfunction. Central Arginine Vasopressin Deficiency (cAVP-D) commonly affects ECD patients, and those harboring BRAFV600E are reported to have an increased risk. Insufficient data exist about the risk associated with other mutations, and if cAVP-D or pituitary imaging improves with targeted therapies (TT). Methods: We conducted a review of a prospectively maintained database of adults with ECD treated at a tertiary center between 1992-2023. Objectives of this study were to identify mutations associated with cAVP-D and assess for improvement in cAVP-D (remission of disease or decrease in dose of desmopressin) or pituitary gland involvement (via MRI imaging) following TT for ECD. Results: Of 148 patients with ECD, the majority were male (98, 66.2%) and the mean age at diagnosis was 56.5 years [range: 19-82]. Median length of follow-up was 24 months (95% CI, 17 to 27). Of 121 (81.8%) patients with molecular testing results, 89 (73.6%) harbored a somatic mutation. 67 of 89 (75.3%) carried BRAF mutations, with BRAFV600E in 61 (91.0%) and missense mutations/fusions in 6 (9.0%). 22 of 89 (24.7%) patients harbored other somatic mutations, with MAP2K1 in 13 (14.6%) being the most common. 35 (23.6%) patients were diagnosed with cAVP-D, and the median onset of polyuria and polydipsia prior to diagnosis of ECD was 51 months (95% CI, -120 to -6). Molecular testing was performed in 28 patients with cAVP-D: 17 (60.7%) harbored BRAF mutation and 3 (10.7%) MAP2K1 mutation. There was no significant association between the presence of cAVP-D and MAP2K1 (p=0.69, 95% CI, -0.08 to 0.21). The association between cAVP-D and BRAF did not reach statistical significance (p=0.07, 95%CI, -0.03 to 0.38). Additionally, there was no association between BRAF and timing of cAVP-D symptoms before ECD diagnosis (p=0.08, 95% CI -163.4 to 10.3). Pituitary MRI was available in 32 patients with cAVP-D (91.4%) showing infundibular involvement in 17 (53.1%) and loss of the posterior bright spot in 5 (15.6%). 28 (80%) patients with cAVP-D received systemic therapy, 18 (64.3%) of whom received TT. One patient with cAVP-D was able to discontinue desmopressin. Improvement of pituitary MRI was noted in 7 (21.9%), among whom 4 received TT, 2 received systemic non-TT, and 1 was lost to follow-up. There was no significant MRI improvement associated with TT (p=0.67, 95% CI -0.30 to 0.42). Conclusion: In this large cohort of patients with ECD, of whom the majority underwent molecular testing, we identified no association between MAP2K1 mutation and cAVP-D, and no impact of TT on the clinical course or MRI findings associated with cAVP-D. BRAF mutation carriers were more likely to have cAVP-D and more likely to have onset of symptoms closer to ECD diagnosis, but the results did not reach statistical significance. Presentation: 6/2/2024

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

6026 Background: We examined a large patient dataset based on E1305, a completed phase III randomized trial of platinum-based chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab (Argiris et al. JCO 2019), to evaluate prognostic factors in the first-line treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (RM SCCHN) and expand on our previous observations in cooperative group trials (Argiris et al. Cancer 2004). Methods: All 403 patients enrolled in E1305 were analyzed. Overall survival (OS) was the outcome of interest. Clinical and tumor characteristics were examined using Cox proportional hazards models. Variables which were significant in the univariate setting at a level of ≤ 0.10 were included in a multivariable model, and backwards selection was performed (threshold of p ≤ 0.05). The final multivariable model was then applied to the two treatment arms, separately. Variables for which the hazards ratio (HR) within an arm was more than 10% different than that for the whole cohort, were removed from the final cohort model. Results: The median OS in the whole study cohort was 11.8 months. A prognostic score model for OS was built, using the 4 independent prognostic factors identified in the multivariable model: ECOG performance status (1 vs 0), prior radiation, primary region (non-oropharynx vs oropharynx), and metastatic disease bone or liver (vs other sites/no metastases). Prognostic score was dichotomized (0-2 and > 2). Patients with 0-2 risk factors (n = 249) had a median OS of 15.2 months (90% CI: 13.8, 18.1), while patients with > 2 risk factors (n = 154) had a median OS of 7.6 months (90% CI: 6.5, 9.3); HR of 2.14 (95% CI: 1.73, 2.66), p < 0.0001. Compared to our previous 5-factor model from analysis of older trials in a similar setting, the variable “bone/liver metastasis” is new, but “tumor cell differentiation” and “weight loss” were not significant and not included in the new model for OS. Conclusions: The new proposed model includes 4 prognostic factors for OS (performance status, primary site, prior radiation, presence of bone/liver metastasis) in the first-line treatment of RM SCCHN.

Abstract Background Hypomagnesemia has been correlated with inferior outcomes in patients with large B cell lymphoma (LBCL) undergoing stem cell transplants. As T-cell and myeloid cell dysfunction have been associated with low magnesium conditions, we investigated whether serum magnesium (Mg) levels could predict clinical outcomes in LBCL patients who received chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. Methods Patients with LBCL who received axi-cel under the ZUMA-1 trial or as FDA approved therapy at Mayo Clinic were examined. Serum samples were obtained at specified time points and cytokine analysis was performed. Single cell RNA sequencing was performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The Student T-test, Kruskal Wallis, or Fisher's Exact Tests were used to compare differences in demographics across Mg levels. Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier methodology and compared using the Wilcoxon test. Results We found that hypomagnesemia before lymphodepletion chemotherapy predicted for inferior progression-free and overall survival in the pivotal study ZUMA-1 (NCT02348216). These results were validated in an independent cohort of LBCL patients receiving axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) at Mayo Clinic. Hypomagnesemia correlated with increased inflammatory serum markers and cytokine levels including ferritin, IL-6, IL1Ra, IL-8, and MIP1a. scRNAseq analysis unveiled altered immune interactions between monocytes and T cells with a concordant immune suppressive transcriptome. Conclusions Hypomagnesemia at the time of CAR-T infusion associates with an unfavorable inflammatory profile and decreased response and survival in LBCL patients receiving axi-cel. These findings suggest a potentially actionable prognostic factor for patients with large cell lymphoma undergoing CAR-T.

Abstract Background Patients with sporadic or hereditary Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma (MTC) often undergo total thyroidectomy and lymph node dissection, with postoperative surveillance relying on serum calcitonin levels and ultrasound examinations. According to American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines, detectable levels of serum calcitonin and Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) post-thyroidectomy suggest potential disease persistence or recurrence, necessitating frequent monitoring for early detection. This study sought to reassess the role of postoperative calcitonin levels in identifying possible tumor recurrence. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted using Siemens Atellica to test calcitonin levels in 562 samples collected between 09/27/2022 and 08/11/2023, at least 3 months post-total thyroidectomy. Imaging studies performed within 6 months of the calcitonin assessment were also reviewed. Sample pools with calcitonin concentrations near 3.00 and 5.00 pg/mL were utilized to determine the limit of quantification (LoQ). CEA results were included for comparison. Additionally, 16 serum samples were analyzed using the Roche Cobas system at a reference laboratory. Results Precision analysis around 3.00 and 5.00 pg/mL revealed coefficients of variation (CVs) of 16.49% and 8.87%, respectively. Comparison of calcitonin levels between Siemens Atellica and Roche Cobas systems demonstrated consistent levels &lt; 5.00 pg/mL in 15 out of 16 samples, indicating alignment and reliability between the platforms. A calcitonin cutoff of 1.89 pg/mL yielded 43% sensitivity and 67% specificity, while a cutoff of 5.00 pg/mL resulted in 0% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Conclusions Our findings suggest that a 5 pg/mL calcitonin cutoff on the Siemens Atellica platform may be suitable for identifying tumor persistence or recurrence in post-thyroidectomy patients within our institution. However, individual laboratories should establish their LoQ criteria when interpreting calcitonin levels for postoperative monitoring of tumor recurrence.

AbstractINTRODUCTIONBlood‐based biomarkers offer a promising approach for the detection of neuropathologies from repetitive head impacts (RHI). We evaluated plasma biomarkers of amyloid, tau, neurodegeneration, and inflammation in former football players.METHODSThe sample included 180 former football players and 60 asymptomatic, unexposed male participants (aged 45–74). Plasma assays were conducted for beta‐amyloid (Aβ) 40, Aβ42, hyper‐phosphorylated tau (p‐tau) 181+231, total tau (t‐tau), neurofilament light (NfL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), Aβ42/p‐tau181 and Aβ42/Aβ40 ratios. We evaluated their ability to differentiate the groups and associations with RHI proxies and traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES).RESULTSP‐tau181 and p‐tau231(padj = 0.016) were higher and Aβ42/p‐tau181 was lower(padj = 0.004) in football players compared to controls. Discrimination accuracy for p‐tau was modest (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.742). Effects were not attributable to AD‐related pathology. Younger age of first exposure (AFE) correlated with higher NfL (padj = 0.03) and GFAP (padj = 0.033). Plasma GFAP was higher in TES‐chronic traumatic encephalopathy (TES‐CTE) Possible/Probable (padj = 0.008).DISCUSSIONPlasma p‐tau181 and p‐tau231, GFAP, and NfL may offer some usefulness for the characterization of RHI‐related neuropathologies.Highlights Former football players had higher plasma p‐tau181 and p‐tau231 and lower Aβ42/ptau‐181 compared to asymptomatic, unexposed men. Younger age of first exposure was associated with increased plasma NfL and GFAP in older but not younger participants. Plasma GFAP was higher in participants with TES‐CTE possible/probable compared to TES‐CTE no/suggestive.