Citations

Abstract Background: BT062 (Biotest AG Dreieich, Germany) is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), comprising the anti-CD138 chimerized MAb (nBT062) and the maytansinoid DM4 as a cytotoxic agent. It is designed to bind to CD138 on cancer cells, and then release DM4 after internalization to cause cell death. CD138 (Syndecan-1) is highly overexpressed on various solid tumors and in hematological malignancies, and represents one of the most specific target antigens for identification of multiple myeloma (MM) cells. BT062 was investigated as a single agent and found to have an acceptable tolerability profile and evidence of activity in patients with heavily pretreated relapsed and/or refractory MM (1). Preclinical studies showed enhanced anti-MM activity when BT062 was combined with lenalidomide and dexamethasone (Len/Dex). Based on these data, a Phase I/IIa study in MM was initiated to evaluate the safety and efficacy of BT062 in combination with Len/Dex. Objectives: To determine the dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), the recommended phase II dose (RPTD), pharmacokinetics (PK), and anti-MM activity of increasing doses of BT062 (days 1, 8, and 15, every 4 weeks) used in combination with Len (25 mg, daily on days 1-21) and low dose Dex (40 mg on days 1, 8, 15, and 22) in patients with relapsed and/or refractory MM. Methods: This is a prospective, open label, multicenter Phase I/IIa study. The Phase I part includes dose escalation, and the Phase IIa the expansion of the RPTD cohort. Patients aged ≥18 years with relapsed and/or refractory MM who have failed at least one prior therapy were eligible to participate. Prior treatment with Len and/or Dex was allowed. Patients with clinical response (or no evidence of progressive disease) and without unacceptable toxicities were eligible for additional treatment cycles. Patients were enrolled in cohorts of at least 3 at each dose level; DLT in the first cycle triggered cohort expansion. Toxicities were assessed by CTCAE v4 and clinical response was assessed according to International Myeloma Working Group criteria. Results: The maximum administered dose (MAD) was 120 mg/m². Two of six patients treated at this dose had a DLT: mucosal inflammation (CTC grade 3) and anemia (CTC grade 3). The MTD was defined as 100 mg/m² and selected as RPTD. Additional patients are being treated at this RPTD to further evaluate safety and efficacy. Enrollment into the study is ongoing. As of July 2014, a total of 45 patients had received BT062 at dose levels of 80 mg/m² (N=3), 100 mg/m² (N=36) or 120 mg/m² (N=6). Fifteen patients discontinued study treatment: 5 for disease progression, 7 for adverse events, 1 died (not treatment related) and 2 for withdrawal of consent. The other 30 patients remain on treatment. The median treatment duration was 123 days (range 1–597). The median number of prior therapies was 3 (range 1–11). 68% of patients had prior exposure to both Len and bortezomib, 73% of patients had prior Len exposure, and 30% were Len-refractory. According to preliminary data from this ongoing study, about 89% of reported Adverse Events (AEs) were CTC grade 1 or 2. The most common reported AEs were diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, and hypokalemia. Amongst the 36 patients across all dose levels currently evaluable for efficacy, the overall response rate (ORR) is 78%; including 1 stringent complete response, 2 complete responses, 10 very good partial responses, and 15 partial responses. Two patients achieved a minor response and 6 patients disease stabilization, resulting in a clinical benefit in 100% of the evaluable patients. The ORR was 83% among the 30 evaluable patients receiving the RPTD. Interestingly, the ORR was 70% among the 23 patients with prior exposure to Len and bortezomib, and among 10 patients refractory to prior treatment with Len. Conclusion: Preliminary data from this ongoing study indicate that BT062 is well tolerated in combination with Len/Dex at dose levels that induce responses in patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma, including patients with prior exposure to both Len and bortezomib and patients refractory to prior treatment with Len. Updated results on safety and efficacy will be presented. References Heffner et al, BT062, an Antibody-Drug Conjugate Directed Against CD138, Given Weekly for 3 Weeks in Each 4 Week Cycle: Safety and Further Evidence of Clinical Activity. Blood. 2012; 120: Abstract 4042. Disclosures Kelly: Celgene: Speakers Bureau. Heffner:Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Biotest: Research Funding; Dana Farber CI: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Gilead: Research Funding; Idera: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Honoraria, Research Funding; Onyx: Research Funding; Spectrum: Research Funding; Talon Therapeutics: Research Funding. Somlo:Millennium: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Siegel:Celgene: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Onyx: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Millennium: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Munshi:Celgene: Consultancy; Onyx: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy; Sanofi-Aventis: Consultancy; Ocopep: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Patents & Royalties. Jagannath:Celgene: Consultancy; Millennium: Consultancy; Sanofi: Consultancy. Lonial:Millennium: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Onyx: Consultancy, Research Funding. Ailawadhi:Millennium: Consultancy, Honoraria. Barmaki-Rad:Biotest AG: Employment. Chavan:Biotest Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Patel:Biotest Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Wartenberg-Demand:Biotest AG: Employment. Haeder:Biotest AG: Employment. Anderson:Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Millennium: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Onyx: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Sanofi Aventis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Oncopep: Equity Ownership; Acetylon: Equity Ownership.

Abstract Multiple myeloma (MM) is 2-3 times more common among African-Americans compared to non-Hispanic whites. The 2-3-fold increased risk among family members of cases suggests a genetic contribution to risk. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in populations of European ancestry have identified seven novel risk loci at 2p23.3 (rs6746082), 3q26.2 (rs10936599), 3p22.1 (rs1052501), 6p21.32 (rs2285803), 7p15.3 (rs4487645), 17p11.2 (rs4273077) and 22q13.1 (rs877529) (Broderick, et al. Nat Genet, 2011, Chubb, et al. Nat Genet, 2013), three of which were replicated in another European series (Martino et al., Br J Haematol, 2012). Here we examined the index signals and conducted fine-mapping for each locus in a case-control study of 1,049 multiple myeloma cases and 7,084 controls of African ancestry to identify better markers of risk and novel independent loci in seven previously reported regions in this high risk population. Incident cases were recruited from 10 clinical centers and SEER cancer registries from 2011 to 2013 and genotyped using the Illumina HumanCore GWAS array. Control data were obtained from previous genome-wide studies of breast and prostate cancer, genotyped using the Illumina 1M-Duo in 4425 male controls from the African Ancestry Prostate Cancer Consortium (consisting of 14 independent studies) and 2632 female controls from a breast cancer GWAS of African-American women (consisting of 9 independent studies). Imputation to 1000 Genomes (March 2012 release) was conducted for regions around six of the previously identified single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs] (the HLA region harboring rs2285803 is still being imputed, results will be presented). A case-control analysis of SNPs/indels >1% frequency within 250 kb of each index variant was conducted using unconditional multivariable logistic regression adjusting for age, sex and five leading principal components. Region-specific alpha levels were determined through permutation tests. The minimum alpha level across the six regions was α=0.002. All previously reported risk variants were common in African-Americans (minor allele frequency [MAF] >0.05). For five of the six SNPs, we had ≥94% power to detect the same effect observed in non-Hispanic whites, and 64% power for the less common variant rs10936599 (MAF=0.07). We observed directionally consistent effects (odds ratio [OR]>1) for the six risk variants tested, with three replicating at p≤0.05 (7p15.3, p=1.4x10-7; 17p11.2, p=0.05; 22q13.1, p=0.02). For three of the six regions, we observed better markers of risk in African-Americans that were correlated with the index SNP in Europeans (7p15.3, rs56333627, p=1.5x10-5, r2=0.89; 17p11.2, rs34562254, p=2.9x10-3, r2=0.90; 22q13.1, rs2092410, p=1.1x10-4 r2=.71). The missense variant identified in the 17p11.2 region (rs34562254, Pro251Leu) is located in TNFRSF13B, which encodes the protein TACI, a B cell surface receptor which plays a role in B cell maturation, apoptosis and antibody production by inducing activation of transcription factors including NFAT and NFκβ. In addition, there is evidence suggesting that TACI is involved in MM pathogenesis. Our results demonstrate that many of the risk loci for MM found in European ancestry populations are also risk loci in men and women of African ancestry and that by fine-mapping, we are able to identify variants that better capture risk in populations of African ancestry. Disclosures Terebelo: Celgene Corp: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Lonial:Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding; Onyx Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Research Funding.

SummarySelinexor, an oral Selective Inhibitor of Nuclear Export, targets Exportin 1 (XPO1, also termed CRM1). Non‐clinical studies support combining selinexor with proteasome inhibitors (PIs) and corticosteroids to overcome resistance in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). We conducted a phase I dose‐escalation trial of twice‐weekly selinexor in combination with carfilzomib and dexamethasone (SKd) to determine maximum tolerated dose in patients with RRMM (N = 21), with an expansion cohort to assess activity in carfilzomib‐refractory disease and identify a recommended phase II dose (RP2D). During dose escalation, there was one dose‐limiting toxicity (cardiac failure). The RP2D of twice‐weekly SKd was selinexor 60 mg, carfilzomib 20/27 mg/m2 and dexamethasone 20 mg. The most common grade 3/4 treatment‐emergent adverse events included thrombocytopenia (71%), anaemia (33%), lymphopenia (33%), neutropenia (33%) and infections (24%). Rates of ≥minimal response, ≥partial response and very good partial response were 71%, 48% and 14%, respectively; similar response outcomes were observed for dual‐class refractory (PI and immunomodulatory drug)/quad‐exposed (carfilzomib, bortezomib, lenalidomide and pomalidomide) patients (n = 17), and patients refractory to carfilzomib in last line of therapy (n = 13). Median progression‐free survival was 3·7 months, and overall survival was 22·4 months in the overall population. SKd was tolerable and re‐established disease control in RRMM patients, including carfilzomib‐refractory patients.Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02199665)

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the rate, predictors, and impact of complete pathologic response (cPR) to pretransplant locoregional therapy (LRT) in a large, multicenter cohort of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT). Background: LRT is used to mitigate waitlist dropout for patients with HCC awaiting LT. Degree of tumor necrosis found on explant has been associated with recurrence and overall survival, but has not been evaluated in a large, multicenter study. Methods: Comparisons were made among patients receiving pre-LT LRT with (n = 802) and without (n = 2637) cPR from the United States Multicenter HCC Transplant Consortium (UMHTC), and multivariable predictors of cPR were identified using logistic regression. Results: Of 3439 patients, 802 (23%) had cPR on explant. Compared with patients without cPR, cPR patients were younger; had lower Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores, AFP levels, and neutrophil–lymphocyte ratios (NLR); were more likely to have tumors within Milan criteria and fewer LRT treatments; and had significantly lower 1-, 3-, and 5-year incidence of post-LT recurrence (1.3%, 3.5%, and 5.2% vs 6.2%, 13.5%, and 16.4%; P < 0.001) and superior overall survival (92%, 84%, and 75% vs 90%, 78%, and 68%; P < 0.001). Multivariable predictors of cPR included age, sex, liver disease diagnosis, MELD, AFP, NLR, radiographic Milan status, and number of LRT treatments (C-statistic 0.67). Conclusions: For LT recipients with HCC receiving pretransplant LRT, achieving cPR portends significantly lower posttransplant recurrence and superior survival. Factors predicting cPR are identified, which may help prioritize patients and guide LRT strategies to optimize posttransplant cancer outcomes.

Abstract The amplified MYCN gene serves as an oncogenic driver in approximately 20% of high-risk pediatric neuroblastomas. Here we show that MYC itself is a potent transforming gene in a separate subset of high-risk neuroblastoma cases (~10%), based on (i) its upregulation by focal enhancer amplification or genomic rearrangements leading to enhancer hijacking, and (ii) its ability to transform neuroblastoma precursor cells in a transgenic animal model. The aberrant regulatory elements associated with oncogenic MYC activation include focally amplified distal enhancers or translocation of highly active enhancers from other genes to within topologically associating domains containing the MYC gene locus. The clinical outcome for patients with high levels of MYC expression is virtually identical to that of patients with amplification of the MYCN gene, a known high-risk feature of this disease. Together, these findings establish MYC as a bona fide oncogene in a clinically significant group of high-risk childhood neuroblastomas. Citation Format: Mark W. Zimmerman, Yu Liu, Shuning He, Adam D. Durbin, Brian J. Abraham, John Easton, Ying Shao, Beisi Xu, Shizhen Zhu, Xiaoling Zhang, Nina Weichert-Leahey, Richard A. Young, Jinghui Zhang, A. Thomas Look. MYC activation through enhancer hijacking or focal enhancer amplification drives a subset of high-risk pediatric neuroblastoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Pediatric Cancer Research: From Basic Science to the Clinic; 2017 Dec 3-6; Atlanta, Georgia. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(19 Suppl):Abstract nr IA19.

ABSTRACTObjectives:The aim of the present study was to investigate the natural history of chronic pancreatitis (CP); patients in the North American Pancreatitis Study2 (NAPS2, adults) and INternational Study group of Pediatric Pancreatitis: In search for a cuRE (INSPPIRE, pediatric) were compared.Methods:Demographics, risk factors, disease duration, management and outcomes of 224 children and 1063 adults were compared using appropriate statistical tests for categorical and continuous variables.Results:Alcohol was a risk in 53% of adults and 1% of children (P < 0.0001); tobacco in 50% of adults and 7% of children (P < 0.0001). Obstructive factors were more common in children (29% vs 19% in adults, P = 0.001). Genetic risk factors were found more often in children. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency was similar (children 26% vs adult 33%, P = 0.107). Diabetes was more common in adults than children (36% vs 4% respectively, P < 0.0001). Median emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and missed days of work/school were similar across the cohorts. As a secondary analysis, NAPS2 subjects with childhood onset (NAPS2‐CO) were compared with INSPPIRE subjects. These 2 cohorts were more similar than the total INSPPIRE and NAPS2 cohorts, including for genetic risk factors. The only risk factor significantly more common in the NAPS2‐CO cohort compared with the INSPPIRE cohort was alcohol (9% NAPS2‐CO vs 1% INSPPIRE cohorts, P = 0.011).Conclusions:Despite disparity in age of onset, children and adults with CP exhibit similarity in demographics, CP treatment, and pain. Differences between groups in radiographic findings and diabetes prevalence may be related to differences in risk factors associated with disease and length of time of CP.

Objective: To derive new criteria sets for defining manic and hypomanic episodes (and thus for defining the bipolar I and II disorders), an international Task Force was assembled and termed AREDOC reflecting its role of Assessment, Revision and Evaluation of DSM and other Operational Criteria. This paper reports on the first phase of its deliberations and interim criteria recommendations. Method: The first stage of the process consisted of reviewing Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, and recent International Classification of Diseases criteria, identifying their limitations and generating modified criteria sets for further in-depth consideration. Task Force members responded to recommendations for modifying criteria and from these the most problematic issues were identified. Results: Principal issues focussed on by Task Force members were how best to differentiate mania and hypomania, how to judge ‘impairment’ (both in and of itself and allowing that functioning may sometimes improve during hypomanic episodes) and concern that rejecting some criteria (e.g. an imposed duration period) might risk false-positive diagnoses of the bipolar disorders. Conclusion: This first-stage report summarises the clinical opinions of international experts in the diagnosis and management of the bipolar disorders, allowing readers to contemplate diagnostic parameters that may influence their clinical decisions. The findings meaningfully inform subsequent Task Force stages (involving a further commentary stage followed by an empirical study) that are expected to generate improved symptom criteria for diagnosing the bipolar I and II disorders with greater precision and to clarify whether they differ dimensionally or categorically.