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Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Inotersen for Hereditary Transthyretin Amyloidosis: NEURO-TTR Open-Label Extension 2-Year Update (S27.008)
Brannagan, Thomas H., Wang, Annabel K., Polydefkis, Michael , Dyck, P. James B. , Khella, Sami, Hughes, Steven G. , Kwoh, Jesse, Jung, Shiangtung W., Guthrie, Spencer , Pollock, Michael, Benson, Merrill D., Coelho, Teresa , Waddington‐Cruz, Márcia , Planté‐Bordeneuve, Violaine , Berk, John L. , Barroso, Fábio , Merlini, Giampaolo , Conceição, Isabel , Gertz, Morie A.

Mayo Clinic

Neurology | December 7, 2023 | Volume: 92 | Issue: 15_supplement | Pages: No page available

10.1212/wnl.92.15_supplement.s27.008 Get It

Impact of NEOD001 on Neuropathy in Patients With Light Chain Amyloidosis and Persistent Organ Dysfunction: Results From the Expansion Phase of a Phase 1/2 Study (S5.001)
Liedtke, Michaela , Comenzo, Raymond L. , Landau, Heather , Weiss, Brendan M. , Zonder, Jeffrey A. , Walling, Jackie , Kinney, Gene G. , Koller, Martin, Schenk, Dale B., Guthrie, Spencer , Liu, Enchi , Sanchorawala, Vaishali , Gertz, Morie A.

Mayo Clinic

Neurology | December 7, 2023 | Volume: 88 | Issue: 16_supplement | Pages: No page available

10.1212/wnl.88.16_supplement.s5.001 Get It

Rationale and Design of NEURO-TTRansform, a Phase 3 Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of AKCEA-TTR-LRx (ION-682884) in Patients with Hereditary Transthyretin-Mediated Amyloid Polyneuropathy (2240)
Khella, Sami, Coelho, Teresa , Monteiro, Cecília , Viney, Nicholas J. , Büchele, Gustavo, Jung, Shiangtung W., O’Dea, Louis, Schneider, Eugene, Geary, Richard S. , Monia, Brett P. , Gertz, Morie A. , Tai, Li-Jung, Brambatti, Michela , Tsimikas, Sotirios

Mayo Clinic

Neurology | December 7, 2023 | Volume: 94 | Issue: 15_supplement | Pages: No page available

10.1212/wnl.94.15_supplement.2240 Get It

Using a Quality Improvement Activity to Enhance the Knowledge, Competence and Confidence of Clinicians Managing Patients with Cold Agglutinin Disease
D’Sa, Shirley , Boothman, Luke, Day, Kathy, Scott, Alison, Jilma, Bernd , Gertz, Morie A. , Noble, Alex, Day, Kathy, Kazi, Sadaf

Mayo Clinic

Blood | December 1, 2023 | Volume: 142 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 5066-5066

10.1182/blood-2023-172507 Get It

Introduction Cold agglutinin disease (CAD) is an autoimmune hemolytic anemia that is rare and poorly understood. This means that clinicians can find understanding the immunopathogenesis of CAD and individualizing therapy challenging, and may struggle to maintain their knowledge of current and emerging therapies, so patients may not receive optimal care. Therefore, we designed an easily accessible, online, continuing medical education activity for hematologists and hematologist-oncologists, using quality improvement principles together with other change approaches, to improve the care clinicians provide to patients with CAD. Methods The online activity included 3 short videos presented by faculty who shared their expertise in managing patients with CAD. We set learning objectives based on key topics we identified as being challenging for clinicians. This allowed us to measure the impact of the education on knowledge, competence (based on Moore's outcomes framework Levels 3 and 4), intention to change practice and clinical confidence. We also measured participation and satisfaction (Moore's Levels 1 and 2), and changes by region (EU5, Latin America and USA) and clinician experience. Questionnaires were fielded by an independent third party (Nuaxia Limited [Richmond, UK]) at baseline (n=100) and within 3 months (n=100) and 6 months (n=50) after participation in the activity to assess knowledge, competence, satisfaction, intention to change practice and confidence. Additionally, these assessments allowed us to identify the need for further educational activities and the topics they should cover. Participation was measured using Google Analytics. Questionnaire responses were analyzed by touchIME statisticians and data from 3 and 6 months were pooled for combined analysis. The margin of error was calculated as ~3% based on a standard confidence interval of 95%. Results At 6 months, the combined analysis showed an increase from baseline in declarative and procedural knowledge, and competence of 12%, 25% and 20%, respectively (Figure 1). These improvements did not show any significant variation by geography (p=0.432) or by years in practice (p=0.923). Analysis by question topic showed that the significant improvements were achieved consistently (p=0.003) for immunopathogenesis, p<0.001 for current and emerging therapies, and p<0.001 for individualizing treatments; Figure 2). The total number of questions answered correctly also increased significantly (p<0.001) from baseline (64.3%; SD 1.808) at the 6-month combined follow-up (82.0%; SD 1.808). The combined analysis showed clinician confidence in managing CAD improved from 44%, being moderately or extremely confident at baseline, to 72% at 6 months; a median of 57% of learners said they would make a change in their clinical practice. At 6 months post-launch, 6,754 participants had engaged with the education and the overall satisfaction was 88%. Conclusion This educational activity led to significant improvements in the knowledge and competence of hematologists and hematologist-oncologists in the understanding and management of CAD. Further, the majority of participants stated they were more confident and would change their clinical practice, which may improve the quality and effectiveness of patient care. The short, accessible format of this activity meant clinicians could participate whenever convenient and the use of expert-led videos made it engaging and applicable, which may have contributed to the success of the activity. Feedback from learners and our analysis indicate that further quality improvement initiatives on this topic would be beneficial and should cover integrating novel therapies into the clinic, as well as improving diagnostic accuracy in the non-speciality clinic.
A US Retrospective Observational Study of Rituximab Use in Cold Agglutinin Disease
Piatek, Caroline , Karaouni, Alia, Miles, Gandarvaka, Heller, Carrie, Lucia, Jacqueline , Patel, Reena , Tyma, Jennifer, Yoo, Ronnie , Murakhovskaya, Irina , Tyma, Jennifer, Gertz, Morie A.

Mayo Clinic

Blood | December 1, 2023 | Volume: 142 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 3835-3835

10.1182/blood-2023-172563 Get It

Background Cold agglutinin disease (CAD) is a rare autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). Rituximab is approved for treatment of B-cell lymphoma and severe rheumatoid arthritis and used off-label as a treatment for AIHA, including CAD. There is limited real-world evidence on patterns of rituximab use, safety, response rate and duration of response among patients with CAD. Objectives The key objectives were: 1) to characterize patients who initiated rituximab and examine their treatment patterns; 2) to describe the incidence of serious infections (SIs) prior and post rituximab treatment; 3) to assess the rate and duration of response to rituximab using hemolytic markers. Methods This retrospective, cohort study included adult (aged ≥18 years) patients with CAD from Optum's de-identified Market Clarity Data (2007-2021). Patients with CAD (Cohort 1) were indexed on their CAD diagnosis date. Cohort 1 patients who had ≥1 rituximab infusion (Cohort 2) were indexed on their 1 st rituximab infusion date ( Figure 1). Patients with cold agglutinin syndrome associated comorbidities on or before their index date were excluded. For each cohort, demographics, and clinical characteristics at index date, and for Cohort 2, clinical characteristics during 1 year before index date were described. Data for rituximab treatment patterns included number of courses, treatment type (monotherapy or combination therapy), complete or incomplete course, and the use of blood transfusion (BT) as rescue therapy. In Cohort 2, the incidence rates of SIs per 1000 patient-years before and after treatment (within 6 months of 1 st infusion) were assessed. Response to treatment was assessed using hemolytic markers (hemoglobin [Hb], bilirubin, and lactate dehydrogenase [LDH]). From baseline, a change of ≥2 g/dL was considered a Hb response, while a decrease of 50% was assessed as proxy for a bilirubin or LDH response. Relapse was defined as the reversal of biomarker levels below the minimum response threshold. Response duration was the period from the date of response to that of relapse. Results A total of 611 CAD patients were identified (Cohort 1); 94 of them received rituximab (Cohort 2). Median time from CAD diagnosis to rituximab initiation was 43.5 (Interquartile range [IQR]: 13.0-308.3) days. Overall, Cohort 2 had a more severe disease status at treatment initiation than all patients with CAD (Cohort 1) at diagnosis (higher comorbidity scores, rates of health care resource utilization, lower Hb, and more severely elevated hemolytic markers; Table 1). In Cohort 2, the mean (SD) number of rituximab courses per patient was 1.45 (1.16); 24 (25.5%) of patients had ≥1 incomplete course; 37 (39.4%) required BT rescue therapy, and the median time from rituximab initiation to 1 st BT was 31 (IQR: 1.5-110.5) days. Combination therapy was rarely used (3/94; 0.03%); only 1 patient completed. The incidence rate (95% CI) of SIs (per 1000 patient-years) post CAD diagnosis in Cohort 2 was ~3 times higher in the 4 to 6 months after rituximab initiation (637.1 [242.2-1032.0]) than before (245.4 [125.1-365.6]). Proportion of corticosteroid use was the same during 1 year prior to rituximab initiation and concomitantly with rituximab (54/94; 57.4%, both). For patients in Cohort 2 with available data, 69.5% (41/59) had a Hb response, 59.6% (28/47) had a bilirubin response, and 31.3% (10/32) had a LDH response to the 1 st course of rituximab (median [IQR] time to response: 48.0 [33.5-85.0], 68.0 [33.3-199.8], and 67.5 [45.3-211.3] days, respectively). Among patients who responded to the 1 st course, Hb relapse occurred in 68.3% (28/41), bilirubin relapse in 53.6% (15/28), and LDH relapse in 80.0% (8/10) of patients (median [IQR] time from response to relapse: 44.0 [13.3-90.8], 98.00 [29.0-257.0], and 93.00 [21.3-161.8] days, respectively). Conclusions The findings highlight outcomes of rituximab use for treatment of CAD in a real-world setting. Patients who initiated rituximab had more severe disease compared to all patients with CAD. Rituximab was predominantly given as monotherapy, with an average of 1.45 courses per patient. About 25% of patients had ≥1 incomplete rituximab course, and rescue therapy with BTs was often required. Patients receiving rituximab experienced 3 times more SIs after initiating rituximab than before treatment. Although responses to rituximab were commonly observed, duration of response was short, and the rate of relapse was high.
The Impact of Melphalan Conditioning Schedule on Post-Transplant Outcomes in AL Amyloidosis: A Multicenter Study with 1718 Patients
Qazilbash, Muzaffar H. , Kin, Andrew , Houde, Christiane , Jacob, Eapen K., Arai, Sally , Chin, Michelle M. , Lentzsch, Suzanne , Magen, Hila , Shkury, Eden , Sarubbi, Caitlin, Landau, Heather , Muchtar, Eli , Sanchorawala, Vaishali , Hassan, Hamza , Hegenbart, Ute , Schönland, Stefan , Lee, Hans C. , Buadi, Francis K. , Dispenzieri, Angela , Chakraborty, Rajshekhar , Gertz, Morie A.

Mayo Clinic

Blood | December 1, 2023 | Volume: 142 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 4784-4784

10.1182/blood-2023-188115 Get It

Introduction: High dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is one of the most effective therapies in light chain (AL) amyloidosis. It is associated with a high hematologic response rate and leads to durable remissions. High dose melphalan is the most frequently used conditioning chemotherapy, as has been used in multiple myeloma (MM). Melphalan dose is based on renal function, age, degree of cardiac involvement and patients' frailty and is predictive of outcomes. While studies that assessed the conditioning schedule have been conducted in MM, with variable results, no such studies were done in AL amyloidosis. Methods: In this retrospective study, we explored the impact of the conditioning schedule on post-transplant outcomes in a large multicenter study. Patients with AL amyloidosis who underwent ASCT for the primary diagnosis of AL amyloidosis between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2020, were included in this study. Results: One thousand seven hundred and eighteen (n=1718) patients from 9 centers are included. The median age was 58 years, and 61% were male. Most patients had one (43%) or two (33%) involved organs, with the most involved organs were the kidneys (69%) followed by the heart (52%). Induction therapy was given to 52% of patients. The conditioning regimen was almost exclusively melphalan (99.2%), with 65% receiving full dose melphalan (≥170 mg/m 2). Melphalan was given over two days in most patients (80%). A rest day between conditioning and stem cell infusion was provided in 53% of patients, mostly in those who received melphalan on a single day rather than over 2 days (87% vs 44%, P<0.001). Post-transplant hematologic response was available for 1569 patients (91% of patients) and were assessed from baseline. Complete response (CR) and very good partial responses (VGPR) were achieved post-ASCT in 33.7% of patients each. Low dFLC-partial response (PR) was achieved in 2.7% and PR in 18% of patients. Altogether, satisfactory post-ASCT response (CR, VGPR, or low-dFLC PR combined) was achieved in 70% of patients. Compared to no induction, less than a PR to induction was associated with a lower probability of achieving satisfactory post-ASCT response, while PR or better to induction had higher chances of satisfactory post-ASCT response (65% vs 46% vs 84%, P<0.001). A single day of melphalan conditioning was associated with a higher probability of satisfactory post-ASCT response compared to two days of conditioning (82% vs 67%, P<0.001). Omitting a day of rest between conditioning and stem cell infusion was also associated with higher satisfactory post-ASCT response compared to having a rest day (76% vs 65%, P<0.001). The Table lists other predictors for a post-ASCT satisfactory hematologic response. In a nominal multivariate logistic regression analysis, independent predictors for higher post-ASCT satisfactory hematological response rate included: PR or better to induction therapy, female gender, kappa light chain isotype, lower dFLC at baseline, and kidney and liver involvement. In addition, full dose melphalan, conditioning given over a single day and having no rest day between conditioning and stem cell infusion were also associated with a higher likelihood of satisfactory post-ASCT response. Post-ASCT hematologic CR rate was higher in those receiving full dose conditioning (36% vs 28%, P<0.001), in those having no rest day (40% vs 28%, P<0.001) but not in those who received one day of conditioning versus two days (35% vs 33%, P=0.5). The rate of ICU admission was higher in those receiving no day rest (17.7% vs 12.6%), P=0.003) and among those who received reduced dose melphalan (18.1% vs 13.3%, P=0.008) but not based on number of conditioning days (P=0.56). Day 100 mortality was significantly higher in the no rest day group (5.6% vs 3.2%, P=0.01) and among those receiving reduced dose melphalan (6.8% vs 3.1%, P=0.004) compared to their counterparts, but not based on the number of days of conditioning (P=0.89). The median follow-up in the entire cohort was 104 months (95% CI 98-110). In a multivariate analysis for overall survival (OS), the conditioning dose but not the conditioning schedule was independently associated with OS. Conclusions: This study is the first to demonstrate the effect of melphalan conditioning schedule on post-transplant response. This study supports a single day melphalan conditioning in AL amyloidosis to improve post-ASCT response.
Modified Staging System for Waldenström Macroglobulinemia (MSS-WM): A Multi-Institutional Externally Validated Prognostic Model for Active/Symptomatic Waldenström Macroglobulinemia
Zanwar, Saurabh , Durot, Éric , D’Sa, Shirley , Abeykoon, Jithma P. , Kumar, Shaji , Kyle, Robert A. , Ansell, Stephen M. , Kapoor, Prshant, Le‐Rademacher, Jennifer , Mondello, Patrizia , Sarosiek, Shayna , Paludo, Jonas , Chhabra, Saurabh , Cook, Joselle , Parrondo, Ricardo D , Dispenzieri, Angela , Gonsalves, Wilson I. , Muchtar, Eli , Ailawadhi, Sikander , Rajkumar, S. Vincent , Delmer, Alain , Fonseca, Rafaël , Gertz, Morie A. , Treon, Steven P. , Castillo, Jorge J.

Mayo Clinic

Blood | December 1, 2023 | Volume: 142 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 3030-3030

10.1182/blood-2023-179940 Get It

Background: Waldenström Macroglobulinemia (WM) is an indolent lymphoma with heterogeneous outcomes. The recently developed, Revised International Prognostic Scoring System for WM (rIPSS-WM) did not examine the prognostic impact of MYD88L265P, a somatic alteration present in most patients with WM. Moreover, rIPSS-WM could only be partially validated in an external cohort. Here, we report the performance of rIPSS-WM and propose a refined prognostic model with external validation. Methods: We reviewed medical records of treatment-naïve patients with active WM consecutively seen at Mayo Clinic, Rochester (MCR) between 01/01/1996 and 12/31/2017. We applied the rIPSS-WM model in patients with data available for all required parameters, including age, serum beta-2 microglobulin (β2M), serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and serum albumin at diagnosis to assess the prognostic utility of this model. We then identified the dichotomized clinical and laboratory parameters prognostic for overall survival (OS) by univariate analyses (UVA) in our cohort. The significant parameters were analyzed to independently predict OS in a multivariable analysis (MVA) and to create a prognostic model, which was subsequently validated in an independent multi-institutional cohort. Results: We identified 889 patients with active WM at MCR, with a median follow-up of 8.2 [95% confidence interval (CI): 7.5-9] years. The estimated median OS for this cohort was 10.6 (95%CI: 9.7-11.4) years. Patients with available data in this cohort for the validation of rIPSS-WM (n=241) were risk stratified into very low (n=46), low (n=64), intermediate (n=58), high (n=46) and very-high risk groups (n=27) per rIPSS-WM, with the respective 5-year OS rates of 96%, 76%, 72%, 77% and 32%, demonstrating overlapping survival curves for the low, intermediate and the high-risk groups. Because rIPSS-WM could not be validated, we used the data from the MCR cohort and identified age at diagnosis of active WM, LDH >upper limit of normal (ULN), β2M >3µg/mL and albumin <3.5g/dL as statistically significant prognostic markers for OS on UVA. Notably, the presence of MYD88 L265P did not impact OS [median 11.4 years (95%CI: 10.1-not reached (NR) for MYD88 L265P genotype (n=231) versus 10 years (95% CI: 8.1-NR) for MYD88 WT genotype (n=65); p=0.33]. On MVA, LDH >ULN (HR 2.34), serum albumin <3.5 g/dL (HR 1.5) and age groups 65-75 years (HR 1.4) and >75 years (HR 2.6) were independently prognostic. Based on comparable HRs, we assigned a score of 1 point each to serum albumin <3.5 g/dL and age group 66-75 years and similarly, 2 points each for age >75 years and serum LDH >ULN per their impact on OS. Patients with the composite scores of 0, 1 and 2 were categorized as low risk, low- intermediate risk and intermediate risk, respectively. Due to similar OS for the scores of 3 to 5, these were combined to form the high-risk group of our proposed model: Modified Staging System for WM (MSS-WM). The median OS was 14.6 years [95%CI: 9.1 years-NR] for low-risk (score 0, n=71, 21%), 11.2 years (95% CI: 9.1-15.2 years) for low-intermediate risk (score 1, n=110, 32%), 8.1 years (95% CI: 6.4-12.2) for intermediate risk (score 2, n=81, 24%) and 5.5 years (95 % CI: 3.9-11 years) for the high-risk group (score ≥3, n=79, 23%); p<0.0001. In this derivation cohort, the 5-year OS rate was 93%, 82%, 69% and 55% and 10-year OS rate was 60%, 53%, 45% and 30% for the low, low-intermediate, intermediate, and high-risk cohort, respectively ( Figure 1A). We also validated MSS-WM using competing risk analysis (p=0.001) and in the cohort of rituximab treated patients (p<0.0001). We then used data from an independent series of 335 treatment-naïve symptomatic patients from academic institutions (n=5) across the US and Europe for external validation of the MSS-WM model. The median follow-up for the validation cohort was 6.3 years (95% CI: 5.5-7.2 years). The 5-year OS was 93%, 90%, 75% and 57% and the estimated 10-year OS was 91%, 80%, 64% and 35% for the low risk (n= 86, 26%), low-intermediate (n=107, 32%), intermediate (n=86, 26%) and high-risk (n=59, 18%) cohorts, respectively (p<0.0001, Figure 1B). Conclusions: Our proposed model, MSS-WM, is a simple, clinically useful, externally validated model that reliably risk stratifies previously untreated patients with active WM into four groups that have distinct outcomes based on the composite scores derived from the patients' age, serum albumin and serum LDH at diagnosis.
Healthcare Utilization Outcomes of Outpatient CAR-T Cell Therapy with Remote Patient Monitoring Program
Bansal, Radhika , Hathcock, Matthew , Corraes, Andre De Menezes Silva , Oyarzabal, Beatriz A., Harmsen, William S. , Lunde, Julianne J. , Haugen, Kelsey, Spychalla, Megan, Khurana, Arushi , Hayman, Suzanne R. , Kapoor, Prashant , Hampel, Paul J. , Kourelis, Taxiarchis , Kumar, Shaji , Warsame, Rahma , Johnston, Patrick B. , Ansell, Stephen M. , Haddad, Tufia C. , Paludo, Jonas , Pritchett, Joshua C. , Coffey, Jordan , Alkhateeb, Hassan B. , Dingli, David , Gertz, Morie A. , Wang, Yucai , Binder, Moritz , Kenderian, Saad S. , Shah, Meera , Siddiqui, Mustaqeem , Villasboas, José C. , Bennani, N. Nora , Lin, Yi

Mayo Clinic

Blood | December 1, 2023 | Volume: 142 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 5075-5075

10.1182/blood-2023-187834 Get It

Introduction While chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has transformed the management of hematologic malignancies, it requires frequent monitoring for acute toxicities, almost universally achieved through mandatory hospitalizations, therefore utilizing a significant amount of healthcare resources. At Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, our standard practice is administering CAR-T cell therapy in the outpatient setting through a multi-disciplinary hospital-based outpatient (HBO) unit and remote patient monitoring (RPM) program. Our CAR-T RPM program consists of in-home, electronic health record-integrated technology to monitor vital signs and neurologic symptoms for 30 days post CAR-T infusion. Here we report the healthcare utilization outcomes of CAR-T patients managed in the outpatient setting enrolled in the RPM program. Methods Patients undergoing FDA-approved CAR-T cell treatment in the outpatient setting and participating in the CAR-T RPM program at Mayo Clinic Rochester were included in this IRB-approved study. Patient characteristics, healthcare utilization metrics, inpatient interventions, and patient satisfaction data regarding the RPM program were reviewed. Length of stay (LOS) includes any hospitalizations for which the admission date falls within the RPM monitoring period (CAR-T cell infusion to day +30), even if the hospitalization continued past day +30. Results A total of 123 patients participated in the CAR-T RPM program and underwent treatment in the outpatient setting. Median age at CAR-T infusion was 63 years (range 22 - 83), and most patients were male (n=78, 63%). Non-Hodgkin lymphoma was the most common diagnosis (n=74, 60%), followed by multiple myeloma (n=47, 38%), ALL (n=1, 1%) and other (n=1, 1%). During the PRM monitoring period, 19 (16%) patients were managed entirely in the outpatient setting. The remaining 104 (84%) patients required at least one hospitalization, with most patients (n=70, 57%) hospitalized only once [26 (21%) patients were hospitalized twice, and 7 (6%) patients were hospitalized 3 times, and 1 (1%) patient hospitalized 4 times during the monitoring period]. When considering the first hospitalization post CAR-T infusion, the median LOS was 6 days (range 2 - 47). When considering all hospitalizations post CAR-T, the median LOS was 8 days (range 2 - 47). Only 7 (6%) patients required an ICU stay, with a mean ICU stay of 0.2 days (standard deviation 0.9). Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) was noted in 92 (75%) of patients at a median of 3 days (range 0 - 18) post CAR-T infusion. All patients with CRS received tocilizumab, at a median of 4 days post CAR-T infusion. Steroids for CRS were administered in 63 (68%) of these patients. Neurotoxicity was reported in 45 (37%) patients at a median of 7 days (range 1 - 19) post CAR-T infusion. During the RPM monitoring period, patients were seen in our HBO unit with a median of 18 outpatient visits (range 4 - 30). Patient survey data, obtained at the end of the RPM monitoring period, were available from 37 patients. The majority of patients felt that the RPM program helped them feel comfortable managing their health at home, were able to reach a team member, and receive an appropriate response promptly. The majority of patients felt comfortable using the RPM equipment and interacting with providers virtually. Overall, 83% of patients were satisfied with the RPM program and 6% were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. When asked about the reason for disappointment, technical difficulties/issues with the devices were the themes mentioned by the few patients (11%) who were unsatisfied with the RPM program. Conclusion: Despite the complexities and frequent monitoring associated with CAR-T cell therapy, outpatient CAR-T cell treatment is a feasible model of care. As the standard practice at our institution, the CAR-T RPM program was part of the management of nearly all patients undergoing an FDA-approved CAR-T product in the outpatient setting. RPM in the acute setting post CAR-T infusion is a well-received practice initiative by the majority of patients, including a high level of comfort utilizing the RPM equipment and virtual interaction with the RPM providers.
Genome-Wide DNA Methylation Analysis Reveals Epigenetic Influence on Intracellular and Cytokine Signaling Pathways in Waldenström Macroglobulinemia Compared to IgM-MGUS
Chohan, Karan , Dasari, Surendra , Abeykoon, Jithma P. , Wenzl, Kerstin , Jalali, Shahrzad , Paulus, Aneel , Reeder, Craig B. , Chanan‐Khan, Asher , Kapoor, Prashant , Kyle, Robert A. , Novak, Anne J. , Ansell, Stephen M. , Paulus, Aneel , Chohan, Karan L , Paludo, Jonas , Mondello, Patrizia , Novak, Joseph P. , Yang, Zhi-Zhang , Bhardwaj, Vaishali , Krull, Jordan E. , Braggio, Esteban , Manske, Michelle K. , Ailawadhi, Sikander , Gertz, Morie A.

Mayo Clinic

Blood | December 1, 2023 | Volume: 142 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 1622-1622

10.1182/blood-2023-182874 Get It

Introduction: Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) is a rare B-cell lymphoma that may be preceded by an asymptomatic IgM-monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). The mechanisms underlying the progression from IgM-MGUS to WM remain to be fully elucidated; however, the stepwise accumulation of genomic abnormalities has been suggested as a potential driver. Currently, the role of epigenetic regulation of DNA remains underexplored in this disease spectrum. Aberrant DNA methylation is a hallmark of oncogenesis that plays an important role in hematologic malignancies. The aim of this study was to assess differential DNA methylation in WM compared to IgM-MGUS and identify hyper- and hypomethylated pathways that may alter key cellular functions. Methods: This study included 15 patients with WM and 6 with IgM-MGUS. Bone marrow samples were prospectively collected and CD19+ and/or CD138+ B cells were positively selected. Subsequently, genome-wide DNA methylation analysis was performed. CpG methylation ratios were segmented into 200-bp regions and differentially methylated regions (DMRs) comparing WM to IgM-MGUS were identified. DMRs with a Q-value <0.05 and absolute methylation difference of ≥20% were considered significant and utilized for analysis. DMRs were annotated according to genomic regions of interest (promotors, 3'UTR, 5'UTR, introns, exons, CpG islands, CpG shores). Next, genes with significant promotor hyper- or hypomethylation were assessed using the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Pathways with a corrected p-value<0.05 were considered statistically significant and a Z-value was calculated based on the degree of differential methylation. Results: Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis revealed a significant number of DMRs (n= 15691, hyper: 8248; hypo: 7443) in WM compared to IgM-MGUS. Assessing genomic regions, promotors (hyper: 1379; hypo: 2403), introns (hyper: 1548; hypo: 2292), CpG shores (hyper: 587; hypo: 849) and 3'UTR (hyper: 66; hypo: 193) regions were observed to have a significantly greater number of hypomethylated DMRs (all comparisons, p<0.001) in WM compared to IgM-MGUS (Figure A). While exons (hyper: 1686; hypo: 1378), CpG islands (hyper: 2128; hypo: 82), and 5'UTR (hyper: 854; hypo: 246) regions had a significantly greater number of hypermethylated DMRs (all comparisons, p<0.001) (Figure A). Next, promotor methylation-based pathway analysis revealed differential methylation of multiple cellular pathways important in WM pathogenesis (Figure B). These included pathways involved in intracellular signaling and the regulation of cellular proliferation, such as the STAT3 and CXCR4 pathways which were hypomethylated, and the PTEN signaling pathway which was hypermethylated. Of interest, we have previously demonstrated the transcription factor, STAT3, to have an increased expression in WM and to be implicated in IgM secretion (Elsawa, 2011). Next, multiple cytokine signaling pathways were observed to be hypomethylated in WM compared to IgM-MGUS including members of the interleukin (IL) family (IL-1, IL-8, IL-15, IL-23), VEGF, and TGF-β. Of relevance, previous studies have demonstrated the elevation of IL-8, IL-15, and increased expression of angiogenic cytokines, including VEGF, in patients with WM (Lewicki, 2010; Anagnostopoulos, 2007). Furthermore, our group has also shown miRNA-based epigenetic regulation of IL-8 and IL-15 in WM compared to IgM-MGUS (Chohan, 2023). Lastly, several pathways critical in the regulation of the cell structure and the extracellular matrix (ECM) were found to be hypomethylated including the FGF, actin cytoskeleton, PAK, and FAK signaling pathways. Of note, the FGF/FGFR axis has been demonstrated to be dysregulated in WM, and its targeting has been shown to halt WM cell growth (Sacco, 2021). Conclusions: This study demonstrates differential DNA methylation of key genomic regions in WM compared to IgM-MGUS. Promotor methylation-based analysis reveals hypomethylation of several important cellular pathways involved in cytokine signaling, cell structure/ECM, and intracellular signaling. These results underscore the influence of epigenetics in the IgM-gammopathy disease spectrum and suggest the potential role of aberrant DNA methylation underlying the malignant progression from IgM-MGUS to WM.
Outpatient Management of CAR-T and Teclistamab for Patients with Lymphoma and Multiple Myeloma
Bansal, Radhika , Corraes, Andre De Menezes Silva , Spychalla, Megan, Haugen, Kelsey, Khurana, Arushi , Hampel, Paul J. , Hayman, Suzanne R. , Kapoor, Prashant , Kourelis, Taxiarchis , Kumar, Shaji , Warsame, Rahma , Johnston, Patrick B. , Ansell, Stephen M. , Paludo, Jonas , Durani, Urshila , Dingli, David , Wang, Yucai , Binder, Moritz , Kenderian, Saad S. , Bennani, N. Nora , Gertz, Morie A. , Lin, Yi

Mayo Clinic

Blood | December 1, 2023 | Volume: 142 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 253-253

10.1182/blood-2023-187186 Get It

Background: Patients (pts) receiving FDA-approved chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy or Bispecific antibody Teclistamab (Tec) are commonly managed in the inpatient setting given the common adverse events such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome ICANS. We have previously reported that hospital-based outpatient (HBO) management of pts receiving CAR-T is feasible and safe (Bansal et al, ASH2022). In 2023, HBO management at our institution began incorporating home health visits and management of grade 1 CRS in outpatient setting for select pts receiving standard of care (SOC) CAR-T. Here, we report outcomes of our updated practice. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed medical records and remote monitoring data of adult pts who received SOC CAR-T or Tec between 10/2020 and 7/2023 at Mayo Clinic, Rochester under an IRB approved protocol. Results: In 3/2023, pts deemed to be low risk for severe CRS (fever onset >= 3 days from infusion, CRP<100) received HBO management for grade 1 CRS, including outpatient administration of tocilizumab. If CRS improved or resolved, outpatient monitoring was continued. If CRS persisted within the observation period on HBO, pts were admitted. Recurrent CRS after the first episode were all managed inpatient. Nine pts met these criteria for HBO CRS management and their outcomes were compared to those who received initial inpatient (INPT) CRS management (INPT, n=17) during the same timeframe, as well as the outcome of 164 pts who had CRS management INPT prior to our practice change (Table 1). Two-third of the pts with initial management of CRS outpatient did not require hospitalization. Median time to hospitalization trended later than those managed inpatient at the onset of CRS. The duration of hospitalization was comparable for all pts admitted between initial HBO and INPT CRS management. However with fewer admissions in the initial CRS HBO group, the average hospitalization days (LOS) per patient treated for that group was lower compared to initial INPT CRS management. Data on additional pts will be presented at ASH. In 1/2023, pts on RPM with no ongoing CRS symptoms, no language barriers, and no compliance concerns received home health visits during weeks 3 and 4 post CAR-T infusion in place of clinic visits on HBO. Home health visit team communicated with HBO staff to review assessment and plan. Changes in HBO utilization will be presented. Finally, 24 pts received 223 Tec infusions on HBO. Median age was 66 years, 15 (61%) were males, 9 (38%) had high risk cytogenetics. The median prior lines of therapy was 5. Among these pts, 220/223 (99%) doses were performed on HBO and 204/220 (93%) infusions never required admission for management. Twenty pts enrolled in RPM (Figure 1). An average of 2 alerts were generated per patient during the 2 week period and median time from infusion to alert was 1.5 days. Majority of alerts were resolved over a phone call and only 13/114 (11%) alerts required a physician visit/hospital admission. Of the 16 Tec infusions resulting in admission, 4/16 (25%) required re-admission resulting in a total of 20 hospitalizations. Admissions mostly occurred during step-up dosing (18/20; 90%). Most common reason for first admission was fever (13/16, 85%) and median time to admission was 1 day from infusion. Median LOS was 1.5 days (range, 0-12). In terms of CRS, majority were Grade 1 (12/13, 93%) which were managed with steroids (dexamethasone/ prednisone) alone. One patient had CRS grade 4 event, in the setting of concurrent decompensation during dialysis, and was treated with steroids, tocilizumab, vasopressor, CRRT, thoracentesis, intubation and mechanical ventilation. The rate of second CRS event after management of first CRS with steroid (dexamethasone/ prednisone) was 15% (2/13). These second CRS episodes also resolved with steroid alone. Data on additional pts receiving Tec will be presented at ASH. Conclusion: Our data showed that additional advances in outpatient practice, including initial outpatient management of CRS and outpatient administration of Tec step up dosing are feasible, safe and reduce hospital resource utilization.