Citations

206 Background: XTX101 is an investigational tumor-activated, Fc-enhanced, high affinity binding aCTLA-4 designed to block CTLA-4 and deplete regulatory T cells upon activation in the tumor by proteases. XTX101 also contains mutations designed to enhance Fcγ receptor binding. Fc enhancement augments FcγR co-engagement on antigen presenting cells and has been linked with efficacy of aCTLA-4 combinations in patients (pts) with “cold tumors”, including microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancer (CRC). Parts 1A/1B of the study evaluated XTX101 monotherapy in pts with advanced solid tumors. XTX101 was generally well tolerated with limited peripheral XTX101 activation (~13%) compared to evidence of XTX101 activation in the tumor microenvironment (73-96%, in n=2 on-treatment tumor biopsies). A durable partial response (PR) and resolution of hepatic metastases was observed in a pt with PD-L1 negative NSCLC at the monotherapy recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of 150 mg once every six weeks (Q6W) [1]. Methods: Part 1C evaluated the safety and feasibility of XTX101 in combination with atezolizumab in pts with advanced solid tumors using 3+3 dose escalation to establish the RP2D. Phase 2 is enrolling pts with MSS CRC with at least 1 prior regimen for metastatic CRC. Initial safety and anti-tumor activity data from Phase 2 in ~20 pts will be presented. Results: As of July 15, 2024, 15 pts were enrolled in Part 1C: MSS CRC (n=12), esophageal cancer, NSCLC, and ampullary carcinoma (n=1 each). Median age 69 and 3 prior lines of therapy (1-12). Across all XTX101 dose levels (75 mg to 150 mg), treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) of any grade with >10% incidence included infusion reactions (n=4), fatigue and diarrhea (n=2 each), no G4 or G5 TRAEs were reported. In Part 1C, 2 pts experienced a dose limiting toxicity: 1 pt had G3 colitis, and 1 pt had G3 liver enzyme elevation (both were at the XTX101 150 mg dose level and resolved with immunosuppression). Two unconfirmed PRs were reported: in a pt with MSS CRC, including resolution of a liver target lesion, and in a pt with ampullary carcinoma (accompanied by a Ca 19-9 decrease from 700 to 41). In addition, a decrease in intra-tumoral Tregs was observed in paired tumor biopsies from a pt. The combination RP2D was established as XTX101 100 mg Q6W and atezolizumab 1200 mg once every three weeks (Q3W), and enrollment in the Phase 2 part of the study for pts with MSS CRC is ongoing at the RP2D. Conclusions: In Part 1C dose escalation, the combination of XTX101, a tumor-activated, Fc-enhanced aCTLA-4, and atezolizumab was generally well tolerated in pts with advanced solid tumors and demonstrated initial evidence of anti-tumor activity in cold tumors. These data support the initiation of an ongoing Phase 2 study evaluating the combination in pts with MSS CRC with and without liver metastases. 1. Davar ESMO IO 2023. Clinical trial information: NCT04896697 .

Abstract Background Tafamidis is a kinetic stabilizer that binds to the transthyretin (TTR) gene, inhibiting its dissociation. It is the only disease-modifying treatment for hereditary TTR amyloidosis with peripheral neuropathy (ATTRv-PN) available in the National Therapeutic Form (Formulário Terapêutico Nacional, FTN, in Portuguese) of the Brazilian Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde, SUS, in Portuguese). Objective To assess if the efficacy and safety of tafamidis in the Brazilian real-world experience are comparable to the results of clinical trials. Methods We retrospectively studied all patients with ATTRv-PN evaluated at our center from September 2011 to March 2022 (data cut-off) who were initiated on tafamidis and had at least 1 follow up visit 6 months after the initiation of the drug treatment. Neurologic and functional outcomes were compared from day 1 (D1) of the tafamidis treatment (baseline) to the last follow-up. Results In total, 33 patients were included, 18 (55%) of whom were female. All patients were carriers of the V30M mutation of ATTRv-PN, and 20 (61%) presented early onset (EO) ATTRv-PN. At baseline, the median age of the sample was of 40 (interquartile range [IQR]: 36–68) years, the median Neuropathy Impairment Score (NIS) was of 10 (6–24) points, and the median body mass index (BMI) was of 26 (23–28) kg/m2. The mean follow-up time was of 3.4 years. At the last follow-up, the BMI, the neurological impairment, and the level of disability slightly worsened compared with baseline, while the findings of the nerve conduction studies remained stable. These same results were observed across EO and late-onset (LO) ATTRv-PN patients. A total of 25 (75.8%) patients were considered responders, and 8 (24.2%), non-responders. Conclusion The efficacy and safety of tafamidis reported in clinical trials is expandable to the Brazilian real-world scenario in EO and late-onset (LO) ATTRv-PN.

Importance There is a lack of long-term efficacy and safety data on hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis with polyneuropathy (hATTR-PN) and on RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics in general. This study presents the longest-term data to date on patisiran for hATTR-PN. Objective To present the long-term efficacy and safety of patisiran in adults with hATTR-PN. Design, Setting, and Participants This global open-label extension (OLE) of the APOLLO randomized clinical trial and phase 2 OLE study enrolled patients from 43 hospitals or clinical centers across 19 countries between July 2015 and August 2017, with follow-up until November 2022. Of 212 eligible patients with hATTR who completed the phase 3 APOLLO or phase 2 OLE parent studies, 211 enrolled in and 138 completed the global OLE. Intervention Patisiran, 0.3 mg/kg, intravenously once every 3 weeks for up to 5 years. Main Outcomes and Measures Outcomes evaluated at year 5 of the global OLE included disability (polyneuropathy disability [PND] score); polyneuropathy severity (Neuropathy Impairment Score [NIS]), nutritional status (modified body mass index [mBMI]), quality of life (Norfolk Quality of Life–Diabetic Neuropathy [Norfolk QOL-DN]), and Rasch-Built Overall Disability Scale (R-ODS), with no statistical hierarchy. Safety, survival probability, and mortality were also assessed. Results At the global OLE baseline, the mean (SD) age was 61.3 (12.3) years, and 156 patients (73.9%) were male. In 138 patients completing the study, PND scores remained stable or improved in 89 patients (65.0%), NISs showed a mean (SD) change of 10.9 (14.7), and mean (SD) mBMI (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared times serum albumin in grams per liter) increased by 46.4 (120.7) over 5 years from baseline. Norfolk QOL-DN and R-ODS scores showed mean (SD) changes of 4.1 (16.7) and –3.7 (6.2), respectively. Adverse events (AEs) leading to study withdrawal occurred in 47 patients (22.3%). Infusion-related reactions were the most common treatment-related AE (n = 34 [16.1%]). Overall, 41 patients (19.4%) died during the study. Patisiran treatment in the parent study and low familial amyloid polyneuropathy score at parent study baseline were associated with significantly improved survival. Conclusions and Relevance In the longest study of an RNAi therapeutic for any disease, patisiran treatment resulted in modest changes for patients with hATTR-PN with an acceptable safety profile. These results highlight the importance of initiating early treatment for hATTR and the potential of RNAi therapeutics in medicine. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02510261

AbstractBackgroundMedial temporal lobe (MTL) atrophy is an early feature of multiple neurodegenerative diseases. In genetic frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD, i.e. individuals carrying GRN, MAPT, or C9orf72 mutations), MTL atrophy can occur 10‐15 years before symptom onset. We aimed to better characterize MTL atrophy patterns in presymptomatic and symptomatic genetic FTLD using a multi‐atlas segmentation pipeline that allows precise measurement of MTL subregions.MethodParticipants included a diagnostically mixed sample of familial FTLD mutation carriers (MAPT: N=87; C9orf72: N=117; GRN: N=65) and 142 non‐carrier family member controls from the ALLFTD study cohort (Table 1). T1‐weighted MRIs were preprocessed using a multi‐atlas automated pipeline (Automatic Segmentation of Hippocampal Subfields [ASHS]) to segment the amygdala, anterior and posterior hippocampus, and MTL cortices: entorhinal cortex (ERC), perirhinal cortex or Brodmann areas (BA) 35 and 36, and parahippocampal cortex (PHC). Following rigorous quality control and manual correction (Figure 1), we assessed bilateral volume differences in mutation carriers compared to controls, adjusted for age, sex, and total intracranial volume. Analyses were conducted separately for symptomatic (FTLD‐Clinical Dementia Rating Global Score&ge;0.5) and presymptomatic (Global Score=0) mutation carriers.ResultOut of 413 scans, 317 (76.8%) segmentations passed quality control while 94 (22.8%) needed some manual edits—this was more common in symptomatic than presymptomatic carriers (32% versus 15%, p=0.001). Three scans were excluded (<1%; 2 complete scans, 1 for selected subregions) due to insufficient landmark visibility in symptomatic GRN and MAPT carriers. In symptomatic carriers, all MTL subregions demonstrated reduced volume compared to controls, although MAPT carriers exhibited particularly marked atrophy, especially in anterior MTL subregions (Table 2; amygdala, ERC, BA35, hippocampus). Presymptomatic MAPT and C9orf72 carriers also exhibited significant atrophy of primarily anterior MTL cortices, while presymptomatic GRN carriers only exhibited significantly smaller ERC volume compared to controls.ConclusionMTL atrophy is present in genetic FTLD across mutation carriers, even at the presymptomatic stage. Anterior MTL subregions, which are also susceptible to neuropathologic accumulation in early Alzheimer’s disease and Limbic‐predominant age‐related TDP‐43 encephalopathy neuropathologic change (LATE‐NC), tend to be more vulnerable than posterior subregions. Unsurprisingly, MAPT carriers show the greatest MTL atrophy compared to controls across groups.

AbstractBackgroundThe quantification of neurofilament light chain (NfL) in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has proved useful in many contexts, for the diagnosis and prognosis of various neurological disorders. There is, however, a diversity of practices between centers, essentially linked to the context of use (COU), analytical methods, consideration of comorbidities, determination of cut‐points or use of interpretation scales. Finally, for the same biochemical profile, the interpretation and reporting of results may differ from one center to another, raising the question of test commutability. To date, no consensus has been reached between the different laboratories involved to define the most appropriate conclusions/comments based on COU and cut‐points. This work is an essential step towards consensual harmonization of the clinical use of NfL after CSF and/or blood analysis in various neurological contexts, as advocated by the Alzheimer's Association "Biofluid Based Biomarkers PIA" working group.MethodThis international project involves 58 clinical laboratories in 16 countries, specializing in the biochemical diagnosis of neurological disorders. By means of a questionnaire, we obtained a description of the COU, pre‐analytical and analytical (biological fluid and method used to quantify NfL) protocols of all the centers involved.ResultsOf the centers, 42% quantified NfL in CSF, 29% in serum and 28% in plasma, and 1% in dried blood spot. The COUs were as follows: Frontotemporal dementia (FTD, 17%), Alzheimer's disease (AD, 16%), multiple sclerosis (MS, 16%), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, 11%), psychiatric syndrome (PS, 10%), Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease (CJD, 8%), Parkinson's disease (PD, 8%), peripheral neuropathy (PN, 7%) and traumatic brain injury (TBI, 7%). Most centers define pathological cut‐points based on published literature and take age into account (50%).ConclusionOur initial results highlight the state of the art in terms of the clinical use of NfL analysis in CSF and blood in the context of different neurological diseases. We have now defined a coordinator for each COU subgroup and are organizing consensus meetings to harmonize the use and reporting of NfL measurements for the identified clinical applications. The results of these next steps will be presented.

AbstractBackgroundMedial temporal lobe (MTL) atrophy is an early feature of multiple neurodegenerative diseases. In genetic frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD, i.e. individuals carrying GRN, MAPT, or C9orf72 mutations), MTL atrophy can occur 10‐15 years before symptom onset. We aimed to better characterize MTL atrophy patterns in presymptomatic and symptomatic genetic FTLD using a multi‐atlas segmentation pipeline that allows precise measurement of MTL subregions.MethodParticipants included a diagnostically mixed sample of familial FTLD mutation carriers (MAPT: N = 87; C9orf72: N = 117; GRN: N = 65) and 142 non‐carrier family member controls from the ALLFTD study cohort (Table 1). T1‐weighted MRIs were preprocessed using a multi‐atlas automated pipeline (Automatic Segmentation of Hippocampal Subfields [ASHS]) to segment the amygdala, anterior and posterior hippocampus, and MTL cortices: entorhinal cortex (ERC), perirhinal cortex or Brodmann areas (BA) 35 and 36, and parahippocampal cortex (PHC). Following rigorous quality control and manual correction (Figure 1), we assessed bilateral volume differences in mutation carriers compared to controls, adjusted for age, sex, and total intracranial volume. Analyses were conducted separately for symptomatic (FTLD‐Clinical Dementia Rating Global Score≥0.5) and presymptomatic (Global Score = 0) mutation carriers.ResultOut of 413 scans, 317 (76.8%) segmentations passed quality control while 94 (22.8%) needed some manual edits—this was more common in symptomatic than presymptomatic carriers (32% versus 15%, p = 0.001). Three scans were excluded (<1%; 2 complete scans, 1 for selected subregions) due to insufficient landmark visibility in symptomatic GRN and MAPT carriers. In symptomatic carriers, all MTL subregions demonstrated reduced volume compared to controls, although MAPT carriers exhibited particularly marked atrophy, especially in anterior MTL subregions (Table 2; amygdala, ERC, BA35, hippocampus). Presymptomatic MAPT and C9orf72 carriers also exhibited significant atrophy of primarily anterior MTL cortices, while presymptomatic GRN carriers only exhibited significantly smaller ERC volume compared to controls.ConclusionMTL atrophy is present in genetic FTLD across mutation carriers, even at the presymptomatic stage. Anterior MTL subregions, which are also susceptible to neuropathologic accumulation in early Alzheimer’s disease and Limbic‐predominant age‐related TDP‐43 encephalopathy neuropathologic change (LATE‐NC), tend to be more vulnerable than posterior subregions. Unsurprisingly, MAPT carriers show the greatest MTL atrophy compared to controls across groups.

AbstractBackgroundThe use of videoconference platforms for neuropsychological assessment was not as common among mental health practitioners before the COVID‐19 pandemic. However, due to lockdowns and quarantines worldwide, mental health professionals had to find a feasible alternative and shift to virtual evaluations. This increased the use of teleneuropsychology in both at a clinical and research level. Studies conducted during the pandemic provided evidence of the feasibility of virtual assessments, but data from low‐and middle‐income countries is scarce and conclusions from studies in other regions cannot be generalized. The objective of this study is to develop and apply a teleneuropsychological assessment battery on a group of elderly adults in Panama and Hispanics living in the United States.MethodThis is a multicenter study that will gather data from a Panamanian Cohort parallel to the current Florida‐based study Development and Validation of TeleNeuropsychology Normative Data for Older Adults (FLOAT). So far 80 participants over 50 years old have been assessed in Panama and Florida. Inclusion criteria includes passing a screening with TICS‐M for low risk of developing dementia and having basic knowledge and accessibility of electronic devices. Researchers contact potential participants through calls and WhatsApp chats to explain the study and obtain informed consent. Participants are then screened to see if they are eligible to be assessed through the video conference platform. Participants must complete the teleneuropsychological assessment battery from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC), and different questionnaires to provide socio‐demographic and functional data. All information is gathered with the REDCap platform.ResultOne hundred participants will be assessed with a teleneuropsychology protocol in each cohort. Once all data is collected, it will be analyzed with multivariate statistics methods. We expect to describe the protocol’s feasibility assessing older adults in both locations.ConclusionTo our knowledge this is the first study of its kind in Panama and one of the only ones in the region. The study seeks to generate data that could be shared and applied for future research or clinical practice regarding teleneuropsychological assessments with older adults with similar cohorts.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Alzheimer’s Related Dementias (ADRD) are projected to affect 50 million people globally in the coming decades. Clinical research suggests that Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a precursor to dementia, offers a critical window of opportunity for lifestyle interventions to delay or prevent the progression of AD/ADRD. Previous research indicates that lifestyle changes, including increased physical exercise, reduced caloric intake, and mentally stimulating activities, can reduce the risk of MCI. Early detection of MCI is challenging due to subtle and often unnoticed cognitive decline and is traditionally monitored through infrequent clinical tests. In this research, the Smart Driving System, a novel, unobtrusive, and economical technology to detect early stages of neurodegenerative diseases, is presented. The system comprises a multi-modal biosensing array (MMS) and AI algorithms, including driving performance and driver’s biometrics, offering insights into a driver’s cognitive function. This publication is the first work reported towards the ultimate goal of developing the Smart Driving Device and App, integrating it into vehicles, and validating its effectiveness in detecting MCI through comprehensive pilot studies.

Abstract Objectives Diagnostic reconciliation is the collaborative process between patients and clinicians to create and reconcile evidence-based, feasible, and desirable care plans. However, the specific components of this process remain unclear. The objective of this study was to develop the first comprehensive framework to elucidate the diagnostic reconciliation process. Methods We followed a multi-step and iterative approach to develop the framework, including a focused systematic review of diagnostic conversations, quantitative evaluation of recordings of real-life clinical visits recordings, and stakeholder engagement (e.g., patients, clinicians, researchers). Results We identified 17 potential components to the process of diagnostic reconciliation through literature review and stakeholder engagement. After review of 56 clinical visits and further stakeholder engagement, we developed a final framework including four categories: 1) understanding the need for a test/referral, 2) logistics of test/referral scheduling, 3) test/referral information, and 4) test/referral results. Conclusions The proposed framework lays the foundation for evaluation and improvement of diagnostic conversations in practice. Clinicians can enhance patient-centered diagnosis by co-creating diagnostic plans of care in practice and using the components described in the novel diagnostic reconciliation framework.