Gamida Cell Research Articles

Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients Receiving Bridging Therapy While Awaiting Manufacture of Standard of Care Axicabtagene Ciloleucel CD19 Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy for Relapsed/Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Results from the US Lymphoma CAR-T Consortium

Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients Receiving Bridging Therapy While Awaiting Manufacture of Standard of Care Axicabtagene Ciloleucel CD19 Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy for Relapsed/Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Results from the US Lymphoma CAR-T Consortium

Outcomes Following Early Relapse in Patients with Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Outcomes Following Early Relapse in Patients with Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Outcome of Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation Following PD-(L)1 Based Salvage Therapy for Multiply Relapsed Patients with Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma

Outcome of Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation Following PD-(L)1 Based Salvage Therapy for Multiply Relapsed Patients with Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma

Clinical Trial Participation Is Associated with Improved Overall Survival in Newly Diagnosed Patients with Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Clinical Trial Participation Is Associated with Improved Overall Survival in Newly Diagnosed Patients with Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Maintenance Rituximab Improves Outcomes in Mantle Cell Lymphoma Patients Who Respond to Induction Therapy with Bendamustine + Rituximab without Autologous Transplant

Maintenance Rituximab Improves Outcomes in Mantle Cell Lymphoma Patients Who Respond to Induction Therapy with Bendamustine + Rituximab without Autologous Transplant

Outcomes of Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease (cGVHD) Following Matched Sibling Donor (MSD) Versus Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant (UCBT)

Outcomes of Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease (cGVHD) Following Matched Sibling Donor (MSD) Versus Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant (UCBT)

Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients Who Did Not Develop CRS after Axicabtagene Ciloleucel for Relapsed/Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Results from the US Lymphoma CAR-T Consortium

Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients Who Did Not Develop CRS after Axicabtagene Ciloleucel for Relapsed/Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Results from the US Lymphoma CAR-T Consortium

Safety and Efficacy of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant after Programmed Cell Death 1 (PD-1) / Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) Blockade for Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma: Analysis of a Large International Cohort

Safety and Efficacy of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant after Programmed Cell Death 1 (PD-1) / Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) Blockade for Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma: Analysis of a Large International Cohort

Pre-Transplant Fecal Microbial Diversity Independently Predicts Critical Illness after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Background Fecal microbiota composition is associated with important outcomes after allo-HCT including survival, relapse, GVHD, and infections. We previously demonstrated in a multicenter observational study that HCT patients present with fecal microbiota configurations that have lower diversity and are distinct from those of healthy individuals, and that pre-HCT microbiota injury predicts poor overall survival. Here, we hypothesized that pre-HCT fecal microbiota features predict development of critical illness post-HCT. Methods We analyzed 828 adults who received a first allo-HCT from 2009 to 2017 at a single institution who had an evaluable fecal sample in our biobank collected within the 10 days prior to cell infusion. The patients were heterogeneous with respect to transplant indication, conditioning intensity, graft source (cord blood, peripheral blood, marrow) and graft manipulation (CD34-selection). The V4-V5 regions of 16S rRNA genes of DNA extracted from fecal samples were amplified and annotated taxonomically. The outcome of interest was time to ICU admission, which was assessed using survival-analysis methods. The reason for admission to the ICU was evaluated for each subject. Results Seventy-five (9%) patients were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) between the day of cell infusion and day +50; the peak incidence of ICU admission occurred on day +10. The most common indications for ICU admission were respiratory failure (65%) and infection (27%). Patients were stratified based on fecal microbiota diversity, as assessed by 16S sequencing of stool samples collected prior to transplantation, into high (inverse Simpson index ≥4) and low (<4) diversity groups following a previously-published cutoff. Patients with low diversity pre-HCT had a strikingly higher risk of ICU admission than those with high diversity (HR 2.38 [95% CI 1.5-3.7], p <0.001, see the Figure). This association remained significant in a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model that accounted for conditioning intensity, graft source, graft manipulation, and the HCT-CI comorbidity index (multivariate p = 0.003). HCT-CI score was also an independent predictor of ICU admission. The association between pre-HCT fecal diversity and ICU admission was also significant when the outcome definition was limited to ICU transfers for reason of respiratory failure or sepsis (to the exclusion of such indications as hemorrhage, anaphylaxis, or isolated dysfunctions of the cardiac, renal, or neurological systems). Conclusion Pre-transplant fecal microbial diversity is an independent predictor of intensive-care-requiring critical illness in the post-HCT period. These observations highlight the pre-HCT period as a window of opportunity to (a) assess microbiota injury in conjunction with comorbidity evaluation, (b) inform selection of antibiotic prophylaxis, gut-decontamination, GVHD-prophylaxis, or conditioning regimens, and (c) intervene with microbiota injury-remediation or prevention strategies. Figure Disclosures Brereton: Seres Therapeutics: Other: Salary Support. Clurman:Seres Therapeutics: Research Funding. Slingerland:Seres Therapeutics: Other: Salary supported by Seres funding. Shah:Janssen Pharmaceutica: Research Funding; Amgen: Research Funding. Scordo:McKinsey & Company: Consultancy; Angiocrine Bioscience, Inc.: Consultancy. Politikos:Angiocrine Bioscience Inc: Research Funding. Gyurkocza:Actinium Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Barker:Angiocrine Bioscience Inc: Research Funding; Gamida Cell: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding. Perales:Kyte/Gilead: Research Funding; Miltenyi: Research Funding; MolMed: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; NexImmune: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Abbvie: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bellicum: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bristol-Meyers Squibb: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Incyte: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Nektar Therapeutics: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Omeros: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Takeda: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Merck: Consultancy, Honoraria; Medigene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Servier: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Giralt:Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Spectrum Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Actinium: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kite: Consultancy; Johnson & Johnson: Consultancy, Research Funding; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Miltenyi: Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy. van den Brink:Merck & Co, Inc.: Consultancy, Honoraria; Acute Leukemia Forum (ALF): Consultancy, Honoraria; Magenta and DKMS Medical Council: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Juno Therapeutics: Other: Licensing; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Therakos: Consultancy, Honoraria; Seres Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Flagship Ventures: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Evelo: Consultancy, Honoraria; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria. Pamer:Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Seres Therapeutics: Honoraria, Patents & Royalties; MedImmune: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Ferring Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria. Peled:Seres Therapeutics: Research Funding.

Portia: A Phase 1b Study Evaluating Safety and Efficacy of Tisagenlecleucel and Pembrolizumab in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Portia: A Phase 1b Study Evaluating Safety and Efficacy of Tisagenlecleucel and Pembrolizumab in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Conditioning Regimen Intensity May Affect Outcome in MDS Patients Undergoing Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation, Depending on MDS Subgroup

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is a potentially curative treatment for MDS. Besides the innate heterogeneity of MDS, intensity of the conditioning regimen (myeloablative (MAC) versus reduced intensity/non-myeloablative (RIC)), specific agents used in conditioning, donor and source of stem cells and GVHD prevention regimens further influence outcomes. We sought to determine how conditioning regimens influenced MDS subgroup cohort outcomes. We retrospectively analyzed outcomes of 107 MDS patients (63 male and 44 females) with median age 61.8 (17-73 years) who underwent allogeneic SCT at our institution between 2008 and 2017. For the purposes of this report, patients were grouped according to WHO classification into non-RAEB (RCMD, RA, RARS RCUD or 5q deletion, n=49) and RAEB (RAEB1 and RAEB2, n=58) categories. Median time from MDS diagnosis to transplantation was 139 days (20-3175). No patients were in complete remission (CR) at time of SCT. Allogeneic donor types were matched related, matched unrelated, haplo-identical and cord blood in 30, 65, 10 and 2 patients, respectively. Stem cell source was peripheral blood (91 patients) and bone marrow in 14. Forty patients (median age 52.2 (17-61) years) underwent MAC and 67 (median age 63.7 (23-73) years) RIC. Twelve patients died within 100 days of transplantation, 3 due to disease progression, 5 to acute GVHD, and 4 to other transplant-related causes. Median overall survival (OS) for all 107 patients was 1.3 years with 54%, 47% and 40% alive at 1, 2 and at 5 years. OS was slightly higher in patients undergoing RIC with OS of 57%, 48% and 40% (median 1.532 years) versus 50%, 40% and 38% with MAC (median 0.92 years) at the same time points (p>0.1). Median OS of the 49 patients with non-RAEB and 58 patients with RAEB MDS was 3.01 years versus 0.92 years (p>0.1). GVHD was the most frequent cause of death (46%), followed by relapse/progression (28%), infection (14%) and other (12%). Of 29 patients undergoing RIC with non-RAEB MDS, median OS was 3.78 years while for 38 RAEB patients it was 1.17 years (p>0.1). See table for OS according to conditioning regimen and WHO classification. For MAC, in 20 non-RAEB patients median OS was 2.2 years while the median OS was 0.69 years for 20 RAEB patients (p>0.1). CR after SCT was achieved in 57 patients (53%), 33 receiving RIC (CR 49.2%) and 24 receiving MAC (CR 60%). Seven patients subsequently relapsed, 4 RIC and 3 MAC. Of the non-RAEB patients achieving CR, median OS in the 16 patients treated with 111 RIC was not reached and in 14 patients receiving MAC, median OS was 3.75 years (p>0.1). For the 27 RAEB patients achieving CR, median OS was 4.4 years in 17 patients treated with RIC versus not reached in 10 patients treated with MAC. Overall, death in non-RAEB patients occurred in 26/49 (53%) compared to 38/58 (66%) RAEB patients and in 40/67 (59%) patients undergoing RIC versus 25/40 (63%) MAC patients (p>0.5). The hematopoietic transplant comorbidity index did not predict OS outcomes in these MDS patients (p>0.1) and the cytogenetic score according to the IPSS-R "very good -very poor" groups indicated no differences in OS in the non-RAEB patients but in RAEB patients significant differences according to the cytogenetic score was evident (P<0.01). Conclusions: In this retrospective analysis of MDS patients undergoing allogeneic SCT, achieving CR led to improved survival. In non-RAEB MDS patients achieving CR, OS was similar irrespective of conditioning intensity (RIC or MAC). Furthermore, outcomes did not differ in RAEB patients who achieved CR according to intensity of conditioning regimen. However, those receiving MAC had not reached median OS at 5 years. The outcomes in this analysis indicate that improvement in the incidence of deaths due to GVHD would likely have the greatest impact in improving survival in MDS patients undergoing allogeneic transplantation. Table Disclosures Abhyankar: Therakos: Other: Consulting, Speakers Bureau; Incyte: Speakers Bureau. Lin:Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria; Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Yacoub:Incyte: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. Ganguly:Kite Pharma: Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Seattle Genetics: Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Daiichi Sankyo: Research Funding. McGuirk:Pluristem Ltd: Research Funding; Gamida Cell: Research Funding; Kite Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Bellicum Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Astellas: Research Funding; Fresenius Biotech: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Juno Therapeutics: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; ArticulateScience LLC: Other: Assistance with manuscript preparation.

Maintenance and Consolidation Regimens after a Second Autologous Transplant for Multiple Myeloma: A Decade of Experiences

Introduction: Autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) followed by maintenance is the standard of care for eligible patients with multiple myeloma (MM). For patients that relapse, a second ASCT remains a viable option. However, the maintenance regimen to use for such patients remains an unanswered question, particularly in those with prior lenalidomide exposure. We retrospectively analyzed patients receiving two autologous transplants for a diagnosis of MM at our institution from 2008 to 2018 to determine maintenance strategies and outcomes upon completion of a second transplant. Methods: A total of 189 patients received two or more autologous transplants for MM at our institution from 2008 to 2018. Patients with planned tandem transplants, or those that proceeded directly to another transplant without interval progression were excluded. The remaining 135 patients were analyzed. Results: Patient characteristics are shown in Table 1. After first ASCT, 94 out of 135 patients (69.6 %) started maintenance therapy. The most commonly used maintenance regimen was lenalidomide in 63 patients, followed by bortezomib in 12 patients and thalidomide in 10 patients. Median time to initiation of maintenance from the date of transplant was 3.9 months. Overall median progression free survival (PFS) from transplant was 24.7 months with no significant difference between groups that received lenalidomide (median PFS: 21.2 months) or bortezomib (median PFS: 19.2 months, p:0.12). 10 (15.8%) patients discontinued lenalidomide due to toxicity, and 1 patient (8.3%) discontinued bortezomib due to toxicity. The median time from the onset of disease progression post first ASCT to time of second ASCT was 5.8 months. Strategies used post second ASCT includedconsolidation with triplet regimens followed by de-escalation (n=11) versus monotherapy (n=100). Table 2 highlights differing maintenance regimens used after the second ASCT. Median time from second ASCT to initiation of maintenance was 4.0 months. Median PFS post ASCT was 20.7 months. There was no statistically significant difference in PFS between the different regimens used (p=0.26), although there was a numerically higher discontinuation rate due to toxicity with older agents such as lenalidomide and bortezomib compared with newer agents such as daratumumab and pomalidomide. There was no statistically significant difference in the cytogenetic risk profile (p=0.21) or stage at diagnosis (p=0.36) between the groups that received different types of maintenance agents. However, patients receiving daratumumab as maintenance were more likely to have received more lines of therapy (median 5 for Daratumumab vs 3 for Lenalidomide, p=0.0001), and more likely to have previous exposure to daratumumab prior to second ASCT (92% vs 0% for other agents p=0.0001). Patients receiving daratumumab, carfilzomib or triple therapy were more likely to have been refractory to both a proteasome inhibitor (PI) and an immunomodulatory drug (IMiD) (p=0.0001). Despite stratifying for use of newer novel drugs (FDA approval after 2010- pomalidomide, daratumumab, carfilzomib) vs older novel drugs (FDA approval before 2010- lenalidomide, bortezomib, thalidomide), there was no difference in PFS ( 21.2 months vs 20.4 months, p= 0.92), between these groups when used as part of a maintenance strategy. Conclusions: Our data show a variety of maintenance and consolidation regimens are used for patients with MM after their second ASCT. In this single-center, retrospective analysis, there was no clear superiority of a consolidative strategy using triplet over monotherapy, and no superiority of newer agents compared to older agents. This suggests that toxicity, prior therapies and their tolerance may be the more important patient-related factors for consideration when selecting an agent/agents. Randomized, prospective data will be important to ascertain the standard of care in this situation. Disclosures Ganguly: Daiichi Sankyo: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Speakers Bureau; Kite Pharma: Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Janssen: Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board. McGuirk:Kite Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Bellicum Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Astellas: Research Funding; Juno Therapeutics: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Fresenius Biotech: Research Funding; Gamida Cell: Research Funding; Pluristem Ltd: Research Funding; ArticulateScience LLC: Other: Assistance with manuscript preparation.

Preclinical Evaluation of Gilteritinib on NPM1-ALK Driven Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma Cells

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) comprising 2-8% of adult and 10-20% of pediatric and adolescent NHL. More than three-fourths of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive ALCL express (nucleophosmin1) NPM1-ALK fusion gene as a result of t(2;5) chromosomal translocation. The self-dimerization of fusion kinase NPM1-ALK mediates constitutive activation of the chimeric tyrosine kinase activity leading to downstream signaling pathways responsible for lymphoma cell proliferation and survival. The current standard treatment regimen for ALK+ ALCL is CHOP (cyclophosphamide, hydroxy doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) chemotherapy. Oftentimes, resistance and failure of remission occur with CHOP therapy, making it a suboptimal treatment regimen for many patients. Therefore, an alternative therapeutic approach is warranted to better address the needs of the ALK+ ALCL population. Gilteritinib is a recently FDA approved tyrosine kinase inhibitor for the treatment of FMS-like tyrosine kinase (FLT3) mutation-positive acute myeloid leukemia. Along with inhibition of FLT3, gilteritinib also inhibits other tyrosine kinases such as AXL and ALK. In this study, for the first time, we demonstrated gilteritinib mediated growth inhibitory effects on NPM1-ALK driven ALCL cells. We have used a total of five cell lines in our study: NPM1-ALK endogenously expressing human ALCL cell lines (SUDHL-1, SUP-M2, SR-786, and DEL), and our laboratory generated ectopically overexpressing Ba/F3-FG-NPM1-ALK, a murine cell line. Gilteritinib treatment (5-20 nM) inhibited NPM1-ALK fusion kinase phosphorylation, which resulted in downregulation of downstream survival signaling pathways including AKT, ERK1/2, and STAT3 leading to induced apoptosis and decreased clonogenic survival. Gilteritinib mediated apoptosis was associated with caspase 3/9 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage with increased pro-apoptotic protein BAD and decreased anti-apoptotic protein MCL-1. Increased expression of c-Myc is associated with ALK-positive ALCL and gilteritinib treatment decreased c-Myc levels in a dose dependent manner. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated gilteritinib treatment induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase with a concomitant decrease in G2/M and S phases. In summary, our preclinical results suggest gilteritinib has therapeutic potential for the treatment of ALCL cells expressing NPM1-ALK and other ALK /ALK-fusion driven hematologic or solid malignancies. Disclosures Lin: Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria; Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Ganguly:Daiichi Sankyo: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board; Kite Pharma: Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board. McGuirk:ArticulateScience LLC: Other: Assistance with manuscript preparation; Juno Therapeutics: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Bellicum Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Astellas: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Fresenius Biotech: Research Funding; Pluristem Ltd: Research Funding; Gamida Cell: Research Funding; Kite Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau.

The Impact of Pre-Diagnosis Tobacco Use in Mantle Cell Lymphoma

The Impact of Pre-Diagnosis Tobacco Use in Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Experience with Axicabtagene Ciloleucel (Axi-cel) in Patients with Secondary CNS Involvement: Results from the US Lymphoma CAR T Consortium

Experience with Axicabtagene Ciloleucel (Axi-cel) in Patients with Secondary CNS Involvement: Results from the US Lymphoma CAR T Consortium

Editas to use CRISPR on natural killer cells

Gamida Cell and the CRISPR gene-editing company Editas Medicine are joining forces to create a cancer therapy with natural killer (NK) cells. Gamida has a chemical method to expand the growth of NK cells, a kind of immune cell that can target tumors. A Phase I study of Gamida’s NK cell therapy for treating blood cancers is underway. Editas plans to engineer Gamida’s NK cells to make them better at killing tumors.

Sustained Disease Control for Adult Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: An Updated Analysis of Juliet, a Global Pivotal Phase 2 Trial of Tisagenlecleucel

Sustained Disease Control for Adult Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: An Updated Analysis of Juliet, a Global Pivotal Phase 2 Trial of Tisagenlecleucel

Facilitating Resolution of Life-Threatening Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease By Supplementation of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin and Epidermal Growth Factor (Pregnyl): A Phase I Study

INTRODUCTIONPatients with severe acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) are at high risk of death due to damaged organs and tissues. We have previously shown that severe aGVHD is characterized by an imbalance of circulating tissue repair factors, with elevated amphiregulin (AREG) and very low (<10 pg/ml) plasma epidermal growth factor (EGF). We hypothesized that giving supplemental EGF, contained in an inexpensive, commercially available drug (urinary-derived human chorionic gonadotropin [hCG], Pregnyl®) in addition to standard aGVHD therapy would improve outcomes. HCG has well-known immunomodulatory properties, including shifting the balance of T cells toward a regulatory (Treg) phenotype that could also be beneficial in severe aGVHD. Therefore, we tested the use of hCG/EGF in patients with Minnesota High Risk and steroid dependent or refractory aGVHD to enhance both hCG-mediated immunologic tolerance and tissue repair via supplemental EGF in a phase I study. PATIENTS AND METHODSTwenty-six patients received hCG/EGF in addition to standard aGVHD therapy. We treated 13 patients with onset Minnesota High Risk aGVHD with high-dose steroids (methylprednisolone 48 mg/m2) plus subcutaneous (SQ) injections of hCG/EGF every other day for 7 days. In the 2nd line therapy cohort, we treated 13 patients with hCG/EGF SQ every other day for 14 days, recognizing the time to response may be longer in this cohort relative to those with onset aGVHD, along with increased steroids (steroid dependent, N=5) and intensified immune suppression (steroid refractory, N=8). We then assessed response after 7 days in High Risk aGVHD and after 14 days in steroid dependent/refractory aGVHD. In both cohorts, patients with a complete or partial response (CR/PR) at the end of the initial dosing period were eligible to receive maintenance hCG/EGF SQ twice weekly for up to 5 weeks, whereas patients with no response (NR) received no further study drug doses and received best available therapy from their treating physicians. Initial hCG dosing was at 500 units hCG/m2 SQ, escalating to 2,000 units hCG/m2 in cohorts of 2, with dose assignment by the continual reassessment method. We analyzed GVHD-associated plasma biomarkers and enumerated circulating CD4+FoxP3+CD127- Tregs and CD8+ T lymphocytes during therapy. RESULTSHCG/EGF was well tolerated, with no dose-limiting toxicities. The median EGF dose was 50,833 pg/ml. The most common treatment emergent side effect was edema (N=16, 62%). At day 28 of study, responses for initial therapy were 8/13 CR (62%), 0/13 PR (0%), and 5/13 NR (38%), higher than institutional historical (n=269) 26% CR, 16% PR, 57% NR (Figure 1A). Responses for 2nd line therapy were 7/13 CR (54%), 1/13 PR (8%), 5/13 NR (38%), 4 of which were deaths (31%), improved relative to historical outcomes (n=85) of 18% CR, 19% PR, 63% NR (including 16% deaths, Figure 1A). Cytopenias were not worse during hCG/EGF; responders had a slight leukocytosis (day 7 median white blood cells [WBC] 9.7 x 109/L), returning to baseline (WBC 5.8 x 109/L, p=0.015) by day 56. Patients had increases in serum hCG (median 1.5 vs 138 IU/L, p<0.001), estradiol (median 12 vs 36 pg/ml, p=0.003), and testosterone (median 106 vs 450 ng/dl, p=0.01) from baseline to day 7; all returned to baseline by day 56. In initial therapy patients, plasma EGF rose from baseline 3 pg/ml to 25.4 pg/ml at 6 hours post-hCG/EGF dose (p=0.02); while in 2nd line patients, plasma EGF never rose from baseline 5 pg/ml. Treg expansion peaked at 131% of baseline at day 7 in Arm 1, and 145% of baseline at day 14 in Arm 2. Patients with a day 28 CR/PR had a higher median Treg/CD8 ratio at day 28 (0.11 vs 0.01, p=0.03) and a 4.6-fold reduction in plasma AREG over time (baseline median 99.6 pg/ml to 21.8 pg/ml at day 56, p=0.006, Figure 1B). CONCLUSIONSHCG/EGF is a novel and well-tolerated adjunct therapy in high-risk and steroid-dependent/refractory aGVHD, associated with minimal toxicity and encouraging response rates. The mechanisms of benefit may include immunomodulation via Treg expansion despite high-dose steroids and facilitation of tissue repair with detectable increases in circulating EGF. The optimal dose and duration of hCG/EGF are under investigation, with ongoing dose escalation in patients with steroid-refractory aGVHD based upon these initial results. Decreasing plasma AREG over time may reflect successful treatment of life-threatening aGVHD. DisclosuresHoltan:Incyte: Consultancy. Bachanova:Gamida Cell: Research Funding; Kite Pharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; GT Biopharma: Research Funding. Brunstein:Gamidacell: Research Funding. Ustun:novartis: Speakers Bureau. Wagner:Novartis: Research Funding; Magenta Therapeutics: Consultancy, Research Funding. Blazar:Kadmon Corporation, LLC: Consultancy, Research Funding. MacMillan:Angiocrine: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; CSL Behring: Consultancy; Equillium: Consultancy. Weisdorf:SL Behring: Consultancy; FATE: Consultancy; Equillium: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy.

Axicabtagene Ciloleucel (Axi-cel) CD19 Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy for Relapsed/Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Real World Experience

Axicabtagene Ciloleucel (Axi-cel) CD19 Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy for Relapsed/Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Real World Experience

Bortezomib-Based Consolidation/Maintenance Therapy for Multiple Myeloma: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background: Bortezomib is a proteasome inhibitor that can lead to cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. Bortezomib-based regimens are widely used as induction therapy of multiple myeloma (MM). Unlike lenalidomide (an immunomodulatory drug), the role of bortezomib in the consolidation and maintenance therapy of multiple myeloma is less clear. This study aims to examine the efficacy and safety of bortezomib-based regimens as consolidation/maintenance therapy in MM patients following induction therapy with or without autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT).Methods: PubMed, ASH, and ASCO databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RTC) of bortezomib-based regimens (either single-agent or combination) as consolidation/maintenance therapy for MM patients through July 2018. Study endpoints included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and adverse events (AE). Pooled hazard ratios (HR) for survival outcomes and relative risks (RR) for dichotomous data with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated with a random effect model using MedCalc (MedCalc Software, Ostend, Belgium). For studies that did not report HRs for survival outcomes but provided graphical survival curves, the log HRs and variances were estimated based on the method by Parmar et al (Stat Med 1998; 17: 2815-2834). Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic of inconsistency, with statistically significant heterogeneity defined as I2 > 50% or p-value < 0.1.Results: Eight randomized controlled trials (7 phase III, 1 phase II; 2 were published in a single article) were identified. Bortezomib-based regimens were administered as consolidation treatment in 5 RTCs and maintenance therapy in 3 RTCs, following induction therapy +/- ASCT. A total of 2439 patients were included: 1154 patients received bortezomib-based regimens, and 1285 patients received non-bortezomib-based regimens or observation. Two RCTs (1 for consolidation, 1 for maintenance) did not provide HRs, which were estimated as described as above. Pooled data from the 8 RCTs showed that bortezomib-based consolidation/maintenance therapy improved progression-free survival (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.64-0.79, P < 0.001; I2 = 6.61%) and overall survival (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.68-0.94, P = 0.005; I2 = 0%) compared to observation or regimens without bortezomib. When the 2 RCTs that did not report HRs were excluded from the meta-analysis, it did not alter the favorable outcome of bortezomib-based consolidation/maintenance therapy: PFS (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.60-0.82, P < 0.001; I2 = 40.54%) and OS (HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.64-0.91, P = 0.002; I2 = 0%). The PFS benefit was maintained in a subgroup analysis by the setting of treatment (consolidation, HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.63-0.85, P < 0.001; I2 = 0%, maintenance, HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.56-0.0.86, P = 0.001; I2 = 55.63%). Bortezomib-based therapy prolonged OS in the maintenance setting (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.58-0.86, P < 0.001; I2 = 0%) but not in the consolidation setting (HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.77-1.33, P = 0.935; I2 = 0%). Regarding safety, bortezomib-based consolidation/maintenance therapy significantly increased the risk of grade 3 or 4 peripheral sensory neuropathy and neuralgia (RR 2.09, 95% CI 1.11-3.95, p = 0.022; I2 = 52.64%) compared to observation or regimens without bortezomib. There was a trend toward increased rates of grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia (RR 1.54, 95% CI 0.95-2.52, p = 0.08; I2 = 21.67%), GI symptoms (RR 2.54, 95% CI 0.63-10.25, p = 0.19; I2 = 76.72%), vascular events (RR 1.90, 95% CI 0.80-4.53, p = 0.15; I2 = 0.00%), and fatigue (RR 2.10, 95% CI 0.83-5.30, p = 0.12; I2 = 0.00%) with bortezomib-based consolidation/maintenance, but these did not reach statistical significance.Conclusions: Bortezomib-based consolidation/maintenance significantly improves PFS and OS in MM patients following induction therapy +/- ASCT. The OS benefit appears to be limited to the maintenance setting based on a subgroup analysis. Bortezomib-based regimen increases the risk of grade 3 or 4 peripheral sensory neuropathy and neuralgia. [Display omitted] DisclosuresBachanova:Gamida Cell: Research Funding; GT Biopharma: Research Funding; Kite Pharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.