Prior Autologous Stem Cell Transplant Research Articles

Open-Label, Randomized, Phase 3 Study of Coformulated Favezelimab and Pembrolizumab Versus Chemotherapy in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma Refractory to Anti-PD-1 Therapy: Keyform-008

Background: The importance of PD-1 therapy in relapsed or refractory (R/R) classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL) is well established, with PD-1 inhibitors such as pembrolizumab being a standard of care option for patients. However, most patients eventually develop progressive disease and optimal therapy after anti-PD-1 failure has not been determined. The inhibitory checkpoint receptor, lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3) is expressed in cHL tumor microenvironments and upregulation of LAG-3 is considered to play an important role in anti-PD-1 resistance. Favezelimab (MK-4280) is a humanized immunoglobulin G4 antibody that binds to LAG-3 and blocks interaction with major histocompatibility complex Class II ligands. Results from the ongoing phase 1/2 MK-4280-003 study of the combination of favezelimab and pembrolizumab demonstrated manageable safety and promising antitumor activity in patients with anti-PD-1-refractory R/R cHL. The randomized, open-label, parallel group, active-controlled, phase 3 KEYFORM-008 study (NCT05508867) is designed to evaluate efficacy and safety of the coformulation of favezelimab and pembrolizumab versus physician's choice of chemotherapy in patients with anti-PD-1-refractory R/R cHL. Study Design and Methods: Patients ≥18 years old, with histologically confirmed R/R cHL, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) of 0-2, and adequate organ function are eligible. Patients must have exhausted all available treatment options with known clinical benefit, including having progressed on anti-PD-1-based therapy and being ineligible for or having failed autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). In addition, patients should also have been ineligible for brentuximab vedotin (BV), relapsed or failed to respond to BV or discontinued BV due to toxicity. Patients with a history of central nervous system (CNS) metastases or active CNS involvement are excluded. Approximately 360 patients will be enrolled and randomly assigned 1:1 to receive coformulated favezelimab 800 mg and pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously (IV) every 3 weeks (Q3W) or physician's choice of chemotherapy (gemcitabine 800-1200 mg/m 2 IV on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle or bendamustine 90-120 mg/m 2 IV on days 1 and 2 of either a 21- or 28-day cycle). Randomization will be stratified by prior ASCT (yes vs no) and ECOG PS (0 or 1 vs 2). Treatment will continue for ≤35 cycles for the favezelimab/pembrolizumab coformulation or ≤6 cycles for chemotherapy or until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal. Patients receiving physician's choice of chemotherapy with progressive disease confirmed by blinded independent central review (BICR) per Lugano criteria may be eligible to cross over to the favezelimab/pembrolizumab coformulation. Response assessments by positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be performed every 12 weeks (Q12W) until disease progression or trial discontinuation. Adverse events will be monitored throughout the study and graded per National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0. The primary end point is progression-free survival (PFS) per Lugano criteria by BICR. Overall survival (OS) is a key secondary end point. Other secondary end points are objective response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR) per Lugano criteria by BICR, and safety. Exploratory end points include PFS on subsequent anticancer therapy and health-related quality of life. PFS, OS, and DOR rates in each treatment group will be estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The Clopper-Pearson method will be used to estimate ORR with 95% CI. Patient-reported outcomes will be assessed using EORTC Quality Of Life Questionnaire C30 and the EuroQuol 5-dimension, 5-level questionnaire. Enrollment for this study is open in sites in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Israel, Poland, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, and USA. ©2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. Reused with permission. This abstract was accepted and previously presented at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting. All rights reserved.

Rituximab Ibrutinib Lenalidomide (R2I) Combination for Primary or Secondary Large B-Cell CNS Lymphoma: Last Resort or Bridge to Cellular Therapy?

Background: Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) and secondary central nervous system lymphoma (SCNSL) each carry a poor prognosis. About 50% of patients with PCNSL will have refractory or relapsed disease correlating with dismal survival. SCNSL is associated with median overall survival (OS) of <6 months. (El-Galaly et al . Eur. J. Cancer 2018) Lenalidomide and ibrutinib each have single agent activity in PCNSL and SCNSL, albeit with limited duration of response (DOR). In combination, they have synergistic activity through modulation of NF-kappa B pathway. The regimen rituximab, lenalidomide, and ibrutinib (R2I) has demonstrated complete and durable responses in a subset of patients with good tolerability. (Houllier et al . Neurology 2021). We report our institutional outcomes with this regimen and its potential role as a bridge to autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) or CD19-targeted CAR T-cell therapy. Methods: This retrospective study included ten large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) patients with PCNSL or SCNSL who received R2I regimen at Miami Cancer Institute from December 2020 to March 2023. Treatment response was assessed using International PCNSL Collaborative Group's criteria. (Abrey et al. J Clin Oncol 2005) Efficacy was evaluated from the start of R2I regimen. Progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: The median age at R2I initiation was 71 (range, 57-85) years. Six of 10 (60%) patients were ≥65 years. Five of 10 (50%) patients had PCNSL. The median number of prior lines of therapy was 2 (range, 1-7). None of the patients had prior ASCT. The median number of cycles of R2I was 4 (range, 1-23). Four patients received a higher dose of rituximab (500mg/m 2). Overall response rates (ORR) and complete response (CR) rates were 80% (95% CI, 55.2 to 100) and 40% (95% CI, 9.6 to 70.3), respectively. The median time to best response was 1.5 (range, 1.0-13.0) months and the median DOR was 5.5 (range, 2.5-18.0) months. The 1-year PFS and OS were 38.8% (95% CI: 4.9 to 72.8) and 56% (95% CI: 22.5 to 89.4), respectively (Figure 1). In the PCNSL subgroup, the 1-year OS was 80% (95% CI, 44.9 to 100) and PFS was 60% (95% CI, 17 to 100). No differences in response rates to R2I between PCNSL and SCNSL were observed (p=0.9). There were no deaths or treatment discontinuations due to R2I toxicity. Two patients on R2I underwent subsequent cellular therapy. One PCNSL patient in CR received carmustine (BCNU) and thiotepa conditioning followed by autograft rescue and remains in remission 16 months post-ASCT. The second patient received CD19-targeted CAR T-cell therapy with axicabtagene ciloleucel for SCNSL. The patient expired 119 days after CAR T-cell therapy due to systemic disease relapse. Another patient, initially deemed ineligible for any cellular therapy due to poor performance status, has achieved a durable response with improvement of performance status and is currently awaiting ASCT. Conclusion: R2I is an effective and safe regimen in patients with PCNSL and SCNSL. Although responses without consolidation may be durable, R2I should be considered as an active drug combination and well-tolerated bridge to cellular therapy to achieve long term survival.

Infectious Complications in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory (R/R) Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) Treated with the Anti-CD20xCD3 Bispecific Antibody (BsAb) Mosunetuzumab

Introduction:NHL treatment with anti-CD20 antibodies is associated with an increased risk of infections. Mosunetuzumab (mosun) is a novel anti-CD20xCD3 BsAb that has been examined in clinical trials for different NHL subtypes and was recently approved for treating R/R follicular lymphoma. While the open-label clinical trial of mosun reported that 17% of the patients experienced infectious complications, a detailed analysis of the incidence and types of infections in patients receiving this treatment has not been reported. Methods: This is a single-center, IRB-approved, retrospective analysis of patients with R/R NHL receiving mosun, either on a study protocol (NCT02500407) at the recommended phase 2 dose or as commercial use. Patients who completed at least 1 treatment cycle and had at least 30 days of follow-up were included in this analysis. Patient demographics, information on the lymphoma, and infection variables were collected by chart review. All infection-specific variables were collected from the start of mosun therapy until the initiation of the next line of therapy or the last follow-up, whichever came first. The data cut-off was on 7/22/23. Infectious events were graded according to common terminology criteria for adverse events (CTCAE) version 5.0. Baseline characteristics were analyzed for infection risk by performing a Cox regression analysis. Results: Between October 2016 and July 2023, 48 patients were treated with mosun at our center, and 44 met the study inclusion criteria. Four patients had only received one dose or did not have sufficient follow at the time of the analysis. Baseline characteristics are summarized in Table 1. After a median follow-up of 6.8 months (range 0.7-59.7), we recorded 37 infection episodes in 16/44 patients (36.4%). Amongst these, the frequencies of viral, bacterial, and fungal infections were 54.1% (20/37), 43.2% (16/37), and 2.7% (1/37), respectively. The most common infection types were upper respiratory tract infections 42.1% (20/37), skin and soft tissue infections16.2% (6/37), including 3 shingles episodes), genitourinary infections 10.8% (4/37), and lower respiratory tract infections 10.8% (4/37). Of all the infections, 9/37 (24.3%) were Grade 3 or higher; of these, 2/37 (5.4%) were Grade 5 (1 biliary sepsis, 1 COVID pneumonia). The cumulative incidence of infection was 25% over the follow-up period (figure 1). The median time to the first infection was 144 days (range 29-1821). Among the patients who experienced infections, the infection rate was 1.54 every 100 days at risk within the first three months. The infection rate was 1.69 every 100 days at risk between three and six months and 0.37 every 100 days at risk beyond six months for patients with infection. We evaluated the type of lymphoma (i.e., aggressive vs. indolent), patients' age, number of prior therapies before BsAb administration, prior CAR-T therapy, prior autologous SCT, baseline hypogammaglobulinemia, and baseline cytopenia's as risk factors of infection with a univariate Cox regression analysis. We found that none of these characteristics were associated with the risk of infection with statistical significance. However, in a multivariate Cox regression analysis, patients who received CAR-T therapy before starting a BsAb were at a slightly higher risk of developing an infection (OR = 6.13; 95% CI: 0.90, 41.74, p = 0.063). Conclusion: Infection risk in patients with R/R NHL treated with mosun either on protocol or for commercial use appears to be higher than in the clinical trial experience reported in the literature. Viral infections were especially common, including respiratory infections and shingles episodes. Our findings highlight the need for careful monitoring and implementation of preventive strategies to decrease the infection burden in these vulnerable patients.

CNS Radiotherapy As Bridging Prior to CAR T-Cell Therapy for Non-Hodgkin B-Cell Lymphoma

Introduction: Up to 80% of patients who receive CAR T-cell therapy (CAR T) for central nervous system lymphoma (CNSL) require bridging therapy, yet optimal regimens remain undefined. Radiotherapy is an established strategy for extracranial lymphoma that provides beneficial cytoreduction. However, CNS bridging radiotherapy (CNS-BRT) prior to CAR T is controversial due to concerns of potential enhanced neurotoxicity. We explored the safety and response profiles in patients treated with CNS-BRT prior to CAR T. Methods: We identified patients with non-hodgkin B-cell lymphoma who received CNS-BRT at our institution prior to commercial CAR T infusion. CNS-BRT was defined as treatment delivered between apheresis and CAR T infusion or within 30 days prior to apheresis, targeting the CNS parenchyma, leptomeninges, or epidural spine. Patients with epidural spine disease were included since the adjacent spinal cord is part of the treatment field. Safety was evaluated by rate of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) after CAR T. Best CNS response post CAR T was evaluated using the International Primary CNS Lymphoma Collaborative Group (IPCG) or Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) for parenchymal or leptomeningeal lesions, respectively. Cytoreduction from CNS-BRT was estimated by calculating the change in lesion size (sum of product diameter) from before and after CNS-BRT, but before CAR T infusion. Risk of any CNS relapse after CAR T was estimated using the Gray's method with death as a competing risk. Patients with epidural spine disease were not evaluate for CNS response or relapse. Results: 12 patients received CNS-BRT with median follow up of 8.5 months (range: 3.2 - 30.2), median age of 60 (30-76), median Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) of 80 (range: 50 - 90). Histologies included diffuse large B cell (DLBCL) (n = 9), mantle cell (n = 2), and Burkitt lymphoma (n = 1), with disease localizing to the brain parenchyma (n = 6), leptomeninges (n = 4), and epidural spine (n = 2). 9 patients had secondary CNSL and 1 patient had primary CNSL. Prior to CNS-BRT, 11/12 patients had progressive disease. 5/12 patients had disease outside of the CNS. 5/12 patients received prior autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. 9/12 patients received prior high dose methotrexate with median 46-day interval to CNS-BRT (range: 0 - 393). RT targets included whole brain (n = 3), involved site (partial) brain (n = 4), involved site spine (n = 4), and orbits (n = 1) with median dose 24 Gy (range: 15 - 33). CAR T products included Tisagenlecleucel (n = 4), Lisocabtagene maraleucel (n = 7), and Axicabtagene ciloleucel (n = 1). Among 10 patients with available toxicity grading, 6/10 experienced CRS (n = 1 grade (G) 1, n = 4 G2, and n = 1 G3), and 3/10 experienced ICANS (n = 1 G1, n = 1 G3, n = 1 G4). 6/10 patients required tocilizumab and/or steroids. CNS-BRT achieved a 74.4% (95% CI, 62.9 - 85.9) mean reduction in lesion size prior to CAR T infusion. Best CNS response after CAR T infusion included 3 complete responses (CR), 6 partial responses (PR), and 1 progressive disease (PD). The patients who achieved PR remained in PR at last follow up. The 12-month estimated risk of CNS progression after CNS-BRT and CAR T infusion was 20.0% (95% CI, 3- 49). CNS progression was not observed in patients who received involved site brain RT. Conclusion: Preliminary data suggest CNS-BRT achieves rapid cytoreduction prior to CAR T therapy and is associated with a favorable CNS response profile. While overall numbers are limited to date, the rate of severe CRS and ICANS is similar to that of historical series of CNSL patients treated with CAR T. However, a larger cohort will be required to determine the safety of CNS-BRT. These data support further study of RT, and exploration of involved site brain RT, as an effective bridging modality for CAR T-cell therapy in CNSL.

CD19-Targeting CAR T-Cell Therapy in Transformed Waldenström Macroglobulinemia/Lymphoplasmacytic Lymphoma: A Descar-T and US Collaborative Study

Introduction: Patients with histological transformation (HT) of Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) who relapse or are refractory (R/R) have a poor prognosis with standard chemoimmunotherapy, notably patients who are unable to undergo high dose chemotherapy (HCT) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) or who relapse after HCT/ASCT. CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies can lead to durable responses in relapsed/refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and thus may represent a promising therapeutic option in R/R transformed WM (tWM); however, data from pivotal trials is lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of anti-CD19 CAR T-cells in real-word patients with R/R tWM. Methods: We retrospectively identified patients with biopsy-proven transformed WM/lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma treated with axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) or tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel) in the French DESCAR-T registry (NCT04328298) and 2 US centers. The primary endpoint was best complete response rate (CRR). Secondary outcomes were best overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and safety. Responses were assessed according to the Lugano 2014 criteria at 1 month, 3 months and 6 months. Subsequent assessments were per institutional pratice. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) were graded according to the ASTCT 2019 consensus criteria. Hematological toxicity and infections were graded according to the NCI CTCAE (version 5.0). Results: Between June 2017 and May 2023, 22 patients (18 from DECAR-T centers and 4 from US centers) with R/R tWM were treated with anti-CD19 CAR T-cells (13 axi-cel and 9 tisa-cel). Median age at WM diagnosis was 58 years (range 35-72). MYD88 L265P and CXCR4 mutations were present in 85% (11/13) and 29% (2/7) of patients with available data, respectively. Patients received a median of 1 prior line of treatment (range, 0-4) for WM and 2 prior lines (range, 1-4) for HT. Eight patients had received prior ASCT (2 for WM and 6 for HT) and 1 patient allogeneic SCT. The median time from WM to HT diagnosis was 4.5 years (range, 0-32) and 26 months (range, 3-90) from HT diagnosis to CAR T infusion. Of note, CNS involvement was present in 3 patients at DLBCL relapse before CAR T-cell therapy. At time of infusion, the median age was 66 years (range, 41-82) and 8 patients (36%) were older than 70 years. Median Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) was 1 (range, 0-2). Bridging therapy was administered to 16 patients (73%). Following bridging therapy, 6 patients had progressive disease (PD), 4 stable disease (SD) and 6 were responders (2 complete responses (CR) and 4 partial responses (PR)). After CAR T-cell infusion, best CRR was 82% and best ORR was 95%. The ORR/CRR was 95%/77% at 1 month, 76%/71% at 3 months and 68%/68% at 6 months. Seventeen patients (78%) experienced CRS, including 2 grade 3 (all after axi-cel), and 9 ICANS occurred (41%), including 1 grade 3 and 1 grade 4 (all after axi-cel). Eight patients (36%) presented infections, including 3 grade 3 and 1 grade 4. Neutropenia was reported in 78% (grade 3-4 = 68%), thrombocytopenia in 86% (grade 3-4 = 45%) and anemia in 86% (grade 3-4 = 32%) of patients. After a median follow-up of 17 months (range, 1-47), the 1-year PFS and OS were 70% and 84% respectively (figure). Five deaths were reported, 4 due to progressive disease and 1 from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Conclusion: This study shows a high efficacy of anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy in R/R tWM with no unexpected toxicity. Longer follow-up is needed to confirm the long-term efficacy of CAR T-cells in tWM.

Zilovertamab Vedotin (MK-2140) in Relapsed or Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL): Updated Results from the Phase 2 Waveline-004 Study

Background: DLBCL is an aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that is often curable with frontline therapy, but up to 50% of patients (pts) will develop relapsed or refractory (R/R) disease. Treatment options are limited for pts with R/R DLBCL who have progressed after or are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. ROR1 is an oncofetal transmembrane protein that is expressed in DLBCL. Zilovertamab vedotin, an antibody-drug conjugate comprising a humanized monoclonal antibody against ROR1, a proteolytically cleavable linker, and the antimicrotubule agent monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), initially demonstrated promising antitumor activity and manageable safety in R/R NHL in the phase 1 waveLINE-001 study. Early results from the single-arm, open-label, phase 2 waveLINE-004 study (NCT05144841) showed that zilovertamab vedotin had clinically meaningful antitumor activity and manageable safety in pts with R/R DLBCL who progressed after or were ineligible for ASCT and/or CAR T-cell therapy. We present updated results from waveLINE-004. Methods: Eligible pts were ≥18 y, had histologically confirmed R/R DLBCL per WHO classification, measurable disease per Lugano 2014 criteria, PET-positive disease, and an ECOG performance status of 0 to 2. Pts were required to have disease progression after ≥2 prior lines of therapy including an alkylating agent, anthracycline, and an anti-CD20 antibody, and had progressed after or were ineligible for ASCT and CAR T-cell therapy. Pts received zilovertamab vedotin 2.5 mg/kg IV Q3W until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal. Primary end point was ORR per Lugano 2014 criteria. Secondary end points were DOR and safety and tolerability. PFS and OS were exploratory. Efficacy is reported for pts who had ≥1 postbaseline assessment available. Safety is reported for all pts who received ≥1 dose of zilovertamab vedotin. Results: At the data cutoff (April 26, 2023), 98 pts had been enrolled and received ≥1 dose of zilovertamab vedotin; 61 pts (62%) had discontinued treatment predominantly because of disease progression (38%); 37 pts (38%) were ongoing. Median age was 66 y (range, 19-88), 63 pts (64%) were male, and 86 (92%) had an ECOG performance status of 0 or 1. Most pts (n = 70; 71%) had received ≥3 prior lines of therapy. Forty-one (42%) and 13 pts (13%) had high-intermediate and high-risk NCCN-IPI scores, respectively. Fifteen pts (15%) had undergone prior ASCT, 18 (18%) had undergone prior CAR T-cell therapy, and 5 (5%) had undergone both ASCT and CAR T-cell therapy. Median time from first dose to data cutoff was 4.5 mo (range, 0.2-13.2) for pts who received ≥1 dose of zilovertamab vedotin, and 5.6 mo (range, 0.9-13.2) for the 79 pts who had ≥1 postbaseline scan (efficacy analysis population). ORR per investigator review was 29% (95% CI, 19.4-40.4), with 10 pts (13%) having a complete response and 13 (16%) a partial response; 10 pts (13%) had stable disease, for a disease control rate of 42% (95% CI, 30.8-53.4). Median DOR was 3.0 mo (range, 0.0+ to 8.8+). Median PFS was 2.5 mo (95% CI, 1.9-3.0); 6-mo PFS was 15%. Median OS for all 98 pts was 10.6 mo (95% CI, 5.1-NR); 6-mo OS was 62%. Treatment-related AEs occurred in 78 pts (80%), most commonly (≥20%) neutrophil count decreased (n = 47; 48%), anemia (n = 25; 26%), diarrhea (n = 23; 23%), and white blood cell count decreased (n = 20; 20%). Grade 3-5 treatment-related AEs occurred in 51 pts (52%), most commonly (≥10%) neutrophil count decreased (n = 38; 39%), anemia (n = 15; 15%), and white blood cell count decreased (n = 12; 12%). Two pts (2%) died because of treatment-related AEs (septic shock, acute kidney injury). Four pts (4%) discontinued zilovertamab vedotin because of treatment-related AEs (2 diabetic ketoacidosis, 1 septic shock, 1 acute kidney injury). Peripheral neuropathy occurred in 18 pts (18%), 2 (2%) of whom had a grade 3/4 event. Dose modification because of peripheral neuropathy was required for 10 pts (10%). One pt (1%) experienced a grade 2 treatment-related infusion reaction. Conclusions: In this updated analysis of waveLINE-004, zilovertamab vedotin continued to demonstrate clinically meaningful antitumor activity in pts with R/R DLBCL who had progressed after or were ineligible for ASCT and/or CAR T-cell therapy. The safety profile of zilovertamab vedotin was manageable, and consistent with the known profile of MMAE-containing agents.

Melflufen in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma refractory to prior alkylators: A subgroup analysis from the OCEAN study.

Melphalan flufenamide (melflufen), a first-in-class alkylating peptide-drug conjugate, plus dexamethasone demonstrated superior progression-free survival (PFS), but not overall survival (OS), versus pomalidomide plus dexamethasone in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma in the OCEAN study. Time to progression (TTP) <36 months after a prior autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) was a negative prognostic factor for OS with melflufen. This post hoc exploratory analysis evaluated patients refractory to prior alkylators (e.g., cyclophosphamide and melphalan) in OCEAN. In 153 patients refractory to prior alkylators (melflufen, n = 78; pomalidomide, n = 75), the melflufen and pomalidomide arms had similar median PFS (5.6 months [95% CI, 4.2-8.3] vs. 4.7 months [95% CI, 3.1-7.3]; hazard ratio [HR], 0.92 [95% CI, 0.63-1.33]) and OS (23.4 months [95% CI, 14.4-31.7] vs. 20.0 months [95% CI, 12.0-28.7]; HR, 0.92 [95% CI, 0.62-1.38]). Among alkylator-refractory patients with a TTP ≥ 36 months after a prior ASCT or no prior ASCT (melflufen, n = 54; pomalidomide, n = 53), the observed median PFS and OS were longer in the melflufen arm than the pomalidomide arm. The safety profile of melflufen was consistent with previous reports. These results suggest that melflufen is safe and effective in patients with alkylator-refractory disease, suggesting differentiated activity from other alkylators.

A Real-World Comparison of Idecabtagene Vicleucel and Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel CAR-T Therapy: A Single Center Experience for Relapsed/ Refractory Multiple Myeloma

Background Chimeric antigen receptor modified T-cell therapy is a promising new treatment for patients with heavily pre-treated multiple myeloma (MM). BCMA (B-cell maturation antigen) directed therapies including idecabtagene vicleucel (Ide-Cel) and ciltacabtagene autoleucel (Cilta-Cel) are currently approved for use in patients with four prior lines of therapy. Both therapies have shown efficacy producing a high overall response rates and durable responses. Both are second-generation designs with identical endodomain (CD3ζ - 4-1BB) to target BCMA on the target cells for patients with relapsed and refractory MM who have been triple-class exposed. The two distinct differences are ectodomain structure and recommended dose. In this single center retrospective study, we report our experience with the use of both CAR-T therapies in patients with heavily pre-treated MM. Methods Following institutional review board approval, we included all patients with MM who were treated with commercially approved BCMA directed CAR-T therapy. Demographic characteristics, molecular studies, treatment and response information were recorded and included in the study. Safety outcomes included the incidence and severity of adverse events (AEs). AEs were graded using National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0 (NCI-CTCAE 5.0). Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) were graded as per the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy criteria. Efficacy outcomes included overall response rates (ORR), progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), duration of response (DOR). Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method including PFS and Overall survival (OS). PFS was defined as time from initiation of treatment to progression of disease or death whichever occurred first. OS was defined as time from initiation of treatment to death. The IMW response criteria was utilized for response assessment. Results We identified 56 patients who were treated consecutively at Hackensack University Medical Center between 6/28/2021 and 7/3/2023. 53 patients had data available for evaluable responses and were included in our analysis. 35(66%) patients received Ide-cel, whereas 18(34%) patients received Cilta-Cel. For the entire cohort, 30(56.6%) were male, median age was 69.6 years median time from diagnosis to treatment was 8.1 years. Patients had received a median of 5 prior lines of therapy. 50(94.3%) patients were triple class refractory, all except one patient (98.1%) had a prior autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). 27(60%) patients had high risk FISH defined as those with t(4;14), t(14;16), 17p(-) or 1q(+), 24(60%) patients were ISS-2 or 3 at diagnosis. Treatment was overall well tolerated, with only one therapy related mortality, 42(79.3%) patients experienced CRS, with only 1(1.9%) having grade 3 or higher CRS. 6(11.3%) patients experienced ICANS, with 2(3.8%) having grade 3 or higher ICANS. Baseline characteristics are summarized in table 1. Overall response rate for the entire cohort was 75.4%, with a median PFS of 11.9 months, median DOR of 13.2 months and mOS was not reached (NR). The median ORR for cilta-cel vs ide-cel was 94.4 % and 65.7% (p=0.01) respectively. The median PFS for cilta- cel vs ide-cel was NR vs 10.9 months (p=0.09) respectively (Figure 1), follow-up being very short for cilta- cel. Baseline characteristics, safety and efficacy data for the cohort and comparison between the two therapies are summarized in table 1. Conclusions In our single center experience, cilta-cel has shown superiority in terms of efficacy compared to ide-cel. Having said that, the authors do strongly recognize that longer manufacturing time for cilta-cel introduces a bias in favor of using ide-cel for patients with more aggressive/rapidly progressing disease, which may therefore result in inferior outcomes. The safety profile for both therapies is very similar and both offer promising results to patients with MM.

Copanlisib in Combination with Nivolumab in Subjects with Relapsed/Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma and Primary Mediastinal Large B-Cell Lymphoma: A Phase II Study

Introduction: Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) are aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). One particular subtype, Primary Mediastinal B-cell Lymphoma (PMBCL), is often grouped with DLBCL, but it possesses distinct biological and clinical characteristics. While initial therapy successfully cures approximately two-thirds of patients (pts), those who do not respond or experience progression within the first two years have a poor prognosis despite novel cellular therapies and bispecifics and ultimately succumb to their disease. There is a pressing need for more effective therapeutic approaches in this patient population. Recent advances in the understanding of DLBCL pathogenesis have led to the targeting of various signaling pathways, including the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway. One such drug, copanlisib (C), a pan-PI3K inhibitor with potent PI3K-α/PI3K-δ inhibition, exhibited activity in both indolent and aggressive NHL. In preclinical studies using a DLBCL mouse model, treatment with C effectively reduced the immunosuppressive tumor-infiltrating T-regulatory cells (Tregs). Moreover, when combined with a surrogate anti-mouse programmed death -1 (PD-1) blocker, C demonstrated significant in vivo responses (75%) compared to the monotherapy groups (0%). These findings support the rationale for exploring the combination of nivolumab, a PD-1 blocker, and copanlisib (C-N) in DLBCL. Thus, a phase 2 prospective study has been developed, focusing on two relapsed/refractory (RR) cohorts (DLBCL and PMBCL), treated with the combination of C-N. A prespecified interim analysis was planned upon enrollment of 14 pts. Herein, we report outcomes of the 12 enrolled pts, as the study was halted prematurely due to a safety signal deemed possibly related to the combination. Study design: C 60 mg was given intravenously on days 1, 8, and 15 during cycles 1-8, and on days 1 and 15 in subsequent cycles. N 240 mg IV was given on days 1 and 15 during cycles 1-8, and 480 mg on day 1 on subsequent cycles. Each treatment cycle is 28 days. Therapy was given for up to 2 years, as long as there is no disease progression or unacceptable side effects. The primary objective of the study is to determine the ORR, which includes complete and partial responses (CR+PR). Secondary objectives include evaluating the safety of the combination, as well as assessing progression-free survival (PFS), duration of response (DOR), CR, and overall survival (OS). The study plan was to enroll a maximum of 106 pts, including a safety cohort of 6 pts. The study received funding from Bayer and conducted through NCI-CTEP (NCI Protocol #10193; NCT03484819). Results: Twelve pts who received at least one cycle of C-N were included in this analysis. Pt characteristics are illustrated in table 1. All enrolled pts had DLBCL histology. Only one patient received a prior autologous stem cell transplant. Interestingly 4/12 received prior chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CART). Of the 12 enrolled pts, seven were evaluated for response. The ORR was 25% (3/12) (95% CI: 5 - 57%), all CR. The median number of cycles received was 2.5 (range 1-24) with two pts receiving 23 and 24 cycles. Observed grade 3 and higher adverse events (AEs) were as follows: non-hematologic AEs in 10/12 (83.3%), while hematologic AEs were seen in 5/12 (41.7%) pts. A relatively higher incidence of cardiac events (4/12) were noted including one cardiac arrest after one cycle of therapy, and four atrial fibrillation events, all grade 3, but only two were deemed possibly attributed to therapy. The cardiac arrest was deemed unrelated to therapy. Conclusions: C-N combination had modest clinical activity in pts with R/R DLBCL with some prolonged responses. However, due to the relatively high number of cardiac events and the changing therapeutic landscape with recent approvals, a decision was made to halt the study. These findings likely reflect possibly older and sicker patient population. Biomarker studies for predictors of response are under consideration.

Bendamustine Lymphodepletion (LD) Prior to Idecabtagene Vicleucel (Ide-cel) Is Associated with Inferior Outcomes in Relapsed Refractory Multiple Myeloma (RRMM)

Background Chimeric antigen receptor therapy (CART) has revolutionized the management of RRMM. LD prior to CART cells modulates the immune environment creating optimal conditions for T cell expansion and subsequent efficacy. Fludarabine/cyclophosphamide (FLU/CY) is an effective LD regimen, and its use has been adopted widely prior to CART cells for all indications. Since the safety of FLU/CY is not established in patients with substantial renal impairment and given recent nationwide fludarabine shortage, alternative lymphodepletion strategies have been explored. Bendamustine (BENDA) has been shown to be a safe alternative with equivalent efficacy and reduced toxicity in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). While its use has been extrapolated to RRMM, efficacy and long-term outcomes have not been examined. Methods We retrieved and analyzed data on sequential patients (pts) with RRMM treated with commercial Ide-cel at a single institution from its approval in 3/2021 until 5/2023. We captured baseline patient, disease and treatment characteristics. We used IgG (with monoclonal component deducted) and uninvolved FLC as indirect surrogate of CAR-T expansion and on target, off tumor killing of non-malignant plasma cells. We assessed cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell associated neurotoxicity (ICANS) based on the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy criteria and disease responses using the International Myeloma Working Group response criteria. We graded hematologic toxicity using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0. We compared efficacy between the cohorts using overall response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS), since overall survival is expected to be affected by choice of subsequent, often experimental therapies. Results We identified 28 pts with RRMM who met the inclusion criteria. Nine pts received alternative LD with BENDA (2 pts - renal dysfunction with creatinine clearance &amp;lt;30ml/min; 7 - fludarabine shortage) and 19 received FLU/CY as LD. Baseline characteristics are summarized in Table. Prior autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) and prior B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) targeting therapy were more frequent in the FLU/CY cohort. Median absolute lymphocyte count (measured in 10^3/ cmm) prior to LD chemotherapy was similar in both cohorts (0.85 in BENDA vs 0.80 in FLU/CY). Median duration of absolute neutrophil count &amp;lt;1,000/μL was shorter in the BENDA cohort. The incidence of any grade CRS (56% vs. 90%, p=0.06) and tocilizumab use (56% vs. 84%, p=0.16) was lower with BENDA compared to FLU/CY. In the absence of ide-cel expansion data, we used nadir polyclonal IgG and uninvolved free light chain (uFLC) in the initial 90 days post CART cell infusion as surrogate of non-malignant plasma burden and therefore ide-cel expansion. We noted lower median uFLC and median IgG with FLU/CY vs. BENDA. The overall response rate was lower with BENDA (22%) vs. FLU/CY (79%, p=0.01). With median follow up of 4.8 mo., all pts in the BENDA cohort progressed with median PFS of 1.6 months vs 7.8 months for FLU/CY (p&amp;lt;0.001, Figure). The median OS for both cohorts is not yet reached. Conclusion: BENDA LD prior to ide-cel infusion results in suboptimal lymphodepletion and subsequent inferior outcomes including low rate of objective responses and decreased progression free survival. The inferior efficacy of BENDA as LD likely results from inferior ide-cel expansion and persistence resulting in less frequent and severe CRS and cytopenias and less suppression of unaffected immunoglobulins. Future efforts to study alternative lymphodepletion approaches is essential given inability to use fludarabine in patients with severe renal dysfunction and periods of critical drug shortages. While there is a need to develop alternatives for LD prior to ide-cel, BENDA is an inadequate substitute of FLU/CY.

Results of an Open-Label Phase 1 Study Repurposing Oral Metformin and Nelfinavir in Combination with Subcutaneous Bortezomib in Patients with Relapsed and/or Refractory Multiple Myeloma

Background: GLUT4 inhibition via the use of a protease inhibitor, such as nelfinavir (NEL), is an attractive therapeutic option in multiple myeloma (MM), given the dependence of MM cells on glucose. Furthermore, combining a GLUT4 inhibitor with an oxidative phosphorylation inhibitor, such as metformin (MET), may counter the possibility of therapeutic resistance to GLUT4 inhibition in MM cells, showing synergistic promise (Dalva-Aydemir et al., Clin Can Res 2015). In addition to GLUT4 inhibition, NEL also lowers the cytotoxicity resistance of MM cells against proteasome inhibitors such as bortezomib (BOR) (Driessen et al., Blood 2018). Thus, this study evaluated the safety and tolerability of repurposing MET and NEL, in combination with BOR for the treatment of relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM) that had progressed on all standard of care (SOC) therapies. Methods: This trial utilized a 3+3 dose escalation design with 3 dose levels planned for up to a maximum of six (21-day) cycles. MET was administered for 14/21 days and started at a dose of 500 mg BID with plans to be investigated at a maximum dose of 1000 mg BID. NEL was administered for 14/21 days and started at a dose of 1250 mg BID with plans to be investigated to a maximum dose of 2500 mg BID. SubQ BOR was administered on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 21-day cycle at a dose of 1.3 mg/m 2 to a portion of patients. Patients with RRMM were required to have had 2 prior lines of therapy and prior exposure to proteasome inhibitors (PIs), immunomodulators (IMiDs), and Anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies. The primary objective was to determine the maximal tolerated dose (MTD) of this combination. The secondary objective was to evaluate the safety as well as the overall response rate (ORR) of this combination. This trial was funded by the Helen Diller Family Foundation. Results: From 4/2019 until 9/2022, nine patients were accrued with a median age of 65 (range: 42-81) that received a median of 7 prior lines of therapy (Range: 6-13). All but one patient had a prior autologous stem cell transplant. Only one patient was not triple-class refractory, and 2/3 rd (n = 6) also had prior anti-BCMA therapy. The first three patients received only MET (500 mg BID) and NEL (1250 mg BID) at the first dose level for up to one cycle before experiencing progressive disease and coming off the study. Given the limited activity of MET and NEL in the initial treatment of these three patients, two subsequent amendments to the protocol allowed for the upfront addition of BOR 1.3 mg/m2 to the original combination, as well as shortened the DLT evaluation period from two cycles to just one. Thus, the following six patients received MET (500 mg BID) and NEL (1250 mg BID) at the first dose level in addition to weekly BOR at 1.3 mg/m2. Four (44%) patients experienced grade 3+ hematological AEs and six (67%) experienced grade 3+ non-hematological AEs. The most common hematologic grade 3+ AE observed was anemia (44%). The nonhematologic grade 3+ AEs observed were dyspnea, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting (11% each). None of the AEs were possibly related to treatment, suggesting good overall safety of the combination. While eight of nine patients have since died of progressive disease, no deaths were attributable to the treatment. All six patients who received BOR upfront with MET and NEL were previously refractory to BOR in prior lines of therapy; however, none had received BOR as their last line of therapy prior to accrual to this study. Four of these six patients had progressive disease after one cycle of therapy and went off study. However, the remaining two were able to receive 2 or more cycles of therapy, with one experiencing an unconfirmed minor response (MR) in the first cycle and the other experiencing stable disease (SD) for all six cycles. The patient who experienced SD was safely able to transition to a subsequent clinical trial utilizing an anti-BCMA bispecific antibody therapy and remains alive at the time of this analysis. The study was closed before accrual to the next dose level was started. Conclusions: This is the first study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this repurposed drug combination in this very difficult-to-treat population of RRMM. While no ORR was observed, identification of biomarkers used for selection of patients with no other SOC options who could experience at least SD responses may be beneficial in allowing this combination to slow or stabilize the disease progression until other novel therapies or clinical trials are available.

Carfilzomib in Combination with Dexamethasone, Cyclophosphamide, Etoposide, and Cisplatin (KDCEP) for the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Aggressive Plasma Cell Dyscrasias

Background: Dexamethasone with Cyclophosphamide, Etoposide and Cisplatin (DCEP) is an effective regimen in aggressive relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM) with overall response rates (ORR) as high as 58% [Dadacaridou, M. et al JBUON 2007]. ORR is lower (35 - 45%) in patients (pts) exposed to novel therapeutics such as immunomodulatory agents (IMiD), proteasome inhibitors (PI), and anti-CD38 antibodies (mAb) [Park, Silvia et al Ann. Hematol 2014; Goldsmith, Scott et al. Blood2021]. The addition of bortezomib (V) to DCEP demonstrated ORR of 47% [Valla, Kelly et al. Blood 2014]. Due to common use of V front-line, most pts are V exposed by the time treatment for relapse is indicated; therefore, we began using carfilzomib (K) with DCEP. K has been utilized with DPACE with ORR of 77% [Alsouqi, A. et al. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk 2021], however an anthracycline may not be feasible in heavily pretreated pts. We present the first reported outcomes of RRMM pts treated with KDCEP. Methods:This is a case series from the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute of all consecutive pts treated with KDCEP from 2017-2022, conducted under IRB approval. Demographic, disease, treatment, and response data were retrospectively collected. Responses were assessed by IMWG criteria, and adverse events were graded by CTCAE v.5. Descriptive statistics were utilized; a Kaplan-Meier estimate was used for the time to event analysis. Results:Six pts received KDCEP (Table 1). The median age was 63.5 years (range 47 - 73). All pts had ECOG performance status of 1-2, and 67% were male. Median prior treatment lines were 2.5 (range 2 - 7) with 33% undergoing prior autologous stem cell transplant (autoHCT). All pts were exposed to V with 67% refractory. Thirty-three percent had prior K exposure, however none were considered refractory to K, and 67% were refractory to a PI, IMiD and mAb. Two pts received KDCEP as chemo-mobilization prior to autoHCT. All pts had IgG or IgA disease with 67% having high risk cytogenetics (33% 17p del, 50% gain 1q21) and 1 pt had primary plasma cell leukemia. R-ISS stage at diagnosis was: stage 3 (n=2), stage 2 (n=1) unknown (n=3). All pts had baseline echocardiograms with ejection fractions prior to treatment ranging from 57 - 78%. Pts received K on Days 1 and 8 of each 28-day cycle, prophylactic growth factor, and standard antimicrobial prophylaxis. Two pts received 2 cycles, all others received 1. The overall response rate was 100% and included the following best responses: PR (n = 4), VGPR (n = 1), CR (n = 1). One patient that initially achieved a PR relapsed within 60 days and died awaiting enrollment on a clinical trial, however all other pts were successfully bridged to their next line of therapy. Five pts had MRD data available after treatment, each demonstrating detectable MRD. Median progression free survival was 6.7 months. Median time to ANC nadir was 11 days (range 9-14) and to ANC recovery, defined as ANC &amp;gt; 1000/uL, was 18 days (range 14 - 23). Median time to platelet nadir was 12.5 days (range 9-23) and to platelet recovery, defined as platelets &amp;gt; 100 k/uL, was 25 days (range 20 - NR). Median time to next cycle or treatment was 43 days (range 31-54). Sixty-seven percent of pts had a grade ≥ 3 toxicity including neutropenic fever (n=2), sepsis due to pseudomonas bacteremia (n=1), and septic thrombophlebitis (n=1). No cardiac toxicities or treatment related deaths were observed. Discussion:In this cohort of heavily pre-treated pts who received KDCEP, ORR was high indicating the regimen is active in this population. KDCEP may be a viable option for RRMM pts, particularly in those who are triple class refractory or with high risk cytogenetic abnormalities. Our data suggests that KDCEP may be an effective regimen to bridge patients to the next line of therapy; however all patients should be monitored closely for infection.

Brentuximab Vedotin in Combination with Nivolumab in CD30+ Malignancies Refractory to Brentuximab Vedotin

Introduction Brentuximab vedotin (BV), in combination with multi-agent chemotherapy, is considered a standard of care for newly diagnosed CD30+ lymphomas. Despite high reported efficacy, some patients fail to respond to initial BV exposure and many more eventually progress despite ongoing BV therapy. In addition to direct cytotoxicity, BV may also induce immunogenic cell death (Gardai, et al. Cancer Res 2015) and foster a reduction of regulatory T-cells (Herrera, et al. Blood 2018) that may synergize with immune checkpoint inhibitors. To date, the high response rates reported with BV and anti-PD-1 combinations have been limited to patients naïve to both of these agents (Advani, et al. Blood 2021). To address the more clinically relevant scenario of prior BV +/- anti-PD-1 exposure, we designed a study to evaluate the combination of BV and nivolumab in patients with CD30+ lymphoma refractory to prior BV, including those with prior anti-PD-1 therapy. We report the final safety, efficacy and correlative analysis of BV in combination with nivolumab in R/R CD30+ lymphomas refractory to BV. Methods We conducted an open-label trial (NCT01703949) involving patients 18 years and older with CD30+ lymphomas refractory to BV therapy. Refractoriness was defined as lack of disease response or progression within 6 months following a minimum of 2 cycles of BV. BV was given at 1.8 mg/kg in combination with nivolumab at 3 mg/kg every 3 weeks for 4 cycles. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints included complete response (CR) rate, progression-free survival, overall survival, time to next treatment, safety and tolerability and immune response biomarkers. Results As of July 27, 2023, 19 patients have enrolled and 17 have initiated therapy (Table 1). Fourteen patients had classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), 2 had ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALK- ALCL) and 3 had CD30+ mycosis fungoides (MF). Median age was 35 (range 27-71) years and the median number of prior regimens was 5 (range 1-9), including a median of 6 prior cycles of BV (range 2-19). All patients had BV-refractory disease including 16 (84%) who were non-responsive to and 3 (16%) who relapsed within 6 months of BV. Five (26%) patients with cHL received prior anti-PD-1 therapy and 4 (21%) had anti-PD-1 refractory disease. Median time from last BV and anti-PD-1 therapy to study treatment was 5.2 and 1.1 months, respectively. Eight (42%) patients had prior autologous stem cell transplant. Of response evaluable patients, the ORR and CR rate was 44% and 6% after 2 cycles and 44% and 19% after 4 cycles of therapy. Of patients who were refractory to prior BV and anti-PD-1 therapy, 1 (25%) and 1 (25%) achieved a PR and CR, respectively. ORR and CR rate was 43% and 14% for patients with cHL, 100% and 50% for patients with ALK- ALCL, and 100% and 100% for patients with MF, respectively. At completion of study, 1 patient with cHL, 1 with MF and 2 with cHL continued BV with nivolumab, BV monotherapy and nivolumab monotherapy, respectively. Median time to progression and next therapy was 4.5 (range 1.8-45.6) and 5.0 (range 1.8-45.6) months, respectively. Of the 3 patients who achieved a CR after 4 cycles of therapy, 2 (67%) continued treatment (1 with BV and nivolumab and 1 with BV monotherapy), and 1 (33%) has been on surveillance for 45.6 months with no evidence of relapse. At a median follow-up of 21.7 (range 0.5-60.4) months, 15 (79%) patients are alive with 3 in CR. Eleven (58%) and 8 (42%) patients reported no and grade 1 peripheral neuropathy (PN) at baseline, respectively. At end of treatment, 12 (63%) and 1 (5%) patients reported grade 1 and 2 PN, respectively. No patients experienced grade ≥3 PN, transaminitis, infections or infusion reactions. One (5%) patient had a 1-week dose delay due to grade 1 ALT/AST elevation. Two (11%) deaths were noted on study; one patient developed respiratory failure secondary to pneumonitis and influenza and another patient experienced cardiac arrest due to benzodiazepine withdrawal. Correlative PD-1 levels drawn at baseline and at the end of treatment did not correlate with response. Conclusions Despite the presence of BV-refractory disease, 4 cycles of BV and nivolumab is tolerable and associated with encouraging efficacy in patients with heavily treated CD30+ lymphoma. This treatment option may have increasing relevance as more patients receive BV or anti-PD-1 therapy as part of initial treatment.

Matching-Adjusted Indirect Comparison (MAIC) of Brexucabtagene Autoleucel (Brexu-cel) and Pirtobrutinib in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory (R/R) Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) Previously Treated with a Covalent Bruton Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (cBTKi)

Introduction: Patients with MCL often require multiple lines of therapy and exhibit a generally unfavorable prognosis, particularly following failure of cBTKi therapy. Therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies and non-covalent BTKi therapies have shown promise in improving outcomes. Brexu-cel (formerly known as KTE-X19) is the only CAR T-cell therapy approved in the US for R/R MCL based on results from a phase 2 multicenter, single-arm trial (ZUMA-2; NCT02601313) in patients with R/R MCL who had 1-5 prior therapies, including a BTKi. Pirtobrutinib, a highly selective, non-covalent BTKi, was recently approved in the US for treatment of R/R MCL after at least two lines of systemic therapy including a BTKi, based on ongoing results from a multicenter phase 1/2 study (BRUIN; NCT03740529). In the absence of a direct head-to-head trial comparing brexu-cel and pirtobrutinib, we performed an unanchored MAIC to estimate the relative treatment effects of these therapies in the post-BTKi setting for R/R MCL. Methods: Individual patient-level data were available for ZUMA-2 (N=68; 35.8 months median follow-up as of July 24, 2021 data cut-off) whereas study-level data were available for BRUIN (N=90 in the BTKi pre-treated cohort; 23.5 months median follow-up as of July 29, 2022 data cut-off). Longer-term overall survival (OS) data for ZUMA-2 from the July 23, 2022 data cut-off (46.1 months median follow-up) were available and used. Logistic propensity score models were used to weight the brexu-cel infused population from ZUMA-2 to match the aggregate baseline characteristics of the BTKi pre-treated cohort in BRUIN. These baseline characteristics represented clinically relevant prognostic factors which were pre-specified based on input from clinical experts and data availability. The base-case model incorporated the top five most pertinent factors, which were reported in at least 50% of patients in both trials: blastoid morphology, MCL International Prognostic Index, number of prior lines of therapy, disease stage, and prior autologous stem cell transplantation. A sensitivity analysis additionally incorporated TP53 mutation (missing in &amp;gt;50% of patients in ZUMA-2 and BRUIN) and Ki-67 proliferation index (missing in &amp;gt;50% of patients in BRUIN). Several prognostic factors (response to prior BTKi therapy, response to last therapy, and duration on prior BTKi therapy) could not be considered due to not being reported for BRUIN. The effective sample size was calculated as a measure of the degree of precision after weighting, reflecting the extent of overlap in the distribution of covariates between the trial populations. Relative treatment effects were expressed as odds ratios or hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Outcomes included objective response (ORR), complete response (CR), duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Results: In the base-case MAIC, a significant difference in the odds of ORR and CR in favor of brexu-cel versus pirtobrutinib was observed (Table 1). Similarly, brexu-cel demonstrated a significant improvement in PFS (Table 2). OS and DOR point estimates were in favor of brexu-cel when compared to pirtobrutinib, although not statistically significant. These findings were consistent with unadjusted naïve analyses as well as the sensitivity analyses including adjustment for TP53 mutation and Ki-67 proliferation index. Conclusions: While acknowledging the inherent limitations of an unanchored indirect comparison, our findings suggest that brexu-cel offers clinically and statistically significant efficacy benefits in terms of ORR, CR, and PFS compared to pirtobrutinib in patients with R/R MCL after prior cBTKi therapy. Both treatments were not statistically different in terms of OS and DOR although the estimated hazard ratios indicated a favorable trend for brexu-cel; however, given the relatively shorter follow-up and the high degree of censoring in BRUIN, an updated analysis incorporating longer follow-up data with more events from BRUIN could provide more reliable results. Although efforts were made to ensure a robust approach to the selection of prognostic factors for inclusion in the model, the possibility of some residual confounding variables cannot be completely ruled out. Nevertheless, these results provide valuable insights that may help inform treatment decisions for this population.

Interim Results of the Launch Study-a Multicenter, Open-Label Study of Selinexor, Dexamethasone and Chemotherapy Drugs in Relapsed/ Refractory Multiple Myeloma

Background: Exportin 1 (XPO1) is involved in the nuclear export of tumor suppressor proteins (TSPs) and associated with poor prognosis and drug resistance in multiple myeloma. Selinexor is a novel, oral, first-in-class selective inhibitor of XPO1 that was approved by the US FDA for the treatment of patients with relapsed/ refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) based on the STORM study of selinexor (80mg biweekly) in combination with dexamethasone (20mg biweekly) (Xd). Furthermore, in pre-clinical studies, selinexor played a synergistic anti-tumor role with chemotherapy drugs, however clinical data is lacking on such combination treatment. Methods: The LAUNCH study is a multicenter, open-label study (NCT04877275) which enrolled RRMM patients at least one prior treatment. There are two arms in this study, with 25 patients in each arm. XDd Arm: Selinexor 80mg d1,8,15,22, Dexamethasone 40mg d1,8,15,22, and Liposomal Doxorubicin 25-35 mg/m 2 d1; XCd Arm: Selinexor 100mg d1,8,15,22, Dexamethasone 40mg d1,8,15,22, and Cyclophosphamide 300mg/m2 d1,8,15,22. 28d per cycle in both arms. The primary endpoint is objective response rate (ORR), secondary endpoints including clinical benefit rate (CBR), duration of response (DOR) and 1-year progression free survival (PFS) Results: As of July 26, 2023, 44 patients were enrolled (25 in XDd and 19 in XCd), XDd arm has completed recruitment. Of these, 23 patients were male and 21 were female. The median age was 60 years (range: 29-74years). The median time since initial diagnosis was 4.0 years (range: 0.5-15.5years). The median number of prior treatments was 3 (range: 1- 10). There were 13 patients (29.5%) with high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities, 8 patients (18.2%) with extramedullary disease (EMD). Eight patients (18.2%) received prior autologous stem cell transplantation and 7 patients (15.9%) received CAR-T therapy. Forty-two patients (95.5%) were exposed to bortezomib, 35 patients (79.5%) were exposed to lenalidomide, 18 patients (40.9%) exposed to pomalidomide, and 10 patients (22.7%) exposed to daratumumab. The median treatment duration of all patients was 13 weeks (range: 1- 48). Thirteen patients remained on treatment. Based on the 35 patients evaluated for efficacy, the ORR was 48.6% (52.4% in XDd arm, n=21; and 42.9% in XCd arm, n=14) including 1 CR, 1 VGPR and 15 PRs. Three patients achieved MR and 12 patients had stable disease. The most common hematological adverse events (AEs) (All Grades, Grade ≥3) were thrombocytopenia (61.4%, 27.3%), leukopenia (54.5%, 34.1%), and anemia (45.5%, 29.5%). The most common non-hematological AEs (All Grades, Grade ≥3) were fatigue (47.7%, 2.3%) nausea (45.5%, 2.3%) and vomiting (31.8%, 4.5%). Most treatment related adverse events occurred in the first 8 weeks and were alleviated over time. Conclusion: Once weekly selinexor and dexamethasone (Xd) combined with cyclophosphamide or liposome doxorubicin showed encouraging efficacy and manageable safety in treatment for RRMM. This enrollment is still ongoing and data on all participants will be reported in due course.

Efficacy of Subcutaneous Epcoritamab Vs Tisa-Cel in R/R LBCL CAR T-Naive and CAR T-Eligible Patients: An Indirect Comparison

Background: Epcoritamab is a subcutaneous, off-the-shelf, T-cell-engaging CD3xCD20 bispecific antibody (bsAb) with powerful single-agent activity and a manageable safety profile in relapsed/refractory (R/R) large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL), recently approved in the US for the treatment of adults with R/R diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from indolent lymphoma, and high-grade B-cell lymphoma after ≥2 lines of systemic therapy. While chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR T) has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in R/R LBCL, there are still barriers to wide adoption, including logistical restrictions and manufacturing limitations. In the absence of head-to-head clinical trial data comparing CAR T with T-cell-engaging bsAbs, we conducted an indirect treatment comparison between CAR T-naive patients treated with epcoritamab in EPCORE NHL-1 (NCT03625037), including a subgroup of CAR T-eligible patients, identified according to ZUMA-1 (NCT02348216) eligibility criteria and utilized in a prior unanchored, matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) of epcoritamab and axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) in patients with R/R DLBCL (Thieblemont et al EHA 2023 #P1154), and patients treated with tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel) in the JULIET trial (NCT02445248). The CAR T-eligible population was of interest for the comparison of epcoritamab vs tisa-cel as it was most similar in baseline clinical characteristics and comparable to patients examined in CAR T trials. Methods: Published data on the overall response rate (ORR), complete response (CR) rate, digitized progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) for tisa-cel from JULIET publications were used in MAIC vs individual patient-level data (IPD) of CAR T-naive and CAR T-eligible patients from EPCORE NHL-1 (Nov 2022 data cut). Analyses were adjusted for imbalances in the following baseline characteristics between IPD from EPCORE NHL-1 and aggregate data from JULIET: age 65 years or older, gender, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, disease stage, DLBCL, refractory to last therapy, and prior autologous stem cell transplant. Kaplan-Meier methodology was used to estimate survival. Results: A total of 96 CAR T-naive patients from EPCORE NHL-1 were included in the analysis, with an effective sample size of 33 CAR T-naive patients after adjustment. The CAR T-eligible subgroup from EPCORE NHL-1 included 57 patients with an effective sample size of 21 patients after adjustment. After adjustment there was a significant difference in ORR for epcoritamab vs tisa-cel (77.9% vs 53.0%, respectively; difference [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 24.8% [9.5, 40.2]; P=0.002) in the CAR T-naive cohort, and in CR rate (52.3% vs 39.1%, respectively; difference [95% CI]: 13.2% [ 5.9, 32.3]; P=0.174). Also, in the CAR T-naive cohort there was a trend toward PFS benefit for epcoritamab vs tisa-cel after adjustment (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.725; 95% CI: 0.447, 1.177; P=0.194) and OS (HR: 0.611; 95% CI: 0.356, 1.049; P=0.074). In the CAR T-eligible subgroup there was a significant difference in ORR (80.8% vs 53.0%, respectively; difference [95% CI] 27.7% [11.0, 44.4]; P=0.001) and CR rate (61.9% vs 39.1%, respectively; difference [95% CI]: 22.8% [1.5, 44.1]; P=0.036) for epcoritamab vs tisa-cel after adjustment. Also, there was a statistically significant survival benefit for OS (HR: 0.450; 95% CI: 0.227, 0.891; P=0.022) and a numerical trend toward benefit for PFS (HR: 0.548; 95% CI: 0.300, 1.003; P=0.051) when comparing epcoritamab vs tisa-cel after adjustment. Conclusion: In the absence of head-to-head data, this MAIC of the R/R LBCL CAR T-naive cohort and the eligible subgroup treated with epcoritamab vs tisa-cel demonstrated improved response rates and survival outcomes. This study underscores the therapeutic potential of epcoritamab as a novel, subcutaneous, off-the-shelf, core therapy for the treatments of patients with R/R LBCL. Indirect comparisons can be biased by cross-trial differences and further comparisons with longer follow-up are warranted.

Real-World Study of Patients with Triple-Class Exposed Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma: Analysis across a Spectrum of Advanced Disease Stage Medicare Patients in the United States

Background Treatment of relapsed/refractory (RR) multiple myeloma (MM) has been transformed by novel therapies including anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies (mAb), 2 nd and 3 rd generation immunomodulatory drugs (IMiD), and proteasome inhibitors (PI). This has resulted in increasing numbers (no.) of triple-class exposed (TCE) patients (pts), defined as pts who have received an IMiD, ≥1 PI, and ≥1 anti-CD38 mAb. Many TCE pts are exposed to ≥5 drugs in these classes (i.e. penta-exposed [PE]: ≥2 IMID, ≥2 PI, and an anti-CD38 mAb). Some are refractory to ≥1 drug in each class (triple-class refractory [TCR]) and some are both PE and TCR (PE-TCR). Data on real-world outcomes for the spectrum of heavily pre-treated, advanced RRMM pts are limited. This study examined treatment patterns and healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and costs in Medicare-insured pts with TCE RRMM. Methods Adult pts with an incident diagnosis (Dx) of MM (≥2 outpatient claims 30-365 days apart OR ≥1 inpatient AND 6 months [mos.] of continuous eligibility prior to first Dx) during the study period (Nov 14, 2006-Dec 31, 2020) who were TCE were selected from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse. TCE was defined as having ≥1 claim each for an IMiD, a PI, and an anti-CD38 mAb; PE was defined as having ≥2 claims each for an IMiD and a PI and ≥1 claim for an anti-CD38 mAb (TCE pts were assumed to have RRMM based on exposure). Pts were deemed TCR if refractory to ≥1 regimen each which included a PI, an IMiD, and an anti-CD38 mAb. Pts were considered refractory to a regimen if the period between the last claim or days supplied for any drug in the regimen and the start of the subsequent regimen was &amp;lt;60 days AND none of the drugs in the regimen were present in the next regimen. For each pt, the 1 st line of therapy (LOT) after becoming TCE was considered the index LOT and the date that this LOT initiated was defined as the index date. Pts were followed from the index date until the earliest of end of continuous enrollment or the end of study period. LOTs and treatment regimens were defined using an adaptation of published algorithm developed based on clinical expert opinion (Madduri et al. Future Oncol. 2021). Outcomes included anti-MM treatments received for index LOT, time to discontinuation (TTD), time to next treatment (TTNT), overall survival (OS), and post-index HRU and healthcare costs (adjusted to 2021 USD). Median TTD and OS were obtained by Kaplan-Meier (KM) methods. TTNT was analyzed by cumulative incidence methods with death as a competing risk. HRU and costs (in 2021 USD) were reported on a per patient per month (PPPM) basis. Results 137,707 pts with an MM Dx during the study period were identified. A total of 2,830 TCE, 1,371 TCR, 1,121 PE, and 774 PE-TCR pts met all other inclusion criteria. Mean age was 76 years in all 4 cohorts, 50-51% were female, 21% (TCR) to 29% (PE) had prior autologous stem cell transplant. The mean no. of prior LOTs ranged from 3.3 (TCE) to 4.5 (PE-TCR). The no. of new TCE pts increased almost 8-fold from 114 in 2016 to 890 in 2020; similar increases were observed for TCR, PE, and PE-TCR pts. Mean (SD) follow-up time (mos.) was 12.4 (10.6) for TCE, 11.9 (10.0) for TCR, 10.9 (10.3) for PE, and 10.1 (9.3) for PE-TCR. There was no apparent standard of care (SOC) treatment across the 4 cohorts; the most frequently used index LOT regimens were pomalidomide + daratumumab for TCE (17%) and PE (7%), pomalidomide + carfilzomib for TCR (10.3%), and pomalidomide + elotuzumab for PE-TCR (7.4%). In all 4 cohorts, pomalidomide was the most frequently received medication during the index LOT (32.6% [PE-TCR] to 43.3% [TCR]). Median TTD (mos.) ranged from 4.2 (PE-TCR) to 6.9 (TCE). Median TTNT (mos.) ranged from 8.1 (TCR) to 14.6 (TCE). Median OS (mos.) ranged from 13.0 (TCR) to 15.9 (PE). TCE pts had a mean PPPM 0.20 ED visits, 7.02 outpatient visits, 3.73 outpatient pharmacy claims, 0.14 hospitalizations, and 1.18 inpatient days. For TCE pts, mean PPPM total costs were $23,091, the largest share of which was for MM medications ($16,812), followed by other MM-related services ($4,824). Monthly HRU and costs for TCR, PE, and PE-TCR pts were similar to those for TCE. Conclusions Despite increasing no. of Medicare-insured TCE, TCR, PE, and PE-TCR MM pts, there is no apparent SOC treatment regimen. With current treatments, TTD, TTNT, and OS are short and HRU and costs are high. These data underscore the high unmet need for new therapies in this growing population.

CAR T- Cell Therapy Provides an Opportunity for Further Consolidation Treatment for Relapsed or Refractory Adult Burkitt Lymphoma Patients

Background: Adult Relapsed and refractory Burkitt's progresses rapidly, and there is limited data on CART therapy. The available data also indicates poor survival rates. Aims: Exploring the efficacy of CAR-T therapy for adult relapsed/refractory Burkitt's lymphoma, and analyzing the factors affecting the efficacy and survival of CART treatment. Methods: This single-centre, retrospective study analysed patients with Burkitt's lymphoma who received CAR-T therapy at the Beijing GoBroad Boren Hospital between December 2018 and February 2023. The inclusion criteria were adult relapsed and refractory Burkitt's lymphoma. Nineteen patients were included: 13/19 (68%) male; Median age is 37 (19-56).6/18 (33%) patients get standard intense chemotherapy（not R-CHOP）.17/19 (89.4%) patients were at stage IV at the time of salvage therapy. 9/19 (47.4%) patients IPI score was ≧3 .9/19 (47.4%) patients had &amp;gt; 7.5 cm bulky disease. Midian Leukapheresis LDH is 547.9 U/L. Patients had received a median of 4 cycles (range 3-14) prior to treatment. 2/19 (10.5%) and 2/19 (10.5%) patients had failed prior autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and prior allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant, respectively. 17/19 (89.4%) patients received bridging therapy before CAR-T，which only have 1 patient CR and 1 patient achieve a PR. Analyzing whether a sequential consolidation treatment strategy for patients who respond to CART therapy can prolong survival. Results: The median CAR-T infusion dose is 1.46*10^6/kg（0.0126-7.22）. The median of CAR-T peak expansion is 89.5（3.84-710）*10^6/L , which occurred on day 7（7-11）after CAR-T cell therapy. 16/19（84.2%） of patients experienced CRS, with 3/19 (15.8%) of them classified as grade III-IV.Besides,5/19(15.8%) of patients experienced iCANS, with 3/19 (26.3%) of them classified as grade III-IV. The median follow-up time was 4.274 (0.2-43.4) months.Three months ORR and CRR were 31.6% and 21.1%. The best ORR and the best CRR were 47.4% and 26%, respectively. One-year progression free survival and overall survival were 15.8% and 21.1%. For individuals who achieved CR/PR to CART therapy in three months, their survival curves were significantly better than those of individuals with SD/PD. The univariate analysis of PFS showed that risk factors included the high LDH at the time of leukapheresis(p=0.0182,HR 1.001) ,three months response is SD/PD (p=0.0045,HR 20.8) and initial treatment with R-CHOP based chemotherapy(p=0.0319,HR 5.46) .Among the 19 patients, 12 patients continued to receive other treatments for consolidation or salvage, including 5 cases of other target CAR-T therapies, 5 cases of autologous transplants, and 2 cases of allogeneic transplants. However, only 4 of these all patients remained disease-free. Among them, 2 patients received allogeneic transplants, 1 patient received autologous transplant, and no subsequent other treatments in one patient. Summary/Conclusion: CAR-T therapy should be recommended as soon as possible after Burkitt becomes relapsed or refractory due to the ineffectiveness of multi-drug chemotherapy. Upon reaching remission, the transition to autologous or allogenic stem cell transplantation may be considered. Due to the small number of cases, further validation of our findings is still needed.

Results of a Second, Prespecified Analysis of the Phase 2 Study ELM-2 Confirm High Rates of Durable Complete Response with Odronextamab in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory (R/R) Follicular Lymphoma (FL) with Extended Follow-up

Background The class of CD20×CD3 bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) has emerged as an important anti-lymphoma modality for patients (pts) with R/R B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Odronextamab, a novel, off-the-shelf, CD20×CD3 BsAb, has previously demonstrated compelling efficacy in both R/R diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and R/R FL. In pts with R/R FL, odronextamab monotherapy achieved 75% complete response (CR) rates and encouraging durability of responses, and showed generally manageable safety, in the Phase 2 ELM-2 study (NCT03888105; Kim TM, et al. ASH. 2022). Here, we report the results of a second, pre-specified interim analysis of ELM-2. Methods Intravenous odronextamab was administered weekly in 21-day cycles during Cycles (C) 1-4. Optimization of the step-up regimen to further mitigate cytokine release syndrome (CRS) was reported previously (Kim TM, et al. ASH. 2022). Odronextamab was administered with steroid prophylaxis and step-up doses of 0.7/4/20 mg during C1, followed by 80 mg on Days 1, 8, and 15 of C2-4. After C4, odronextamab maintenance treatment continued at 160 mg every 2 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Pts who achieved a durable CR for ≥9 months transitioned to dosing every 4 weeks. A pre-specified interim analysis was performed when 80 pts had completed ≥12 months follow-up. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR), assessed by independent central review (ICR) according to the Lugano classification. Key secondary endpoints included CR rate, duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and changes in scores of patient-reported outcomes. Minimal residual disease (MRD) was included as an exploratory endpoint. Results At data cut off (Jan 31, 2023), the global study was fully enrolled and included 140 safety-evaluable pts with FL; 128 pts were efficacy-evaluable and 85 pts had ≥12 months follow-up. The median duration of study follow-up for efficacy was 26.6 months. In the safety-evaluable FL population, median age was 60.5 years (range 22-84), 53% were male, and pts had received a median of 3 (range 2-13) prior lines of therapy. 73% of pts were refractory to their last therapy, 41% were double refractory, and 74% were refractory to an anti-CD20 antibody. 50% of pts had progression of disease within 2 years (POD24) and 29% had a prior autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant. ORR and CR rate by ICR were 80% (102/128) and 72% (92/128), respectively, and were consistent across pts with high-risk features. Responses were durable, with both median DoR and duration of CR of 21.7 months; the probability of maintaining CR for 24 months was 48%. Median PFS was 20.7 months (95% CI: 16.7-26.5) and median OS was not reached; the probability of survival at 3 years was 63%. Patient-reported overall quality of life (QoL) scores were maintained during the course of treatment. MRD status at 12 weeks was highly predictive of PFS. Safety was generally consistent with previous reports, and no new treatment-related Grade (Gr) 5 events were recorded since the first interim analysis. The most common treatment-emergent AEs (&amp;gt;30% all grades) were CRS (55%), anemia (34%), neutropenia (34%), and pyrexia (33%). With the optimized 0.7/4/20 mg step-up regimen (n=72), 98% of CRS events were Gr 1/2, and only one pt had Gr 3 CRS. All CRS events resolved with supportive measures; 13 pts received tocilizumab for CRS management with the optimized regimen. Only one low-grade ICANS event was reported with the optimized regimen. Gr ≥3 infections occurred in 50 (36%) pts (Gr 5, n=14 [10%]); COVID-19 infections were reported in 46 (35%) pts (Gr 5, n=8 [6%]). Conclusions The results of this pre-specified analysis of the Phase 2 ELM-2 study continue to demonstrate deep and durable responses with odronextamab in heavily pretreated, refractory pts with R/R FL. 90% of responders were complete responders, with a 48% probability of maintaining CR for 2 years. High CR rates appear to translate to favorable, long-term survival outcomes in the setting of incurable disease. The incidence of AEs was consistent with earlier reports, with no new treatment-related Gr 5 events. Importantly, continued treatment with odronextamab had no detrimental effects on overall QoL. These data underscore the promise of odronextamab as a potentially effective agent for the management of R/R FL. Updated data will be presented.

AFM13 in Combination with Allogeneic Natural Killer Cells (AB-101) in Relapsed or Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma and CD30 + Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma: A Phase 2 Study (LuminICE)

Background and Significance Limited treatment options are available for patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and no standard-of-care therapy is established for R/R peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL); novel therapies to improve outcomes in these patients are required. AFM13 is a tetravalent, bispecific innate cell engager that binds CD16A on natural killer (NK) cells and CD30 expressed (CD30 +) on HL and PTCL cells, enhancing NK cell-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). AFM13 monotherapy trials in patients with R/R HL and PTCL have shown promising clinical activity and a tolerable safety profile (Sasse et al. Blood 2020; Kim et al. Cancer Res 2023). Recently, a Phase 1/2 study of AFM13 in combination with cord blood (cb)-derived NK cells in patients with R/R CD30 + lymphomas treated at the recommended phase 2 dose (n=35) achieved an objective response rate (ORR) of 94% and a complete response (CR) rate of 71% (Nieto et al. Blood 2022, oral presentation). AB-101 is a non-genetically modified, allogeneic, cryopreserved, off-the-shelf, cb-derived NK cell product optimized for enhanced ADCC through selection for the KIR-B haplotype and the CD16 F158V polymorphism. AB-101 has demonstrated potent killing of tumor cell lines in vitro and in vivo and preliminary results of a Phase 1/2 trial of AB-101 alone and in combination with rituximab in patients with R/R B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma demonstrated AB-101 is well tolerated (Khanal et al. J Clin Oncol 2023). Combining AFM13 with AB-101 has the potential to synergistically enhance and redirect antitumor immune responses to target HL and CD30 + PTCL cells. Study Design and Methods This Phase 2, open-label, multi-center, multi-cohort study (NCT05883449) aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of AFM13 in combination with AB-101 in patients with R/R HL and certain R/R CD30 + PTCL subtypes. PTCL subtypes permitted are PTCL not-otherwise specified, angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, and ALK-positive and -negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). Patients aged ≥18 years are planned for enrolment and patients with R/R HL must have received at least two prior lines of therapy including prior combination chemotherapy, brentuximab vedotin (BV) and a checkpoint inhibitor. Patients with R/R PTCL must have confirmed CD30 expression of ≥1% by immunohistochemistry and have received at least one prior line of combination chemotherapy; patients with ALCL must have received or been intolerant to BV. Prior autologous or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant is permitted. Exclusion criteria include treatment with any anti-cancer agent ≤21 days prior to enrolment, continuing toxicity from a prior therapy, central nervous system involvement, or previous treatment with AFM13 or NK cells. The primary objective is to determine the ORR (complete and partial responses) by Independent Radiology Committee (IRC) based on PET-CT per Lugano classification. Secondary objectives include safety and immunogenicity, complete response rate, duration of response and progression free survival. Treatment will be given intravenously (IV) over 48-day cycles for up to 3 cycles. A run-in phase will assess two dose levels of AFM13 and AB-101 in 4 cohorts (Figure). A standard lymphodepletion regimen of fludarabine (30 mg/m 2/day) and cyclophosphamide (300 mg/m 2/day) will be administered IV from Day −5 to Day −3 at the start of each treatment cycle. Following this, AFM13 (200 mg or 300 mg once weekly) will be given, with AB-101 (dose level 1 or 2, see Figure) given 1 hour later per cycle. Patients will also receive 6 ×10 6 IU of IL-2 subcutaneously at least 1 hour after each AB-101 dose. Cohorts 1 and 2 will enrol in parallel; cohorts 3 and 4 will start only if cohorts 1 and 2 are cleared per protocol safety criteria. After cycle 1 has completed for each subject enrolled in all 4 cohorts, an analysis of the safety and clinical responses will be performed to determine the two dose levels to be evaluated in the main study. In addition, an exploratory cohort (cohort 5) will begin enrolment of patients with CD30 + PTCL. Disease and efficacy assessments will be conducted at screening and on Day 43 (± 3 days) of each cycle.