Sustained CR Research Articles

Mapping chromium flows in China's stainless-steel product chain: A product-level substance flow analysis

Chromium (Cr) is a critical metal that supports the development of China's emerging industries. Approximately 82% of China's Cr is used to manufacture stainless steel. However, the stainless-steel product chain has often been referred to as a “black box” in Cr substance flow analysis, leading to limited guidance for Cr management. This study aims to fill this gap by analysing Cr flows and in-use stock patterns in China's stainless-steel product chain from 2012 to 2022. During this period, China's Cr consumption experienced significant growth, increasing by over 10% annually, with 90.4% being imported. The Energy Infrastructure sector emerged as the dominant consumer of Cr (8,099 kt) and in-use stock (7,702 kt), Heavy Machinery products accounting for the highest Cr consumption (3,269 kt). Conducting product-level SFA is crucial for sustainable Cr resource management and environmental policy-making.

Cooperation and competition between denitrification and chromate reduction in a hydrogen-based membrane biofilm reactor

Competition and cooperation between denitrification and Cr(VI) reduction in a H2-based membrane biofilm reactor (H2−MBfR) were documented over 55 days of continuous operation. When nitrate (5 mg N/L) and chromate (0.5 mg Cr/L) were fed together, the H2−MBfR maintained approximately 100 % nitrate removal and 60 % chromate Cr(VI) removal, which means that nitrate outcompeted Cr(VI) for electrons from H2 oxidation. Removing nitrate from the influent led to an immediate increase in Cr(VI) removal (to 92 %), but Cr(VI) removal gradually deteriorated, with the removal ratio dropping to 14 % after five days. Cr(VI) removal resumed once nitrate was again added to the influent. 16S rDNA analyses showed that bacteria able to carry out H2-based denitrification and Cr(VI) reduction were in similar abundances throughout the experiment, but gene expression for Cr(VI)-reduction and export shifted. Functional genes encoding for energy-consuming chromate export (encoded by ChrA) as a means of bacterial resistance to toxicity were more abundant than genes encoding for the energy producing Cr(VI) respiration via the chromate reductase ChrR-NdFr. Thus, Cr(VI) transport and resistance to Cr(VI) toxicity depended on H2-based denitrification to supply energy. With Cr(VI) being exported from the cells, Cr(VI) reduction to Cr(III) was sustained. Thus, cooperation among H2-based denitrification, Cr(VI) export, and Cr(VI) reduction led to sustained Cr(VI) removal in the presence of nitrate, even though Cr(VI) reduction was at a competitive disadvantage for utilizing electrons from H2 oxidation.

Real-world evidence on tagraxofusp for blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm - collected cases from a single center and case reports.

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasia (BPDCN) is a rare, aggressive hematologic malignancy. Until recently, the only curative treatment consisted of intensive chemotherapy, followed by hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in eligible adult cases. Tagraxofusp, a CD123-targeted protein-drug conjugate and the first approved targeted treatment for BPDCN,might enhance outcomes especially in patients not eligible for intensive therapies. Here, we report real-world outcomes of five male patients with a median age of 79 years who received tagraxofusp as first-line treatment for BPDCN. Tagraxofusp was found to be well-tolerated in this elderly cohort, with only one patient requiring discontinuation. Three patients responded to the treatment (two patients achieved a CR and one patient achieved a partial response), of which two subsequently underwent allogeneic (allo) HCT. One patient is alive and well after ≥ 4 years after alloHCT, and one patient shows sustained CR after now 13 cycles of tagraxofusp. The other three patients died of progressive disease 4-11 months after initiation of treatment. In line with results from 13 published cases outside clinical trials in the literature, sustained responses were associated with CR after tagraxofusp treatment and subsequent alloHCT. Our results provide real-world evidence for safety and efficacy of tagraxofusp as first-line treatment for BPDCN.

Penicillium oxalicum SL2-enhanced nanoscale zero-valent iron effectively reduces Cr(VI) and shifts soil microbiota

Most current researches focus solely on reducing soil chromium availability. It is difficult to reduce soil Cr(VI) concentration below 5.0 mg kg-1 using single remediation technology. This study introduced a sustainable soil Cr(VI) reduction and stabilization system, Penicillium oxalicum SL2–nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI), and investigated its effect on Cr(VI) reduction efficiency and microbial ecology. Results showed that P. oxalicum SL2–nZVI effectively reduced soil total Cr(VI) concentration from 187.1 to 3.4 mg kg–1 within 180 d, and remained relatively stable at 360 d. The growth curve of P. oxalicum SL2 and microbial community results indicated that γ-ray irradiation shortened the adaptation time of P. oxalicum SL2 and facilitated its colonization in soil. P. oxalicum SL2 colonization activated nZVI and its derivatives, and increased soil iron bioavailability. After restoration, the negative effect of Cr(VI) on soil microorganisms was markedly alleviated. Cr(VI), Fe(II), bioavailable Cr/Fe, Eh, EC and urease (SUE) were the key environmental factors of soil microbiota. Notably, Penicillium significantly stimulated the growth of urease-positive bacteria, Arthrobacter, Pseudarthrobacter, and Microvirga, synergistically reducing soil chromium availability. The combination of P. oxalicum SL2 and nZVI is expected to form a green, economical and long-lasting Cr(VI) reduction stabilization strategy.

Gene-Edited Universal CD7 Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells for Pediatric T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or Lymphoblastic Lymphoma

Background: T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL) are highly aggressive T-lineage malignancies characterized by an infiltration of immature T cells in the bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) or extramedullary organ involvements. Effective treatments were elusive, and the long-term survival of patients with refractory/relapsed (R/R) T-ALL/LBL remains poor despite allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). CAR-T therapies for T-cell malignancies remain underdeveloped due to the shared antigenicity between normal and malignant T cells. CD7 is highly expressed on the surface of T-ALL/LBL T cells and is considered a viable CAR-T therapeutic target. However, CD7-targeting immunotherapies may be compromised by T-cell fratricide and extermination. And one of the biggest challenges with autologous CAR-T cell therapy is to isolate a sufficient number of healthy T cells from malignant T cells. Thus, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR9-associated protein 9 (Cas9)-mediated gene ablation has been used to produce universal CD7-targeted CAR T cells (UCD7-CAR) from suitable healthy donors that no longer express CD7 and TCR. In vitro killing tests, animal tests, and phase 1 clinical trials have preliminarily verified the efficacy and safety of universal CD7 CAR-T cells. Here we investigated the safety and efficacy of the universal CD7 CAR-T therapy in phase 2 clinical trial(NCT05454241) for pediatric R/R T-ALL/LBL patients. Aims: To investigate the efficacy and safety of the universal CD7 CAR-T therapy for pediatric R/R T-ALL/LBL patients. Methods: Patients over three years of age whose disease failed ≥ 2 lines of therapies and had ≥ 80% CD7 expression were eligible, including those who relapsed within 12 months after complete response or relapsed more than 12 months after complete response and failed to achieve remission induced by one or more courses of standard treatment; and patients with recurrence after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. A lymphodepletion regimen was administered to all patients using fludarabine (30 mg/m2 per day) and cyclophosphamide (500 mg/m2 per day) for three consecutive days (day -5 to day -3) before CAR-T infusion. Patients received one single infusion of UCD7-CAR T cells at a median dose of 2.0×10^6/kg. Consolidative allo-HSCT after remission was allowed after day 28 after UCD7-CART infusion at the discretion of the physician and patient preference. All surviving patients were followed until July 15, 2023; the median follow-up was 109 days (54 to 117 days). Results: Five eligible children, 1 with r/r T-LBL and 4 with r/r T-ALL, were enrolled between December 2022 and April 2023 (Table 1). The median age of the patients was 5 (4-11) years. One girl(Patient 04) had a history of allo-HSCT before enrollment. Patients were heavily pretreated with a median of 3(2-6) lines of therapies. At registration, the median proportion of blasts in 4 T-ALL patients was 47.275% (6.0%-56.0%) in BM by FCM along with CNS(n=2) or testis(n=1) involvement. In contrast, 1 T-LBL patient(patient 02) did not have BM blasts but with bulky mediastinal masses ≥7 cm in diameter. All five patients had no or mild CRS (no CRS, n=1; grade 1, n=3; grade 2, n=1), and most(n=4) did not show symptoms of neurotoxicity. Patient 04, who received a prior allo-HSCT approximately seven months before CAR-T therapy, had a Herpes virus 6 (HHV-6B) encephalitis on day 17 after CAR-T infusion, but no GVHD was observed. On day 28, 4 of 5 (80.0%) patients who had BM involvement achieved MRD-negative complete remission (CR; n=2) or CR with incomplete hematologic recovery (CRi; n=2); but patient 02 with bulky mediastinal masses did not have an obvious response. Until the cutoff date, patient 04 still kept a sustained MRD negative CR; patient 05 relapsed again 49 days after CAR-T infusion, and the other three patients received a subsequent allo-UCBT with a CR state. All the children are still alive. Conclusion:UCD7-CAR T therapy is a safe and highly effective pediatric T-ALL/LBL treatment. More patients and longer follow-ups are needed for validation.

Phase I Clinical Study of PA3-17 Injection in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory T-Lymphoblastic Leukemia/Lymphoma

B ackground Patients with relapsed/refractory T-lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (r/r T-ALL/LBL) are clinically manifested by rapid disease progression, poor prognosis and lack of therapeutic options. Currently, only Nailabine was approved by the FDA in 2005 for the treatment of T-ALL/LBL patients who did not respond to at least two chemotherapy regimens or relapsed after treatment, with an ORR of 31% and a CR of 23%. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop other effective modalities. Apart from its expression in normal T and NK cells and no expression in other tissue cells, CD7 is highly expressed in T-ALL/LBL cells. Therefore, CD7 is considered a potential target for the development of CAR-T therapy for T-ALL/LBL. The challenge, however, is to avoid fratricide caused by the expression of CD7 in T cells. We developed a CAR-T cell injection based on CD7 nano antibodies, named PA3-17 injection, by blocking the expression of CD7 molecule on the surface of T cells through anti-CD7 protein expression blocker (PEBL). After thorough pre-clinical studies demonstrating its safety and efficacy, PA3-17 injection was Investigational New Drug (IND) approved in China in August 2021, and here we report preliminary safety and efficacy data for PA3-17 injection in adult r/r T-ALL/LBL patients in a Phase I clinical study. M ethodology The Phase I clinical study (NCT05170568) adopted a classic “3+3” dose escalation schema. T-ALL/LBL patients who met the inclusion/exclusion criteria were deployed by entering three dose groups (DL: 0.5×10 6, 2×10 6, 4×10 6 CAR-T/kg) to evaluate the initial safety, efficacy and dose-limited toxicitys (DLTs). All patients were treated with lymphodepleting chemotherapy pretreatment before CAR-T cell infusion. The primary endpoints were DLTs and maximum tolerable dose (MTD). R esults As of June 30 th, 2023, a total of 9 patients were enrolled (3 subjects in each dose group), all of whom received a single infusion of PA3-17 injection and completed a 28-day DLTs assessment. The median age of enrolled patients was 33 years (range 20-64), and 33% (3/9) of patients had previously received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The safety analysis showed that 78% (7/9) of patients developed cytokine release syndrome (CRS), of which 33% (3/9) had grade 1-2, 44% (4/9) had grade 3, and no grade 4 CRS occurred, 22% (2/9) of patients experienced 1-2 grade of immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), and no grade 3 or higher ICANS occurred. No DLTs occurred in any patients. The efficacy data (Figure 1) showed that the best ORR and CR were both 78% (7/9). The median follow-up time was 137 days, of which 1 patient (Pt1) sustained CR for 9 months until recurrence, 1 patient (Pt3) underwent transplantation after being evaluated as CR in 3 month. One patient (Pt6) had a tumor mass with a diameter greater than 7cm at baseline prior CAR-T infusion but achieved CR 28 days after infusion and is in sustained remission now (Figure 1). C onclusion PA3-17 injection has shown a good safety profile and encouraging efficacy in r/r T-ALL/LBL patients, and long-term data are continuing to be collected during follow-up.

Efficacy and Safety of TLR2 Co-Stimulated CAR T Cells in CD19-Positive Lymphoid Malignancies with Central Nervous System Involvement

Background CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy showed remarkable remission rates in patients with refractory or relapsed (R/R) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). However, data on outcomes of CAR T cell therapy for patients with central nervous system (CNS) involvement are limited, as most of them have been excluded from most pivotal CAR-T studies because of concerns about treatment-related neurotoxicity. Here, we show results of a third generation of CD19 CAR T cells for patients with R/R B cell cancers with CNS involvement in a single-center cohort study. Methods A total of 21 patients with R/R B cell malignancies (including ALL and NHL) with CNS involvement were included in this study. Patients derived peripheral lymphocytes were collected through apheresis and lentivirally transduced with a 3 rd generation CAR containing CD28 and TLR2 co-stimulatory domains. The cells were expanded ex vivo and administered in a single infusion (1×10 6 or 2×10 6 CAR T cells per kilogram of body weight) after a conditioning regimen of cyclophosphamide and fludarabine. Results Of the 21 patients with CNS involvement, 11 patients with ALL and 10 with NHL were included in this study, with a data cutoff of July 2023. All 11 patients with ALL had both bone marrow (BM) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) involvement. Of the 10 patients with NHL, 5 of the 10 lymphoma patients had parenchyma involvement, 6 patients (6/10) had CSF infiltration and 1 had oculus sinister involvement; the majority of patients (8/10) were diagnosed with secondary CNS lymphoma, whereas 2 patient was primary CNS lymphoma. Of the 21 patients who were treated, the overall response rate (ORR) was 71% (15/21), with 73% (8/11) in ALL and 70% (7/10) in NHL. 67% of patients with ALL (7/11) had a complete remission in both BM and CSF, while 40% of NHL patients (4/10) had a complete response and 30% (3/10) received a partial response. The median overall survival (OS) of ALL was 14.3 months, with a median follow-up of 20.3 months, while the median OS of NHL was not reached with a median follow-up of 14.2 months. Median progression-free survival (PFS) of ALL and NHL were 11.1 months (95% CI, 0.7-29.9 months) and 4.8 months (95% CI, 1.0-15.3 months), respectively (P = 0.84). In the total CNS cohort, cytokine release syndrome (CRS) of any grade was seen in 20 patients (95%), grade 3 in 3 patients (14%). ICANS occurred in 9 patients (42.8%, including 5 ALL and 4 NHL patients), grade 3 in 5 patients (23.8%), and there was no grade 4 event. Median time to ICANS was 5 days (range, 2-10 days) after CAR-T infusion. All the CRS or ICANS were manageable. No significant difference in occurrence of and time to ICANS was seen between ALL and NHL patients (P = 0.22 and 0.96). CAR T cells were identified in CSF of patients following infusion, and the median time to peak CAR T cells in CSF of ALL and NHL were 6.5 days and 10 days post-infusion, respectively (P = 0.141). Median time to last documented follow-up of all patients (alive or dead) was 18.1 months (range 1.0-31.2 months). At the end point of observation, 5 of the 11 ALL patients and 5 of 10 NHL patients were still alive with sustained CR of CNS disease and systemic disease (Figure 1). Conclusion TLR2-costimulated CAR T cell therapy for patients with R/R B cell malignancies with CNS involvement is safe, feasible, and results in high response rates and durable remission in both ALL and NHL patients with CNS disease. The clinical trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as # NCT04605666.

A Real-World Prospective Cohort Study of Patients With Newly Diagnosed Crohn's Disease Treated by a Multidisciplinary Team: 1-Year Outcomes.

Real-world data on outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed Crohn's disease (ndCD) is limited. We aimed to assess the achievement of corticosteroid-free clinical remission (CS-free CR) and other therapeutic targets 1 year after diagnosis in a cohort of patients with ndCD treated by a multidisciplinary team (MDT). A prospective observational cohort study was conducted on consecutive treatment-naïve adults with ndCD. Patients received management at the treating physician's discretion, along with a tailored nutritional plan provided by an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-oriented dietitian. Patients were guided and educated by an IBD nurse, with flexible communication access to the IBD team. Therapeutic targets were assessed at 1 year. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate predictors of CS-free CR. Seventy-six patients (50% female) with a median age of 27 (22-39) years were eligible. Over 75% of patients were assessed by IBD-oriented dietitians and the IBD nurse. Within a median of 4.3 (2.5-6.7) months from diagnosis 60.5% initiated biologics (96% anti- tumor necrosis factor). Dietary intervention was applied to 77.6% of the cohort, either monotherapy (33.9%) or add-on (66.1%). At 1 year, 64.5% of patients achieved sustained CS-free CR, 56.6% biochemical remission, 55.8% endoscopic response, 44.2% endoscopic remission, 30.8% deep remission, and in 39.5% there was an improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Predictors for CS-free CR were uncomplicated phenotype (B1/P0), lower body mass index, and lower patient-reported outcome 2 scores at diagnosis. In a real-world setting at a tertiary medical center, a cohort of ndCD patients treated by an MDT resulted in favorable 1-year outcomes. Over 60% achieved CS-free CR, along with significant improvements in biomarkers and HRQoL.

Obesity is associated with poor outcomes of corticosteroid treatment in patients with primary immune thrombocytopenia.

Emerging evidence has demonstrated that obesity impacts multiple immune-related diseases. It remains unclear whether and how obesity alters treatment outcomes in patients with primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Thus, we retrospectively investigated 214 treatment-naïve patients who received standard high-dose dexamethasone therapy in Qilu Hospital. Patients with obesity showed significantly lower overall initial response (underweight vs. normal vs. overweight vs. obese: 85.7% vs. 85.2% vs. 72.0% vs. 52.3%, p = 0.001) and initial complete response ([CR], 71.4% vs. 70.4% vs. 53.3% vs. 27.3%, p < 0.001) rates. The same trend was observed in the 6-month sustained response (63.6% vs. 52.3% vs. 35.6% vs. 22.7%, p = 0.03) and sustained CR (36.4% vs. 44.6% vs. 24.4% vs. 9.1%, p = 0.01). The Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a shortened duration of remission in the obese group (median duration of remission, not reached vs. 16 months vs. 2 months vs. 1 month, p = 0.002). In multivariate regression analysis, obesity was independently associated with poor initial and sustained responses, and an increased risk for relapse. In conclusion, obesity is a negative predictor for outcomes of corticosteroid treatment. A stratified strategy according to body mass index status may facilitate the precision management of ITP.

T cell CD62L expression following nivolumab therapy is associated with response to rituximab‐nivolumab in treatment naïve follicular lymphoma: the 1st FLOR study

Introduction: Inter-tumoral T cell dysfunction and efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in follicular lymphoma (FL) has been well described. However, few studies have examined peripheral blood immunity at diagnosis or the impact of frontline ICI on circulating immunity in FL. We hypothesised that immune dysregulation in peripheral blood would be present in treatment naïve FL and would correlate to response to frontline ICI. Methods: PBMC samples from 34 untreated FL patients receiving rituximab (R) and nivolumab (nivo) in the 1st FLOR trial (Hawkes JCO 2021) were collected at baseline, post 4 cycles of nivo and after 6 months of nivo±R. Immune profile was assessed using a single-tube 29 antibody FACS panel on a spectral flow cytometer and compared to the profile of 12 age matched healthy donors. Results were correlated with centrally determined PET response (Lugano criteria). Results: Compared to healthy donors, FL patients had increased proportions of TRegs (P < 0.0001) with decreased HLA-DR+ (P < 0.01) and increased PD-1+ (P < 0.01) populations. NK cells were increased (P < 0.05) with a 2-fold increase in TIM3 expression (P < 0.01). While total T cells were unchanged, expression of PD-1, TIM3, HLA-DR and 4-1BB were significantly increased in T cells from FL patients. Treatment with nivo significantly increased the populations of TRegs expressing 41BB, LAG-3, TIM3 or PD-L2 (P < 0.05) with a decreased PD-L1 positive population at PET-CT2. Expression of immune checkpoints on T cells was unchanged by therapy. To assess biomarkers of response, patients were stratified into sustained CR (CR achieved by PET-CT4 and maintained for 6 months without evidence of relapse, n = 15) vs. PR/PD (n = 21). At baseline, sustained CR was associated with a trend for increased proportions of Naïve CD4 and CD8 T cells and decreased TRegs and PD-L2 expressing TRegs. Baseline expression of PD-1 on T and NK cells did not correlate with sustained response. Most strikingly, expression of CD62L was significantly downregulated across total CD4 and CD8 T cells and TRegs at PET-CT2 in PR/PD patients (P < 0.05) and maintained at baseline levels in those patients who achieved a sustained CR. At this early timepoint final patient responses had not been established with most patients having either progressive or stable disease, suggesting that dysfunctional downregulation of CD62L in response to nivo may reflect the inability of patient’s T cells to activate and/or migrate to the tumour site and facilitate tumour clearance and long-term treatment responses. Conclusions: Grade 1-3A treatment naïve FL is associated with significant dysregulation of peripheral blood T and NK cells prior to therapy. Early downregulation of CD62L on T cells of patients treated with nivo was associated with the inability to achieve long term complete responses and may indicate aberrant T cell activation and/or function which impacts on long term response to therapy. Encore Abstract - previously submitted to EHA 2023 The research was funded by: Bristol Myers Squibb Keywords: Basic and Translational Science, Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers Conflicts of interests pertinent to the abstract. A. Barraclough Honoraria: Roche, Gilead G. Chong Consultant or advisory role: Bristol Myers Squibb Research funding: Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck Serono, Pharmacyclics, Regeneron, Bayer, Astra Zeneca, Amgen, Hutch Med, Incyte E. A. Hawkes Consultant or advisory role: Roche, Merck Sharpe & Dohme, Astra Zeneca, Gilead, Antigene, Novartis, Regeneron, Janssen, Specialised Therapeutics Research funding: Bristol Myers Squibb, Roche, Merck KgA, Astra Zeneca

An environment-friendly chromium electrodeposition process using additive-laden deep eutectic solvent

The development of safer and more sustainable electrochemical processes has been one of the promising applications of deep eutectic solvents. In this study, a trivalent chromium-ethaline deep eutectic solvent electrolyte with the incorporation of significant plating additives such as water, boric acid, and lithium chloride was developed for chromium electroplating application. The effect of the selected plating additives on the morphology of the chromium deposits was mainly investigated. The effects on the properties of the plating solution were characterized by their viscosity, conductivity, and electrochemical behaviour via the linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) technique. The standard hull cell electroplating method was employed to obtain the effective plating current density range for chromium electroplating. A two-electrode cell composed of a brass cathode and SS304 anode with a DC power supply was used to deposit chromium from the prepared electrolytes at 40 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and hardness measurement were performed on the obtained chromium deposits. The addition of water obtained the best result in terms of the improvement of the bath’s properties. This resulted in the formation of large grain structures, which were identified to be Cr, Cr2O3 and Cr3C2. With the addition of boric acid and LiCl, grain refinement and levelling characteristics were mainly observed. Nanocrystalline chromium was produced from these additives; however, relatively low hardness was achieved. Overall, the study confirms the improvements in chromium deposition using a safer and more sustainable trivalent Cr(III)-ethaline deep eutectic solvent.

Long-term CR Multiple Myeloma Patients Show Cured or MGUS-like Minimal Residual Disease Pattern by Next Generation Flow.

In the era of novel agents, many multiple myeloma patients can achieve a complete remission, but most of them relapse, and minimal residual disease detection can play a crucial role. Next-generation flow (NGF) can detect monoclonal plasma cells with a sensitivity of 10-6. Little is known about long-term remission patients (> 2 years) and in particular, if more sensitive techniques such as NGF can still detect minimal disease in those patients. Aim of the study was to analyze patients with MM in response to NGF at > 2 years of sustained remission after several treatments. MRD was studied by NGF in bone marrow aspirates according to Euroflow Consortium indications. 62 patients with sustained CR at >2 years were studied, MRD+ status was detected at a threshold cut-off of 10-6 in 32/62 (52%); 4/15 (27%) patients were MRD positive at >5 years of remission and they displayed a prevalence of normal vs abnormal monoclonal plasma cell immune-phenotype (MGUS-like). NGF is a powerful technique to detect MRD. Myeloma patients in prolonged sustained complete remission can show in high percentage an MRD negative status or MGUS like.

Neoadjuvant nivolumab (N) +/- ipilimumab (I) in cisplatin-ineligible patients (pts) with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC).

498 Background: Cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy (RC) confers survival benefit but a substantial subset of MIBC pts are cisplatin-ineligible. We conducted a phase II trial of N±I neoadjuvant therapy for cisplatin-ineligible MIBC. Methods: Cisplatin-ineligible pts with MIBC (cT2-T4aN0M0) were enrolled into 2 consecutive cohorts of 15 pts each (C1: N 3 mg/kg q 2 weeks (wk) x 5; C2: I (3mg/kg) + N (1mg/kg) wk 0 and 6, with N (3mg/kg) wk 3 and 9). A 3rd cohort was planned (C3: I (3mg/kg) + N (1mg/kg) q 3 wk x 3). Primary endpoint (EP) was eligibility for planned RC within 60 days without delay from treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) or progressive disease (PD). Secondary EPs included pathologic downstaging (PaDo, &lt;ypT2pN0) and complete response (pCR, ypT0pN0) rates, recurrence-free survival (RFS), and safety. Exploratory EP was event-free survival (EFS). Results: From 8/2018-5/2021, 15 pts were enrolled onto C1 and C2 (N = 30). Median age 76 (range 53-87), 80% male, with median Charlson comorbidity score of 1 (range 0-5). In C1 and C2, 14/15 and 6/15 pts received all planned treatment, respectively. In C2, 7/15 received ≤ 50% of planned doses. In C1, 11 pts underwent RC, 2 had PD before RC, 1 did not undergo RC due to TRAE, and 1 declined RC. Overall, 12/15 met the primary EP. For C2, 9 pts underwent RC, 3 had PD before RC, 2 did not undergo RC due to AE (1 of which was TRAE), and 1 opted for radiation, with 8/15 meeting the primary EP. C3 was dropped due to C2’s failure to meet the primary EP. In C1, 4 pts had PaDo (26%), with 2 pCRs (13%). In C2, 3 pts had PaDo (20%), with 1 pCR (7%). In C1, 1 pt who did not undergo RC due to TRAE had clinical CR of 13.2 months (mos) but died of sepsis at 16.1 mos; 2 pts in C2 who did not undergo RC have ongoing clinical CR at 16.1 and 10.8 mos follow-up (f/u). For time-to-event EPs, see Table. In C1, the only observed grade 3-4 TRAE was myocarditis (n=1, 7%). In C2, 4 pts (27%) had grade 3-4 TRAE, including elevated lipase (20%), pneumonitis (13%), fatigue (13%), and elevated AST + ALT(13%). Median tumor mutation burden was 8.8/megabase; DNA damage response genes were altered in 31% of pts and FGFR3 in 14%, with no genomic correlation with PaDo. For C1, 4/10 had baseline PD-L1 expression on ≥1% of tumor cells; 1 had PD-L1 ≥5%. Conclusions: In this cohort of cisplatin-ineligible pts with MIBC and comorbidities, neoadjuvant N was well tolerated. N+I was associated with greater toxicity resulting in RC delays. Pathologic response rates were low in both cohorts, raising questions about utility of treatment intensification in cisplatin-ineligible patients. Some pts who did not undergo RC due to TRAEs had sustained clinical CR. Clinical trial information: NCT03520491. Clinical trial information: NCT03520491. [Table: see text]

Central Memory T-Cell Differentiation Correlates with Depth of Response in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma Patients Receiving Elotuzumab in Combination with Carfilzomib, Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone (Elo-KRd)

Central Memory T-Cell Differentiation Correlates with Depth of Response in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma Patients Receiving Elotuzumab in Combination with Carfilzomib, Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone (Elo-KRd)

Early Administration of Partially HLA Matched Third Party Virus-Specific T-Cells in Conjunction with Antiviral Treatment for Initial Viral Infection after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant Is Safe and Leads to High Rates of Viral Control

Introduction:Reactivation of viruses such as cytomegalovirus (CMV) or Epstein Barr virus (EBV) after allogeneic hemopoietic stem cell transplant (aHSCT) is associated with increased non relapse mortality and a requirement for antivirals with mainly hemopoietic and renal toxicities that can further compromise transplant outcomes and increase health care costs. The use of 3 rd party virus specific T cells (VSTs) has been effective in treating recurrent and refractory viral reactivation after transplant and leads to rapid restoration of viral immunity. We investigated whether early administration of 3 rd party VSTs together with antiviral therapy could safely enhance immune recovery and improve viral control in patients requiring treatment for their initial CMV and EBV infection after aHSCT.Methods:We performed a single arm phase 1 clinical trial in which aHSCT patients requiring treatment for their first CMV or EBV reactivation (or EBV driven malignancy) received infusions of partially HLA matched 3 rd party VSTs within 7 days of commencing standard antiviral treatment. Patients were required to have a viral copy number of at least 1,000 copies/mL for CMV, 10,000 copies/mL of blood for EBV, or proven tissue infection irrespective of copy number for treatment initiation. T cell products were expanded from G-CSF stimulated aphereses from normal donors following peptide stimulation and CD137 magnetic bead selection. T cells were cultured for up to 12 days before specificity testing and cryopreservation. Patients were eligible to receive up to 4 doses of VSTs at 4 week intervals with products selected with a minimum of 1 of 6 HLA matches at HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 with antiviral activity demonstrated through the shared HLA molecule. The primary endpoint of the study was infusion safety.Results:Thirty aHSCT patients were treated with 1-4 VST infusions (27 CMV, 3 EBV) commencing at a median of 4 days after initiation of antiviral treatment. 27 patients were transplanted for hematological malignancies, 3 for immune deficiencies. Conditioning was myeloablative in 12 patients and the majority of patients (22/30) received in vivo T cell depletion. 7/27 CMV seropositive recipients were transplanted from CMV seronegative donors. A total of 41 infusions were given, most frequently targeting antigens presented through shared HLA molecules A2 and/or B7. All infusions were administered at a cell dose of 2 x 10 7/m 2. VST products were CD3 + (median 97.9%, range 96.2 - 99.4%), with median percentage of CD3 +CD8 + 85.8% (range 23.2 - 95.5%). There was one infusion related adverse event consisting of fever that resolved rapidly after admission and antibiotics. Overall viral response rate was 100% with a complete response rate of 94% (Figure 1). Of the 28 patients who achieved a CR (after either 1 or 2 infusions), 22 remained virus PCR negative (n = 8) or below the limit of quantitation (n = 14) for the duration of follow up. 3 patients had brief episodes of quantifiable reactivation not requiring additional therapy and 3 patients required a second infusion following initial CR. All remained PCR negative after their 2 nd CR. All 3 patients treated for EBV PTLD achieved sustained CR. Overall rates of acute and chronic GVHD post-infusion were 33% (10/30) and 20% (6/30) respectively (grade IIII/IV aGVHD 10%, severe cGVHD 7%). VST infusion was associated with a reduction in activation and inhibitory marker expression on CD4 + and CD8 + lymphocytes within the first 30 days and recovery of CD8 + (and more slowly CD4 +) CD45RA -CD62L - effector memory cells. Within the first 100 days after infusion there was an increase in interferon-γ responsiveness of blood lymphocytes. CMV and EBV specific tetramer positive T cells were detected comprising up to 13% of CD8 + cells for up to 6 months post infusion. At 1 year post transplant, non relapse mortality was 10%, cumulative incidence of relapse was 7% and overall survival was 87%.Conclusion:The combination of traditional antiviral treatment and early administration of 3 rd party VSTs is safe and achieves high rates of viral control without evidence of increased acute or chronic GVHD and with evidence of enhanced immune responses to viral antigens. 1 year overall survival was high with low rates of non relapse mortality and relapse. These encouraging results require confirmation in a prospective randomized study comparing best available therapy with best available therapy combined with early VST administration. [Display omitted] DisclosuresRitchie: Novartis: Honoraria; BMS: Research Funding; Takeda: Research Funding; CRISPR Therapeutics: Research Funding; Amgen Inc: Honoraria, Research Funding; CSL: Honoraria.

Clinical Study on the CD19-Targeted Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy for Relapsed/Refractory Acute Lymphoblast Leukemia: A Single Center of Real World Data

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor T-cell(CD19-CAR-T) therapy for relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblast leukemia(B-ALL). Methods The efficacy and safety of CD19-CAR-T cells(4-1BB costimulatory domain) in treatment of 34 patients with relapsed/refractory B-ALL from March 2015 to December 2019 in the Department of Hematology of Guangdong Second Province Hospital were collected analyzed retrospectively. There were 18 cases (52.9%) with high-risk cytogenetic or molecular markers, 14 cases (41.2%) with tumor load was ≥50% before transfusion, 24 cases (70.6%) with ECOG score ≥2. The number of chemotherapy courses received before transfusion was 2-15, the median number of chemotherapy courses was 5. There were 32 autogenous CAR-T cells and 2 donor-derived CAR-T cells, 11 of them received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) before transfusion. All were mouse CAR-T cells. Fludarabine + Cyclophosphamide (FC) regimen was used for pretreatment before transfusion, and the number of CAR-T cells was 1 ~ 13.4×10 6/kg. Results All 34 patients received CD19-targeted CAR-T cell therapy. 22 patients obtained MRD- after 1 month, CR rate was 64.7%. 20 patients maintained MRD- after 2 months, and the CR rate was 58.8%. 13 patients still maintained MRD- after 3 months, with a CR rate of 38.2%. 4 patients with recurrence presented CD19 negative recurrence. 10 patients underwent Allo-HSCT after CR acquisition, 6 of them maintained a continuous CR state, and 4 patients died after recurrence. Cytokines release syndrome (CRS) was observed in 31 patients (91.2%). Among them, there were 20 patients (64.5%) with grade 1 ~ 2, 8 patients (25.8%) with grade 3 ~ 4, and 3 patients (9.7%) with grade 5. The cytokines levels of IL-6 and IFN-γ were mainly increased in 20 (64.5%) and 18 (58.1%) patients, respectively. Common clinical adverse reactions are: fever with 32 cases (94.1%), pancytopenia with 28 cases (82.4%), chills with 17 cases (50.0%), fatigue with 26 cases (76.5%), hypotension with 27 cases (79.4%), tachycardia with 24 cases (70.6%), hypofibrinogenemia with 20 cases (58.8%), hypoproglobinemia with 27 cases (79.4%), neurotoxicity with 15 cases (44.1%), nausea with 16 cases (47.1%), vomiting with 14 cases (41.2%), hypoalbuminemia with 25 cases (73.5%), transaminase eleations with 16 cases (47.1%), electrolyte metabolic disorders with 27 cases (79.4%) , hypoxemiawith 15 cases (44.1%). Conclusion CAR-T cells therapy is a novel method for the treatment of refractory/recurrent B-ALL with CD19 antigen positive, which can make patients achieved complete remission in a short time, even achieved MRD negative, and most of the CRS appeared in the process of treatment can be controlled by treatment, but the recurrence rate is higher after 3 months later, and can appear CD19 negative relapse. Allo-HSCT as soon as possible after obtaining CR can enable some patients to obtain sustained CR.Therefore, more clinical studies are needed to explore the clinical application of CAR-T cell therapy. Currently, it is believed that bridging with allo-HSCT may be a solution to achieve sustained CR.【Key words】Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell; Relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblast leukemia; Efficacy; Safety; Cytokine release syndrome DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Recombinant Human Thrombopoietin (rhTPO) and High-Dose Dexamethasone (HD-DXM) Versus High-Dose Dexamethasone Monotherapy As Frontline Treatment in Newly Diagnosed Adult Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP): a Prospective, Multicentre, Randomised, Controlled Trial

Introduction: Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an acquired thrombocytopenia and caused by immune-mediated platelet destruction and impaired platelet production. Corticosteroids are recommended as the standard first-line treatment. As the immunosuppressive therapy,HD-DXM could decrease platelet destruction by regulating T cell immune abnormalities. Thrombopoietin (TPO) is the primary regulator of thrombopoiesis. Several studies have proved that TPO have profound effects on megakaryocyte development and platelet production as well as restore immune tolerance. We suppose the rhTPO and HD-DXM could work synergistically based on these mechanisms. Recently, several pilot studies have examined the efficacy and safety of TPO-RA in treatment-naive adult ITP patients. We present the results of the first prospective,multicenter,randomized,controlled trial on the largest cohort to date comparing the efficacy and safety of HD-DXM plus rhTPO vs HD-DXM as frontline therapy in newly diagnosed adult primary ITP patients.Methods: Between July 2013 and December 2016, 245 newly-diagnosed, treatment-naive ITP patients aged 18-75 years in 25 separate centers in China were enrolled in the trial (NCT01734044). DXM was administered orally at 40 mg daily for 4 consecutive days to both arms. The 4-day course of dexamethasone was repeated on days 11 to 14 in the case of lack of response. Patients in the experimental arm received subcutaneously rhTPO at a daily dose of 300U/kg concomitantly during the first 14 days. Patients with platelet counts higher than 100×109/L or more than 50×109/L increase of the baseline platelet count could discontinue the rhTPO treatments. Use of rescue treatments such as platelet transfusion and hemostatic agents were allowed at the discretion of the investigator if the platelet count <10×109/L or ≥10×109/L with active bleeding and were recorded. Patients were assessed at day 14. Study visits were scheduled every 1 month until the end of the 6th month or day of relapse. The primary endpoint was the early response rates at day 14 (OR: platelet count ≥30×109/L and at least 2-fold increase of the baseline platelet count and absence of bleeding, CR: platelet count ≥100×109/L). Key secondary endpoints were rates of sustain response and complete response at the end of month 6, duration of response (DOR), bleeding scores, assessments of adverse events (AEs). Any administration of additional ITP specific medication or withdrawn from the study because of no response was regarded as nonresponders.Results: 196 patients were randomly to receive HD-DXM with (n=100) or without (n=96) rhTPO. Demographics and baseline characteristics were balanced between the 2 arms. HD-DXM+ rhTPO resulted in a higher incidence of early OR at day 14 compared with HD-DXM monotherapy (89.0% vs 66.7%, P<0.001, table 1), the CR rate were 75.0% (HD-DXM+ rhTPO) vs 42.7% (HD-DXM) (P<0.001). Sustained OR and CR at the end of the 6th month was also higher in patients treated with HD-DXM+ rhTPO than in those treated with HD-DXM alone (OR: 51.0% vs 36.5%, P=0.022; CR: 46.0% vs 32.3%, P=0.043, table 1). Throughout the follow-up period, overall duration of response was greater in the experimental group, estimated by the Kaplan-Meier analysis (Figure 1, P=0.04). There was no difference between these 2 groups in terms of TTR, bleeding scores and rescue treatments. No statistically significant differences were observed in the incidence of treatment-related AEs between the two groups. Three patients had grade 4 or higher AEs in the HD-DXM+ rhTPO group, including early cerebral hemorrhage (n=2) and cerebral infarction (n=1); none were deemed treatment-related, one patient in the rhTPO group died of early cerebral hemorrhage. No patient was tested positive for neutralizing antibodies against TPO.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the addition of rhTPO to HD-DXM is superior to HD-DXM monotherapy in the treatment of newly diagnosed treatment-naive adult ITP patients. Thus, this combination can be a feasible frontline therapy in adult ITP. [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Sorption kinetics of an eco-friendly and sustainable Cr (VI) ion scavenger in a batch reactor

In the present work, Cr (VI) was successfully biosorbed and reduced to less toxic Cr (III) by using chitosan coated MnO2 nanoparticles synthesized through green route using curcumin and Citrus limetta peel extract. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis of chromium loaded nanoparticles confirmed that most of the Cr (VI) ions were reduced to Cr (III). Scanning electron and transmission electron microscopic images showed that these nanoparticles were spherical in shape, crystalline in nature, ranged from 14 to 24 nm in size. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis indicated hydroxyl, carboxyl and amino groups on its surface. The dynamic light scattering showed a size distribution of nanoparticles as 299.50 ± 25.32 nm. High Brunauer- Emmett-Teller specific surface area (76.19 m2/g) of these nanoparticles provided more active sites for binding of chromium ions. Energy dispersive X-ray and ultimate analysis indicated the presence of Mn, O, C, H, and N. These elements were the major components of these nanoparticles and confirmed the presence of chitosan on nanoparticle surface. The lower value of pHzpc (3.17) proved the suitability of acidic pH values for conducting biosorption experiments. The values of dimensionless numbers and diffusivity coefficients indicated that biosorption was controlled by film and pore diffusion. Pseudo-second order (R2 = 0.99) and Freundlich isotherm (R2 = 0.99) showed a better goodness of fit over other kinetic and isotherm models. The thermodynamic study showed that biosorption was exothermic and spontaneous. But, the enthalpy is endothermic and the reaction is entropy driven. Results showed that these nanoparticles have high Cr (VI) uptake capacity (92.19 mg/g) and can be reused over several cycles of adsorption–desorption.

Electrospun carbon/iron nanofibers: The catalytic effects of iron and application in Cr(VI) removal

Electrospun polyacrylonitrile/iron nitrate (PAN/Fe(NO3)3) nanofibers were prepared, and used as precursor nanofibers for production of carbon/iron nanofibers via the carbonization process. The catalytic effects of metallic iron on morphologies, chemical structures, graphitic carbon growth, and thermal behavior during and after the carbonization process were carefully investigated. The existence of iron nitrate can increase the fiber size and convert the non-woven morphology into self-aligned assembly. The presence of catalytic iron facilitates the stabilization and the carbonization of PAN fibers resulting in an increased carbon yield, along with more ordered and larger graphitic crystallites. The developed carbon/iron nanofibers can be used as an ultra-effective nanoadsorbent to remove the toxic Cr(VI) in water, as one of the potential applications. The nanoadsorbent shows a fast and powerful performance in Cr(VI) removal through reduction and adsorption (maximum removal capacity of 445.3 mg/g). The α-Fe nanoparticles on carbon nanofiber surface is first oxidized to rapidly reduce the mobile Cr(VI) into the static Cr(III). Subsequently, the diffusion controlled redox reactions between the iron inside of carbon matrix and the Cr(VI) achieve a sustained continuous Cr(VI) removal for 60 days. Furthermore, this versatile material is magnetic making separation and recycle easy to perform.

Netupitant/palonosetron (NEPA) and dexamethasone for prevention of emesis in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant anthracycline plus cyclophosphamide: a multi-cycle, phase II study

BackgroundNEPA is an oral fixed-dose combination of netupitant, a new highly selective neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist, and palonosetron. This study was conducted to evaluate whether the efficacy of NEPA against chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in cycle 1 would be maintained over subsequent chemotherapy cycles in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant anthracycline plus cyclophosphamide (AC). The study also describes the relationship between efficacy on day 1 through 5 (overall period) and control of CINV on day 6 through 21 (very late period) in each cycle.MethodsIn this multicentre, phase II study, patients received both NEPA and dexamethasone (12 mg intravenously) just before chemotherapy. The primary efficacy endpoint was overall complete response (CR; no emesis and no rescue medication use) in cycle 1. Sustained efficacy was evaluated during the subsequent cycles by calculating the rate of CR in cycles 2–4 and by assessing the probability of sustained CR over multiple cycles. The impact of both overall CR and risk factors for CINV on the control of very late events (vomiting and moderate-to-severe nausea) were also examined.ResultsOf the 149 patients enrolled in the study, 139 were evaluable for a total of 552 cycles; 97.8% completed all 4 cycles. The proportion of patients with an overall CR was 70.5% (90% CI, 64.1 to 76.9) in cycle 1, and this was maintained in subsequent cycles. The cumulative percentage of patients with a sustained CR over 4 cycles was 53%. NEPA was well tolerated across cycles. In each cycle, patients with CR experienced a significantly better control of very late CINV events than those who experienced no CR. Among the patients with CR, the only predictor for increased likelihood of developing very late CINV was pre-chemotherapy (anticipatory) nausea (adjusted odds ratio = 0.65–0.50 for no CINV events on cycles 3 and 4).ConclusionThe high anti-emetic efficacy seen with the NEPA regimen in the first cycle was maintained over multiple cycles of adjuvant AC for breast cancer. Preliminary evidence also suggests that patients achieving a CR during the overall period gain high protection even against very late CINV events in each chemotherapy cycle.Trial registrationThis trial was retrospectively registered at Clinicaltrials.gov identifier (NCT03862144) on 05/Mar/2019.