Untreated Acute Myeloid Leukemia Research Articles

AGILE: A Global, Randomized, Double-Blind, Phase 3 Study of Ivosidenib + Azacitidine Versus Placebo + Azacitidine in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia with an IDH1 Mutation

AGILE: A Global, Randomized, Double-Blind, Phase 3 Study of Ivosidenib + Azacitidine Versus Placebo + Azacitidine in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia with an IDH1 Mutation

Phase I and Expansion Study of Eprenetapopt (APR-246) in Combination with Venetoclax (VEN) and Azacitidine (AZA) in TP53-Mutant Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)

Phase I and Expansion Study of Eprenetapopt (APR-246) in Combination with Venetoclax (VEN) and Azacitidine (AZA) in TP53-Mutant Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)

Treatment Initiation of Venetoclax in Combination with Azacitidine or Decitabine in an Outpatient Setting in Patients with Untreated Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Treatment Initiation of Venetoclax in Combination with Azacitidine or Decitabine in an Outpatient Setting in Patients with Untreated Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Venetoclax Plus Decitabine for Young Adults with Newly Diagnosed ELN Adverse-Risk Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Interim Analysis of a Prospective, Multicenter, Single-Arm, Phase 2 Trial

Background:The standard of induction therapy for fit patients(pts) with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has not changed much since 1973, when the 7+3 regimen of cytarabine and anthracycline was born. This combination of agents produces complete remission (CR) in about 60-80% of younger adults and in 40-60% of older adults (60 years) depending on genetic risk group. However, compared with AML in favorable- and intermediate-risk categories, induction therapy for fit AML pts in adverse-risk category had significantly lower CR rates and dismal outcome. Recently, combination therapy with venetoclax and azacitidine or decitabine for the treatment of older pts with de novo AML unsuitable for intensive chemotherapy, has resulted in response rates of 60-70%. Currently, the role of venetoclax in combination with azacitidine or decitabine in young adults with newly diagnosed ELN adverse-risk AML remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of venetoclax plus decitabine as induction therapy in young adults with newly diagnosed ELN adverse-risk AML.Methods:This is an interim analysis of an ongoing phase 2 clinical trial (NCT04752527) of a planned 42 untreated ELN adverse-risk AML pts 18-59. The fast next-generation sequencing (NGS) for the most commonly mutated genes in AML using Oncomine TM myeloid research assay on Ion S5 and Chef platform (Thermo Fisher) was completed within 72 hours, which could screen for the ELN adverse-risk features in AML pts together with multiplex RT-PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). In cycle 1, pts receive decitabine 20mg/m 2 on d1-5 and venetoclax escalated from 100mg to 200mg to 400mg until 28-day cycle is finished. For pts with high FLT3-ITD allelic ratio, sorafenib was optional administered at a dose of 400mg orally twice daily. Bone marrow assessments were performed on d28 before subsequent cycle. Pts who achieve composite complete remission (defined as complete remission [CR], CR with incomplete hematologic recovery [CRi], CR with partial hematological recovery [CRh], and morphologic leukemia free state [MLFS]) receive 1 or 2 cycles of consolidation with high dose of cytarabine followed by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Non-responders or pts who achieve partial remission (PR) receive 1 additional cycle of combination of venetoclax plus decitabine. The primary objective is to determine the composite complete remission rate (CR+CRi+CRh+MLFS). The endpoint is to show that venetoclax plus decitabine is superior to historical control (HC) of cytarabine combined with idarubicin (12 mg/m 2) in young adults with newly diagnosed ELN adverse-risk AML.Results:From February 1, 2021 to July 31, 2021, a total of 104 newly-diagnosed AML pts underwent screening, and 30 pts were classified as ELN adverse-risk category by NGS (within 72 hours) together with multiplex RT-PCR and FISH. Totally, 19 pts with ELN adverse-risk were enrolled, comprising 14 males and 5 females. 2 (10%) pts had secondary AML (sAML). Median age was 38 years (range, 19-57 years). The baseline patient characteristics are summarized in Table 1. Outcome data were updated as of July 2021, for a median follow-up of 2.7 months. Among 14 evaluable pts, 4 (28.6%) achieved a CR, 5 (35.7%) achieved a CRh and 5 (35.7%) had a PR in cycle 1. Individual pts data of this study (n = 14) was compared to a HC, combining individual pts data of AML with adverse-risk from the SZ3202 registry (n = 42) and the pts treated with IA (IDA:12 mg/m 2) in the same period (n = 18). The venetoclax plus decitabine cohort demonstrated higher rates of CR than the HC cohort, with an observed CR/CRh rate of 64.3%, compared with 38.3% (Figure 1).The regimen was well tolerated, with 4- and 8-week mortality rates of 0% and 0%, respectively. The most frequent nonhematologic adverse events of any grade were neutropenic fever (n=6) and pneumonia (n=3). With a median follow-up of 2.7 months, the median remission duration and overall survival (OS) have not been reached. Tumor lysis syndrome occurred in one patient and resolved with medical management.Conclusions:Preliminary results indicate that venetoclax plus decitabine is an effective, lower-intensity regimen that is well tolerated for young adults with newly diagnosed ELN adverse-risk AML, producing high rates of CR, low rates of infections, and low rates of early death. Recruitment of young adults with newly diagnosed ELN adverse-risk AML pts for this trial is ongoing. [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Oligoblastic (

Introduction: The current World Health Organization (WHO) classification considers acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with PML-RARA, RUNX1-RUNX1T1, and CBFB-MYH11 to be AML regardless of blast count. Myeloid neoplasms with KMT2A rearrangement present with high blast percentages and are classified as AML in the vast majority of cases; however, rare myeloid neoplasms with KMT2A rearrangement may present with <20% blasts and these are currently considered to be myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). We questioned whether these oligoblastic KMT2A rearranged neoplasms shared similar biology with AML, and if this genetic finding should be considered to be AML-defining.Methods: We searched the archives of three large institutions in the United States for untreated adult with oligoblastic (<20%) myeloid neoplasms with KMT2A rearrangement and untreated adult AML patients with KMT2A rearrangement and compared their clinical and laboratory characteristics. KMT2A rearrangement was detected by chromosomal analysis and/or fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) using KMT2A breakapart probe. KMT2A rearrangement partners were assessed based on a conventional karyotype results and/or RNA based fusion assay.Results: Between 2010 and 2021 we identified 22 patients with MDS or CMML and KMT2A rearrangement and 88 patients with AML and KMT2A rearrangement. The clinical and laboratory information are summarized below. MDS/CMML with KMT2A-rearrangement showed a similar age and sex distribution to AML, but had more patients with preceding history of chemotherapy for unrelated malignancies (68% vs 37%, p=0.012). Aside from a low blast count in PB and BM, patients with MDS/CMML had a lower WBC and were less anemic and thrombocytopenic. MDS/CMML patients also showed a lower percentage of BM cells with KMT2A rearrangement by FISH (58% vs. 92%, p<0.0001), and significantly less likely to have MLLT3 as the partner gene (23% vs. 58%, p=0.0005). With a similar mutation frequency among patients tested (42% versus 34%, p=0.22), MDS/CMML patients had significantly fewer mutations involving the RAS pathway (KRAS, NRAS, FLT3, PTPN11) than AML patients (p=0.0035).Seventeen of 22 MDS/CMML patients (77%) progressed to AML with a median time of progression being 4 months (range, 1-27 months). Of the 5 patients who did not progress to AML, 3 received allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) and remain in complete remission, while 2 remain AML-free 3 and 16 months after the initial diagnosis.With a median follow-up of 12 months (range, <1-117), 15 MDS/CMML patients and 58 AML patients died. There was no difference in use of SCT to treat MDS/CMML versus AML (p=0.47). MDS/CMML and AML patients displayed similar overall survival (OS) (p=0.9059, Figure 1). There was also no statistical difference in OS between MDS/CMML and AML when therapy-related (p=0.569) and de novo (p=0.962) neoplasms were analyzed separately. On multivariable analysis, therapy-related disease (HR 1.774 [1.058-2.975], p=0.03), SCT (HR 0.166 [0.000-0.291], p<0.0001), and platelet count (HR 0.992 [0.000-0.998], p=0.013) were independently associated with shorter OS. Neither AML versus MDS/CMML nor blast percentage (whether dichotomized as <5% or >=5% or as a continuous variable) were associated with shorter OS.Conclusion: Oligoblastic myeloid neoplasms with KMT2A rearrangement tend to progress rapidly to overt AML and demonstrate similar aggressive behavior to AML patients with KMT2A rearrangement, irrespective of therapy relatedness. Patients with KMT2A rearrangement and <20% blasts are currently classified as MDS or CMML, and may be inadequately treated. Our findings suggest that all myeloid neoplasms with KMT2A (MLL) rearrangement should be classified as AML, irrespective of the blast count. [Display omitted] DisclosuresRavandi: AbbVie: Honoraria, Research Funding; Prelude: Research Funding; Taiho: Honoraria, Research Funding; Xencor: Honoraria, Research Funding; Astex: Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Jazz: Honoraria, Research Funding; Agios: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria; Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Syros Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Issa: Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kura Oncology: Consultancy, Research Funding; Syndax Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Pozdnyakova: Scopio Labs: Consultancy. Wang: Stemline Therapeutics: Honoraria.

Immune and Epigenetic Landscape of TP53-mutated Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Higher-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes (HR-MDS)

Immune and Epigenetic Landscape of TP53-mutated Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Higher-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes (HR-MDS)

Isoform Selective HDAC8 Inhibitor (OCH3) Shows Potency in Selectively Targeting Primary AML Cells

The treatment outcomes for patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are still dismal. Recent advances in understanding AML indicate that the lack of efficacy is primarily due to non-specificity of currently used chemotherapeutics targeting both leukemic stem/progenitor cells (LSC) and normal hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). Thus, a critical barrier is the identification of innovative therapies that selectively target LSC. Histone deacetylase 8 (HDAC8) has been shown to enhance p53 protein deacetylation, which results in inactivation of p53, promoting LSC survival. We hypothesize that enzymatic/non-enzymatic role of HDAC8 is critical for LSC survival but not for HSCs. Then, we characterized our two tetrahydroisoquinoline (TIQ)-based selective HDAC8 inhibitors (HDAC8i) BIP and OCH3 for growth inhibition, apoptosis, activation of caspase 3, integrity of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and acetylation of histone H4 in human leukemia cell lines. The growth inhibitory effects observed in cell lines were validated using bone marrow (BM) or peripheral blood (PB) cells from AML patients. Colony forming cell (CFC) assays were performed using AML BM/PB cells treated with OCH3 or BIP. OCH3 and BIP were also tested for hematotoxicity using normal CB CD34+ cells. Furthermore, we compared class I HDAC isoform engagement in human normal cord blood (CB) CD34+ cells and in SET-2 leukemia cells using our novel photoreactive probe TH1143. In CD34+ cells, TH1143 had higher level of engagement for HDAC1 and 2, whereas engagement of HDAC3 and 8 was minimal. In SET-2 cells, HDAC3 and HDAC8 displayed relatively higher engagement with TH1143 indicating HDAC engagement is likely cell type specific.The biological efficacies of OCH3 at 50uM and BIP at 25uM were noted to exert >50% growth inhibition in KG1 and in K562 leukemia cells. Both OCH3 and BIP significantly increased the number of apoptotic cells and there was an enhanced active caspase-3 activity. Furthermore, OCH3 and BIP treated cells displayed lower red/green ratio in comparison to control, indicative of poor MMP and depolarization to induce apoptosis (Table 1.a). OCH3 and BIP were further validated by using BM/PB cells from AML patients showing growth inhibition. This was also accompanied by increase in apoptotic cells by OCH3 and BIP. In contrast to BIP, OCH3 spared CB CD34+ cells as demonstrated by notably lower growth inhibition, apoptotic cells vs control when compared with primary AML cells from patients. Both OCH3 and BIP displayed minimal inhibition of CFU growth in CD34+ cells. However, HDAC8i induced significant CFU growth inhibition in primary AML samples suggesting that HDAC8i spares normal CFU progenitors but not leukemia progenitors (Table 1.b). Notably, both BIP and OCH3 lack ability to exert acetylation of histone H4, unlike broad spectrum HDAC inhibitor TSA (MFI with OCH3=0.96±0.03, BIP=0.77±0, TSA =1.63±0.15) which is consistent with isoform selectivity of OCH3 and BIP.The leukemia growth inhibitory effects at LSC level was demonstrated using ex vivo OCH3 treated AML patient derived BM/PB cells transplantation in humanized immunodeficient NSGS mice. After 10 to 12 weeks of transplantation mice receiving untreated AML cells had 7.73±2.18% while with OCH3 treatment mice had 4.84±1.37% human CD34+ leukemia cells, a 38% reduction in CD34+ leukemia cells, despite only a single ex vivo exposure to OCH3. Furthermore, in a second model, NSGS humanized mice were transplanted (IV) with primary leukemia cells from AML patients and after 4 weeks injected (IP) with OCH3 or vehicle control. After 12 weeks of transplantation in this second model human primary AML cell burden was 5.74±1.31% (OCH3) and 18.13±12.76% (vehicle control), while mice transplanted with normal CD34+ cells treated similarly with OCH3 or vehicle control displayed no detectable inhibition of human myeloid cell chimerism (OCH3:12.28 ± 3.31% vs vehicle control: 17.92±11.96%).Taken together, our data indicate that HDAC8 isoform inhibitor, OCH3 displayed significant inhibition of primary AML patient derived leukemia cells growth in vitro and in vivo in contrast to normal CD34+ cells. Selective inhibition of HDAC8 is sufficient to cause growth inhibition in primary AML progenitors including LSCs in vivo while sparing normal HSCs thus offer opportunities for further development of HDAC8i as new experimental therapeutics in AML. [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

A Phase 1/2 Trial of Cladribine, High-Dose Cytarabine, G-CSF, and Dose-Escalated Mitoxantrone (CLAG-M) Plus Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin in Adults with Newly-Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) or Other High-Grade Myeloid Neoplasm

A Phase 1/2 Trial of Cladribine, High-Dose Cytarabine, G-CSF, and Dose-Escalated Mitoxantrone (CLAG-M) Plus Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin in Adults with Newly-Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) or Other High-Grade Myeloid Neoplasm

Safety and Efficacy of Combining Tagraxofusp (SL-401) with Azacitidine or Azacitidine and Venetoclax in a Phase 1b Study for CD123 Positive AML, MDS, or BPDCN

Safety and Efficacy of Combining Tagraxofusp (SL-401) with Azacitidine or Azacitidine and Venetoclax in a Phase 1b Study for CD123 Positive AML, MDS, or BPDCN

Phase 1b Study of Lower-Dose CPX-351 Plus Venetoclax As First-Line Treatment for Patients with AML Who Are Unfit for Intensive Chemotherapy: Preliminary Safety and Efficacy Results

Phase 1b Study of Lower-Dose CPX-351 Plus Venetoclax As First-Line Treatment for Patients with AML Who Are Unfit for Intensive Chemotherapy: Preliminary Safety and Efficacy Results

Ten-Day Decitabine with Venetoclax (DEC10-VEN) in Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome: Updated Results of a Phase II Trial

Ten-Day Decitabine with Venetoclax (DEC10-VEN) in Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome: Updated Results of a Phase II Trial

Preliminary Results By Age Group of Treatment with CPX-351 Plus Venetoclax in Adults with Newly Diagnosed AML: Subgroup Analysis of the V-FAST Phase 1b Master Trial

Preliminary Results By Age Group of Treatment with CPX-351 Plus Venetoclax in Adults with Newly Diagnosed AML: Subgroup Analysis of the V-FAST Phase 1b Master Trial

NK Cells of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients Exhibit Exhausted Phenotype with Impaired Functional Activity

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) accounts for about one third of all leukemias, with half of all leukemia deaths. The low 5-year survival rate and manifestation of this deadly disease in old age reinforce the need for new safe and effective AML therapies. Considering the exceptional role of immune cells in the recognition and elimination of tumor cells, one of these methods is immunotherapy. However, for the development of immunotherapeutic approaches, it is necessary to clearly understand the role of certain effector cells in the pathogenesis of the disease, as well as to have the knowledge about the phenotypic characteristics of these cells.Natural killer (NK) cells play important roles in innate cancer immunosurveillance, and some published data indicate that the antitumor function of NK cells is reduced in AML patients. To expand upon previous work, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the phenotypic and functional characteristics of NK cells in previously untreated AML patients that took into account a wide variety of biomarkers. The goals of this study were to define the phenotypic and functional differences in NK cells from AML patients and healthy donors and determine how these parameters affect outcome of the disease.We used 14-color flow cytometry to assess more than 30 measurable markers on NK cells from the peripheral blood of 33 untreated AML patients and age-matched healthy controls. In addition, NK cells were tested for interferon-γ responses under antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity conditions. Results in AML patients were then compared to healthy donors.We found that the NK cells of patients with AML have a significantly lower capacity to secrete IFN-γ and showed numerous signs of an exhausted phenotype, as compared to healthy controls. These included increased surface expression of CD39, PD-1, and LILRB1 on NK cells from AML patients. Interestingly, surface expression of the TIGIT checkpoint receptor did not differ between AML patients and healthy donors, but surface expression of the activating receptor DNAM-1, which shares the same ligands on tumor cells, was decreased. All of these data confirm that the NK cells of AML patients are functionally impaired.We also noted that the frequency of CD57 + NKG2C + KIR + memory-like “adaptive” NK cells was greater in the blood of AML patients. The proportion of adaptive NK cells did not correlate with the age of donors. Phenotypic features of this cell subpopulation from the AML patients included significantly increased expression levels of CD56 and significantly lower expression of the activating receptor DNAM-1. DisclosuresZhigarev: Janssen R&D: Research Funding; Immunitas Therapeutics: Consultancy; Tavotek Biotherapeutics: Consultancy. Drenberg: Janssen R&D: Current Employment. Campbell: Janssen R&D: Research Funding.

Venetoclax plus azacitidine in Japanese patients with untreated acute myeloid leukemia ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.

BackgroundThe phase 3 VIALE-A trial (NCT02993523) reported that venetoclax-azacitidine significantly prolonged overall survival compared with placebo-azacitidine in patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia ineligible for intensive chemotherapy. Herein, efficacy and safety of venetoclax-azacitidine are analyzed in the Japanese subgroup of VIALE-A patients.MethodsEligible Japanese patients were randomized 2:1 to venetoclax-azacitidine (N = 24) or placebo-azacitidine (N = 13). Primary endpoints for Japan were overall survival and complete response (CR) + CR with incomplete hematologic recovery (CRi). Venetoclax (target dose 400 mg) was given orally once daily. Azacitidine (75 mg/m2) was administered subcutaneously or intravenously on Days 1–7 of each 28-day cycle.ResultsMedian follow-up was 16.3 months (range, 1.0–20.3). Median overall survival was not reached with venetoclax-azacitidine (hazard ratio 0.409 and 95% confidence interval: 0.151, 1.109); overall survival estimate was higher with venetoclax-azacitidine than placebo-azacitidine at 12 (67 and 46%) and 18 months (57 and 31%), respectively. CR and CRi rates were 67% with venetoclax-azacitidine and 15% with placebo-azacitidine. Most common any-grade adverse events were febrile neutropenia (79 and 39%), thrombocytopenia (54 and 77%), constipation (54 and 54%) and decreased appetite (54 and 38%) in the venetoclax-azacitidine and placebo-azacitidine arms, respectively. Only 1 patient in the venetoclax-azacitidine arm, and no patients in the placebo-azacitidine arm, had grade 4 febrile neutropenia that led to treatment discontinuation.ConclusionsThis Japanese subgroup analysis of VIALE-A demonstrates comparable safety and efficacy outcomes compared with the global study and supports venetoclax-azacitidine as first-line standard-of-care for Japanese treatment-naive patients with acute myeloid leukemia who are ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.

Outcomes By Best Response with Hypomethylating Agent Plus Venetoclax in Adults with Previously Untreated Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Outcomes By Best Response with Hypomethylating Agent Plus Venetoclax in Adults with Previously Untreated Acute Myeloid Leukemia

AML-196: The First-in-Class Anti-CD47 Antibody Magrolimab in Combination with Azacitidine Is Well Tolerated and Effective in AML Patients: Phase 1b Results

Context: Magrolimab, an anti-CD47 antibody, induces tumor phagocytosis and eliminates leukemia stem cells. Azacitidine (AZA) synergizes with magrolimab by inducing prophagocytic “eat me” signals. Magrolimab + AZA is clinically effective in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome. Objective: To report Phase 1b data of magrolimab + AZA in untreated AML. Design: This is an open-label, nonrandomized, Phase 1b, interventional study. Interventions: Patients received a magrolimab priming/intrapatient dose-escalation regimen (1–30 mg/kg intravenous weekly followed by 30 mg/kg every 2 weeks in cycle 3 and beyond) and AZA (75 mg/m2 on days 1–7 on a 28-day cycle). Patients or Other Participants: Treatment-naive AML patients unfit for intensive chemotherapy. Main Outcomes Measures: Outcome measures included the percentage of patients with adverse events (AEs), objective response (OR), time to response, and duration of response. Results: Fifty-two patients were treated with magrolimab + AZA. Overall, 64% had poor-risk cytogenetics, and 65% had TP53 mutations. Magrolimab + AZA was well tolerated with a safety profile similar to AZA monotherapy. Treatment-related AEs (≥15% of patients) were anemia (31%), fatigue (19%), blood bilirubin increase (19%), neutropenia (19%), thrombocytopenia (17%), and nausea (15%). On-target anemia was generally transient and reversible, and no immune-related AEs associated with magrolimab were observed. Of 34 patients evaluable for efficacy, 22 (65%) achieved an OR, 15 (44%) achieved complete response (CR), 4 (12%) with CR with incomplete count recovery (CRi), 1 (3%) with partial response, 2 (6%) with morphological leukemia-free state (MLFS), 11 (32%) with stable disease (SD), and 1 (3%) with progressive disease (PD). Time to response was 2.04 months. In TP53-mutant patients, 15/21 (71%) achieved an OR, 10 (48%) achieved a CR, 4 (19%) with CRi, 1 (5%) with MLFS, 5 (24%) with SD, and 1 (5%) with PD. The median overall survival for TP53-mutant patients (n=34) and TP53–wild-type patients (n=16) was 12.9 and 18.9 months, respectively, with a median follow-up of 4 and 12 months, respectively. Conclusions: Magrolimab + AZA was well tolerated, with efficacy in both TP53-mutant and TP53–wild-type AML patients. A Phase 3 trial evaluating magrolimab + AZA in untreated TP53-mutant AML patients is planned (NCT04778397). Magrolimab, an anti-CD47 antibody, induces tumor phagocytosis and eliminates leukemia stem cells. Azacitidine (AZA) synergizes with magrolimab by inducing prophagocytic “eat me” signals. Magrolimab + AZA is clinically effective in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome. To report Phase 1b data of magrolimab + AZA in untreated AML. This is an open-label, nonrandomized, Phase 1b, interventional study. Patients received a magrolimab priming/intrapatient dose-escalation regimen (1–30 mg/kg intravenous weekly followed by 30 mg/kg every 2 weeks in cycle 3 and beyond) and AZA (75 mg/m2 on days 1–7 on a 28-day cycle). Treatment-naive AML patients unfit for intensive chemotherapy. Outcome measures included the percentage of patients with adverse events (AEs), objective response (OR), time to response, and duration of response. Fifty-two patients were treated with magrolimab + AZA. Overall, 64% had poor-risk cytogenetics, and 65% had TP53 mutations. Magrolimab + AZA was well tolerated with a safety profile similar to AZA monotherapy. Treatment-related AEs (≥15% of patients) were anemia (31%), fatigue (19%), blood bilirubin increase (19%), neutropenia (19%), thrombocytopenia (17%), and nausea (15%). On-target anemia was generally transient and reversible, and no immune-related AEs associated with magrolimab were observed. Of 34 patients evaluable for efficacy, 22 (65%) achieved an OR, 15 (44%) achieved complete response (CR), 4 (12%) with CR with incomplete count recovery (CRi), 1 (3%) with partial response, 2 (6%) with morphological leukemia-free state (MLFS), 11 (32%) with stable disease (SD), and 1 (3%) with progressive disease (PD). Time to response was 2.04 months. In TP53-mutant patients, 15/21 (71%) achieved an OR, 10 (48%) achieved a CR, 4 (19%) with CRi, 1 (5%) with MLFS, 5 (24%) with SD, and 1 (5%) with PD. The median overall survival for TP53-mutant patients (n=34) and TP53–wild-type patients (n=16) was 12.9 and 18.9 months, respectively, with a median follow-up of 4 and 12 months, respectively. Magrolimab + AZA was well tolerated, with efficacy in both TP53-mutant and TP53–wild-type AML patients. A Phase 3 trial evaluating magrolimab + AZA in untreated TP53-mutant AML patients is planned (NCT04778397).

Is venetoclax the new backbone of acute myeloid leukaemia therapy?

The addition of venetoclax, an oral BCL2 inhibitor, to hypomethylating agents as the new standard of care for the initial treatment of unfit and older patients with acute myeloid leukaemia was happening well before the US Food and Drug Administration approval occurred based on the final results of the VIALE-A study. 1 DiNardo CD Jonas BA Pullarkat V et al. Azacitidine and venetoclax in previously untreated acute myeloid leukemia. N Engl J Med. 2020; 383: 617-629 Crossref PubMed Scopus (259) Google Scholar This combination therapy has shown improvement in complete remission rates, time to complete remission, and overall survival compared with hypomethylating agent therapy alone. With little improvement in outcomes for patients with acute myeloid leukaemia for decades, the impact of venetoclax has been pervasive. It was only a matter of time before studies began exploring the addition of venetoclax to other acute myeloid leukaemia treatment regimens and settings to determine if the drug could lead to further improvements in outcomes, including with intensive induction chemotherapy. Venetoclax plus intensive chemotherapy with cladribine, idarubicin, and cytarabine in patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia or high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome: a cohort from a single-centre, single-arm, phase 2 trialVenetoclax added to CLIA was safe and active in patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia or high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome, producing high rates of durable MRD-negative remissions and encouraging event-free survival and overall survival. Full-Text PDF

Phase 3 randomized trial of chemotherapy with or without oblimersen in older AML patients: CALGB 10201 (Alliance)

AbstractOverexpression of B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (BCL2) renders acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells resistant to chemotherapy and has been associated with unfavorable outcomes. Oblimersen (G3139) is a phosphorothioate 18-mer antisense oligonucleotide directed against the first 6 BCL2 codons. In a phase 1 study of AML patients treated with G3139, cytarabine, and daunorubicin induction with cytarabine consolidation, no antisense-related toxicity was reported, and BCL2 downregulation occurred in patients achieving complete remission. In this phase 3 trial, untreated older AML patients were randomized to cytarabine (100 mg/m2 per day on days 4-10) and daunorubicin (60 mg/m2 per day on days 4-6) followed by cytarabine consolidation (2000 mg/m2 per day on days 4-8) with (arm A) or without (arm B) G3139 (7 mg/m2 per day on days 1-10 [induction] or days 1-8 [consolidation]). A total of 506 patients were enrolled. No differences in toxicity were observed between arms. Estimated overall survival (OS) at 1 year was 43% for arm A and 40% for arm B (1-sided log rank P = .13), with no differences in disease-free (DFS; P = .26) or event-free survival (P = .80). Subgroup analyses showed patients age <70 years in arm A had improved OS by 1 month vs those in arm B (P = .04), and patients with secondary AML in arm A had better DFS vs those in arm B (P = .04). We conclude that addition of G3139 to chemotherapy failed to improve outcomes of older AML patients. However, more effective means of inhibiting BCL2 are showing promising results in combination with chemotherapy in AML. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00085124.

Genetic Profiling and Deep IDH1 Mutation Clearance to ≤0.04% in Ivosidenib (AG-120)-Treated Patients with Mutant IDH1 Relapsed or Refractory and Untreated AML

Genetic Profiling and Deep IDH1 Mutation Clearance to ≤0.04% in Ivosidenib (AG-120)-Treated Patients with Mutant IDH1 Relapsed or Refractory and Untreated AML

A Phase 2 Study of Actinium-225 (225Ac)-Lintuzumab in Older Patients with Previously Untreated Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Unfit for Intensive Chemotherapy

A Phase 2 Study of Actinium-225 (225Ac)-Lintuzumab in Older Patients with Previously Untreated Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Unfit for Intensive Chemotherapy